General Updates from the World Land Trust

General updates and new additions to the website of World Land Trust, an international conservation organisation working to preserve the world's most biologically important and threatened lands.

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Tuesday, February 20, 2007:

Conservation and Environmental News Roundup - 20th February 

Latest News Headlines

Whooping cranes lost to Florida stroms

Young whooping cranes, part of a species recovery project were killed when violent storms hit Florida at the start of February. The 18 birds had been led from Wisconsin and were being kept at a wildlife refuge prior to becoming part of a second migratory flock of the endangered birds which numbered just 20 in 1941. It is thought they were either drowned by the surge tide or electrocuted by lightning strikes. Co-founder of the co-ordinating organisation, Operation Migration, Joe Duff said. "It's very traumatic to the whole team who put so much time and effort into these birds". The next generation are expected to hatch in April.

Read more: Storms kill endangeres whooping cranes led south by ultralights (Journal Star.com)

Best laid plans for tyre reefs gone astray

An artificial reef of tyres installed off the Florida coast in the 1970s is one of many across the world that have proved to do more harm than good. It was intended that the 2 million old tyres would provide a surface for diverse marine life, however hardly any has taken up residence and tyres that have broken loose are damaging a massive area of the ocean floor. Some scientists also fear the tyres may release toxins. Expensive clean up operations have been mounted at other sites and are planned in Florida.

Read more: Tyre reef off Florida proves a disaster (Environmental News Network)

Backing for Suffolk offshore windfarm

After consideration of the impacts, Government approval has been granted for one of Britain's largest windfarms. The 140 turbines will be sited over a 150 square kilometer area, near the Inner Gabbard and Galloper sandbanks, 12 miles off the Suffolk coast. The project, developed by Airtricity and Fluor will be able to power up to 415,000 homes, saving 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emisisons. Ian Pearson, Climate Change Minister, said: "Projects like this that expand our capacity to generate clean electricity will play a major role in helping to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050."

Read more: 140-turbine windfarm plan backed (BBC)

Reprive for prickly friends?

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) will discuss on Tuesday whether to stop the culling of hedgehogs on the Hebridean island of Uist. The major justification given for culling the introduced mammals was the assertion that translocated hedgehogs would die slow and lingering deaths. However, recent scientific research has shown them to survive successfully. As a result, wildlife experts and associated bodies, including the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) have come out against the culling policy. Hedgehog supporters are hopeful that SNH will instead adopt a translocation programme, especially as they are declining across the rest of the UK.

Read more: Ending in sight for hedgehog cull (BBC)

 
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