David Rose's article in the Mail on Sunday didn't ruin my weekend (see here and here). Instead, I was delighted that, once again RSPB supporters came out fighting to show their loyalty. Thanks to all of you that offered your support through social media, this blog, email or text. It is much appreciated.
We will not let this crude attack distract us from our work - if anything it emboldens us to do more.
At the Conference for Nature in September, Germaine Greer made a passionate plea that it was time to get serious about nature conservation. I want to offer a story about what that means in practice and give you an opportunity to get serious and use your voice for nature by joining a Rally for Nature on 9 December.
First the story...
On Friday, I returned to Wallasea Island for the first time in eight years. It is a remarkable place. I first visited the site when the majority of the c800 hectares was a wheat field. In 2006, Defra and the Environment Agency were in the process of creating new intertidal habitat to compensate for the loss of the internationally important Lappel Bank. This, if you remember, resulted from the ruling by the European Court of Justice triggered by the RSPB's legal challenge. They confirmed that where there are no alternatives to a project which will cause harm to a site of European importance (determined by the EU Nature Directies) and there are imperative reasons of overrdinging public interest then a developer is obliged to replace the funtional quality and extent of whatever is lost to that development.
Here's one that Defra and the Environment Agency created earlier
Today, the compensatory habitat looks good and the rest of the site is also coming along well. Before the next breach of the seawall in 2015, we have had to raise the level of the land. This is where Crossrail came in. They are in the process of shipping 7.5 million cubic metres of soil from their own engineering project. This goes on 24/7 (see below) before diggers get to work creating the right conditions for the tides to shape the most suitable habitat for wildlife. The birds already seem to like it though. On Friday we saw large flocks of shelduck, redshank and lapwing but, alas not the promised rough-legged buzzard.
Kit in place to allow soil to be shipped ashore from the Crossrail project 24/7
It's a hugely inspiring project. Costs may exceed £100 million on completion in 2025 but, thanks to the support of our partners, there will be minimal net cost to the RSPB. The scale of the project could be seen as intimidating, but given that engineers don't blink at embarking on multi-billion pound projects for grey infrastructure, we should be prepared to do as Germaine advises and be serious about restoring green infrastructure.
Without projects like Wallasea Island, rising sea levels are threatening to see another 1,000 hectares lost in the next decade. Wallasea Island will provide 670 hectares of secure habitat for wildlife to thrive well into the future and we predict a significant increase in the number of birds once the project is completed. The vision of breeding population of spoobills and great white egret (heading north because of climate change) is not so far away.
And this brings me on to the rally on 9 December...
...the European Nature Directives, which ensured the original habitat creation scheme went ahead and are foundation of nature conservaiton in this country, are under threat (see here).
...we know we need to think big and restore wildlife at a landscape-scale and this at the heart of our joint call with the Wildlife Trusts for a Nature and Wellbeing Act.
...and we also know that wildlife crime continues and hen harriers need action if they are to fly free from harm (see here)
So, we have decided to join forces with The Wildlife Trusts, League Against Cruel Sports and my predecessor, Dr Mark Avery, to hold a Rally for Nature in London. The event is also supported by Butterfly Conservation, the Ramblers and The Mammal Society. We are inviting our supporters to come together to encourage their MPs to take these issues seriously and to give nature a good showing in their party manifestos in the run up to the General Election next year. Online actions, petitions and letter writing all have their place in influencing decision-makers, but nothing beats face-to-face contact with your MP.
I really hope you can join us. This is your chance to tell your MP why nature matters to you and what you expect from your elected representative. To find out more and book a place, head to the Rally for Nature registration page.
Let’s make 2015 the year that all political parties take nature seriously.
Many thanks, Martin - I've just done that.
I looked at the 'You Forgot The Birds' site - what a bunch of saddos. Very sadly, though, I can see many people falling for their bull****.
Clare - can I suggest you contact campaigns@rspb.org.uk for more detail on timings. I think we are planning a morning and an afternoon sitting. It would be great if you could make it.
Keith/Boris: there is am obligation for provision of compensatory habitat under both European law and domestic planning policy. This is also known as biodiversity offsetting ie offsetting the damage that has been caused - the trigger for the original Wallasea habitat creation scheme and indeed Medmerry. The principle of compensation/offsetting is something we have supported - as a last resort and when tests in the mitigation hierarchy have been followed. If the recent Defra debate had focused on how to improve the regime for providing compensatory habitat, then I think that it may have had an easier ride. However, in its presentation, there was a perception from some that it was actually designed as a tool to fast-track planning and may become a 'license to trash'. I discussed this at some length through this blog. We are still expecting the UK Government to determine what it does next, but only after the offsetting pilots have been completed and reported.
My understanding is that this is not 'biodiversity offsetting' but one of the many examples of the important positive role that the EU Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds has played in protecting birds and their habitats.
Martin, am I correct in thinking that the "hugely inspiring" Wallasea Island project represents a very successful example of 'Biodiversity Offsetting' in action?