Conservation & Ecology
had concerns for environmental and conservation matters. Indeed, in a previous life, I earned my living as a wildlife artist and worked closely with a number of environmental agencies of the time. Back then, the environmental concerns
A
were DDT - part of the subject matter of Joni’s song - oil pollution at sea, the decline of birds of prey, rain forest destruction and half-baked architectural schemes threatening to engulf our green and pleasant land. Myxomatosis had all but wiped out the rabbit population - part of the reason for the decline in birds of prey - although gamekeepers were still prone to blasting them out of the sky to protect their ‘livelihood’ - and badger baiting and gassing was rife. There also remained the distinct possibility that the Cold War might result in the annihilation the planet at any time! Fast forward almost fifty years and what
has changed? On a global scale, climate change is the ‘buzz’ topic, and has been for twenty-odd years, whilst the decline in the bee population is of obvious and real concern. Without our pollinators we are in serious trouble, are we not? The once rare buzzard can now be found
nationwide, Red kites can be seen across much of the country, peregrines have taken to nesting in inner cities and kestrels can be observed hunting along the sides of those ‘blots on the landscape’ (as reported in the sixties); motorways. Badgers now require culling to reduce bovine tuberculosis (allegedly), whilst reintroduced wild boar have reached nuisance proportions and pose a serious danger to children and dogs. And there’s talk of reintroducing the European Wolf to Scotland because they once lived there! Is it me, or is that just a step too far? The reasoning is that their reintroduction
will reduce deer numbers by as much as 50%. Is that until the population is decimated to the point we have to reintroduce deer to
s long ago as 1970, when Joni Mitchell’s song Big Yellow Taxi urged farmers to “give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees, please!” I have
Scotland? And, if there are that many deer, then why not put them on the table to ease the food shortage, along with horse, donkey and anything else that tastes a good deal better than a Peperami? The spots on my apples have disappeared, it seems for good, along with any semblance of flavour, whilst staples such as the gooseberry and rhubarb have, pretty much, been consigned to the Women’s Institute autumn bring and buy sale in favour of more exotic fruits. Yes, I know rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but I’m taking the American stance where they deemed it a fruit in a court of law! God bless the tomato! Of course, if the EU get their way with a
blanket pesticide ban, then spotty, maggot ridden apples may well make a return. Personally, I would welcome that, although I’m not so sure Tesco would agree! I read recently that Oxfam Analysis (didn’t know there was such a thing) reckon that climate change will be responsible for a 20% rise in the cost of our favourite breakfast cereals by 2030. That’s a rather bold statement, given that economic vagaries may well account for a 20% rise over a fifteen year period anyway but, of course, the analysts can say, “see, we told you so”. I know, for a fact, that my favourite light
meal on toast - mackerel fillets in tomato sauce - has gone up by over 100% in the past six years. Why did no analyst warn me of that?
The words that analysts, scientists and the
like prefer to use are ‘could’, ‘might’ and ‘likely’. Take the Oxfam ‘Standing on the Sidelines’ report as an example. It states: “If left unchecked, the effects of climate change on basic crops - like rice, wheat, and corn - could drive up the cost of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes in the US by up to 20% by 2030. Corn Flakes could also rise up to 30% in the US, and up to 44% in the UK.” Oxfam goes on to blame the ‘Big 10’ food and beverage companies for not doing enough to combat climate change by “cutting emissions from their agricultural supply chains and lobbying for governmental action.” Oxfam argue that global warming is already having an impact on the American breakfast
“
I know, for a fact, that my favourite light meal on toast - mackerel fillets in tomato sauce - has gone up by over 100% in the past six years. Why did no analyst warn me of that?
The European Wolf may be reintroduced in Scotland to control deer PC JUNE/JULY 2014 I 117
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