Crimes Against Nature

This week I can do not greater service to the world's environment than encouraging readers to go to http://www.alternet.org/story/17252/ and read what Robert Kennnedy has to say about the disaster that is befalling the USA, and by extension, the rest of the world. Please read it.

Big Cats in England?

My recent visit to Patagonia further confirmed my incredulity at the idea of big cats living wild in England. I spent several days on the Estancia La Esperanza, the ranch owned and managed by the WLT’s partner, the Fundación Patagonia Natural. Each day I went out with the reserve’s manager, Gustavo Zamora. He knows the ranch well. Very well indeed, and each day we found footprints of puma, and we also located a recent puma kill of a guanaco (wild llama). He finds a kill of guanaco or sheep almost every week, and can find fresh footprints and scats any day. But still, after three years living and working on the ranch has yet to see a living puma. There are also several scientists studying the guanaco, who spend hours and hours most days watching the guanacos and other wildlife, but they have never seen the pumas.

So it is bizarre how in England sightings of these beasts are more common than the other evidence they leave behind. And the habitat in Patagonia is extremely open -- low bushy steppe and desert, with few places to hide, unlike most of the places in England where these alleged pumas are reported. But the Beasts o Exmoor, Bodmin and Surrey live on, just like their ancestors, the Hound of the Baskervilles and the Black Dog of Bungay -- rural myths to compete with the Alligators of the New York Sewers.

Where is the rainforest going -- yet more concerns

I am writing this from the office of the WLT's partner in Argentina -- the Fundación Patagonia Natural. Flying across the Amazon and then on to Argentina, several things struck me looking down. First, it was dark as we flew across the western Amazon, and from on high fires could be seen at regualr intervals. This has been noted many times before, but what doesn't seem to be mentioned is the amount of light pollution there is even in remote parts of the world. It seemed that villages and even scattered farms now have generators, and bright lights are becoming the norm. What effect this has on migrant birds and other wildlife is impossible to guess.



And then soon after crossing the border into Argentina (it was light by now) it was possible to see the forest being stripped. square plots were visible from the air, some already farmed others still forest. Those cleared took virtually no notice of water courses, and increasing sedimentation was often visible. And for what? Yet more food for the northern hemisphere, which is already overfed. However, it is not all depressing -- there are some splendid initiatives happening in Patagonia -- but that will wait for another day.

Concern about the rainforest

The headlines o Britain’s Independent newspaper yesterday (12 November) splashed the fact that Britain’s foreign aid to tropical rainforests was being slashed. The worst fears of conservationists seem to being fulfilled –the Blair government not content with following George Bush into Iraq, was now following his lead on environmental matters. The cost of the war in Iraq continues to escalate, and it appears that Britain is prepared to sacrifice the rainforest in order to maintain its military presence. And this was not all. The same newspaper carried reports on the changes in nature conservation – which involve the abolition of English Nature. Many conservationists will see this as an attempt by central government to silence criticism of its poor environmental record. English Nature has guarded its independence from government jealously, and on many occasions spoken out against government policies. Replacing it with a government department is generally seen as a very retrograde step.

Visits from Belize and Bulgaria - and a visit to Patagonia

The next few weeks are going to be very busy at the World Land Trust. Our partners in Ecuador are negotiating yet more land purchases, and back here in the UK we are hosting Edilberto Romero, the Director of the Programme for Belize (PfB). PfB was the first project of the WLT, and paved the way for all our future activities. PfB is now a fully fledged NGO, with a staff of nearly 40, managing over 280,000 acres. Edilberto is over to meet with the staff and Trustees of the WLT, and also to visit other key organisations.



Overlapping with Edliberto Romero, the WLT is next week hoisting a delegation of senior park managers from Bulgaria. Funded by the USAID, the Bulgarians are visiting to study fundraising and the management of endowment funds for protected area, and they will gain valuable insights from their discussions with Edilberto Romero – PfB have been managing such funds and programmes for over 10 years now.



And as soon as that is over, I am going to Patagonia, for the first time in two years, for a Board meeting concerning the management of the Estancia La Esperanza. This project is desperately short of funds. – It costs less than $2000 a month to keep it going, but we also need about $100,000 to invest in the renovation of the buildings. Once renovated, the income derived from visitors staying there will help pay for the day top day running costs. Sponsors are urgently needed – it’s an ideal opportunity for businesses of almost any size. And even an individual could sponsor the running of the reserve for a month. And they can go and see for themselves how it is progressing. If you know of an individual or business that might consider helping please let me know.

Dependent on the Internet

Since September 15th the WLT has had major problems with its internet connections -- the main result has been that we have been unable to send emails. After three weeks of struggles (and our ISP is still failing us) we have become aware of how totally dependent on the internet we now are. So if anyone reading this has been trying to contact us by email -- or has had emails returned, please phone and let us know -- (44) 01986 874422.

As far was we know our incoming mail is getting through, and there are absolutely no breaches of the secure parts of the system. The big problem is that none of our outgoing emails seem to have been delivered. We have set up alternative systems, but do let us know if there are still any problems.

Dumbing down nature conservation

Today I received my copy of English Nature's Magazine, and the front cover illustrated 'the magic of nature'. But what an inappropriate illustration. A beautiful bluebell wood with a group of gawmless looking kids dressed up as fairies. Pure Disney, and an insult to our imagination. If nature is truly magical, we do not need kids dressed up as fairies to tell us so.

English Nature is supposed to be the UK's premier scientific advisory body for wildlife -- but it appears that like so many other institutions, the marketting and PR departments have taken over, and are determined to dumb down to the lowest common denominator. Look through the magazine, and you will find 20 pictures of people, and only 9 pictures of wildlife and habitats unsullied by humans. I really do not need a picture of an unidentified person in a wheelchair in a meaningless location to illustrate whellchair access. Unfortunately this approach is becoming all too common. While it is useful to have human presence, it should not become all pervading. And certainly not fairies....