The Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, Janet Finch-Saunders MS, has spoken in support of a new and collaborative 10-year species recovery programme for the Curlew in Wales. The action plan was launched during a virtual ceremony this afternoon (22 November 2021).
Curlew is listed as globally Near-Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species and is a Red-listed Bird of Conservation Concern in Wales. Likewise, the 'State of Birds in Wales 2018' report reinforced their recent chronic decline (at a rate of approximately 6% per year) and indicated there is no hint of this trend levelling out.
Commenting after her address to the attendees, Janet said:
“With the excellent Curlew LIFE project undertaking work in my own constituency, which I look forward to visiting once the local population have returned from coastal migration in the Spring, I am acutely aware that the species has seen significant declines and is disappearing from our upland areas.
“Facing a potential extinction as a viable breeding species in Wales by 2033, today’s official launch of the Curlew recovery action plan is an important first step underlining that, if we act together now, we may be able to stop these beautiful birds from wading into extinction.
“Having regularly spoken in the Senedd of the need to better involve our farmers and land custodians, I am also most pleased to see that this plan will seek to establish or strengthen a network of rural community leaders in each Important Curlew Area to facilitate collaborative working and involvement.
“I wish to briefly thank the stakeholders present at today’s meeting, including the Gylfinir Cymru action group, and pay tribute to my colleague, Mr Mark Isherwood MS, for his inspiring interventions as the Curlew species champion in the Senedd.”
ENDS
Photo: Bob Brewer/UnSplash
