Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)

 

 

Reducing disturbance to wildfowl in severe winter weather

Prolonged periods of cold weather are stressful for over-wintering waterbirds, reducing feeding opportunities and increasing energy demands. At such times, normally benign levels of disturbance can be detrimental. For these reasons shooting organisations co-operate with statutory and voluntary conservation organisations to minimise disturbance. JNCC operates a national alerting system that identifies severe weather periods and allows temporary cessation of shooting and other disturbances. 

 

 

The Chief Scientists’ Group of JNCC and the country agencies has established an inter-agency group to undertake revisions to the Guidelines for Selection of Biological SSSIs, to share information and maintain an overview of reviews of the SSSI series being undertaken in each country.

 

The review will concentrate on parts A and B of the Guidelines, which set out the rationale and principles for site identification. These require revision to capture the changes in law, administration and practice due to devolution; and also to address changes in terms of the purpose of the network, particularly with regards to adaptation to climate change and the ecosystem approach. In addition, updating any gaps identified should only be undertaken where there is a demonstrable need to do so. The inter-agency group has established a timetable for delivery of the review.

 

Fred Burton MBE is the first winner of the JNCC’s Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies Nature Conservation Award. Fred has worked in conservation in the Cayman Islands for over 20 years, with the last nine as the Director of the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme – an unsalaried position.

 

The JNCC celebrated Fred’s dedication, at a ceremony held in Peterborough.

 

 

A group of novel Phytophthora species are now infecting and killing bilberry in parts of the UK. Bilberry forms a dominant component of vegetation in a considerable number of important habitats, as well as supporting other species. The biodiversity impacts are potentially far-reaching, and further research is being undertaken to assess this and to look at possible control mechanisms.

 

Using biofuels as a partial replacement for fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel can save GHG emissions but their production can also have potentially negative environmental impacts. There is concern that the increasing use of biomass for biofuels will place yet another unwelcome pressure on global ecosystems. The use of Brazilian sugar and Asian palm oil has attracted attention to biofuels impacts in the tropical zone, particularly in tropical forests. A new JNCC report shows that the current UK biofuels consumption pattern, based on 90% imported fuels and a strong preference for biodiesel, is actually increasing pressures on temperate grasslands rather than tropical ecosystems.

 

As part of a wider review of JNCC’s work in support of UK conservation standards, there is now greater clarity as to our role in relation to the production of Red Lists. JNCC continues to recognise the merit in Red Lists, but its role will change to one of guidance and quality assurance assessment.

 

 

It is twenty years since the last International Rivers conference in the UK, which set the agenda for much progress. The 2010 conference is a chance to set a dynamic new agenda for the next decades.