Examination of Witnesses (Questions 360
- 361)
TUESDAY 6 JUNE 2000
MR MIKE
WALKER, DR
CHRIS SPRAY
AND MR
PAUL WOODCOCK
360. That is getting rid of other people's nasties.
What about keeping your own nasties? Do they not have some rights
under biodiversity?
(Dr Spray) I am sure they do, and what one would like
to see is the scientific research to actually understand what
role they play. I think the answer to the sewage one is that the
research is there, and should society, at the end of it, decide
they wish to see certain things back, that is up to society to
decide. One of the whole problems and why, if you like, conservation
is always a better word than biodiversity, is that strictly speaking
if we were talking about biodiversity we ought to be concentrating
on beetles. There are many, many more beetles than almost any
other species in the world, by orders of magnitude.
361. Why did the water industry not take on
the cuddly beetle rather than the otter?
(Dr Spray) We took on the cuddly snail, in Northumbrian
Water's case, but the otter one was because of the high profile
and because very early on in the process it was seen as the flagship
that others would follow.[6]
(Mr Woodcock) It is important to make
the point, however, that the water industry has taken on things
like the depressed river mussel as well. That is not cuddly, it
is not very sexy but it gives a sign of our commitment.
Chairman: Finally, on that note, can I thank
you very much for your evidence.
6 Note by witness: Northumbrian Water are Biodiversity
Champions for the Round Mouthed Whorl Snail (vertigo genesii)
nationally. Back
|
