Elk could return to UK after 3,000 years as plan wins funding
"This exciting project is working towards the possibility of reintroducing elk into two existing beaver enclosures in Derbyshire and Nottingham," in central England, said Rachel Bennett, deputy director of Wilder Landscapes and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, which applied for the funding alongside the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
The Rewilding Britain charity approved the grant in the latest round of the Rewilding Innovation Fund, a twice-yearly fund supporting innovative rewilding efforts.
If approved, the move would bring elk and beavers together "for the first time in 3,000 years in the UK," Bennett said in a press release issued Wednesday.
"This project could demonstrate how this crucial ecosystem engineer can thrive in floodplain landscapes, shaping diverse habitats that benefit communities and support biodiversity recovery," she explained.
"It may also serve as a catalyst for engaging people in the long-term benefits of returning elk to the wild."
'Hopeful future'
The wildlife trusts must now carry out extensive research, which could take up to three years, before a final decision on whether to licence the project is made by the government, a spokesperson for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust told AFP on Thursday.
"It's a complex process involving multiple stages of research and development, feasibility studies, impact assessments, and community consultations. By taking the time and effort to get it right, we can create a more hopeful future for everyone," said Rebecca Wrigley, chief executive of Rewilding Britain.
The plan follows a similar scheme to reintroduce bison to one of southeast England's largest areas of ancient woodland.
Three female bison were released into the countryside near Canterbury, Kent, in July 2022. A bull bison was introduced later and two baby bison have since been born.
"The reserve is teeming with life in areas that were once in darkness, and you can feel a renewed energy in the woodland," said bison ranger Hannah Mackins.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
3 days ago
- Euronews
Stopping pollution at source: Can we turn off the plastic tap?
Every year, the world produces record quantities of plastic. In 2021, according to the OECD, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic were produced worldwide, twice as much as in the early 2000s. If nothing changes, plastic consumption could triple by 2060. The problem is that recycling is not keeping pace with this acceleration. According to OECD data, around 9% of waste is recycled, 19% is incinerated, and nearly three-quarters is sent to landfill or disposed of in nature. Ubiquitous… and invisible waste Depending on its composition, plastics take between 20 and 500 years to decompose, but they do not necessarily disappear. Even when they fragment, they leave behind microplastics, particles smaller than 5mm. These remnants of everyday plastic objects are invading the oceans, soils, rivers… and living organisms, such as fish and human bodies. Studies have proven their existence in drinking water, breast milk, and even human blood. A growing number of scientific studies warn of the risks to human health. Europe wants to stem the waste tide Faced with this situation, the European Union has taken a series of measures in recent years: • Since 2021, the ban on single-use plastics targets some of the most common and easily replaceable items, such as bags, straws, and cutlery. • New packaging regulations aim to reduce over-packaging and improve the recyclability of packaging. • The intentional addition of microplastics is restricted in certain cosmetics, detergents, and industrial products through the European REACH regulation. • A draft regulation on maritime transport aims to minimize the loss of industrial pellets in order to avoid microplastic pollution. • The Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which aims to protect marine ecosystems from marine litter, is currently being revised. The EU also funds numerous research projects aimed at developing bio-sourced and biodegradable alternatives to traditional plastics. This is the case with the SEALIVE project, led by the ITENE research center in Valencia, and the R3pack project. Brussels also aims to optimise the economic performance of reuse systems to achieve 100% reusable or recyclable packaging on the market by 2030. Towards an international treaty on plastics Beyond its borders, the EU is actively campaigning for a legally binding global agreement on plastic pollution. The draft treaty has been under negotiation since 2025 and reports indicate that two visions emerged: • A "high ambition" coalition gathers over 100 members including the EU, Rwanda, Norway, and Peru, advocates for a legally binding covering the whole life-cycle of plastics (upstream and downstream measures). • Other countries, including major oil producers, want the agreement to focus on downstream measures such as waste management and recycling. Upstream measures, which are the subject of heated debate, include: • Sustainable production and consumption of plastics; • Addressing issues related to problematic plastic items (such as single-use plastics); • Reducing chemicals of greatest concern. The next round of negotiations will take place in Geneva, from August 5 to 14, 2025.
Euronews
18-07-2025
- Euronews
Rock bottom birth rates: What are Europe's least fertile nations?
The latest data on fertility across the continent is not far from apocalyptic. For the year 2024, many European countries are reporting their lowest birth rates in several decades, if not on record. While experts say 2.1 children per woman are needed to keep the population's size stable, several countries present numbers consistently below 1.5. Germany: 'Migration sole cause of population growth' Germany's fertility level dropped to 1.35, the lowest level since 1994 (1.24), which came off the back of a recession period. The country's Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt) clearly states that "net immigration was the sole cause of population growth". Yet, despite the numbers added by migrants, the population grew only by 0.1% or 121,000 people last year. In reality, "more people died than were born", says the institute. Data also shows a huge divide between German states. While the population grew in wealthier states, like Bavaria or Hamburg, the sharpest drops were reported in the poorer Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. In neighbouring Austria, the situation was even more concerning in 2024, with the country recording the lowest birth rate on record: 1.32 or 77,238 new children, a 0.5% drop, according to Statistik Austria. Italy: Racing towards becoming a human desert With 166,000 new arrivals, migration slowed Italy's population decline, too, but not enough to prevent a decrease. The country has now fallen steadily to under 60 million people, following years of decline. The birth rate in 2024 hit a new record low (1.18), says ISTAT: For every 1,000 people, only six babies were born, while 11 died. To make matters worse, the number of Italians who left the country (156,000) was three times higher than those who returned (53,000). The largest population drops were reported in the poorer inland areas of the south. France: 'Lowest birth rates since the end of World War One' In France, which is traditionally one of Europe's most fertile nations, numbers are also dropping fast. Its fertility rate in 2024, at 1.62, was the lowest since the end of World War I, said the INSEE. In the past 15 years, the country's fertility fell by a fifth, just about enough to keep a tiny, positive birth/death balance (+17,000), the lowest since the end of World War II. Life expectancy provided the only good news. It has now reached 85.6 years for women and 80 for men, a historic record. England: Elderly childbearing fences off demographic decline England and Wales are one of the few exceptions in Europe. That's thanks to a surprising rise in babies born to fathers over 60 years old (+14%), which helped trigger the first increase in the number of births in England and Wales since 2021 (+0.6%). On the contrary, births to young mothers and fathers fell, says the INS. The proportion of children born to foreign parents was significantly high: 40% in England and nearly 20% in Wales, marking a steep 34% increase between 2023 and 2024. Spain is another exception. According to INE's provisional data, 2024's birth rates could rise by 0.4%, thanks to an estimated 322,034 new babies. As in other countries, Spain's declining fertility has been accompanied by a rising age among mothers. In the past ten years, the number of mothers aged 40 or above grew by 8.5%. Nordics: Finland reports lowest rate since 1776 (yes, 1776) Finland's fertility rate dropped to 1.25 in 2024, says Statistics Finland. That's the worst rate since data collection began, in the late 19th century, when the territory was still part of Sweden, which is also facing demographic problems. The rate reported by Stockholm for last year is 1.43, slightly above most countries and yet the country's lowest fertility on record, says SCB. The overall number of new children was 98,500, the deepest point in 23 years, as the population decreased in 169 of the country's 290 municipalities. Hungary and Poland: Failure of pro-family policies? Despite recent policies aimed at boosting natality, Hungary and Poland are also part of the crowded low-fertility club for 2024. The statistics published by Warsaw are particularly brutal, with a 1.1 birth rate, meaning the number of new children almost halved compared to 1990 (1.9). Women are also, on average, becoming mothers at 29, much later than 35 years ago, when the average age was just under 23. Hungary makes no exception with 77,500 new babies last year, the lowest amount ever, on top of a 1.38 birth rate, never as low since 2014, according to Hungary's KLS.
Euronews
11-07-2025
- Euronews
Landmark ruling says Spanish pig farm pollution breaches human rights
A Spanish court has made a crucial ruling today regarding a landmark case on livestock megapollution in the region of Galicia. In a legal first, Spanish citizens launched court action earlier this year against national and regional authorities over intensive pig-rearing. The residents say the mismanagement of pollution from decades of industrial pig farming has made life in their community 'unfeasible' - and is putting their health at risk. The High Court of Galicia has now confirmed that Spanish national and regional authorities have breached residents' human rights according to both the Spanish Constitution and European human rights law. The court ruled that authorities have failed to manage record levels of pollution from hundreds of pig and poultry farms in the A Limia region. The Xunta de Galicia and the Miño-Sil River Basin Authority have been ordered to immediately adopt all necessary measures to guarantee the end of the odours and environmental degradation of the As Conchas reservoir and its surroundings, restoring the full enjoyment of the right to life. Pig farms have turned the town into a 'dungheap' The ruling is a critical step in recognising that the devastating impacts of industrial agriculture are not just policy issues - they are human rights issues. Years of unexplained health complaints, severe algal blooms and acute odour pollution in the A Limia region of Galicia left businesses floundering and locals fearful to leave their homes. The culprits are the hundreds of intensive pig and poultry farms operating thanks to rubber-stamp approvals from the local authority. The pollution from these livestock operations has made residents too afraid to drink water from their local wells or open their windows for fear of the stench. As Friends of the Earth representative Blanca Ruibal, who has been supporting the case, succinctly puts it, '[the town] has become a dungheap.' Court finds A Limia residents are 'undeniably experiencing ongoing moral harm' Seven affected residents, the Neighbourhood Association of As Conchas and the Confederation of Users and Consumers (CECU) were supported by ClientEarth and Friends of the Earth to take the case to court, bringing a claim against multiple local authorities, including the Xunta de Galicia and water authorities. During the court hearings, scientists corroborated their suspicions about the extent of the pollution, presenting evidence of antibiotic-resistant superbugs - considered one of the top ten threats to humanity. They also found serious nitrate contamination in the reservoir water (at times reaching levels of up to 1,000x higher than typical levels). Nitrates are a well-known risk factor for numerous cancers, including thyroid, breast and ovarian cancer. In the landmark ruling, published today, the court said: 'Human rights and environmental protection are interdependent. A sustainable environment is necessary for the full enjoyment of human rights, including the rights to life, to an adequate standard of living, to drinking water and sanitation, to housing, to participation in cultural life and to development. 'Residents of the village of As Conchas who live in the affected area are found to be in a serious situation concerning their enjoyment of daily life. This includes the presence of foul odours, the risk of aerosol exposure, contamination of private wells to levels that render them unusable, loss of property value, and a severe potential health risk… the court finds that they are undeniably experiencing ongoing moral harm.' 'This historic ruling makes us stronger' This case ruling on the impact of agriculture-compromised water on people's fundamental rights is the first of its kind, drawing on both the Spanish constitution and European law to demonstrate that public authorities did not meet their legal obligation to protect people – including from harmful pollution. 'After so many years of tireless struggle, of being abandoned and ignored by those who were supposed to protect us, today we have finally been heard,' Pablo Álvarez Veloso, president of the local neighbourhood association and a claimant in the case, said. 'The High Court of Justice of Galicia has recognised what we have been denouncing for so long: our rights have been violated due to the inaction of the authorities against the pollution from industrial livestock farming.' He added that the historic ruling 'makes us stronger', and the community won't stop until the reservoir 'becomes a place of life once again - a place where we can walk, swim, and drink water without fear'. Lawyers say the case now paves the way for suffering communities to bring replica suits across Europe, to demand justice and protection from their authorities.
