Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust Newsletter August 2016
Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust
A thought from our Chief Executive Officer...
Brexit: What does it mean for our natural environment? The EU referendum result could have wide-reaching implications for our natural environment, but at time of writing (15th August 2016) it’s just too early to say. However, we are increasingly being asked what our view is and what might happen. Here is our current statement:
“It is likely that the Birds and Habitats Directives and their corresponding Regulations will remain in force until such time that the UK exits the European Union. This is a point that has been reiterated by Defra and the Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies- at present, it is business as usual. There are possible implications for environmental legislation as a result of the UK’s exit from the European Union, not least the Nature Directives which have provided the highest levels of protection for the most vulnerable habitats and species for the past 30 years. At present, those implications are very unclear and are highly dependent on the outcome of the negotiations that now follow the outcome of the Referendum.” The Wildlife Trusts are clear that the vital role of protected sites and species to help arrest the decline of biodiversity across the UK must be maintained. Vitally, whatever the outcome of the negotiations, it is essential that the UK’s environmental framework and its enforcement should remain strong and robust.
ve r We st e rn C lo Pa rs low ry By R o s e m a
www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk
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