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9th October 2011 - Members Day and AGM at the Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington
Click on the pictures to see a bigger version.
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| More than 70 members and guests attended the Members Day and Branch AGM held at Elvington on the 9th October. It was good to put names to faces at last! |
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| The Chairman David Baker, made everyone welcome and noted that this year saw the thirtieth anniversary of the Yorkshire Branch. He thanksed everyone for their contributions over the years. |
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| Dave Wainwright gave an update on the rarer butterfly species in the county, the Pearl Bordered Fritillary and the Duke of Burgundy and the extensive conservation work being undertaken to conserve them. He thanked the branch for their contributions to this work and for the financial support provided. Dave also spoke about his work to increase the number of transects being walked in the county and appealed for volunteers to help undertake the walks. Volunteers are particularly needed walk the transects on Hutton Common and from Burniston to Cloughton. Roy 'the weatherman' Bedford gave a talk on various aspects of the weather including cloud formations, snow and frost, weather station equipment and the existence of climate change. |
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| Over lunch, members were able to take part in the raffle and to vote for their favourite photograph in the photographic competition. There were also stalls where books, calendars and book marks were on sale. |
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| The celebratory cake was cut and members invited to help themselves to a slice or two. At the AGM the Chairman thanks Rosemary Roach who was stepping down after many years service as membership secretary. The officers were re-elected en bloc. Three new committee members were welcomed Sarah Fletcher who had volunteered to take over from Rosemary , Brian Tansy and Ginni Darbyshire. |
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| An expert panel consisting of Roy Bedford, Howard Frost, Terry Crawford and Charlie Fletcher took questions from the floor on subjects ranging from uncontrolled release of species in the area, whether 2011 had been a good year for moths and butterflies, second broods and the effects of climate change. |
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| Paula Booth very kindly brough along her father's (Arthur Steel) collection of butterflies, moths and larvae for everyone to see. There were some fine specimens in the cases. |
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| The photographic competition winners were chosen by the members in attendance. First place was awarded to John Money. In second place was Ian Armitage with Terry Box in third. Well done gentlemen. Thanks to everyone who entered the competition. Between the stalls, raffle and photographic competition, more than £300 was raised for the branch on the day, our thanks to everyone who contributed. |
3rd July 2011 - RES Insect Festival at the Yorkshire Museum, York
6th June 2011 - Dalbyology
| Aged 6 and Under |
| Joint 2nd Place |
Winner |
Joint 2nd Place |
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| Grace Tongue aged 3 |
Evelyn Lawson aged 6 |
Ben Callin aged 5 |
| All the entries into the competion were fabulous - thank you everyone |
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| Joe Callin aged 7 |
Daryl Young aged 14 |
Olivia Surtees aged 11 |
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| Anna Broadley-Featherstone aged 7 |
George Young aged 8 |
Ryan Kelly aged 15 |
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| James Young aged 10 |
Emma Hodgkin aged 11 |
Olivia Gravestock aged 11 |
| 13th May 2011 |
Martin Warren tells us that:
A very worrying consultation has recently been announced by Government which is considering the scrapping of various environmental laws. I am emailing Branch committee members to ask you to express your opposition to this proposal which could do immeasurable damage to wildlife, including butterflies and moths. Please circulate this email to anyone else who might feel the same.
If you have 30 seconds
Sign the online petition set up by 38 degrees
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/dont-scrap-environment-laws
If you have 2 minutes
Register your views on the Government website
http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/environment/
Further information
The Government has recently launched a consultation on the proposed scrapping of a whole range of regulations, known as the “Red Tape Challenge”. This was launched by Vince Cable on 7 April 2011 in a bid to boost short-term economic growth. Amazingly this includes most of the wildlife legislation that we and our partners have worked so hard to get on the statute books in recent years.
In short, it seems Government is considering getting rid of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, the Climate Change Act, and 278 environment laws (among thousands of laws and regulations). These Acts are essential for protecting key wildlife sites and species from development and have been developed after long campaigns by wildlife NGOs. Scrapping them would results in immeasurable damage to species and habitats, including butterflies and moths.
Environmental regulations fall under “general regulations” on which the Government are inviting comments throughout the process. The Cabinet Office is ‘crowdsourcing’ proposals for which laws should be scrapped, with Ministers facing a basic presumption that laws and regulations listed in the Red Tape Challenge should be scrapped. Once the nation has had its say, Ministers will have three months to work out which regulations they want to keep and why.
The Government’s website invites comments either as an individual or as an organisation, about the need to protect our environment. The website lists the 278 environmental regulations under scrutiny and you comments can be left under 7 broad headings.
My own contribution reads
“The Government has only just signed the new UN target set at Nagoya to halt biodiversity loss and restore ecosystems by 2020. It simply cannot honour this commitment if it scraps its own wildlife laws. Biodiversity is essential to life on earth and needs protection.”
Thank you very much for your support |
6th March 2011 - YNU Lepidoptera Group Meeting Bramham
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