On 21st December, the High Court upheld a legal challenge from Friends of the Earth and two solar firms against the Government’s controversial decision to slash the Feed-in Tariff incentives for solar installations.
The challenge was made on the basis that the cuts, which were brought into force before the end of the consultation, were illegal and had led to chaos and uncertainty in the industry, causing many jobs which were either unfinished or planned, to be cancelled.
The Court ruled that the government had breached rules governing consultation exercises by announcing that the Feed-in Tariff incentives would be effectively halved before the end of the consultation period. The Judge commented that the consultation was ‘legally flawed’ and can therefore be subjected to a judicial review, adding that the ministers were ‘proposing to make an unlawful decision’.
The ruling effectively paves the way for a judicial review that could force the government to re-launch the consultation, significantly delaying when the proposed cuts will come into effect. However, at present the effects of this ruling are unknown.
More on this story.
Friday, 23 December 2011
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority shortlisted for 2012 green award
The Local Government Chronicle newspaper holds annual awards that pit local authorities against each other in the quest for a top place in each of 17 categories.
This year, the national park has been shortlisted in the low carbon council category along with six city and county councils
Each of the finalists will give a presentation to the judging panel in January and the winners will be announced at the event on 14 March in London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.
Authority chief executive David Butterworth said: “The authority exists to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and we believe climate change will have the biggest single impact on the special qualities of the park in coming years.
“For that reason we have made carbon reduction an integral part of our day-to-day work and I am delighted we have been shortlisted for a national award as a result.”
The Dales national park set an objective to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 25 per cent compared to 2005/06 by March 2013.
It has introduced a raft of measures ranging from using low energy light bulbs and reducing staff mileage to supporting small-scale renewable energy developments and co-funding the planting of 80 hectares of new native woodland in the national park.
Other nominees in this category are:
Learn more about these awards.
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Looking after the birds this winter
Two great videos from Nick Baker, Wildlife Watch UK:
Wildlife Watch is the junior branch of The Wildlife Trusts and the UK's leading environmental action club for children and families. Find out more by visiting their website.
Wildlife Watch is the junior branch of The Wildlife Trusts and the UK's leading environmental action club for children and families. Find out more by visiting their website.
Pond Conservation with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Recognising the environmental importance of village ponds in East Yorkshire, Scarborough and Ryedale is at the centre of a new project launched by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
Funded by LEADER Coast, Wolds, Wetlands and Waterways the Parish Pond Project aims to undertake an assessment of the pond assets across the LEADER area. It is hoped that in doing this communities will become more aware of their wetland heritage and therefore encourage wider appreciation of the village landscape.
Harriet Linfoot (pictured above) is co-ordinating the project and we met at Muston Pond to discuss the project further. As it was too windy for filming we recorded the interview in the car. Listen by clicking on the link below and apologies for the rather abrupt beginning and endings:
If you would like further information please contact Harriet by email.
During the interview Harriet mentioned Pond Conservation as a source of useful advice on all aspects of ponds. Pond Conservation is the national charity dedicated to protecting the wildlife of our freshwaters: ponds, rivers, streams and lakes. They give advice, carry out research, promote practical action and lobby policy makers to ensure that freshwater wildlife and habitats have a secure future.
Contact them by email or call 01865 483249.
Funded by LEADER Coast, Wolds, Wetlands and Waterways the Parish Pond Project aims to undertake an assessment of the pond assets across the LEADER area. It is hoped that in doing this communities will become more aware of their wetland heritage and therefore encourage wider appreciation of the village landscape.
Friday, 16 December 2011
Vale of Pickering Survey
A survey in partnership with Scarborough Borough Council is being undertaken as part of an undergraduate research project and needs your help. The survey is on people's opinions and understanding of wetland heritage with particular reference to the Vale of Pickering, North Yorkshire.
Hugo Hughes would be grateful if you could spare a few minutes of your time to undertake the short survey.
The survey will close on 31st January 2012. Hugo hopes to obtain a good response from a range of people who live in or near the Vale, or have an interest in the area.
He is also looking for a small number of respondents willing to be interviewed about their personal experiences of living or working in the Vale of Pickering, especially those who have lived there for a number of years. These follow-up interviews will be organised in the New Year to gain a more in depth understanding of the heritage of the Vale and people's place within it.
Hugo can be contacted directly on 07528 701111, via e-mail.
Find out more about the Vale of Pickering
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Green Reads: Heat Pumps for the Home
Order this book from Amazon.
About the Author
John Cantor studied mechanical engineering and started life in the refrigeration industry. A keen environmentalist and practical engineer, he became interested in heat pumps in the early 1980s and designed and built three ambitious projects heating community swimming pools. He was a heat pump inspector for the first round of government Clear Skies grant initiatives, has tutored a number of heat pump courses and has written many articles on the subject. Gavin D J Harper writes extensively on substainability issues and is currently researching the subject of green business models for sustainability for a PhD at Cardiff University Business School. Gavin is a member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, and holds two honours degrees from the Open University and three masters degrees. He is the author/co-author of two books for Crowood, Domestic Solar Energy and Small-Scale Wind Power Generation.
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
BBC Radio 4 - Open Country - Heather Moorland
Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 3:00PM Thu, 15 Sep 2011
75% of heather moorland is found here in the UK. The North York Moors are perhaps best known for their glorious purple carpets and on Open Country Jules Hudson explores the past and the potential future of this rare habitat. Heather moorland relies on management. Created over centuries of sheep grazing and man management the blooms require regular burning to remain healthy and attractive to the varied wildlife that makes its home on the moors. Sometimes controversially this management is often only made possible with the finance brought in by grouse shooting. As the slopes and bogs of Spaunton Moor come alive with the vivid colour of the heather the grouse are also reaching their prime. Today at places like Spaunton eight days of shooting allows the moor to be managed and preserved for both the grouse and many other species of birds and invertebrates all year round. The spectacle of purple is testament to the effective nature of management but can conservation and hunting really work in harmony?
Listen to the programme here.
Visit the Open Country website.
Listen to the programme here.
Visit the Open Country website.
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
North Yorkshire winter walks
If a walk hasn't been part of your Christmas previously, give it a try this year. North Yorkshire, and in particular the North York Moors, is blessed with many excellent locations for walking.
With over 1,400 miles (almost 2,300 km) of paths and tracks to choose from the National Park is overflowing with opportunities for walking, cycling and horse riding. The only potential problem is knowing where to begin!
To help you can view a selection of downloadable moorland walking routes here and, further afield, dozens more can be found among the county council's walking and cycling guides.
With over 1,400 miles (almost 2,300 km) of paths and tracks to choose from the National Park is overflowing with opportunities for walking, cycling and horse riding. The only potential problem is knowing where to begin!
To help you can view a selection of downloadable moorland walking routes here and, further afield, dozens more can be found among the county council's walking and cycling guides.
Thursday, 8 December 2011
An eco-friendly Christmas Tree this year?
It's that time of the year. Here's some viewpoints in the Real vs Fake Christmas Tree debate. Warning ....you may end up not being any wiser after reading them!
The Great Debate: Real Vs. Artificial Christmas Trees
Fake Tree Facts
Which is Greener – an Artificial or Real Christmas Tree?
How to Pick the Best and Greenest Christmas Tree
Is a fake Christmas tree the 'green' choice?
Which is Greener – an Artificial or Real Christmas Tree?
How Green Is Your Artificial Christmas Tree? You Might Be Surprised
If you have thoughts do add them via the comment link below.
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
£10m to boost woodland management for woodfuel
A new £10m grant scheme to revitalise woodland management has been announced by Forestry Commission England. The new scheme aims to produce woodfuel by improving roads and access for extraction.
Around half of England’s woodlands are undermanaged. There are many reasons for this but one is certainly the high cost of extracting timber so that it can be brought to market. Supporting owners and managers to improve roads and access will reduce harvesting costs and once again make woodland management economically viable.
Pam Warhurst, Forestry Commission Chair said:
"There is an old phrase that says "A wood that pays is a wood that stays." We are delighted to be able to launch this new scheme to revitalise the economic viability of sustainable woodland management by helping get timber to market. It will create rural jobs and help grow the green economy."
Applicants will have to have long term management plans for the woodlands that meet the new UK Forestry Standard. The plans will say how much timber they expect to harvest over the next decade so we will be able to see clearly what the benefits are from each new road built.
The new Woodfuel Woodland Improvement Grant (or Woodfuel WIG), will improve the infrastructure of undermanaged woodlands and contribute to the costs of marketing timber. As well as supplying the growing woodfuel market from thinnings and other operations, well managed woodland can also produce high quality timber. In turn this management improves the quality of woodlands for wildlife.
Woodfuel WIG is available throughout England but most of the funds are targeted towards the South East, South West and Cumbria, where there is greater potential for woodfuel supply.
This new grant is open for applications now and will operate alongside the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme, recently launched by Defra to provide comprehensive support to the woodfuel supply chain.
Further info.
Around half of England’s woodlands are undermanaged. There are many reasons for this but one is certainly the high cost of extracting timber so that it can be brought to market. Supporting owners and managers to improve roads and access will reduce harvesting costs and once again make woodland management economically viable.
Pam Warhurst, Forestry Commission Chair said:
"There is an old phrase that says "A wood that pays is a wood that stays." We are delighted to be able to launch this new scheme to revitalise the economic viability of sustainable woodland management by helping get timber to market. It will create rural jobs and help grow the green economy."
Applicants will have to have long term management plans for the woodlands that meet the new UK Forestry Standard. The plans will say how much timber they expect to harvest over the next decade so we will be able to see clearly what the benefits are from each new road built.
The new Woodfuel Woodland Improvement Grant (or Woodfuel WIG), will improve the infrastructure of undermanaged woodlands and contribute to the costs of marketing timber. As well as supplying the growing woodfuel market from thinnings and other operations, well managed woodland can also produce high quality timber. In turn this management improves the quality of woodlands for wildlife.
Woodfuel WIG is available throughout England but most of the funds are targeted towards the South East, South West and Cumbria, where there is greater potential for woodfuel supply.
This new grant is open for applications now and will operate alongside the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme, recently launched by Defra to provide comprehensive support to the woodfuel supply chain.
Further info.
Buy someone a compost bin this Christmas
The York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership offers a subsidy scheme for residents of York and North Yorkshire. Compost bins can be purchased through the low cost compost bin scheme. 220 litre compost bins are available for £10 with 330 litre compost bins available for £13. A delivery charge of £5.49 applies to all orders. To make composting even better value, you can purchase a second bin for just half the cost (buy one get one half price).
To purchase a compost bin click here or contact Even Greener on 0844 571 4444.
Even Greener also offer other products that can deal with kitchen and garden waste. These include a range of wormeries, bokashi units and kitchen caddies for collecting kitchen waste.
Home composting using a traditional bin or heap is an easy way to reduce the amount of waste that you put into your rubbish bin by at least a third, and you can produce your own compost for free.
The great thing about composting at home is that it's easy and requires relatively little effort.
You may also be surprised at how much of the content of your bin can be composted at home. Fruit and vegetable peelings, crushed eggshells, paper and card and garden waste are all compostable.
The YNYWP are able to offer help and assistance with composting, and have a team of enthusiastic and fully trained volunteers called the Rotters.
Why should we compost at home?
More than 60% of the contents of the average rubbish bin is biodegradable and over a third can be easily composted at home. This includes fruit and vegetable peelings, garden waste, tea bags, coffee grounds, cardboard and paper.
If not composted at home, biodegradable waste is sent to landfill, where it rots down producing the powerful greenhouse gas, methane. Methane is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. In the UK, 20% of methane production comes from landfill and, specifically, the rotting of biodegradable waste in an anaerobic environment. Reducing biodegradable waste going to landfill by composting it at home will mean the amount of methane produced will be reduced, thus helping to curb climate change.
Also, as you are composting your own waste at home it is not being transported to landfill therefore saving the emissions associated with transport of waste.
Here's one family's experience setting up their compost bin:
To purchase a compost bin click here or contact Even Greener on 0844 571 4444.
Even Greener also offer other products that can deal with kitchen and garden waste. These include a range of wormeries, bokashi units and kitchen caddies for collecting kitchen waste.
Home composting using a traditional bin or heap is an easy way to reduce the amount of waste that you put into your rubbish bin by at least a third, and you can produce your own compost for free.
The great thing about composting at home is that it's easy and requires relatively little effort.
You may also be surprised at how much of the content of your bin can be composted at home. Fruit and vegetable peelings, crushed eggshells, paper and card and garden waste are all compostable.
The YNYWP are able to offer help and assistance with composting, and have a team of enthusiastic and fully trained volunteers called the Rotters.
Why should we compost at home?
More than 60% of the contents of the average rubbish bin is biodegradable and over a third can be easily composted at home. This includes fruit and vegetable peelings, garden waste, tea bags, coffee grounds, cardboard and paper.
If not composted at home, biodegradable waste is sent to landfill, where it rots down producing the powerful greenhouse gas, methane. Methane is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. In the UK, 20% of methane production comes from landfill and, specifically, the rotting of biodegradable waste in an anaerobic environment. Reducing biodegradable waste going to landfill by composting it at home will mean the amount of methane produced will be reduced, thus helping to curb climate change.
Also, as you are composting your own waste at home it is not being transported to landfill therefore saving the emissions associated with transport of waste.
Here's one family's experience setting up their compost bin:
Monday, 5 December 2011
Creating a school wildlife garden
In this film Simon Johnson from Kirkbymoorside Community Primary School describes the various habitats he and his students have created in their school wildlife garden. He also enthuses about how the area, which is teeming in wildlife, can be used for a wide variety of subjects including Maths, English and even I.T.
Simon shows us his willow dome which was planted recently - if you would like to make one you can find out how to here. Details of next year's Big Garden Birdwatch (Jan. 28/29) can be found here.
Do you have a wildlife garden?
The Big Wildlife Garden competition encourages everyone to do some wildlife gardening on their doorstep. Anyone is eligible to take part – including individuals, communities, businesses and schools – and no space is too small to be transformed; be it a window box, school playing field or retail park in a town, city or in the countryside. There are six categories and entry is free via the Big Wildlife Garden website.
It is hoped that, through showcasing some of the best wildlife gardens in the UK, the competition will inspire everyone to take action and turn their gardens into wildlife havens; a great way of getting active and fit.
Entries for the BWG competition can be submitted on the Big Wildlife Garden website until Sunday 20 May 2012. Prizes include a wildlife gardening masterclass at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, where the prize-giving ceremony will take place, along with membership of The Wildlife Trusts and the Royal Horticultural Society.
The Big Wildlife Garden website contains top wildlife gardening tips and links entrants to a community of gardeners throughout the UK, with a facility to view Big Wildlife garden entries in their locality. It also includes a ‘My Garden’ page where information about gardens can be uploaded and stored.
To find out more visit the Big Wildlife Garden website.
Useful links
Big Wildlife Garden
DEFRA
Natural England
RHS Campaign for Schools Gardening
Wildlife Watch
RHS Britain in Bloom
What is a Living Landscape?
The Wildlife Trusts and Wildlife Gardening
RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood
Simon shows us his willow dome which was planted recently - if you would like to make one you can find out how to here. Details of next year's Big Garden Birdwatch (Jan. 28/29) can be found here.
Do you have a wildlife garden?
The Big Wildlife Garden competition encourages everyone to do some wildlife gardening on their doorstep. Anyone is eligible to take part – including individuals, communities, businesses and schools – and no space is too small to be transformed; be it a window box, school playing field or retail park in a town, city or in the countryside. There are six categories and entry is free via the Big Wildlife Garden website.
Entries for the BWG competition can be submitted on the Big Wildlife Garden website until Sunday 20 May 2012. Prizes include a wildlife gardening masterclass at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, where the prize-giving ceremony will take place, along with membership of The Wildlife Trusts and the Royal Horticultural Society.
The Big Wildlife Garden website contains top wildlife gardening tips and links entrants to a community of gardeners throughout the UK, with a facility to view Big Wildlife garden entries in their locality. It also includes a ‘My Garden’ page where information about gardens can be uploaded and stored.
To find out more visit the Big Wildlife Garden website.
Useful links
Big Wildlife Garden
DEFRA
Natural England
RHS Campaign for Schools Gardening
Wildlife Watch
RHS Britain in Bloom
What is a Living Landscape?
The Wildlife Trusts and Wildlife Gardening
RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood
Friday, 2 December 2011
Could you help us learn how communities in England can live in a more sustainable way?
Our offer
We will invest in up to 10 communities by providing:
- Access to expert support and advice to help each community develop their skills, knowledge and abilities and build on best practice within and between communities.
- Up to £10,000 to develop a project delivery plan that details the environmental, economic and social challenges affecting the community and how they can be addressed.
- Grants of between £500,000 and £1 million for up to five years.
Want to know more . . .
Please visit our website or contact the Big Advice Line on 0845 4 10 20 30. Please note the closing date for the expression of interest stage is Tuesday 31 January 2012.
Video: The Sustainability Centre
The Sustainability Centre in Hampshire is a former Naval communications base on the South Downs. It is now a 55 acre educational centre that offers year round courses, days out, accomodation in the forms of camping and an eco-hostel. It is also the home of Permaculture Magazine. Here's a great little film all about the learning activities, formal and informal, on the site.
For more details contact via email education@sustainability-centre.org or call 01730 823 166.
For accomodation and camping enquiries email accommodation@sustainability-centre.org or call 01730 823549
Thursday, 1 December 2011
What makes a house an eco-house (in Britain)?
The following is taken from the excellent Green Building Blog with a request at the end for anyone who may have thoughts on the matter to get in touch. First off though the author, Jenny Pickerill, outlines her ideas:
I have recently started work on creating a publically accessible database of eco-houses. I want to help publicise the diversity and creativity of eco-building. I have previously defined an eco-house as a building which minimises resource use (in construction and life -cycle) while also providing a comfortable environment in which to live. Yet this is quite vague and avoids having to really determine when a house is ecological enough and when it is not.
It seems like a really simple thing to do and there are numerous standards by which eco-houses are measured (such as Code for Sustainable Homes, AECB and BREAM Eco Homes). However, my concern is that as soon as a checklist is created some really innovative buildings are excluded and others do just enough to reach the standard but miss the bigger picture of what an eco-house is. So I want to find a way of defining an eco-house that includes the sheer diversity of eco-buildings we have in Britain (the database is starting with a focus on Britain and will hopefully expand later).
It needs to include a self-built low impact development using straw bale, just as much as a high-tech developer-built home. I need to find a simple set of criteria which I can use to determine what homes should be included in the database. It needs to be simple in order to be open and accountable to users, and to be as inclusive as possible while also setting a high bar as to what an eco-house should really represent. I have devised a list whereby if a house has any one of the criteria below then I consider it to be an eco-house:
•Reduce energy use in some form (i.e. ground source heat pump)
•High level of insulation
•Use of renewable technology (photovoltaic’s, solar water heating, wind turbine)
•Solar passive design (or shading)
•Extensively used reclaimed or recycled materials
•Reduces waste produced (for example eco-sewage systems or recycling of brown water)
•Double or tripled gazed windows with a U value of 1.5 Wm2k or lower
•Low carbon or zero carbon house
•Rainwater harvesting or water collection systems, low water-use appliances, reductions in run-off
•Deliberately small or compact design to reduce resource use
•Green or grass roof for increased insulation
•Grass roof for wildlife
•Use of ecological materials like adobe, straw, sheeps wool, hemp, sand bag, reclaimed bricks, or wood (if FSC or reclaimed)
•Passivhus standard
•Deliberate avoidance of using environmentally damaging materials (such as concrete, lead, bricks etc)
•Built using locally available materials
•Heat recovery systems
•Level 5 or 6 Code for Sustainable Homes
•AECB Silver or Gold Standard
•BREAM Eco Homes Standard level ‘Excellent’
•Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Rating A
•Air tightness of less than 5 m3/m2hr (air movement) at 50 Pa
I would be interested to hear people’s opinions on this list and whether it is acceptable to enable buildings to be considered ecological by doing just one of the above. There are obviously important relationships between these criteria. For example, installing photovoltaic’s on a poorly insulated house is not very efficient, just has having highly insulated walls but low quality windows reduces the effectiveness of the insulation. However, to account for the relationships between these criteria significantly complicates defining an eco-house. There are an infinite set of possibilities available as we redesign our homes, but how do we define in an age of such building diversity when a house is an eco-house?
You can contact Jenny via this post on her blog.
I have recently started work on creating a publically accessible database of eco-houses. I want to help publicise the diversity and creativity of eco-building. I have previously defined an eco-house as a building which minimises resource use (in construction and life -cycle) while also providing a comfortable environment in which to live. Yet this is quite vague and avoids having to really determine when a house is ecological enough and when it is not.
It seems like a really simple thing to do and there are numerous standards by which eco-houses are measured (such as Code for Sustainable Homes, AECB and BREAM Eco Homes). However, my concern is that as soon as a checklist is created some really innovative buildings are excluded and others do just enough to reach the standard but miss the bigger picture of what an eco-house is. So I want to find a way of defining an eco-house that includes the sheer diversity of eco-buildings we have in Britain (the database is starting with a focus on Britain and will hopefully expand later).
It needs to include a self-built low impact development using straw bale, just as much as a high-tech developer-built home. I need to find a simple set of criteria which I can use to determine what homes should be included in the database. It needs to be simple in order to be open and accountable to users, and to be as inclusive as possible while also setting a high bar as to what an eco-house should really represent. I have devised a list whereby if a house has any one of the criteria below then I consider it to be an eco-house:
•Reduce energy use in some form (i.e. ground source heat pump)
•High level of insulation
•Use of renewable technology (photovoltaic’s, solar water heating, wind turbine)
•Solar passive design (or shading)
•Extensively used reclaimed or recycled materials
•Reduces waste produced (for example eco-sewage systems or recycling of brown water)
•Double or tripled gazed windows with a U value of 1.5 Wm2k or lower
•Low carbon or zero carbon house
•Rainwater harvesting or water collection systems, low water-use appliances, reductions in run-off
•Deliberately small or compact design to reduce resource use
•Green or grass roof for increased insulation
•Grass roof for wildlife
•Use of ecological materials like adobe, straw, sheeps wool, hemp, sand bag, reclaimed bricks, or wood (if FSC or reclaimed)
•Passivhus standard
•Deliberate avoidance of using environmentally damaging materials (such as concrete, lead, bricks etc)
•Built using locally available materials
•Heat recovery systems
•Level 5 or 6 Code for Sustainable Homes
•AECB Silver or Gold Standard
•BREAM Eco Homes Standard level ‘Excellent’
•Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Rating A
•Air tightness of less than 5 m3/m2hr (air movement) at 50 Pa
I would be interested to hear people’s opinions on this list and whether it is acceptable to enable buildings to be considered ecological by doing just one of the above. There are obviously important relationships between these criteria. For example, installing photovoltaic’s on a poorly insulated house is not very efficient, just has having highly insulated walls but low quality windows reduces the effectiveness of the insulation. However, to account for the relationships between these criteria significantly complicates defining an eco-house. There are an infinite set of possibilities available as we redesign our homes, but how do we define in an age of such building diversity when a house is an eco-house?
You can contact Jenny via this post on her blog.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust lose patience over new attack on nature
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust voices deep frustration at George Osborne's Autumn budget statement, which includes plans to review the protection afforded to wildlife in England.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts’ Chief Executive Dr Rob Stoneman said,
“We welcomed the Government’s White Paper which put nature at its heart; however the opposite now seems to be the case and the Government risks going down as the one that trashed the British countryside.”
The Government’s own National Ecosystem Assessment2 and Natural Environment White Paper3, both published in June this year, promised us much more than this. They were to herald a step change in nature’s fortunes. And Special Areas of Conservation (SACs4) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs5) are a key part of the foundation upon which nature’s recovery across England will depend. Yet taking England’s much depleted wildlife into a more positive future is clearly far from the Chancellor’s agenda.
Rob added:
"Yorkshire Wildlife Trust continues to be alarmed by the National Planning Policy Framework Directive which appears to give a green light to trashing important wildlife sites. The recent announcement to unpick the Habitat Directive is a bridge too far.”
Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) were established under the EU Habitats Directive and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) established under the EU Birds Directive. Such sites are the very foundation of environmental protection on land and at sea in England. They are key to our quality of life and to the future of iconic places in a densely populated country like our own.
Designated areas in Yorkshire include key sites like the North York Moors, the Humber Estuary, the Lower Derwent Valley and Thorne and Hatfield Moors. Other much-loved areas include Robin Hood’s Bay, Craven Limestone Complex and Skipwith Common. Coastal and marine sites include Flamborough Head and Hornsea Mere. Famous rivers benefiting from protection include the Derwent which supports populations of otters, kingfishers as well as many ducks, geese and swans.
Rob concluded:
“Yorkshire’s special areas of conservation are the jewels in the crown of our landscape. The idea of destroying sites as iconic as Spurn Point National Nature Reserve, Flamborough Head, the Humber estuary or Yorkshire’s limestone pavements is simply unthinkable.”
Source
Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts’ Chief Executive Dr Rob Stoneman said,
“We welcomed the Government’s White Paper which put nature at its heart; however the opposite now seems to be the case and the Government risks going down as the one that trashed the British countryside.”
The Government’s own National Ecosystem Assessment2 and Natural Environment White Paper3, both published in June this year, promised us much more than this. They were to herald a step change in nature’s fortunes. And Special Areas of Conservation (SACs4) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs5) are a key part of the foundation upon which nature’s recovery across England will depend. Yet taking England’s much depleted wildlife into a more positive future is clearly far from the Chancellor’s agenda.
Rob added:
"Yorkshire Wildlife Trust continues to be alarmed by the National Planning Policy Framework Directive which appears to give a green light to trashing important wildlife sites. The recent announcement to unpick the Habitat Directive is a bridge too far.”
Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) were established under the EU Habitats Directive and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) established under the EU Birds Directive. Such sites are the very foundation of environmental protection on land and at sea in England. They are key to our quality of life and to the future of iconic places in a densely populated country like our own.
Designated areas in Yorkshire include key sites like the North York Moors, the Humber Estuary, the Lower Derwent Valley and Thorne and Hatfield Moors. Other much-loved areas include Robin Hood’s Bay, Craven Limestone Complex and Skipwith Common. Coastal and marine sites include Flamborough Head and Hornsea Mere. Famous rivers benefiting from protection include the Derwent which supports populations of otters, kingfishers as well as many ducks, geese and swans.
Rob concluded:
“Yorkshire’s special areas of conservation are the jewels in the crown of our landscape. The idea of destroying sites as iconic as Spurn Point National Nature Reserve, Flamborough Head, the Humber estuary or Yorkshire’s limestone pavements is simply unthinkable.”
Source
Eurostar survey reveals children incorporate protection of the environment into daily lives
Children as young as ten are taking more interest in protecting the environment than adults, according to new research by Eurostar, the high-speed passenger rail service between the UK and mainland Europe.
Almost nine out of ten (86%) 10-12 year olds incorporate the protection of the environment into their daily lifestyle, from turning lights off to cycling to school, versus just 65% of 18-34 year olds.
The study of over 1000 young people also revealed a stark realisation amongst nearly two thirds (64%) of this generation that the lifestyle of their parents and grandparents has negatively impacted the environment they are growing up in. For a generation brought up during the boom in low-cost air travel, their interest in the environment could be attributed in part to high levels of education on climate change - 79% have been taught this topic at school.
Naomi Wilkinson, CBBC Presenter and President of the Young People's Trust for the Environment, is on board to help recognise this new generation of young environmental champions. Eurostar is offering five children a unique opportunity to win the chance to present their views on sustainable travel and the environment to MEPs at the European Parliament in Brussels. To enter the competition, young people aged between 10 and 18 simply need to upload a short video clip sharing their views. Closing date is February 29th 2012.
Find out more here.
The Young People's Trust for the Environment is a charity which aims to encourage young people's understanding of the environment and the need for sustainability. Visit their website.
Almost nine out of ten (86%) 10-12 year olds incorporate the protection of the environment into their daily lifestyle, from turning lights off to cycling to school, versus just 65% of 18-34 year olds.
The study of over 1000 young people also revealed a stark realisation amongst nearly two thirds (64%) of this generation that the lifestyle of their parents and grandparents has negatively impacted the environment they are growing up in. For a generation brought up during the boom in low-cost air travel, their interest in the environment could be attributed in part to high levels of education on climate change - 79% have been taught this topic at school.
Naomi Wilkinson, CBBC Presenter and President of the Young People's Trust for the Environment, is on board to help recognise this new generation of young environmental champions. Eurostar is offering five children a unique opportunity to win the chance to present their views on sustainable travel and the environment to MEPs at the European Parliament in Brussels. To enter the competition, young people aged between 10 and 18 simply need to upload a short video clip sharing their views. Closing date is February 29th 2012.
Find out more here.
The Young People's Trust for the Environment is a charity which aims to encourage young people's understanding of the environment and the need for sustainability. Visit their website.
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