United Kingdom: Cuts to Scotland eco-farming schemes could mean species loss, RSPB warns

Guardian: Scotland faces the loss of some of its most vulnerable bird species and habitats after ministers cut environment spending on farmland by £25m, a senior conservationist has warned. Stuart Housden, the Scottish director of the RSPB, said ministers in Edinburgh were risking legal action by the EU after "raiding" the budget which was intended to conserve corncrakes, rare orchids, peatbogs and flower meadows in the face of modern farming techniques, climate change and habitat loss. Despite the heavy...

URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/06/scotland-habitat-bird-species
Enclosure: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Environment/Pix/pictures/2008/12/15/Corncrake460.jpg