Summary

Chair's Introduction

• Introduction by JNCC Chair Peter Bridgewater.

Workshop on 2010 indicators

• Recommendations on how indicators should be used in measuring the progress against any post-2010 target agreed in Nagoya.
  

Getting on with fen management

• Fens are magical places that bring together nature and generations of historic human activity. The Fen Managment Handbook covers a range of topics including fen plants and animals, hydrology, management, restoration, creation and monitoring.

Grasslands under UK biofuel footprint

• Concern that the increasing use of biomass for biofuels places yet another unwelcome pressure on global ecosystems. A new JNCC report shows that the current UK biofuels consumption pattern is increasing pressures on temperate grasslands rather than tropical ecosystems.

How many where?

• JNCC's role in the Species Status Assessment project, established in 1999 with the aim of assigning conservation status to British species, is now changing.

Race for "Blue Turtle" Award

• JNCC launches prestigious annual award for nature conservation work undertaken by an individual or group from an Overseas Territory or Crown Dependency.

18 certificate for seabird conservation

• 18 signatories representing 19 organisations have agreed a Statement of Intent that will pave the way for future data sharing and collaboration on seabird conservation.

Coral gardens in UK waters

• Five previously undiscovered cold-water coral reefs were found in the deep waters off north-west Scotland during a recent research survey commissioned by JNCC. For the first time, these five colourful coral reefs, teeming with strange and beautiful creatures, were cpatured on film.

Better informed about species?

• JNCC maintains a spreadsheet of conservation designations for species in the UK, with a substantial update to it taking place in August 2009. It now includes 19 categories of designations, including listings under international conventions/directives, national legislation, international and UK Red-listed species, and country species priority lists. 

He's a jolly good fellow

• JNCC's Chair, Peter Bridgewater, has been formally admitted as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, the world's oldest active biological society.

Tristan da Cunha

• Spotlight on one of the UK's Overseas Territories. Tristan da Cunha is the most remote inhabited island in the world.

Making differences abroad

• JNCC staff attended a conference on conservation in the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies held on Grand Caymen. The event proved to be a good opportunity to establish and enhance connections with representatives from the islands.

Communicating across the globe

• Exploring best methods for remote conferencing, JNCC trail 'Global Crossing' at Overseas Territories workshop. 

31 SPA extensions!

• Scotland's seabirds are to benefit from strengthened protection, after Scottish Government announced that 31 of Scotland's seabird breeding colony Special Protection Areas are to be extended to protect their adjacent marine habitats.
  

Environment + society + economy

• The National Ecosystem Assessment is the first analysis to look at the UK's natural environment in terms of the benefit it provides to both society and the economy.

Three Acorns for JNCC

• Environmental Management System gains British Standard.

The ecology of economics

• What does economics have to do with ecology? JNCC has an important role to play in communicating to a widening audience the role and value of biodiversity and nature conservation in addressing the key economic, as well as environmental, issues of the day.

Impacts of plant-damaging moulds

• Plant-damaging water moulds are responsible for a number of notorious plant diseases, such as potato blight, with three new species being identified in the UK, which are causing significant negative impacts to biodiversity.

Under the shadow of a volcano

• JNCC's Alison Littlewood participated in a CITES training visit to the volcanic island of Montserrat, a UK Overseas Territory.

Recorder

• New versions of software and the supporting website.

Deryck Steer bids farewell

• A surprise celebration in Peterborough for the retirement of Deryck Steer was attended by JNCC staff past and present.
  

Conservation Conversation

• Focus on Marcus Yeo,  JNCC's new Managing Director.