Other themes for wildlife surveys included:

Spring flowers (February 2014)

Woodland plants (March 2014)

Invasive plants (April 2014 England only , June 2014 Wales only)

Hedgerows England only (April 2014)

Mammals England only (May 2014), and

Mistletoe England only (December 2014)

During February 2014 eight spring flow-er surveys were completed on 16% of

the 32 Greener greenways. Volunteers

submitted 67 records of spring flowers.

This information helps Sustrans to build

a picture of which routes currently have

lovely wildflower displays to entice new

users to the National Cycle Network’s

greenways, but importantly which have

nectar sources for early bees and butterflies during spring.

201 woodland plant records were submitted in March

2014. Approximately one fifth of the 32 greener green-

ways were surveyed.

Invasive plant species surveys were undertaken on ap-

proximately one fifth of the 32 greener greenways; 15 rec-

ords of problem plants were returned. Identifying where we

have problem species will enable us to manage these spe-

cies in future

Ten hedgerow surveys were undertaken in England in April

2014. Not all of the National Cycle Networks greenways

have hedgerows but those that do have generally not been

managed resulting in leggy lines of trees rather than thick

hedgerows with lots of wildlife potential. These results will

enable us to plant up gappy hedgerows and lay or replant

other hedgerows which need more work.

The mammal survey which English wildlife champions un-

dertook in May 2014 was

our most popular survey.

One fifth of wildlife champi-

ons took part surveying

28% of the 32 greener

greenways. This resulted in

40 mammal records in total.

We asked them to look for

footprints and earthworks in addition to actual sightings.

Wildlife Champions in England took part in the British My-cology Society's 'Have you Seen This Fungus Survey?' This survey entails

looking for six species of easily identifia-

ble fungi: fly agaric, jelly ear, yellow stag-

shorn, birch polypore, blushing bracket

and stump puffball. Volunteers under-

took 12 surveys, creating 23 fungi records during October

2014.

Welsh Wildlife Champions undertook another bird survey during November 2014. In total three surveys were under-

taken and 14 bird records were submitted.

Although 12 mistletoe surveys were undertaken in England

during December 2014 only three records of mistletoe were

found on two Greener greenways routes.

I am excited to announce the results of 12 months of wildlife

surveying as part of Sustrans’ Greener Greenways project in

England and Wales.

Following the awarding of a grant from the Esmée Fairbairn

Foundation, Greener Greenways began in August 2013. The

project marks a major step for Sustrans as it is the first major

biodiversity scheme that we have undertaken.

During 2014 our newly-recruited volunteer wildlife champions

were tasked with undertaking monthly wildlife surveys.

Armed with a species tick list, they walked or cycled 1km of

their local National Cycle Network greenway each a month

and then let us know what they saw.

The wildlife surveys are really important as they allow us to

establish and build on baseline information about the habitats

and species which utilise the greenways. For most volunteers

this was their first ever time recording wildlife. So to help

ease them into it we focused on a different habitat or theme

each month and on commonly found or easily recognisable

species. Where possible we partnered up with wider citizen

science schemes.

In total:

Over 612 wildlife rec-

ords were submitted,

129 surveys were

completed, and

113 volunteers took

part.

This is a fantastic achieve-

ment which would not

have been possible were it not for our wonderful wildlife

champions. Thank you so much for your time and dedication.

We hope you’ll continue to send in your wildlife records in the

future. Identifying what is on our routes helps us to determine

how we should manage our routes better for wildlife. It also

means we can start monitoring and getting feedback about

whether our management regimes are working.

Bernie Higgins

Ecologist, Greener Greenways (England and Wales)

Sustrans is the charity that’s enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys we make every day. Our work makes it possible for people to choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys, with better places and spaces to move through and live in. www.sustrans.org.uk

Wildlife Survey 2014 Overview

Issue 1 March 2015

Wildlife on the National Cycle Network (2014)

Wildlife champions took part in the following national

schemes:

RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch (January 2014), see page 2

for a summary of results

Plantlife's Wildflowers Count (May-August 2014),

Bumblebee Conservation Trust's Bee Walk England only (June

2014), see page 3 for a summary of results

Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count (July-August

2014), see page 4 for a summary of results

Opal’s Air Quality survey Wales only (September 2014)

British Mycology Society's 'Have you Seen This Fungus

Survey?' England only (October 2014)

Page 2 March 2015

Wildlife on the National Cycle Network (2014)

The graphic to the right shows the overall results of the

RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch in 2014. So how did the Na-

tional Cycle Network greenways compare?

183 Total birds counted on the green-

ways

Sustrans is the charity that’s enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys we make every day. Our work makes it possible for people to choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys, with better places and spaces to move through and live in. www.sustrans.org.uk

RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch (January 2014)

© Bernie Higgins

7 Wildlife Champions

took part

undertaking

5 surveys on

5 greenways

in 3 regions

The TOP 10 birds seen on

the greenways in 2014:

1 House sparrow

2 Wood pigeon

3 Long- tailed tit

4 Magpie

5 Gull (Laridae)

6 Blackbird

7 Great tit

8 Starling

= Carrion crow

10 Blue tit

The TOP 10 by region:

East Midlands West Midlands North West

1. Blackbird 1.House sparrow 1.Wood pigeon

2. Blue tit 2. Wood pigeon 2. Gull (Laridae)

3. Great tit 3. Long-tailed tit 3. Magpie

= Starling 4. Magpie 4. House sparrow

5. Chaffinch 5. Carrion crow 5. Mallard duck

= Magpie 6. Great tit

= Wood pigeon 7. Starling

= Gull (Laridae)

9. Blackbird

= Collared dove

Other greenway visitors

As it was the first year of recording wildlife on the green-

ways and volunteers were new to the routes, most wildlife

champions were not sure how often the majority of other

species visited the routes. However we did find out that:

33% of volunteers see hedgehogs on the green-

ways

17% of volunteers see muntjac on the greenways

17% of volunteers see roe deer on the greenways

17% volunteers see common toads on the green-

ways every month

© Dave Brooks

Tree Sparrow in flight

Page 3 March 2015

Wildlife on the National Cycle Network (2014)

Sustrans is the charity that’s enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys we make every day. Our work makes it possible for people to choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys, with better places and spaces to move through and live in. www.sustrans.org.uk

Bumblebee Conservation’s Bee Walk (June 2014)

Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s Bee Walk is the coun-try's only abundance-recording scheme for bees. The data provides an early warning about regional popula-tion declines suffered by bumblebees!

23,000 individual bees were counted

across 22 of Britain's 25 bumblebee spe-

cies and the honeybee.

The top 5 species recorded in 2014 are

shown below:

Early-emerging bumblebees had a

bumper year with warm dry weather between April and

June helping to boost their populations. Nearly double the

number of Early bumblebees (Bombus pratorum) and Tree

bumblebees (Bombus hypnorum) were recorded in 2014

compared to the same period in 2013. Both species were

abundant in spring 2014, bouncing back impressively from

the cold, wet springs of 2012 and 2013.

It was a particularly good year for the Tree bumblebee,

which came to the UK from mainland Europe in 2001.

Since the first recorded sighting in the New Forest, Hamp-

shire, the species has spread to most of England and

Wales. It continued to move north into Scotland with new

sightings in East Lothian and Stirlingshire in 2014 and was

recorded more than 1,100 times in 2014, compared to 700

times in 2013. It was also found in huge numbers in gar-

dens.

Most other species of bumblebees have

also fared well, with good numbers seen

as their recovery from the wet summer

of 2012 continues.

In the south of England and Wales, rare

bees have had a good year. Targeted searches by BBCT

staff and volunteers found the Shrill Carder bumblebee

(Bombus sylvarum) – one of the rarest bumblebees in Brit-

ain - at two new sites in Wales and one in Somerset.

In addition the first Broken-belted bumblebee (Bombus soroeensis) in Pembrokeshire for a decade was also rec-

orded this year and there were better-than-normal popula-

tions of the two rare ginger carder bees: the Moss carder

bee (Bombus muscorum) and the Brown-banded carder

bee (Bombus humilis).

Species Abundance % change from 2013

1. Buff-tailed Bumblebee 3763 + 12%

2. Honey Bee 3617

+ 275 %

3. Common Carder Bee 3335 - 29%

4. Red-tailed Bumblebee 2651 - 8%

5. White-tailed Bumblebee 2536 - 4%

200 people

took part undertaking more than

750 detailed

BeeWalk surveys

across England, Scotland

and Wales

Information on the right shows the overall results of Bumble-

bee Conservation Trust’s Bee Walk in 2014. Bee Walk sur-

veys are undertaken from March to September, however as

this was our first year Sustrans volunteers only took part in

June, so early bees will be under recorded compared to the

national picture.

283 individual bees counted on the Nation-

al Cycle Network’s greenways

The top 10 species recorded in June 2014 are shown below:

8 Wildlife Champions

took part un-dertaking

16 surveys on

5 greenways

in 3 regions

The TOP species by region:

Species Abundance

1 Honey Bee 80

2 White-tailed Bumblebee 69

3 Tree Bumblebee 37

4 Common Carder Bee 29

5 Large Red-tailed Bumblebee 26

6 Buff-tailed Bumblebee 13

7 Forest Cuckoo Bumblebee 11

8 Heath Bumblebee 9

9 Small Garden Bumblebee 4

10 Early Bumblebee 3

East Midlands West Midlands North West

1. White-tailed

Bumblebee 1. Honey Bee

1. White-tailed Bum-

blebee

= Tree Bumblebee 2. Tree Bumblebee 2. Common Carder

Bee

3. White-tailed Bum-

blebee 3. Honey Bee

4. Large Red-tailed

Bumblebee

4. Large Red-tailed

Bumblebee

5. Heath Bumblebee = Buff-tailed Bum-

blebee

6. Small Garden

Bumblebee

6. Forest Cuckoo

Bumblebee

= Early Bumble Bee 7. Small Garden

Bumblebee

8. Tree Bumblebee

= Early Bumble Bee

= Indeterminate Bee

Page 4 March 2015

Wildlife on the National Cycle Network (2014)

Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count is the big-gest survey of butterflies in the world!

560,000 individual butterflies and moths of the

21 target species were counted

The 2014 results for

all 21 of the big

butterfly count tar-

get butterfly and

moth species are

shown below:

Numbers of most of the target butterflies and day-

flying moths decreased from the high point reached

last year.

Almost three quarters of species (15 of the 21 target

species) showed year on year decreases and the av-

erage number of individual butterflies seen per count

fell considerably, from 23 in 2013 to 15 this year.

These declines came in spite of months of above average

temperatures and a lovely sunny July for much of the UK;

conditions which should generally fa-

vour butterflies. However, the weather

took a turn for the worse in August,

curtailing the flight periods of many

common butterflies and hastening oth-

ers into hibernation. It was the coldest

August since 1993 in the UK.

The column to the right shows the UK-wide results of Butter-

fly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count in 2014, so how did the

National Cycle Network greenways compare?

236 Total butterflies counted on the

greenways

Sustrans is the charity that’s enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys we make every day. Our work makes it possible for people to choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys, with better places and spaces to move through and live in. www.sustrans.org.uk

Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count (July—August 2014)

16 volunteers took part un-

dertaking

15 counts on

8 greenways

in 3 regions

and Wales

The TOP species by region:

East Midlands

West Midlands North West Wales

1. Small White 1. Gatekeeper 1. Gatekeeper 1. Small White

2. Large White 2. Large White = Large White 2. Gatekeeper

= Gatekeeper 3. Speckled

Wood

3. Speckled

Wood

= Meadow

Brown 4. Peacock 4. Small White

5. Small White 5. Small Tor-

toiseshell

6. Green-veined

White 6. Large Skipper

7. Marbled White 7. Red Admiral

= Ringlet = Comma

9. Large Skipper = Common Blue

= Meadow

Brown = Small Copper

Species % change from

2013 Abundance

1. Peacock -30 % 95551

2. Gatekeeper -1 % 79937

3. Small White -60 % 65549

4. Small Tortoiseshell + 22 % 63238

5. Meadow Brown -38 % 58007

6. Large White -65 % 49670

7. Red Admiral + 43 % 25606

8. Green-veined White - 47 % 21701

9. Common Blue + 55 % 17819

10. Speckled Wood + 28 % 14420

11. Ringlet -58 % 13757

12. Comma -36 % 11538

13. Six-spot Burnet -59 % 8102

14. Large Skipper -21 % 7901

15. Small Copper -6 % 5355

16. Painted Lady -28 % 5075

17. Marbled White -48 % 4655

18. Brimstone -43 % 4502

19. Holly Blue + 4 % 3595

20. Wall +19 % 3094

21. Silver Y -89 % 873

44,000 people took part under-

taking more than

43,500 counts of butterflies and moths

across the UK Species Abundance

1 Gatekeeper 57

2 Large White 52

3 Speckled Wood 32

4 Small White 24

5 Peacock 16

6 Green-veined White 10

7 Ringlet 8

8 Large Skipper 6

9 Marbled White 6

10 Meadow Brown 6

11 Small Tortoiseshell 5

12 Wall 4

13 Comma 3

14 Red Admiral 3

15 Brimstone 2

16 Common Blue 1

17 Small Copper 1

Page 5 March 2015

Wildlife on the National Cycle Network (2014)

The project has its own dedicated page on Sustrans website which provides

the background of the project.

Contact details to find out what is happening in your region are detailed be-

low. If your group website, Facebook page or Twitter account is not men-

tioned and you would like it to be, let us know.

EAST MIDLANDS

Twitter enthusiasts can follow us @SustransEMids and more detailed info will

be available through our quarterly volunteer newsletter and regular volunteer

email updates.

For more info email: ian.keetley@sustrans.org.uk.

WEST MIDLANDS

Twitter enthusiasts can follow us @SustransMids and more detailed info will

be available through our quarterly volunteer newsletter and regular email up-

dates.

For more info email: lisa.hartley@sustrans.org.uk.

Local volunteer groups:

Pelsall Rangers blog

Friends of Cawston Greenway

NORTH WEST

Information about the workdays, training and events will be available on the

Sustrans NW Facebook page.

Twitter enthusiasts can follow us @SustransNW and more detailed info will

be available through our quarterly volunteer newsletter and monthly volun-

teer email updates.

For more info email: abigail.pound@sustrans.org.uk.

Local volunteer groups:

Millennium Greenway Friends

Friends of the Fallowfield Loop

YORKSHIRE

Information about the workdays, training and events will be available on the

Sustrans Yorkshire Facebook page.

Twitter enthusiasts can follow us @SustransYorks.

For more info email: dave.stevens@sustrans.org.uk.

Local volunteer groups:

York Greenway Champions

TPTcv website

TPTcv Facebook

@TPTcv

WALES

Information about the workdays, training and events will be available on the

Sustrans Cymru Facebook page.

Twitter enthusiasts can follow us @SustransCymru and more detailed info

will be available through our regular volunteer newsletter.

For more info email: tim.john@sustrans.org.uk

During 2015 Sustrans’ volunteers:

Have taken part in the RSPB’s Big

Garden Birdwatch, January 2015

Are taking part in the Woodland

Trust’s Nature’s Calendar (spring:

January-June 2015 and autumn:

July-December 2015)

Will undertake more Bee Walks as

part of Bumblebee Conservation

Trust's national survey (1st March-

30th September 2015)

Will complete more butterfly sur-

veys as part of the Big Butterfly

Count (17th July—9th August 2015)

Will record all other wildlife sight-

ings using Sustrans’ online iRecord

form

Sustrans is the charity that’s enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys we make every day. Our work makes it possible for people to choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys, with better places and spaces to move through and live in. www.sustrans.org.uk

Find out how you can join in and record wildlife on your local greenway

Tweet all about it...

To join the conversation use the

hashtags: #greenergreenways and

#wildlifechampions

You can also follow us on twitter:

@Sustrans

@bernsbiome