SAC/2019/03/03
SCOTTISH NATURAL HERITAGE
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Species conservation translocations: Update and opportunities 2019.
Summary 1. This paper provides an update on issues relating to species reintroductions and other types of conservation translocations, the work of the National Species Reintroduction Forum, and some future opportunities.
Action 2. SAC members are invited to note the recent work on conservation translocations, and to comment on the scientific issues and potential opportunities presented in sections 27-35.
Preparation of Paper 3. This paper has been prepared by Martin Gaywood, and is sponsored by Eileen Stuart.
Background 4. Conservation translocations refer to the intentional movement and release of living organisms where the primary goal is a conservation benefit. They may include reintroductions, reinforcements and assisted colonisations. More background, including definitions of terms, the work of the National Species Reintroduction Forum (NSRF), and a description of the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations (which are based on the IUCN Guidelines for Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations), can be found in paper SAC/2016/03/08 produced in March 2016.
5. Scotland remains a leader in conservation translocation work. It is a topic that can generate substantial public, media and political interest. The use of conservation translocations (especially reintroductions) has increased dramatically in recent years. The following sections provide an update of relevant activities that have taken place since the 2016 paper, and sets out some possible future opportunities.
Update since March 2016 6. The Terms of Reference for the National Species Reintroduction Forum (NSRF) were revised and updated in December 2017. This clarified that its remit covers all conservation translocations, and not just reintroductions. There are now 19 full members and eleven corresponding members. Eileen Stuart of SNH has recently become the new chair. 1
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7. Until recently the NSRF have focussed more on developing, improving and communicating best practice approaches to conservation translocations, which culminated with the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations. However, another NSRF sub-group has been set up to develop a strategic approach to how species that might benefit most from conservation translocations could be identified and prioritised.
8. SNH held a ‘Sharing Good Practice’ event on conservation translocations in April 2016. The event was fully subscribed with 70 attendees including consultants, local authority ecologists, NGO representatives, and staff from statutory bodies. The event was used to promote best practice as set out in the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations, but also to get feedback on the approach set out in the Code.
9. The Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations has now become embedded as best practice to employ when working in Scotland, and must be used when applying for any SNH licence that includes conservation translocation. The aim is that the Code will be revised and improved in due course, taking into account the feedback and experiences to date, and to further harmonise it with SNH licensing requirements. In 2017 it was ‘highly commended’ at the ‘Nature of Scotland Awards’. The IUCN Reintroduction Specialist Group (IUCN RSG) has highlighted Scotland as the first country to adopt the IUCN guidelines in a national context via its Code.
10. The 2nd International Wildlife Reintroduction Conference, organised by the IUCN RSG, was held in Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago on 13-16 November 2018 (abstracts are available). SNH was represented, and a talk was given on ‘Conservation translocations in Scotland – people and species’ which focussed on socio-economic considerations. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) was also represented and gave an ePoster presentation on the beaver reinforcement project at Knapdale, of which SNH is a partner. Some of the key developing areas highlighted at the conference reintroduction are set out in section 26.
11. The RZSS has recently announced plans to develop a ‘National Wildlife Reintroductions Centre’ in the Cairngorm National Park. The centre will initially focus on wildcats (see wildcats update below), but with the flexibility to support work for other priority species in the future. Fundraising for this facility has now begun.
12. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), in collaboration with international partners, has recently submitted a grant application for a European training programme (including at doctoral level) designed to improve the knowledge base and practice of conservation translocations of threatened plants, with a focus on the use of ex situ material. If successful, an independent advisory board will be set up, 2
SAC/2019/03/03 consisting of five international specialists – SNH has accepted an invitation to sit on this board, which will provide an opportunity to link with the NSRF and SNH activities.
13. The UK Government’s ‘25 Year Environment Plan’ has a section on species reintroductions, and includes a commitment to produce a code that will apply in England. An advisory group, chaired by Defra, has been set up to develop the English Code, which is being drafted by Natural England (NE). SNH have been advising Defra and NE, and the decision has been made to use the Scottish Code as a template for the English version. Publication is expected at some point in spring 2019, and a permanent advisory group will also be established along the lines of the NSRF, chaired by Defra.
Examples of species projects
14. There have been a number of recent projects, and proposals, involving conservation translocations with Scotland as a receptor and/or donor. A sample is briefly referred to here.
15. The Species Action Framework (SAF) was a programme of targeted management action for 32 species that operated from 2007-2012, led by SNH. Many of these projects have continued in different forms after 2012. Conservation translocation was used a tool for several of the species including woolly willow, freshwater pearl mussel, pine hoverfly, vendace, water vole, white-tailed eagle and Eurasian beaver. The work and experience gained was recorded in the ‘Species Action Framework Handbook’ published in late 2016.
16. Flavocetraria centralis – This is an arctic alpine species of lichen restricted to a few montane sites in the Cairngorms, and likely to be sensitive to small-scale variation in environmental conditions. It became the focus of a licensed, experimental assisted colonisation involving SNH, the James Hutton Institute and the RBGE.
17. Alpine sow-thistle Cicerbita alpina – This is one of our rarest alpine plant species, only four native sites remain in the UK, all situated in the eastern Cairngorm mountains. Research carried out by RBGE has shown that the genetic diversity at each remaining site is low. Led by RBGE and SNH, translocations to three new sites (one close to a native site) were undertaken during 2017. Planting in Glen Doll was assisted by Graeme Day MSP, “Species Champion” for woolly willow Salix lanata (another species that has been successfully translocated in recent years).
18. Native oyster Ostrea edulis – Glenmorangie Distillery and Heriot Watt University have a well-developed proposal to restore native oyster to the Dornoch Firth. Controlled trials have taken place. Discussions are taking place with SNH over licensing arrangements and best practice.
19. Golden eagle – The ‘South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project’ involves a partnership between SNH, RSPB, Scottish Land and Estates and 3
SAC/2019/03/03 Buccleuch Estates, funding from a range of sources including £1.3m from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Until recently there were between two to four pairs of eagles across Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders, but the habitat is suitable for up to 16 pairs. Early advice was received from the NSRF. It has a significant socio-economic component, with two ‘community outreach officers’ and one ‘stakeholder engagement officer’ in the project team. The first three birds were released in August 2018.
20. White-tailed eagle – There have been no further releases of birds since the end of East of Scotland Sea Eagle project in 2012 (described in the Species Action Framework Handbook). However post-release management issues remain sensitive, particularly on the west coast. There is a Sea Eagle Management Scheme designed to provide livestock farmers and crofters with support and advice.
21. Eurasian beaver – SNH provided Scottish Government the ‘Beavers in Scotland’ report in 2015. The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform announced in November 2016 that she was minded to allow the existing Knapdale and Tayside populations to remain, and for them to recolonize naturally. A Scottish Beaver Forum was established, made of key conservation and land use stakeholder organisations, and SNH has been working with them to finalise appropriate advisory, management and licensing tools. A reinforcement project started at Knapdale in autumn 2017, the site of the original Scottish Beaver Trial. The statutory instrument to make beavers a ‘European Protected Species’ was laid on 22 February 2019, with the aim of legal protection coming into force in early May 2019. One of the tasks to take forward will be the further development of a research, survey and monitoring strategy for beavers in Scotland.
22. Red squirrel – Trees for Life have a licence for their ‘Red Squirrel Reintroduction Project’ which has the aim of releasing animals at about ten sites in the northwest Highlands.
23. Pine marten – Scotland has also been used a donor source for some translocations. This includes the Pine Marten Recovery Project, managed by the Vincent Wildlife Trust, which has involved three phases of translocations from Scotland to Wales.
24. Scottish wildcat – The work of Scottish Wildcat Action project and its partners is currently focussed on action within five ‘Priority Areas’ in northern Scotland, plus associated research and ex situ conservation breeding work. Results to date have further emphasised the serious situation now facing the wildcat in Scotland, and the extent of hybridisation that has occurred with domestic cats. A review of all wildcat conservation work in Scotland by the IUCN Cat Specialist Group was published on 27 February 2019. The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform was involved in the event marking the publication of the report. The results and recommendations of the review are being used to inform decision- making for future wildcat actions. It is anticipated that conservation 4
SAC/2019/03/03 translocation will become a significant element in the next phase of work. In January 2019 the RZSS, in partnership with SNH and others (including Forest Enterprise Scotland and the Cairngorms National Park Authority) submitted a bid for EU LIFE funding for a five year project that would involve the construction and running of a conservation breeding centre for wildcats, and a reinforcement release of animals in the ‘Cairngorms Connect’ area after preparatory domestic cat management has been completed.
25. Lynx – The potential for reintroducing lynx has received increased attention in recent years. The NSRF therefore set up a Lynx Working Group which reported in August 2017. The Group produced a document that was designed to support the decision-making process for any future licence application that may need to be considered by SNH (and for which the NSRF would be consulted), and to complement the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations. In July 2017 a group called Lynx UK Trust submitted a licence application to Natural England (NE) to undertake a trial reintroduction to Kielder Forest in Northumberland. An application was not submitted to SNH, and we were advised there was no legal requirement to do so, even though it would be likely that any lynx released would move across the border. NE assessed the application during 2017-2018, and invited Scottish bodies and others to comment. They were provided with the NSRF Lynx Working Group report. NE provided the NSRF with an update of the situation at its December 2017 meeting. The Defra Secretary of State, refused the application on 4 December 2018 as it was determined that the proposal did not meet the necessary standards set out in the IUCN guidelines. Recently the same group announced public meetings to be held in the Highlands, Argyll and Perthshire during March 2019 to discuss new plans for lynx releases, although no details have been supplied to SNH.
Developing themes
26. The science and practice surrounding conservation translocations is developing fast. One study reported 126 species that had been the focus of reintroduction projects up to 1992, jumping to 489 species by 2005. The IUCN RSG have been publishing case studies in their Global Reintroduction Perspectives series, and by the time of their 2016 volume they had amassed details of 290 projects (the Scottish Beaver Trial is reported in their 2016 volume). This trend appears to be continuing, and parallels the Scottish situation. Some specific issues which have been developing in recent years are listed here
- Some conservationists are encouraging a move from more conservative, reactive approaches to being more proactive. For example, some argue the case for supporting the conservation translocation of some species before their populations become too threatened and depleted, and when the likelihood of success is greater and the costs smaller.
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SAC/2019/03/03 - Uncertainty and complexity is common in conservation situations. There are now increasingly refined decision-making tools being developed to help formally structure conservation decisions, increasing the likelihood of better outcomes. Such tools are increasingly used, but for many practitioners they may seem over- complex, and/or not easily available or accessible (see section 30 below).
- Motivations for conservation translocations are evolving. Increasingly they are not just biologically focussed. There may also be a range of socio-economic drivers, not least engaging the interest and enthusiasm of local communities in taking forward projects which can make a clear, tangible difference.
- Restoration ecology – complementary to conservation translocation, habitat restoration is often needed to treat the cause of a species’ decline before conservation translocation takes place. Conversely, translocating key species, such as predators and ecosystem engineers (e.g. prairie dogs to the American Prairie Reserve in Montana), can have cascading effects in ecosystems that can restore former patterns and processes.
- Rewilding/wilding – A concept that has generated significant public and media interest in recent years. It is generally (but not solely) used to describe landscape-scale restoration approaches where nature is allowed to take its course, rather than being objective driven. Conservation translocations, in particular reintroductions, (especially predators, large herbivores and ecosystem engineers) are often put forward as a component of rewilding. The topic has generated strong debate, and opposition amongst some stakeholders.
- Multi-species conservation translocations – there are increasing numbers of projects that have ambitious ecosystem restoration objectives, that involve the translocation of several species e.g. Mauritius and Rodrigues (plant, bird and reptile species), Iberá Wetlands in Argentina, American Prairie Reserve in Montana etc.
- Ecological replacement – used where a species has become extinct and therefore reintroduction is not possible. An alternative is therefore to undertaken a form of conservation introduction, involving another species which performs a very similar ecological role. It is therefore higher risk but has been used with apparent success e.g. as part of the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative in Galapagos. The issue of ash dieback was covered in paper SAC/2015/03 and potential response options identified – this included the establishment of additional tree species (e.g. small- leaved lime and field maple) to maintain diversity and functions of ash.
- Assisted colonisation – this is another form of conservation introduction, and has been used where the dispersal powers of a 6
SAC/2019/03/03 species are insufficient to move them away from threats arising from disease (e.g. Tasmanian devil to offshore islands) or climate change (lichen Flavocetraria centralis in Scotland). A recent assessment by the IUCN RSG estimated 24% of plant conservation translocations in China are assisted colonisations.
- De-extinction – This is the process of creating an organism that resembles an extinct species, in other words a ‘proxy’ of an extinct species. There are significant ethical and socio-economic issues surrounding such work, as well as biological challenges. High profile examples have created much media interest, especially where they have been associated with a proposed conservation translocation into the wild (e.g. passenger pigeon, woolly mammoth). Noting that this was likely to be an area that will develop fast over coming years, the IUCN published ‘Guiding Principles on Creating Proxies of Extinct Species for Conservation Benefit’ in 2016.
- Synthetic biology – Significant technological developments, covered under the broad umbrella term of ‘synthetic biology’ will continue to improve the efficiency and precision in the ability to manipulate genetic material, which will have implications for conservation translocations as well as other conservation tools. This covers a range of complex topics including genetic engineering for specific traits in founder preparation, de-extinction (see above) and the creation of hybrid forms, and release site preparation including pest/invasive species eradication.
- Suitability of individuals used in conservation translocations – there is a growing availability of information in this area. For example, a number of studies are beginning to demonstrate the increased likelihood of success when animals are sourced from the wild as opposed to captive-bred (where the option exists), the significance of genetic factors, the role the personality (i.e. the prominence of particular behaviours) of individuals can play, and the role of ‘Disease Risk Analysis’ (DRA).
Conclusions, forward look and potential opportunities – for SAC comment
27. It seems likely that that there will be increasing numbers of proposals for conservation translocations being developed in Scotland, or requiring the use of organisms from Scottish donor populations. Most, if not all, of those involving a species of conservation interest will require a licence from SNH (either a ‘species licence’ and/or a ‘non- native species licence’). SNH will therefore need to continue applying a rigorous and consistent approach when assessing licence applications, aided by the framework set out in the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations. This has to be balanced with its role as an advocate of biodiversity conservation, and the expectation that there should be a sympathetic, supportive approach for well-planned proposals with 7
SAC/2019/03/03 low/appropriately managed levels of risk, and where the potential benefits may be high.
28. The following sections identify some specific topics that either will, or could, be developed further over the coming years. SNH, and Scotland as a whole, is in a strong position to show international leadership in this high profile area of work. The SAC is invited to comment on them.
29. Development of guidance – The intention is to revise and improve the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations over the next two years. SNH will maintain contact with NE and Defra, who are developing the English Code, to see if there are opportunities for synergy. There is also the potential to develop related Scottish guidance on other types of activities which sometimes overlap with conservation translocations e.g. ‘management translocations’, ‘mitigation translocations’ and ‘welfare translocations’. Mitigation translocations, in particular, are often proposed as solutions by developers wanting to move a species population away from sites identified with commercial potential. Some specific guidance on these other types of translocations have been developed for beavers as part of the overall framework being developed for beaver management
30. Development of tools to improve the effectiveness of conservation translocation projects – Efforts have been made to improve best practice applied to conservation translocations. Well planned and implemented projects can fundamentally improve stakeholder engagement and increase the likelihood of conservation success. This also reduces negative impacts for SNH e.g. minimising the risk of resource-heavy wildlife conflict situations arising, and identifying socio-economic benefits. Despite this, the design of some projects could still be much improved. There are now increasing numbers and types of 'decision-making' and other tools that are being promoted by the IUCN RSG to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of such projects. A proposed partnership project involving the IUCN RSG has therefore been submitted for co-funding by SNH. This would involve developing and producing web-based tools which can be made widely available to practitioners, and would address topics such as motivations for translocations, planning, social feasibility, developing alternatives to meet objectives, feasibility and design, risk and uncertainty.
31. Monitoring of socio-economic implications – SNH has increasingly become involved in contentious species management issues (e.g. geese, deer, beaver, white-tailed eagle, hen harrier etc) and so has been working with others to develop tools to help support out work on human-wildlife conflict, adaptive management etc. Some of these species management issues have involved conservation translocations, and so it will be important to further assess and monitor any negative impacts they may bring, and the effectiveness of management put in place. However it will also be important to measure the benefits of such translocations to a range of ecosystem services,
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SAC/2019/03/03 including cultural ones (which relates to SNH’s current focus on connecting people and nature).
32. Community involvement in conservation translocation proposals – The Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations already places considerable emphasis on requiring the proposer to carry out appropriate stakeholder engagement when developing a project. However there may be some implications for more contentious translocation proposals that arise from The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. The Act “…introduces new duties on public authorities…the Act strengthens the voices of communities in the decisions that matter to them”. The implications of this have yet to be considered in detail. However there is also the prospect that communities may decide to develop proposals themselves, in much the same way that currently happens in New Zealand. There, the majority of conservation translocations are developed and managed by community groups, with the Department of Conservation playing an advisory role. Such projects often involve invasive non-native species management (INNS are major threats to native New Zealand species) at the receptor site. There may be risks with such an approach, but also the potential for great gains with local communities becoming more actively engaged in projects and taking ownership, particularly important after the initial planning and release phases of a translocation have been completed. This may be an approach SNH could pursue (see section 35).
33. Further research and trialling in the use of assisted colonisation - A major driver of future conservation translocations is likely to be the need to employ it in situations where the natural dispersal powers of certain species will be insufficient to respond to the negative pressures of environmental change, such as disease or climate. This type of translocation, a form of ‘conservation introduction’ called ‘assisted colonisation’, has received increasing interest and publicity, not least because of some of the more extreme and high risk proposals that have been put forward (e.g. translocating lemurs from Madagascar to Moskito Island in the Caribbean) and previous disastrous experiences in introducing invasive non-native species. However there is significant potential in how this might be used in less risky situations (e.g. more local geographic scales), but there is limited research to inform best practice. SNH has already supported an initial project by trialling the assisted colonisation of a lichen (see para. 17) and there would be value in further examining the feasibility and desirability of this type of approach for some specific species, for example those which are less mobile and more sensitive to small-scale microclimatic conditions. Sarah Dalrymple, Liverpool John Moores University, (who worked with SNH in developing the Scottish Code) currently has a PhD study which involves the identification and assessment of potential assisted colonisation sites for European alpine birds. SNH has already developed eight Adaptation Principles to help nature adapt to climate change, the eighth of which is “Consider translocation of species in circumstances where assessments indicate the likely loss of a species
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SAC/2019/03/03 despite new management measures, and where there are suitable areas for nature to adapt”.
34. Information repository – This is an ongoing action for NSRF members to establish a web-based repository of information on Scottish conservations translocations. It has not yet been possible to progress this, although opportunities will be sought.
35. SNH and its general approach to conservation translocations – The Scottish Code takes a non-advocacy approach, its role is to set out and promote best practice. SNH uses the Code when making decisions and providing advice on conservation translocation proposals. This needs to continue, but there is also an argument that SNH could be more proactive in encouraging the development of more low/managed-risk proposals that will benefit Scottish biodiversity. Ongoing threats arising from issues such as climate change, habitat loss and invasive non-native species means that there is an urgent need to start being more creative and ambitious over how we can halt biodiversity loss, especially using means that engage and involve the public. Therefore it is worth considering whether SNH should be more proactive in promoting the use of well-planned and implemented conservation translocation as an increasingly effective and utilised tool, including its use to help nature adapt to climate change. In particular this would apply to lower/managed risk projects with no or very limited public cost (i.e. utilising resources from non-public sources) and appropriate stakeholder engagement, but with potential positive biological and socio-economic benefits. SNH’s role would be continuing to ensure such projects were in line with the Code and best practice (and therefore ensuring appropriate management of risk balanced with potential benefits), that the NSRF were engaged when necessary and licensing requirements addressed.
Author: Martin Gaywood Date: 6 March 2019 Contact Details: 01463 725230, [email protected]
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