Bewick's swan - an iconic bird right across northern Europe
WWT Chief Executive Martin Spray CBE has written a hard-hitting article for The Guardian, to highlight a major issue coming up for wildlife - like the Bewick's swan - and the wider natural environment across the UK and Europe.
Later this year, WWT supporters will have the opportunity to have your say about the future of wildlife and habitats across the continent - in response to a Europe-wide review of wildlife law.
The review will affect all wildlife protection in our country and beyond. Read Martin's article in The Guardian here, or below:
Martin Spray CBE
Europe is about to reconsider all protection for wildlife. The significance is huge, in everything we do.
Just this morning, a little girl walked past me wearing her primary school uniform which has the badge of a Bewick’s swan, Europe’s smallest swan. Meanwhile 1200 miles away near Helsinki, another little girl is going to her local swimming club which has a similar logo. The young swimmers are called pikku joutsen – or little swans, the Finnish name for the species.
The two little girls, proudly wearing their outfits, demonstrate how much our wildlife is an integral part of who we are, wherever we are in Europe. Just like many other animals that are the emblems of schools, businesses or counties, the Bewick’s swan has entered both girls’ cultures and hearts as it flies between Britain and Finland, on its way to and from the Arctic..
Each little girl relies on the other little girl’s country to keep her bird safe till it returns. And both countries – as well as others along the migration – do so because they’ve agreed to keep each other’s wildlife safe.
But that agreement is about to be reassessed. The European Birds and Habitats Directives are due for a review. But in this time of austerity, there is also political pressure across Europe for nature to either contribute financially or get out of the way. In truth, Bewick’s swans are subject to budget cuts as much as the rest of us.
As it happens, nature can make a pretty good case for pulling its financial weight. A few years ago it was estimated that UK wetlands alone provide nearly £7bn in services to society. They supply us with a regulated water supply that helps to mitigate floods and drought. They help to clean our water by filtering it and they help to clean our air by storing carbon. And in order to work properly, wetlands rely on the wildlife within them – including Bewick’s swans – to maintain the ecosystem.
But £7bn is a drop in the ocean in macroeconomic terms. The problem is that financial measurements don’t tell the whole story. It’s like measuring the worth of the UK workforce in terms of GDP and ignoring the fact that all those people are also mums, dads, friends, carers etc. How do you put a price on love and enjoyment? And don’t forget that Bewick’s swans are mums, dads and friends too – they form tight bonds which last for life. That has to be worth something too?
I’m really worried that the review of the Directives will be based on graphs and statistics rather than explaining to two little girls in different countries why we’re going to let the bird that represents part of their lives slide towards extinction.
We need wildlife in order to stay alive - physically, spiritually and culturally – as much as wildlife need to stay alive themselves. Don’t take my word for it, trust your TV. Advertisers have done more research on you than any scientist. When you next watch a commercial break, compare how many animals and images of nature you see, compared to graphs and statistics.
Because we share the same air, water and wildlife as our European neighbours, we need to protect our wildlife at European level. Research shows our most vulnerable wildlife fare better when they are covered by the jointly agreed Birds and Habitats Directive protections.
The review of the Directives has a domino effect on every single piece of wildlife legislation in the UK and every country in Europe. We’ll help the process all we can by providing good scientific data. But the process mustn’t be misused to provide an excuse to strangle the golden goose that is our natural environment. Rather, it should be an opportunity to strengthen protection for the things that matter to us all.
