The UK’s wildlife is continuing to decline according to State of Nature Report 2023.
The UK, like most other countries worldwide, has seen significant loss of its plants, animals and fungi. The data from State of Nature cover, at most, 50 years but this follows on from centuries of habitat loss, development and persecution. As a result, the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth.
But the reasons for the decline are clear and we know conservation actions deliver results for nature. We have never had a better understanding of the State of Nature and what is needed to fix it.
Read about the Report on this link
https://stateofnature.org.uk/A review of nature conservation policy and legislation has been undertaken by a group of wildlife experts who have produced their
Peoples Manifesto for Wildlife that sets out the changes that are needed to stop the continuing loss of species and habitats that Britain suffers. A thought provoking read.
A fascinating article from Miles King about Nitrogen and its critical role in ecosystems. See The Nitrogen Dilemma
https://anewnatureblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/04/the-nitrogen-dilemma/ Did you know that half the humans on the planet are made from artificially fixed Nitrogen?
If you find yourself in Saffron Walden, why not visit the Saffron Walden Museum and see the Wildlife Gallery. the Museum is open on Tuesdays to Sundays, see their website for details -
Saffron Walden MuseumAn inspirational
video from George Monbiot about Wolves in Yellowstone Park and the deep connections between species in ecosystems. Would Wolves bring our current burgeoning Deer population back into balance with its food supply? And a bit closer to home here is a 20 minute film about
Rewilding Scotland.
A review of the history of Ash Dieback disease is available in a research paper, ' Evidence from mortality dating of Fraxinus excelsior indicates ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) was active in England in 2004–2005 | Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research | Oxford Academic' available on this link
https://academic.oup.com/forestry/article/91/4/434/4958744?login=false . Evidence suggests it may have been present in the UK as far back as the early 1990s, when international trade in trees was effectively unchecked, and by the time the presence of the disease was recognized it was far too late to control. Efforts to find resistant strains can be read about at The Living Ash Project
https://livingashproject.org.uk and other research is looking at natural fungi and bacteria that live with Ash trees which might play a part in the ability of a tree to fight infection, for possible biological control treatments in future.
A leaflet showing the Essex Wildlife Trust reserves in Uttlesford can be downloaded by clicking
Here (PDF 620KB).
