World Wildlife Day

First of all, to raise awareness, different organisations worldwide show what affects disappearing wildlife by linking it to their branding. Now, why are they doing this?

In today's article, I discuss what the day brings awareness for. The reason why we need to keep wildlife at the centre of our policies. What we can do to help as general citizens.

Now the impact which humans have on the natural world is plain and clear for everyone to see. The importance of days such as today to highlight our place in the world and are impacts is crucial. Now what these days do is highlight what we can do better rather than encourage a sense of regret because we need to recognise what we can do better.

In terms of highlighting impacts on various animals, countries such as India highlight their rich wildlife and make it clear that their natural heritage is essential. In particular, the steps taken toward the reintroduction of other predators like Cheetahs show that they recognise that as well as maintaining the existing animals in the region, they need to reintroduce historic species to help the region recover. Countries such as India recognise the need to promote greater cohesion with wildlife organisations, such as how UK football clubs highlight the impact of World Wildlife day by removing animals from their logos. This is more for publicity, making more people aware of the effects we are having and raising awareness. This links us to the theme this year, where we look at how Forests and Livelihoods: Sustain People and the Planet.

My interest in this field is the impact that our industries have on pollinators. Comprehending how they utilise their habitats effectively is key to understanding how to preserve the species and biodiversity. The crux of this process is applied broadly to other animal conservation. Noting the importance of conservation projects and planting endeavours to help the animals recover in their environment. Comparing this with infrastructure projects that restore the vibrance of our woodlands. In Suffolk, the focus needs to be on developing works in the conservation and regenerative agriculture fields. For the Agricultural sector to grow in a sustainable direction, research needs to identify areas that producers can continue developing to maximise sustainable growth for both the industries and wildlife.

My interest in pollinators, significantly the benefits they bring to the natural world for flora and their important place in food webs. Now forests have a significant advantage in terms of how they safeguard the planet. They are quoted as being the lungs of our world. We need to recognise how we sustainably grow to limit our damage to these valuable green spaces. Many flora species have contributed to our medicines and food production. Each year, new resources, such as; plants, pharmaceutical, food resources, and natural beauty, are discovered alongside animal species. We also need to remember that the natural biodiversity all reduces how many species densely congregate in a given space. This is key for epidemiological reasons are it provides a barrier against disease spread. While animals would naturally interact in forests or different biomes, their interaction frequency is limited outside of the human environment. The increased interaction in intensive settings like wet markets has arguably lead to an increase in disease spread.

So in terms of how you can protect animals in terms of policy areas, the Dutch indeed lead the way in giving animals a front and place centre in their infrastructure projects. Often building animals into their design, they include Wildlife corridors, giving animals access to other habitats, enabling more extraordinary biodiversity and not limiting them to a closed environment and isolated population. This is a more expensive form of infrastructure design, but it is crucial we need to reflect on this when we look at designing our environments at home. Connecting farms via hedgerows and allowing green spaces to be connected, not isolated. Countries like Rwanda, India, Scotland, and Costa Rica are increasing the number of trees they are planting to increase forest cover and biodiversity. In Suffolk, we are doing the same thing by establishing our memorial woodlands and engaging in our own planting initiatives. Countries like Zambia have set up organisations to monitor and regulate our impact on animals ensuring they have the opportunity to thrive in the environment. Countries like Canada, the Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, Bhutan, Tanzania, and Botswana have invested heavily in National parks and the different safeguards that can establish vestiges of protection for vulnerable habitats. Norway and Namibia have particular safeguards in their policy that recognise protected species and safeguard animals in law and society.

Now to summarise how you can help as well as engaging in conservation projects locally, you can also make sure your home is wildlife-friendly. Whether that be providing food and resources for animals that are unable to find resources at particular times of the year, such as Hedgehogs. Putting wildlife shelters in place or bird boxes to offer them an alternative home to replace the lack of suitable nesting sites. Planting trees and hedges which are ideal for nesting and foraging, which animals can use as valuable resources. In terms of what these plants are, heritage plants are good places to start but think Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Dogwood. Think about what you can offer to animals. Can you provide food for animals or even small plants for pollinators in the window? Could you plant a heritage hedge? Can you get involved with other projects rewilding, tree planting or conservation projects?

https://rr-africa.oie.int/en/projects/world-wildlife-day-2021-forests-and-livelihoods-sustaining-people-and-planet/

https://www.republicworld.com/lifestyle/festivals/world-wildlife-day-here-is-the-theme-history-and-significance-of-this-day.html

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/news/world-wildlife-day-when-is-it-this-years-theme-and-how-to-take-part/

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/which-countries-are-the-best-in-wildlife-conservation.html

https://nationaltoday.com/world-wildlife-day/

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/news/articles/three-top-tips-to-help-give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/

Reintroducing Apex Predators

With other projects and groups actively participating with the aim to reintroduce Apex predators of yesteryear to our countryside. One argument for reintroducing these species is that it offers a return to wildlife management of historic predator and prey relationships. The reason we are at this impasse is because the predators were often removed or hunted due to predation of livestock. Now whilst their os arguments for and against the reintroduction of these animals is that they could open this risk up again. 

Whilst proposing arguments for predators like the bear, wolf and lynx all of various issues in themselves as each comes with different risks the argument for the ecological benefit has been well established. Apex predators will keep prey animal populations to a manageable number as the rate of which prey animals reproduce unhindered by predators can impose other issues on local landscapes. The herds of deer left unchecked and without management can prevent trees and hedgerows regrowing by consuming or trampling on saplings. Whilst a more sustainable population has less of impact as their footfall is reduced. This can also have a benefit on arable crops as it prevents deer grazing on these valuable crops saving farmers cost either from lost crops or management systems to deter the deer. The benefit of keystone species that have a direct and indirect impact on the environment changing its ecological profiles. The question should the historic predators return or do our environments learn to cope with planned management of wildlife by humans which can be costly. 

Now looking at it from the opposite points of view these species are often a greater risk to pets and to livestock farms. In terms of pets some small dogs and cats are at a greater risk as they can pose an easier target for predation but these animals can be protected by responsible ownership in high risk areas. With livestock works undertaken with livestock guardian breeds of dog could prove the answer for protecting and deterring predators as most species of predator will not risk dogs encase of injury. The main issue for the UK however, is allowing the animals to establish a territory as when they are contained, both types of animals can be managed more readily when we look at larger geographic regions including towns and cities with various barriers this can cause a greater conflict with people. We need to also remember that they might not have the desired impact on deer number reduction as well as by proxy the restoration of the trees would not be a certainty.

The other added benefit of using livestock guardian breeds such as the kuvasz is that these breeds can also potentially protect stock from other dogs that enter the farmland. The benefit of the guardian breed is they can act as a strong deterrent for both the apex and would-be predators the breeds chase off and deter the animals whilst living with the stock viewing them as a pack. The dogs do this naturally and act as a stable addition to your stocks security. 

In Suffolk we are looking more at how we can reintroduce a natural predator the lynx as well as other former species like the bison and pelicans. The argument should be can we live with the animals, does it offer us a better alternative and lifestyle and does it offer a safeguard for our planet. Projects WildEast may see a greener landscape across the county and if we move towards plans with nature at its heart learning from the likes of dutch to provide wildlife corridors over roads like the A14 to prevent isolated populations. In the future I will be looking at wildlife corridors as well as rewilding initiatives to look at their feasibility.

https://www.conservationjobs.co.uk/articles/wolf-reintroduction-in-scotland/

https://www.wildeast.co.uk

https://www.morningagclips.com/the-benefits-of-livestock-guardian-dogs/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31813207