The Lost Species of the Lizard: bringing them back from the brink.
Caroline Richardson
Have you heard of ‘shifting baseline syndrome’? If someone who lived on the Lizard many generations ago were to be transported forward to today, they might look around and ask, ‘Where are all the red squirrels? What happened to make the beavers go away, and why are our streams so meagre and lifeless? Why are there no goshawks in the woods or eagles fishing off the cliffs?’. This is an example of shifting baseline syndrome. We, who grew up never seeing these animals that once thrived here, think that their absence is normal. But it isn’t normal, and the intricate web of life is damaged when even one such species is lost to our ecological community. Over centuries, but particularly since the mid-twentieth century, we in Britain - and especially in southern regions like Cornwall - have experienced huge losses in our native wild species to the extent that we now live in one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
The good news is that we can do something about it. Here on the Lizard we have so much to celebrate, one of the most important being our vibrant local communities with their deep, extensive knowledge of and love for this most beautiful district and its wildlife. Added to that is the enthusiasm of visitors who come to the Lizard to enjoy its natural beauty. Together we can achieve great things for local wildlife and at the same time nurture and inspire ourselves; after all, we are part of nature too, and it is an essential part of us.
How can we go about restoring what has been lost?
The first step is to know how our decisions and actions have jeopardised the wellbeing of these rare species. We can then find different ways to meet our own needs in ways which don’t also cause so much harm to other species, and which allow space for nature to recover. Once the necessary balance of habitats and food sources is restored, we can re-introduce key animal and plant species and thereby restore diversity and dynamism to the Lizard’s living communities.
It sounds easy but in fact it takes a lot of planning, monitoring and evaluating - which involves time, expertise and money. So it might help to ask ourselves which of these now absent species we most value and which can most readily be re-introduced. And what are the implications for the Lizard, its people, landscapes and other wildlife, if we do bring back these species.
Wildlife Groundswell, your local environmental Community Interest Company, is keen to develop a conversation on the Lizard about which of our lost or nearly lost species we would like to see return to the area, and how we might go about making this happen.
To join the conversation, learn more about our lost native species and share your views about what wildlife you would like to see protected and restored in this most stunning corner of Britain, have a look at our website - www.wildlifegroundswell.org.uk; come along to one of our gatherings and also make a note in your diary to join us for a Celebration of Nature next May bank holiday Monday.
‘May the 4th be with you!’
