Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - March 1983
Noel Tallowin

I have a friend in the Castle Museum, Norwich, who wrote on the 16th February saying that the East coast has had the worst wreck of Auks for very many years. In fact we have been inundated with Razorbills, Guillemots and Puffins as well as the Auks. He goes on to say that it seems these causalities were caused by the recent gales and very bad weather because relatively few of the birds were oiled. It does seem that all our efforts at protect and conservation of our wildlife can be upset by natural causes. This brings me to “causes” which are NOT natural. I have in mind the destruction of tropical forests which last year amounted in area to THREE times the size of Switzerland and according to the World Wildlife Fund the same area will be devastated this year and every year for the foreseeable future, Besides the loss of the huge plant and animal life which abounds in tropical forests Sir Hugh Frazer Darling stated in a Reith lecture that the world’s supply of oxygen comes mainly from such forests and he predicts that by the year 2000 there will be a shortage of this essential element making it difficult for us to survive. What on earth is the human race doing to and for itself - I suggest that David Bellamy would tell us in no uncertain terms especially as he is actively trying to save one of the TOP TEN botanical sites in the world, i.e. the South West Tasmanian Wilderness.

I still feel that the Llanelli Naturalists has done and is doing its ‘bit’ towards conservation and we down here in Devon are immensely pleased to learn that the Nat’s Reserve is being cared for and developed to enhance its wildlife value. We are looking forward to the day when the whole of that fen has been acquired because such places become rarer as the years go by.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity of sending every good wish to your new Chairman, Frank Webb. I am sure the Nat’s will prosper under    his leadership. Also to express the gratitude of two honorary members to the retiring Chairman, one of the originals, and hoping ho will now have the time to “bludgeon” Menai into taking up her pen once more produce her words of wisdom” on the Conservation of Indoor Plants — we miss those articles.