"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead, American anthropologist, 1901-1978
Over 15,200 animals have been caught in Queensland’s shark control programm since 2001. Dolphins, turtles and whales were left struggling for hours – many had long and agonising deaths.
The Hon. Mark Furner is in charge of removing these death traps and replacing them with more effective technology to protect marine life and swimmers.
The Queensland Government spends $13.1 million a year on their shark control programme, but only $1 million of that goes on researching and trying non-lethal alternatives. The result is that anyone who swims near them is threatened by them.
New South Wales and Western Australia re both trying more effective non-lethal technologies, so please sign the petition to hold the Queensland Government accountable for all the marine lives killed in their shark control programme. It is a lethal one.
Some 575 animals have been trapped in shark nets and drumlines in Queensland alone this year.
Progress is being made – the trialling of drones has started at 5 beaches but we all need to put the pressure on.
Please sign and share and let’s get the Queensland Government moving on saying no to nets.
Bees, butterflies and other pollinators all benefit from them, and they also give food and shelter to animals such as owls and bats.
The problem is that traditional wildflower meadows have practically disappeared from our countryside and replaced with uniform green grassed industrial-fertilized fields.
There are few flowers who can survive in this landscape and that means pollinating insects have declined.
In Devon, the Culm grasslands to the north of Dartmoor are very important because they support both wildflowers and wild creatures – yet only 10% of the wildflower rich grasslands of 100 years ago are still in a good condition in north Devon today.
There is, however, hope for our meadows:
Lost wildflower meadows can be restored
Lost wildflower meadows can be restored to richness, and colour, and life using different methods. The Devon Wildlife Trust has been working with landowners to do that for years.
All you need to make a meadow for wildlife on a patch of grassland is:
Time
The most suitable wildflower seeds
Access to the right equipment
The know-how to manage a meadow in its earliest stages.
The goodwill is there – people want to act for wildlife
In 2019, supporters helped back the Devon Wildlife Trust’s Blooming Wild Devon crowdfunder to bring wildflowers back to the countryside in North Devon and the South Hams and also to increase wildflowers in urban green spaces. As a result of an amazing effort, supporters enabled the Trust to restore, improve or create 9,482 acres of wildflower-rich grassland – the equivalent of 278 football pitches!
Now the Trust wants to support people to make meadows wherever they live in Devon – in fields, road verges and gardens! The aim is to have a county of Meadow Makers!
At the same time, more and more people want to help create wildflower meadows, and they are asking the Trust for advice on how they can increase the diversity and abundance of native wildflowers on their own land.
This gave the Devon Wildlife Trust an idea!
The Devon Meadow Makers is a hub sharing knowledge, expertise and access to equipment and wildflower seed so that new meadows can be created across Devon.
A crowdfunder has been launched to set this idea into reality and if you support it with a pledge of £8 or more, you can choose from a range of wildflower seed mixes to start your own meadow!
You can select a reward, depending on what you donate - £5 will give you a six page guide on creating a wildlife meadow for instance.
Meadow Makers will need specialist seed harvesting kit, sowing drills and other machinery on a loan basis (to save people buying it) to give meadows the best possible start.
By sharing expert knowledge and practical support, this will create a network of wildflower meadows – join them up, and wildlife will have their own byways so that they won’t get stuck on one site!
The Devon Wildlife Trust needs to raise £6,000 to turn the Devon’s Meaqdow Makers idea into a reality.
This is a great idea – it will give Devon a lot more wildflower meadows, help our pollinators and other wildlife – and the great thing about it is that you don’t need a large garden to join in!
Tristan da Cunha is a remote island chain in the South Pacific. It’s 2,400 kilometres from the nearest land!
And Birdlife International report that Tristan da Cunha has been declared a Marine Protection Zone, one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries and a pristine wildlife haven.
The MPA is nearly three times the size of the UK. MILLIONS of seabirds, fish and mammals Penguins and seals, threatened sharks and whales will all benefit. 25 seabird species breed here, four of which are unique to the islands and which are also globally threatened. It includes the World Heritage Site of Gough Island which is a renowned albatross stronghold, and, it could be argued, one of the most important seabird islands in the world
The MPA has been established thanks to international collaboration between governments, NGOs and local islanders. The whole thing was instigated by the Tristan de Cunha government and the RSPB.
The Tristan islanders themselves led the way however, as nature guardians in the Atlantic Ocean. They have already declared protected status for over half their territory, and they know that the sea is critical for their long term survival. They are proud to play a key role in protecting the health of the oceans.
Recently, a study found that banned fishing in 5% or more of the ocean would increase global catches by 20% plus in future. And of course this newly protected MPA ties into the wider global goal to secure protection of 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 to tackle climate change and the biodiversity crisis.
Their aim was to raise £50,000 – but supporters really rallied, dug deep and showed their true support for the Foundation. The event raised a staggering £80,000!
People tuned in from all over the world and the event lasted an hour. It raised nearly £50,000 before it even started!
Amongst the stars involved in the event, is an inspirational 9 year old raising money for pangolin, to a soprano and there’s also a visit to the Elephant Orphanage.
There’s nothing like going to bed knowing you have done something really good today and made a difference.
The event was held to celebrate wildlife and to raise funds to support conservation across Africa and Asia.
The bit about with the elephant orphanage starts at 28 minutes if you're short of time.
It's not enough to care - we need to ACT
Climate change and the biodiversity crises has been forgotten in the times of the coronavirus and charities are suffering particularly badly. The more we can all do to help, the better off our wildlife will be.
The key things for us all to do are to spread the word that there are good things happening and that we can all make a difference to wildlife.
We can turn this around if we all pull together and help nature.
There’s some good news from the conservation world that I wanted to share with you today so here it is:The World Land Trust have had a very successful autumn.
I’m thrilled to say that they hit the required fundraising target of £100,000 in just a few weeks to protect vital gorilla habitat in Africa. The success of #FutureforGorillas means that there’s a safer future for Camaroon’s great ape population. The fundraiser kicked off on 4 September and hit its target, thanks to the kindness and generosity of donors in early November.
The World Land Trust’s partner, the Environmental and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF), now has the resources to start creating a forest corridor in eastern Cameroon.
The area is home to Western Lowland gorillas, chimpanzee, elephants, pangolins, hippos, leopards and other species as well. The creation and protection of forests will mean that species can keep their populations strong in number and have a future. Here’s the video about it:
Their Big Match Fortnight Appeal hit its target of £500,000 in a fortnight!
Donors from around the world joined together and made a difference to the incredible appeal to help the World Land Trust and its partner in Ecuador save the last 2% of the Chocó Forest.
The Appeal is still open so you can still donate (I’m writing this on 14 November 2020) which means that even more of the forest can be saved and protected for wildlife.Decades of logging have destroyed 98% of the Chocó forest.
And the World Land Trust’s partner, FJ, got the chance to save the remaining 2% of it – about 57,000 acres in all – from one firm.
Other organisations are involved but the support from World Land Trust donors means that 1,667 acres will be saved – that’s an expansion of the Canandé Reserve which links it to other areas that are protected in the region.
The area is so diverse that scientists took just 45 minutes to find a new species!In fact, 25% of its flora and 10% of its fauna can’t be found anywhere else on earth The Canandé Reserve is a botanical haven. It’s home to about 375 bird species and 135 reptile and amphibian species of whom 28 are globally threatened. Goodness knows how many other species live there!
The more support the appeal has, the more their forest home can be extended and protected.Support this appeal here
You could also support the #NottooLate Appeal Fund, enabling the World Land Trust to act quickly wherever conservation action is needed.
