Closing environment research sites

The closure announced today of four major environment research sites at a cost of £43m
will relegate the UK to the second division of international wildlife science.

The four research bases belonging to the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology were
responsible for the widely acclaimed farm scale trials on GM crops, for revealing the link
between seabird breeding failures, sandeel declines and climate change; and for the ban
on the pesticide DDT which in the 1950s considerably harmed wildlife. The decision has
been made by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

Dr Mark Avery, Conservation Director for the RSPB said: ‘This flawed decision shows
how out of touch the NERC council is with biodiversity research and its uses to
conservation organisations.

‘Wildlife throughout the world and particularly that in the UK will be in far greater
danger as a result.

‘CEH saved the peregrine falcon in Britain because its research revealed the damage of
DDT. And the GM trials rubbished all claims that GM crops could in any way be good
for wildlife.

‘Just like the invention of cricket and the 1966 world cup triumph, the UK will be left
living on past glories instead of remaining a leader in the field.’