So one year passes and another comes barrelling in with rain, floods, strong wind and snow in some parts. I gaze into my crystal ball fervently hoping 2025 will bring hope and optimism for the state of Britain’s wildlife. But all I see is a sign reading “Build, build, build”.
If anyone thought the new year would bring relief for our hard-pressed wildlife, those dreams were surely shattered shortly before Christmas when Angela Rayner announced she is ready to tear up environmental protections in pursuit of her goal to build 1.5 million homes before the next election. The deputy PM will strip local councils of some powers to block building plans as she charges head down towards her target with no regard for the consequences. Three Homes Rayner shows utter contempt for wildlife, saying: “We can’t have a situation where newts are more protected than people.”
Wild Things: Christmas is a bumper time for robins, but not RSPB staff
This government dogma surfaced again when HS2 rail scheme boss Mark Wild was taken to task by MPs over spending £100 million on a tunnel in Buckinghamshire to shield protected bats demanded by Natural England. Then there’s Ed Milliband hurtling towards his net zero nirvana. He will do this, it seems, by plonking electricity pylons for miles across farmland and if he can’t put up pylons he’ll install solar panels instead. Not to mention lumbering us all with expensive electric cars and heat pumps. The outcome of all this will inevitably be loss of wildlife habitat at a time when the UK already has one of the worst records in Europe for nature preservation.
Rachel from Complaints raised company taxes on employees and the Government increased the minimum wage leaving many, including wildlife charities, with no alternative to making redundancies. And where is the voice of Environment Minister Steve Reed? He’s supposed to support farmers and wildlife but has been quiet as a mouse with laryngitis.
Wild Things: Hope for the future of the Birdwatcher’s Yearbook
No wonder Labour have raked out and dusted down their old anthem “Things can only get better”. For wildlife, and for most of us, they can hardly get worse.
Don’t forget: The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch January 24 to 26. Usual rules. Count the birds seen during one hour in your garden or nominated space and send in results. See rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch/faqs
