Environment's Effects On Evolution of Survival Traits

ScienceDaily (Feb. 11, 2012) — Advances in studying genes mean that scientists in evolutionary developmental biology or "evo-devo" can now explain more clearly than ever before how bats got wings, the turtle got its shell and blind cave fish lost their eyes, says University of Massachusetts Amherst evolutionary biologist Craig Albertson.

He recently won a five-year, $625,000 Faculty Early Career Development grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study the evo-devo of jaws in cichlid fish, tropical freshwater relatives of the tilapia. These highly adaptable cousins of sunfish, usually medium-sized and looking a bit like perch, have a phenomenal ability to undergo evolutionary change. They've developed 1,000 new species in Lake Malawi, Africa, over the past million years, a far faster pace than usual for other vertebrates in a similar period.

The NSF grant is the foundation's most prestigious award in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of both.

Read on:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095049.htm

PCBs Eating Away at Turtles (Via Herp Digest)

PCBs Eating Away at Turtles- Chemicals that have lingered in the environment for decades may be eating away at the bones of turtles and, maybe, us.
By Eily Sohn, Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:59 PM ET
THE GIST

Exposure to PCBs leads to stunted growth and low bone-density in turtles.
Turtle bones grow like human bones do, and enough exposure to PCBs might harm us in similar ways.
PCBs have been long banned but they remain ubiquitous in the environment.

When exposed to certain levels of PCBs, turtles suffer from stunted growth and weak bones, found a new study.

With low bone-density, turtles have a tougher time diving, swimming and chewing their food. And the same is probably true for fish and other wild animals that are exposed to the ubiquitous environmental pollutant.

It's too soon to know what the results mean for people, and our level of exposure is probably much lower than what some turtles experience. But there is reason to believe that the shelled creatures might be sentinels for human health.

"There have been a few published studies done in Nordic countries that correlated individuals who consume a lot of fish with increased incidence of hip fractures," said Dawn Holliday, a physiological ecologist at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri.

"Turtles make and break bone through a very similar process that mammals and humans do," she added. "If humans were exposed at similar concentrations, it might be relevant."
PCBs, which were once commonly used in pesticides and a wide variety of industrial fluids, have been banned for decades. But with very slow breakdown times, they are still widespread in the environment, particularly in more developed areas.

In fish, birds, minks and other creatures, PCBs have been linked with slower growth rates, particularly in young animals and developing embryos. Studies have also connected exposure to the chemical with tumors in mink jaws and deformed heads in zebrafish. Exposed adult animals tend to suffer from immune system and related problems.

Holliday and colleague Casey Holliday, who is also her husband, had previously found that PCB exposure caused the metabolisms of turtles to slow down, making them sluggish and less able to turn their food into energy.

To see if turtle bones, too, might be at risk from chemical exposure, the researchers collected diamondback terrapin eggs from the wild, hatched them in the lab, and raised them on frozen brine shrimp.

After eight months to ensure the animals were growing normally, the scientists injected some of the turtles with a dose of PCB 126 that was equivalent to what they might encounter in an urban lake or river. Other turtles got a placebo injection.

Six months later, the researchers reported in the journal Aquatic Toxicology, the shells of the PCB-injected group had grown just one millimeter (0.04-inch) in length, compared to 10 mm (0.4 inches) in the uncontaminated turtles.

"It was such a big difference that you could see it," Dawn Holliday said. "You didn't have to get out a ruler to measure them."

The PCB group also had widespread patches of bone that were not mineralized, while the pollution-free turtles had strong, hard bones. Like dioxins and BPA, PCBs seem to interfere with hormone activity, Holliday said.

The chemicals also appear to disrupt cell growth and differentiation, said Don Tillitt, an environmental toxicologist with the United States Geological Survey in Columbia, Missouri.

Linking illnesses and deformations in wild animal with specific chemicals can be extremely difficult to do, Tillit said. Lab studies like this one add important details that can eventually help scientists both solve and prevent environmental mysteries.

"Every time they make progress in better understanding the adverse effects of chemicals like PCBs, and PCBs in particular," he said, "it quite often helps with ecological risk assessments and how we set regulatory limits for cleaning up sites."

The study is also a reminder that animal deaths aren't the only sign that something is wrong in the environment.

"When we see effects like this, we know there are things that are maybe more insidious," Tillit said. "It's a good reminder that we have to be on guard."

Road salt's second sting (Via Herp Digest)

Road salt's second sting - UNC Asheville biologist learns it harms amphibians - and helps mosquitoes thrive
By T. DeLene Beeland, Correspondent, Nov. 14, 2011

A sure sign that winter has arrived is when drivers spot chunks of road salt in their lanes. It's safe to say drivers appreciate ice-free roads, but ... ever wonder where all that salt ends up?
In North Carolina, the Department of Transportation spreads, on average, 256,249,901 pounds of salt on state-managed roads each year.

UNC Asheville biologist James Petranka decided to investigate what this seasonal onslaught means for our native amphibians. Because amphibians breathe through their skin and are highly susceptible to environmental contaminants, Petranka wondered if flushes of road salts to their breeding ponds kill them.

The salt, he learned, didn't kill the amphibians outright, though it does harm their growth as juveniles. Perhaps more alarming, he found the road salt is causing problems in the food web.
Mimicking nature

The effect of road salts on lakes and streams is documented, but it's understudied in pools that form seasonally, and seasonal pools are where amphibians prefer to breed in late winter and early spring. After reading a scientific report on road salt effects upon wood frogs and spotted salamanders in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, Petranka couldn't get his mind off what might be unfolding in the mountainous woods of Western North Carolina that surround his office.
The southeastern U.S. lays claim to harboring the greatest diversity of salamanders in the world. Of the 102 salamander species known in the Southeast, 60 are found in North Carolina. Most of this diversity occurs in the western part of the state, where mountain folds create a mosaic of geographically-restricted amphibian populations. Some species look identical, but due to isolation are highly distinct genetically. Some salamanders may never travel more than 200 to 300 feet from where they hatch, Petranka says.

As an amphibian guru, he should know. He authored "Salamanders of the United States and Canada," considered a major reference source. He was also the first researcher who, in the late '80s, established that amphibians use chemical cues in their environment to decide where to lay their eggs. They avoid laying eggs where they sense egg- and larvae-predators, like fish.

To test the effect of road salts, Petranka set up a series of low-tech experiments on UNC Asheville's campus. You know those blue kiddie wading pools you see on your neighbor's lawn? Turns out they are perfect for simulating natural seasonal pools: just the right diameter and depth.

Petranka placed nearly 60 plastic wading pools outdoors and filled them with aged tap water. Next he added algae and protozoans collected with fine nets from natural seasonal pools, plus small crustaceans, like water fleas and copepods. He used leaf litter to mimic the most common type of natural pool bottom. Then he added wood frog and spotted salamander larvae, collected from the wild. Finally, he introduced a road salt mix at levels found in polluted wild pools.

"We couldn't do the experiments in a natural setting because there simply aren't enough seasonal pools left locally," Petranka said. North Carolina is estimated to have lost 90 percent of its wetlands, including seasonal pools, since European contact, mainly due to ditching, draining and damming rivers.
Salt, salamanders, skeeters

Petranka discovered amphibians didn't fare well in the salted pools: Petranka found that even low levels of road salts reduced spotted salamander larvae growth because the salt decimated the water fleas and other invertebrates that they eat.

Because seasonal pools eventually dry, reduced larvae growth can prevent or delay metamorphosis, putting them at risk for higher mortality rates. And those stunted larvae that do survive may reach sexual maturity up to a year later than normal, Petranka says.

He also learned that mosquitoes fared the experimental salt treatment much better - that salted pools can trigger mosquito plagues.

In a natural setting, mosquitoes avoid laying their eggs in ponds where there are amphibian larvae, because the amphibian larvae gobble up the mosquito larvae. But when road salts were applied, mosquitoes were more likely to blossom, as were shore flies and midges. Those insects colonized Petranka's wading pools naturally. After experimenting with different species compositions, Petranka says he's getting a good signal that mosquitoes strongly avoid laying their eggs in pools containing a full array of native species.

"The mosquito larvae have this thick outer cuticle, and they sit just below the water's surface, with a breathing tube sticking up," Petranka said. "It's almost like they are custom-built to withstand a saline environment."

One of the two species of mosquito Petranka documented is a known vector for West Nile virus. "What this means is that in areas where salty runoff reaches seasonal pools, we may be unintentionally selecting for mosquitoes and other salt-tolerant insects," Petranka says.

Alternatives?

Nancy Karraker, lead author to the Adirondacks study that inspired Petranka, says his work is the first to examine the effect of de-icing agents on food webs, not just single species. Karraker, a professor of environmental science at the University of Hong Kong, also expressed hope that because Petranka had found a risk of human disease linked to salt-contaminated wetlands, people and policy makers would be more willing to rectify the problem.

"I think most conservation biologists would agree that it is very important to find a balance between public safety and protecting the environment, when it comes to road de-icing salts," Karraker says, noting that alternative compounds derived from sugar beets are being tested. "The problem with alternative compounds is always price. Rock salt costs about $50 per ton, and other substances including calcium chloride or sugar beet products cost hundreds of dollars per ton. That is why we continue to rely principally on rock salt when better alternatives exist."

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/11/13/2773299/the-second-sting-of-road-salt.html#ixzz1dhhMcSqu

Federation launches fishing line recovery, recycling project (Via Herp Digest)

Federation launches fishing line recovery, recycling project
July 24, 2011 7:38 PM

JANNETTE PIPPIN, JDNEWS.COM

The strength and durability that makes monofilament line perfect for fishing can also make it a hazard to wildlife if it's not discarded properly.

Most monofilament - a single-strand flexible plastic - can last for hundreds of years. So when discarded fishing line ends up in the water it's there to stay. For the sea turtles, fish, dolphin and birds that ingest the line or become entangled in it, it can cause injury or death.

"Fishermen need something strong and long lasting with a little stretch; that's the definition of fishing line," said Randy Gregory of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. "But when that line is not disposed of properly it can create a lot of hazards for fish and wildlife using the resource."

The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Hospital on Topsail Island sees its share of sea turtle injuries from entanglements in fishing line and other gear.

"What happens is that line wraps around their neck or flipper and gets tighter and tighter," sea turtle hospital volunteer Karen Sota said.

Knowing the harm that can be done by improperly discarded monofilament, the North Carolina Wildlife Federation has launched a Fishing Line Recovery and Recycling Project to help educate the public about the issue and encourage recycling through a network of recycling bin drop-off locations.
"Monofilament fishing line can and should be recycled, and we want to provide an opportunity for outdoorsmen to do that," NCWF Conservation Director Christopher North said.

The NCWF's new Fishing Line Recovery and Recycling Program is modeled after a program in Florida and involves installing receptacles at public fishing and boating areas so that used fishing line can be easily discarded, collected and then recycled.

Federation volunteers have installed its first receptacles - built from 6-inch diameter PVC pipe - along the Catawba River, and the organization would like to see the program go statewide.

The coast is already off to a good start with a similar program that has grown to about 60 recycling locations in seven counties, primarily Carteret, Onslow and Brunswick counties.

The Cape Lookout Studies Program, an environmental education and conservation program of the N.C. Maritime Museum, partnered with Duke Marine Lab in 2006 to build a network of recycling stations along the coast through its North Carolina Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program.

As of September, a cumulative 500 miles of fishing line had been collected at the program's coastal recycling sites.

Through affiliations with agencies such as N.C. Aquariums, N.C. Sea Grant, state and national parks, local and county recreation groups and other conservation groups, Cape Lookout Studies has compiled list of recycling stations that is posted on its website. Recycling locations in the area now include all Carteret County piers, Fort Macon State Park, the Newport River Water Access and Continental Shelf head boat in Morehead City, several beach accesses along Bogue Banks and locations at Camp Lejeune.

Other drop-off points for used fishing line include certified N.C. Clean Marinas such as Casper's Marina in Swansboro and various marine-related businesses that have recycling efforts such as East Coast Sports in Surf City, Reel Outdoors in Emerald Isle and West Marine in Morehead City.
Eighteen fishing line recycling bins are located at various sites aboard Camp Lejeune and bins have been in use there since the fall of 2009, according to Les Pearson with the Threatened and Endangered Species Program, who administers the program on base. Four wildlife technicians with the program empty and maintain the bins.

Pearson said educating the public about the program is an ongoing process one but response to fishing line recycling has been good. He said they currently have a 2-foot by 2-foot by 2-foot box that is overflowing with used fishing line that has been collected and after the fall fishing season they plan to send it off for recycling.

Marinas, tackle shops, fishing piers, water accesses and anywhere where large numbers of fishermen may congregate make ideal locations for a recycling receptacle. North said anyone who is interested in installing a receptacle and monitoring it can participate in recycling, whether it's individually or through a program.

Gregory said any effort that reduces the amount of discarded fishing line going into the water and increases recycling is a positive one.

"We want all fishermen who use the resources to be conservation minded, and one thing they need to know is how to properly discard their used fishing equipment," he said.
While fishing line that is braided or contains wire cannot be recycled, most fishing line purchased is monofilament, which can be recycled.

If recycling isn't possible, it is recommended that discarded line be cut into short lengths of 6 to 12-inches and then disposed of properly in the trash so that it doesn't end up in the waterway.
Fishing line collected for recycling gets mailed to Berkley Fishing Company in Iowa, which then melts the material into plastic pellets for use in making tackle boxes, fishing line spools and other items.
For more information about fishing line recycling, go to the Cape Lookout Studies Program website at capelookoutstudies.org or the North Carolina Wildlife Federation website at ncwf.org/recycle/. The websites include information about their respective programs and resources, including information on how to build a recycling bin.


Construction and instillation of PVC fishing line recycling centers
Materials needed:
PVC glue
Sandpaper
6-inch PVC pipe, 2-feet long
6-inch PVC 90-degree elbow
6-inch PVC cleanout plug
6-inch PVC DWV female adapter

Assembly:
Cut PVC pipe into approximately 2-feet long pieces using a hacksaw, reciprocating saw (metal blade; 12" long blades work well), bandsaw or table saw. Use a deburring tool or sandpaper to remove PVC "burrs" around edges.

Apply PVC glue to inside (non-threaded part) of adapter. With adapter sitting squarely on the ground, press the pipe down into the adapter until snug. Note that PVC glue works by dissolving the PVC, then sets rapidly, so you don't have a lot of "play" time with it.

Apply PVC glue to the inside of one end of the elbow (it does not matter which end). Press the elbow onto the pipe. Try and make sure that any blemishes on the pipe end up on the back side of the bin.
Apply stickers

Drill 2 holes (about ¼ or 3/8") in the center of the screw plug. Thread plug into adapter.
Installation:

Decide where you are going to install the bin and sign. Using a long drill bit (8"), drill 2 holes in the supporting wood (post or railings). The holes should be placed such that the upper hole will line up with the lower part of the elbow and the lower hole lines up with the collar of the adapter. Drill a hole through the base of the elbow at the back of the bin.

Use bolts or all-thread to attach the bin to the post at the top hole. Lok-tite may be used on the threads to try and keep the nuts from coming loose.

From the back side of the post, drill through the existing hole and through the collar of the adapter. Use a second bolt or piece of all-thread to attach the bin through these holes.

If using all-thread, use a reciprocating saw or bolt cutters to cut off the excess material.
Source: ncwf.org/recycle

RSPB wildlife warning over EU farmland funding

More than £400m worth of funding from Europe to promote wildlife on farmland in the UK could be about to be stopped, conservationists have warned.

The RSPB fears the money provided through the Common Agricultural Policy will be the victim of EU spending cuts.

The charity said such a move would be "savage" and could threaten the recovery of many wildlife species.

Read on...

Mining to blame for islands to sink beneath waves

13 May 2011
By Sivaramakrishnan Parameswaran
BBC Tamil Service

Two small islands in South Asia's first marine biosphere reserve have sunk into the sea primarily as a result of coral reef mining, experts say.

The islets were in a group in the Gulf of Mannar, between India and Sri Lanka.

The Indo-Pacific region is considered to contain some of the world's richest marine biological resources.

The group's 21 islands and islets are protected as part of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, covering an area of nearly 560 sq km (216 sq miles).

Fishermen had indiscriminately and illegally mined invaluable coral reefs around the islets of Poomarichan and Villanguchalli for many decades, said S Balaji, chief conservator of forests and wildlife for that region of Tamil Nadu state.

"The absence of any regulations prior to 2002 led to illegal mining of the coral reefs, which came to an end when environmental protection laws were enacted," he told the BBC Tamil Service.

Mr Balaji said rising sea level as a result of global warming was also a factor behind the islands' submergence.

But this was questioned by Simon Holgate from the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory in Liverpool, UK, who said observations showed that the sea level in the region had been rising slower than the global average.

"I think that global sea level rise had little impact on the disappearance of these islands and it must be due to other reasons, possibly the mining of coral reefs," Dr Holgate told BBC News.

Though these islets were only 3-5m (10-15 ft) above sea level, their submergence sounded an alarm bell about the danger many more small islands faced in the long run, according to Mr Balaji, who is also director of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust (GOMBRT).

The Gulf of Mannar was chosen as a biosphere reserve by the Indian government in 1989 because of its biological and ecological uniqueness, and the distinctive socio-economic and cultural profile shaped by its geography.

Most of the 21 islands are uninhabited, and the corals were mined for use as a binding material in the construction industry, as they were rich in calcium carbonate.

Rich biodiversity

The biosphere reserve is a storehouse of about 3,600 species of marine flora and fauna.

Many more wait to be studied, said Deepak Samuel, marine biologist and project associate with the Energy and Environment Unit of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

"The Gulf of Mannar is a unique reserve with ecosystems like coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass," Mr Samuel said.

"It is a nursery for shell and fin fishes, which means the entire breeding and juvenile raising takes places in these three ecosystems."

More than 300,000 fishermen depend on the Gulf of Mannar for their livelihood. It is also the dwelling place for many endemic species, notably the dugong or "sea cow".

Studies have proved that this gulf is home to 117 species of corals belonging to 37 genera, and 13 out of the 14 species of seagrasses in Indian seas.

The area has also been famous for pearl harvesting for over 2,000 years.

According to marine biologists, a quarter of the 2,000-plus fin fish species in Indian waters are in this gulf, making it one of the region's most diverse fish habitats.

The loss of these two islands should be a "wake-up call" for all those in the entire Asia-Pacific region, said Mr Balaji.

Though the lost islets were small, he cautioned that a similar fate may happen to larger islands in the long run as a result of global warming coupled with large scale mining.

Losing the reefs may result in migration of fish populations to other regions, which would result in loss of the gulf's biodiversity, according to Dr Samuel.

"Lost islets are indicators, and can even be considered as a warning," he said.

With the threat of climate change in years to come, factors such as coral mining will have an accelerating effects on the submergence of many island, he warned.

People in the area have gone on record many times as saying that the coral reefs in the Gulf of Mannar saved them from destruction when the devastating tsunami struck in December 2004.

Experts also point out the need to keep the remaining 19 islands and islets "pristine" in order to offer them some protection them from processes such as climate change.

The Indian National Oceanographic Institute point out that very few of the islands and islets in the gulf are in good shape.

Collection of coral by students for research over many decades, and heavy industrial pollution caused by onshore industries, have inflicted an irreversible damage to the coral reefs in this unique marine biosphere.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13383182

Coalition 'losing way' on green policies - campaigners

The letter urges the government to accept emission reduction recommendations

The heads of 15 green campaign groups have written to the prime minister warning the government is in danger of losing its way on environmental policy.

The letter says the coalition should promote a green economy with "urgency and resolve" if it is to follow its vow to be the "greenest government ever".

The groups include Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the RSPB.

Downing Street says it stands by its record of protecting the environment and delivering a low carbon economy.

A year ago, David Cameron said the environment would be a top priority.

In their letter the campaign groups describe the pledge as a "great ambition" and cite the cancellation of the third runway at Heathrow, the decision to set up a green investment bank and a commitment to a Natural Environment White Paper as examples of a "promising start".

They say the coalition "started with a strong sense of purpose on the environment but is now in danger of losing its way".

They point to the proposed changes in the planning system which they claim will not provide enough protection for wildlife and the countryside.

The letter also suggests a zero carbon homes policy has been weakened and point to delays in giving borrowing powers to the new green investment bank.

It says foreign policy should take account of natural resource security.

The letter adds: "Most critically we urge you to set out the case that a green economy is central to the future prosperity of the UK and not a cost to be endlessly debated and watered down...

"We believe there is still scope for your government to be the greenest ever, but it will require both urgency and resolve."

The letter is also signed by the heads of Green Alliance, Christian Aid, WWF, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the Campaign for Better Transport, Oxfam, the Institute for European Environmental Policy, the Wildlife Trusts, Butterfly Conservation, Plantlife, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and the Woodland Trust.

60% cuts

It goes on to urge the prime minister to accept the key recommendations of advisory body the Committee on Climate Change on cutting emissions "to create clarity for investors and citizens about the UK's direction".

The CCC's Fourth Carbon Budget report suggests signing up to a 50% cut in emissions on 1990 levels by 2025 and 60% cuts by 2030.

Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth, told the BBC's Today programme that if the government failed to accept the committee's key recommendations, it would make it "very difficult" for it "to achieve many of the other things that it says it wants to do".

He added: "We think that out of integrity they've really got to do it if they want to be seen as the greenest government ever."

Mr Atkins said he was concerned that the government was moving away from accepting the committee's recommendations because of economic considerations, which he called "stone age economics".

"Let's be clear, the climate change committee has not just made these recommendations on the basis of the science, they have looked at the economics as well," he added.

Cabinet split

The campaigners' plea comes after reports of a split in the cabinet over whether to accept the recommendations amid concerns that meeting the goal could impact on economic growth.

Labour has seized on the apparent disagreement, saying it left Mr Cameron's environmental commitment "in shreds".

Last week, a review funded by Friends of the Earth suggested there had been little or no progress in 55 government policies on the environment.

In response a government spokesman highlighted initiatives such as the "green deal" to cut home emissions, its work on global deals to protect wildlife and forests and reforms of the electricity market to promote low carbon generation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13398311

The changing face of the coastline

ARCHITECT Paul Jones has designed the wildlife facility of the future. Paul’s concept for a wildlife visitor centre and observatory takes account of sea level rises and coastal erosion.

Paul, who is director of architecture programmes at Northumbria University’s School of the Built Environment, entered his design in an international competition, which attracted 80 submissions from around the world.

Now Paul’s creation has been commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council and Arts Council England.

Featuring observatory, art gallery and cafe facilities, it will be built at Huttoft sands in Lincolnshire.

Central to Paul’s design is that the building should be future-proofed.

So he had to take into account predicted climate change coastal erosion rates and sea level rises, particularly as the flat lands of Lincolnshire have suffered from tide surge flooding in the past.

Paul’s answer was a lightweight steel and timber building that could be factory-built in pieces and then assembled on site.

“Because it is being built indoors and not outside where we would be fighting the elements, the quality of the finish will be superb,” he says.

If sea rise or erosion threats present themselves, the structure can be easily dismantled and moved.

The 40-metre long building only touches the ground on pillars in half a dozen places.

“It sits lightly on the landscape,” says Paul.

Extensive glazing also makes the most of views across the sands and the sea, and towards the countryside at the rear.

“It is important that the centre connects with its landscape and gives fine views because there are amazing bird migrations along the coast. It is a birdwatchers’ paradise,” says Paul.

The building, which will cost £500,000 to construct, will also function independently of services like power and water.

Its power will come from a wind turbine and ground source heat pump, rainwater will be captured and waste composted.

Paul is working with Newcastle Surface Light Space Architects and Blyth fabrication company Draughtec, with a completion date for the building in a year’s time.

He believes that the building could be a blueprint for similar visitor centres elsewhere. “It would be ideal for a place like Druridge Bay in Northumberland,” he says.

The Druridge Bay Partnership is keen to involve local communities and individuals in developing its Coal and Coast Project over the next year.

Its aim is to ensure that by 2025, Druridge Bay will be recognised nationally for the outstanding quality of its landscape and environment and that the positive management of the area will lead to increased visitor numbers and stronger communities.

Natural England’s regional director for the North East, Rob Aubrook, joined other partners in welcoming the new initiative at an official launch at Druridge Bay Country Park.

He said: “The Druridge Bay coastline is treasured for its beautiful beaches and sand dunes and is already a special place where people, wildlife and heritage successfully rub shoulders.

“I hope that everyone who cherishes this part of Northumberland will get involved with this initiative over the next year whether by commenting on project proposals, supporting an event or taking part in volunteer activities.

“By working at a landscape-scale and connecting existing habitats and creating new ones, the project is very much in tune with both the thinking in the Government’s Natural Environment White Paper and the findings of Making Space for Nature, the recent review of England’s wildlife sites.

“It’s great news that Northumberland is leading the way with this kind of initiative.”

Earlier this year Northumberland Wildlife Trust was awarded £81,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards funding the development of the project .

The HLF has earmarked a further £1,817,900 for the Druridge Bay Partnership to fund the employment of a team to deliver the scheme over five years .

The Partnership is made up of Northumberland County Council, seven town and parish councils, the National Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust plus local businesses and farmers in the Druridge Bay area.

Steve Scoffin, the Partnership’s Druridge Bay development manager, said: “Involving people and communities in shaping these projects is critical to their success.

“No matter the depth of knowledge and expertise that exists within the Partnership, what’s really important is that we develop and deliver projects that make a real change on the ground – that has to involve people who live and work in the area, and those who come to enjoy it.”

As part of the project, a Druridge Bay photographic competition has been launched with the help of Amble Photographic Group.

It will run until July next year, with categories of People, Place, Heritage and Wildlife.



ENVIRONMENT Editor
TONY HENDERSON

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/environment-news/2010/10/16/the-changing-face-of-the-coastline-61634-27482092/2/#ixzz12d3qSWZt

The changing face of the coastline

ARCHITECT Paul Jones has designed the wildlife facility of the future. Paul’s concept for a wildlife visitor centre and observatory takes account of sea level rises and coastal erosion.

Paul, who is director of architecture programmes at Northumbria University’s School of the Built Environment, entered his design in an international competition, which attracted 80 submissions from around the world.

Now Paul’s creation has been commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council and Arts Council England.

Featuring observatory, art gallery and cafe facilities, it will be built at Huttoft sands in Lincolnshire.

Central to Paul’s design is that the building should be future-proofed.

So he had to take into account predicted climate change coastal erosion rates and sea level rises, particularly as the flat lands of Lincolnshire have suffered from tide surge flooding in the past.

Paul’s answer was a lightweight steel and timber building that could be factory-built in pieces and then assembled on site.

“Because it is being built indoors and not outside where we would be fighting the elements, the quality of the finish will be superb,” he says.

If sea rise or erosion threats present themselves, the structure can be easily dismantled and moved.

The 40-metre long building only touches the ground on pillars in half a dozen places.

“It sits lightly on the landscape,” says Paul.

Extensive glazing also makes the most of views across the sands and the sea, and towards the countryside at the rear.

“It is important that the centre connects with its landscape and gives fine views because there are amazing bird migrations along the coast. It is a birdwatchers’ paradise,” says Paul.

The building, which will cost £500,000 to construct, will also function independently of services like power and water.

Its power will come from a wind turbine and ground source heat pump, rainwater will be captured and waste composted.

Paul is working with Newcastle Surface Light Space Architects and Blyth fabrication company Draughtec, with a completion date for the building in a year’s time.

He believes that the building could be a blueprint for similar visitor centres elsewhere. “It would be ideal for a place like Druridge Bay in Northumberland,” he says.

The Druridge Bay Partnership is keen to involve local communities and individuals in developing its Coal and Coast Project over the next year.

Its aim is to ensure that by 2025, Druridge Bay will be recognised nationally for the outstanding quality of its landscape and environment and that the positive management of the area will lead to increased visitor numbers and stronger communities.

Natural England’s regional director for the North East, Rob Aubrook, joined other partners in welcoming the new initiative at an official launch at Druridge Bay Country Park.

He said: “The Druridge Bay coastline is treasured for its beautiful beaches and sand dunes and is already a special place where people, wildlife and heritage successfully rub shoulders.

“I hope that everyone who cherishes this part of Northumberland will get involved with this initiative over the next year whether by commenting on project proposals, supporting an event or taking part in volunteer activities.

“By working at a landscape-scale and connecting existing habitats and creating new ones, the project is very much in tune with both the thinking in the Government’s Natural Environment White Paper and the findings of Making Space for Nature, the recent review of England’s wildlife sites.

“It’s great news that Northumberland is leading the way with this kind of initiative.”

Earlier this year Northumberland Wildlife Trust was awarded £81,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards funding the development of the project .

The HLF has earmarked a further £1,817,900 for the Druridge Bay Partnership to fund the employment of a team to deliver the scheme over five years .

The Partnership is made up of Northumberland County Council, seven town and parish councils, the National Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust plus local businesses and farmers in the Druridge Bay area.

Steve Scoffin, the Partnership’s Druridge Bay development manager, said: “Involving people and communities in shaping these projects is critical to their success.

“No matter the depth of knowledge and expertise that exists within the Partnership, what’s really important is that we develop and deliver projects that make a real change on the ground – that has to involve people who live and work in the area, and those who come to enjoy it.”

As part of the project, a Druridge Bay photographic competition has been launched with the help of Amble Photographic Group.

It will run until July next year, with categories of People, Place, Heritage and Wildlife.



ENVIRONMENT Editor
TONY HENDERSON

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/environment-news/2010/10/16/the-changing-face-of-the-coastline-61634-27482092/2/#ixzz12d3qSWZt