Making the Link Thirty years of Wildlife and Countryside Link There is nothing those with power who Making the Link “are defending the status quo like more than for those advocating change in the public interest to argue amongst themselves. Some good causes get nowhere for this reason. Over the last 30 years, those arguing the case for our wildlife and countryside have had real successes - in part because they are right, in part because of the wonderful work of particular groups - and in part because Link has ensured the movement has remained a largely united and coherent, and thus a powerful force. Peter Melchett ” Chair of Link, 1980 - 1988 This anniversary publication follows how member organisations, their representatives and Link staff have helped run and develop Link, not as an organisation in its own right but as a collective, and reflects some of its many achievements over three decades. Contents Introduction 4 The Eighties 6 The Nineties 12 Watendlath © www Watendlath The Noughties 18 Messages 26 .northeastwildlife.co.uk 2 3 A view from the first Chair In the beginning laying the foundation Environmental organisations have long recognised the value of a national rs Thatcher’s election in 1979 played a small part in coalition for increasing public awareness and support, for exchanging Wildlife Link’s formation. It left me without a full-time job best practice and for championing their cause. In 1980 Wildlife Link Mafter nearly five years as a Minister - and keen to do more took over from two umbrella bodies that in their time had served work on nature conservation (I was already a Trustee of WWF). So when Joanna Gordon-Clarke (whale campaigner) and Richard wildlife and the environment well - the Council for Nature 1 and the Fitter (international conservationist) asked me if I’d be interested Council for Environmental Conservation (CoEnCo)2. Its formation in chairing a co-ordination body for conservation NGOs that did was a response to increasing evidence of damage to wildlife and the not yet exist, I said ‘yes’. environment and to a more demanding political climate. The real genesis of Link was the growth in influence of It was clear that the defensive and narrow protectionist stance that environmental groups like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth had dominated previous coalitions had to change to one where a healthy through the 1970s, and the failure of the existing liaison body , the natural environment was championed as a central requirement of a Council for Nature, to accommodate these changes. That in turn modern and healthy society and where campaigning had to move from stemmed from the Council slowly becoming more of an end in a threat to a solution-based approach. itself, less a service to its member organisations - a common and Peter Melchett 1979 © WCL damaging fate for many liaison and co -ordinating bodies. The UK’s voluntary environment and animal welfare groups agreed to The formation was a slow and difficult process - getting an initially establish Link in August 1979 but it was not until March 1980 that it reluctant but crucially important Royal Society for the Protection held its first formal meeting under the auspices of CoEnCo. Link was of Birds (RSPB) on board was the key. In that process, its then based upon a principle already established in the USA by a coalition Parliamentary Officer, Stuart Housden, played an important role, group called ‘Monitor’. Records describe Lord Peter Melchett, its supported by Tim Sands from the R oyal Society of Wildlife Trusts. first Chairman, as having been “the driving force behind getting the WWF (as so often) provided sufficient funds to make it happen. organisation going despite considerable establishment bias”. He was In the end, everyone gave up some precious independence for convinced from his experience as a junior Minister that delegations the good of the cause. The proposed Wildlife and Countryside Bill, putting forward a consensus view were usually more effective. the Nature Conservancy Council's unimaginably weak position on site protection and determination to ignore divided NGOs, the A sister organisation - Countryside Link - was formed in 1982 to look vital flow of information on site destruction and damage from the after the interests of the countryside but it was to be a further eleven NCC’s Chief Scientist, Derek Ratcliffe - those provided the stage years before the two organisations joined forces and Wildlife and on which Wildlife Link went forth, and prospered. Countryside Link was born. Peter Melchett A founder and Chair of Link, 1980 - 1988 In the intervening years Link has championed many environmental causes and has grown into a respected and powerful mechanism for collective action with over 30 member organisations supported by more than eight million people in the UK. 1 The Council for Nature had been established in 1958 as the umbrella body for natural history organisations, although its remit later widened to absorb environmental and wildlife issues. It co-ordinated the hugely successful Nature Weeks in 1964 and 1966 which increased public awareness of wildlife, was a co -sponsor of the Countryside in 1970 conferences inspired and chaired by the Duke of Edinburgh and co -ordinated the Parliamentary campaign that led to the Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975. In 1979, the year of Wildlife Link’s formation, the Council for Nature was disbanded. 2 The Council for Environmental Conservation had been set up in 1969 as an umbrella body for everything environmental other than natural history. CoEnCo’s finances became increasingly tight © www and it was disbanded in 1982. .northeastwildlife.co.uk Red deer stag © www.northeastwildlife.co.uk 4 5 80s The massive threats facing our climate,“ oceans and forests make the exchange of information and ideas and policy co-ordination increasingly important. Link provides that vital service John Sauven, Executive Director, Greenpeace” UK Grey partridges © Chris Knights (rspb-images.com) 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 G Inaugural meeting of the G Post Office issues stamps G Wildlife Link is G Axe fails to fall on Nature G Link supports NCC’s G Link acquires its first G Government publishes G Scottish Environment G Tax incentives for G Wales Environment Link Wildlife Link Committee for launch of Butterfly established as an Conservancy Council Nature Conservation in computer draft regulations on LINK is formed conifer afforestation are is formed on 26 March - on Year organised by the independent after strong support Great Britain - a strategy the sale and import of successfully removed G European Community G European Year of the G Prime Minister’s Royal the agenda the entomological societies unincorporated from Link and others for the future of the agrees regulations anglers’ lead weights Environment from the budget, and Society ‘green’ speech Government’s delayed and otters are found in association nature conservation Link pressure helps win a presumption against the previous autumn, G Continuing catastrophic allowing grants to be G World Commission Wildlife and Countryside only 6% of sites surveyed Government agency - movement - that leads International Whaling G afforestation of the including a call for action G loss and damage of paid to farmers for on Environment and Bill, halting grey seal in England the Nature Conservancy to an improved Commission moratorium English uplands and on global warming and Britain’s wildlife habitats Environmentally Development unveils culling, whales, Foreign The Wildlife & Council - calls for relationship between on commercial whaling a new SSSI to stop destruction of the G is condemned by Link Sensitive Areas its report Our Common & Commonwealth Countryside Act - voluntary phasing the two bodies afforestation of over ozone layer, provides as timetable slips for Link successfully Link’s Local Authorities Future - the so-called Office forest clearance In its report, G G 400,000 acres of the a springboard for the nation’s first out of lead weights re-notification of the G campaigns to amend the and Wildlife Report Brundtland Report - proposals and future Badgers, Cattle and Flow Country are increased public comprehensive wildlife in angling after Mute country’s top sites and Wildlife & Countryside urges Government to calling for nations to European action on trade Bovine Tuberculosis, announced interest in all things law - receives Royal Swan deaths spark resources and manpower Act 1981 to make strengthen its advice on commit to sustainable in endangered species Link responds to a Strong opposition to environmental… and Assent after sustained public concern fail to materialise provision for habitat nature conservation in development G G A UNEP World and intensive Government three-man the proposal to sell-off the Government G Link criticises mapping in National its proposed revision of Conservation Strategy review team with calls G Government finally the country’s National drops plans to privatise Link lobbying and slow Government Parks, to tighten up law planning guidance to is launched in 32 Parliamentary debate to redirect funds away publishes revised Nature Reserves is made National Nature Reserves implementation of on badger protection, local authorities guidance on planning capital cities on unprecedented from killing badgers clear to the Secretary Link’s newly formed Air Wildlife & Countryside and to place a The Agriculture Act and nature conservation G Sir Peter Scott presents numbers of amendments to research to find G of State for the