Help Protect our Wildlife and Environment
We can all help to protect our precious wildlife and environment by reporting activity that just doesn't look "quite right"... You never know who or what you might save!
Our region is home to beautiful, varied landscapes and marine environments, which we can all help preserve and protect. Environmental crime and irresponsible behaviour can pollute our environment and threaten wildlife. We want to make it easier for you to report environmental damage including water pollution, wildlife disturbance, illegal tree felling and damage to our coast and seas.
ON LAND...
Environmental issues, crime and irresponsible behaviours can take many forms from issues in our rivers and streams, flooding, illegal waste and damage to our trees and hedges. If you see something that just doesn't look right, its important to know who to contact. Click the links below to find the right channels to contact.
AT SEA...
Whether it’s on the coast or out at sea, what happens in our marine environment is just as important as what happens on land. But who to contact can be a bit different, so use the guide below to correctly report issues like disturbance, damage, pollution, wildlife crime, strandings and fisheries management issues.
- Harassment, Disturbance and Wildlife Crime
- Live birds and marine animals in need of rescue
- Dead stranded marine animals
- Environmental damage and pollution incidents in UK waters
- Fisheries management issues and illegal fishing activity within 6 nautical miles of the coast and in tidal rivers and estuaries up to tidal limit
HOW ELSE CAN I HELP?
There's lots more that you can do to help grow our nature and protect the environment. Take a look at our tips below.
- Follow the countryside code when you are out and about. Keep dogs on leads, look out for livestock, stick to paths and take litter home with you.
- Follow the Cornwall Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code for guidelines on watching wildlife safely and also see Defra’s Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code
- If you have access to a public display board, make sure to download, print and display our poster on how to report environmental issues
- Look out for volunteering opportunities in your community. Contact your 'Friends of' or wildlife group, take part in citizen science activities like the Westcountry CSI river monitoring scheme, organise a beach clean or reach out to Cornwall Wildlife Trust or Isles of Scilly wildlife Trust.
- Make a pledge for nature and join hundreds of people in sharing how you plan to help grow nature in your area.
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE WORKING GROUP
The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Nature Partnership (LNP) commissioned a review of the efficacy of local enforcement and compliance. This report was conducted for the LNP by the University of Exeter's Centre for Environmental Law and makes recommendations to improve environmental enforcement and compliance across the region. The report can be accessed here.
Findings of this report are being taken forward by the CIOS Environmental Enforcement Working Group. Originally convened by Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Nature Partnership to feed into the environmental enforcement study, the group currently meets quarterly and comprises representatives from:
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities
Cornwall Council
Cornwall Wildlife Trust
Devon and Cornwall Police
Environment Agency
Marine Management Organisation
Natural England
National Farmer’s Union
Following receipt of the University of Exeter report, the working group is considering the suggestions made for improving environmental enforcement. Foremost has been the need to raise awareness of how the public can report any illegal activity that is harming the environment. Production of the environmental compliance poster and these web pages is the first step in a campaign to raise public awareness about the need to report environmental damage and the appropriate bodies for reporting such incidents.
Future work could include new ways of working, streamlining of processes and continued focus on achieving positive environmental compliance outcomes through new mechanisms.
