David Dunlop
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David Dunlop
@lawt-d.bsky.social
Senior Conservation Officer for Policy & Advocacy at The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester, & North Merseyside. Repost does not necessarily imply support. Views my own, except when quoting others', and are not necessarily the views of my employer.
"What the Planning and Infrastructure Bill tells us about the government’s approach to nature recovery" - by @RSPB CEO greenallianceblog.org.uk/2025/12/01/w...
What the Planning and Infrastructure Bill tells us about the government’s approach to nature recovery
This post is by Beccy Speight, chief executive officer of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. As the UK government has bulldozed on with the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill, we’ve s…
greenallianceblog.org.uk
December 1, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Reposted by David Dunlop
Why is it important to rebuild the environmental consensus?

We asked Beccy Speight, ⁨chief executive @rspb.bsky.social, at our conference earlier this month.

Here’s what she said 👇
November 20, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Reposted by David Dunlop
New analysis of 1960s land use maps, many created by schoolchildren and students, reveals fresh insights on the timing and extent of habitat losses caused by post-war agricultural intensification and urban growth in England and Wales.

www.ceh.ac.uk/press/maps-c...

🧪 1/

#maps #LandUse
November 20, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Reposted by David Dunlop
Hope all ok. I am really keen to get the links between junk food/ ill health/ environmental/nature impact)/farm livelihoods understood better. Diet changes need to be far more than about cheap meat but it needs far better food industry governance, not individual actions.
November 20, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by David Dunlop
An ecosystem approach is the only way to halt the vanishing of UK wildlife.

Our latest report with @nationaltrust.org.uk, led by @pettorelli.bsky.social, makes clear that human wellbeing is underpinned by ecosystems continuing to function in a resilient way.

📰Covered in @theecologist.org
“The food we eat, that’s ecosystems. Climate regulation, that’s ecosystems. Protection from extreme weather events, that’s ecosystems.”
'If ecosystems go, we go'
Ecologists call for ecosystem approach to halt nature decline.
theecologist.org
November 20, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Reposted by David Dunlop
Sign the petition asking the Government to finally end peat compost sales with legislation in 2026 - no more delays. It’s been a long and tiring road to get peat compost banned and we need your signatures and shares now more than ever to get it done. actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk/end-peat-sal...
Sign the petition to end peat sales!
No more delays: Let's get peat out of gardens once and for all. The time for uncertainty has ended.
actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk
November 20, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Reposted by David Dunlop
A new UK report shows how deeply climate anxiety is affecting our mental health.

We can’t ignore the emotional toll of the #ClimateCrisis.

#COP30 offers hope and the opportunity to change things around — if leaders act for people and the planet. 🌏

www.gov.uk/government/n...
New report highlights impact of climate change on mental health in the UK
The new report demonstrates the impact climate change is already having on the mental health of the UK population.
www.gov.uk
November 13, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Reposted by David Dunlop
🌴WWF and @greenpeace.org have called for talk to turn to action at COP30.

🌳In a joint press conference today, they called for COP30 to adopt a Forest Roadmap to halt and end deforestation by 2030.

Read more here: ow.ly/Cgc250XtG4v #ClimateAction

#COP30 #ClimateCrisis
November 18, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Reposted by David Dunlop
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) and Natural England have separately defied the Government’s stance that nature recovery is a blocker of growth for the UK

Full story:
EAC and Natural England defy ministers' move to 'scapegoat' nature recovery as growth blocker | New Civil Engineer
Last week, the House of Commons voted down amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which would maintain protection to nature and wildlife in
buff.ly
November 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM
"The government has created a ‘builders vs blockers’ narrative, which has characterised any resistance to development as ‘nimbyism’. But the figures and examples given in the debate show that community concerns about development are often well founded." greenallianceblog.org.uk/2025/11/19/t...
The House of Lords has acted to defend public open spaces against development
This post is by Harriet Child, solicitor at the Public Interest Law Centre. In a lively debate in the House of Lords recently on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, members robustly defended the …
greenallianceblog.org.uk
November 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM
This may interest some of you:

'Lancashire ancient wells and holy wells' [old County Palatine boundary]

- with thanks to @amyjanebeer.bsky.social for signposting.

www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...
Lancashire ancient wells and holy wells - Google My Maps
Green tab = existing ancient or holy well - sometimes just a spring remains Orange tab = dubious holy wells or other wells Red tab = lost wells Blue tab = domestic, village, town well Most text fr...
www.google.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Reposted by David Dunlop
The Simonswood Stink is making residents sick - affecting breathing, closing schools, and forcing kids indoors. No one should have to live like this.
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...
People shouldn’t have to live like this for years
People in Kirkby have lodged several complaints over the smell and noise originating from a nearby industrial estate
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by David Dunlop
New independent report reveals locations of poisoned raptors in northern England 2015 - 2023 - info that has been suppressed by Govt.

#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/11/17/n...
New independent report reveals locations of poisoned raptors in northern England, 2015-2023 – information that has been suppressed by government
Press release from independent group, Wildlife Poisoning Research UK, 15th November 2025. WHERE THE POISONED BODIES WERE FOUND! Many people probably imagine that the use of poisons to kill protecte…
raptorpersecutionuk.org
November 17, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by David Dunlop
📢 Over 80 conservation organisations, land-managers and rural businesses have written to Government to warn that exempting sub-0.5 ha sites from BNG would remove 97% of planning applications from the UK’s only national nature compliance market.
November 17, 2025 at 2:08 PM
A Westminster Hall debate on "Impact of land use change on food security" is scheduled for @ukparliament.parliament.uk tomorrow, 18th November. commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri...
Impact of land use change on food security
A debate pack produced for the Westminster Hall debate "Impact of land use change on food security", scheduled for 18th November 2025.
commonslibrary.parliament.uk
November 17, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Reposted by David Dunlop
Nature is not the blocker to 1.5 million homes, instead it’s a necessity for building resilient towns and neighbourhoods.

Read our new report on environmental sustainability and housing growth ⬇️

publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...
November 17, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Reposted by David Dunlop
This is exactly what we’ve been saying for months and have the evidence to back it up. Unlike the government who have zero evidence or justification for their approach. They are basically destroying what’s left of our wildlife to line the pockets of the big housing companies.
This is what many of us have been saying. Part 3 of the Planning & Infrastructure Bill is based on a myth: that we don't have enough homes because wildlife and green spaces are protected. It will solve nothing, and inflict terrible harm on our remaining ecosystems
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Nature not a blocker to housing growth, inquiry finds
Commons committee report challenges ‘lazy narrative’ used by ministers that scapegoats wildlife and the environment
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by David Dunlop
The fabulous @bsbicountries.bsky.social will be at #BIBConf25 at Edge Hill University on 29 November.
This is your chance to talk to James about British & Irish endemic plants inc Whitebeams & to buy a copy (if you haven't already) of his book 'Endemic'.
www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
November 14, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by David Dunlop
The House of Commons has voted down amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which would maintain protection to nature and wildlife in future developments

Full story:
‘Hugely disappointing’: MPs vote down nature protection amendment to Planning and Infra Bill | New Civil Engineer
Previously known as Amendment 130, but now Amendment 40 on the Bill’s return to the Commons, it sought for Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs) to be used
buff.ly
November 14, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Reposted by David Dunlop
The majority of Britons think important places for nature should have stronger protections.

Only 2% think protections should be weakened... yet that’s where ministers keep pushing.
November 12, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by David Dunlop
Apologies to both @jensoilandpen.bsky.social and Rob Schofield. This is, of course, Rob's diary on the longhorns.
November 12, 2025 at 9:43 AM