Dear Editor
THE green spaces we know and love are better protected thanks to EU nature laws and, with just days to go until the EU referendum, it’s time we put nature at the centre of the debate.
Iconic wildlife hotspots across Essex including Epping Forest, Essex Estuaries and Hamford Water have an important extra level of protection under EU law.
Nearly 300 green spaces in Britain benefit from being part of an EU-wide network of protected areas. Almost 11,000 square miles of our country’s most precious wildlife sites are recognised as special areas of conservation by the European Union for their rare and endangered species of birds, trees and bugs.
Many of those wishing to leave the EU see nature protection as an unnecessary burden on UK business.
It is incredibly important to protect our wildlife at an international level – the animals and habitats we take for granted locally are often rare in Europe – and the European Union is absolutely the best place to work together with our neighbours to do this.
To ensure these places stay as nature intended, to protect the many valuable conservation sites that so many people enjoy, it is vital we vote Remain on the 23rd June.
Jean Lambert MEP
Molly Scott Cato MEP
Keith Taylor MEP – the UK’s Green MEPs
