Booted Eagle saved Project support for 2012 Spring ... - LIPU-UK

Nobody said it would be easyEditorialDavid LingardAlmost everyone involved in nature conservationis finding life very difficult, as the vitally neededfunds are drying up almost daily.Like most similar organisations, LIPU relies oncontracts from the state or regional authorities fora large part of its income. However, in the last fouryears the budget of the Environment Ministry hasbeen slashed to a tenth of its former level and thiscannot fail to cause problems for our friends in Italy.The legacy of the banking crisis is that governmentshave to make a real attempt to balance the booksafter decades of borrowing without a thought ofhow they were to repay the debt. The new realismsimply means that priorities are being set as to whatspending by governments can be cut and whatcannot. Tragically, the needs of the environmentalways count for little when placed against healthcareand similar human needs.I offer these grim comments in the Spring edition ofthe Ali – the one which carries our only appeal fordonations over and above your annual membershipsubscription. We are proud to be different from thosecharities which bombard members with appeals onan almost monthly basis but that makes this time ofthe year doubly critical to our success.As in every year, we have agreed with our friendsin Parma that we will fund four projects in the yearahead. We make this agreement in good faith andthen hope that our fund raising meets the targetAli Spring 12Page 3