Minister confirms continued commitment to Curlew Wales

The Minister for Climate Change Julie James met BASC and fellow members of the Gylfinir Cymru (Wales Curlew) partnership last week and confirmed her commitment to the Wales Recovery Plan.

The meeting, which also included representatives from the National Trust, The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Curlew Country and Natural Resources Wales, saw discussions around three key areas to help the number of curlews recover.

Habitat management and ways to prevent the loss of eggs and chicks to predation were covered, along with the multiple benefits curlews give the environment and the people of Wales, and how curlew’s protection needs to be woven in policy for society and nature recovery.

Ten-year action plan

The 10-year action plan to reverse the decline of curlew was launched in November 2021 by the Gylfinir Cymru / Curlew Wales partnership made up of 16 organisations, including BASC.

The partnership is working with the Welsh Government to address the chronic decline in population and geographic distribution of the curlew across Wales.

The curlew’s decline has been so significant that it is predicted that curlews could be on the brink of extinction in Wales by 2033 if serious action is not taken.

The plan addresses four main themes:

• Identify a network of Important Curlew Areas (ICAs) in Wales to maximise opportunities and provide a focus for targeted conservation action.
• Reverse the current drivers of low productivity (predators and grassland management practices during the breeding season).
• Ensure a package of support is available to enable all farmers and land managers to collaborate at the landscape scale to deliver the outcomes required by breeding curlew using the best available evidence.
• Support public awareness campaigns and education to influence consumer choices and demands for agricultural products that support breeding curlew friendly habitats.

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