Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Alastair Harper’s letter of March 6, “If predators aren’t controlled they will starve to death as prey is annihilated” makes surprising claims and offers only simplistic solutions.
The detrimental effects of agricultural intensification on wild bird populations are well documented in the scientific literature. This is acknowledged by a wide spectrum of land managers. It is not the one and only reason for bird declines but it has been a huge factor.
Management changes in the uplands have also had an impact. In Mr Harper’s example of the Cleish Hills, comparison of 1980s aerial photos and current Google Earth images reveals a widespread pattern of land drainage implemented since the earlier photos.
The same images also show the “blanket blocks of conifers” to which Mr Harper refers. These were planted across nearly half the landscape over the same period.
These two activities alone could easily have produced enough human-induced habitat change to explain a large decline in breeding wading birds, without laying the blame on birds of prey.
Any more recent reduction in the grazing of domestic stock will also have changed the vegetation structure to the detriment of breeding waders.
Mr Harper need not be concerned that the RSPB Scotland has a “singular prejudice in favour of raptors”. Our careful analysis shows that 101 bird species require some level of priority conservation effort to ensure their long-term survival in the UK and that 44 of these need immediate attention.
This list dictates the main effort of our work. It contains only three birds of prey. So, magnificent and exciting though birds of prey certainly are, they do not receive the bulk of our attention.
The RSPB will always base its actions on sound scientific evidence. Simplistic solutions of the type proposed by Mr Harper in this case that killing of birds of prey is needed so that they don’t starve to death will not play any part in our work.
Keith Morton.Species policy officer,RSPB Scotland.
He should be praised for his comments
Sir, – I am writing to congratulate Cardinal O’Brien for putting his head above the parapet to defend marriage.
As you will have noticed in the press’s response to the cardinal’s comments, exercising his right to free speech in this regard is not without its risks; indeed the accusations that I have seen levelled against him have ranged from him being an irrelevance to him being a bigot.
For those who argue that the cardinal has no right to comment on the nature of marriage I would remind them our country allows free speech, even if you disagree.
And on the accusation he is somehow a bigot I would like to make some points.
Cardinal O’Brien is not advocating stripping a section of society of some right to which they are already entitled, for example the right to life.
What he is doing is defending the institution of marriage as it has been understood since time immemorial.
Indeed he is defending an understanding of marriage that is recognised in Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
What the cardinal describes as ‘madness’ is the notion that the state has the power to redefine an institution that pre-dates society, and is indeed the very building blocks of society.
It would serve the cardinal’s critics better to avoid the ad hominem attacks and look more closely at the arguments.
John Paul Cecil.48 Brook Street,Monifieth.
Thousands of turbines
Sir, – I suggest Robert Potter (March 5) refers to industry sites, such as the NETA one, which gives daily updates (including current and half-hourly figures) for the relative amount of electricity produced from various fuel sources.
Frequently the combined figures for UK ready-to-use-now renewables (wind, hydro and pump storage) are below 5%.
It is clear that several tens of thousands of wind turbines and many hundreds of dammed-up glens and corries would be required to replace traditional thermal stations.
Whether one believes in CO2 induced man-made climate change or not, Scotland’s contribution to world CO2 is so tiny as to be irrelevant to climate change anyway.
Ron Greer.Armoury House,Blair Atholl.
Where was the compassion?
Sir, -Under this Tory Lib-Dem Coalition, we are all about to witness the demise of many Remploy factories all over the British Isles because they are not ‘profitable’.
No compassion has been given to those people with disabilities who work there. There was a way out, but it was not acceptable to the money-making masters of the south east of England.
If the ‘profitable’ factories were kept going, surely this would accommodate the lossess of the factories that were not?
The only union standing up for the demise of these factories is the GMB. Where are the calls from UNISON and UNITE? Are they still following their Labour masters’ wishes and holding back from protecting this vulnerable worforce?
Redeployment of those made redundant and monetary compensation is not the answer.
I hope that the Scottish Government condemns the actions of Westminster in the hope that the compassion needed, and shown often in Scotland, is rightfully given to all Remploy employees no matter where they work in this ‘United Kingdom’.
Bob Harper.63a Pittenweem Road,Anstruther.
Could be found in Scotland too
Sir, – Labour MSPs to Tory UK ministers were quick to suggest Scottish shipbuilding was only protected by British contracts and once Scotland was independent it would be “inconceivable” the Ministry of Defence would award contracts to a “foreign country”.
Yet the Royal Navy has just ordered four tankers from Korea. As everyone knows, modern procurement laws mean the work goes to those best able to supply the necessary skills at the right price.
There’s no reason why that should not be found in an independent Scotland, just as it appears to be currently found in independent Korea.
Kevin Cordell.2 Nevis Place,Broughty Ferry.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.