Sea levels globally are very unlikely to rise by more than 2m (7ft) this century, scientists conclude. Major increases would have to be fuelled by a faster flow of glaciers on the Greenland or Antarctic ice sheets.

But writing in the journal Science, a US team concludes that a rise of 2m would need glaciers to reach speeds that are “physically untenable”. However, even increases substantially less than 2m would cause major issues for many societies, they say. “Even a sea level rise of 20cm (8in) in a century will have quite dramatic implications,” said Shad O’Neel from the US Geological Survey (USGS). Woe betide any government that thinks a 2m rise in sea level isn’t something to take notice of. “This work is in no way meant to undermine the seriousness of climate change, and sea level rise is something we’re going to have to deal with,” he told BBC News. Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth received some criticism for implying that a rise of 20ft (6m) was possible in the near future, although it did not give a definite timeframe. By contrast, this latest research tallies broadly with the conclusions of other groups that have examined the question using different approaches. In its landmark assessment of climate change published last year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that sea level rise would probably fit in the range between 28 and 43cm over the century, although 59cm was a possibility. The current rate is about 3mm per year.

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To save the meadow Hastings Borough Council has joined forces with the Friends of Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve, Natural England and the High Weald Meadows Initiative.

Fund-raising by the Friends group and part funding by Natural England will help provide fencing around the meadow so animals can be brought in to graze the land and rid it naturally of brambles and scrub.


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Councillor Peter Finch, lead member for Community Well-Being and chairman of the park’s management forum, said: “The meadow is a stunning resource and it would be very sad to see it disappear under a blanket of bramble and scrub. This fencing will help keep animals in but there will be gates installed to allow people to walk through the meadow as before. We have no intention of obstructing rights of way for anyone and believe the self-closing gates will prove very successful. We anticipate that work will start later this month.

”The meadow comes under the Council’s countryside stewardship agreement and is very important to us. These types of cliff top meadows are very rare indeed, as most get converted to arable land or for intensive pasture. This meadow, with its wild flowers, attracts rare and scarce bees that breed here on the cliffs including the long-horned bee, which has greatly declined in number in Britain.

“The Friends group works very hard and is involved in a number of conservation projects. To join them, call into the visitor centre in the park.”

Parsons, M.S. & Clancy, S.P. 2008. Conservation of the Marsh Mallow Moth Hydraecia osseola hucherardi Mabille (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Romney Marsh. British Journal of Entomology and Natural History, 21: 61-74.

Summary

A brief history of the Marsh Mallow Moth Hydraecia osseola hucherardi Mabille in Britain is presented, along with notes on its distribution in Europe. Recent survey and monitoring effort of the populations on Romney Marsh, Kent/East Sussex, are detailed with the historic and recent threats discussed. Conservation efforts, with examples of management issues, are given and the suggested minimum ecological requirements for the moth are identified. Suggested criteria for confirming the presence of a resident population at individual sites are also given.

Thanks to Ron Nash and  Dorothy Norman for providing these and previous plants.

The bracken and gorse seedlings have been cut in the braken scraped area to further stress the bracken and control the gorse seedlings that have been a big problem this summer. This cutting will have to continue for the next few years until the problem has diminshed enough for it to be controlled by grazing.

The colonisation of the bracken scraped area by ground nesting bees, wasps and beetles has been exceptional with large aggregations of ornate-tailed digger wasps (Cerceris rybyensis) and green tiger beetles. The reptile numbers also continue to grow with four species of reptile now using the area with especially good numbers of slow-worm and grass snake.

You can follow the results of the monitoring by viewing the reptile monitoring spreadsheet regularly.

Ecclesbourne Meadow:
Fencing of Ecclesbourne Meadow will start soon so we can introduce grazing which is essential to restore this meadow which is being badly affected by bramble encroachment. A mixed grazing regime of cattle, sheep and ponies will produce a botanically rich flora with good structure free of scrub.

Fishponds Meadow:
This meadow, currently the best quality of the meadow areas within Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve, is being cut soon with the hay used to seed a botanically poorer area of semi-natural grassland near Saxons Pond.

Arable Management:
The re-seeded arable margins are developing very well in places with good develop of red clover and vetches needed as a nectar and pollen source for bumblebees and solitary bees such as long-horned bees. The wild bird cover strips have also developed well and are especially colourful this year as dwarf sunflowers were included in the mix, but more importantly the quinoa, kale and other seed-bearing crops in the strips are developing well and should produce a bumper crop of seeds for finches and buntings over autumn and winter.

The bare ground under the crops in the strips and in the main body of the mixed crops of barley, wheat and oats have been colonised by carpets of knot-grass, redshank and other arable weeds which in themselves are very improtant producing big oily seeds essential for skylarks and dunnocks over winter. (Note: Dunnocks are not traditionally thought of as farm birds but the bird ringing studies of the farm fields over winter have been showing how important the wild bird strips are for the dunnock population at the site.)