WHAT IS THE GUGA HUNT REALLY ABOUT. ARE THEY THAT SHORT OF FOOD

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Let’s make history and end the Guga hunt! PROTECT THE WILD DEC 4 READ IN APP This may be the shortest email we’ll ever send. As of right now, Rachel Bigsby’s petition to end the Guga hunt is the 7th most signed in the history of the Scottish Govt petition site. If we all take 10 seconds to sign it this morning we could break into the top 5 and be well on the way to making it the most signed petition in the history of the platform. Imagine how much media attention we could generate for this issue if we made this happen! Sign the petition You can sign from any country! We must stop the vile and needless slaughter of Gannet chicks by a group of men every year on a remote Scottish island under the defence of “tradition” Here are the current top 7 most signed petitions on the Scottish Govt petition site: Ban all non-essential single-use plastics — 32,062 End greyhound racing In Scotland — 30,042 Require all dog boarding kennels to install smoke detectors… — 23,401 Stop the proposed centralisation of specialist… — 22,162 Increase planning protection for Scottish battlefields… — 21,205 Translocate protected beavers to reduce licensing to kill… — 16,785 Stop the Guga Hunt - 15,516 SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2025 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM THE HUNT SABOTEURS ASSOCIATION. — DRONE FOOTAGE OF ILLEGAL HUNTING WITH HOUNDS

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter A Ban Well Overdue Illegal Fox Hunting By The Vale Of Taunton & Banwell Harriers Caught On Film Weeks before the government is set to begin its consultation on so-called ‘trail hunting’, the HSA today releases further devastating footage of illegal fox hunting. Somerset Hunt Saboteurs’ drone caught the Vale of Taunton & Banwell Harriers remorselessly searching for and hunting a fox just last Wednesday. As the video opens, hounds are flushing a large area of thick scrub. Huntsman Wayne ‘Wingnut’ Gregory is already off his horse: typical behaviour for a huntsman who knows a fox is nearby and wants to closely direct his hounds. The fox is completely surrounded by the pack of baying hounds. The fox darts from his hiding place to a much smaller patch of scrub to the left. Gregory - now visibly excited – encourages his hounds to completely surround the smaller area of scrub to flush the fox. The hunt’s terrified victim eventually makes a break for it and is pursued by the hounds. Gregory and hunt terrierman James Parish also set off in pursuit. Our brave fox – closely hunted by the lead hounds - heads for a strip of woodland, jinks left down a footpath and then leaps over a wide waterway in his desperation to escape. Somerset Sabs are hopeful that he made it safely out of the area. Just like the Coniston Foxhounds at the other end of the country, the Vale of Taunton & Banwell Harriers are registered with the British Hound Sports Association, making a complete mockery of the BHSA’s claim to represent legal hunting. Fox (circled) makes a break – note how Gregory and Parish rush in. Somerset Hunt Sabs commented, “The drone footage recorded at Chilton Trinity is strikingly similar to the footage obtained of the Weston & Banwell Harriers/West Somerset Vale in East Huntspill last year, in the case where Guy Landau was found guilty of hunting a wild mammal. It was deeply distressing to witness what appeared to be blatant hunting activity and to feel powerless to intervene due to having too few sabs present. We maintained a safe distance and focused on gathering clear evidence, which we hope will once again support a successful prosecution.” Repeat offenders: last year’s version of the hunt attacks a fox. “We remain hopeful that the fox escaped, as the hounds continued searching for nearly an hour before the hunt finally left the area, looking dejected. With the strength of this latest footage, Avon and Somerset Police should have what they need to pursue further action. We also hope it contributes to wider efforts to push the government toward finally ending hunting with hounds.” Wingnut: the Taunton & Banwell Harriers huntsman. “I felt physically sick listening to the drone controllers running commentary as to what was unfolding in an area we could not get to, and it was absolutely heart wrenching to see the extent of Wingnut’s bloodlust in the footage. For him to be running with the pack as if he was one them, actively pursuing the fox, was deplorable. Over recent weeks he has climbed through hedges on his hands and knees and trespassed onto private property, all whilst ‘trail hunting’. Week in, week out, this hunt continues to flout the law. It’s time the government put an end to this barbaric outdated ‘tradition.’” What can you do? This outrage would have gone unnoticed if Somerset Hunt Saboteurs had not been in attendance. Please support them here: Follow Donate Join the Hunt Saboteurs Association! Support our vital work by becoming a member. Join The HSA Spread the word! Please share our news Share via email Facebook icon Instagram icon Twitter icon Logo Copyright (C) 2025 Hunt Saboteurs Association. All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from Hunt Saboteurs Association. Our mailing address is: BM HSA, London, WC1N 3XX, U.K. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

ZUKI YASMIN ON TRIAL TODAY FOR A MESSAGE ON A SHOP WINDOW - FROM PROTECT THE WILD

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Why I’m going to trial for taking action against the shooting industry The countryside should not be the playground of elites ZUKI YASMIN DEC 3 ∙ GUEST POST READ IN APP In exactly one week I’ll be sitting in a dreary beige courtroom, under the watchful eye of judge and jury, at Southwark Crown Court. It’s been three years since I took part in a protest which exposed the hidden world of the hunting and shooting industries; industries profiteering from the chasing, tormenting, and killing of animals. Masquerading as “sport” and hiding cruelty behind smokescreens and claims of ‘conservation’, hunting and shooting consistently evade laws and accountability, at the expense of the countryside and wildlife already struggling to survive in Britain’s underprotected moors, fields, and forests. In 2022, myself and two other women painted the storefront of William Evans LTD, an elite shooting outlet in swanky St James, London. Our visual protest was part of the March for Love and Resistance, where thousands of people came together to call on the government to take a stand for animals and nature, and build a fair and just world for everyone. We used cruelty-free green paint to draw flowers and trees, imagining the rewilding of Britain’s land and the revival of its natural habitats. I drew the words “love” and “liberate” with my finger; my values distilled into the two words that underpin why I take action, and allow me to dream of a kinder future. Our visual protest aimed to depict a positive vision of the natural world, in contrast to the cruel reality of industries which cause untold harm to wildlife, ecosystems, and the tens of millions of birds it breeds in factory farms just to shoot out of the sky. 83% of the British public oppose hunting with hounds and a 2018 survey found that 70% wanted recreational ‘sport shooting’ made illegal, yet massive lobbying power has ensured weakened laws and regulations. Not only have successive governments allowed the industry to get away with cruelty, but they have also been bankrolling these archaic practices using taxpayers’ money. Taxpayers pay landowners huge amounts for ‘conservation work’ that turns woodland and moors into shoots. Hunts pocket public money too. Protect the Wild recently revealed that over £2.4 million pounds has been handed out to hunting parties since the hunting ban came into effect in 2004. This money has been paid out regardless of whether the hunting party has been involved in criminal activity. If so many of the British public believe that hunting and shooting should be consigned to history, why do these archaic practices still cling on? Credit: Rex Features As always, the answer is found in the overpowering influence of the wealthy. Whilst the majority of the population see hunting and shooting as outdated and cruel pastimes, those who do it are amongst the most powerful in the country. These figures - from the Royals and the aristocracy to hedge-fund managers and cosplaying celebrities - leverage their lobbying power to influence parliament to favour the interests of the few over the values of the many. The British countryside should be a haven for wildlife and nature, not the playground of elites. When I stood in front of William Evans, on that day in October, heart racing, and put my fingers into the pale green paint, then onto the glass of a shop that exemplifies the untouchable world of killing for “fun”, I imagined this future: a future where foxes and their cubs can run without fear; where pheasants aren’t factory farmed and a grouse’s curiosity isn’t a death sentence; where birds of prey can soar high in the sky, never to be shot down to ‘protect’ so-called ‘gamebirds; where ecosystems can thrive; where carbon remains trapped in the moorland instead of released by moorburning, where the law doesn’t regard the shooting of birds as a “good reason” to own a firearm. a mother wolf and her baby standing in the grass Photo by Dan Russon on Unsplash Wildlife and nature are in crisis, but in a country where everything is available to the highest bidder, current wildlife protection laws and hunting bans aren’t enough. We need urgent action, and that’s what we were calling for when we painted the windows of one of the most elite ‘country sports’ retailers in the UK. Follow the trial story on my substack/instagram. Find out more about Animal Rising. If you can, please help by donating to Animal Rising’s trial support fund. Donate to Animal Rising A guest post by Zuki Yasmin If you know where you stand then you know where to land, and if you fall it won't matter 'cuz you'll know that you're right. Subscribe to Zuki SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2025 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

PROTECT THE WILD — OUR NATURAL SPACES — AND VINNIE JONES

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Petition to stop Vinnie Jones' shooting lodge in National Park National Parks Are for Wildlife and for Everyone — Not for Shooters and Shooting Lodges PROTECT THE WILD DEC 2 READ IN APP Actor Vinnie Jones - recently seen cosplaying as a gamekeeper in the Netflix series “The Gentlemen“ and cosplaying a rugged country landowner in the reality show “Vinnie Jones in the Country” - has submitted a planning application to turn redundant farm buildings at Blackwool Farm, Ebernoe (SDNP/25/01964/FUL) into seven private “bespoke accommodation units” for guests taking part in countryside “sporting activities” - a euphemism for shooting non-native, factory-farmed pheasants and partridges out of sky. If approved, this development would carve off a section of the South Downs National Park, a vital area of protected countryside in Southern England that features rolling chalk hills, ancient woodlands, river valleys, and dramatic coastal cliffs, and hand it over for the exclusive use of paying shooters. This is not rural regeneration. This is not community benefit. This is the commercialisation of a protected landscape for the sake of bloodsport. The development must be stopped. Sign the petition National Parks exist to protect nature, not enable its destruction Officially designated in 2010, the South Downs is the newest national park in the UK. The campaign for its creation began in the 1920s due to concerns over development and was driven by public interest groups and a growing movement to protect Britain’s countryside for the benefit of the entire nation. It was created to conserve wildlife, preserve landscapes, and provide space for the public to enjoy nature. These priorities aren’t optional. They are legal duties under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. Turning farm buildings into luxury lodges to facilitate shooting parties directly contradicts the purposes the National Park was created for. Which however you look at it is not a ‘sporting activity’ at all’… Sign the petition Wildlife in the South Downs is already under pressure Wildlife in the South Downs National Park is already under considerable pressure from climate change, habitat loss from intensive arable farming, and declining water and air quality. Ebernoe, where Mr Jones wants to bring his shooting clients, is renowned for its bats, ancient woodlands, nightingales, dormice, and diverse insect life. Ebernoe Common, a National Nature Reserve and Special Area of Conservation managed by Sussex Wildlife Trust, is right next to the proposed ‘shooting lodge’. How can that possibly be allowed? Developing a new hub for shooting on the edge of a nature reserve means: Increased disturbance from gunfire. More traffic, more noise, more pollution. More land management geared towards killing non-native pheasants rather than protecting natural biodiversity. National Parks should be held in trust for everyone. They should not be playgrounds for those who can afford guns and “private bespoke accommodation”. A shooting lodge serves a tiny, wealthy minority — while the costs to wildlife, the landscape, and local residents are shared by all. Our National Parks should restore and rewild, not become venues for hobbyists with guns. Sign the petition The Planning Authority Must Reject SDNP/25/01964/FUL On its website, the South Downs National Park Authority says the diverse habitat of the South Downs “supports birds, plants, reptiles, amphibians, fish and small mammals, as well as our brilliant pollinators”. It talks about “renaturing”, boasts of a “Triumph for nature as we smash our Trees for the Downs target”, and the “rare and unexpected species” that calls the Park ‘home’. It says that the Downs are “too much for one pair of eyes, enough to float a whole population in happiness”. NONE of this is compatible with the industrialised shooting industry, with the ‘predator control’ it insists on, and the slaughter it practices. Britain is one of the most bioversity-depleted nations on the entire planet. The south of England is already littered with shoots. We simply cannot allow yet another ‘national park’ to become like the North York Moors, the Peak District, and the Yorkshire Dales - dominated by shoots disguised as “diversification”. Speak Up Now: Sign our petition and oppose the Ebernow development If like us you believe that our national parks should prioritise wildlife, public access, and peace over the blasts of shotguns, then your voice is urgently needed. What you can do: Sign our petition Submit an objection on the South Downs National Park planning portal Share this information widely — many people still don’t know this is happening Write to your councillors and MP urging them to oppose the development This planning application is not a done deal. Public pressure works as we have proved many times. The National Park Authority must hear loud and clear that this is not what people want for the South Downs. The South Downs should be for wildlife. For walkers. For families. For nature lovers. NOT for hobbyist shooters cosplaying as ‘country gentlemen’. Support Protect the Wild with a small monthly donation We’re flying this month. 19 new Protect the Wild supporters in the first 48 hours. That’s how a real people powered movement grows. We only ask for a few pounds a month, because our strength is thousands of people chipping in tiny amounts. Together, that becomes unstoppable. No big funders, no hidden backers, just ordinary people making vital work possible. We do everything we legally can to fight for British wildlife. Undercover investigations, hard hitting animations, fearless journalism, detailed reports, equipment and mental health support for activists, protests, and pressure campaigning that holds the powerful to account. Our target is 100 new monthly supporters. We’re on 19. Can you help us hit it? 💚 Support Protect the Wild SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2025 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM PLANTLIFE — BIODIVERSITY & THE LOSS OF PRICKLY FEATHERWORT AND MORE

View this email in your browser Plantlife logo Dear John Nearly 1 in 6 species in Great Britain are threatened with extinction*. But this doesn’t have to be our future. This Giving Tuesday, you can help rescue UK rainforests, and their rare species, from extinction by donating today. Donate today Species We're at Risk of Losing Forever Horsehair Lichen Horsehair Lichen, found in rainforests in Devon, is so rare that the world’s population can fit on just 2 sheets of A4 paper. Prickly Featherwort Prickly Featherwort has its last global stronghold in Britain’s rainforests**. We Need Biodiverse Rainforests Rainforests are the perfect example of abundant biodiversity: many thousands of animals, plants and microorganisms living in harmony. But with grave threats to rainforests and so few remaining, this abundance of life could all vanish. There are many species that would benefit from healthier rainforests, including: Hazel Glove Fungus Butterflies like Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Chequered Skipper Birds like Wood Warbler, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher Bats like Barbastelle and Lesser Horseshoe Red Squirrel Pine Marten Will you join the movement to protect and restore these biodiverse havens before they’re gone forever? Yes, I want to help Thank you for your support. Alistair Whyte Head of Plantlife Scotland PS You can help rescue UK rainforests, and their rare lichens and bryophytes, from extinction by giving our rainforests a Christmas gift this Giving Tuesday. Thank you. Images: Horsehair Lichen Bryoria smithii ©Angie Cruse/Plantlife, Prickly Featherwort Plagiochila spinulosa ©Des Callaghan, Common Redstart ©iStock References: * State of Nature Report 2023 ** BSBI Follow Plantlife on: Twitter Twitter Facebook Facebook Instagram Instagram YouTube YouTube LinkedIn LinkedIn Copyright © Plantlife All rights reserved. Plantlife International is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered Charity in England and Wales (1059559) & Scotland, (SC038951) Registered Company in England and Wales (3166339) Registered Office: Brewery House,36 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2AP, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1722 342730 enquiries@plantlife.org.uk www.plantlife.org.uk Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

ONE POUND DONATION ON DAY ONE OF THE MONTH — FROM PROTECT THE WILD FOR WHAT THEY DO

View this email in your browser £1 donation day! It's that time of the month again where we ask for your support :) Last month our £1 for the 1st day of the month fundraiser helped us bring in just over £3,000 and went straight towards some really exciting new campaigns and projects: ✅ Our annual hunting report covered by The Independent ✅ Major animation now in the works to expose cub hunting Thank you so much for your participation in these £1 donation days each month! Donate £1 to our End Hunting War Chest We've been so busy! So far this year, we’ve launched a range of major initiatives — including Protect the Mind, HuntHavoc.info, a powerful new tool to contact MPs, a government petition to end the badger cull, and a bold new campaign to End Bird Shooting. We’ve also provided vital equipment and support to activists on the ground — all while continuing to produce a steady stream of articles, videos, and other media content. It would take just £1 from every person opening this email to hit our £25,000 goal—and we could get there in a matter of hours. Let’s kick off the second half of the year with impact Donate £1 to our End Hunting War Chest Over the coming months we will be: Carrying out our secret project Release even more animations to educate millions of people about the persecution of wildlife Expose and campaign against the senseless Badger cull Attack hunting from every angle possible, logging data and producing reports on everything from the hunting of wildlife and the illegal use of quad bikes to the treatment of hunting hounds Launch a national campaign - distributing 1 million leaflets and co-ordinating 10 days of action across England and Wales as part of the end hunting campaign Continue daily journalism to keep the public and our supporters informed on everything concerning the protection of British wildlife Increase the amount of equipment and grants given each month to wildlife protectors across the UK Reach 1,500 businesses listed on bloodbusiness.info and 2,000 incidents listed on hunthavoc.info Pressure the Labour govt to keep their word and ban trail hunting and free running snares in England Take our End Bird Shooting campaign to the next level Let's smash through the 25k target and hit the ground running over the second half of 2025! Thank you. Donate £1 to our End Hunting War chest Twitter Facebook Website Copyright © 2025 PROTECT THE WILD LTD, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: PROTECT THE WILD LTD 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden London, London WC2H 9JQ United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — THE HUNT’S ILLEGAL BEHAVIOUR CAUSES HAVOC & KILLS ANIMALS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Forgive us our trespasses? Hunts continue to cause havoc in communities across the UK PROTECT THE WILD NOV 30 READ IN APP In this late November/Early December hunting update hunts have been busy terrorising schools and local communities across the UK. Tragically, the Beaufort Hunt was caught on camera killing a fox close to the grounds of Gloucestershire’s Westonbirt School, later that week they hunted a fox through a children’s nursery too. On top of that, Devon County Hunt Saboteurs reported that the Mid Devon Hunt “rampaged” through a Forest School for students with learning disabilities and complex needs. As if that wasn’t enough, on 15 November the Derwent Hunt caused outrage when its members trespassed on Northeast Yorkshire’s Chafer Wood Nature Reserve AGAIN. And if you thought hunts couldn’t stoop any lower, the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale (BSV) Hunt were caught on camera chasing a fox across a graveyard in Dorset on 20 November. Sadly, its likely that the BSV carried out another cruel killing of a fox in Leigh in Dorset on 25 November. Westonbirt school shamefully hosts the Beaufort Hunt On 22 November the prestigious Westonbirt School was hosting the Beaufort, King Charles’ and Camilla Parker-Bowles’ previous hunting crew. The day ended with the Beaufort’s whipper-in hastily disposing of the remains of a fox in a black bin bag as sabs looked on. Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs (WHS) wrote on their Facebook page: “Over 100 riders congregated like some evil coven of criminals at Westonbirt School in the pouring rain. Apparently, going out and cruelly killing an innocent, sentient, and beautiful animal is well-worth getting cold and soaked. And some of them did look the epitome of miserable but keeping up appearances of the stiff upper lip is a badge of dishonour for this group of privileged misfits.” There was no facade of trail hunting that day, the Beaufort were intent on killing foxes from the get-go. Huntsman Will Bryer was caught by WHS attempting to catch a fox earlier in the day. Sadly, sabs were unable to prevent the Beaufort from killing another fox at the Wessex Water treatment works on the Fosse Way byway between Easton Grey and Shipton Moyne. Beaufort whipper-in Mitch Prosser was recorded by WHS calling on the hounds to “hunt for it” just before they ripped up a fox. Prosser then proceeded to hide the fox’s remains in a black bin bag, an obvious attempt to cover-up evidence of illegal hunting: WHS and their supporters contacted Westonbirt School about the killing of the fox after the school allowed the Beaufort’s meet to take place on their property. Headteacher Natasha Dangerfield admitted that they “allow the hunt to meet once every couple of years” on the school site and that the police were involved a couple of years ago when the Beaufort killed a fox on their grounds. However, Dangerfield claimed that on 22 November the kill was made at a spot which happened not to be on school property, and that pupils are regularly given the opportunity to debate the case for and against fox hunting. Well that’s all right then, isn’t it? No need to worry about the fact that hunting foxes with dogs IS ILLEGAL! Less than a week later, on 28 November the Beaufort were busy disrupting children’s education again, this time by flushing a fox and chasing her through a children’s nursery at Dodford Farm in Great Somerford in Wiltshire. Thankfully, wildlife defenders from Bristol Hunt Sabs, WHS and their watchful drone managed to deter a kill or, as WHS wrote on Facebook: “maybe it was too extreme even for these rabid criminals to tear a fox apart in a kids nursery, in front of terrified toddlers.” But lets face it, it was probably just fear of prosecution that stopped the Beaufort from going for a kill, rather than concern for the public. We need a proper ban on trail hunting to end this killing once and for all. Support Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs to buy a new thermal drone to keep the likes of the Beaufort Hunt under tabs. Derwent Hunt trespass at Chafer Wood AGAIN! Sabs keeping a watchful eye on Northeast Yorkshire’s Derwent Hunt - Courtesy of Ryedale Hunt Saboteurs. On 15 November wildlife defenders from Ryedale Hunt Saboteurs (RHS) and Calder Valley Hunt Saboteurs caught the Derwent Hunt trespassing in Chafer Wood Nature Reserve. This isn’t the first time the Hunt has shown total disregard for the tranquility of this fragile public woodland, they were caught hunting in the Reserve on 24 January 2024 too. The Derwent publicly apologised after the incident in 2024 but, if the recent fiasco is anything to go by, perhaps they had their fingers crossed behind their backs. Footage and photos from RHS show that the hunt didn’t seem at all bothered by the risk of disturbing the wildlife in the reserve, or causing public outrage yet again. This photo shows the moment that Huntsman Arthur Irvine allows half his pack of hounds to enter the wood: This video by an independent monitor shows the havoc the hounds caused in the Reserve. RHS sabs had to intervene twice to stop dogs chasing foxes into Chafer Wood as the Derwent’s supporters stood watching: A ‘repeated pattern’ of trespassing on the Reserve RHS wrote scathingly about the Derwent’s arrogant and reckless actions on their Facebook page: “The Derwent Hunt’s repeated trespass is not an accident, it’s a pattern, intentional, reckless and a blatant disregard for the law, for wildlife, and for communities who value these reserves.” Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, who manage and own the reserve at Chafer Wood, posted on social media: “On the 15th November, the Derwent Hunt once again trespassed into our Chafer Wood nature reserve near Ebberston. We are absolutely outraged at their audacity and disrespect. Sadly, these trespasses follow a repeated pattern of behaviour. We are taking legal advice on our next steps. We encourage brave members of action groups and residents to share any information they have with North Yorkshire police.” The Trust thanked “brave members of action groups” for documenting the Hunt’s actions. The incident received considerable attention in the local press, but the Derwent Hunt has so far declined to comment. On top of the trespass at Chafer Woods, the Derwent has also been documented taking their hounds into Forestry England property at Langdale and into the North Yorkshire Moors National Park at Levisham Estate. For more information on the law around hunts trespassing please visit our Protectors of the Wild page ‘Trespass and the Law‘. You can follow Ryedale Hunt Saboteur on Facebook here. Mid Devon Hunt rampages repeatedly through a Forest School Devon County Hunt Saboteurs (DCHS) reported that the Mid-Devon Hunt (MDH) repeatedly brought their pack through a Forest School for children with complex needs and learning disabilities. Image courtesy of Devon County Hunt Saboteurs. DCHS published the school’s statement on social media. School staff said: “Student studies were interrupted and some were unable to complete activities. They were anxious and upset about their school being invaded by the hunt, and dogs completely out of control in our woodland.” The school has written to the MDH on several occasions asking them not to disrupt the school, but to no avail. The staff continued: “Students were scared, angry and completely disregulated. Staff were also anxious and worried for their students. Staff asked the hunt to move off several times but they ignored us.” The MDH have previously been forced to apologise over disrupting the school. DCHS took to social media to make clear that more apologies from the hunt for this repeated behaviour just won’t cut it. They wrote: “As we know, mere apologies as a result of anti-social or violent behaviour from the hunt do not prevent the same events from happening again. Schools are meant to be safe spaces for students to grow and learn. Hunts elsewhere in the country have been served Community Protection Notices (CPN’s) for repeat offences. We’re calling on Devon & Cornwall Police to take further action, to treat these incidents seriously and to put genuine preventative measures in place to ensure this destructive behaviour does not happen again.” Not the first time This isn’t the first time that the MDH’s hounds have been dangerously out of control. In fact two of them were killed last year while out with the Hunt on a busy road near Okehampton. Hunting dogs deserve much better. Check out our Rehome the Hounds campaign which was established to counteract the false narrative put forward by the hunting industry that its dogs would have to be put down if the bloodsport were made illegal. But the UK is a nation of dog lovers – and we know that hounds can be happily re-homed in our communities. Read our 2025 report - ‘Unseen Victims: The forgotten foxhounds of foxhunting‘. Donate to Devon County Hunt Saboteurs to keep on frustrating the Mid Devon Hunt’s efforts to terrorise Devon’s wildlife. Hunt trespasses on a graveyard in Dorset The BSV’s hounds hunting a fox through a graveyard near Bishop’s Caundle in Dorset - Image courtesy of North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs. On 20 November the notorious Blackmore and Sparkford Vale (BSV) Hunt were caught on camera by sabs from North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs (NDHS) as they chased a fox through a graveyard near Bishops Caundle. What if members of the public had wanted to come and pay their respects to loved ones? Clearly the BSV couldn’t give a damn. That’s no surprise really. The BSV have a pretty clear track record of callous disregard for the community around them. To give just one example, a BSV member was filmed trying to wrestle a spade from a worker earlier this year, after the roadworks crew member dared to ask the hunt to get out of the road. The havoc continued as the month drew to a close. NDHS summarised the carnage caused by the BSV on 22 November. They wrote: “Main roads, people’s gardens, working farms - our communities are just a giant playground for these arrogant invaders to rock up and set their dogs on wildlife.” This video filmed by NDHS shows the disruption and chaos that is basically just a normal Saturday for the BSV: Sadly this isn’t the end of the story, NDHS sabs fear that the BSV managed to kill a fox close to Chetnole near Leigh in Doset on 26 November. Sabs had low numbers and, although they were able to monitor the Hunt via drone, they could not prevent a likely kill. Its time to put an end to hunting once and for all The disruption caused by hunts to communities across the UK has to stop. We need the government to impose a workable hunting ban to ensure that it does. According to Protect the Wild’s Rob Pownall: “Hunts don’t just tear through countryside fields. They barge into nature reserves, across school grounds, and even through graveyards. It’s reckless chaos inflicted on wildlife, communities, and public spaces that should be safe. Visit hunthavoc.info where we’ve logged literally hundreds of incidents of out of control hunts.” The government has finally given a rough date for its long-promised public consultation on strengthening the ban on ‘trail hunting’. Lets keep the pressure up to ensure that fox hunting is finally consigned to the dustbin of history. Use Protect the Wild’s automated tool to email your MP and demand a proper ban on hunting. Help North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs raise £1000 to fix their sab wagon and keep the pressure the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt. Sabs and monitors are British wildlife’s first line of defence in the face of cruel, murderous hunts. Find out how to join your local group of hunt saboteurs. Image of sabs keeping a watch on Northeast Yorkshire’s Derwent Hunt and video of the Derwent trespassing on Chafer Wood courtesy of Ryedale Hunt Saboteurs. Video of the killing of a fox by the Beaufort Hunt courtesy of Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs. Image of hounds trespassing on graveyard in Bishop’s Caundle and video of disruption caused by the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt courtesy of North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs. Hound image courtesy of Devon County Hunt Saboteurs. Many thanks to all the groups who provided us with images or video! SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2025 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM BUGLIFE — WHY EVERYTHING LITTLE IS SO IMPORTANT FOR EVERYTHING

Buglife Logo saving the small things that run the planet View this email in your browser Dear John Welcome to the November edition of Buglife's e-newsletter, BugBytes! Keeping you up to date with invertebrate news, interesting snippets of information and so much more. This month we’re embracing the shorter days, and longer nights, getting cozy by the fire and snug as a bug in a rug. So, join us as we take a look at the latest Bugs Matter results, ask you to get involved, share some exciting Community offers and upcoming events. We hope you enjoy, thank you for your ongoing interest and support of our work. The Bugs Matter 2025 results are in! New data suggest that insect life continues to decline, despite a hot summer. 📉 The troubling extent of insect declines has been highlighted once again by the results of the 2025 Bugs Matter citizen science survey published earlier this month. The latest data show that the number of flying insects sampled on vehicle number plates across the UK has fallen by a staggering 59%, in just 5 years, in addition to an alarming annual average decline in bug splats of 19%, since the survey began in 2021. The new data show decreases in insect splats across all regions of the UK, with the sharpest falls between 2021 and 2025 recorded in England at 60% and Scotland at 59%, while a 56% decrease was shown in Northern Ireland and a 55% decrease was seen in Wales. In 2025 the survey ran in the Republic of Ireland for the first time so there is no trend data, but the splat rates are comparable with other areas surveyed and provide a baseline for subsequent survey years in the Republic of Ireland. Citizen scientists logged more than 10,000 journeys in the Bugs Matter app in 2025, covering nearly 481,000km; with more than 700 new users signing up to take part. We also saw citizen scientists recording journeys in the Shetland Islands for the first time; meaning Bugs Matter participants surveyed as far southwest as Land’s End up to John O’Groats and beyond! We thank everyone who has taken part this year and helped to collect this vitally important data and encourage even more people to take part in 2026. Read the full story 🐝 A Buzz of Hope 🐝 Imagine trying to travel around the UK without our road and rail network. Or imagine if nine out of every ten miles of road just didn’t exist – life would be impossible! That is the situation faced by our vital pollinators and other bugs. B-Lines is Buglife’s unique solution. Unsure of what they are? Join Buglife B-Lines Officer, Rachel, as she explores the benefits of B-Lines and how everyone can get involved from window box or balcony gardeners to landowners and local authorities. Want to help save the small things that run the planet and create a buzz of hope in your area? Rachel shares some great ideas as well as links in to some fantastic resources, so why not take a look? Read the Blog Bumble in meadow © Lucia Chmurova Bumble in meadow © Lucia Chmurova This winter, your support could have twice the impact! Have you seen our GiveMatch Winter Appeal, Help us raise funds for Buglife? Your donation could help us: 🌼 Restore wildflower-rich habitats through our B-Lines network; 🪲 Relocate and protect rare and at-risk invertebrate populations; 📜 Raise awareness and influence policy to protect biodiversity long-term. Thanks to GiveMatch, your donation could be doubled at no extra cost to you - more wildflowers for pollinators, more safe spaces for rare species, and more power to restore the wild places that invertebrates need to survive and thrive. Together, we can save the small things that run the planet, so please give what you can to help us protect the small things we all depend on. Thank you for being part of our mission. Find out more… Your views on light and noise pollution… Our friends and colleagues at PLAN-B Project need our help! As part of the PLAN-B Project, they are conducting a survey to better understand attitudes towards light and noise pollution, how they compare to other environmental challenges, and how acceptable different mitigation measures might be. This online survey, led by colleagues at The University of Salford will take approximately 15 minutes to complete and forms part of a wider study exploring the social and psychological factors influencing light and noise pollution. 👍Will you share your views? Every response matters, and your insights will help with understanding how people perceive light and noise pollution and what actions might be needed to address them. ❓How do these forms of pollution affect you? ❓What changes should be made? ❓What would you support? ✨Thank you for helping us work towards healthier nights and quieter cities✨ Take me to the survey! Exciting offers for the Buglife Community! As the festive season fast approaches we have some fantastic offers, and opportunities, to share with our wonderful buzzing Buglife Community. Here’s a great offer from the publishers of The Farm Shop Guide, in which we are featured. They’ll give us 10% of every book order made using coupon code BUG10DONATION. It’s a fab book: a celebration of over 160 independent, family-owned growers and producers and their shops, cafés and restaurants – right across Britain. From the small and quirky to the more established, this brilliant, Amazon #1 bestseller is sure to become a well-thumbed part of your glovebox. To get your copy go to The Extra Mile shop. Make sure you enter coupon code BUG10DONATION so they know to give us 10% for every order. Go The Extra Mile… The Biological Recording Company are offering our buzz-y community an incredible 50% discount on their entoLEARN online self-study courses. These pre-recorded webinars and associated content cover a wide range of invertebrate topics, including: Bumblebees of the UK Damselflies of the UK Dragonflies of the UK Earthworms of the UK & Ireland Freshwater Leeches of the UK Longhorn Beetles of the UK Social Wasps of the UK To claim your discount, simply add buglife50 into the coupon box during checkout (you may need to click on 'Have a coupon?' for this box to appear). The coupon is not limited to a single use, so you can use it to get the 50% discount on multiple courses! Let’s learn with entoLEARN! The Secret World of Spider Webs Buglife is delighted to have teamed up with Thames & Hudson to bring an exciting and exclusive offer to our community members. Recently published, The Secret World of Spider Webs, is the first in a new series of children's non-fiction books that reveal under-appreciated and hidden natural wonders that are essential to Earth's biodiversity. Wonderfully written with beautiful illustrations, for children aged 7+, this book offers a fascinating insight into the world of spider webs; just what any budding arachnologist needs! Use our exclusive discount code THAMES20 to get 20% off (until 31 December 2025) Take me to The Secret World of Spider Webs Join conservationist James Harding-Morris as he uncovers the stories of our endemic wildlife – the plants, animals and fungi that are unique to Britain. Determined to give these irreplaceable species their moment in the spotlight, James goes in search of them across the length and breadth of Britain, from wild and rugged Orkney, the only known location for the Orkney Vole, down to suburban Plymouth where the Horrid Ground-weaver spider faces global extinction at the hands of developers. We’re delighted to offer you a fantastic 25% discount! Just use the code ENDEMIC25, on Bloomsbury.com. Order Endemic The Power of Noticing: my summer with the Wart-biter Volunteering is a great way to discover the wonderful world of conservation. 🦸‍♀️ Giving your time to nature not only enables you to give something back, but you can gain a whole lot too. Even super powers! Have we caught your attention? Great! Join Changing Chalk Volunteer, Kirsty Lee, in our latest guest blog, "The Power of Noticing: my summer with the Wart-biter" Read the blog Wart-biter Bush-cricket (Decticus verrucivorus) © Frank Vassen (CC BY-2.0) Wart-biter Bush-cricket (Decticus verrucivorus) © Frank Vassen (CC BY-2.0) Want to know more about our funded projects past and present? Have you checked out our project map on our website? Discover where are working and where the nearest project to you is, with our interactive map. 🔎Search function which allows you to search by address and/or postcode; ✅Toggle between our active projects and our completed projects; ℹ️ Find out more about a project that interests you by clicking through to our project pages. Don’t forget to zoom out to see where we are working internationally as well! Explore the Project Map Upcoming events Tuesday 2 December ~ Life on the Edge after dark! – Mediterranean Oil Beetle survey volunteer task with Life on the Edge (Mattiscombe, Devon) Wednesday 3 December ~ Diverse by Nature Webinar with Natur am Byth (online) Wednesday 3 December ~ The Shining Guest Ant: An Unexpected Houseguest with The Biological Recording Company (online) Wednesday 3 December ~ The Bug Bunch! For Home Ed Families - Festive Party (Pitsea, Essex) Sunday 7 December ~ Scrub Management with Life on the Edge (Brixham, Devon) Monday 8 December ~ The Key to the Queendom: Driver Ants as Keystone Species in Tropical Africa with The Biological Recording Company (online) Tuesday 9 December ~ Life on the Edge after dark! – Mediterranean Oil Beetle survey volunteer task with Life on the Edge (Mattiscombe, Devon) Wednesday 10 December - Invertebrate Study Day with The Biological Recording Company (Natural History Museum, London) Wednesday 10 December ~ Walk the Wick! - Festive Party (Canvey Wick, Essex) Thursday 11 December ~ Habitat Management Walk & Talk with Coal Spoil Connections (Pontypridd, Wales) Thursday 18 December ~ Life on the Edge after dark! – Mediterranean Oil Beetle survey volunteer task with Life on the Edge (Mattiscombe, Devon) Tuesday 30 December ~ Arboreal Harvestmen with The Biological Recording Company (online) Tuesday 13 January ~ Understanding a Bee’s Buzz: Biology to Robotics with The Biological Recording Company (online) Please do remember that our website Events Page is being updated all the time so, to keep up to date with both current and future Buglife events, as well as events from partners and supporters, be sure to visit regularly. What’s the buzz? New Manifestos for Bugs in Scotland and Wales With parliamentary elections approaching in Wales and Scotland next May, Buglife is pleased to publish dedicated Manifestos for Bugs, outlining key actions for invertebrate conservation in each nation. While invertebrates face similar threats in both countries, there are distinct opportunities and needs that the next Governments in Scotland and Wales can take to halt nature loss, and reverse invertebrate declines. Both Governments must: Recognise the rapid decline in insect abundance, as demonstrated by the Bugs Matter monitoring scheme. Pledge to restore sustainable populations of all invertebrates. Governments must establish binding targets for nature recovery through primary legislation. These targets should be supported by fully resourced delivery plans and long-term funding commitments to tackle climate change, end sewage pollution, and protect 30% of land and sea for nature. Read the story… London’s Important Invertebrate Areas Important Invertebrate Areas (IIAs) are places that are home to nationally or internationally significant invertebrate populations and their habitats. They include diverse species from beetles and moths to freshwater shrimps and woodlice, and habitats from the shoreline, along rivers and to the uplands. In our efforts to put bugs on the map, we recently celebrated the publication of our 50th IIA profile document. Thanks to the efforts of Buglife’s IIA Officer Lucia, GIS & Data Officer Tom and Peatland Conservation Officer Melissa, we now have profiles available for more IIAs. More recently we've been working with Greenspace Information for Greater London to further expand the reach and accessibility of IIA data. Map showing the B-Lines network and the three IIAs within Greater London. Shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum) © Steven Falk. Read the story… For all our latest news please visit our website News Pages. Buglife shop The Buglife Shop is open for all your invertebrate needs, offering more ethical options and ways for you to support bugs. Whether you’re looking for clothing, insurance, home accessories or gifts for a loved one; there’s something for everyone! a shopping bag with a picture of a firefly on it a packet of native wildflower seeds Visit the Buglife shop Shop News: In addition to our usual offerings our Christmas Brochure, brought to you in partnership with Red Robin, is here! From cards to clothing, bee hotels to beer - bring a little festive cheer to your home and support Buglife in the process! Christmas Brochure Don't forget you can stay up to date with the work of the Buglife team via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube! Thank you for your continued interest in and support of our work; together we can save the small things that run the planet! The Buglife Team Join the Buglife Community P.S. Please note that we are in the process of transitioning to new processes and systems, hopefully this will be without “computer bugs”. Your patience and understanding are hugely appreciated during this move. Facebook icon Instagram icon LinkedIn icon YouTube icon Website icon Buglife Logo Copyright © 2025 Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have previously opted in via our website, or kindly given us permission to contact you following becoming a Member, signing a campaign or donating to an appeal. Thank you. Our mailing address is: Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust Allia Future Business Centre London Road Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE2 8AN United Kingdom Company No. 4132695 | Registered Charity No. 1092293 | Scottish Charity No.SC040004 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

BUMBLEBEE CONSERVATION — IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BUZZING AND THE GIVING

view online Bumblebee Conservation Trust logo Christmas scene of holly and fir cones with gifts and hoodie in centre 🎄Choose bee-friendly gifts this Christmas🎄 Your bumblebee friendly Christmas guide is here to help you find thoughtful presents that truly make a difference! This gift guide is packed with bee-rilliant ideas to bring joy to your loved ones, while supporting our friendly pollinators. The choice is endless - from cards, soft toy, pin badges, cards, calendars, 100% organic hoodies, mugs and much more. Every sale supports the work of the Trust to secure a future for the UK's bumblebees 🛍️ By shopping with us, you're not just giving a gift - you're contributing to a world where bumblebees can thrive. Shop with purpose this season and spread a little bumblebee magic with every gift you give! ✨ The gift to keep our bumblebees buzzing 🐝 Graphics of holly and love heart with two membership packs displaying contents Treat your bumblebee-loving friends and family to a Bumblebee Conservation Trust gift membership this Christmas! It's the gift that keeps on giving all year round and provides vital funds to protect the UK's bumblebees through our conservation and engagement work. Each member pack is full of bumblebee themed goodies - a thoughtful present that makes a real difference for nature 🌸 Order before Wednesday 17 December to ensure it arrives before the big day 💌 Browse gift membership options 💌 Your 2026 bumblebee calendar has landed! 📆 Collage of calendar pages showing bumblebee species Plan ahead with this 2026 bumblebee calendar! Featuring stunning bumblebee photos taken by our supporters from across the UK, bring the beauty of bumblebees into your daily life for just £12.00. We've also included a handy illustrated bumblebee ID guide for you to refer to, to help you identify the bumblebees you see throughout 2026. Bee quick! Buy now 🎁 Wrap up your wardrobe and home with Teemill Selection of gifts with cream and gold wrapped presents and blue price tags on items Discover feel-good gifting with this Teemill Christmas gift guide. From beautifully made organic clothing to homeware and caps. You'll be sure to find a thoughtful, bee-rilliant present for everyone on your list 🛍️ All items are made of natural materials using renewable energy in real time as they are ordered, so there's no waste. Great news! Use the code TAKE10 for 10% off and free shipping on Teemill orders this Black Friday only. Every purchase supports our charity's vital conservation work, so you can feel good knowing your gift is giving back! 💚 Shop Christmas Teemill store 🎁 Personalised Santa sack in front of lit Christmas tree Shop Santa sack Reindeer Christmas jumper in box with fir cones and presents around it Shop Christmas jumpers Big 8 bumblebee mug with Christmas decor around it Shop mugs and bottles Send a smile, the bee-friendly way 📨 Bumblebee on red and green flower with words in white Reindeer with bumblebee baubles hanging from antlers design Send a festive eCard this Christmas - a greener, quicker way to spread joy! It's faster and better for the planet and with our cheerful, personalised eCards you get to: 👍 Donate the cost of cards and stamps to the Trust 🌎 140g carbon saved per paper card not sent 😊 Save your time for what you enjoy 📬 Send by email, WhatsApp and Messenger! We've added four new designs this year, so grab a cuppa, choose your card and spread love like pollen this Christmas 💌 Send a Christmas eCard 💌 Bumblebee gifts from stocking to tree!🧦 Red tailed pin badge on cream background with gold heart graphic Show your love for bumblebees with an enamel bumblebee pin badge at only £3.00 each! This glossy enamel pin has a butterfly clasp backing and measures 25mm, making it the perfect stocking filler, a great conversation starter and the bee-st way to cover that hole in your jumper! These charming pins come in 10 different bumblebee designs, each celebrating our fuzzy friends. Shop pin badges 🐝 Bumblebees - an introduction front cover on cream background with gold love heart graphic Discover the fascinating world of bumblebees with a beginner-friendly book written by Trust staff. This beautifully crafted introduction covers the ecology of bumblebees to identifying each species in the UK. Priced at only £10.00, it's the perfect companion to learn about bumblebees! Shop book 📘 Luco the bumblebee with tag on cream background with gold love heart graphic Meet Luco, the White-tailed bumblebee soft toy! This plush, huggable toy features two bright yellow stripes, soft velvety wings, and authentic details like antennae, eyes and legs. Whether as a gift for a loved one or to add to your bee-loving collection, this soft toy at £18.00 will spread joy whilst supporting our charity's vital work to save the bumblebees! Suitable for children ages 3+. Shop Luco 🐝 Give the gift of blooms! Delight your loved ones with our bumblebee wildflower seed mix to make your outdoor space bee-friendly! Our wildflower packet includes Knapweed, Tufted Vetch, Cornflower, Field Poppy, and Wild Marjoram. The perfect stocking filler for nature lovers at just £3.00. Shop seed mix 🌱 Bee the Change: Donation in lieu of a Christmas present 💚 Four different donation amounts with bumblebees images and gold stars dotted throughout This Christmas, give a gift that truly makes a difference by supporting bumblebee conservation. Instead of a traditional purchase, why not donate to the Trust to help protect these vital pollinators. When you purchase this donation, you'll receive a thank you email containing a link to download a donation certificate. If your giving this donation as a gift, you can simply forward to the recipient or print the certificate at home 💚 Together, we can ensure our rarest bumblebees recover and our more common species thrive, so that no more bumblebees become endangered in our lifetime. Purchase a donation of choice today 💚 A very buzzy puzzle Completed puzzle with box on top and sparkle graphic Discover some of the UK's brilliant bee species with this 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle from Gibsons. This beautifully illustrated puzzle will help you learn more about the different species of bumblebees. It makes a great gift for any budding bumblebee-lover. Puzzle size: 27 x 19". Add to cart 🧩 Illustrated cards Both cards of bumblebee in black with dash of yellow tones on blue background Pack of 10, A6 illustrated cards with two different designs donated by artist, and the Trust's Conservation Projects Manager, Katy Malone. Each card is left blank inside, giving you the space to add your own personal Christmas message this season. Pack of 10 cards at £6.00. Order your cards 📮 Want to follow the Bumblebee Conservation Trust on social media? Click on the icons below to stay up-to-date. Did you know you can also follow the social media channels of our projects on X: @nikkigammans @BuzzingWales @BuzzingShrill @BuzzingScotland Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Registered Charity No: 1115634 / Scottish Charity No: SC042830. © 2025 Bumblebee Conservation Trust. All rights reserved. You are receiving this newsletter because you are already a member, subscribed via our website, an event or when becoming a volunteer. We hope you enjoy reading it! Registered address: International House, 109-111 Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 8JA; Correspondence address: Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Beta Centre, Stirling University Innovation Park, Stirling FK9 4NF Unsubscribe

PLANTLIFE ARE TALKING OF OUR INTEMPERATE RAINFORESTS THAT NEED OUR HELP

6 Ways We're Saving the Rainforest View this email in your browser Plantlife logo - The global voice for wild plants and fungi Hi John, From the tip of Scotland, to the south west coasts of Devon and Cornwall - we've got people on the ground working to protect temperate rainforests. Our work includes saving rare species like lichens and bryophytes, training people in rainforest management and reducing threats. Here are 6 ways that we've been working to save the temperate rainforest: HandshakeWe’re working together to protect our rainforests for the future House buildingWe’re boosting rainforest communities SeedlingWe’re finding species safe new homes No entryWe’re reducing threats to the rare temperate rainforest environment 50th TreeWe’re creating new rainforest habitat Cow faceWe re-introduced grazing to the forest How we're helping rainforests Did you know that less than 1% of the world's surface is covered by temperate rainforest? Temperate rainforests in the UK are of global importance, having the greatest concentration of oceanic lichens and mosses in Europe. But they are dangerously close to extinction - facing threats from invasive species, pollution and disease. Find out how we are protecting these incredible habitats, as well as the vast array of species that call them home. Find out more At Plantlife, we are leading the way in temperate rainforest research, restoration and celebration - and we don't plan on stopping any time soon. Charley Plantlife Nature Editor Follow Plantlife on: Instagram Instagram Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter YouTube YouTube LinkedIn LinkedIn Website Website Copyright © Plantlife All rights reserved. Plantlife International is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered Charity in England and Wales (1059559) & Scotland, (SC038951) Registered Company in England and Wales (3166339) Registered Office: Brewery House,36 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2AP, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1722 342730 enquiries@plantlife.org.uk www.plantlife.org.uk Plantlife respects your privacy. You can read more about how and why we use your personal data at www.plantlife.org.uk/privacy-notice Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

THREE GOOD PIECES OF NEWS FROM PROTECT THE WILD. SOMEONW HS TO CARE IF BARCLAYS DON’T SEEM TO

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more GREAT news for animals!! Three really good things that have happened for animals in the last few days :) NOV 29 READ IN APP Hi everyone, Just a short and sweet email to share three really good things that have happened for animals in the last few days :) First up, we have just found out that Norwich City Council has refused Barclays’ application to install bird netting at their premises! The council said Barclays failed to show the netting wouldn’t harm wildlife or protected species, so the risk to birds was unacceptable. And on top of that, they ruled the netting would visually damage a locally important heritage building and the wider conservation area, with no public benefit strong enough to justify it. This came right after more than 6,500 of you signed our last-minute petition on Wednesday evening. It is real proof that when we act together, we can save animals’ lives. There is no doubt you have helped protect countless birds from suffering or being left to die. That is genuinely brilliant, thank you. We’re currently working on a big campaign to end bird netting across the country, stay tuned! Second, we recently donated £5,000, split between three wonderful organisations doing vital work. Noo Beginnings Animal Sanctuary, The Retreat Animal Rescue, and Humane Wildlife Solutions. Whenever we can, we will always support animal rescues and the brilliant people across the country who are doing incredible work for animals. And finally, on Thursday I spoke on ITV News about the urgent need to end the badger cull for good, following our Government petition which helped secure a milestone debate in Parliament. You can watch the clip below (turns out walking normally on camera is harder than it looks… 😅). With the final badger cull licence due to run in 2026, the pressure on the Government to end this cruelty is only growing. We will be ramping up our campaigning over the coming months to help make sure it stops once and for all. Support Protect the Wild with a small monthly donation We rely solely on the generosity of the public and don’t have any major funders behind the scenes. Despite being a relatively small group we are so proud of our output and it is thanks to every single person who chips in a few pounds a month that we can continue our vital work. We do everything we legally can to fight for British wildlife. From undercover investigations, animations, journalism, report writing, equipment and mental health support for activists, protests, pressure campaigning.. Our monthly goal is to find 100 new supporters who believe in our mission and can afford to give anything from £2/3 a month in the fight for British wildlife. We’re currently on 94! Help us reach our monthly target! :) Support Protect the Wild SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2025 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — SIX AIMS FOR 2026 LISTED — SO READ PST THE SALE OFFERS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more HUGE FOX FRIDAY SALE! 25% OFF EVERYTHING across our shop this weekend! PROTECT THE WILD NOV 28 READ IN APP It’s Fox Friday! And to celebrate we are offering a huge 25% OFF EVERYTHING across our shop this weekend! So if you’re thinking about Xmas presents (we have an ideal gifts section) for friends and family and also want to support a great cause then look no further! There is so much to choose from! And every purchase helps us Protect the Wild! No code needed, just add what you want to your basket and the discount will be automatically applied :) We really do appreciate you choosing to shop with us over the festive period, these next few weeks are so crucial for raising much needed funds as we head into the new year. SHOP NOW What are some of our aims for 2026? End hunting with hounds for good: We have a once-in-a-generation chance to shut down trail hunting for good by flooding the Government’s public consultation with responses. We’ll be pushing harder than ever. Over 250,000 people have already signed our petition or written to their MP using our template, and we’ll be ramping up the campaign even further in the new year. Expose the bird shooting industry: We’ll be releasing the findings from the largest undercover investigation into the UK bird shooting industry ever carried out. Months of footage will reach millions of people and form the backbone of our campaign to End Bird Shooting. End the Guga Hunt: We’re backing Rachel Bigsby’s Scottish Government petition to end the Guga Hunt, while piling pressure on NatureScot to do the right thing and withdraw the licence. We also have several actions and events lined up that you can be part of. End bird netting: We’re building the UK’s first dedicated End Bird Netting website, including a live map showing where birds have been found trapped in netting. This is the start of a larger long-term campaign to pressure companies and secure legislative change in the years ahead. Completely end the badger cull: By 2026, just one badger cull licence is set to remain active. We will fight to make sure it is scrapped and never renewed, ending badger culling entirely. Our Government petition earlier this year was a landmark moment, with MPs across the political spectrum backing an immediate end. We’ll keep challenging the Government in every way possible to protect this iconic British species. Take on the pest control industry and prove humane alternatives work: We’re currently running the largest research project ever undertaken into how many animals are being killed by taxpayer-funded bodies. In 2026, we’ll launch a major campaign pushing publicly funded organisations to permanently switch to humane, non-lethal solutions. This sits alongside our ongoing work reaching more than 30 million people every month with bold, pro-wildlife messaging, while backing a wide range of causes and campaigns. We’ll be creating even more hard-hitting, viral animations, and we’ll continue supporting direct-action groups and animal rights activists through our mental health service, and by providing equipment and funding for grassroots action. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2025 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY — THE ENORMOUS VALUE OYSTERS HAVE TO OUR WATERS

12 super purifiers for only £9.72 View in browser Hi John, The Purifier, aka the native oyster, has an incredible superpower. Every individual oyster can filter 200 litres of water per day, removing harmful pollutants and particles to improve the health of our ocean. In just four hours, a handful of oysters can filter dirty water until it's almost clear! However, The Purifier needs you. For just £9.72, we could grow a dozen baby oysters to put back into our waters. Can you be a super sidekick and help us? Donate £9.72 now GIF timelapse of two tubs of brown dirty water, the left tub has several grey coloured oysters, on a bench with the sea in the background. Over four hours the oyster tub filters the water till it is almost clear. Credit: Oyster Heaven Thank you for being the vital sidekick to our humble Unlikely Ocean Hero. Lewi Jinks Marketing Officer Marine Conservation Society Become a member Our shop Contact us Unsubscribe The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK charity dedicated to protecting our seas, shores and wildlife. Marine Conservation Society | Company Limited by Guarantee (England and Wales) No. 2550966 Registered Charity No. England and Wales No. 1004005 | Scotland No. SC037480 VAT No. 321 4912 32 Registered Office: Overross House, Ross Park, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 7US. Scottish Office: CBC House, 24 Canning Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8EG.

OUR TEMPERATE RAIN FORESTS — IT’S LONG BUT IMPORTANT — ASK GUY SHRUBSOLE

Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: From: J Edwards Date: 30 November 2023 at 14:45:01 CET To: John Edwards Subject: Fwd: [New post] The Government’s temperate rainforest strategy for England – an analysis  Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: From: Lost Rainforests of Britain Date: 29 November 2023 at 19:47:39 CET To: spanishjohnedwards@gmail.com Subject: [New post] The Government’s temperate rainforest strategy for England – an analysis Reply-To: Lost Rainforests of Britain Site logo image Lost Rainforests of Britain The Government’s temperate rainforest strategy for England – an analysis Guy Nov 29 This blog post is by Guy Shrubsole. The UK Government has today published a temperate rainforests strategy for England, bringing much-needed attention, funding and support for this magical and biodiverse habitat. In this blog post, I’ll give my assessment of this development, welcoming what I think is good in it and setting out what still needs to be done. Putting temperate rainforests on the political agenda Firstly, it’s hugely welcome that the Government has published a temperate rainforests strategy at all – and a vindication of the power of campaigning. Reading a document that sings the praises of temperate rainforest – and has the words ‘HM Government’ at the top of the page – is very exciting and rather surreal. I’ve been calling for the Government to put in place a strategy for our rainforests for the past 3 years, both in my book, The Lost Rainforests of Britain, and through the campaign that I’ve worked on with a great team at Seahorse Environmental: a huge thankyou to Isabella Gornall, Alice Russell, Ellen Bassam and Costanza Poggi. Before we started campaigning, temperate rainforests hadn’t even been mentioned in Parliament by MPs. Now we have the Government publishing an entire strategy devoted to this special ecosystem. The fact that they have is testament to the tens of thousands of people who signed our parliamentary petition, contacted their MPs, read my book, tweeted, posted and cheered us on. It is a victory shared by organisations like the Wildlife Trusts, Woodland Trust, RSPB, National Trust, Plantlife, Eden Project, Lost Gardens of Heligan, Thousand Year Trust and many others who have been working to protect and restore temperate rainforests. It’s a win that’s indebted to the tireless work of many botanists, lichenologists and bryologists who have studied this extraordinary habitat for decades. And it is thanks to some very dedicated people within DEFRA, Number 10 and Natural England who have worked on this, in particular James Cullimore, Meg Trethewey and Tony Juniper – thankyou. So, on to the substance of the strategy! What’s good Having a Government-backed rainforests strategy for England will, in itself, raise the profile of this habitat and show farmers, landowners and the public that this is an important ecosystem in need of protection and restoration. £750k for research and development into temperate rainforests. The strategy announces that “through the Nature for Climate Fund we will invest up to £750,000 in research and development in improving the resilience, management, and protection of temperate rainforests.” Whilst the Nature for Climate Fund has existed for several years, this money is newly allocated for temperate rainforests, and for them solely. What research is funded will be determined by (I assume) Natural England and Forest Research, but I hope it will lead to useful new research into threats facing our rainforests like invasive species and climate impacts, and can inform ways to repair and restore them. Of course, there are plenty of things which we already know are bad, and where further research isn’t required to get cracking in fixing them! Work to target some of the key threats facing temperate rainforests, including deer and rhododendron. Deer pressure in many parts of England is unnaturally high (due to absence of natural predators and inadequate culling strategies), leading to overbrowsing of woods, so it’s good to hear the Government will soon be publishing its new deer strategy. Invasive Rhododendron ponticum is choking many of our rainforest sites by shading out all other trees and plants, so the recent increase in payment rates for rhododendron removal is welcome. We await to see if uptake of the grants increases, or whether further incentives or other regulatory policies are needed to eradicate rhododendron from England. 7 new Landscape Recovery (LSR) pilots involving temperate rainforest restoration. It’s very exciting to see that 7 of the 34 new LSR pilots will include some temperate rainforest restoration or creation. I understand that the ones that will are: the Walkham Valley Landscape Recovery Project (Dartmoor); Small is Beautiful – Landscape Recovery on the Isles of Scilly; Reviving Exmoor’s Heartland; Arlington Estate nature recovery and connection to Exmoor; Heart of the Dales; West Pennines More Nature Partnership; Brock and Calder Landscape Recovery Project. (I’m pretty sure the Central Dartmoor project also includes some rainforest restoration, seeing as it includes Wistman’s Wood, so maybe it’s 8!). We pushed for DEFRA to explicitly mention temperate rainforests in their criteria for the second round of LSR pilots, which they did. From the response, it’s clear that there is huge appetite amongst farmers, landowners and conservation NGOs to undertake ambitious restoration of temperate rainforests (and, of course, of many other equally vital habitats and species). There are now a wide range of other funding pots for temperate rainforests, which this strategy helpfully draws together: The Regional Woodland Restoration Innovation Fund – which in the South West and North West of England, invite applications for temperate rainforest restoration. The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO), which alongside broader grants for woodland creation and tree planting, also provides funding for natural regeneration (although this is limited; see below). The Big Nature Impact Fund, which is investing £30m of public money to leverage more private money into nature restoration, including temperate rainforests. Countryside Stewardship (CS) – the strategy states that CS “will continue to support landowners to restore ancient woodlands which were converted to plantations” (known as PAWS), and also “support more farmers and land managers to manage their precious temperate rainforest habitat” (my emphasis). There are various capital grants available under CS for fencing (to help control grazing by livestock) and deer fencing. None of these funding pots explicitly mentioned temperate rainforests as being eligible prior to our campaigning, so it’s fantastic to see government took on board our suggestions. What’s missing The strategy lacks an overarching target or goal. The Lost Rainforests campaign has been calling for the Government to set a target of doubling the area of England’s rainforests by 2050. We think that’s readily achievable – and could be done simply by allowing our existing rainforest fragments to naturally regenerate and spread, at nature’s pace, by controlling overgrazing on their edges. The strategy does not commit to giving legal protections to more rainforest sites. From mapping we’ve done, we think that around three-quarters of England’s rainforest sites are not protected as SSSIs, and want the Government to correct this. Doing so will not only give important protection to these places, but help the Government meet its 30x30 goal. Simply expanding the number and area of National Nature Reserves does not carry the same legal protections as SSSIs. Whilst the strategy makes welcome reference to the potential for natural regeneration (allowing our rainforests to self-seed and spread, rather than just planting saplings), a flaw remains in the way the Government encourages landowners to allow for this. We continue to urge the Government to amend the ‘75 metre rule’ in the England Woodland Creation Offer, which limits funding for natural regeneration to within 75 metres of a seed source, and extend it to 150 metres – the distance we know from studies that a closed canopy of oak trees can regenerate within 20 years. What needs to happen next There’s more this Government can do to address the missing elements listed above. We will continue to engage with DEFRA, Natural England, Forestry England and Number 10 on these points. We look forward to seeing the progress of all the Landscape Recovery pilot projects that now involve temperate rainforest restoration (2 from the first round, 7-8 from this second round!). Given the clear appetite from farmers, landowners, NGOs and the public for Landscape Recovery – both rounds have been hugely oversubscribed – we fully expect the Government to put their full weight behind making Landscape Recovery a success. That means giving it at least a third of the ELMs budget, as originally promised, before doubts were cast on this under Liz Truss’ administration. You may have noticed that 2024 is an election year. We urge all parties to engage in a ‘race to the top’ on nature and climate policies – and would welcome fresh policy commitments on temperate rainforests from all parties in the run-up to the general election! Comment Like Tip icon image You can also reply to this email to leave a comment. Manage your email settings or unsubscribe. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://lostrainforestsofbritain.org/2023/11/29/the-governments-temperate-rainforest-strategy-for-england-an-analysis/ WordPress.com and Jetpack Logos Get the Jetpack app to use Reader anywhere, anytime Follow your favorite sites, save posts to read later, and get real-time notifications for likes and comments. Download Jetpack on Google Play Download Jetpack from the App Store WordPress.com on Twitter WordPress.com on Facebook WordPress.com on Instagram WordPress.com on YouTube WordPress.com Logo and Wordmark title= Automattic, Inc. - 60 29th St. #343, San Francisco, CA 94110

RIGHT TO ROAM — THEY ARE OUR RIVERS — BUT TRADITION HAS DICTATED OTHERWISE — MASS TRESPASS

Can't see this message? View in browser   Ask your MP: Why can’t we access OUR river? Dear Roamers, All this month, our wonderful Right to Roam local groups are organising river trespasses across England - from the River Lark in Suffolk to the River Aire in West Yorkshire. You can find more details of their upcoming river trespasses below. But whether or not you can join one of these locally-organised trespasses, we need your help. We need you to ask your MP: why isn’t the Government giving the public access to OUR local river? Communities love their rivers, yet seldom have access to them. 96% of rivers in England & Wales don’t have a clear right of navigation for kayakers, and the right to swim in them is legally murky. Yet it’s local people - swimmers, kayakers, anglers - who care most for our rivers, and who’ve done the most to raise the alarm about our waterways being polluted with sewage, agricultural fertilisers and plastic. The UK Government has pledged to create 9 new river walks in England - but with around 1,500 rivers in the UK, it’s clear this would be just a drop in the ocean. Why should some people get greater access to their local river, and not others? As our local groups are asking: Why not our river? Ask your MP: why is the Government only promising 9 river walks - why not OUR river? To make it easy for you, we’ve drafted an email you can send your MP below. Simply copy and paste it into an email, and send it off to them - and of course, feel free to edit or add your own lines, such as about how much you love your local river. You can find your MP’s email address on the UK Parliament website here Dear ____ MP, I’m writing to you as your constituent, to urge you to call on the UK Government to make all rivers in England accessible to the public. The Government has pledged to create 9 new river walks in England - but with around 1,500 rivers in the UK, it’s clear this would be just a drop in the ocean. Why not our local river? Why not give people a right to responsibly access all rivers in England? Access to nature is so important for everyone’s physical and mental health, and being able to walk along river banks, and swim and kayak in rivers, should be everyone’s right. What’s more, it’s local people - swimmers, kayakers, anglers - who care most for our rivers, and who’ve done the most to raise the alarm about our waterways being polluted with sewage, agricultural fertilisers and plastic. But far too many of our rivers are inaccessible to their local communities: fenced off by landowners and hemmed in by archaic trespass laws, 96% of the rivers in England and Wales lack a clear right of navigation. Locking the public out of our rivers isn’t just bad for human health - it’s contributed to the poor ecological health of those rivers. It’s meant that local people can’t so easily see the pollution poured into them by water companies, can’t clear build-ups of plastic waste, and can’t help tackle outbreaks of invasive species like Himalayan Balsam. There’s a way to help fix this, which is for the Government to pass new laws giving the public a right of responsible access to all rivers in England, as well as the wider countryside. It works in Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and many other countries. We’ve had a partial right to roam in England for the past twenty years, but the law has never applied to rivers - why not? As your constituent, I ask you please to write to the Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, urging her to legislate for a right of responsible access to England’s rivers and wider countryside. Please also raise this issue in Parliament via parliamentary questions and at upcoming debates. Thank you for your help, Yours sincerely, [INSERT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, SO YOUR MP KNOWS YOU ARE A CONSTITUENT] ===== UPCOMING RIVER TRESPASSES Sat 29th Nov - River Aire, West Yorkshire - West Yorkshire Right to Roam. 9.45am, Apperley Bridge train station. For more details, email: righttoroamwestyorkshire@gmail.com Sat 29th Nov - River Camel, Cornwall - Right to Roam Kernow. 11am, Scarlett’s Well Road, Bodmin. For more details, email: right2roam.kernow@gmail.com Sat 29th Nov - River Blythe, West Mids - Right to Roam West Midlands. 9.45am, Solihull train station. For more details, email: righttoroam.westmids@gmail.com Sun 30th Nov - Pigeonhouse Stream - Bristol Right to Roam. 11am, Bishport Avenue Lay-by Bus Stop, BS13 OBN, What3Words: dark.cubes.often. For more details, email: rtrbristol@gmail.com Sun 7th December - River Lathkill - Right to Roam Sheffield. 11am, Alport, near Bakewell. For more details, email: right2roamsheffield@gmail.com ====== AND… A RIGHT TO ROAM GIG IN NEWCASTLE A cosy, curated Autumn evening hunkering down in support and celebration of the Right to Roam with song, story, and words from Lucy & Hazel, Johnny Campbell, and Amy-Jane Beer! 12th December, Newcastle. Buy tickets here. Happy trespassing, happy emailing & happy singing! Best wishes, Guy and the Right to Roam team --- We’ve been campaigning for bold new access legislation for five years, and with the help of the generous support of a few hundred subscribers - each donating around £5-£10 a month - we’ve been mostly able to remain untethered to the demands of grant funding and fundraising. If you feel you could become one of our monthly supporters to keep us agile and focused, please head over to our website: www.righttoroam.org.uk/donate For the latest campaign updates, follow us on Instagram & Bluesky To get involved with campaign action, check out our website here. Want to become a Right to Roam supporter? Head here. Take Action Visit our social accounts Check out our site   This email was sent from this site. If you no longer wish to receive this email, change your email preferences here.

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — SIGN TO SAFE GANNET CHICKS ON NESS

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more We can save generations of animals in 15 seconds Please take action and spare a tiny fraction of your day ROB POWNALL NOV 25 READ IN APP Hi everyone, I need you to take 15 seconds to do something that really matters and will save generations of animals from immense suffering. A bunch of men who call themselves the “Men of Ness” have, for hundreds of years, travelled to a remote Scottish island and carried out one of the most sickening acts of cruelty still allowed in the UK. They “hunt” guga, gannet chicks who cannot even fly. The chicks are dragged away with a rod while their parents scream and circle overhead, helpless, watching the only chick they will raise that year being taken. Then the men cave in their heads and bludgeon them to death right there. It is brutal, deliberate, and completely indefensible. End the slaughter in 15 seconds And it is still legal. Not because it is right, not because it is necessary, but because Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 permits it. We are backing wildlife photographer Rachel Bigsby’s Scottish Government petition to amend Section 16 and end this hunt for good. This is the moment to stop pretending this is some harmless “tradition.” It is a sanctioned massacre of baby birds, and it has no place in modern Scotland or anywhere else in the UK. The petition is currently at 10,632 signatures. Our target is 33,000, which would make it the most signed petition in the history of the Scottish Government site. We can get there in a matter of hours if every person reading this signs right now. You can sign as a citizen of any UK nation. 167,920 people have been sent this email. The entire Protect the Wild community. If even a fraction of us act today, we end this. Not next year. Not after another season of slaughter. Now. Please be one of the brilliant people to sign the petition. Thank you, Rob End the slaughter in 15 seconds SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2025 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

FROM GREENPEACE — SPANISH FACTORY FARMING AND AVIAN FLU — UNSUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

Greenpeace_Logo_Green_PNG macrogranja-aves Hola, John: En solo tres meses, España ha registrado 14 brotes de gripe aviar en explotaciones de aves. El resultado: casi 2,7 millones de animales sacrificados. Un “avicidio” que refleja el sufrimiento generado por un modelo de ganadería industrial completamente descontrolado. La crisis tampoco afecta solo a las granjas: se han identificado casi 90 focos en aves silvestres, poniendo aún más en riesgo una biodiversidad ya frágil. Grullas, cigüeñas, garzas, patos, gansos, águilas, gaviotas… incluso un pavo real en Madrid han sucumbido a este virus implacable. Y hay algo aún más preocupante: el virus puede saltar a mamíferos, incluidos seres humanos. Desde que se diagnosticó la primera vez en humanos en los años 90, ya se han detectado cientos de infecciones humanas en varios países y en España esta temporada se ha confirmado el primer mamífero muerto por gripe aviar: un zorro en Zaragoza. Aunque este problema no ocurre solo en nuestro país, España es uno de los lugares donde más animales se han sacrificado. ¿Será porque aquí el modelo de ganadería industrial ha crecido de forma totalmente desmesurada y descontrolada? Las macrogranjas son el escenario perfecto para que un virus tan agresivo se propague: Hacinamiento extremo, estrés y animales vulnerables. Transmisión rapidísima en cuanto el virus entra en la explotación. Cantidad ingente y constante de animales hospedadores, lo que ofrece al virus más oportunidades para replicarse y mutar y que desarrolle variantes más patógenas o, peor aún, que puedan infectar a humanos con mayor facilidad. Además, cada vez que se ordenan sacrificios masivos las indemnizaciones se pagan con dinero público. Un modelo que no elegimos, pero que seguimos financiando entre toda la población. La ganadería industrial es una auténtica bomba de relojería y está cada vez más cerca de reventarnos en las manos. ¿Qué pide Greenpeace? Poner fin a la ganadería industrial y a las macrogranjas. Mientras avanzamos hacia ese objetivo, exigimos algo urgente y básico: No autorizar nuevas macrogranjas ni ampliaciones, y fijar límites máximos de animales por explotación. Ahora mismo está sobre la mesa un proyecto especialmente alarmante: una súper-macrogranja de más de un millón de gallinas ponedoras en San Clemente (Cuenca), promovida por Grupo Avícola Rujamar S.L., ¡una auténtica barbaridad! Desde Greenpeace ya hemos presentado alegaciones para frenar este proyecto. Pero necesitamos tu apoyo para amplificar la presión social. John: tu firma puede marcar la diferencia. 👉 Firma aquí para exigir el fin de las macrogranjas y proteger la biodiversidad, la salud pública y el bienestar animal >> FIRMA LA PETICIÓN Muchas gracias por sumar tu voz. Luis Ferreirim Luís Ferreirim Responsable de la campaña de ganadería en Greenpeace España Greenpeace es una organización independiente que no acepta dinero de gobiernos ni empresas para poder denunciar a todas aquellas personas o instituciones que amenazan el planeta. Solo personas comprometidas como tú hacen posible nuestro trabajo. Solo usaremos tus datos para informarte de las últimas novedades del medio ambiente y de Greenpeace en envíos como este. Si prefieres no recibirlos, puedes darte de baja - ¡aunque te echaremos de menos! :'( Greenpeace, Calle Valores 1, Madrid, España 28007 Darme de baja

FROM PROTECT THE WILD — TRADITION SUPPORTS THE KILLING OF YOUNG GANNETS — GUGA IS MURDER

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more A Protected Colony in Decline: Why the Guga Hunt Can No Longer Be Defended CHARLOTTE SMITH NOV 24 READ IN APP For decades, the killing of gannet chicks, the “Guga hunt”, on Sula Sgeir has been defended as sustainable, harmless, and woven into cultural heritage. But the science emerging today tells a very different story. The idea that this colony is “stable” is no longer credible. Sula Sgeir’s gannet population is not stable, not growing, and not able to withstand even a reduced annual harvest. It is, in fact, the only gannet colony in Scotland to have fallen below the population level it is legally supposed to be protected at. And yet the hunt is still being licensed. Below is what the evidence now shows, why continuing the Guga hunt is indefensible, and why the law that enables this needs to change. Sign petition to End the Guga hunt A population that has now fallen below its protected level When Sula Sgeir was designated a Special Protection Area (SPA) in 2001, it held 10,400 Apparently Occupied Sites (AOS), essentially breeding pairs. That number became the official “citation level”: the population the site is legally meant to maintain or improve. The most recent count (2024) records just 10,200 AOS. For the first time, the colony has fallen below its protected baseline. Let’s be clear about what this means: a colony that dips beneath its citation level is not stable. A stable population holds its line or increases under protection. This one is decreasing. That is exactly the opposite of what protection is supposed to deliver. It is now the only gannet colony in Scotland to have dropped beneath its citation population. All other SPA colonies have grown since citation. This suggests that Sula Sgeir’s population growth has been suppressed, even before the avian flu outbreak, and now faces further pressure post-HPAI. This decline is not a blip, and not solely the result of avian flu. Sign petition to End the Guga hunt Footage of Gannet chicks (guga’s) being cruelly snatched from their nests to be killed. NatureScot’s own figures show the colony has not recovered, so the 2025 licence should have failed Test 3 NatureScot’s own numbers make the situation even starker. Their figures show that the Sula Sgeir colony has not rebounded from a steep recent crash, dropping from more than 12,000 birds in 2017 to 9,495 in 2023. Even in 2024, the colony remained below its 2001 citation level. This matters because the hunt has effectively been paused for years. NatureScot suspended the harvest in 2020 due to COVID-19, and it did not take place in 2022, 2023 or 2024 due to avian flu. Despite that breathing space, the colony still has not recovered. A population that can’t rebound even when killing stops is not one that can safely tolerate killing restarting. Yet in 2025 NatureScot issued a licence allowing the killing of 500 chicks. That decision should have triggered the strictest legal test NatureScot must apply before licensing any activity that would otherwise be illegal: Test 3. Licensing test 3 is the requirement that the licensed activity must not be detrimental to the maintenance of the species at favourable conservation status. In plain terms, the population must be stable, healthy, and capable of sustaining itself long-term. To meet Test 3, NatureScot must be confident that the licensed action will not push the species into decline, worsen an existing decline, or undermine the ecological integrity of a protected site like an SPA. Crucially, Test 3 isn’t just about culling chicks for human consumption. It must account for all the pressures acting on the species, disease, environmental change, food availability, and cumulative threats. If there are data gaps, or uncertainty about resilience, the precautionary principle is supposed to apply and the licence should be refused. NatureScot’s own population modelling does not account for wider pressures such as repeated avian flu outbreaks, food shortages, or extreme offshore wind events, all known to increase gannet mortality. Their own scientific papers acknowledge these gaps, meaning the true vulnerability of the colony is still uncertain. Under these conditions, we believe Test 3 should have failed. The population is already down. Major risks are unaccounted for. The evidence base is incomplete. A precautionary regulator would have halted the 2025 hunt until robust ecological data proved recovery and resilience. By licensing anyway, NatureScot acted as if stability had been demonstrated, when their own figures show the opposite. This is not a minor procedural slip. It is a legal and ecological failure, and it exposes how hollow “protected status” becomes when the licensing tests are treated as box-ticking exercises, proving the law must be changed to better protect species. Sign petition to End the Guga hunt Footage of Gannet chicks (guga’s) being plucked and burnt. Growth was already suppressed before avian flu, and the hunt is the glaring difference Long before HPAI ripped through Scotland’s seabirds, Sula Sgeir was underperforming. Other gannet colonies grew by 44% to over 300% since their citation years. Sula Sgeir grew by just 18%, and now has collapsed back below its baseline. This isn’t random variation. The slow growth and eventual decline align with the one thing that makes Sula Sgeir different from every other Scottish gannet colony: It is the only one where thousands of chicks have been legally removed for human consumption. For years, the annual take of 2,000 chicks was defended as sustainable. In reality, the colony was already showing signs of strain. The 2016 Trinder model, carried out when the population was healthier, warned that even the 2,000-chick quota could suppress the population. Now, after years of stunted growth and the shock of HPAI, the colony has far less resilience left. HPAI delivered a brutal blow: mass mortality, weakened survivors, and a population pushed into sharper decline. Yet even as the colony struggles to recover, the harvest continues, as if the colony were stable, when the evidence screams that it is not. Sign petition to End the Guga hunt NatureScot openly admits: this is not conservation One of the most astonishing aspects of the Guga hunt is NatureScot’s own justification for it. NatureScot has explicitly stated that the Guga licence is not about wildlife management or sustainable harvesting. It exists solely to maintain a cultural tradition. In other words, this is not a conservation decision, it is a cultural exemption from conservation law. Protected birds are being killed not for ecological reasons, but because a human tradition has historically demanded it. This should alarm anyone who takes protected-area law seriously. When an agency admits the killing is not conservation-driven, it is acknowledging that the colony’s welfare is secondary. That is how you get a protected population slipping below its protected levels. A law that allows culture to override conservation outcomes is a law that has failed wildlife, and that is why it needs to be changed. Sign petition to End the Guga hunt Even the “reduced” quota stops the colony recovering NatureScot’s new Population Viability Analysis (PVA), published in 2025, should have been a wake-up call. The modelling shows: Even taking 500 chicks a year, one quarter of the historic quota, prevents long-term population recovery. The colony will not return to its 2013 size within the next 25 years at that level. And these results are optimistic, because the modelling could not account for real-world threats like future avian flu outbreaks, food shortages, climate pressures, or offshore wind impacts. In other words: The species cannot fully recover while killing continues. Yet NatureScot licensed the Guga hunt anyway, even though the science is incomplete, the risks are unquantified, and the case for continuing the hunt is perilously thin. Sign petition to End the Guga hunt Footage of Gannet chicks (guga’s) turned in to nothing more than slabs of meat. A contradiction at the heart of NatureScot’s role Here is the contradiction that can no longer be ignored: NatureScot’s own science shows the colony is not stable. NatureScot’s own modelling shows even the smallest proposed quota suppresses recovery, without the added pressures of avian flu or off shore winds. NatureScot’s own statements admit the licence is not about conservation but upholding a law that needs changing.s NatureScot still licenses the killing of a protected species that has fallen below its citation quota. This is not conservation management. It is sanctioned exploitation of a species already in trouble. Sign petition to End the Guga hunt Where does this leave us? Sula Sgeir’s gannets are at a crossroads. Every scientific indicator now points in one direction: the Guga Hunt is harming the colony’s ability to recover. The population is more vulnerable than ever, and yet the licence continues. A protected species cannot recover while it is still being slaughtered. It is time for NatureScot to decide whether it exists to protect wildlife or to defend cultural exemptions that place species at risk. It is time for a law change that puts conservation over culture because the science is clear, the warnings are clear and the population numbers could not be clearer. Sula Sgeir’s gannets need protection, not a licence to be killed. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2025 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

LAKE DISTRICT HUNT SABS EXPOSE ‘THE PSYCHOTIC & SICK’ ON CONISTON KILL

View this email in your browser Hi, Supporter “The Horn Blew And The Crowd Erupted Into Whoops And Cheers” Lake District Hunt Sabs Give A First-hand Account Of The Coniston Kill Hundreds of thousands of people have now seen Lake District Hunt Sabs’ drone footage of the Coniston Foxhounds ripping a fox – who sabs have named Ember - to pieces. The footage has been devastating for hunting, proving once again that trail hunting is a cynical lie. But what about the brave souls who put themselves in harm’s way to expose the vile Coniston Hunt? Read on, as two intrepid members of Lake District Hunt Sabs recall a day they will never forget. Sabs take on the fell hunters on a previous occasion. ‘Owl’ begins… “Tensions were higher than usual that day. This hunt is known to be a bit livelier than the usual crowd who attend the fell hunts. They’re also well known for ‘digging-out’. The same old hunt antics soon began - their supporters tailing us as we dropped teams off, vehicles blocking roads - but this isn’t our first rodeo. We managed to get where we needed to be quickly. We kept eyes on huntsman Mike Burton and the hounds - despite the thick fog that covered the valley - as he swept through the valley with the hounds. At one point, when the police arrived, the hunt spent a long time hiding in bushes. Just as we were switching drones, the hounds went into cry. Everyone’s heart drops to their arse at that sound.” Cumbria sabs drone in action. “When the drone was back in the air, we saw the hunt gathered in an open area with shovels and terriers. In utter disbelief, we watched as they began to dig - fully aware that the drone was above them. The huntsman, Mike, took the hounds away from the area and hid in the bushes again. Our drone operator narrated what he was seeing while I tried to alert the other teams. We were numb with horror. Step by step, the dig-out continued - as it does every week - but usually we can either stop it, or it’s done out of sight.” Man (top left) carries the fox to her cruel death. “Everything slowed. Then came the frenzy: the fox was pulled from the hole, a terrier still latched onto it. A young lad grabbed the fox, fumbling, and then did a strange sideways walk as if trying to hide what he was doing - but failing miserably. We knew where he was going and what was about to happen, but there was absolutely nothing we could do to stop it. We prayed for a miracle, that somehow the fox would escape his hands. But no. He used the live fox like a toy in a sick tug-of-war with the hounds. I’ve never seen anything so psychotic. It’s the kind of cruelty you read about in the early stories of serial killers before they move on to humans. Moments later, the horn blew, and the crowd erupted into whoops and cheers - a pack of drooling scum celebrating the kill. It was like something from The Hunger Games.” Coniston Foxhounds rip into the fox as sick followers look on. “By then I was shaking and sobbing uncontrollably, while our incredible drone pilot somehow kept a steady hand to capture the footage. Then came the grim task of getting it to safety. We knew they’d be waiting on the roads to try to attack us or grab the drone. We spent a long time making sure both we and the footage were safe before heading back to the road. The police had to escort us to collect the other teams and leave the area. The hunt’s supporters were rabid by this point - blocking roads, shouting abuse, still cheering and swearing, their excitement at the kill disgusting to witness. We know this footage matters. But the feeling of failure will always haunt me. Every life lost to their sick game will never be forgotten. Their cruelty is their legacy - and that legacy is what drives us to keep fighting. Rest in eternal peace, Ember.” Fox hunted by Coniston neighbours, the Melbreak Foxhounds, November 2022. ‘Enraged Country Girl’ adds: “We set off very early to seek out the Coniston Foxhounds from information given. It was a hard eight or so miles trek and climb in the fog, wind, mist and rain. Just as we were gaining on the "spotters" who were looking down from Wansfell towards Stock Ghyll, where the drone was flying, a text came from the drone flyer’s buddy that the bastards were digging, then another message to say he's got the fox under his jumper, then the final one to say the hounds had killed it. I was absolutely sickened to the teeth reading these messages out loud to the other sabs walking with me. They were extremely quiet as they digested it. I've done sabbing for seven years now and although I know this goes on up and down the country, I was shocked and disgusted that my poor peers witnessed this first hand. We felt helpless, how did they feel and the poor fox before its horrific death? This has not put me off, it has infuriated me so much that I want to spend every minute I can spoiling their ‘country ways of life’.” Lake District Hunt Sabs are in action every week, taking on the Coniston Foxhounds and other fell packs, whatever the weather. You can support them here: Follow | Donate Join the Hunt Saboteurs Association! Support our vital work by becoming a member. Join The HSA Spread the word! Please share our news Share via email Facebook icon Instagram icon Twitter icon Logo Copyright (C) 2025 Hunt Saboteurs Association. All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from Hunt Saboteurs Association. Our mailing address is: BM HSA, London, WC1N 3XX, U.K. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe