The UK has voted to leave the European Union.
The RSPB has always believed that, because nature transcends national boundaries, it needs cross-border co-operation to protect it and a common set of international standards that enable it to thrive.
That is why, now the UK has decided to leave the EU, the RSPB believes the UK must continue to act internationally, and look to forge comprehensive international agreements for nature conservation and the environment.
But we also need action at home.
David Tipling's fabulous image of two turtle doves - our fast declining migratory bird
There are millions of people in the UK who love nature – just think about the viewing figures of BBC Springwatch. We need clean air and water, and we want an attractive countryside rich in wildlife.
It is essential that we do not lose the current, hard won, level of legal protection. Given the current state of nature, we should be looking to improve the implementation of existing legal protection and, where necessary, to increase it.
It will now be down to the governments in Westminster, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff to make this happen.
As the new constitutional settlement is negotiated over the coming months (and years?), the RSPB will continue to be a voice for nature, raising the importance of environmental issues that has an impact on people, wildlife and the economy. We will provide a constructive challenge to all governments across the UK where necessary, and give credit where it is due; just as we always have done.
And, of course, trans-national challenges such as protecting our migrating birds, tackling climate change remain, which is why we shall work internationally, as we have done so for over a hundred years, and will continue to act across Europe with our Birdlife International partners to tackle the many challenges facing nature.
In short, we shall continue to do whatever nature needs.
Finally, I hope that all those that have invested so much in this campaign take time to recover. We need our leaders to be at their best as they make sense of this result and to rise to meet the challenges we and nature face. Given that contact with nature is good for the soul, I recommend a visit to a local nature reserve this weekend.
Ben Hall's image of RSPB Arne at dawn (rspb-images.com)
I'm also interested in your take on evidence, Keith. Equally dangerous, in this case to the whole human race, is dismissing information (I won't call them 'facts' because that would not be strictly correct) because it doesn't agree with your pre-conceived views. I do, however, agree that some people can be over bearing in their expertise - 'that is a fact, you have to agree with it'. And some birdwatchers can be very patronising to people who know less than them. The answer is for more of us to know more - and be able to judge the evidence for ourselves. It was therefore a great pleasure that literally millions of people were able to make their own judgement on the lives of Sparrowhawks in Springwatch this year and understand for themselves how the food chain, in all its 'nature red in tooth and claw' really works - and in particular understand that far from wiping out small birds, Sparrowhawks starve if there are too few of them.
And, more relevant to Mike's blog and experts and laymen, we will very soon be hearing a familiar refrain from farmers as farm subsidies come under discussion: 'you can't have a voice because you don't understand what we do'. I'll be ready to quote you back at them, Keith. I suspect quite a few will know who you are.