Government urged to 'act now' on marine protection

Shoals of public support for marine protection put Government commitment in the shallows. At 12 noon today four leading nature conservation charities will stand shoulder to shoulder to present pledges to Downing Street calling for an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas. More than 350,000 people signed pledges - often in creative ways, at aquaria and seaside events where they made sand and willow sculptures or created silver-scaled marine creatures. Take a look at the booklet that accompanies this release and see images attached. Locally, Devon Wildlife Trust mobilised its army of volunteers to gather more than 5,000 signatures for the petition at events, at meetings and at its visitor centres across the county. Each one of the signatures adds supports to the call for urgent action to better protect the UK's seas.

The charities are extremely concerned that:

• While there is huge public support for greater protection of our seas using Marine Protected Areas, there has been little evidence that the Government will do this on a meaningful scale for English waters or with any sense of urgency. 
• Following a two and half year public consultation process involving one million stakeholders across England the Government is currently only suggesting an initial tranche of 31 Marine Conservation Zones. The charities and Government's own advisors agree that a full, ecologically coherent network is absolutely vital to ensure the future of our seas. There is uncertainty over how committed the Government is to progressing future tranches of Marine Conservation Zones. All four charities are calling on the Government to commit to a specified timetable designating an entire network. 
• A whole swathe of important marine wildlife is not being considered by the Government. Marine Protected 

Areas are needed for mobile species - such as whales, dolphins, basking sharks and seabirds - in order to create a network that is truly ecologically coherent. The joint petition comes in the wake of the recently published nature "State report put together by scientists working side-by-side with 25 wildlife organisations. They compiled a stock-take of our native species - the first of its kind in the UK - and revealed that 60% of the species studied have declined over recent decades. More than one in ten of all the species assessed are under threat of disappearing from our shores altogether. Protection of our remaining natural heritage is critical. In April, the House of Commons' Science and Technology Committee on Marine Science concluded its report saying: "We were pleased to hear that the Minister is keen to move the Marine Conservation Zone process forward, but we have not seen this intention translated into action. The Minister should not let his priorities be set by fear of judicial review. Further delay to the process perpetuates the uncertainty that has already been damaging to the Marine Conservation Zone project. We recommend that Government set out a clear timetable for designation of this tranche and future tranches of Marine Conservation Zones, with a clear commitment to an end date by which the ecologically coherent network of marine protected areas, as the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 requires, will be established." Devon Wildlife Trust's Senior Marine Advocacy Officer, Richard White, added his support to the call for action: "Devon's waters are home to a stunning range of marine wildlife, from the humble shore crab to the mighty basking shark. But the picture we see today is a faded one. We know that historically our shores and waters teemed with a greater abundance and a greater variety of life. It is vital that Government acts quickly to put in place a full network of protection around our waters so that we can halt declines and stat to rebuild what we have lost."

The four leading nature conservation charities calling for the urgent designation Marine Protected Areas are:

• Marine Conservation Society - http://www.mcsuk.org/
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - http://www.rspb.org.uk/marine
• The Wildlife Trusts - http://www.wildlifetrusts.org
• WWF -  http://www.wwf.org.uk/> .

The House of Commons' Science and Technology Committee report on Marine Science - http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/news/marine-science-report; published its report in April 2013.

B10 Event: First Northern Devon Sustainable Energy Fair

B10 is proud to support the first Northern Devon Sustainable Energy Fair as a flagship event in the B10 programme, celebrating ten years of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve. The two day trade fair will be held at Bideford Pannier Market in North Devon on Sunday 16 and Monday 17 June 2013. This is an exciting and informative networking opportunity for business to business as well as a chance for consumers to find out how they can ‘green’ their lifestyles. The work of the North Devon Biosphere is to preserve both the natural environment and the economic viability of the area and using new and existing technologies to achieve this is crucial. James Craigie of Northern Devon Sustainable Energy says: “Northern Devon has a higher than average number of sustainable energy businesses” and he is hoping that it will lead the way in promoting sustainable living and working. James adds “The aim [of the event] is to bring together all different types of renewable technology under one roof to excite and inspire the people of Northern Devon to adapt to the changing face of energy supply. There are many small businesses that are making huge progress and we believe the word needs to be spread about their fantastic array of products.” The Sustainable Energy Fair will feature all the best suppliers, installers and organisations dealing with renewable energy in the region. Open 10am to 5pm on both days the Fair offers visitors the chance to find out more about a huge variety of energy saving products including solar panels, solar thermal, woodchip boilers, ground and air source heat pumps, wind turbines, anaerobic digestors and energy saving glazing solutions. Adding value to the event there will be a series of talks and presentations on both days:

SUNDAY 16th

• 10.30-11.00 Green Deal (Ampere GDP)
• 11.00-12.00 Atlantic Array (Peter Crone)
• 12.00-1.00 Sustainable Architecture (Clive Jones)
• 1.00-2.00 Biomass and Wood Fuel (Andy Bell - Biosphere Reserve)
• 2.00-2.20 Community Financed PV (Olly Frankland - TRESOC)
• 2.20-3.00 Commercial PV Arrays (Green Deal Installations)
• 3.00 -3.45 Making a home Sustainable (Hector Christie) 

MONDAY 17th

• 10.30-11.00 The Green Deal (Ampere GPD)
• 11.00-11.30 Growing Wood Fuel (Biosphere Reserve)
• 11.30-12.30 Low Carbon Farming (Sam Adams - Soil Association)
• 12.30-1.30 Truly Affordable Housing (Clive Jones)
• 1.30-2.00 The Green Deal (Ampere GPD)
• 2.00-3.00 Sustainable Retrofit (Mukti Mitchell - CosyHome company)
• 3.00-4.00 Biodigestors and Vertical axis Wind-turbines (Renewable Energy Innovations)

B10 Events: Get your entries in now for the Tarka Run Challenge & The Bideford Bay 50K

The North Devon Biosphere Reserve is all around us and as well as providing us with homes, work and community it is a most valuable resource for outdoor sports. Celebrating B10, ten years of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve, we have two high profile sporting events in our calendar. The first is the Devon Tarka Run Challenge which is taking place on Sunday 1 September 2013 on the Tarka Trail. This is a flat course along the Trail from Bideford to Barnstaple which makes it extremely accessible for all abilities. As well as celebrating B10, the Tarka Run Challenge is raising funds for the North Devon Hospice. This is a social run (and not a race!) Entry fee £15 plus a commitment to raise a further £20 in sponsorship for the North Devon Hospice. Places are limited to 400 so get your entries in now. Visit the website at www.tarka-run.co.uk for more information or contact Simon Paddon by email at simon@coast-coast.co.uk or telephone 07791 906433. The second running event is in a different category altogether! The Bideford Bay 50K on Saturday 7 September 2013 is an ultra marathon! Local sporting event organisers, Beacon Running, have put together this extreme run, up hill and down dale along the North Devon Coast from Hartland to Bideford. Again this is not just a race to prove your fitness, this challenging event is raising funds for the Northern Devon Chemotherapy Appeal. Entry fee is £35 for solo runners with discounts for teams … and there will be prizes! For more information contact Race Director Adrian Colwill by email at beaconrunning@outlook.com or by telephone 07527 536817.