PROTECTED SPECIES IS A EFFING JOKE!!

Question" why are these people so bent on prettying up some of the habitat sites for whose benifit dog walkers.

Keith said in his original post that he contacted NE some years ago, but not in relation to these recent works. I was merely pointing out the best way of reporting it to Natural England to ensure that you get to the right person quickly. As I've already stated, NE undertake compliance and enforcement all the time. I've attached some recent examples of SSSI enforcement cases, and this information can be found on our website.  Honister Crag SSSI Cumbria Section 28P(1) - Owner Honister Slate Mine Ltd Upland scree and ledge Via Ferrata' and zip wire Damage to rare upland scree and ledge communities Workington Magistrates Court £15,000 £13,190 to NE and £15 victim surcharge No Aug-11   River Wensum SSSI Norfolk Breach of court under-taking Basil Todd Chalk river Vegetation removal and gravel addition Damage to riverbank and probable adverse impact on breeding fish Norwich County Court 28 days prison sentence suspended for 2 years £6,439 No Aug-11   http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2011/250811.aspx Farndale SSSI North Yorkshire Section 28P(1) - Occupier Michael Wood and Yorks Sport Ltd Woodland Unauthorised release of pheasants Damage to ground flora including wild daffodils York Crown Court £40,000 £125,000 No Sep-11   http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2011/080911.aspx Goyt Valley SSSI Derbyshire Section 28P(1) - Owner Robert Hall Moorland Unauthorised ditch work, rush cutting and overgrazing Damage to dwarf shrub heath, blanket bog and acid grassland habitats High Peak Magistrates Court £500 £17,680 to NE and £15 victim surcharge Yes Mar-12   http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2012/02.03.12.aspx On the species side of things, there are several prosecutions for breaching licences that have been linked on here before. NE are represented in the partnership against wildlife crime, we are often noted in the RSPB's legal eagle, and I have personally been involved in giving training to police forces in the Essex, Hertfordshire and West Yorkshire.  The prosecutions are only the tip of the iceberg and it is clearly an important point that a large fine or criminal conviction actually doesnt fix the problem. There are many cases which don't reach prosecution because the enforcement outcome is to use an existing licence to bring the site back into compliance. As you will be aware, the Habitats Regulations (only talking about EPS now) have changed a few times in recent years. One of these changes made it illegal to breach a NE licence for EPS, so this made it possible for us to properly enforce in this area. Before this important change is was much more difficult. From what you have said Gemma, your experiences of protected species legislation enforcement are not the best and this is obviously disappointing and frustrating. I don't think some of your comments are very fair though, and some are downright insulting. I would hope that they don't dissuade people from reporting incidents to NE or the Police as that is the only way that these issues can be resolved.  Jon - point of clarity probably worth mentioning. Wildlife Crime is not reportable and as such does not form part of a force's crime statistics.  Hopefully that has provided a bit of balance and is helpful in some way. Cheers, Duncan

Big tubs of white wash! LOL.

So if you get buy double the number they are offering for the discount, then you'lll have even more.
That's an awful lot of whitewash

Actually, i should give Natural England some credit as they have given me some very helpful and sound advice on how to deal with a naughy client who disturbed some habitat on a key reptile site in  that it would have killed or injured the reptiles right when I was in the middle of the survey. So thanks NE for that advice because it did help, all been resolved now, and client now behaving - which is great. The client also knows that i am keeping a close eye on him, and will be straight on that phone again to NE if he ignores my advice.

Still want to know about has been done about Allerthorpe though.
As long as NE make sure it doesn't happen again, then i will be a happier Reptile Ecologist.
And if this thread is being read by the right people, then that has to be good, providing they do something about it rather than just take on board what we are saying.

Apologes if anyone finds the first para insulting, but couldn't resist joining in with Gemma and RobV. Not intended to be insulting at all, so please don't take anything i say as such. One has to have a sense of humour on these forums, and you should know me by now, i can't resist a good laugh  when i see the opportunity.

Can we come up with a good pun then do you think on the whitewash?? Sure Gemma can come up with one in the next 24 hours.

Regards
SE Reptile Ecologist


Edited by sussexecology - 27 Jun 2012 at 10:37pm

Very much in the vein of inappropriate work/advice, I have recently been advised of an instance where someone has been advised (not by a professional consultant/ecologist but none the less a person who the uninformed would regard as being knowledgeable) on EPS mitigation and that person has suggested measures that would not be acceptable to Natural England. That person just doesn't have the experience. They recommended just putting up a fence and doing nothing else. Putting up a fence will just trap the animals inside the development area, and would be unlawful. They has also said that no EPS licence will be required, even though EPS species are found nearby. An EPS licence is required for just putting in the fence!!

It seems astonishing that such a person can give advice on mitigation for protected species when they clearly have neither the knowledge of the species, nor of the legislation.

Apologies for the lack of detail but I have to protect the innocent - which sadly, also protects the guilty!

Chris