nature

Recommendations

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An eight-point plan for properly implementing the Nature Directives... for the benefit of people, wildlife, and business. 1. Plan for nature The Birds and Habitats Directives should not be amended. Instead, here in the UK, bringing the Directives to full effectiveness should be a priority for the new Parliament. The first five-year milestone in a 25-year plan for nature’s recovery for us should be full implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives in the UK. 2. Find out where we are: science and surveys The research requirements of Article 10 of the Birds Directive should be transposed into UK law. To meet these requirements, the Government should institute a rolling programme of monitoring for protected species and habitats, on land and at sea, beginning in the first Session of the 2015 Parliament. By addressing gaps in our knowledge, it will be possible to improve conservation and save money through targeting conservation action more efficiently and making it easier for businesses to work in harmony with nature. 3. Set out where we’re going: Favourable Conservation Status The Government should set, identify and publish definitions of Favourable Conservation Status for each protected species and habitat at a national and individual site level. This would inform the allocation of scarce resources for conservation, and reduce the already small number of cases where a precautionary approach to protection has deterred developments or increased costs. 4. Fill the gaps: complete the Natura 2000 network The incompleteness of the offshore network has caused difficulties for important industries like the offshore renewables industry, which is forced to plan on the basis of inadequate information. This means survey work often has to begin from scratch. In some cases, wildlife found as a result is of such significance that designation is necessary and plans are disrupted, as was the case for the London Array. Completing the Natura 2000 network (a network of Europe-wide protected sites) should be a conservation and economic imperative. 5. Join the dots: landscape-scale conservation Alongside completion of the Natura 2000 network, the Government should plan for enriching the wider landscape. It should take forward a strategic plan for the rollout of Nature Improvement Areas, based on ecological need. 6. Take out the roadblocks: smarter use of public money The UK negotiating position for CAP and CFP reform should focus on environmental incentives. The Government should announce now that this will be a focus for the UK Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Domestically, the Government has committed to two 25-year plans – one to restore biodiversity and one for the food and farming sector. It is essential that these plans are complementary and that the Government explicitly links the objectives of the food and farming plan to the goal of restoring UK biodiversity. To take one practical example, the Government should commit to full modulation of CAP funds from Pillar I to Pillar II and commit to an increased proportion of the funding being allocated to biodiversity. 7. Invest in nature: beat the natural deficit The Government should designate funding for Natural England as protected spending. Improved implementation of the Nature Directives should be financed with a levy charged on depletion of nonrenewable natural resources – this should be paid into a Natural Wealth Fund, tasked with restoring UK biodiversity. 8. Crack down on crime: ending persecution of protected species Illegal persecution of wildlife still persists in the UK. A licensing system for hunting would be an effective way to prevent damaging and sometimes illegal behaviour, especially for driven grouse shoots in the uplands. Licences should be revoked immediately for criminal persecution of wildlife, or for unlawful land management practices. The system should build in management conditions stipulated in Article 7 of the Birds Directive. Vicarious liability should be established for persecution in England, so that shoot organisers can be held responsible for criminal activity undertaken on their behalf. 8
“The robin: voted Britain’s national bird in 2015.” Danny Green (rspb-images.com) 9
Page 1 and 2: Defend nature How the EU nature dir
Page 3 and 4: Contents Foreword 5 Summary of reco
Page 5 and 6: Foreword The world’s most importa
Page 7: Summary of recommendations “ For
Page 11 and 12: Introduction: the laws that protect
Page 13 and 14: • Encourage good management of la
Page 15 and 16: Better for wildlife “ We focus on
Page 17 and 18: Some have also suggested that the a
Page 19 and 20: Nature and climate change Already,
Page 21 and 22: Better for people “ Biodiversity
Page 23 and 24: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) “Peopl
Page 25 and 26: EU Environmental Law The Birds and
Page 27 and 28: Better for business “ Industry an
Page 29 and 30: wide range of species. Changing the
Page 31 and 32: The myth of bats and newts Some spe
Page 33 and 34: Forward, not back “ Environmental
Page 35 and 36: In relation to European Protected S
Page 37 and 38: the Government should plan for enri
Page 39 and 40: kites. The Directives have also hel
Page 41 and 42: Conclusion From the warmth of watch
Page 43 and 44: to implement EU legislation in the

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