Bittern champion, Dr. Thérèse Coffey MP for Suffolk Coastal, has joined the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Life Opportunities. Her new role will include responsibility for the natural environment, biodiversity, marine issues, and wildlife trafficking.
Rebecca Pow, MP for Taunton Deane and champion of the Snipe, visited RSPB Dewlands Farm in Somerset to see her species, together with cranes and calling quail. Rebecca was presented with a poster of her species and learned more about the work in the Somerset levels to conserve snipe.
York Central MP and Tansy beetle species champion, Rachael Maskell, was promoted to Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn reshuffled his cabinet. Rachael took the place of another species champion, Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East and swift champion, who had resigned from her shadow cabinet role.
Norman Lamb, species champion for the fen orchid, visited the Norfolk Broads to see one of the UK’s rarest orchids and learn about the work being done to conserve the species.
Harriett Baldwin MP, species champion for the Violet click beetle, visited Bredon Hill in her West Worcestershire constituency along with Buglife’s Dr Sarah Henshall. The pair discussed projects to preserve important ancient ash trees which form an important habitat for rare insects, such as the Violet Click beetle.
On a sunny day in May Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman, species champion for the Redshank, visited RSPB Frampton Marsh to help monitor breeding Redshank. Coverage in the local newspaper, the Boston Standard, can be read here.
Kelly Tolhurst, species champion for the Nightingale took part in an evening walk to hear the birds singing at the RSPB’s Northward Hill reserve. During the walk Kelly was presented with her species champion poster and learned about threats to the nightingale’s habitat.
The Bat Conservation Trust secured its first species champion. Peter Heaton-Jones, MP for North Devon, will be supporting conservation of the greater horseshoe bat.
Butterfly Conservation’s champion for the Striped lychnis moth, Steve Brine, visited their Magdalen Hill Down Reserve near Winchester where small numbers of this moth can still be found.
In early May Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York Central, visited Clifton Ings alongside the River Ouse in York to catch a glimpse of the rare Tansy beetle.
