It's a Monday, September is flying by and constitutional uncertainty reigns. So here are ten good things to bring you cheer...
1. At last week's RSPB reserves' conference colleagues provided great stories about how the RSPB's 150,000 hectares of land is looking after more than 15,000 species and provide "an oasis of wonderfulness". Make a date to visit on of our 210 sites.
2. There are still young people that can make sense of the diversity that exists within our insect fauna. Three of our trainee ecologists even managed to help me get to grips with beetle, bee and river-fly ID. If I can do it, so can you.
__
3. The beaver has made a remarkable come-back across Europe and there is growing momentum behind a successful reintroduction programme here in the UK. Roisin Campbell-Palmer of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland inspired the RSPB audience by providing a history of the fall and rise of the beaver and an update on the Scottish Beaver Trial.
4. The National Trust has big plans to do more for nature on its vast Estate. Harry Bowell, Director for the Midlands region and formerly of this Parish, also spoke at the conference and highlighted some of this ambition for landscape-scale conservation and bravely challenged us to do more. We will pick up his challenge and be curious about how we can improve.
5. Our ambitions to manage land for wildlife and inspire people to do more have not diminished and new technology (such as these two extraordinary drones - one made inhouse - fitted with thermal imagery cameras) may help us improve our monitoring. Speaking of which, I am expecting soon to be able to report some good news about this year's breeding season - watch this space.
On a different note, there are again reasons to be optimistic that a fair and binding global climate change deal is within our grasp...
6. The UK Government has outlined its own vision (here) for a successful global climate deal and, one assumes, that this will form the centrepiece of the Prime Minister's speech when he joins other world leaders in New York next week at the UN Summit on Climate Change.
7. Public enthusiasm for campaigning on climate change has not diminished. Hundreds of thousands of people will take to the streets next week at rallies in London (here) and all round the world - united in their demand for climate action.
And, even if you were as depressed as I was by the new agenda set by European Commissioner President Juncker last week (see here)...
8. Be cheered by the fact that Environment Commissioner (designate), Karmenu Vella (the subject of my blog yesterday), will be grilled this week by his daunghter-in-law and MEP Miriam Dali. Ms Dali is on the record as saying that Malta should follow the Birds Directive in the strictest manner possible ensuring hunting is sustainable and does not endanger wild birds. Since writing this blog, it has become clear that a false twitter account for Commissioner Vella had been created. Ms Dali will not be part of the scrutiny process, however, as far I am aware, her pro-directives statements still stand!
If you are equally depressed by the thought you may not see a swallow, house martin or swift again until next spring, remember...
9. The ducks and geese are coming and...
10. The fungi are already out - go forage! You'll be amazed by what you'll find.
___
Just a sample of what I saw at the weekend: a bolete, amethyst deceiver and parasol
You might miss the party if you go on Monday!
There will be staff going along on Monday - but the RSPB has not mobilised in the same way as we did in 2009. We do, however, have plans for doing more in 2015 especially after the election and in the run up to the crucial climate COP.
Is the RSPB having a big presence at the demonstration on Sunday 21st Sept? I remember walking (with redkite and Mrs GI aka Vanellus) behind our banners and balloons on 5th Dec. 2009 for the Big Blue Wave on a previous Climate Change demo.
It is so niece to have some cheering news Martin and just shows that the great efforts by the RSPB and other conservation organistions can and do make such a huge difference. I am afraid contributions from Governments are very meagre in comparison.
It will be interesting to see how Mr Karmenu Vella responds to his "grilling" this week and every thing crossed for the Climate Change Summit.
As mentioned I think battles are looming in the EU on the conservation front. These battles will be so important for our wildlife right across Europe. To this end, it is so vital to be well informed, in advance, and I wonder if it worth the European conservation organisations jointly employing, at least partime, a leading consultant on the EU and its workings and who has good contacts within it. Such an arrangement might prove very valuable.