Best of Natural History Radio Folgen

In this episode of Saving species we focus on the issues facing our rivers and freshwater systems. The Shropshire Wildlife Trust this year highlight them by saillling a curragh down the Severn. John Hughes from the Trust joins Brett Westwood on the water to give them a perfect otter's eye view of the issues facing our crowded countryside and ever increasing demands on this natural resource.

Can the world's marine environments remain healthy and functioning under the influence of man, from pollution to over fishing and climate change? In Saving Species this week, Brett Westwood looks in depth at some of the issues and research being carried out into the species which depend upon this often abused natural resource. Our reporter Helen Scales travels to the Gambia, where issues of oyster overfishing are having a devastating effect not only on the native oysters but also the coastal mangrove swamps. In Florida, Howard Stableford joins marine researchers for an evening on a sandy beach. And closer to home, we look at the 2012 breeding season of some of our breeding seabirds. Producer : Sheena Duncan Presenter : Brett Westwood Editor : Julian Hector

Saving Species presented by Brett Westwood this week poses the question; with increasing pressures to develop our land for housing, transport and industry, is there still room for Britain's wildlife to flourish? Recently the Government set out proposals to extend development rights into the Green Belt as an aid to economic growth. Brett Westwood discovers the importance of brown-field sites on a visit to Canvey Wick in the Thames Estuary accompanied by Sarah Henshall, Brownfield Manager from the charity, Buglife. And we hear from Dr Chris Baines who discusses whether the plans to build a London to Birmingham high speed rail link could actually benefit wildlife in the longer term. Producer : Mary Colwell Presenter : Brett Westwood Editor : Julian Hector