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Links
The
Wildlife Trusts' British Isles website: www.wildlifetrusts.org
Our
network of 47
local Wildlife Trusts and our junior branch, Wildlife
Watch, work together with local communities to
protect wildlife in all habitats across the UK, in
towns, countryside, wetlands and seas.
Wildlife
& Countryside Link http://www.wcl.org.uk
Wildlife
and Countryside Link brings together environmental
voluntary organisations in the UK united by their
common interest in the conservation and enjoyment
of the natural and historic environment.
HAVE
YOUR SAY!
With
just a few clicks you can get involved with campaigning
for wildlife without even leaving your home!
You
can sign numerous on-line petitions, where you
can help to save and restore our natural environment.
Help
The Wildlife Trusts to ‘Save our Seas’ by clicking
here.
‘Prevent
Pond Pests’ Find out why we think you should sign
The Wildlife Trusts’ petition to protect our
local ponds from invasive pests by clicking here
“Planning
Peril”
The Wildlife Trusts are campaigning against proposals
in the Government’s current Planning Bill With the
Government keen to speed up the development of major
infrastructure projects (MIPs), the Bill proposes
an independent commission to take charge of the
planning process for large-scale developments such
as new runways, road widening schemes and nuclear
power stations.
This
could result in a welter of offshore windturbines
forming a wall of steel across wild goose and swan
migration routes between the Arctic and Lancashire,
another runway at Manchester airport, or the return
of the massive gas storage proposal in old salt caverns
under the Wyre Estuary. Decisions on MIPs would be
fast-tracked behind closed doors by a national, unelected
and potentially unaccountable body. This weakens our
democracy and limits local involvement in decision
making – local wildlife defenders will no longer have
an automatic right to comment on planning proposals
which affect wildlife close to where they live. Far
from tackling global warming, the Government’s proposal
to speed up MIPs, such as roads and airports, will
increase carbon emissions and devastate wildlife as
it struggles to adapt to climate change.
The
proposals to include offshore energy developments
within the planning commissions remit would also undermine
Government plans for protecting marine life made in
consultations on its own proposed Marine Bill; and
inclusion of a MIP in proposed national planning statements
could override existing systems to protect our most
important places for wildlife.
The
construction of more barriers, such as motorways,
means wildlife faces an even great challenge in moving
and adapting to climate change.
What
is needed now is not a backlash against sensible protection
of our most important assets, but the smart use of
planning so protection and prosperity go hand in hand.
The
Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North
Merseyside, as part of The Wildlife Trusts, is a member
of a coalition of leading environmental and social
organisations which have come together out of deep
concern over the Government’s proposed planning reforms.
Members include the Campaign to Protect Rural England,
RSPB, Friends of the Earth, the Civic Trust, Transport
2000, the Ramblers’ Association, the New Economics
Foundation and the National Trust.
The
Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North
Merseyside, and sister Wildlife Trusts up and down
the country are currently writing to all our MPs about
the Planning Bill. In particular, The Wildlife Trusts
are asking that the final Bill include a requirement
for Government to produce a National Policy Statement
on the natural environment alongside its planned statements
on energy, waste, water and transport infrastructure.
For more information read our briefing, ‘A National Policy Statement on the natural environment’.
Will
you join us in writing to your MP? If you don’t know
who he or she is, type your postcode into the box
on the House
of Commons website to find out.
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