Page 2 - August 2016 WN complete final version

Comment Wildlife News ■ August 2016
Contents
The outcome of the EU Referendum has meant inevitable
2 Comment
uncertainty for us all. The biggest problem for nature is the one 3 Nature reserve and project news
6 Walk on the wild side
we always face: making sure it isn’t forgotten about. 8 State of our nature
10 Nature’s path to recovery
The European Union has been a significant player in keeping 12 Bats: Stars of the summer nights
14 Five days wild
our environment healthy. As Sir Charles Rothschild, founder of 16 National news
20 The rocky horror show
what was to become The Wildlife Trusts, recognised, wildlife and 22 Born to be wild

pollution know no borders. For this reason regulations to protect Follow us on
social media
wildlife must be applied across all member states. For wildlife,
Copy date for next issue: Monday 19 September 2016.
the Habitats and Birds Directives are crucial in ensuring that key habitats, landscapes and We welcome your views and news; please send to the editor
using our main office address below.
vulnerable species benefit from legal protection. © Copyright Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust 2016

Having initially focused on increasing food production, in recent years EU agricultural Editor: Ben Vanheems
Contributors: Dan Akam, Nicola Chester, Ryan Clark, Sue
subsidies have been instrumental in developing an extensive system of agri-environment Croxford, Debbie Lewis, Matthew Jackson, Karen Haysom,
Ceri Cadwallader, Ben Vanheems
schemes. This means a proportion of the payments made are placed into schemes that
Editor of UK content: Rupert Paul
encourage farmers and landowners to look after their natural environment for wildlife.
Cover photograph: Otter (Niall Benvie/NPL)
Much of our own habitat management work is supported by these grants.
A large-print version of
The post-referendum reality is that our environment now faces a period of uncertainty. Wildlife News (text only) is
available on request.
Although European laws are written into the UK’s own “We need your Please tel. 01865 775476 or
processes, very often this is as regulations rather than generous support email info@bbowt.org.uk
statutory law, which means they can easily be changed
or weakened. more than ever Read Wildlife News online at
before; we’re going bbowt.org.uk/publications to
Yet despite the risks there are opportunities. The UK to be busy!” enjoy additional content such
Government was already planning to review and simplify as videos.
our wildlife laws. This gives Wildlife Trusts and other
Designed and produced by NatureBureau, Newbury
environmental bodies the chance to intervene. With public support we could protect more www.naturebureau.co.uk

land for wildlife, retain good subsidies for farmers and see more species protected. Printed by Headley Brothers Ltd

BBOWT is in a strong position to contribute to this process. Our recent triennial

Conservation Report has shown our nature reserves are in sound condition with many

species now recovering. Our new Strategic Plan builds on this starting point by working

towards a target of 10% of our three counties being rich in wildlife by 2030.

Your membership has enabled us to make great strides over recent years but the journey

continues. We need your generous support more than ever before; we’re going to be busy!

Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive

P.S. We will be looking at the importance of nature to our health and happiness as part of
our annual conference. I hope you will be able to join us for what is sure to be a lively day
of discussion.

Estelle Bailey with Pat Clark, winner of the Mobile Phone Images category of this year’s
Wildlife Photography Competition (see page 4). (Wendy Tobitt)

Contact us:
Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, The Lodge,
1 Armstrong Road, Littlemore, Oxford, OX4 4XT
Tel: 01865 775476
Email: info@bbowt.org.uk
www.bbowt.org.uk
Membership
Tel: 01865 788300
Email: membership@bbowt.org.uk
President: Steve Backshall
Chairman: Sir Clive Booth
Chief Executive: Estelle Bailey

The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust is one of 47 Wildlife
Trusts working across the country to protect wildlife and
wild places everywhere – on land and at sea.
Registered Charity Number: 204330
Company Registered Number: 00680007

2 Wildlife news