The Guardian, and The Times report the environment minister, Rebecca Pow, has promised to bring in legislation to reduce discharge of raw sewage into rivers.
Pow said that she would be placing a legal duty on government to come up with a plan to cut dumping by water companies by September 2022. Pressure has been growing on water companies and ministers as evidence grows of the scale of the issue and amid increasing evidence of the poor state of rivers.
The Daily Mail reports The National Trust has planted 60,000 saplings in the first part of its drive to plant 20million trees by 2030. The charity has received nearly £500,000 in public donations for its ten-year campaign and has been identifying sites to boost nature, fight climate change and protect landscapes.
More locations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been earmarked for the next tranche of 1.5million trees set to be planted within a couple of years.
iNEWS reports green campaigners are warning of potential disaster for wildlife and a costly clean ups by hard-pressed council crews unless people venturing outdoors with friends after months in lockdown take home their litter this weekend.
Cleaning teams were swamped with an unprecedented amount of rubbish when coronavirus restrictions were lifted last summer – with 33 tonnes of waste cleaned up along the Dorset coast and Lake District rangers discovering a tent and a full suitcase abandoned by a tarn.
The Guardian, and Daily Mail report last year was the third good summer in a row for butterflies and the 10th best since records began, but one-third of Britain’s species are still in long-term decline.
Conservation scientists warned against overstating the butterfly boom, saying perceptions of a “good” year have lowered in the light of plummeting insect numbers. “Perhaps because of the sunny spring weather last year and the fact that more people were enjoying nature as part of their day-to-day activities, butterflies seemed more numerous,” said Richard Fox, of Butterfly Conservation.
Farmers Weekly reports the UK government has issued an official response to an online petition calling for tougher penalties for hare coursers.
The petition, created by gamekeeper Edward Coles, received more than 12,700 signatures, thus sparking a response from Defra. However, it would need to attract more than 100,000 signatures to trigger a parliamentary debate.
The Independent reports the Scottish government is encouraging farmers and landowners to apply for grants from a £22m fund for restoring its peatlands, which can help capture carbon. Up to a quarter of Scotland, about 1.7 million hectares, is covered in peat soil which could capture and store up to 1.6 billion tonnes of carbon – the equivalent of up to 140 years of the country’s emissions.
The Guardian reports living with the coronavirus pandemic has meant many can’t travel far, with one benefit being more time to take notice of the natural world closer to home. From seals to bees, readers have been sharing pictures and stories of their local animals, flora and fauna.
Remember you can contribute to the FNW Lockdown Nature Photo Gallery by emailing your photos to fnwildlife@gmail.com.
The Daily Mail reports Monty Don, long-running host of BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World questions the need to give lawns such a close shave. He also suggests that banishing weeds from the groomed grass is ‘a male obsession, linked to controlling rather than embracing’.
The BBC reports a new salmon law is being proposed that could ban anglers from taking their catch home. The Environment Agency proposed the measure and said it was needed to protect salmon stocks that are in decline. Consultations are under way.
If the by-law was introduced it would apply to salmon fishing along the length of the River Severn. The Severn Fisheries Group, which represents 30,000 anglers, said that might encourage more poaching.
The BBC reports when the pandemic hit last year, Thomas wanted to find a way to get outdoors and learn more about wildlife. Fast forward a year and the 14-year-old from Hampshire has discovered a love for watching badgers. Thomas observes the animals at his local woodland and has written a self-published book about his discoveries. Now he wants to share his love of wildlife with others.