Birmingham Friends of the Earth Action Briefing Feb - Mar 99

Wildlife Day of Action

Birmingham Friends of the Earth stage another day of action as the campaign for the Wildlife Charter is entering its hot phase.

There are 5000 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in the UK, and they are home to a great variety of wild plants and animals. However, over 300 SSSIs are damaged every year. This is a serious threat to our indigenous wildlife.

Most of the SSSIs are privately owned, but the current laws do not prevent owners from doing with their land whatever they want, SSSI or not. The protection of SSSIs relies on goodwill, but that is not good enough when commercial interests come into play. If we don't want to lose important wildlife havens, we have to protect them better than is currently the case!

The changes to the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 are outlined in the Wildlife Charter, and would also give protection to marine areas, which at present do not fall under the Act. It is hoped that the Government will introduce a Wildlife Bill to amend the 1981 Act in next year's Queen's Speech.

After the huge success last year of our stalls dedicated to the Wildlife Bill we had another day of action on 30th January. We highlighted the 30+ SSSIs in and around Birmingham, and almost two hundred Brummies pledged their support for our campaign by signing 'Daisy Cards.'

Urgent Lobby

On Wednesday 10th March 1999, Friends of the Earth are staging an urgent lobby at the House of Commons to lobby the Government to introduce new legislation to protect our Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Supporters will meet at 12.30pm in the Grand Committee Room in the House of Commons and the lobby will commence at 1.30pm. For more details, please contact Friends of the Earth in Birmingham (0121-6326909) or in London (0171-566 1667).

Malte Plathe