Warning of ‘silent spring’ for wildlife
Sir James Bevan, chief executive of the Environment Agency, has warned of a “silent spring” for wildlife in the UK unless businesses, governments and individuals take action.
The Agency found that there has been a huge fall in biodiversity during the past 100 years. Its latest study highlights that 41% of species have decreased in abundance since 1970, while 15% are now threatened with extinction in Britain.
Species-rich grasslands have decreased in extent by 97% in England and Wales since 1930, while lowland heathlands in England cover only 20% of their 19th-century extent. Habitats that have good biodiversity value are confined to small “isolated islands” in landscapes with poor biodiversity value, and are unable to support large-scale ecosystem services or species that need large habitats.