Thursday 7 July 2022

UK’s nature reserves face hotter temperatures

UK's nature reserves are likely to be hit significantly by climate change.

Research conducted by The Wildlife Trusts has found that, by the 2050s, under a future warming trajectory that reaches 3°C warming by 2100, nearly half of The Wildlife Trusts’ nature reserves will have more than 30 days of very high fire risk yearly.

The report also estimates that almost all reserves, an estimated 2,700 sites, will see more than 1°C increase on hot summer days by 2050.

A 7% of those sites will exceed 1.5°C.

The study also stresses that nearly 55% of reserves are likely to see nearby river flows drop by more than 30% during times of low flow compared to 1981-2010.

Kathryn Brown, director of climate change and evidence for The Wildlife Trusts, said: “The projected impact of climate change on our nature reserves is just the tip of the iceberg.

“A concerted effort is required to create more space for nature everywhere, enabling natural ecosystems to function properly, creating habitats for wildlife, and building diversity and flexibility for the future.”