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Link Blog

The Link Blog is a space for members, and others, to express their views about the natural environment.


It includes our year plan and Agriculture Bill series, as well as our Blueprint for Water focused blogs.

If you would like to contribute a blog, please contact Emma Adler.

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Celebrating Small Freshwater Bodies as part of Amphibian Week

Published on: 12 May 2023

As Amphibian Week 2023 draws to a close, Froglife’s Conservation, Evaluation and Research Manager, Jenny Tse-Leon reflects on the importance of small freshwater bodies for wildlife and people.

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A Bit Wet? Defra’s Plan for Water

Published on: 17 April 2023

Nik Perepelov, Senior Water Policy Officer at RSPB and Vice Chair of Blueprint for Water, reflects on the Plan for Water.

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The Government’s flagship Highly Protected Marine Area programme is stalling, here’s how to get things back on track

Published on: 12 April 2023

New Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) would provide the highest levels of protection for the marine environment, helping restore our degraded seas. However, nearly four years since work started to develop the HPMA concept, not a single site has been designated. With Ministers now committed to “explore additional sites this year” and with any future sites also subject to consultation, Wildlife and Countryside Link's Marine Group Chair Kirsten Carter, reflects on how the programme can avoid past mistakes and deliver these vital new sites.

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The Government must go for gold in defending our Marine Protected Areas

Published on: 29 March 2023

As the Government takes steps to restore our degraded Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Link's Marine Policy Officer Matthew Dawson writes that Ministers and officials must take this opportunity to deliver the strongest possible protections.

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Protected Landscapes Progress Stalled – will the UK Government take the chance to demonstrate they are serious about nature recovery?

Published on: 25 March 2023

Despite committing last year to many of the nature proposals in the Glover Protected Landscapes Review, the Government has made very little progress and even appears set to make a disastrous u-turn on the legislative reforms crucial to support National Parks and AONBs for nature's recovery. Rose O'Neill of Campaign for National Parks, Meriel Harrison of the RSPB, Katherine Hawkins of the Wildlife Trusts, and Emma Clarke of Link report.

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Greater Government support for upland and marginal farms is needed

Published on: 22 March 2023

Harry Bowell, Director of Land and Nature at the National Trust, wrote to Secretary of State for Defra, Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey, to urge Government to provide greater support for upland and marginal farms.

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Why the RSPCA are joining calls for a ban on disposable vapes

Published on: 3 March 2023

There's a new litter menace on our streets and beaches; disposable vapes. With over 1.3 million of these thrown away each week, RSPCA Scientific Officer Evie Button explains the threat to pets and wildlife, setting out the urgent need for a ban on these damaging items.

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Is Government giving up on nature in protected landscapes?

Published on: 24 February 2023

The Government has one last chance in this Parliament to act to recover nature in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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Cavity nesting birds: their decline, and the campaign to help safeguard them from national extinction

Published on: 9 February 2023

Author Hannah Bourne-Taylor outlines the campaign to make swift bricks compulsory in new housing across Britain to help safeguard cavity species from becoming nationally extinct

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Running out of water: don’t hang the environment out to dry

Published on: 8 February 2023

Blueprint for Water share their take on the draft Water Resource Management Plans, and explain how you can tell you water company that their plans must work for nature.

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