RZSS response to the UK Government’s intention to deprioritise species restoration

I was surprised and dismayed to read about the UK Government’s intention to deprioritise species restoration, which fails to recognise the importance of that vital pillar of biodiversity recovery, as well as flying in the face of recent guidance from the world authority for conservation, the IUCN. As an organisation, we stand with partners across the conservation community to ask, in the strongest possible terms, that the UK Government considers and reverses its stance immediately.

As Scotland’s wildlife conservation charity, RZSS has been making great progress with partners to safeguard and restore wildlife in Scotland and around the world, but this needs to be considered and supported at a government level. Without a focus on species reintroduction and restoration, and the genetic diversity within those species, we could find ourselves in a situation where we have restored habitats but have lost their rarer and more vulnerable inhabitants.

RZSS agrees with the EFRA Committee’s calls to introduce a long-term strategy for species restoration and, furthermore we want to see the introduction of a National Programme for species restoration. That kind of long-term, strategic commitment would ensure allow for the creation of similar projects to the RZSS-led reintroduction of wildcats into the Cairngorms and ensure the long-term future of some of our most important and amazing native animals.

David Field
RZSS CEO