AMY OF MARINE CONSERVATION TALKS ABOUT THE BIG SEAWEED SEARCH

Big Seaweed Search, rockpooling guides and positive ocean news View in browser Marine Conservation Society logo Donate Join Shop Learn | News | Good Fish Guide Different species of seaweed are picture in a rockpool The Big Seaweed Search returns Get involved from 27th July - 2nd August Credit: National History Museum Hi John, Thank you to everyone who joined us for our World Ocean Week celebrations last month. It was brilliant to see thousands of you get stuck into our activities and events and we hope you enjoyed connecting with our marine environment and like-minded ocean enthusiasts. This month, we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of our Big Seaweed Search partnership with the Natural History Museum. From the 27th July – 2nd August, citizen scientists from across the UK will be heading out to the coast to record the different types of seaweed present, and we’d love for you to join in! This free, fun activity is suitable for all ages and you can find all the resources and training you need on our website. Go seaweed spotting > Summer means there are plenty of opportunities to explore the coast and the wonderful marine life living there. Learn how to identify species in rockpools with our video guide, write a letter to our ocean for our latest campaign, or give yourself a good dose of positive ocean news. Let's dive in. Staff member Amy is smiling at the camera wearing a light pink jumper. Amy Digital Channels Manager A small yellow sea slug is pictured on the surface of a rockpool, surrounded by seaweed Credit: Samara Skyrne What wonders will you discover? Rockpooling guides From tiny crabs to spiky anemones, there’s a whole world of marine life waiting to be discovered in rockpools. Our videos take you through how to safely explore these fascinating pools and offer top tips to spotting what's living beneath the waves. Let's go rockpooling > Durdle door is pictured from a nearby cliff. The blue waters sparkle in the sunshine as the sea laps over the white sand Credit: Grace Westgarth Share your hopes for our ocean Post to the coast Write or draw a message to our future ocean, sharing your hopes for healthy seas. This simple, creative activity is a great way to connect with the ocean and think about how we can help protect it for future generations. Your entry can be a word, letter or drawing and the whole family can get involved - the deadline is 24th July. Submit your entry > A small yellow sea slug is pictured on the surface of a rockpool, surrounded by seaweed Credit: Rob Stillwell It's not all doom and gloom Positive ocean news With our latest oyster deployment underway in South Wales, a new water pollution monitoring scheme and a photography exhibition to celebrate marine life, the past month brought some more good news for our seas. Celebrate ocean wins > Facebook logo Threads logo Instagram logo LinkedIn logo Bluesky logo Contact Us General 01989 566017 info@mcsuk.org Membership membership@mcsuk.org Beach cleans beachwatch@mcsuk.org Fundraising fundraising@mcsuk.org The Marine Conservation Society 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. Contact us | Privacy policy | Unsubscribe

PROTECT THE WILD—NATURE SCOTLAND—PROTEST AND ALL ABOUT GUGA AGAIN

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more We Protested Outside NatureScot as their Board Discussed the Guga Hunt This morning, we were there. DEVON DOCHERTY JUL 2 READ IN APP This morning, we were there. As NatureScot’s Board gathered to discuss the Guga hunt licence application, we were outside their headquarters - with placards, megaphones and Gannet suits, reminding them that they have the power to stop this hunt, and the responsibility to do so. Yesterday, we asked you to email NatureScot’s Board ahead of the meeting. Thousands of you took the time to make your voices heard - and we wanted to represent them in person. We’re so grateful to the incredible people who showed up to support us today and stand up for Gannets, despite it being so early in the morning on a weekday in the Scottish Highlands! For too long, decisions about the Guga hunt have been made quietly behind closed doors. It’s about time that changed. Whether they agreed with us or not, at least they couldn’t ignore us. But today’s protest wasn’t just about putting pressure on NatureScot. It was also about raising awareness of a hunt that far too few people know still happens. It’s already generated significant media coverage, and we’re expecting to feature on STV News at Six this evening. Every interview and article is another opportunity to expose the Guga hunt to thousands more people. What happened at the meeting? Not much. The Board had set aside 40 minutes to discuss the process for assessing the Guga hunt licence application. In the end, the discussion lasted less than eight minutes, and not a single Board member asked a question. To be clear, the Board wasn’t deciding whether to grant the licence today. They were being given an overview of the licensing process, the legal framework NatureScot must follow, and an insight into the scientific review that is currently being conducted. Perhaps they were reluctant to comment while they’re still awaiting the results of that review. Even so, I’d hoped to hear a little more engagement from the Board. This is, after all, the process that will ultimately determine whether hundreds of baby Gannets get to live or die, and their silence on that is concerning. What’s next? NatureScot’s Board will meet again in early August to discuss the results of their new analysis and decide whether or not to grant the licence to kill. We’ll let you know as soon as the results of that review are available and when we have a concrete date for the decision next month. In the meantime, we’ll be scrutinising every development, continuing to make the case for Gannets, and doing everything we can to ensure NatureScot makes the right decision. P.S. Some of you reported an “invalid address” error with our email tool. That’s now been fixed, so we’d really appreciate it if you could re-send your email to NatureScot now! EMAIL NATURESCOT Adopt a Gannet - Power the fight against the Guga hunt! If you’re reading this, you’re probably already part of the movement to end the Guga hunt. Whether you’ve signed a petition, emailed NatureScot, shared our campaign or joined us at a protest, thank you. But if we’re going to win, we need the resources to keep fighting. Every investigation, animation, protest, report and media campaign is only possible because people like you chip in a few pounds each month. ADOPT A GANNET If you’re able to, please consider symbolically adopting a Gannet with a monthly donation. As a thank you, we’ll send you one of our limited edition soft Gannet plushies - a reminder of the birds you’re helping to protect, and of the campaign you’re helping power until Britain’s last seabird hunt is finally brought to an end. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

AN INTERESTING NOTE FROM ROGER FROM BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL

View email in browser Hi John, I'm Roger, a BirdLife International supporter, and I’m doing a Supporter Takeover email today to share why this work matters so much to me, and why I hope it will matter to you too. I still remember the moment I saw the Rarotonga Monarch in 2009. It was one of those rare experiences that stays with you. Seeing such a beautiful bird filled me with wonder, but also with a deep sense of how precious and fragile these species are. Later, when I read about other monarchs that urgently need help, I felt I could not simply admire birds and hope for the best. I decided to support the Fatu Hiva Monarch because I wanted to do something real to help protect birds whose future is far from secure. For me, this work matters because too many birds are disappearing, for too many reasons. That can feel heartbreaking. But it also reminds me how urgently BirdLife International’s work is needed, and how much hope there is when people choose to act together. Supporting BirdLife International feels like a way of showing up for that beauty, that life, and that chance to protect it while we still can. What inspires me about being a supporter of BirdLife International is that, together, we are not standing by while species vanish. BirdLife is bringing people together across countries and continents to protect birds, the habitats they depend on. That kind of commitment gives me hope, and it is why I am proud to support this work and to share this message with you. If you are like me and you have been thinking about supporting BirdLife International, I would encourage you to take that step today. Please make a donation if you can. Birds need our help now, and they need it at both a national and international level. Every act of support matters, and every gift is a sign that these remarkable birds are not being left behind. Have your donation doubled to give birds a lifeline And if you already give, like me, I hope you might also reach out to friends and family so that, together, we can support BirdLife International in every way we can. Thank you for caring and for giving me a chance to share this message with you. Best wishes, Roger (a fellow supporter of BirdLife International) P.S I know all donations are being matched up to $20,000 thanks to another generous supporter to give birds around the world a lifeline. This is a real great opportunity to have your donations doubled. Instagram Facebook YouTube Website You are receiving this email because you opted-in to hear from BirdLife International BirdLife International is a registered charity 1042125 Address: BirdLife International The David Attenborough Building Pembroke Street Cambridge CB2 3QZ UK For full details on how we collect, use and store your personal information see our Privacy Policy. update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Copyright © 2026, All rights reserved.

TODAY IS NATIONAL MEADOWS DAY SAY PLANTLIFE

It's almost National Meadows Day! View this email in your browser Donate Join Shop Hi John, We're getting ready to celebrate, because on Saturday (4 July) it's National Meadows Day! For centuries, meadows have shaped the history of our landscapes and been central to our communities and culture. Our stories are intertwined with meadows. We have cared for meadows for generations, but now they are at more risk than ever. That's why this year we are calling on you to celebrate the meadows near you, the communities who care for them and the stories they can tell us. Take part in National Meadows Day We must act together to share these stories and stop these precious parts of our heritage from fading away. We need to value them again – for nature, climate and people. Here’s some ways you can take part in #NationalMeadowsDay: Share your meadow story on 4 July - chat to your friends or family in person or post on social media. You could shout out a farmer or community group working to protect these habitats. share a photo or video from your favourite meadow or share an anecdote or memory. Let’s fill social media with meadows, using the hashtag #NationalMeadowsDay and tagging us (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and Bluesky). Write to your local politician and ask them to support farmers and communities who care for wildflower-rich meadows. You can find a template to use by following the link below. Help protect our meadows It's time to rediscover the important connection between meadows and people. Thank you. Charley Adams, Plantlife Nature Editor Follow Plantlife on: Instagram Instagram Facebook Facebook 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.

FLYWAYS—HOW OUR MIGRATORY BIRDS TRAVEL TO US AND BACK AGAIN BY BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL

View email in browser Hi John, Last week, we shared that BirdLife has been helping protect birds for more than 100 years. Today, we want to show you how that work happens. Migratory birds connect landscapes, countries and even continents through their incredible long-distance journeys. As they travel to and from their breeding grounds, birds use routes known as ‘Flyways’. Protecting a Flyway means protecting a chain of places birds need to rest, feed and survive as they cross continents. That takes local action, science and global teamwork. Across our Partnership, people are restoring habitats, working with communities, monitoring birds and protecting the sites migratory species depend upon. Click here to read Akshita’s story from Lake Natron, Tanzania Click here to find out how Hólmfríður stays optimistic protecting Iceland’s wetlands Click here to see how Tareq monitors migratory birds in the Jordan Rift Valley All these stories show that it takes careful, long-term work, and it is only possible because supporters like you help make it happen. Thank you. Best wishes, Mairianne Walker | BirdLife International Supporter Care team Instagram Facebook YouTube Website You are receiving this email because you opted-in to hear from BirdLife International BirdLife International is a registered charity 1042125 Address: BirdLife International The David Attenborough Building Pembroke Street Cambridge CB2 3QZ UK For full details on how we collect, use and store your personal information see our Privacy Policy. update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Copyright © 2026, All rights reserved.

PROTECT THE WILD SEE THE BEAUTY OF FREEFLYING GANNETS—END THE GUGA HUNT FOR IT’S BARBARIC

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more I went to the place where the Guga hunt begins. I didn't expect to see this. I went out of curiosity, not really knowing what I’d find. I definitely didn’t expect this. DEVON DOCHERTY JUN 27 READ IN APP On the northernmost tip of the Isle of Lewis lies Ness, a remote district comprising 16 small villages. At first glance, there is little to distinguish Ness from countless other Scottish coastal communities. Quiet villages of weather-beaten houses, narrow roads and rugged coastline overlooking the Atlantic. But there's one thing that makes Ness unlike anywhere else in Britain. It’s the home of the UK’s last seabird hunt. What is the Guga hunt? Centuries ago, when this community was isolated from the mainland and without reliable food sources, they were forced to find sustenance wherever they could. Every summer, they sailed 40 miles north into the Atlantic to the remote island of Sula Sgeir, where they hunted young Gannet chicks - known locally as Guga - and salted them for the winter. It was a very dangerous journey, made out of desperation. Although that necessity did nothing to lessen the suffering of the Gannets, it does help explain why the Guga hunt began. But that world no longer exists. Ness is no longer cut off. The men who make the journey today do so by choice - for tradition, and because young Gannet flesh has become a local delicacy with paying customers. END THE GUGA HUNT The decision about whether the Guga hunt still goes ahead rests with Scotland’s nature agency, NatureScot. And this year, as that licence application sits under consideration, I wanted to see the place for myself. I went out of curiosity, not really knowing what I’d find. I definitely didn’t expect this. Gannets everywhere! It was an extraordinary sight. Gannets plunging into the water right in front of me. Soaring overhead. Alive, wild and completely at home. I stood on the harbour watching them, unable to look away. I knew Gannets lived around Lewis. But I hadn't expected this - not here, not like this, at the harbour where it all begins. These birds are breathtaking up close - huge, white with a flash of orange, impossibly graceful, folding their wings and dropping into the sea like torpedos. I lost track of how long I stood there. And then it hit me. This is what the hunters see before they leave. They watch them dive. They watch them soar. And then they sail north to bludgeon their chicks to death. I can't stop thinking about that. We’ve been asking the wrong question To the hunters, scenes like this are proof there are “enough” Gannets to kill. But this was never only about whether the Guga hunt can continue. It’s about whether it should. Standing at that harbour, watching those birds survive against all odds, I felt the answer very clearly. This is where Gannets belong. Alive, free and undisturbed. Not on the receiving end of a weapon, or on someone’s plate. The consumption and trade of wildlife has no place in 2026. It is a needless waste of life and it’s pushing seabirds ever closer to the brink. NatureScot is currently deciding whether to grant the licence for the hunt this year. You can urge them to reject it by clicking the button below. NATURESCOT - STOP THE GUGA HUNT When I think back to Ness, I don’t see the harbour, or the boats, nor the men who may soon board them. I picture Gannets suspended on the wind, wheeling over the Atlantic, living the only lives they will ever have. They've survived storms, starvation and thousands of miles of open ocean. I hope they survive us, too. Join the fight Pick up a Gannet pin badge and stand with these incredible birds. Your purchase directly supports our full-time campaign to end Britain’s last seabird hunt and keep Gannets where they belong - alive, wild and free. GET YOUR PIN BADGE SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing

WILD JUSTICE WITH THE LONG RUNNING LEGAL DEBATE ON BADGER CULLING

Good afternoon, Today we bring you news on the outcome of our legal challenge against Natural England’s decision to issue supplementary licences for Badger culling – a result which is complicated, nuanced, but in our opinion, ultimately very positive. Natural England concedes farming interests must not drive Badger cull decisions following our legal challenge. Our, long running challenge against supplementary Badger culling licences finally concluded this week, after a hearing at our day in court on the High Court on 16th June. The Honourable Mr Justice Fordham handed down his judgment today, in which he declined to grant a declaration. On the face of it this isn’t a very clear outcome – essentially the judgment is that there is no judgment. But crucially, through taking this legal challenge, we’ve secured some important admissions from Natural England and Defra which could have nationwide implications for Badgers and any proposed future culls. Most importantly, they have formally recognised, on the record, that farming interests, political pressure, and budget considerations must not be factors considered when authorising Badger culls. Through this legal challenge, we uncovered internal documents that would never have otherwise entered the public domain. These papers, prepared for Natural England's Executive Committee (“NexCo”), briefed senior leadership on applications for supplementary Badger cull licences and they were very illuminating. The documents listed five considerations that were implied to be relevant to the granting of cull licences, which were: Potential consequences for Natural England's "wider relationships within the farming community" Potential consequences for Natural England's relationship with Defra Natural England's exposure to compensation claims from the farming industry Pressure to meet farming industry timelines and avoid "questions raised by the NFU" Consequences for Natural England's budget, including potential staff layoffs and wellbeing issues Natural England subsequently granted 26 supplementary Badger cull licences on 3 May 2024, despite its own Director of Science stating there was "no justification" for the cull. Following this, we brought this legal challenge (along with the Badger Trust) on the basis that Natural England’s decision had been improperly influenced by these irrelevant considerations. In a witness statement filed some 15 months after the cased was lodged in court, Natural England clarified that while the NexCo Paper was commissioned so that its executive committee “could understand the risks and consequences of the different decisions that might be taken” and was accessible to the person making the decision on the licences (Dr Oliver Harmer, who sits on NexCo (here), he did not in fact click on a link to it (and therefore see the paper) before making his decision on the licences. We think it is quite surprising that decisions of this importance can be made by senior officials without considering comprehensive briefing materials. But regardless, as a result, no finding of unlawfulness could be made, and the Court declined our invitation to formally rule that the five considerations would have been unlawful, only on the basis that courts should not rule on hypothetical questions (now that the application and culls have passed). However, crucially, both Natural England and the Defra Secretary of State conceded (NE before and during the hearing and the Secretary of State at the hearing) that those considerations would have been unlawful to rely upon. Both have now formally recognised that farming interests, political pressure, and budget considerations must play no part in authorising any future Badger culls. This is a good outcome for Badgers, because as we know that there is also no scientific justification for similar culls. We brought this case because we believe Badger culling is inhumane, lacks scientific justification, and in this case apparently pursued primarily to satisfy the farming lobby rather than on legitimate public health grounds. The internal documents we uncovered vindicated those concerns, and without this challenge, they would never have seen the light of day. We also recognised that while the target of the legal challenge was the decision to approve the licences in May 2024, the case was (and was always intended to be) an audit of the legality of public decision-making.As the Judge noted in a previous judgment in this case: “it is always on the cards that judicial review will be backward looking in this kind of case. That does not undermine the value of the legal audit. Nor is that value necessarily a function of the outcomes of cases. The public interest enterprise of judicial review accountability secures lawfulness. It promotes discipline. It exposes unlawfulness. It promotes public confidence in public authority decision-making”. What is important is that a decision to cull Badgers based on these types of erroneous and unlawful factors should never be taken again. This lengthy process has also resulted in a free-standing and landmark judgment on the issue of legal costs. During proceedings last year, Natural England attempted to remove our standard costs protections under the Aarhus Convention, in an apparent attempt to make the challenge unaffordable for Wild Justice and Badger Trust. The Court emphatically rejected this, affirming that legal challenges of this kind "promote a public interest in an environmental protection context." At the time, Mr Justice Fordham said “Finally, the signals which the law gives in environmental judicial review cases matter. Especially when the rationale of environmental costs caps is to avoid inappropriate deterrence or chilling effects. All of which is because something bigger than all of us is at stake: the environment which we share with each other, and with others, and for which we are responsible.” This ruling benefits environmental cases far beyond the world of Badger culls (read a great blog on it here), strengthening the ability of charities, campaign groups and individuals across the board to bring environmental challenges without facing prohibitive costs. It has already been cited in several court cases, including in the Supreme Court last week. Back in April 2025, our solicitors at Leigh Day offered to drop the case entirely in exchange for each side bearing their own costs. We thought this was a fair and reasonable offer. Natural England refused however, demanding instead that we pay all of their legal costs to date. That figure was £5,800. We pushed on, and ultimately the judge ordered that neither side pays the other's costs, vindicating our decision to reject NE's demand. Had NE accepted our offer, months of further litigation could have been avoided. Instead, their refusal to engage reasonably meant the case continued, and the concessions we secured came with it. Once again, we’d like to thank our brilliant legal team at Leigh Day who helped get this case to court – your dedication throughout many twists and turns has been admirable. So, thank you Ricky Gama, Carol Day, Julia Eriksen and Madeeha Akhtar at Leigh Day, David Wolfe KC at Matrix Chambers and Barney McCay at Landmark Chambers – you’ve all been brilliant! And, most importantly, thank you – our supporters who helped us bring this case into the court room. Without your support over the last two years (!), we wouldn’t have been able to shine a light on these decision making processes and, ultimately, help ensure that unlawful decisions aren’t made in the future. You can read our press release on the case on our website - click here. Thank you, Wild Justice (CEO: Bob Elliot. Directors: Chris Packham and Ruth Tingay). This is the 270th Wild Justice newsletter. This email was sent to you because you subscribed to it through the Wild Justice website or through an e-action or a petition where you ticked a box. Thank you. We will only use your personal details to send you the Wild Justice newsletter. We will not give or sell your details to anyone else. You can unsubscribe at any time: there is an unsubscribe button at the foot of this email or you can reply to this email and ask us to remove you from the list (the former will happen immediately, the latter might take a few days). 124, City Road London Greater London EC1V 2NX UNITED KINGDOM Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options