The National Trust has welcomed a new strategy from DEFRA to tackle bird flu but warned much of its guidance was "too little, too late."
Seabird populations on the Northumberland Coast have been decimated by the most recent outbreak of the virus, with the Farne Islands, which is managed by the National Trust, closing to tourists in July and the UK's only breeding colony of roseate terns falling victim to the disease on the RSPB's Coquet Island. New guidance from DEFRA and the Welsh Government has been set out to land managers, the public and conservation groups to curb the impact of bird flu in wild birds, while protecting the health of the countryside.
The guidance involves advice for landowners on how to make natural areas safe for the public, such as signs to warn them of the risks, and having contingency plans in place to allow them to respond quickly to outbreaks. It also sets out the Government approach to monitoring and better understanding the spread of avian influenza in wild bird populations.
