State of Nature report - RSPB

INTRODUCTION
Introduction
This, the inaugural State of Nature
report, is the first of its kind
to document the status and
population trends of animals and
plants in the United Kingdom and
its Overseas Territories.
The wildlife here is special and diverse;
many rare and threatened habitats
support endemic species found
nowhere else on Earth. Our shores
are home to huge, internationally
important seabird colonies and
beautiful species of mosses and
lichens that clothe the surface of
trees and rocks. The diverse
landscape is made up of a patchwork
of different habitats, from the
magnificent Caledonian pine forests
of Scotland to the purple-hued
heathlands of Dorset, each one
special and irreplaceable.
Wherever you are in the UK, an exciting
encounter with nature is never far away;
be it the sight of an azure hawker
dragonfly skimming over a Scottish
bog pool, a pod of common bottlenose
dolphins frolicking in the waters of
Cardigan Bay, or the world’s fastest bird,
the peregrine falcon, stooping to catch
prey above the Tate Modern in London.
There has always been a special
connection between people and nature
and it continues to enrich our lives and
inspire each new generation. However,
our wonder and joy at this abundance
of nature is tempered by concern about
the changes it is experiencing and the
threats it faces.
Our countryside has lost millions of
the skylarks that herald the spring
dawn, Duke of Burgundy butterflies
have disappeared from our woodland
glades, and even hedgehogs struggle
in our gardens. But there is good news
too; otters can be seen in our rivers
once again, red kites and sea eagles
soar where they have been absent for
centuries and new species are pushing
north from continental Europe.
Our aim
So what is the overall state of nature in
the UK? Here, we attempt to summarise
the best available information in order
to come to a conclusion. We weigh
up the pluses and minuses to give an
objective overview of how wildlife is
doing in the UK. We have, however,
found ourselves constrained by the
availability of reliable data and as a
result we must accept the limitations
of the conclusions we draw from this
overview. We hope that this is a step
in the right direction, towards a more
complete understanding of the state
of our nature.
The aim of this report is to produce
an authoritative assessment of the
changing fortunes of nature in the UK,
by focusing on the building blocks of
our ecosystems – species. We have
looked across the UK’s major habitat
types and taxonomic groups, and
attempted to reflect the situation
across the UK’s four constituent
countries. We have also tried to shine
a light upon the immense wealth of
globally important wildlife found in the
UKOTs, scattered across the globe from
the Antarctic to the Caribbean.
Working together
Produced by an exciting new
coalition of conservation and research
organisations, this report draws on
the very latest information available.
A wide range of people and partner
organisations have contributed, each
bringing with them special expertise on
particular groups of animals and plants.
Never before has information been
brought together in this way to provide
a powerful and unique insight into the
state of nature, and how it is changing.
Our synthesis is both revealing and
concerning at the same time.
There is much to be proud of in
terms of conservation success stories.
We have a fantastic range of volunteer
and professional expertise covering an
array of species, and some of the most
impressive citizen science projects
in the world producing high-quality
data to inform conservation. We have
Large scabious bee
Steven Falk (Buglife)
Building on other reports
This report does not stand in isolation,
but on the shoulders of many others
that have reported on particular
elements of our natural heritage.
There are a number of “State of...”
reports, which in recent years have
focused on trends in the UK’s nature:
The state of Britain’s larger moths
(2013) reported that the total number
of larger moths had fallen by 28%
between 1968 and 2007, and twothirds
of the 337 species monitored
had declined, 37% by over half.
8 STATE OF NATURE 2013