Tag Archives: habitats directive

Why EU laws to stop pets chasing wildlife (and livestock) are not comical.

  It’s always tempting, when writing a weekly column, to return over and over again to a well chewed bone called Brexit. And despite Westminster having descended into full-blown Whitehall Farce territory last week, I am going to resist the temptation … Continue reading

Posted in dogs, Michael Gove, Natural England, Tony Juniper | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

George Eustice clueless on impacts of Brexit on laws protecting UK wildlife

Farm Minister, former UKIP parliamentary candidate and Brexiter (Brexiteer? Brexetier?) George Eustice today displayed a continuing failure to have absorbed anything useful during his now considerable time at the Department allegedly for the Environment, Defra. Speaking to the Guardian he … Continue reading

Posted in Birds Directive, Brexit, EU referendum, George Eustice, Habitats Directive | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

My tuppence worth on the EU Referendum – and a poll

The big news for the Environment in 2016 is that, as a result of the divisions within the political right in England, we are being forced to vote on whether we want to stay in the European Union in a … Continue reading

Posted in Birds Directive, Boris Johnson, Common Agricultural Policy, corporate lobbying, Europe, European environment policy, George Eustice, Habitats Directive, Nature Directives, NFU, public goods | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Guest Blog from Ian Hepburn. Defending Nature: the UK battle is far from over

With a conference to review the effectiveness of the EU Nature Directives (Birds and Habitats) – the Fitness Check process, taking place in Brussels tomorrow, I’m thrilled to publish a timely guest blog from Ian Hepburn. Ian has had a … Continue reading

Posted in Birds Directive, David Cameron, European Commission, European environment policy, Habitats Directive | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The State of Europe’s Nature

  Today is International Biodiversity Day. Instead of being out and about enjoying biodiversity (or nature as I prefer to call it), I’m sitting at my computer writing this. Does that make any sense? How is biodiversity nature doing in … Continue reading

Posted in Birds Directive, Common Agricultural Policy, European Commission, European environment policy, Habitats Directive, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

All creatures great and smelly

A fundamental question that conservation keeps returning to is share or spare? Should we create spaces where nature is predominant – for example, nature reserves and at the extreme end “self willed” land. Or should we promote a harmonious interplay … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, bats, biodiversity, biodiversity offsetting, churches, deregulation, ecosystem services, environmental policy, European environment policy, farming, greenspace, Owen Paterson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments