WARNINGS AND SAFETY ADVICE

There are numerous problems in the environment we like to enjoy and many are caused by unwelcome invaders, surviving in our climate as it slowly warms up. Many attack the plants and native fauna, some attack our food sources and some are actually dangerous to us directly. Others are accidental introductions or escapes.

In addition to the many diseases and parasites attacked numerous species of trees there is an ever growing list of invaders both flora and fauna.

In our woodlands we have non-native deer greatly hindering natural regeneration and killing off natural plants of the woodland floor. There are thought to be over a million deer in Britain but of the six species only the red and roe are native.

Statistics produced back in 2013 were staggering. They suggest that across the EU about £10 billion pounds are spent trying to eradicate harmful invaders and worldwide around 5% of the world’s economy.

The latest addition to the list of probably invaders to cause great concern is knocking on our door and great efforts are being made to sport early arrivals and stamp them out.

We also have invasive plants causing untold damage to the eco-system like Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam, giant hogweed, Australian swamp stone-crop, rhododendron, floating pennywort, water primrose and American skunk cabbage. Some can be imported as attractive plants but once escaped into the wild are outcompeting native species.

Once established, for example, evidence indicates that rhododendrons have toxins that hinder the growth of other species and are most concentrated in its young leaves making them unpalatable or even deadly to grazing animals that might have controlled their growth. Their large canopies are capable of dominating areas with and can even dry out wetland habitats that are otherwise unsuitable for it.

Not all invaders are entirely unwelcome. Rainbow trout, sweet chestnut and horseradish have been introduced and welcomed. In 2002 Britain had its first pair of breeding European Bee Eaters for half a century. These colourful occasional visitors arrive from time to time when strong winds blow them off course when migrating to Europe from Africa. They usually take one look at our weather and head for the Channel but a pair set up home that year in County Durham and successfully reared a clutch of young. In 2005 another pair successfully nested in Herefordshire and numbers of these birds are now appearing in this country every spring.

There are now thought to be over 6000 green ring-necked parakeets living wild throughout Britain. Thought to have been increasing in numbers steadily since releases and escapes in the sixties, they tend to be particularly concentrated in the south of England. These birds are thought to be doubling in numbers every few years and as our winters warm up their chances of survival increase dramatically. Now considered to be naturalised it is long-tailed with a red beak and a pink and black ring around its face and neck. In flight it has pointed wings, with a very steady, direct flight. It flocks in its hundreds by roost sites, and can be very noisy.

A pair of European eagle owls nested in a remote piece of woodland in Northumberland in 2003 and two chicks were found in a hollow in a tree spring 2005 and by 2009 they were cropping up in a number of locations. European eagle owls are amongst the world's largest owls and grow to a height of two foot six inches with a wingspan of nearly six feet; a large beak; enormous talons and startling bright orange eyes. They can weigh in at up to nine pounds and, like most owls, hunt at night for their prey which includes rats, mice, voles, rabbits, hares and other birds.

They are fairly common in the wilder areas of Europe, Scandinavia, Northern Africa, Asia and the Middle East but were very rarely seen in Britain and then only in the Highlands of Scotland. The species was wiped out in Britain about 150 years ago and because we are an island and the birds don't like to cross large expanses of water it was thought unlikely they would be back. This does not however seem to be the case and they are increasingly being spotted in other locations

Those early arrivals seen in Scotland were probably island hoppers from Scandinavia blown off their normal patch by bad weather. There are a lot in captivity and it is quite likely that the first breeding pair in Northumberland were escapees but they could have migrated down from Scotland. Wherever they came from they are now with us and should survive well in Britain’s wilder corners if not persecuted by man.

Much as we like to see ‘lost’ species returning to where they originally existed, it always has a knock on effect with other creatures in the food chain. An eagle owl was caught on camera attacking a hen harrier in Bowland and then remaining on that birds nest for some time and needless to say that nest then failed. Given hen harriers are very few in number and rarely successfully breed in England this was fairly disastrous. Quite apart from taking some other birds for food the eagle owl is known to attack other predators to get rid of ‘competition’.

Little egrets were unknown not many years ago but are now widespread.

We need to watch out for and try and stop alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to the health of humans or farmed animals but we often realise too late what harm they can do. The apparently attractive and tasty North American gray squirrels are driving native red squirrels to near extinction in most of England; rabbits and now cane toads plagued Australia, both having been introduced for apparently good reason; signal crayfish from America are out-competing the native and introducing disease … etc. Problems with escaped mink, terrapins and zanders are well documented. Once established they are near impossible to remove despite our best efforts. The only real success however was the coypu.

Below are given some advices about threats both imported and home grown, some real and some imagined or exaggerated. We are not experts and this information has been culled from various sources to assist members but is given without responsibility and is no substitute for common sense or professional advice.

HOGWEED

We all take care by nettles, brambles and blackthorn but there is another plant which is a bigger threat and can cause a long term very painful condition. The Giant Hogweed can reach over 20ft tall; a very impressive plant introduced into gardens but now spreading in the wild.  It is highly invasive and has spread throughout the whole of Great Britain, normally along water courses but also other areas such as parks, cemeteries and wasteland. The sap of Giant Hogweed contains toxic chemicals which react with sunlight and when they come into contact with the skin, they cause a reddening, often followed by severe burns and blistering.  The burns can last for several months and even once they have died down the skin can remain sensitive to light for many years.

It is easy to identify when fully grown, by its height, size of leaves and size of flowers, but it can be confused with native hogweed when not fully grown. The leaves are sharply divided with serrated edges which are clustered like a giant hand. They also have bristles on their undersides. Each cluster can be as much as 10 feet across. It looks very much like giant cow parsley

This invader is out-competing native flora, and is causing river bank erosion and increase in flood risk. It is now an offence to plant or otherwise cause this species to grow in the wild.

TICKS

Lyme disease was a fairly rare illness, but it has recently started to become much more prevalent and the risk of infection should not be ignored. It is now thought over 3,000 people a year are being infected, possibly tens of thousands. Many people are unaware of the risks this little itch that goes away after a couple of days, it can eventually be life-changing or even fatal. People who walk in the countryside through rough vegetation are still most at risk. Ticks are found in any moist, rough vegetation in woodland, heath and moorland areas including deep vegetation such as bracken and often in others that are decaying in mats such as sedges, grasses etc. growing in also in leaf litter within deciduous woods and at woodland edges, in glades and by paths. The disease is caused by bacteria carried by the ticks.

There is a widespread lack of awareness regarding tick-borne diseases.  Few people will be lucky enough to see a GP with sufficient knowledge to give a clinical diagnosis, i.e. based on symptoms, knowledge of a tick bite event, etc.

Symptoms include tiredness, chills, fever, headache, muscle and/or joint pain, blurred vision and a characteristic circular skin rash that may clear in the centre, giving a "Bull's eye" appearance. Later symptoms include recurring arthritis in the large joints, nervous system problems, Bell’s palsy (paralysis of the facial muscles) and memory problems. Some people experience irregularities of the heart rhythm.

We have been warned from time to time about Lyme Disease (LD) but it was only found in southern areas but it is now spreading throughout the country. Worse still the ticks are now carrying two other serious problems for us.  

Many people with typical symptoms will not actually be tested for the presence of even the most common of the diseases. For those who are tested for one or more of the possible diseases, a negative (and thus inconclusive) test will generally result in further investigation being abandoned. Few people will be lucky enough to see a G.P. with sufficient knowledge to give a clinical diagnosis, i.e. based on symptoms, knowledge of a tick bite event, etc.

If early symptoms are not recognised; serious complications can develop weeks, months, or even years later. It is likely that infected ticks need to be attached to the body for several hours before they can transmit the bacteria to us so diligence is very much needed to remove them carefully before any damage is done. When fully fed they can increase to the size of a grape pip, but unfortunately the larvae are smaller than a pin head and often difficult to spot.

Later stage symptoms include arthritis in the large joints, which can recur over many years. Nervous system problems are common, e.g. numbness, meningitis (with fever, stiff neck and severe headache), Bell's palsy (paralysis of the facial muscles) and memory problems. Some people experience irregularities of the heart rhythm.

LD should be diagnosed by a physical examination and medical history. This clinical diagnosis may in some cases be supported by laboratory testing. Diagnosis based on tests alone is not reliable - a negative result does not mean that the disease is not present. Symptoms can mimic those of other diseases. Diagnosis is easiest when there is a skin rash but this occurs in less than half of sufferers.

It is very difficult to avoid ticks because they can be found in urban parks and gardens, as well as typical countryside locations. It is possible for you or your pets to bring ticks into your home. Ticks have been found in most London's parks and their numbers are increasing all the time. Housing developments in what were countryside areas are adding to the problem. Climate change bringing warmer and wetter weather, which prolongs the life of infected ticks, is not helping

The best strategy is 'awareness'. Check yourself for ticks whenever you have visited a place where they may have been present. Do this both immediately and for up to three days after any outdoor visit. Carefully examine their favourite locations; behind the knees, under the arms and on the scalp. Your groin area is also at risk. This may allow you to see any adult tick that has attached. Once it has started to feed, its blood-engorged body will make it very visible. If you find a tick, remove it as soon as possible. This is all very well but for those of us involved in outdoor sports and activities this means daily inspections all the time. You should also carefully inspect all clothing, brushing thoroughly when in any doubt because ticks can crawl on clothing to reach their favourite meals.

Ticks can locate their prey by detecting host body heat, carbon dioxide and ammonia. They may crawl towards a stationary host or stretch out their front legs, equipped with tiny 'grappling hooks' ready to attach to a passing host. So anything you can do to thwart these tactics may help you to avoid tick bites. There are many suggestions about how to stop ticks reaching your skin but there has been little measurement of their effectiveness. Awareness still remains the best strategy.

You can make it more difficult for a tick to reach your skin by wearing shoes rather than sandals and tucking long trousers into socks. Keep to the middle of paths and do not sit on the ground in suspect areas. Full body cover is a must in suspect locations which means anywhere where livestock grazes particularly deer but is a pain in good weather. Ticks can be more easily seen on white or light-coloured clothing.

You should check your pets for ticks when they come into the house and especially before letting them onto carpets bedding or near soft furnishings. Consider using anti-tick pesticides for them.

Removing ticks without making the situation worse takes some care. Don't squeeze or twist the body of the tick, as this may cause the head and body to separate, leaving the head embedded in your skin and making the creature disgorge the contents of its stomach into your bloodstream. It is highly advisable not to use your fingernails to remove a tick. Infection can enter via any breaks in your skin, e.g. Close to the fingernail. Do not try to burn the tick off, apply petroleum jelly, nail polish or any other chemical. Any of these methods can cause discomfort to the tick, resulting in regurgitation, or saliva release.

The best way to remove the beastie is probably to use tweezers dipped in antiseptic grasping the tick as close to the skin as possible without squeezing the tick's body. Pull the tick out without twisting - there may be considerable resistance. Another method is to tie a single loop of cotton around the tick's mouthparts, as close to the skin as possible, and then pull gently but firmly, upwards and outwards

Wash your hands after any such work and in case you develop symptoms later, save the tick in a container although sticky tape or a folded tissue should suffice, making a note of the date and location. Taking it to your G.P. will help him to arrange tests for the problems. Also if possible, ask the doctor to return it to you after it has been analysed and send it, in the interests of research, to the Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SR, saying where the infection occurred.

Insect repellents containing Permethrin or DEET do supposedly protect against ticks for several hours if you wish to be really confident.

As if LD was not bad enough there is another problem associated with ticks with similar symptoms and prognosis. Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral infection with initial symptoms similar to flu and can include a high temperature (fever), headache, tiredness, muscle pain.  These symptoms usually last for about a week, after which point most people make a full recovery. Some people however will go on to develop more serious symptoms caused by the virus spreading to the layer of protective tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) or the brain itself (encephalitis).

This can lead to changes in mental state, such as confusion, drowsiness or disorientation, seizures (fits), sensitivity to bright light (photophobia), an inability to speak and paralysis (inability to move certain body parts)

If TBE reaches this stage, you will usually need to be admitted to hospital. These symptoms tend to get slowly better over a few weeks, but it may take several months or years to make a full recovery and there is a risk you could experience long-term complications). Unfortunately around one in every 100 cases of TBE is fatal.

Further to this they have now discovered another nastie carried by ticks. This also causes headache, fatigue, muscle aches and a recurrent fever but is feared to be less responsive to antibiotics than similar illnesses.  Borrelia miyamotoi has just been found to be present in ticks in the UK and has not yet been given a common name. There are it will lead to confusion in the diagnoses of LD and TBE.

These can all be mistaken for flu, leading to a delay in proper treatment being received.

BEASTS

We recently saw the trial of a farmer charged with gross negligence manslaughter, following the death of a walker. It was alleged that he was killed by a Swiss Brown bull, a breed of dairy bull not proscribed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In the event he was found not guilty. This tragic incident raised the question of whether the list of dairy bulls proscribed under the 1981 Act was in need to review. Following this the National Farmers Union and the Ramblers jointly approached the Health & Safety Executive to discover it only gets involved in cases involving the public if an incident involves a “reportable injury”. A reportable injury is one where the injured party gets taken directly to hospital for treatment for that injury. Because they don’t necessarily get to hear about all incidents, they would welcome reports from the public, so they are happy for us to encourage the public to report incidents. There is however a big proviso attached to this: they can’t follow-up all of these cases (particularly if a person has just been chased or frightened).

The HSE officers took the view that bulls are not the main issue. Examination of their reports shows that most incidents seem to involve two people and a dog in a field with cows and calves. Almost no incidents involve a group of people (good news for our group walks), but most people involved seem to be over 55. Cattle also seem to dislike high-viz jackets!

 Walkers do need to be aware. You wouldn’t step out on to a road without looking to see if there were any cars coming even though you have every right to be crossing the road. In a similar way, when entering a field you should look around and assess the situation regarding livestock. However farmers are running businesses and need to have done risk assessments—this is key—and to take sensible measures such as siting feeders and drinkers away from stiles where possible, considering electric fencing and providing good signage.

We are also aware of, and are awaiting more news about, a pilot project in Cornwall at which the possibility of providing permissive alternative paths (avoiding fields with cattle and calves) is being looked at. The definitive right of way would still be available, but there would be another route for anyone who did not wish to use it.

Please do let us know about any incidents involving the public and cattle on rights of way, or on access land. It is very important that we have an accurate picture of what is happening.

In the meantime do take care: It is advised that people make noises to ensure they don't surprise animals when entering a field with them present.

It is normally important to keep any dog under close control as animals can be disconcerted by the dog. If however cows in particular look nervous and move towards you let the dog go and it can fend for itself and the beasts should not normally bother you. Never allow your dog loose in a field with sheep no matter how trained you think it is. Their natural instinct is to herd or hunt and in either case sheep will be distressed.

Having contacted a spokesman in the National Farmers Union about horses, this was his response:

“There are no specific rules about horses and the NFU does not put out any special guidance about them and walkers. The general rule applies that land managers must not have animals which are dangerous in fields with public rights of way in them. Horses can be curious about dogs and people should generally keep dogs on leads around horses rather than let them off, but in the unlikely event the horse(s) are obviously upset by the dog, perhaps because there is a foal nearby, let the dog off the lead to fend for itself. Horses are most unlikely to harm people or even bother them, but if you feel they are coming too close for comfort then "make yourself big and shout" - easier said than done, I know, for those unused to animals. The slight exception to all this is when you enter a field of horses that are used to being fed by passers by, when the horses can and do mither those who enter the field. This is why you see some signs asking you not to feed them

There are roughly ten incidents a year with cattle and walkers - the numbers involving horses are extremely infrequent and not recorded as far as we know.

There are probably more problems with horses when they are being ridden on shared routes and this is usually where they are surprised by a cyclist or walker. It is often the horse rider who comes off worse so once again the answer is; make yourself known to be there.

It is easy to understand walkers not familiar with animals losing confidence on occasions when confronted with livestock. It's a shame, but discretion is the better part of valour

WILD BOAR

Fortunately wild boar attacks on people are extremely rare, but as with all animals you may come across in the woods, including species of deer there is always an element of unpredictability so it is best to remain cautious. Male wild boars have a very intimidating appearance and sport sharp tusks so being cautious comes naturally.

These animals are becoming quite widespread but are usually shy and will avoid contact with people. If you take a dog intro the woods through, and a boar feels threatened, especially when it has young it might attack the dog and you could get in the way.

Unfortunately in some areas people are actually feeding them and others are leaving food about in campsites and some creatures are loosing their fear of man.

ASIAN HORNETS

The latest addition to the list of invading pests to cause great concern is knocking on our door and great efforts are being made to spot early arrivals and stamp them out.

You will occasionally come across a European hornet: a species migrating northwards through Britain. It looks a fearsome creature and but they were no great threat. It is usually not aggressive but if threatened can be defensive of its nest and food supplies – only the female stings. Much larger than the wasp, its wings are orangey-red and its belly striped yellow and brown. Its legs are all brown unlike its far more dangerous cousin lurking across the channel.

The Asian hornet was accidentally introduced to France and is now spreading out and is highly possible in Britain, possibly wind-blown but more likely in soil associated with imported plants or in untreated wood. It might easily be inadvertently in freight containers or vehicles.

It is also slightly smaller than the native hornet and their most distinguishing features, differing from our European hornets, are their almost entirely dark abdomen (tiny flecks of yellow) and their yellow tipped legs.

These creatures could finally put paid to our already struggling honey-bee population and are far more aggressive and potentially dangerous to people as they can sting repeatedly.

If you even suspect you may have seen one it should be reported.

SNAKES

The adder is the only venomous snake native to Britain, actually having the most highly developed venom injecting mechanism of all snakes, but they are not aggressive creatures and you will be very lucky to see one.

Most adders have very distinctive markings with a dark zigzag running down the length of the back and an inverted 'V' shape on the neck. Males are normally white or pale grey with a black zigzag. Females are a pale brown colour, with a darker brown zigzag. Unfortunately some adders are completely black and can be mistaken for some other species so all snakes are best left alone.

Adders will only use their venom as a last means of defence, usually if trodden on but they are very sensitive to vibrations and will be long gone before you walk up to them. They are still quite widespread and if you actually want to see one, walk very quietly very early in the morning after a cold night along a sandy path or by a dry stone wall. They are cold blooded and need to warm up in the early sunshine and their reactions are slow that time of day.

Nobody in Britain has been killed by an adder bite in Britain for many years. With proper treatment, the worst effects are nausea and drowsiness, followed by severe swelling and bruising in the area of the bite.

Most people who are bitten were catching or handling a snake and you should treat adders with respect and leave them alone.