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conservation (1 Viewer)

E

Edward woodwood

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Hi folks

as a new year is about to start I thought it might be relevant to focus on conservation a little more directly than is often done on these forums.

nearly 1,200 species of bird are threatend with global extinction. Almost 200 of these are critically endangered and are therefore immediately threatened with extinction. As we go through 2003 adding new birds to our own lists it would be nice to think we could all do something however little towards reducing the number of species on the threatened list - the only bird list where a low number is what we want to see........

thnks are due to Steve for posting a threatened bird per day thread and reminding us what it's all about in the end!

for more info see http://www.birdlife.net/action/science/species/index.html and http://www.birdlife.net/action/science/index.html

for the complete list of threatened species see http://www.birdlife.net/datazone/downloads/register.html for a full list (you have to register your name but this takes only a second)

atb for your birding in 2004 however u do it
 
Glad you started this thread Tim. I have to tell you that I was shocked to read an article in my local paper this weekend on Eagles in the Carolina region dying from an algae that is growing on an obnoxious water plant by the name of Hydrilla.

With all the listservs I belong to, nothing had ever been mentioned about this new threat to the Bald Eagle which are just starting to rebound.
 
Tim,

Good idea for a thread. Maybe we could each come up with a simple idea for helping things in our own back-yard. For instance in the UK we could each try and persuade one person not to use peat based compost in their gardening.

Helen
 
was hoping for a positive response from somewhere to keep my spirits up......and prove it's not true about birders and lists etc....

I had hoped it would at least get a few responses - esp compared to the yearlist thread
there ya go.....
 
I wouldn't put too much truck in the fact that (as I write) there are more responses on the Year list thread.

After all, that started as a reasonably, I hope, useful summary of my year, but after a couple of responses, things became light hearted and "bantery".

This is much more serious though, Tim, and I for one am pleased that you raise it, and would welcome any information you provide.

I think there will be fewer frivolous pts here, and respondents will treat it with respect.

Equally, it's always going to be more difficult to stir folk into action over something serious, I think, even if the consensus is of agreement.

Point it, I suppose, that shouldn't stop you trying.

When it comes to conservation (and similar ecological issues) my philosophy is, the smallest action is better than no action at all, and should be applauded.

With luck, when you applaud a small action, the next action is more, and with hard work, and a deal of effort, just perhaps you set off a virtuous circle!
 
Hi Tim,

Agreed with Birdman - there's nothing contentious here, it is something we all agree with. Post something controvertial about conservation - like that thread about the US military bobming albatross colonies - and then you'll get your volume of responses!

If you like, I'll post something that might be a bit controvertial: the best thing to happen for conservation in Europe in the last 20 years was the Chernobyl explosion. 400 square miles (or something like that) of evacuated land, in effect a huge bird reserve with no people in it at all . . . I gather bird populations there are doing fantastically well.

Michael
 
thanks Michael,

why must it be contentious to get attention?

I think we all pay lip service to conversation (read that last word closely - I'll leave that slip in it's a good pun!)

try this people:
instead of twitching one lifer next year stay at home and donate the money to conservation.
 
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Considering all the far-flung places that you've 'name-dropped,' Tim, I can almost hear jasonbirder's knives being sharpened in response to your last suggestion!

A Happy and Conservation-filled New Year!
 
Tim Allwood said:
why must it be contentious to get attention?
Click to expand...
Because a slanging match is more fun than a hundred people all nodding in agreement! (o)<


Have to say tho', I do agree with Adey, what is it, a person going for one hour's flying uses as much fossil fuel as the same person doing what is it, 100 hours' driving, or something like that? I forget the exact figures, but it's something pretty large.

Michael
 
Yes, good topic Tim.

It's worth remembering that there are ways to help practically as well, if you've a bit of time to give. Various people - 3 off the top of my head - BTCV, National Trust and locally the Broads Authority all run conservation volunteer progammes
 
Jane Turner said:
Tim yes you are right...doesn't make particularly good reading!
Click to expand...

Correct Jane: that's the problem, as I've said a couple of times before on this forum (and had a similar lack of response!). It's not entertaining enough. So many birders get a hell of a lot from their pursuit but are not prepared to put anything back in.
It's pretty basic stuff these days that the natural environment (birds included) is unsustainable the way we're treating it. So, come on folks, get out there and do something, or help to finance organisations that are trying to make a difference!!
 
This is a very good thread Tim.

It is interesting that nobody has mentioned the RSPB.
If anybody wants to have a hands on approach they are always looking for volunteers to help in different ways.
I know there are lots of conservation issues around the world, but charity begins at home as they say.
 
helenh said:
On a positive note - there's this from the BBC News Website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3361803.stm) - "UK seeds near conservation goal". This is important when it comes to clawing back some of our lost habitats.
Click to expand...
It's good to know that so much is being done for plant conservation (and of course the Eden Project is also in this field). But, ultimately, it is a sort of "Noah's ark" approach. We'll still have the seeds when the flood abates. It's hard to see how the same approach can be used for birds and other animals. Conserving habitat is clearly vital. I don't know much about it but wasn't this the aim of the Rio and Johannesburg "Earth Summits"?
What was actually agreed that will make a difference?
 
Surreybirder said:
It's good to know that so much is being done for plant conservation (and of course the Eden Project is also in this field). But, ultimately, it is a sort of "Noah's ark" approach. We'll still have the seeds when the flood abates. It's hard to see how the same approach can be used for birds and other animals. Conserving habitat is clearly vital. I don't know much about it but wasn't this the aim of the Rio and Johannesburg "Earth Summits"?
What was actually agreed that will make a difference?
Click to expand...
You're right, it is a Noah's Ark approach but it is a vital move if we're to sustain wildlife populations in the UK. Being able to help areas to return to their former state (eg restoring wetland habitats like Coombe Hill Meadows in Gloucestershire) is an important part of animal species conservation.

The frustrating thing is that, even when you get a really solid project like Coombe Hill Meadows some human pressure group comes along and cocks things up. In this case it was the Ramblers Association and the British Horse Society who objected to the Wildlife Trust asking for a disused bridleway (which had been impassable for over 20 years) to be decommissioned (or whatever the correct term is ..... extinguished???). The upshot was that the "Rights if Way Commission" turned down the request - and then instructed the County Council to re-open the path. So the bulldozers were ordered in to rip out the scrub which has been used by Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Redwing, Turtledove, Bullfinch etc (watched Spotted Flycatchers hawking for insects over the top of a group of Mute Swan cygnets while Bullfinches called in the background, in this area last summer ..... magical). The scrub is also home to otters!

As if this isn't loony enough - d'you want to know the really insane thing about it? 15 feet away (yes that's feet not metres - let's say 5 metres) from this overgrown bridle path is another bridleway, maintained by the Trust, which is used by horse riders and ramblers. This alternate bridleway is the reason why the other one hasn't been used - it wasn't needed! :C

So, yes, on the world stage we need people to take "Earth Summits" seriously (I'm not sure but I don't think the US has yet ratified the Kyoto Accord on Climate Change). But we also need to take action in all our own backyards.

The BBC News site still has a really good section on "Earth Summits" at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/world/2002/earth_summit/ - it makes very interesting reading.

helenh
 
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