Page 10 - Annual Review 2014-15
P. 10

Championing wildlife

Through campaigning and lobbying our aim is to influence
decision-makers and stand up for nature.

The impact of development on wildlife                 on Calvert Jubilee and Finemere Wood nature
    remains a major concern with continuing           reserves. Our Head of Conservation Policy
pressure to release land for development and          and Strategy represented the Wildlife Trusts
funding cuts affecting local authorities’ ability     nationally in their petition to the HS2 Select
to ensure environmental protection. BBOWT             Committee.
looked at over 9,000 planning applications
during the year, made detailed representations             BBOWT is reviewing the ecosystem
about more than 100 and secured                       services – things that nature provides for
improvements for wildlife in 75%.                     people – that our nature reserves generate to
                                                      show how Living Landscape projects deliver
     We worked with Bicester eco-town                 multiple benefits alongside improvements for
developers and Cherwell District Council to           wildlife.
gain real benefits for wildlife.
                                                           We are developing a vision for the Upper
     BBOWT is a member of the Local Nature            Thames that incorporates the concept of
Partnership in each county. The launch of the         wildlife habitats delivering social benefits such
Bucks & Milton Keynes Natural Environment             as flood protection and cleaner water.
Partnership’s new Biodiversity Action Plan to
restore or create 20% more priority habitat                BBOWT signed a Memorandum of
for wildlife in Bucks by 2020 took place on           Understanding with the RSPB to work together
BBOWT’s Gomm Valley nature reserve.                   to promote the value of improving the Upper
                                                      Thames for wildlife.
     BBOWT continues to work to reduce the
impacts on wildlife of the HS2 rail proposals

In focus  Protecting badgers

          BBOWT is taking a lead role in helping
          to control the local spread of bovine TB.
          Last year we initiated a programme to
          vaccinate badgers on our nature reserves
          in Oxfordshire that fall close to the High
          Risk Area for bovine TB. We also gained
          funding from the Government‘s Badger
          Edge Vaccination Scheme to work on sites
          in the Edge Area.

               We identified a large area, including
          Greenham and Crookham Commons,
          Bowdown Woods and Thatcham Reedbeds,
          as well as West Berkshire Council sites
          and adjacent privately owned land,
          where vaccination will be most effective.
          By creating a buffer of badgers in West
          Berkshire that are immune to bovine TB
          our work could play an important role in
          helping to reduce the incidence of this
          disease and halt its spread eastwards.

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