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Biodiversity News www.ukbap.org.uk Issue 42
Biodiversity News
Editorial Welcome to Issue 42 of Biodiversity News! As you can see, Biodiversity News has undergone a bit of a refresh. The style of the newsletter had been little changed in the last nine years, and is now a solely online publication. To reflect this, the new Biodiversity News should be more web-friendly and a more useful resource for you all. Many thanks to all of you who sent in suggestions on how the newsletter could be improved; I hope you are pleased with the result. Any further comments or sug-gestions would be welcomed, and should be sent to the email address below.
Building on the hyperlinks in previous issues, clicking on an article title from the “In this issue” section will link directly to that article. Similarly, the UK Biodiversity Partnership logo in the top left of each page acts as a home button, returning you to the contents section. A number of comments were received expressing a preference for a single column of text, as it is easier to read on-screen, so all the articles are now in this format. The cover design has also been updated: the image, like the line drawings of previous editions, will be changed with each issue to reflect the content of the newsletter. The struc-ture has also been revised, and a new standing item on UK BAP developments has been introduced. If there is anything else you would like to see in Biodiversity News, please let me know.
In this issue you will find the interesting results of a public attitudes survey in North East England (page 7) along with news of the Marine Conservation Society and Environment Agency’s survey of megafauna in the Outer Bristol Channel (page 10). There is also an update on the action planning process following the publication of the new UK list of priority species and habitats (page 11). In a packed Local and Regional section there is, amongst other things, good news from a Merseyside bat survey (page 13), Warwickshire, Coventry & Solihull LBAP’s first report on their conservation efforts (page 13) and a report on the Northern Kites project (page 14) and Buckinghamshire Otter Spotters’ Project (page 15). There is also information on the 6th Annual Biodiversity Partnership Conference in Events.
Many thanks to the authors for their contributions to this issue. If anyone is interested in having an article published in Bio-diversity News, please contact me on [email protected].
Regards,
Tom O’Hanlon UK Biodiversity Policy Unit, Defra, Zone 1/07, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN [email protected]
In this issue... News 3
Saving the Fat Bird — Corn Bunting Conference 3
Success for Scottish Wildlife Count 3
New Report Highlights Mixed Fortunes for Irish Birds 4
New Study Shows Warblers are the Winners in Game Woods
5
Rare Invertebrates at Sutton Fen 5
£1/2 Million Biffaward Funding Boost for Bats 6
Features 7
Research into Public Attitudes towards Biodiversity in the North East
7
Grazing Sheep in Apple Orchards 8
“Mountaineers Steal the Show” 8
Mysteries of Black Grouse Loss Unravelled 9
MCS Marine BAP Advice and Recording 10
UK BAP Updates 11
Update on the Action Planning Process 11
2
Local & Regional 13
Liver Bats Get Off to a Flying Start 13
Warwickshire’s Wildlife Successes! 13
Northern Kites—Connecting Countryside, People and Wildlife
14
Buckinghamshire Otter Spotters 15
First Polish Ponies Arrive in Northern Ireland 16
Aylesbury Welcomes Peregrine Falcons 16
Making Money from Meadows in Bedfordshire & Luton 17
International Biodiversity Day 2008 17
Publications 18
Native Woodland Definitions and Guidance 18
Scottish Forestry Strategy Paying Early Dividends 18
Events 20
UK Biodiversity Partnership Conference 2008 20
The Biodiversity Duty — Focus on Local Action 20
‘Learn about Wildlife’ Workshops Programme 20
Please note that the views expressed in Biodiversity News are the views of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the UK Biodiversity Partnership or the organisations they represent. Cover photo: Black Grouse, Tetrao tetrix © Andy Rouse
Saving the Fat Bird!
The corn bunting, also known as ‘the fat bird of the barley’, is a characteristic species of lowland arable farm-land in the UK. It has suffered severe declines over recent decades, with an 89% decrease in the UK popula-tion between 1970 and 2004. The rapid population decline, and increasingly localised distribution of corn buntings in the UK, highlights the need to effectively target resources for corn bunting recovery.
This was the basis for the ‘Saving the Fat Bird!’ conference held at Harper Adams University College in Shropshire on 14 February. The conference was a joint initiative between the RSPB and Natural England, and brought together nearly fifty delegates, including representatives from the RSPB, Natural England and CCW, as well as land managers, farm advisors and farmers.
National experts outlined the ecological requirements of corn buntings and how agri-environment schemes in the UK can be used to provide for these. Further information was given about the latest research and how this has been applied to dedicated recovery projects in the UK. These include initiatives in Cornwall, East Scotland and the Western Isles, where concerted efforts have been made to save isolated populations. Workshop sessions focussed on how we should prioritise areas for corn bunting recovery, add value for other farmland birds and implement conservation measures and research in a practical way. It is hoped that outputs from the conference will help to inform the way forward for effective corn bun-ting conservation.
Dr. Darren Moorcroft, RSPB Head of Conservation Management Advice, said: “The conference is a real testimony to the enthusiasm of farmers and conservationists to explore how we use our collective knowledge and experience to reverse the fortunes of these birds.”
Matt Willmott, Natural England Land Management Adviser, said: “The challenge is now for Natural England and RSPB to use the latest research findings on corn buntings and transfer this knowledge into positive delivery on the ground. This is likely to require an increase in the uptake of the right options, targeted in farmland bird 'hotspots' across the region, thereby ensuring a more secure future for the ‘fat bird’.”
For more information please contact Mike Shurmer [email protected]
Success for Scottish Wildlife Count
From the White Tailed Sea-Eagle to the Blue Shield-bug, Central Scotland’s wildlife is now appreciated by more people than ever, thanks to the BRISC (Biological Recording in Scotland) Wildlife Counts Project.
The project has completed its second and final year of successfully raising awareness across the region of local biodiver-sity and the importance of biological recording. Hosted by BTCV Scotland, the project provided local people with free workshops in Stirling, Falkirk and North Lanarkshire.
Over 600 volunteers took part, including 350 who joined wildlife experts at a 24 hour BioBlitz held in May last year at Dal-zell Estate and RSPB’s Barons Haugh Reserve in Motherwell. By counting 478 different species in 24 hours (many never recorded in the area before) the volunteers appear to have set a new British record.
Highlights of the project included records for many rare and under-recorded species including White Tailed Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet Moth (Zygaena lonicerae subsp. latomarginata), Greater Butterfly Orchids (Platanthera chlorantha), breeding pairs of Nuthatch (Sitta europaea), Small Copper Butterflies (Lycaena phlaeas), Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla), Humming-bird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) and The Blue Shield-bug (Zicrona caerulea).
Wildlife Counts has been successful on many levels, according to BRISC Project Officer, John MacFarlane. “We have raised public awareness, improved coverage in under-recorded areas, and allowed an eclectic mix of volunteers to get out and enjoy wildlife in their ‘local patch’.” Participants particularly liked the relaxed, friendly atmosphere and the experts who delivered the workshops.
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“We’re grateful to all the volunteers, experts and NGO’s who helped deliver the project,” says John. “A special big thank-you must go to BTCV who hosted us and provided guidance and support to both project officers. The management team have done a fantastic job in steering the project, driving it forward to achieve its goals.”
The Local Biodiversity Action Plan Partnership, through the LBAP officers, provided the key contacts and supporting bodies for The Wildlife Counts Project. It was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Natural Heritage, BTCV, Falkirk En-vironmental Trust, Stirling Council, Falkirk Council and North Lanarkshire Council.
Further details of the project can be found at http://www.brisc.org.uk/wcounts.php. Details of the BRISC BioBlitz event can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/player/?item=4453291 and http://www.brisc.org.uk/bioblitz07.php
New Report Highlights Mixed Fortunes for Irish Birds
The RSPB and our colleagues in BirdWatch Ireland have jointly published ‘The Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland’ – using the traffic light system to assess the conservation status of all bird species in Ireland. The analysis identifies those species that are doing well but more importantly, those which are facing big problems and need help.
Two success stories were the roseate tern and the hen harrier, both of which came off the Red-list. Their populations in Ireland have been moving towards stability, following years of declines. Unfortunately, other species did not fare so well. Breeding waders continue to be under most threat in Ireland with golden plover and redshank joining curlew and lapwing, already on the Red-list. In other worrying developments, large declines were observed in wintering waterfowl and breed-ing seabirds over the assessment period. Shoveler, pintail, herring gull and black-headed gull were all placed on the Red-list. Arguably, the greatest disappointment was the extinction of the corn bunting since first analysis in 1999 while many other similar farmland birds are also struggling.
Overall, 25 species were placed on the Red-list, 85 on the Amber-list and 89 on the Green-list. One of the authors, RSPB’s Dr. Paul Lynas, commented ‘the new revision is an excellent tool for all involved in conservation work. It lets us see ex-actly which species to focus effort on in the next five years. Although many species witnessed declines since the last as-sessment, we are delighted that the roseate tern and hen harrier have come off the Red-list, demonstrating that conser-vation does work.’
The report will inform the review of NI Priority Species.
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The BRISC Wildlife Counts Project is supported by:
It’s raining data! Volunteers’ observations pour in at the BioBlitz, Mother-well. Nearly 500 species were recorded over 24 hrs © Graham Burns
New Study Shows Warblers are the Winners in Game Woods
A new study published in the leading science journal, The Journal of Applied Ecology, shows that the decline of some favourite woodland birds, particularly warblers, could be reversed by using the man-agement techniques developed by game managers who rear pheasants for shooting.
The research, carried out by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (formerly The Game Conservancy Trust), compared the vegetation and numbers of breeding birds in 159 woods in south and eastern England*. Half the woods were specifi-cally managed for game species such as pheasants while the remaining 78 woods had not been managed for pheasants for at least twenty-five years.
Dr Roger Draycott, an ecologist with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) explains, “In game managed woods densities of warblers, such as the willow warbler, blackcap, and whitethroat, were approximately 50 per cent higher than in the unmanaged woods and we also recorded between 22 per cent and 32 per cent more birds such as tits, finches, song thrush, black birds and pigeons in these woods.
Our research identified that woods managed for pheasants had a more open structure, enabling more light to penetrate the ground. This is important for the growth of the under-storey vegetation and is a crucial nesting habitat for many woodland birds particularly warblers.”
Recent research shows that many woodland bird species are declining and a reduction in the amount of under-storey vege-tation in woodlands has been cited as a possible cause of these declines. In addition, across the UK there has been an ex-tensive loss of large areas of farm woodland to agriculture. A reduction in the levels of management in remaining farm woodland is also having an adverse effect on many bird species.
Dr Draycott explains, “Game managers have retained, managed and planted woodlands for the specific purpose of providing habitat and favourable conditions for pheasants and pheasant shooting. It is this traditional coppicing, sky-lighting and the creation of the right condi-tions for the regrowth of the under-storey vegetation, that is likely to benefit other wildlife, including songbirds and butterflies.”
At least 25 million pheasants are currently released in British woods each summer for game shooting, but there is little published research to identify the potential effect that this may have on native wild-life. Dr Draycott said, “Evidence emerging from this new study about the positive benefits of woodland game management for pheasants is very compelling and we hope that it will act as a catalyst to encourage better management of our woodland in the future for the benefit of many of our important declining bird and wildlife species.”
Rare Invertebrates at Sutton Fen
A new fly for the UK and 138 other rare or scarce species have shown how Sutton Fen RSPB nature reserve, Norfolk, is out-standing for invertebrates in a national context. The comprehensive survey was commissioned by the RSPB from Dr Martin Drake; RSPB librarian and spider expert Ian Dawson assisted on spider identification. A black-spotted marsh fly from cen-tral Europe, Achalcus nigropunctatus, is new to Britain. The fly was previously known from France, Germany and Switzer-land.
The richest fauna was in the wet fen, and ditches next to pasture were markedly more species-rich than most large steep-sided fen ditches. Management recommendations included maintaining large areas of open mixed old fen vegetation, en-couraging small patches of lower growth by mechanical ‘damage’, cattle trampling and grazing and by not dis-couraging deer, and clearing areas of carr (wet woodland), which appeared to be of considerably less value to nearly all invertebrates than open fen vegetation. A previous survey of invertebrates by the Nature Conser-vancy Council in 1988-1990 found a similar result.
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A new study by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust shows that woods managed for pheasants contain 50 per cent more warbler species such as this declining willow warbler © GWCT
£½ Million Biffaward Biodiversity Funding Boost for Bats
Biffaward, a multi-million pound environmental fund managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, using landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services, is keen to encourage more environmental and community groups to apply for funding to help protect and rebuild the UK’s biodiversity.
Examples of current biodiversity grants include the £½ million ‘Father Thames’ project and a £18,000 grant for the Somer-set Wildlife Trust. Both projects have particular scope to protect and enhance bat populations.
The Landscape Strategy is raising funds for the London’s Arcadia Father Thames project which is restoring and enhancing the view from Richmond Hill - the only view in the UK protected by an Act of Parliament. The project aims to bring to-gether the public open spaces along the river that form the ‘View’, regenerating and managing all aspects of the river en-vironment for both people and wildlife. Here, Biffaward funding is helping to improve the condition of the famous 17th century Ham Avenues which provide ‘bat super-highways’ for the nocturnal mammals to navigate between roosting sites in Richmond Park and prime feeding grounds on the river.
Biffaward is also providing a funding boost for bats in Somerset where the Somerset Wildlife Trust has received a grant of almost £18,000 from Biffaward for its project to protect Greater Horseshoe Bats in Harridge Woods, near Shepton Mallet.
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This new boardwalk is part of the Thames Landscape Strategy/London’s Arcadia project © RSWT
Keepers Cottage, above, is in Harridge Woods, near Shepton Mallet © Somerset Wildlife Trust
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Biodiversity: Do the Public Really Believe it’s All Rubbish?
Research into Attitudes in the North East
Late last year Natural England on behalf of the North East Biodiversity Forum commissioned Marketwise Strategies Limited to speak to nearly 1000 people in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, County Durham and the Tees Valley about their attitudes towards biodiversity. While Defra carries out regular surveys into the environmental attitudes in England, this is the first time that such research has been carried out at a specifically regional level. Those asked for their views were chosen to be representative of the demographics of the North East and included a mix of different ages, background and geographi-cal location.
It will come as no shock to learn that there was limited recognition of the term biodiversity. Only 32% of people claimed that they had definitely heard the word compared with 89% for ‘global warming’ and 84% for ‘endangered species’. The biggest surprise came when respondents were then offered four possible definitions of biodiversity and asked to say which one they thought was correct. The top answer to this question was “waste that breaks down naturally.” The correct an-swer – the variety of living things – was only the second most popular answer.
Whilst people might not be familiar with the word ‘biodiversity’ they were generally positive about the natural world, with 85% agreeing that the world would be boring with fewer species and 68% saying that they were proud of the natural environment of the North East. A majority also agreed that biodiversity benefits society and could provide examples to support this opinion. However another key finding was that public attitudes were often very passive and of those asked only half disagreed with the statement “there is nothing I can do personally to help stop the loss of the North East’s biodi-versity.”
People were most likely to visit a natural space close to where they lived and 45% said they had taken part in bird or ani-mal watching at their home. Nearly three quarters had watched a wildlife programme on the TV in the previous month while in contrast only 21% had gone to an open space specifically to watch nature.
Respondents were also asked whether they thought their local council was doing enough to protect and enhance biodiver-sity – only 11% though their council was doing everything it could.
The research was initially commissioned to enable the Biodiversity Forum to report on one of its regional biodiversity indi-cators ‘Public Attitudes to Biodiversity’ but it soon became apparent that the work was of wider relevance to advocacy efforts of the Forum and its members. Key tasks for the North East Biodiversity Forum will now be to increase recognition and understanding of the word biodiversity but also to try and overcome the widespread perception amongst the public that there is nothing they can personally do to halt biodiversity loss. The research also gives vital evidence about the value placed on the natural environment that the Biodiversity Forum can use to influence local decision makers.
A copy of the full research report can be downloaded from www.nebiodiversity.org.uk/docs/166.pdf. For more informa-tion contact Nick Brodin, Regional Biodiversity Coordinator for the North East at [email protected]
Grazing Sheep in Apple Orchards – Are There Any Benefits?
Within farming practices there is always the tendency to ensure that an area of land is producing to its full capacity. Within apple orchards this can mean gaining the benefit of grazing the grass between the rows of fruit trees with live-stock. To this end it is not uncommon to see ground cover within apple orchards being utilized by the grazing of sheep. Although in some instances sheep can damage trees by stripping bark, defoliating low hanging branches (Figures 1&2) and if grazing over too large an area can allow weed species to grow, there are many benefits to the grazing of the land within fruit orchards. Not only will the farmer gain, in that they get two economic returns from the one area of land, but bene-fits may also exist for pest and disease control within the orchard ecosystem as a whole.
Advantages of grazing sheep in apple orchards include the following: they keep the grass clipped low which reduces the population of mice and voles which can do major damage in the winter by girdling trees. Having low grass levels also makes it easier for the process of picking up cider apples. There is also the time and effort saved by the farmer in not needing to mechanically mow the grass. Sheep also eat early windfall apples so helping to break pest lifecycles since early drops often contain insect larvae. The manure produced by the sheep fertilizes the orchard floor and also feeds the earth-worms. Keeping a healthy earthworm population within the orchard undergrowth plays a vital role in helping to control disease as the worms eat and break down apple leaves infested with the fungal disease Venturia inaequalis (apple scab) so helping to reduce the amount of scab over-wintering. Also, when sheep rub against the tree trunks they can knock off loose bark scales which are often a habitat for codling moths. Therefore, integrating fruit or-chards with livestock can be a profitable scenario if the balance between preventing damage to the trees is out weighted with potential insect pest and disease control.
For further information concerning orchard biodi-versity issues contact: Dr Andrew G. S. Cuthbertson (e-mail: [email protected]), Central Science Laboratory, York YO41 1LZ.
“Mountaineers Steal the Show!”
This was the headline of an article in BTO News last year. One of the main motivations for many mountaineers to put in all that effort to get to the highest places in Scotland is to appreciate the environment; landscape and biodiversity.. Hill walkers and climbers are keen to do their bit to conserve the places we enjoy. Over 140 responded to calls for reports of Ptarmigan for Project Ptarmigan, including in response to an article in the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) magazine, The Scottish Mountaineer. They reported on an amazing 3,212 kilometres of ‘transect’ above the 750 metre contour. Surveys in remote areas are very difficult due to staff time required and the huge expanse of remote land, espe-cially in Scotland. If the surveys are relatively non-specialist and need to reach into the heart of the wild land in Scotland, then Project Ptarmigan has shown that engaging with mountaineers is an effective approach. The Project also looked at the reliability and applicability of the data, and have confirmed that for a non-specialist survey, this is an excellent way to increase coverage. Mountaineers are now being encouraged to get involved in surveying remote areas as part of Bird Atlas, and the Scottish Wildcat Survey. Hundreds of thousands of walkers go to the remoter areas of Scotland each year, and they are a resource.
MCofS would be keen to hear of any surveys in which mountaineers can help, please contact Hebe Carus (Access & Con-servation Officer) at [email protected].
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Stripping of Bark of Apple Tree by Sheep © Andrew Cuthbertson
Mysteries of Black Grouse Loss Unravelled in New Study
Black grouse, which were once found in almost every English county, were, until recently, thought to be one of the most likely bird species to become extinct in this country.
However, a new research paper published in the March edition of the British Trust for Ornithology’s science journal Bird Study, written by researchers from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, reveals that a 10-year partnership project in the North Pennines has helped the bird buck this trend and the battle is now on to replicate this success in other areas to extend their range.
Black grouse were once widespread across southern England but by 1910 they had become extinct in most southern coun-ties. The paper, “Current status and recent trends in numbers and distribution of black grouse, Tetrao textrix, in north-ern England”, by Dr Phil Warren and Dr David Baines, will give renewed hope that black grouse could once again become a familiar sight in many of its formers haunts in northern England.
Although the English population is now restricted to just the northern section of the Pennines encompassing four counties, Northumberland, County Durham, North Yorkshire and Cumbria the prospect of further recovery looks achievable as re-search carried out over the past two decades has unravelled the factors that have caused the decline of this important species.
Dr David Baines, from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust and co-author of the report said, “Having identified the reasons for their decline, including the loss of suitable habitats through overgrazing by sheep, an increase in the number of generalist predators such as red fox and carrion crow, and a reduction of key insects needed by young chicks, we have been able to accurately target a recovery programme that has resulted in this dramatic increase in numbers in the north Pennines.”
Surveys conducted throughout the known black grouse range in northern England showed that in 1998 the English black grouse population was just 773 males. The last count carried out in 2006 shows that this number increased to 1029 males – an average increase of 4 per cent per annum. Most of these increases were recorded in the North Pennines AONB and Yorkshire Dales. Of major concern, however is the continuing decline of black grouse on the northern fringe of its range in north Northumberland.
Although black grouse have encouragingly exceeded their English Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) target in the North Penni-nes of 1,000 males by 2010 ahead of schedule, the population is still severely contracted and the next objective is to in-crease their range to secure the English population. Dr Phil Warren, Project officer with the North Pennines Black Grouse Recovery Project explains, “To boost range expansion and to link currently isolated populations, resources are being tar-geted to increase the breeding productivity of the existing population while creating suitable conditions on the northern and southern fringes of the range to encourage range expansion.”
Dr Phil Warren offers extensive advice on behalf of the partnership to landowners interested in managing their land for the benefit of black grouse. A black grouse conservation guide, which highlights the requirements of this important spe-cies can be obtained free from The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, telephone: 01425 652381 or email: [email protected]
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Black grouse were until recently thought to be one of the most likely bird species to become extinct in this country but a new research paper by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust reveals that a 10-year project in the north Pennines has helped the bird buck this trend © Andy Rouse
MCS Marine BAP Advice and Recording
The MCS has been working for five years to deliver marine BAP at the regional, national and local levels via educational roadshows, conservation recommendations for threatened species, offering advice to regional BAP partnerships, and via publication of the LBAP marine guidance manual (contact Dr Jean-Luc Solandt for a copy – [email protected]).
However, carrying out baseline surveys has always been an important part of the activities of MCS. As lead partner for the grouped action plan on marine turtles, and the basking shark, MCS teamed has up with the Environment Agency to record the megafauna of the Outer Bristol Channel throughout the spring and summer of 2007. The work was part funded by the CCW Species Challenge Fund.
This unique collaboration saw MCS supplying surveyors aboard the Environment Agency survey ship - MV Vigilance - in or-der to record the marine species seen at the surface, whilst the EA scientist carried out water quality and physio-chemical and biological tests at preset transect locations in the Bristol Channel. Surveys were carried out in April, June, July and September. A surprising number of harbour porpoise and common dolphin were recorded on the surveys, with harbour por-poise recorded closer to the south Wales coast than in the middle of the Bristol Channel, and common dolphins being more prevalent slightly further offshore.
Species recorded on the surveys – total survey time was 90 hours
* - species recorded off effort – a humpback whale on 27.11.07, and a leatherback turtle on 27.9.07. A Humpback whale unfortunately was stranded at Port Talbot on December 15th – probably the same animal.
The information from these surveys reveals the considerable megafauna biodiversity of the region, and the relatively high density of sightings (one animal was sighted on average every 45 minutes). The most dominant fauna in the outer channel were the common dolphins and harbour porpoise. Basking sharks were rare in the region, with some individuals reported from the north Devon and Cornwall border. MCS has recommended to CCW that the waters of the Carmarthen Bay and Mil-ford Haven SACs are extended southward in order to facilitate protection measures for these threatened species.
MCS is looking for more volunteers to help survey from the Vigilance, so if you are interested, please contact the project leader, Dr Jean-Luc Solandt, on 01989 566 017 or [email protected].
Public sightings of basking sharks and leatherback turtles can be entered online at the MCS website – www.mcsuk.org. You can also download a full version of the survey report including species distribution maps from the MCS website – follow links to the Outer Bristol Channel megafauna survey pages.
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Species/taxa Number of sightings Number of individuals Harbour Porpoise 28 42 Common dolphin 9 66
Basking shark 4 5 Other dolphin 3 10
Seals (UD) 1 1 Humpback whale* 1 1 Leatherback turtle* 1 1
Total 47 126
Recording from the bow of the vessel A leatherback actually seen on the survey (off effort)
An Update on the Action Planning Process Following Publication of the New UK List of Priority Species and Habitats
The new UK strategic biodiversity framework (Conserving Biodiversity—the UK approach) sets out a shared vision and ap-proach to conserving biodiversity within our devolved structure. It highlights the importance of adopting an ecosystem approach if we are to meet our biodiversity objectives. The emphasis for future UK-level work will be achieving effective information exchange, providing guidance, standard-setting, research, and some reporting. Work to embed biodiversity into policies and programmes, set targets, plan and prioritise action, and implement delivery mechanisms for priority spe-cies and habitats will be carried out at country level and below.
In Issue 41 of Biodiversity News we reported how the UK Biodiversity Partnership Standing Committee (UKSC) had devel-oped an eight step action planning process following the publication of the new UK list of priority species and habitats (Biodiversity News, 41: 32).
Here we report on the progress against these eight steps, and the action that is necessary if we are to roll out the UK BAP delivery for these new priority species and habitats as soon as possible. Not all steps have received the same level of pro-gress but that is to be expected, as some of these steps need to be completed or at least started before others.
Essentially, as outlined in the last article, conservation of the priority species and habitats is now the responsibility of the 4 constituent countries of the UK. The consultation of experts to identify species priority conservation actions ended on 29 February 2008. The results have now been passed to country groups to help them develop their conservation approach for priority species and habitats.
Step 1: Brigading Habitats into Groups
The UK Standing Committee agreed that priority habitats would be brigaded into groupings, with each country choosing its own set of groupings. A draft list of these habitat groupings has been developed for all countries but the countries are consulting further prior to final agreement.
Advantages of the Habitat Groupings are to help embed the ecosystem approach to make conservation delivery more ef-fective. In addition, the habitat-based groups at country level will be responsible for the conservation of species whose actions are signposted to priority habitats. Notwithstanding this, for some habitats and species, UK expert groups will con-tinue to provide an important technical and advisory role.
Step 2: Species requiring specific management
There was a high return rate (97%) to the consultation on refining the signposting of the priority species to conservation actions following which JNCC analysed returns to identify 471 species requiring specific management action. It is envis-aged that targets will be set for these species that require species -specific actions. This involves actions directed at im-proving the status of a priority species at individual sites through specific management action (not linked to generalised habitat management action), or through specific conservation action such as (re)introduction, translocation or ex situ measures.
Step 3: Role of Lead Partners in identifying and reporting on priority species requiring management beyond Habitat Action Plans
The Committee agreed that no one party should set targets, that relevant delivery bodies needed to sign up to set targets, and that lead delivery bodies may find it helpful to identify a ‘lead partner’ to aid this process. It was recommended each country appoint a lead delivery body (e.g. Natural England in England) responsible for priority species conservation in their country, including prioritising action and identifying a lead partner to assist with working up targets and planning for delivery. Where species occurred in more than one country, lead delivery bodies would identify if they wanted a joint lead partner, and if so who it should be. These bodies would then develop targets and plans together.
Step 4: Wider Actions
It is envisaged that cross-cutting issues affecting the success of lots of groups and covering issues at more of a landscape scale would be dealt with by Country Biodiversity Groups or the country administrations rather than country agencies, as
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these involve a wider range of players. Actions taken should benefit both priority and non-priority habitats and species.
Step 5: Transitional arrangements
The “old” list of priority habitats and species, along with the existing species Lead Partners and habitat arrangements, will be maintained while the arrangements and preparations for the new approach are finalised. The period between now and the finalisation of the report on the UK BAP 2008 Reporting Round, which is due in March 2009, will be used to set up the process for delivery by the countries and the UK of the full new UK List of Priority Species and Habitats.
The 2008 Working Group has starting work coordinating the Reporting Round. A guidance note has been sent to Lead Part-ners and LBAPs and the BARS set up for reporting is being finalised. Only the “old” UK BAP priorities will be reported on in 2008 and the Reporting Round will extend from 1 September to 30 November 2008. The UK BAP data will be used for the 2009 update of UK Biodiversity Indicators in Your Pocket, which will feed into the UK’s Fourth National Report to CBD.
Step 6: Success criteria
The purpose of identifying Success Criteria is to provide a means of ascertaining, over time, if the status of priority habi-tats and species has recovered to the point that they may be removed from the UK BAP priority list. Success Criteria are needed because, if habitats and species were to be retained on the priority list indefinitely, irrespective of the scale of recovery achieved, resources and effort could continue to be expended on these features at the expense of priority fea-tures which had not achieved that level of recovery and potentially also at the expense of 'borderline' habitats and species which were not selected under the Review but whose status becomes progressively more deserving of conservation effort.
The UK Biodiversity Partnership Standing Committee has agreed that, for priority habitats, the targets set for these habi-tats are, in effect, the Success Criteria. The issue of which priority species will have targets has not yet been fully re-solved but the working assumption is that where targets have been set for a species those targets will be taken to be the Success Criteria for that species. BRIG is currently considering how success can be determined for species without current targets.
Step 7: Surveillance and monitoring
The surveillance framework is being developed by JNCC and a paper suggesting three main objectives was prepared for BRIG’s meeting on 12 March 2008 and passed on to Standing Committee for consideration on 29 April 2008. The first objec-tive establishes the broad framework of surveillance schemes needed to monitor the general state of, and trends in, biodi-versity and to track progress in the delivery of the country and UK biodiversity strategies. The second objective requires surveillance of any additional biodiversity needed to track the extent of pressures on biodiversity. The third objective requires surveillance of any additional elements, not already catered for, needed to meet reporting requirements. Stand-ing Committee endorsed the approach subject to widening the scope to make stronger links with “core surveillance” – and closely related evidence needs, in particular biological recording /inventories (knowing where things are) and process studies (understanding why things are changing). A Surveillance Implementation Group will be established to help drive the work forward.
Step 8: Research
Some of the actions coming from the species consultation outlined research needs. A joint BRIG / BRAG group has been established to set up a method for getting the research on these species done as soon as possible. A planning meeting was held in April 2008 at which a process for taking this research forward was proposed: identify species-specific as well as more generic research; where research actions are unclear, refer the action back to the original expert proposer; commu-nicate the finalised research proposals to researchers, research groups and funders; and put a process in place to track the uptake of research proposals.
BRIG and BRAG subsequently developed this process in which a steering committee is to be formed comprising members of Wildlife and Countryside Link and JNCC that will oversee a short term contract. The aim of the contract is to deliver prag-matic suggestions to implement the development of the research proposals. Initially the focus will be on identifying group-ings of research needs that could be developed immediately (the other groupings to be developed later). In autumn 2008, these research groupings to be presented by the contractor to a workshop comprising people with ecological and research expertise.
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Liver Bats Get Off to a Flying Start
Many years of experience have shown the Merseyside and West Lancashire Bat Group that there are plenty of bats across Merseyside, but a lack of systematically collected data has hampered efforts to measure progress towards conservation targets in the North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plan. With that in mind, I worked with the bat group to prepare a bid to the “Awards For All” lottery fund and in Spring 2007 we were awarded £8,300 to kick-start a project to survey and monitor the bats of North Merseyside.
As part of the project – which we called ‘Liver Bats’ – the bat group hosted a series of urban bat walks during which mem-bers of the public used bat detectors and encountered bats in their local areas. Everyone attending one of these special bat walks was presented with the Field Studies Council guide to British bats. But the main thrust of the project was to train 22 volunteers to begin what should become a regular monitoring project across North Merseyside.
Most of the grant was spent on equipment and training for the volunteers including a Peterson D100 bat detector for each of them. Using a survey protocol closely modelled on that of the National Bat Monitoring Programme, 11 teams of two vol-unteers were each assigned a site (usually an urban park) which they surveyed regularly over the season. The volunteers were taught to recognise and record the occurrence of Pipistrelles, Noc-tules and Myotis species.
Despite appalling weather conditions for most of the summer in 2007, the project got off to a flying start and the volunteers soon came up to speed with the survey protocol and bat identification skills. The results of the 2007 survey have given us a good baseline against which to assess the fortunes of urban Merseyside bats over the coming years. Prepara-tions are already in hand to repeat the surveys in 2008. We are optimis-tic that the results of the project will inform efforts to conserve bats across North Merseyside in the years to come.
Richard Burkmar North Merseyside Biodiversity Manager
Warwickshire’s Wildlife Successes!
Warwickshire, Coventry & Solihull’s Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) has just produced the first report of its conservation effort since the plan was completed in 2006. A major success has been the Parish Biodiversity Action Plan, a booklet of ideas to help people start wildlife projects on their doorsteps. Distributed to all parish clerks, Women’s Institutes and libraries a year ago, it is now being used as a guide to conservation in many of our local communities. Copies may be downloaded (see www.warwickshire.gov.uk/biodiversity ) or purchased from Ruth Moffatt, LBAP Co-ordinator, on 01926 412197 or email: [email protected]
Barn owls are doing well, already exceeding our target for restoring the breeding population to 60 pairs by 2010. In good years for small mammals such as field voles, the bird is very productive, with nest box schemes helping their recovery. Another success has been the formation of the South Warwickshire Orchard Group to restore local fruit orchards and cre-ate and sustain interest in their products. On the downside, we are concerned at the continuing decline in species and habitat loss in the region, with wildflower meadows at an all-time low. Water voles could be extinct in a few years ow-ing to the predations of mink and loss of habitat while the adder may already be extinct.
In our Focus 2008 programme, we will be concentrating our efforts on four habitats that are ‘behind schedule’ in our targets for them – Disused Industrial & Railway Land, Roadside Verges, Meadows and Ponds, Lakes & Reservoirs. We will also be identifying opportunities to enhance the biodiversity of three habitats of particular public interest – Parks & Public Open Space, Church-yards & Cemeteries and Gardens. Projects that protect the animals associated with all these habitats, such as the hedgehog, common toad, bumblebees and bats, will be part of the pro-gramme.
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The volunteers at a training session © Charlie Liggett
© Steven Falk
© Garden Organic
Northern Kites - Connecting Countryside, People and Wildlife
Northern Kites, the five-year Project that has successfully returned the red kite to the region’s skies after an absence of more than 170 years, is managed by Natural England and the RSPB, working in partnership with Gateshead Council, Northumbrian Water, The National Trust and For-estry Commission, with additional funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and SITA Trust. Since 2004, Northern Kites has released 94 red kites less than six miles form the centre of Newcastle City and birds began breeding again in 2006. Prior to this, they had not bred in the northeast for almost two hundred years. The Project is a world first in re-introducing kites into an urban-fringe environment, close to the heart of urban Tyneside, centred on Gateshead’s Derwent Valley. Northern Kites is the seventh British red kite release project, part of a national programme of red kite re-introductions that commenced in 1989. In 2007, red kites successfully reared young in all three counties of the region, County Durham, Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, for the first time in over 200 years.
At first glance, Gateshead might seem a somewhat strange choice for such work, but the area selected – in the beautiful Derwent valley - is right for a number of reasons. Firstly, the habitat is perfect for kites. Secondly, much of the land is in the ownership of supportive land mangers. And thirdly, and very importantly, the area is easily accessible to hundreds of thousands of people living in the Tyneside conurbation. It is worth highlighting that Northern Kites is as much about peo-ple as it is the birds themselves. Whilst the northeast is well known for its rich natural heritage, many of the region’s most exciting wildlife spectacles are remote from the region’s main population. Northern Kites offers an exceptional opportu-nity to bring spectacular wildlife to the heart of the region and its people, on a daily basis.
In summary, Northern Kites comprises four key elements:
• Wildlife - the return of the red kite to its former range in northeast England • People - the opportunity to give people and communities access to the kite, so that they can enjoy and learn about
wildlife and the wider environment • Economics - the chance to show how such a Project can be good not just for wildlife and people, but also for the
local economy • Partnership – to illustrate how partners from the charitable, private and public sectors, working in an imaginative
way together can better deliver rewards for wildlife whilst enhancing people’s quality of life experience All four elements are vital, and great successes have already been achieved in all areas. We look forward to these devel-oping further in the coming years Northern Kites continues to go form strength to strength.
Northern Kites is a partnership Project between the lead partners Natural England and The RSPB, Gateshead Council, Northumbrian Water, The National Trust and the Forestry Commission, with additional funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and SITA Trust.
Northern Kites, Office 3b, 33 St. Mary's Green, Whickham, Tyne & Wear, NE16 4DN Tel. 0191 4961555 www.northernkites.org.uk
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This kite bus (above) is one of a fleet of nine buses, operated by Go North East, which run every 15 minutes from Newcastle to Consett, through the heart of "kite country" © Northern Kites
Buckinghamshire Otter Spotters
The European Otter (Lutra lutra) is a shy and majes-tic creature that comes out at night and thrives in clean freshwater habitats. As otters can have a home range covering a stretch of 20km of river, these charismatic animals are rarely seen in Buckinghamshire and little is known about their population densities. Evidence of otters has been recorded in the form of spraints that mark their territories on river banks and under bridges, but more information is still needed in order to determine how many otters there are and what areas they inhabit. These are just some of the challenges that face environmental conservationists in the protection of otters.
To tackle this challenge BTCV has launched the Buckingham Otter Spotters Project as part of its wider Buckingham Com-munity Wildlife Project, which is supported and financed by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC), Buckingham Town Council and the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Biodiversity Partnership. This exciting and new project offers local people the opportunity to get involved in the surveying and moni-toring of otters along the River Great Ouse, which runs through the heart of the historic town of Buckingham. The project is part of the delivery of the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes BAP, where landscape scale projects are being developed in the key “Biodiversity Opportunity Areas” in the county, one of which is the Ouse Valley.
Working in partnership with AVDC, BTCV is currently organising practical events and training courses for volunteers, whilst AVDC coordinates the sites surveyed and the ongoing collation of the records collected by these volunteers. By collecting data about otters in Buckinghamshire, it will hopefully be possible to determine their status and distribution. Initially the Project is seeking to survey and monitor sites along the River Great Ouse, but eventually hopes to expand to cover a wider area.
BTCV’s Buckingham Otter Spotters Project has generated warm responses and captivated the imagination of a wide range of local people. BTCV has received a number of phone calls from members of the public who are interested in volunteer-ing, reporting what they have seen or simply enquiring about otters in their area. In less than three months, nearly 40 people responded to the call for otter spotters and 17 have already attended an otter moni-toring training course organised by BTCV at Tingewick Mill in February. To accommodate the number of people who have offered to become otter spotters, a second training course arranged by BTCV took place at Bedford Priory Country Park on 27th April 2008.
The highlights of the Buckingham Otter Spotters training event at Tingewick Mill included the discovery of several otter spraints that were still fresh on the banks of the river, distinctive fox faeces, water vole holes in the bank that had fresh droppings beside them and a freshly dug (and used) badger latrine. It was a day of discovery as vol-unteers developed their skills and knowledge for how to identify the faeces and tracks of different mammals, as well as in identifying suit-able sites that otters may use for sprainting. Everyone had an opportu-nity to ask questions, use their ID charts and practice taking a hands-on approach by surveying a section of the River Great Ouse. It was a successful training event and since then many volunteers have already started surveying sections of the river to apply their skills in looking for otter spraints and footprints.
Susan Le, Buckingham Community Wildlife Project Officer at BTCV, said: “The Buckingham Otter Spotters Project is a really exciting opportunity for people to get involved, get trained and learn more about otters as well as other mammals on their doorstep. Already we have received a wonderful response from local people. The more volunteers there are on this project then the more information we can collect about otters so that we can generate a clearer and more detailed picture about the life history and distribution of these incredible animals, and the greater our chances in protecting otters and safeguarding their habitat.”
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Sarah Britten, Buckingham Otter Spotter volunteer, recording the presence of otter spraint on a survey sheet © BTCV
In Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes we are delivering the BAP through the development of landscape scale Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs). The otter monitoring scheme is the project on the ground since the development of the BOAs and will hopefully lead to improved management of the river for otters, water voles and other species.
BTCV and AVDC are working together to organise more events and training as part of the Buckingham Otter Spotters Pro-ject. For further information please contact Susan Le, Buckingham Community Wildlife Project Officer at BTCV, on tele-phone: 01296 330 033 or email: [email protected].
First Polish Ponies Arrive in Northern Ireland to Assist RSPB’s Conservation Work
RSPB NI has released nine konik ponies, a primitive Polish breed, onto its nature reserve at Portmore Lough, Co Armagh.
The ponies, believed to be the first released in Ireland, have travelled from the Netherlands as part of a project to en-hance and restore the wetland habitat at Portmore Lough Nature Reserve. They will graze the reserve to help keep down areas of scrubland which can have a detrimental impact on BAP species including lapwing and curlew. The koniks origi-nated in Eastern Europe and were the closest living relative of the last breed of western European wild horse, the tarpan, which is now extinct.
John Scovell, RSPB warden at Portmore Lough Reserve said: “We’re really delighted to welcome konik ponies to the RSPB reserve at Portmore Lough – and grateful to Biffaward for their support of this project. As far as we are aware, we’re home to the only Konik’s in Ireland and they will have an important role to play in helping to deliver our priority species conservation goals.”
Aylesbury Welcomes Peregrine Falcons
It’s not just shoppers visiting Aylesbury town centre these days – two peregrine falcons have been seen soaring over Mar-ket Square and perching at the top of the County Hall tower. The peregrine is a rare sight in Buckinghamshire and one of these birds broke records, being the first peregrine known to have stayed in the county throughout the summer.
When local bird enthusiast, Dave Short, saw the falcon, he immediately got in touch with Buckinghamshire County Coun-cil. “I volunteered to help the council install a nesting platform on the tower because I’d like to see this bird become the first peregrine to breed in the county”, says Dave. The county council was all too happy to oblige as Margaret Dewar, Cabinet Member for Community Services, explains: “Providing a safe nesting site at County Hall is a great opportunity for the council to look after the county’s wildlife and set a good example to others too.”
A nesting platform has been built by Dave Short, with help from Aylesbury Vale District Council and Bucks Bird Club. Over the next few weeks the platform will be installed at the top of the County Hall tower for the peregrine to use as a roosting and breeding site.
Councillor David Thompson, Cabinet Member for Leisure at AVDC, said: “This magnificent bird of prey is a wonderful sight to behold in full-flight. The last time I saw a peregrine falcon was whilst I was walking along the cliffs on the North Cornish coast. This new nesting platform should provide an ideal home for the falcon and hopefully there will be many more seen in the skies above Aylesbury in the future.”
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© Mike Wallen
Making Money from Meadows in Bedfordshire and Luton
It might just be time for Nature to start paying its own way. Anyone who has been to one of Natural England’s recent con-sultation sessions on the Phase II HLS targeting will have seen how little of the country is in The Green Area. Most of us will be left looking in from the white zone. This just underscores how little we can likely rely on agri-environment schemes to pay for meeting our biodiversity targets. So in Bedfordshire we’ve decided to have a little go at putting Nature to work.
The result is The Nude Ewe conservation wool. The project is selling knitting wool spun from a local flock of Hebridean sheep. Proceeds will be returned to the grazier – in this case the Wildlife Trust – to offset the costs of shearing.
It costs about a pound to shear a sheep. But the British Wool Marketing Board pays only a few pence for a raw fleece. The Nude Ewe project is turning this waste into a saleable product. The main goal is for sales to offset the shearing costs. Fur-ther profits could go towards veterinary bills, supplementary feed and fence repairs.
Similar projects have been done before, admittedly with little success. Both the Northamptonshire and Essex Wildlife Trusts have spun wool from their grazing flocks. But sales were poor. An important reason for this may have been market-ing. Essex Wildlife Trust wool is sold by volunteers through the Trust’s visitor centres. Northamptonshire promoted their wool through their newsletter but sadly overestimated their members’ interest in the product.
The Nude Ewe will be marketed differently. Two specific audiences will be targeted using both print and online media. The wool will be promoted in Bedfordshire as a local product providing local benefits. It will also be promoted directly to knitters, through knitting and craft guild newsletters and magazines. The Internet is key to success: over half of UK knit-ters buy supplies online. The Nude Ewe website will therefore be a vital part of the project.
Agri-environment schemes and charitable trusts simply cannot provide all the money needed to conserve our species and habitats. It may be that nature must pay its way if it is to survive in today’s world.
If the Nude Ewe pilot project is a success we hope to expand it across the county, offering other local graziers the chance to earn some money from their fleeces. Our vision is to operate it as a cooperative, in which graziers would receive re-turns in proportion to the amount of fleece they put into the scheme. The project is starting out with a single flock of Hebrideans. But in time we would like to be able to offer customers a selection of wools, from Jacob, Shetland, Soay and other breeds.
For more information on this exciting new initiative visit the Nude Ewe website (projected launch date March 31): www.bedslife.org.uk/nude-ewe. Or contact Heather Webb, Biodiversity Officer for Beds & Luton at [email protected], or Laura Downton, Grazing Sites Officer at [email protected].
International Biodiversity Day: 22nd May 2008
To celebrate International Biodiversity Day Warwickshire, Coventry & Solihull Local Biodiversity Action Plan produced a flyer, right, to encour-age people to 'Do One Thing' for the environment. If you would like to report on any events you held to promote International Biodiversity Day, please send them to [email protected].
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Launch of the Native Woodland Definitions and Guidance Publication
The Northern Ireland Native Woodland Group has developed a Definitions and Guidance booklet to guide the planning and establishment of new native woodland. The Group is a partnership of key stakeholders who have the protection and en-hancement of biodiversity of Northern Ireland’s woodlands as their main focus, and includes representatives of Govern-ment Departments, private forestry and non-governmental organisations.
The booklet was launched by Patrick Casement, Chairman of the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC) at Belvoir Park Forest on Wednesday 2 April.
Northern Ireland has very little woodland habitat in contrast to the rest of the EU. It has even less native woodland which currently amounts to less than 2% of the land area due to exploitation and clearances mostly in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Ancient Woodland Inventory indicates that long-established woodland (i.e. in existence since 1830) covers only 0.73% of Northern Ireland and only one-tenth of this is classified as ancient woodland (i.e. in existence since 1600).*
The expansion of native woodland in Northern Ireland will not only enhance biodiversity by increasing favourable habitat for native flora and fauna, but will also provide landscape benefits and recreational opportunities.
This booklet provides guidance to landowners, managers and practitioners in relation to seed collection, selection of na-tive tree and shrub species and their establishment, whether by planting or natural colonisation.
The significant contribution of native woodland to biodiversity is well documented and this is reflected in the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy (2002). Native woodlands may be classified into three priority habitats: oakwood, mixed ash-woods and wet woodland. Increasing the quality and extent of these special habitats is one of the main aims of the Native Woodland Group, and it is hoped that the booklet will help in achieving this.
Further details are available by phoning Forest Service on 02866 343124
* The Northern Ireland Ancient Woodland Inventory was carried out by The Woodland Trust and completed in Spring 2007.
Scottish Forestry Strategy Paying Early Dividends
The forestry sector in Scotland is realising its potential to make a wide ranging and significant contribution to the health of our economy, our society and our environment, according to a report published on Friday 28 March 2008.
The Forestry Commission Scotland report - The Scottish Forestry Strategy Progress Report (07/08) and Implementation Plan (08/11) - is an update on the forestry sector’s achievements over the past two years in shaping and developing the sector to take best advantage of the opportunities open to it in the 21st Century.
It highlights the successes so far and commits to almost 250 more actions to be carried out over the next three years by 61 different organisations.
Key indicators of progress over the last year include: - that 40,000 jobs are now supported by the forestry sector - the area of native woodland has grown to 398,000ha (an area 4 times the size of Mull) - the area of new planting has increased by over 50% from 3995ha to 6600ha (an additional 26 km2 or an area nearly twice the size of Perth). - forestry's contribution to the Scottish economy is now £760M annually - the number of non-domestic woodfuelled energy systems has risen from 49 to 91 - more people are visiting woodlands (up from 50% of adults to 72%) Environment Minister, Michael Russell, said:
"Since the Scottish Forestry Strategy was launched in 2006, it has become increasingly evident that forestry is playing an important and growing part in making life better for Scotland.
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“Forestry - through business, tourism and recreation - makes a substantial contribution to the national economy. It is also taking a leading role in Scotland's response to environmental and to social challenges – whether it is tackling climate change and enhancing biodiversity, or helping to promote access and improving the health and wellbeing of people and their communities.
“The report highlights what the whole forestry sector has done over the past year to take forward our plans to develop forestry. It is very encouraging to read that much has been achieved – particularly with regards to tacking climate change.
“I am confident that with continued support and co-operation across the sector, forestry is on track to deliver significant advances and achievements over the next three years.”
The action commitments over the next three years are broadly themed across areas such as tackling climate change, im-proving environmental quality, promoting timber and timber related businesses as well as improving access and health.
Across those themes, they also range in scale from smaller, local actions (encouraging the creation of woodland crofts; creating more accessible and well-managed woodlands in our towns and cities; making use of local woods for outdoor edu-cation) to national development (promoting the switch from using fossil fuel to using woodfuel; promoting wood as a con-struction material; maintaining and enhancing Scotland's wealth of biodiversity).
To view the Scottish Forestry Strategy update report and implementation plan, log on to www.forestry.gov.uk/sfs
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UK Biodiversity Partnership Conference 2008
Delivering for Nature Biodiversity – a keystone of Sustainable Development
The 6th Annual Biodiversity Partnership Conference will take place at The University of Wales, Aberystwyth on Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th September 2008
Further details will be available from end of June. Please contact: [email protected]
The Biodiversity Duty - Focus on Local Action
Date: October 14 - 16 2008
Location: Plas Tan y Bwlch Environmental Studies Centre in the heart of Snowdonia National Park
Aimed at: Biodiversity practitioners from across the UK working in public, private or voluntary sector.
To see the draft programme go to:
http://www.biodiversitywales.org.uk/English/Library/default.aspx?pid=6
For a paper copy telephone 01766 772 600.
For more information on the course contact Julia Korn (Wales Biodiversity Partnership)
Tel: 01248 387350 E-mail: [email protected]
‘Learn about Wildlife’ Workshops Programme
This year the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, in collaboration with the Herts Natural History Society and the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, is running a series of 21 ‘Learn About Wildlife’ workshops with the aim of getting more people
involved in wildlife conservation.
The workshops aim to introduce participants to new subjects and wildlife, increase their awareness and knowledge of wildlife and conservation, develop their skills in species identification and introduce them to species recording. Topics and species covered range from grasses and wild flowers to bats and water voles and are open to anyone over the age of
12.
The full programme can be found at www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/herts or email [email protected] to receive a copy of the ‘Learn About Wildlife’ brochure.
Please send in any dates of courses, meetings, conferences, events for young people or any other dates of relevance that could be included in our Diary.
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