April 28th
People's Postcode Lottery
During this week, the People’s Postcode Lottery will be sending free tickets to two million households across
If you don’t receive the mailing from People’s Postcode Lottery you can sign up online at http://www.postcodelottery.co.uk.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has already received over £34,000 from People’s Postcode Lottery and the more people who play the more we benefit, so please sign up today and tell your friends and relatives.
April 28th
Four NGOs, One Aim: Save our Seas
On Wednesday 13th May Yorkshire Wildlife Trust staff, alongside representatives from other Wildlife Trusts across the country, RSPB, WWF and the Marine Conservation Society attended a lobby in the Houses of Commons. The aim of the Lobby was to help gain support from MPs to strengthen the Marine and Coastal Access Bill in order to allow for the UK’s impressive marine wildlife to receive the protection it deserves.
The four NGOs have been calling for comprehensive legislation to protect our marine environment for nearly a decade. The Marine and Coastal Access Bill should provide a salvation for marine wildlife: yet serious weaknesses remain. The current draft contains no guarantees that the most important areas for marine wildlife will be adequately protected.
With the Bill about to enter the final phase of Parliamentary debates before it passes into law later this year, the coalition of conservation groups recognise this is the last chance to effect the necessary changes to strengthen its ability to protect the marine environment. At the time of writing, the groups are still seeking for three key changes to the legislation:
Poor drafting of the 1981 Wildlife & Countryside Act has resulted in only three marine reserves ever being designated under this legislation in nearly 30 years. We do not want this mistake to be repeated!
Kirsten Smith, The Wildlife Trusts’ North Sea Marine Advocacy Officer said:
“At the moment less than 0.001% of our seas are highly protected from damaging activities. The Marine Bill will provide us with the necessary legislation to allow us to designate Marine Conservation Zones, areas that will provide a safe haven for wildlife. We hope the level of support shown by the NGOs and local MPs will help to strengthen the Bill and make it fit for purpose. Yorkshire is home to some extraordinary marine wildlife, Flamborough head alone hosts over 200,000 breeding seabirds, whilst the waters below mask a European marine site, designated for extensive chalk reefs and unusual sea caves. We hope our efforts will help secure these precious local features for generations to come. ”
For more information about how you can get involved with the marine campaign or for information about the North Seas fascinating wildlife go to www.northseawildlife.org.uk
May 18th
Bush craft skills
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is offering 10 young people in York the chance to learn survival and bush craft skills on one of their beautiful nature reserves. With an enthusiastic and experienced instructor the group will pick up a variety of practical, useful and exciting skills which could save their life!
This course will start with teaching the technique of improvised and natural shelter building where all young people will get stuck into making a real-life debris shelter which can ensure survival below freezing! The group will then discover the essential art of fire lighting using fire steels, flint and steel and the infamous fire by friction method. The final session will introduce the skill of foraging for wild foods followed by cooking the finds on the groups very own open campfire.
Each session will cover both the theory and practice of survival techniques as well as fit around an easy to use model of how to apply the skills in a real life survival situation. All young people will receive a certificate for completing the course as well as a surprise gift to help them continue their journey of the life long art of survival and the natural world.
Michelle Hawthorne, survival course instructor said: “Our last course was so successful we have decided to run it again. This is a great chance for any aspiring Ray Mears enthusiasts to learn a variety of survival techniques as well as gain a greater appreciation for the natural world!”
The survival course will run on 3 consecutive Wednesdays from the 3rd June, from 5:00pm – 7:00pm. The sessions will be based at Moorlands Nature Reserve, near Skelton north of York City Centre. Places are limited and on a first come, first served places. To book you place please call Yorkshire Wildlife Trust on 01904 659570. For more information about the course please email Michelle Hawthorne on michelle.hawthorne@ywt.org.uk or Vicky Harland on vicky.harland@ywt.org.uk.
This course is run from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s environmental education project called Running Wild, which runs in partnership with the Parks and Open Spaces Team from City of York Council. The project is funded by Big Lottery and Early Intervention Fund. This project offers lots of other activities for young people aged 8 -18.
May 18th
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust are working to aid adders
2009 has gone off with a cracking start for our local adder populations; with habitat creation initiatives on Forestry Commission land at Allerthorpe Common, and hibernaculum construction and vegetation management projects at Natural England’s Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve. These initiatives are funded by the SITA Trust and should help to manage the population of adders so that a localised extinction can be avoided for this nationally declining species.
Askham Bryan National Diploma Countryside students have been active throughout the winter months undertaking a lot of the hard work including ditch digging and gorse cutting. These activities will benefit adders and many other important protected species of animal and plant found in these unique habitats.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has also been hard at work raising awareness of adders. Lowland Adders Project Officer - Sam Jarrah Moon said: “Our Spring Equinox Adder Adventure and two adder survey/ID training events, had people attending from as far away as Norfolk. The adders we saw were amazing colours, especially when they have just shed their skin; the males were silver with iridescent blues and greens.”
Steve Hiner, reserve warden at Natural England’s Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve added: “Every spring we look forward to seeing these shy, stunning animals emerge from hibernation onto the warm peaty soil at Natural England’s National Nature Reserves near Thorne and Hatfield. The fantastic work being done by a committed bunch of volunteers will help ensure the populations continue to thrive for years to come.”
The Trust now has a team of volunteers undertaking adder survey work on Allerthorpe Common, Strensall Common and Thorne and Hatfield Moors in partnership with Natural England. Sam said: “These habitats including their occupants are also very rare, so if adders are not for you, it is still worth getting out there to explore the countryside anyway!”
If you are interested in getting involved or if you spot an adder or any other kind of snake, then please contact the Lowland Adders Project Officer-Sam Jarrah Moon, at the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust - sam.jarrah-moon@ywt.org.uk
Under the adder and heathland initiative the Trust keen to work with farmers and other landowners to offer advice on managing land for wildlife and where possible, secure grants to carry out improvement works. If you would like to access this free advice please contact the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
June 1st
The Royal Bank of Scotland do their bit for enhancing habitats!
The Royal Bank of Scotland and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust have been working together to create accessible nature reserves for the city of Leeds.
There are few reserves which are fortunate enough to have a bus stop at the end of the road but Kirkstall Valley is no ordinary nature reserve. This oasis is only located two miles to the west of Leeds city centre and provides a tranquil haven for people and wildlife. Over a number of years the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust have been managing the site, ensuring safe and private areas of river bank for otters to take rest and pulling out the invasive species, Himalayan balsam, widely known to out compete native plants.
A great deal of the management is undertaken to ensure the reserve is accessible to the community. Volunteers from RBS have been completing three main tasks within the reserve. These include: creating a raised bed, tidying up benches and installing a hand rail for the bridge over the main wildlife pond, which is home to and array of dragonflies, damselflies and tadpoles!
Conservation Officer Don Vine said: “The volunteers from RBS were brilliant and took just a day to complete all three tasks even finding some spare time to do a spot of scrub clearing!”
“In addition to all the hard work RBS gave the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust a donation of £1,500 for further work to be undertaken.”
Kirkstall Valley Nature reserve is really worth a visit this spring its ponds and wild meadows are alive with wildlife; it is the perfect place to enjoy a sunny day in Leeds with the family. For more information on this reserve please contact the Trust on 01904 659570 or see our website www.ywt.org.uk.
June 5th
Sheffield hosts showcase Climate Change Conference
Sheffield summers will get hotter and the region will be hit by more flash floods like those which devastated South Yorkshire two years ago.
Our winters will be warmer and wetter - in Sheffield there is likely to be 14 per cent more winter rainfall - and, if we do not adapt to these climate changes, they will have a catastrophic impact on the region’s landscape and wildlife.
That was the warning from leading politicians, environmentalists and lawyers at a major climate change conference in Sheffield. The half-day event was organised jointly by the region’s leading law firm DLA Piper in conjunction with the Wildlife Trusts in Yorkshire and Humberside.
It attracted business, academic, local government and environmental leaders from across the country who gathered to discuss the challenges posed by climate change, their impact on the natural environment and what steps can be taken to increase nature’s resilience to these.
Secretary of State for the Environment Hilary Benn, who outlined the Government’s strategy, stressed the importance of world leaders reaching a global deal when they meet at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen at the end of the year.
But Mr Benn told his Sheffield audience that everyone had a part to play in helping to limit the impact of climate change and to stopping it from getting worse. He said: "This is something that everybody has got to be concerned about.
"Here we are in this great city of Sheffield and just look at the changes that the local community has brought about. If our ancestors from 250 years ago turned up to see what had been achieved here they would be astonished."
In Yorkshire and the Humber, the annual average temperature is predicted to rise by 1.9 per cent by 2050, with the summer average temperature likely to increase by 2.5 per cent.
With the urban heat island effect, summer peak temperatures in Sheffield are forecast to go up by 3.2 degrees centigrade, with more heatwaves and droughts. But, the rain that does fall will come in more intensive bursts increasing the risk of flooding.
Nigel Doar and Dr Rob Stoneman, chief executives of Sheffield and Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts outlined a vision for rebuilding the region’s natural environment, with the launch of ‘A Living Landscape’ strategy.
Rob Stoneman, Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust stressed the need for the public and private sector to climate proof every policy and said: "Climate change is upon us and the region needs a coherent strategy to adapt. Living Landscapes is part of that strategy – a plan that allows wildlife to move, enables our land to cope with extreme events, such as flooding, and builds a higher quality of life for the future."
One of the world’s leading environmental lawyers Teresa Hitchcock, DLA Piper's Head of Safety, Health and Environment, spoke about climate change adaptation and business opportunities.
Teresa, who is based in the Sheffield office of DLA Piper, said: "We are delighted that the city of Sheffield hosted such an important event which attracted such a high-calibre platform.
"Environmental issues are as relevant now as they have ever been, even in the current economic situation. Managing climate change will bring many associated risks and costs to businesses, so learning how to minimise these will be key to a sound economic and ecologic future."
Keynote speaker was leading ecologist Prof Sir John Hartley Lawton, chairman of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution.
Other speakers included Shaun Thomas, Regional Director of Natural England, and DLA Piper Sheffield environmental lawyer Penny Simpson, a specialist in natural environment legal issues, who will look at whether appropriate legal tools exist to improve nature's resilience to climate change.
June 8th
Making Waves - the Wildlife Trusts celebrate super sign-up to Save Our Seas team
The Wildlife Trusts today celebrate a milestone for their web-based campaign group, the Save Our Seas (SOS) team by welcoming its one-thousandth online member - as the world’s first major documentary about the devastating effect of overfishing, The End of the Line, screened in the UK on World Oceans Day (8 June).
The End of the Line film is not against fishing. It is not against eating fish. But it is for a responsible attitude towards the oceans. It specifies the need for marine protected areas where commercial fishing is restricted. The Wildlife Trusts have been campaigning for marine protected areas for many years, and the SOS team has been an important part of this.
The 1000th SOS team member, Richard Cowen, will get directly involved in helping The Wildlife Trusts to highlight issues facing the marine environment and the need for better management and protection.
Lisa Chilton, The Wildlife Trusts’ marine development manager, said: “We’re delighted that so many people have joined the Save Our Seas team. Last year was a fantastic year for us. With our support, the Government protected the Lyme Bay Reefs – an incredibly important wildlife haven – and introduced the long-awaited Marine and Coastal Access Bill to Parliament. We now need to redouble our efforts to ensure the Bill introduces effective new measures to manage and protect the UK’s seas and sea life.”
Richard Cowen from Durham, said: “I have become an SOS member because I take great pleasure in the UK’s marine environment – be it visiting the beach, bird-watching or diving. For this enjoyment to continue it is important that our seas are as clean, healthy and full of life as they possibly can be. If life underwater suffers, this will have a knock-on effect above the water. We can already see how the decline in sand eels is affecting seabird colonies in the UK.
“It is great news there are now 1,000 members in the SOS team – and I strongly encourage more people to join. The more SOS members, the more pressure is put on legislators to protect our marine environment, and to make the right decisions about Marine Conservation Zones, which I believe are long overdue in the UK.”
Graym McMillan, another SOS campaign member from London, said: “The SOS team helps me to focus my efforts to persuade policy-makers and politicians to take effective measures for UK waters. It’s a straightforward and enjoyable way to ensure that I make the greatest impact that I can.”
Sarah Muddell, from Southampton, said: “Joining the SOS team has enabled me to be actively involved in a project that I’m very passionate about. I’ve enjoyed making simple steps in increasing the government's awareness of this desperate situation and being part of such a worthwhile cause.”
Lisa Chilton continued: “We need as many people as possible who share our passion for the marine environment to stand up for our seas by joining the SOS team. SOS membership is free – you sign up online and receive around six e-newsletters a year, each full of campaign news and specific actions you can take to support our campaigns. In each newsletter we might ask you to email your MP, write to a Government Minister, attend a campaign event or gather support for a petition. Visit www.wild-net.org/saveourseas to add your support.”
June 9th
Bright and beautiful sculptures unveiled at Kirkstall Valley Nature Reserve
On a sunny spring afternoon in Leeds the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust played host as local voluntary organisations: Groundwork, People Matters and Green for Go project volunteers joined to celebrate the unveiling of three carefully crafted sculptures created by a local artist and Green for Go volunteer Adam Eamonson.
Adam worked on the three pieces: a fish, a newt and totem pole as part of his final project to complete his studies at University. The launch party was a huge success brining together the community, promoting volunteering and raising awareness of green issues.
The official totem pole blessing was undertaken by shaman Amanda Hulse who began proceedings with a ‘smudge,’ this traditional practice involves participants walking through scented smoke and gathering in a circle around the pole. After lots of singing and drumming everyone got the opportunity to decorate a smaller community totem pole with an animal they related to most in their lives.
Conservation Officer Don Vine said: “Adams sculptures have really brought a new lease of life to this very deserving nature reserve. Volunteers from HSBC, RBS and Green for Go have been working hard to rejuvenate this site for the whole community to enjoy. It’s very important that we hold on to these precious green spaces so close to Leeds city centre".
Ground work Youth and Community advisor Catherine said: “If you would like to get involved with volunteering in your local area the please contact either the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust on 01904 659570 or Ground work on 0113 238 0188.
June 6th
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust receives big money from the People's Postcode Lottery!
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has received a fantastic donation of £14 563 from the People’s Postcode Lottery!
The mission of Peoples Postcode Lottery is to raise funds for local charities, with 40p from every ticket going directly to charities in unrestricted funding. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is one of a number of charities receiving support and to date has received over £49 000! The money has been used to enhance and protect Yorkshire’s landscape for people and wildlife.
Chief Executive of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Rob Stoneman said: “It has been great working with the People’s Postcode Lottery it’s a straight forward way of donating money to protect the future of wildlife in Yorkshire.”
To get involved all you have to do is purchase a lottery ticket (costing £2) based on your streets postcode which is then entered into a weekly draw. If your postcode is selected then you and any others playing in you street win a jackpot of £25 000, while players in the postcode sector also receive cash prizes. And with a £250,000 ‘Postcode Jumbo’ to be won on the 12th July, Yorkshire could be in for a windfall! For more information see the People’s Postcode Lottery website at www.postcodelottery.co.uk.
June 30th
Trout get a new lease of life with a little help from Cherry Burton C of E Primary School
Over the last 6 months there has been a partnership between the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Cherry Burton C of E Primary School and the East Yorkshire Chalk Rivers Trust (EYCRT).
In January 27 yr 3 children excitedly took charge of their own fish tank complete with specialised chiller unit and pump. Then a large number of brown trout eggs were carefully deposited in the tank.
The children then monitored the temperature of the tank and watched as the eggs hatched and changed into tiny trout fry (known as alevins). The children’s focus then changed, learning how to feed the fish and monitor water quality to allow the fish to grow.
On the 30th June the children’s hard work was rewarded with a trip out to a nearby local chalk stream to release the trout. On this trip they were able to learn more about the fragile ecosystem and wildlife of a chalk stream as well as helping to stock the stream with a new generation of brown trout.
Yr 3 class head Miss Scott said: “The project has been a huge success and the children have been so enthusiastic. They have been able to learn about a species they would not normally encounter in the classroom and use the project across a wide range of subjects including maths, science and literacy”
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Conservation Project Manager Jon Traill added: “Not only have the children benefitted, but most of the parents are now also more informed about local wildlife on their doorstep, highlighting the importance of the River Hull valley as a wildlife haven and a target area for the Trusts Living Landscapes vision.”
Hull Daily Mail provided coverage of the event and produced a great video which you can see by following this link: http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/news/Pupils-trout-project/article-1125178-detail/article.html
Thanks must go to our other partner the EYCRT who provided the equipment and some of the technical support for the project.
This project forms part of our bigger programme of work across the whole of the R Hull valley funded in part by Natural England’s C2010 Biodiversity Fund, a Biffaward fund with support from the Environment Agency.
June 30th
The North Sea - Our Living Sea?
Today, Wildlife Trusts across the East coast of England launch a new website, www.northseawildlife.org.uk to help promote protection of North Sea marine life.
The North Sea – Our Living Sea? What picture does this phrase conjure up in your mind? A rocky reef bursting with brightly coloured fish, corals and sponges? A boat trip in the company of leaping dolphins and playful seals? Fishermen hauling nets brimming with big, tasty fish? Living Seas are all these things and more.
But…………
Compared with historic levels, the total weight of fish in the North Sea has dropped by 99% due to over-fishing. In places, the damage caused to the seabed from unsustainable practices – whether construction, dredging, offshore industry or fishing - has resulted in it being altered beyond recognition. The Wildlife Trusts aim to bring back ‘Living Seas’. To ensure this happens, and our North Sea wildlife receives the protection it urgently needs, twelve Wildlife Trusts (Northumberland, Durham, Tees Valley, Yorkshire, Sheffield, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Leicestershire and Rutland, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough (BCNP), Norfolk, Suffolk), have embarked on a new project with the aim to make the concept of 'Living Seas' a reality. This new project will promote protection of the North Sea's weird and wonderful marine wildlife, from microscopic plankton to gigantic whales, by helping to create a network of Marine Protected Areas to protect wildlife and their habitats from damaging activities.
Joan Edwards, head of marine policy for The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Much of the North Sea remains unexplored. Each year the demands on the sea’s eco-systems increase but the protection stays the same – very little.
“Damaging activities, such as dredging, industrial fishing and pollution plus coastal degradation and climate change all play a part in threatening the sea’s health. We want to raise awareness of the North Sea and what it has to offer. We want its marine life to recover. We want to see the Marine and Coastal Access Bill set up a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) by 2012. This will give our seas the chance to return to the richness they once had.”
Within Living Seas, marine wildlife thrives, from the depths of the ocean to the coastal shallows. In Living Seas:
The Wildlife Trusts believe it is possible to achieve Living Seas around the UK within 20 years – a single generation – but only if opportunities are seized now to make radical changes over the next five years. We urgently need your help to bring back the UK’s Living Seas, seas teeming with colour and life. Whether you live inland or by the coast, speak up for the silent world, learn about your local marine life or find out what you can do to get involved. Visit www.northseawildlife.org.uk and learn about:
So get online and join the fun!
July 2nd
Grow your own virtual orchard and help wildlife
An innovative new ‘pearing’ between Westons Cider and The Wildlife Trusts is set to provide a boost to wildlife in the UK.
The new partnership – known as Living Orchards – is part of (Herefordshire-based) Westons’ plan to plant 15,000 more apple trees to create a more wildlife-friendly orchard. The Wildlife Trusts are working closely with Westons, advising on the planting of the orchards in order to enhance the number and range of wildlife species. And the results will be shared with other cider makers and commercial growers.
Between now and February 2010, every bottle top of Westons Premium Organic Cider and Westons Premium Organic Pear Cider will have a promotional code, which can be redeemed at www.livingorchards.com.
Customers are given a virtual tree when they enter a promotional code, and can watch their tree grow each time a new code is entered. As the number of apples on the tree increases, exchange them for gifts and enter a monthly free prize draw to win a picnic bench. Or donate your apples to raise money for The Wildlife Trusts. Apples can be redeemed until the end of March 2010.
The dedicated website, www.livingorchards.com, also gives full details on the project and what Westons hope to achieve.
Jess Bersey, Communications Officer for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Yorkshire Wildlife Trust works closely with a number of landowners to fulfil our vision of A Living Landscape; managing the land to help native wildlife adapt to climate change.
“We provide advice to farmers throughout Yorkshire and are delighted about this new relationship and Westons’ enthusiasm to make its orchards more wildlife-friendly.”
Chris Packham, vice-president of The Wildlife Trusts, said: “It’s amazing what can be found amongst the UK’s orchards if you look close enough, from bats and butterflies to mistletoe and moths.”
Helen Thomas, managing director for Westons, commented: “We are always looking for better ways to balance our commercial needs with sustainable land management and we are really pleased that The Wildlife Trusts are working with us on this project.”
July 7th
Dedication of Wildlife Trust volunteers is celebrated at Number 10
The commitment of more than 40 volunteers for The Wildlife Trusts has been celebrated at Downing Street. Prime Minister Rt Hon Gordon Brown held a reception in the garden at Number 10 (on Wednesday 22 July) to thank volunteers involved in practical land and marine conservation work.
Catrin Rees, who volunteered for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust at its flagship nature reserve – Potteric Carr in Doncaster, attended the Downing Street reception hosted by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Education and Reserve Manager Jo Smith said: “Catrin has made an amazing difference to Potteric Carr; firstly working with school groups and helping with events on the v-involved programme, and then for a year as a trainee. All the Potteric Carr team have benefited massively from her hard work and enthusiasm.”
“A trip to number 10 to meet our Prime Minister, as well as chat to Ed Milliband and Hilary Benn about the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, whilst meeting lots of other volunteers is fitting for such a dedicated volunteer.”
The Wildlife Trusts are leading the way in promoting land and marine conservation at the UK, national, regional and local levels. More than 40,000 people volunteer for The Wildlife Trusts and many undertake frontline practical work on land or at sea. Many are young, students, unemployed and skilled workers of all ages, gender and ethnicity from rural and urban backgrounds. All have a common purpose; an ongoing active commitment to the natural environment.
Communications Officer Jess Bersey at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust said: “We are thrilled this particular group of committed like-minded people has been recognised by the Prime Minister. They give their time so readily and deliver real environmental benefits to local communities throughout the UK.”
The Wildlife Trusts, are very proud of our army of volunteers – approaching 40,000 people of all ages and backgrounds – who care for and improve local wild places. And their positive action benefits us all. It is absolutely right that their efforts should be acknowledged.
“We hope many more will continue to be inspired by wildlife on their doorstep and the next generation of volunteers will take the opportunity to improve their local environment, learn new skills and have fun at the same time.”
August 8th
The Little Spurn Rangers and their woolly solution
Lifestylers ‘The Little Spurn Rangers’ made up of team members, Megan, Abbie, Emily and Hollie from Newport Primary School, wanted to improve the much loved Spurn Point National Nature reserve as part of their project. The team quickly set about deciding how they could make a difference, lots of ideas came to light. Armed with bags of enthusiasm and rolled up sleeves, the team met with Andrew Gibson, of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to discuss their ideas further of how to improve the area.
The team and reserve staff decided the most effective way to make a difference, would be to introduce four Hebridean Sheep to graze the land at the reserve, to keep the grass short and encourage wild flowers to grow.
To make this a reality, the team have held numerous fundraising activities, raising in excess of £400 towards their project, as well as approaching the Environment Agency for assistance as part of the GreenScene Challenge, who have agreed to provide funding for three of the sheep. Looking at the long term future and sustainability of the team’s project, the eventual aim is to produce a flock of up to forty sheep from the four the team have provided.
The team also organised beach clean up at Spurn Point on 16th August, involving up to 30 volunteers. The ‘Little Spurn Rangers’ undertook health and safety checks, produced leaflets and maps as well as producing parking permits for the volunteers assisting them. This is the second time the team have undertaken a clean up, last year they managed to clean up a staggering 5-6 tonnes of rubbish.
The funds the team have raised will also go towards repairing the bird hide that has weathered over the years, as well as providing for the upkeep for the sheep.
Andrew Gibson, Outer Humber Officer for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust said: “It’s good to see these girls getting involved in this Living Landscape at Spurn Point, their project will hopefully kindle others interest of the work that Yorkshire Wildlife Trust does at Spurn.”
The girls were overjoyed at meeting the first two young Hebridean Sheep and as an extra special treat the girls also got to climb up the lighthouse where they presented £400 to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust would like to say a huge thank you to the girls and all those who took part and supported their fundraising activities.
August 26th
Summer Safari Success
This summer the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has been out and about on a number of reserves throughout Yorkshire providing free activities for all the family.
The most recent successful safari took place at Adel Dam Nature Reserve just next to Golden Acre Park, Leeds. The reserve is an excellent retreat whilst also providing a safe haven for Yorkshire’s wildlife.
Wild Out There Officer Faye Palmer said: “Nearly 300 people came along to our free safari event at Adel Dam and there was a lot to see and do. One of our volunteers John MacArthur took visitors on a guided walk around the reserve and the children had a great time taking part in the nature trails and craft activities.”
“There was also lots of wildlife out and about - we spotted woodpeckers and herons along with a host of butterflies!”
It is with thanks to the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery that we have been able to offer all our Summer Safari activities free of charge. To date the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has received a total of £49,564 in support from the charity lottery, enabling us to keep on engaging people and protecting Yorkshire’s wild places.
September 17th
The Minister for the Marine Environment visits York
Minister for Marine and Natural Environment Huw Irranca-Davies paid a visit to York yesterday (16th September), where he listened to people’s concerns about the Marine and Coastal Access Bill. Over 30 people attended the meeting and all had a question for the minister. Chief Executive of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Rob Stoneman said: "We are delighted that Huw Irranca-Davies came to York to discuss the Marine and Coastal Access Bill; it was clear that he ran into an informed crowd who asked a number of penetrating questions around the implications of considering social economic criteria when setting up an ecologically coherent network of marine reserves. It was also clear that City of York MP Hugh Bayley had undertaken a considerable amount of work to ensure that the Marine and Coastal Access Bill becomes law."
The Marine and Coastal Access Bill will:
• Create a new body – the Marine Management Organisation – to regulate where new developments, including off-shore wind farms, may be placed;
• Establish a system of marine protected areas to conserve habitats, in a similar way to Sites of Special Scientific Interest on land;
• Create a coastal footpath system all round England.
September 18th
It is now or never
On the eve of party conference season, eight of the UK’s leading environmental organisations1 today publish Common Cause: the Green Standard manifesto on climate change and the natural environment2. They are calling on all the political parties to endorse the Common cause declaration3, which states that climate change and restoring the natural environment should be accorded the highest priority during the next Parliament. They are also calling on the parties to commit to 10 green manifesto proposals for 2010.
The stakes are high: the price of failure would be paid by those in the UK and internationally who are most at risk from climate change, and in the irreversible loss of countryside and biodiversity. Action is required now, not in the decades to come.
Stephen Hale, director of Green Alliance, said on behalf of the groups:
“It’s now or never. Support for the Common cause declaration will be the threshold for credibility at the next election on environmental issues. The commitment to decisive action must be endorsed by all parties. The real contest will be over specific policies, so we urge them to include our 10 manifesto asks for 2010 in their forthcoming manifestos.
“Action in the next parliament is critical if we are to simultaneously reduce our CO2 emissions whilst improving the resilience of our natural environment to avoid the looming crises of food, energy and water shortages by 2030.”
We call on all UK political parties to commit to our 10 manifesto proposals for 2010 in their General Election manifestos:
September 17th
The Shark Brain - Obie Butcher
The study of the brain is one of the most exciting frontiers in science today. Whilst the mammalian brain continues to be the focus of many exciting discoveries, our understanding of the elasmobranches brain is still poorly understood. Comparatively few studies have been performed and unfortunately our understanding of brain function in these animals has been permeated by a number of myths. The shark brain has for a long time been categorised as being tiny, simple and of only passing relevance. This in turn has lead to the Shark being described as a stupid automated creature not the complex and subtle animal which it undoubtedly is. This article will illuminate some important findings that will help the reader gain a better grasp of Shark Neuroscience and dispel some of the ignorance surrounding the subject.
Since most sharks species are natural predators they have evolved to a relatively high level of intelligence. Think of trying to outwit a clever and highly agile seal or a shoal of fast moving mackerel and you can begin to imagine how a shark needs to think and behave. The shark brain has evolved a level of complexity to match the adaptive needs of the animal in the environment in which it lives. It is a false to assume as some have that the shark brain comes in one size only; the truth being that Shark brains are incredibly diverse in size. When thinking about the relationship between brain size and intelligence it is misleading to talk about absolute size independently of the overall size of the animal in question. Since bigger animals will naturally have bigger brains a far more meaningful measurement is relative brain size, that is the percentage size of the brain compared to body weight. Using these measurements it has been discovered that sharks have bigger relative brain sizes than bony fish, birds and a large number of mammal species (Northcutt, 1978). A larger brain is probably more important in a complex and diverse environment or for complex hunting behaviours necessary to outwit intelligent prey such as cephalopods or marine mammals. It might be hypothesized that species living on coral reefs such as the white tip reef shark would be among the most intelligent species. At the time of writing the author does not know the answer to this question. However measurements of relative brain size have shown that amongst elasmobranches the manta rays and devil Rays have the largest brains, a finding perhaps surprising given their simple plankton feeding lifestyle. More in keeping with the idea that the simpler sharks would be filter feeders is the finding that the plankton loving Basking shark has the smallest relative brain size amongst the lamnoid family.
Another interesting finding comes from the field of reproductive development elasmobranches with among the largest and most complex brains such as hammerheads, whaler sharks and eagle rays have evolved yolk sac placentas that greatly increase the energy supply to the developing embryo. It has been speculated that in mammals an above average brain size demands an increased energy flow from mother to infant. So this reproductive system may have developed out of an evolutionary advantage to produce sharks with larger brains.
Overall these findings make it apparent that although a useful guide, relative brain size is not altogether reliable when making assessments of overall intelligence. One needs to understand the brain in more specific ways to gain a better understanding of how it correlates to the animal’s intelligence and behavioural repertoire. For example neuron (brain cells) and axonal (the motorways of the brain) densities are important indicators of learning ability, as is the degree of connectivity between specific brain structures. Behavioural Neuroscientists for example often compare the relative sizes and densities of specific brain structure against behavioural performance to gain a better understanding of ability. In the next section we will take a closer look at the structure and function of the shark brain
Of all the species of Shark it is the brain of the Great White that has received the most comprehensive attention. Constructed in a fascinating Y shape the Great White brain is 60cm in length and arranged in a linear pattern. The brain can be grouped into three main regions: the hind brain, the mid brain and the forebrain.
The Hind Brain
This region consists of the brain stem and cerebellum, forms the base of the Y. and is the most primitive part of the brain. It is responsible for analysing acoustic, vibratory and electrical stimuli as well as controlling muscle coordination.
The mid brain
The mid brain contains the relatively small optic lobes known for interpreting visual information. Due to their small size Demski and Northcutt (1996) have speculated that due to the small size of the lobes the great white would not be adept at discerning fine detail. This theory is at odds with Gruber and Cohen’s findings (1985). These shark researchers have suggested that vision is well developed in this species. Clearly vision is important to the predatory and social life of the great white and it is likely, although not proven that this species has excellent vision.
The Fore brain
The most distinguishing feature of the forebrain and the brain as a whole are the huge olfactory organs. Due to a misunderstanding about the morphology of this region it was thought that the70% of the shark brain was donated to the olfactory sense giving the false and damaging image of the shark as a mindless smell driven eating machine! In fact the forebrain also contains the cerebrum or ‘higher brain’ known to be responsible for learning and memory. Olfactory cues are particularly important in the Great White. The Olfactory system is crucial for the recognition of potential mates, the detection of prey items and the determination of distinct habitats and currents. However, these various perceptions only become useful when the animal decides how to act upon these received stimuli. This information is integrated in the Cerebrum which is known to be responsible for home ranging and social behaviour in the Great White. Field research studies have shown that this species exhibit dynamic social hierarchies and move and migrate in certain distinctive patterns (Boustany, Davis, Pyle, Anderson, Boeuf, and Brock, 2002).
So that is an overview of the great white brain and it might be interesting to state that in terms of relative body weigh / size the great white has a far larger and more complex brain either the salmon or tuna for example. This begs the question what does the shark think with all this extra brain matter?
There has been a lot of research undertaken to look at the ability of sharks to learn and it appears that sharks are more intelligent than we imagined. The mako shark is known to be amongst the most intelligent shark species and has the highest brain size to body weight of any known shark (Bright, 1999a). Thorburn and Bhana (1997) studied this species in New Zealand waters and in the Kelly Talton underwater world aquarium. They discovered that the sharks would learn the feeding schedule of the aquarium after a period of two weeks and adjust the amount they would consume accordingly. They then tested the sharks in classical visual conditioning exercises in the open ocean and found that mako sharks quickly learnt to associate particular moving shapes with a fishy food reward! Thorburn went on to discover that the mako shark is most dependent upon the sense of sight when it attacks prey. Similar work has been conducted using lemon sharks. Known to respond well to captivity these sharks make ideal experimental subjects for learning experiments. Eugene Clarke working out of the Cape Haze Marine laboratory in Florida conducted numerous experiments in which he found that the sharks could learn to differentiate between different shapes and colours and were taught to distinguish between vertical and horizontal stripes as well as negotiate mazes and such like for food reward. Interestingly Sam Gruber retested lemon sharks on a number of learning exercises and found this species was able to remember the information for up to a year after the original training (Bright, 1999b).
I hope this article has gone some way towards helping you understand a little more about the fascinating subject of Shark Neuroscience. So when next time you hear someone put down sharks as being stupid you can remind them of some rather enlightening facts which may help them gain a better understanding of why we love these animals so much.
Boustany, A. M, Davis, S. F, Pyle, P, Anderson, S. D, le Boeuf, B. J, and Block, B.A. (2002). Expanded niche for White Sharks. Nature. 415-260.
Bright, M. (1999a). The Private Lives of Sharks. Chapter 1 Body Perfect. Robson Books Ltd.
Bright, M. (1999b). The Private Lives of Sharks. Chapter 1 Body Perfect. Private Correspondence with Prof S. Gruber. p.31. Robson Books Ltd.
Demski, L. S, and Northcutt, R. G. (1996). Great White Sharks: The biology of Carcharodon carcharias. P. 121-130. A. P. Klimley and D. G. Ainley (eds.) Academic Press Inc.
Gruber, S, and Cohen, J. (1985). Visual system of the White Shark with emphasis on retinal structure. Mem .S. Calif. Acad. Sci, 9, 61-72.
Northcutt, R. G. (1978). Variation in brain organisation and cerebellar foliation in Chondrichthyans: Sharks and Holocephalans. Brain. Behav. Evol, 69, 280-300.
Thorburn, C, and Bhana, M. (1997). Mako: swift, smart and deadly; a wildlife film produced by Mike Bhana for the Natural History Unit of Television New Zealand.