Hi folks,
It's been five years since I started this campaign! So I thought I'd take a quick look back and assess some of the great things we've accomplished in our quest to examine and overhaul Natural England's licences, specifically those affecting our wild birds. Successes One of our most significant achievements has been pressuring Natural England into releasing the (previously secret) bird control licensing data. Not only that, but they now publish it in full and every year. The public now has full access to the licence facts and figures, and this really is a huge accomplishment. So well done everyone! But we've had other success too... Black-Headed Gull Eggs Recently we've seen the almost total withdrawal of licences issued to harvest eggs of Black-headed gulls, for human consumption. Just two individual licences remain in place at the time of writing. I'm hopeful that these will also be suspended by next year. Already we've seen the very tangible results of this, as not one single egg of this threatened species was served at this year's annual 'gull egg luncheon' hosted by the Cure Parkinsons charity. This was due entirely to the withdrawal of licences. I expect that most of the fancy restaurants, traditionally serving gull eggs, were also forced to remove them from their menus this year due to lack of availability. A great outcome. Questionable decisions challenged... We've seen licences withdrawn in other cases too, where I pointed out anomalies that Natural England appeared to have missed - for example the 10 year farmyard Starling cull that Natural England continued to licence each year without ever noticing the futility of the exercise. Some of the data I uncovered has really highlighted the most ridiculous decisions made by Natural England's licensing team. For example the destruction of thousands of Mallard eggs because (according to Natural England) the ducks 'posed a threat' to passing cyclists. That particular revelation rightly caused widespread outrage, and indeed in the past five years, our campaign has received coverage in all the major UK national newspapers, with some stories making the news around the world too. This publicity in itself is also a major success of the campaign, raising public awareness of Natural England's activities and ensuring that the organisation is aware of being monitored in this way. Herring Gull licences and valuable discussions In 2020, we were encouraged to find Natural England having a major rethink over the number of licences it issued to cull rural gulls (NatureScot take note...), and I've had a generally useful exchange of views with Natural England's various heads of wildlife licensing. The success of these discussions has depended on who was in office at the time.... I had really good engagement with one particular incumbent who was keen to exchange ideas and hear views from supporters of our campaign. Alas, that helpful chap is no longer with Natural England, which is disappointing. Nevertheless, communication channels remain open - which is no small achievement; I have direct communication with the agency in a way that many others don't. This is due largely to our 400,000 campaign supporters, whose sheer numbers invoke a powerful force for communication and hopefully change. Challenges There are of course still challenges - and frustrations. Our suggestions to reform the Cormorant cull licences fell largely on deaf ears after our most helpful contact at Natural England departed his post. It looked like we were close to agreeing some modifications to the Cormorant licences - but then our hopes disappeared with the change of personnel. And Natural England flatly refuse to consider removing red listed songbirds from the falconry hunting licences, which I think is scandalous. I will continue to fight for these rare birds to be excluded from all lethal control licensing. North of the border.... Although our campaign focuses on Natural England, I have also noted worrying statistics emerging from Scotland, whose own nature agency, NatureScot, has made some dubious decisions over its wildlife control licences. I contacted them in March of this year, to ask if they might follow Natural England's lead in making their licence data publicly available, and they seemed very keen to reassure me that they would: "We agree on the benefits of publishing this information and are keen to ensure openness and transparency of our licensing functions," they told me, adding "we are currently in the process of formatting licence information which will be published on our website on a regular basis". This promise has so far come to nothing. Since that initial response there's been a stony silence and no reply to my emails. Something doesn't smell good... But, you know me - I'll keep asking. Incidentally, licence data I have seen from equivalent bodies Natural Resources Wales and Daera (Northern Ireland) was of less concern, it seems that England and Scotland are the ones to keep an eye on. Next steps What's next for the campaign? Well it might all seem quiet at the moment, but I'll keep looking at the data (and I'd ask you all to do the same), highlighting anomalies and pushing for change. I don't know what the future holds, perhaps a change of government might bring some hope for this country's diminishing wildlife, though I'm cynical about any political solution to our biodiversity crisis. I think the future of our natural world lies in the hands of the people - not the politicians. A very sincere thank you Finally, and most importantly, I want to extend sincere thanks to you all for your support and especially for your messages of encouragement, all of which is what keeps me going. I read and appreciate every single message. Thank you. The campaign continues.
16 Comments
Daphne Beale
10/6/2023 03:18:45 pm
Well done for all your campaigning. Without activists like you we could lose so many more birds and other creatures. We cannot afford to denude our landscape of all other creatures just because they sometimes get in our way.
Reply
Katrina Robinson
10/6/2023 03:29:45 pm
Jason,
Reply
Jane Hindley
10/6/2023 04:09:04 pm
You have achieved so much but it is disgraceful natural england appears to be on a mission to destroy as much of our wildlife as possible. Re starlings you will be pleased to know we have dozens in our garden on a daily basis!
Reply
Catherine Buckwell
10/6/2023 04:11:44 pm
Well done and many thanks for all your hard work. I will always support you in any future campaigns where our birds and wildlife is concerned. As you say, it needs the people to stand up to the political numpties.
Reply
Brian
10/6/2023 04:22:47 pm
Good luck with your campaign to support our wild birds. I was recently ordered to stop ground feeding birds because my two neighbours had complained I was attracting pigeons and to the area. I was advised to use bird feeders instead. When I pointed out that one of the neighbours who complained has bird feeders and these are known to attract pigeons, I'm still waiting for their response after a couple of weeks. As you know, it is not breaking any law to ground feed wild birds so they try to threaten you with anti-social behavior orders (with possibly large fines for non compliance). I asked the council if they had proof that the small amount of feed I put out was the cause of this problem (I have been feeding birds for many years using this method) and pointed out that many bird species cannot use bird feeders, so if no assistance is provided, especially in the winter, then this will result in many birds dying. It makes me spit blood when so many of our birds and other wildlife are at serious risk of extinction. Keep on with the good work.
Reply
Jacqueline Anne Woolcock
10/6/2023 04:41:24 pm
Well done Jason. So glad you are keeping going. Itis appalling what naturel England has allowed.
Reply
Maria Bagnoli
10/6/2023 05:24:56 pm
Thank you Jason. It is heartening to know that you and others are campaigning for the good of nature. It sickens me to learn about falconry and rare song birds . Natural England have a long way to go .
Reply
10/6/2023 05:39:21 pm
Thank You Jason again You are An Inspiration and a Lot To Do .I would Like To just leave a Massage To the Newer Followers . My Favourite British Bird is One that as a Young Chick I Found on the Ground Whilst doing My Paper Round ,I took it Home and and Mum Said take it down to Grandpop He will care For It . Many Weeks Later I was Asked to go down and Pick him Up , And after Joining This Group I was Disgusted to Find My Brutus's Cousins were on The List that Natural England deems To KILL ? I Ask When did You Last See a BULLFINCH ?
Reply
Sheila Dorsett
11/6/2023 08:14:50 am
Thank you Jason for all the work you have done. It takes real committment to take on the campaign, deal with the bureaucracy, and keep going.
Reply
Simon George Spratt
11/6/2023 08:45:59 am
I’m really pleased with what has happened already!! But there’s still a lot more to do.
Reply
Frank Courtney
11/6/2023 08:46:40 pm
Thanks for the helpful update, Jason, and particular thanks for all your efforts. If never ceases to amaze me that many (?most) people have not registered the nose dive in bird numbers and variety over the last few years. There are all sorts of reasons for this - most man-made - but you have identified one of the most bizarre, and it is encouraging that you (with all of us behind you) are having some impact. It is very easy to get discouraged in this field, but we need to support each other and do whatever we can. Great stuff - thanks so much!
Reply
Matt Lipsey
12/6/2023 11:04:34 am
Thank you for the clear update and all that you do. It means so much to know that people like yourself are out there fighting for the future of our wildlife.
Reply
12/6/2023 02:09:18 pm
!
Reply
SC Thomas
12/6/2023 05:03:09 pm
Thank you for all your hard work and congratulation on your successes. How about an article on killer cats - I spend hours attracting birds to my garden; only for next doors cat to come and prey on them!
Reply
Ruth
12/6/2023 05:41:24 pm
Five years of commitment and hard work - thank you and congratulations for what you've achieved.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
If you appreciate what I write about, please consider showing your support by buying me a virtual coffee!
Click the button below! Thanks :) Archives
July 2023
|