Summary
YOUR excellent obituary of Dr Derek Ratcliffe (May 30) mentions his work in pinpointing the link between the organochlorine pesticides and accumulation of their residues up the food chain, with consequent effects on certain predatory species. It might well have been the case that, had it not been for Ratcliffe's perseverance on this issue, three specialist bird-eating raptors, peregrine, sparrowhawk and merlin, would have been lost to the British Isles and perhaps further afield.
The obituary omits speculation as to why Ratcliffe, although a very distinguished conservationist and public servant, was never elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. Perhaps he spoke out too freely, notably in the 1980s, against what was then government policy on afforestation in the uplands and its detrimental effect on nature conservation interests, and offended some key Establishment figures.See the full content of this document
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Derek Ratcliffe
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