The worldwide populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish fell by an average of 68 percent between 1970 and 2016, according to the 2020 Living Planet Report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Ecosystem destruction has led to 1 million species 500,000 animals and plants and 500,000 insects being under threat of extinction. Scotland is one of Europe s least wooded countries and the rewilding movement is aiming to change that. (Here Loch Beinn a Mheadhoin west of Cannich.) Nilfanion/Wikimedia/(CC BY-SA 3.0)
The worldwide populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish fell by an average of 68 percent between 1970 and 2016, according to the 2020 Living Planet Report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Ecosystem destruction has led to 1 million species 500,000 animals and plants and 500,000 insects being under threat of extinction.
“It’s one thing going in with a chainsaw to cut down diseased trees, compared to ripping and clawing out undergrowth and clearing an entire area.
“This is also an area special to many in Thetford. It is a lane where they played as children and continued to use for recreation to this day.”
Residents and councillors in Thetford say they are “devastated” after the removal of woodland on land belonging to the Kilverstone Estate by Joe Blunt s Lane.
- Credit: Hazel McCambridge
Kilverstone Estate’s forestry contractor said the area would have been inspected by the Forestry Commission to consider the impact of the proposal on the woodland wildlife and that a European Protected Species survey was carried out – as required by the Forestry Commission Felling Licence.
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New homes for people and wildlife across the North East
Greener building and conserving wildlife goes hand in hand in the North East as a new approach to sustainable development is launched.
From: Great crested newt. Picture by Jess Welch
Natural England’s district level licensing (DLL) initiative, which better protects great crested newts, while also delivering the Government’s ambitions to build back greener, has been launched in Northumberland, Durham, Tyne & Wear and Tees Valley.
Great crested newts are protected under UK and EU law. It is an offence to disturb the species so developers must apply for a licence before undertaking any building work on or around the places that they live, trapping and relocating the species before starting work.
Bellway Homes gets largest fine ever issued for wildlife crime
Housebuilder Bellway Homes has been ordered to pay the largest fine ever issued by a UK court in relation to wildlife crime after damaging a site inhabited by bats.
After admitting guilt to having “damaged or destroyed a breeding site or resting place of a wild animal” on Tuesday at Woolwich Crown Court, the firm was ordered to pay a fine of £600,000 with further costs of more than £30,000. Bellway said it would also make a voluntary donation of £20,000 to the Bat Conservation Trust.
Bellway Homes carried out demolition work at the site in Artillery Place, Greenwich, in south east London in 2018, despite the presence of bats being documented at the site the previous year. In the UK, all bats are a European Protected Species. The company had been notified in planning documents that it would need to obtain a Natural England European Protected Species licence and mitigate any potential damage before carrying out wo