In 2010 David Cameron, the then Prime Minister of a coalition government promised that it would be “the greenest government ever”. At no point since has that promise been withdrawn. Sadly the reality is far from the promise. The UK is an environmentally degraded nation with more and more species and habitats becoming endangered. The response from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) the body that advises the UK Government and devolved administrations on UK-wide and international nature conservation is quietly to seek to reduce or remove the protections afforded to certain species under schedules of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Many species are likely to be affected, most of them non-mammalian but removing protection from the water vole and pine marten would be disastrous for these already seriously depleted species.

The water vole has been in trouble for many years due to loss of habitat and predation by mink. There has been a gradual shift from traditional home grounds on the lower reaches of rivers, to upland areas, particularly moorland. To remove it’s protection, rendering it liable to legal displacement or destruction when drainage works or muir burn take place would be the final nail in its coffin.

The pine marten which was persecuted to near extinction by gamekeepers, has just started to extend its range again helped by introductions and legal protection. Now it seems that there are plans to remove that legal protection rather than enhance it. Recent articles in the local press in Scotland suggest that forces are already beginning to brief against the pine marten. The offering for sale in parts of the Highlands of live traps advertised as “good for pine marten” suggests that attitudes have not changed greatly from the days of ‘the great extermination’.

Once again we are faced with governments and their ‘nature conservation’ advisors paying lip service to conservation whilst quietly moving against it. We need more protection for our natural heritage not less.