Thomson environmental consultants’ Post

Today is world environment day! Within our animal management department you can study a variety of conservation and environmental courses, including: 🌱 Wildlife and Environmental Conservation 🌱 Management of Aquatics and Conservation of Oceans 🌱 Conservation and Ecology (Top-Up) Find out more: https://lnkd.in/e5gu4FXf #conservation #ecology #environment #worldenvironmentday #landbased

Today’s successful vote in favour of changing the wolf’s status from “strictly protected” to “protected” under the Bern Convention is a triple victory: A victory for the Habitats Directive established in 1992, which aims to restore habitats and species in Europe. The wolf, nearly extinct in Western Europe, has regained a widespread presence across Europe. The Habitats Directive can now be better seen as a functional legal text that can accommodate conservation success stories. A victory for the functioning of institutions which know how to implement good policy-decisions when it’s necessary. A victory for the wolf population, which is experiencing unprecedented expansion in Europe (81% growth in 10 years). Coexistence with humans is becoming more widespread, as are conflicts related to this. [Read more...] https://lnkd.in/eWwTRiJX

🐺 Europe’s wolves under threat: a step back for wildlife protection Recently, the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention voted to downgrade the wolf’s status from “strictly protected” to “protected” under Appendix III. This decision, criticized as politically motivated and lacking scientific backing, jeopardizes the hard-fought progress in wolf conservation across Europe. 🌍 Wolves play a vital role in maintaining ecosystem balance. Their recovery in recent years is a success story born out of stringent protections under the Habitats Directive. However, this vote opens the door to revising the Directive itself—potentially endangering not just wolves but other species like bears, lynx, and grey seals. 🗨️ Jo Swabe, HSI/Europe’s Senior Director of Public Affairs, expressed deep concern: “It's a sad day when policymaking is being driven by political expediency rather than science. This is the biggest problem here. I think that's the biggest disappointment.” 📢 At HSI/Europe, we stand firm against this regressive step and advocate for science-led wildlife policy. 👉 Read the full article on Euractiv to learn more about what’s at stake and how we can act together: https://lnkd.in/dyeWnCwn #HSIEurope #ProtectWolves #WildlifeConservation #BernConvention

Are you planning works and need advice around ecological legislation such as: 🔸 The Wildlife and Countryside Act 🔸 European Protected Species Licensing (ESPL) 🔸 Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations Ignoring protected species can result in substantial fines, significant jail time and costly project delays. Drop SEP Ecology a line and see how they can help... info@seprail.co.uk #ProtectedSpecies

Our newest #AdriftLab paper is a call-to-action and a must-read for anyone working on the frontline of environmental science: “If we are to arrest the seemingly inevitable trajectory of bird [and other wildlife] populations globally and the unfathomable destruction of the habitats on which they depend, we must remain resolved and unwavering, speak truths that can sometimes be uncomfortable, and most importantly support each other as we all push in a unified direction. Those on the front lines of conservation, doing boots-on-the-ground work, are undervalued, underfunded, suffer from insecure and poorly compensated employment, and increasingly are also fighting disinformation (Fournier and Bond 2015, McKenzie 2021, Omari 2024). We must all work to improve these areas and encourage greater funding for the environment; it IS available, if we prioritize it (Balmford and Whitten 2003, Wintle et al. 2019)” Please take a moment to read the (short) article here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gJEvM7Xg

New paper led by Gulbali Institute PhD Dylan Westaway. Our study explores a proactive approach to conservation through 'wild-to-wild' translocations of common species. In collaboration with Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, we tested this method with two species of agamid lizards in Little Desert, Australia. The lizards were moved from a conservation reserve, where they were abundant, to nearby habitat fragments, which offered suitable habitats but were the species were rare or absent. The underlying concept is that while suitable habitat might be widespread, it remains unoccupied due to barriers that prevent natural dispersion, such as the hostility of the intervening landscape. Our findings indicate high survival rates for the translocated lizards, as well as similar body condition, movement patterns, and habitat selection compared to control animals within the conservation reserve. These results suggest that regular, wild-to-wild translocations have significant potential to contribute to conservation efforts, although the longer-term outcomes also need to be assessed. https://lnkd.in/gx7ncKy9

"Exploration Series: Compelling Reads" #Topic1: Seagrass, often overlooked in discussions about carbon sequestration, holds immense potential in mitigating climate change. With its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at rates comparable to forests, seagrass meadows play a crucial role in decarbonization efforts. Implementing seagrass restoration projects worldwide can not only help in preserving marine biodiversity but it has the potential to also act as a powerful natural carbon sink, capturing significant amounts of CO2. By restoring and protecting seagrass habitats, we can combat ocean acidification, enhance coastal resilience, and contribute to global carbon sequestration goals. Harnessing and surrendering to the power of The Nature to create a #sustainable future! So profound and exciting! #Seagrass #CarbonSequestration #ClimateAction #OceanConservation #SustainableDevelopment #BlueCarbon #ClimateSolution #EcosystemRestoration #MarineBiodiversity #GreenFuture #NaturebasedSolutions #ConscientiousLeadership

🌿 Taking Action to Protect Biodiversity 🌿 https://lnkd.in/er-APEe6 Very excited to see my third PhD chapter out! In this work we documented conservation outcomes derived from management changes on cattle ranches in the Colombian Orinoquía. 1. We conducted an ecological experiment to measure the impact of cattle exclusion on wildlife in forest patches. We built 14 km of wildlife-permeable fences and monitored the area using camera traps. 2. Fencing reduced cattle encounters in the forest and increased encounter probabilities of key native species, including the black agouti, lowland tapir, the spotted paca and South American coati. Fencing also helped prevent cattle from getting stuck in mudholes in the forest, where they often die. 3. Our study highlights the potential of wildlife-permeable fencing as a win-win management tool, protecting wildlife and enhancing habitat in Neotropical forests by balancing cattle management and wildlife needs. We hope this conservation tool is more widely adopted in multifunctional landscapes where both wildlife and domestic animals co-occur. #Conservation #Biodiversity #Ecology #SustainableLandscapes #WildlifeConservation #FencingForConservation #EnvironmentalProtection Diagram by: Maria Carolina Santos Quiñones

Ignoring regulations can lead to more than hefty fines... Native species are under significant protection through legislation such as The Wildlife and Countryside Act and European Protected Species Licensing (EPSL). The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations also play a crucial role in safeguarding these species. 🔸 Why is this important? Contractors, clients and operatives must ensure that protected species are not at risk or harmed. This isn't just about respecting the environment; it's about compliance with the law. When regulations are ignored or violated, it can lead to: 🔸 Heavy fines 🔸 Custodial sentencing 🔸 Project delays (often with high financial costs) Following these laws isn't optional - it's a critical part of project planning and execution. 💷 Ignoring them can impact your bottom line. Get in touch for advice on how you can avoid violating regulations. 📧 info@seprail.co.uk 📱 01904 403 322 #NativeSpecies #Conservation #Ecology

Update - NFWF's $15 million Conservation Partners Program due in 50 days. I was excited to read the republishing of the Conservation Partners Program (CPP) Request for Proposals (RFP) by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). This updated RFP now expands geographic eligibility to include a new Western Grazing Lands category, covering an additional 12 Western states. The Conservation Partners Program aims to provide technical assistance to producers on working lands. They will award approximately $15 million in competitive grants to accelerate the voluntary adoption of regenerative agriculture principles and conservation practices on private working lands in priority geographies, which are: the Great Plains, Upper Mississippi River Basin, Great Lakes Basin, and the Western Grazing Lands. The deadline is August 14th. We can work together to make application. #Conservation #FundingOpportunity #SustainableAgriculture #RegenerativeAgriculture #NFWF #Grants #ConservationPartnersProgram #CPP #EnvironmentalStewardship