Habitat destruction has been going on ever since people began
to cultivate crops. By the time the Romans came, half or more of this country's woodlands
had been destroyed and replaced by farmland.
In recent years this has been on the increase as more and
more native woodlands and hedgerows are being cut down and destroyed, generally being
replaced by none-native pine and conifer plantations.
Moorlands are also affected by man's actions, replacing trees
with ever increasing numbers of sheep and deer. Grazing in areas that cannot sustain these
relentless pressures and in extreme cases such as overgrazing resulting in excessive loss
of vegetation that eventually leads to soil erosion.
Lowland and grass wetlands are now amongst Britain's most
threatened bird habitats. they have been progressively drained to increase their
agricultural productivity, flooding has been reduced and water tables lowered through
river management and flood protection works.
Since 1932 we have lost 85% of our once unique and
irreplaceable wetlands.