Nottinghamshire Wildlife Magazine Winter 2013

Nottinghamshire

Wildlife The Magazine of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust

Winter 2013 News

Don't cull, say Trusts Shoals of public support for marine protection SPECIES NEWS

Water voles disappearing EMEC Ecology working to restore key species RESERVES

Big 50 update Skylarks Appeal goes from strength to strength... LIVING LANDSCAPES

A long old job Working with partners to restore key waterways

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YEARS OF PROTECTING WILDLIFE Protecting Wildlife for the Future

News UK UPDATE

© Tom Marshall

A vaccination underway. Trusts believe a cull will only make the spread of bTB worse

The Wildlife Trusts’ Joan Edwards (right) with representatives from other charities

Don’t cull, say Trusts Shoals of public support for marine protection While the first pilot badger culls have been carried out in Somerset and Gloucestershire, The Wildlife Trusts continue to vaccinate badgers on their nature reserves and, with farmers, on surrounding land.

The cull, claimed to be the best way to reduce TB in cattle (bTB), is opposed by wildlife organisations, scientists and the public. More than 300,000 people supported a government e-petition against culling. Although sympathetic with farmers, The Wildlife Trusts are firmly against the cull and will not allow culling on our land.

More than 350,000 people have called for the designation of a network of Marine Conservation Zones (or MCZs) around the UK. The Wildlife Trusts and other environmental charities presented the pledges to Downing Street in June.

Two years ago Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust began to vaccinate badgers in high bTB risk areas to demonstrate its practicality. There are now 13 Trusts either vaccinating badgers or raising funds to do so. Some are vaccinating in the zone between high and low risk areas – the ‘firewall’ approach.

The Wildlife Trusts remain concerned that the Government has failed to commit to the designation of a complete network of MCZs in English seas. An extensive regional consultation in 2010-12 involving a million people recommended 127 sites be set up. So far the Government is only considering 31.

We will continue to press for greater emphasis on badger vaccination. But the long-term goal is development of a cattle vaccine alongside other measures to reduce bTB such as improved farm biosecurity, restrictions on livestock movements and breeding genetic resistance in cattle.

The Government must now make a statement on its next steps. It’s hoped the pledges will provide a mandate for swift and effective action. For more information please visit wildlifetrusts.org/mcz

Latest news, and donate to vaccination projects: wildlifetrusts.org/badgers-and-bovineTB

Around the Wildlife Trusts Leicestershire & Rutland

London

Montgomeryshire

Norfolk

The British Birdwatching Fair, jointly organised by the Trust with RSPB, celebrated its 25th year in August. Thousands of wildlife enthusiasts attend the event at Rutland Water every year. wtru.st/25thBirdfair

Green energy company Ecotricity is donating up to £60 to the Trust for each customer switching their energy supply. This raises funds for conservation and helps develop green energy. wtru.st/EcotricityDonate

The Dyfi Osprey Project has received £1000 from BT’s Give As You Earn fund. The cheque was presented by a BT employee who was inspired by the ospreys while battling breast cancer. wtru.st/BTOspreys

Volunteers from a local brewery have built an artificial otter holt at Hickling Broad reserve. Now it has received its first otter visitor. The Trust hopes breeding activity may be filmed there in the future. wtru.st/HicklingHolt

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Nottinghamshire Wildlife

Notes from the Chief Executive © Andy Wickham

John Everitt, Chief Executive

For many of us, feeding the ducks is one of those first close up experiences with nature. For generations, families have enjoyed the simple pleasure of contact with wildlife and the thrill of identifying different species or marvelling at swirling flocks of birds. However behind these experiences are some amazing stories of intrepid migration, bizarre behaviour and the conservation of our internationally important wintering grounds for a whole range of species. Our new nature reserve extension at Skylarks in Rushcliffe is a good example of this, providing another wonderful haven in the county for overwintering wildfowl. With some 200 bird species having been recorded on the site, it demonstrates the importance of the Trent corridor and its wetland habitats. The clock is ticking on our Skylarks Appeal to purchase the site outright, with a deadline of October 2014 for us to raise the £200,000 required. We are extremely grateful to everyone who has contributed so far, which has

reached the £20,000 figure in record time. We have also now secured £100,000 from the Environment Agency and are looking to further grants to raise some £40,000. This still leaves us with a £30,000 appeal target before the site can be safeguarded. On the back of this we will shortly be launching our ‘Ay up mi duck’ campaign to help raise the remaining funds. So look out for a range of duckrelated activities and products in the coming weeks and encourage friends and family to support our appeal. Whether it’s wigeon, smew, goldeneye or tufted duck, we want to be able to create a reserve where people can experience the annual arrivals and departures of some of our most popular wildfowl. In this issue of Nottinghamshire Wildlife we also showcase a whole host of new work including research on the ecology of nightjar, reintroduction of harvest mice, recording at Attenborough Nature Reserve, and outdoor learning with schools. It is proving to be a busy and exciting 50th anniversary year, and the Wildlife Trust continues to break new ground with this work. The 50th celebrations have also provided a good opportunity to get the views of members and partners and I have been really pleased with the positive response. In particular, thank you to everyone who joined us for the recent AGM and Members’ Day at Center Parcs to help contribute to the future thinking and direction for the organisation. As we said at the AGM, we are still gathering stories and memories of our nature reserves as part of the histories project and with the extension to Skylarks we hope to be adding a new chapter to that history in the near future.

Content Highlights

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Species news by John Ellis EMEC Ecology - working to restore key species Water voles disappearing Reserves - Make hay when... Skylarks Appeal goes from strength to strength Living Landscapes A long old job Inspiring People Natural Childhood

Contributions Editorial enquiries and contributions to: Erin McDaid Copy deadline: Monday 20th January 2014 Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, The Old Ragged School, Brook Street, Nottingham NG1 1EA Tel: 0115 958 8242 Fax: 0115 924 3175 Email: [email protected] www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org Front Cover Drake Mallards - © Darin Smith Species News is compiled by John Ellis and species records and information should be sent to him at the address above. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Wildlife Trust or its Council.

Scotland

Staffordshire

Sussex

Five newly born beaver kits have been seen at Dubh Loch, one of the Scottish Beaver Trial sites in Knapdale. Introduced in 2009, the beavers have bred successfully every year of the trial so far. wtru.st/BeaverKits

Volunteers have created a new wildflower meadow the traditional way in the Churnet Valley. Locally sourced hay spread by hand ripened on site, dropping seeds naturally to create new meadows.

Wild About Worthing is a new project made possible thanks to an HLF grant. Residents will be offered wildlife activities including a Forest School programme and wildlife gardening competition. wtru.st/WildWorthing

Published by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Editor, Erin McDaid A Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England No. 748865 Reg. Charity No. 224168R President Sir Andrew Buchanan Designed & Produced by Optima Graphic Design Consultants Limited www.optimadesign.co.uk

Winter 2013

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SPECIEs © Rod Baker

Species news By John Ellis

As usual this news will be a bit dated when you read it so why not join our members who take the email news updates and get more up-to-date news? Email [email protected] and let us know you want to receive this fact-packed e-newsletter.

White-winged black tern

Birds

Mammals

A good period for birds with many migrants passing through the county. Attenborough turned up trumps in September with a white-winged black tern which stayed for several days in company with a black tern. The Idle Valley was not to be outdone with a black tern, osprey and three pectoral sandpipers. Netherfield Lagoons sported a spotted crake on 6th September. Plenty of waders around with spotted redshank and ruff being notable amongst the usual migrants, including green sandpiper and greenshank.

I have had few reports sent to me during this period but I do still need the records, which will be passed on to the County Recorder, Michael Walker.

Invertebrates

Trees

What started out as a bad year for our butterflies turned better with the fine weather in September. Peacocks and small and large whites were seen in impressive numbers and there was a good appearance of small tortoiseshell and speckled wood. Second brood holly blues put in an appearance and common blues were noticed at a number of sites. Migrants included clouded yellow and painted lady in small numbers but I only heard of one humming bird hawk moth.

Tree diseases are still taking their toll nationally with whole woodlands having to be cleared including SSSI sites. Please report any trees you think are diseased, especially on our reserves. Contact Charles Langtree on [email protected].

Crane flies (daddy long legs) seemed to have a good year with the end of September and early October being noticeable for their emergence in numbers.

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Another threat has appeared in Southern England with colonies of the oak processionary moth which are a major threat to oak trees; the decision by the Forestry Commission to spray these moth populations is an unfortunate one as it will kill all other invertebrates.

© John Black

Cranefly

Big news is the finding of Nathusius’ pipistrelle bats in a bat box at Attenborough. This is the first time this species has been found roosting in Nottinghamshire. Nathusius’ pipistrelle is a rarely recorded migrant bat which is increasingly being found at wetland sites throughout England. Most of the records are from the spring and autumn when they are migrating, but since 2006 they have been recorded on bat detectors most years in the summer months at Attenborough, which suggested that there may be a small breeding population nearby. We had a male and a female in the box, making the find really exciting as very few mating roosts have been found in England. From late summer and throughout the autumn male Nathusius’ sing to attract females to their mating roosts, and there is increasing evidence of a breeding population nearby.

Nathusius pipistrelle

Nature notes

Feed the Birds this winter

January

Apart from throwing out the odd slice of bread onto the lawn, here are a few suggestions for foods which will really help our feathered friends this winter…

Peanuts

Useful for a range of species including tits but make sure you buy nuts which are aflatoxin-free.

Mixed seed

Sunflower seed

Sunflower hearts are more expensive but when you buy whole seed you are paying for husks which end up uneaten, so they can be a false economy.

Nyjer/Niger seed

A special feeder is needed for this fine seed, which is a favourite of goldfinches, but they can also be tempted with sunflower hearts.

Mealworms

Dunnocks, robins and other insectivores love these.

Old apples

Good for all thrushes and blackbirds. Available in a variety of shapes and mixes suitable for all manner of species, but remove the net bags before offering them to the birds. Feeders are available cheaply.

Sultanas

A good high-energy food loved by blackbirds, but other species will eat them as well.

Water

Most importantly, put out fresh water on a daily basis. A plea - When you visit wetlands, please do not feed the ducks and swans with bread. Its not good for them and it can cause pollution and attract rats. Our wildfowl do not generally need feeding except in really harsh weather when their food supply is cut off by ice.

February Don’t let the short days stop you getting out and about as you never know what is going to turn up. Even invertebrates may appear if we get a run of several mild days. I had my first bumblebee of 2012 in February. Winter wildfowl can be exciting especially if there has been bad weather on the near continent and you could be lucky enough to find a rare grebe, a smew or even a diver. There should be plenty of the regular species such as mallard, teal, wigeon, pochard and tufted duck. Look out for the splendid drakes of goosander, smew and goldeneye. The odd rarity can also turn up in amongst flocks. Nottinghamshire has recorded several rare species in the past, including redhead, bufflehead and lesser scaup.

March Many of the wildfowl will be dispersing to their breeding grounds, but look out for birds displaying ready for their breeding season. Goldeneye and great-crested grebe both put on spectacular displays. Towards the month's end the first migrants arrive, so you may see wheatear and sand martin. With our climate being so unpredictable a visit to a woodland reserve may turn up some early spring flowers including wood anemone and over-wintering butterflies may put in an appearance if we get a mild spell, so please report your first peacock or brimstone or indeed any other early species. Winter 2013

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© John Black

Fat balls

Over-wintering ducks will be arriving from the continent making this an excellent month for some duckwatching. Apart from the Idle Valley and Attenborough, why not visit Blott’s Pit, the area we are trying to buy to extend the Skylarks Nature Reserve?

© Mike Vickers

When choosing a seed mix, don’t buy very cheap mixes as they can contain all manner of 'filler' seeds which the birds will not eat and are a complete waste of money. Use a reputable supplier such as Walter Harrisons (available at Attenborough and Idle Valley as well as other retailers) or CJ Wild Bird Foods. Remember that birds such as chaffinches feed on the ground so choose a suitable place to scatter some seed.

Even during short days there is still time to get to grips with winter wildfowl or to visit a local woodland or Wildlife Trust reserve to check out flocks of small birds. Farmland areas are also great for watching winter wildlife, especially if the land has not yet been planted or ploughed. Even large ploughed fields can turn up flocks of lapwing and perhaps golden plover. There is always the chance of finding flocks of finches and buntings while raptors are a possibility - a short-eared owl maybe, a merlin, or even a hen harrier or rough-legged buzzard. In the south of the county the area between and East Leake is good whilst centrally, around Eakring is a good area to explore, and don’t forget the Idle Washlands in the north.

© Mike Vickers

© Margaret Holland

Apples are a great favourite of the song thrush

What to look out for

SPECIES

EMEC Ecology - working to restore key species EMEC Ecology, a subsidiary of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, is involved in a wide variety of commercial ecological consultancy projects across the UK. The EMEC team specialise in protected species

work and can be called upon to conduct species surveys anywhere in the UK, but in recent months they have been involved in two exciting projects a little closer to home. Here Sean Gallagher, EMEC’s

Consultancy Manager, reflects on efforts to boost the local populations of harvest mice and Ecologist Richard Anderton provides an update on a vital nightjar monitoring project in Sherwood Forest.

© Chris Dutton

Harvest mouse release project Between June and September this year, on farmland near Cropwell Bishop, a harvest mouse release project has been underway in an effort to establish a population on a grassland site with young plantation trees and scrub.

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The young mice are generally around six weeks old when released and are at the semi-independent stage when the parent mice are becoming less tolerant of their presence. This is apparent from the increased squeaking and chasing taking place within the nursery cage. When released into the semi-wild state the young mice begin exploring their new habitat straight away and it becomes noticeable over the next few days that they become less tame and much more alert to sound and movement – which is what is required to give them a sporting chance of avoiding predation once they are in the wild. Obviously some of the released mice will fall victim to predation by kestrels, owls, stoats, weasels, crows and a host of other natural First taste of freedom

© Chris Dutton

EMEC Ecology had carried out investigative surveys for harvest mouse signs on the land earlier in the year, searching for nests and other evidence, but found nothing. Having established that no existing population was present and that the habitat was suitable for harvest mice, permission to undertake the ‘reintroduction’ was obtained from the landowner in conjunction with Janice Bradley, the Wildlife Trust’s Head of Policy & Planning. The young mice introduced onto the land were the product of a captive-breeding programme managed in part by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s Conservation Officer, Andy Lowe. Alex Walls, the Trust’s Membership Development Officer, also contributed to the programme. The breeding mice have been in captivity for a number of years. Interestingly, given sufficient food, harvest mice do not need much encouragement to breed and a steady succession of young mice (approximately 100) have been ‘softreleased’ at the site. The process involves leaving their cage within

a meshed enclosure in which there is plenty of food and water. The mice have access to this since their cage door is left slightly ajar. After a week in this semi-wild state, a gap is left in the enclosure and the mice are then free to colonise the grassland outside.

© Chris Dutton

The strip of land is in between arable fields and has been left as a seminatural area by farmer Russell Price. It has boundary hedges (one section newly and expertly laid last winter by Russell’s farm staff) and a variety of young native trees on a thick grassy sward. At one end is a large pond and hedgerows radiate out along arable field boundaries to provide connectivity with more distant habitats.

A captive bred mouse just prior to release

predators (even blackbirds have been recorded eating baby harvest mice!). Small mammal populations are kept in check by predators and without this their numbers would become astronomical. Hard winters and lack of food will also take their toll, but it is hoped that a release programme over three successive seasons will be enough to establish a sustainable population, with all its natural checks and balances, able to exist on the site into the foreseeable future. We will only be able to measure the success or otherwise of the reintroduction by a programme of monitoring. To this end, Esther Kettel, a student from the University of Nottingham, will begin a research project using a variety of methods (e.g. nest-searching, live-trapping, setting of hair-tubes) as part of a wider survey to record harvest mice in South Nottinghamshire, including at the recently acquired Skylarks Nature Reserve. We wish the harvest mice (and Esther) every success. Sean Gallagher EMEC’s Consultancy Manager

SPECIES © Andy Lowe

Nightjar study Nightjar (Caprimulugus europaeus) is a summer visitor to the UK and is a crepuscular (twilight) species which breeds on heathland and in woodland clearings. Nightjars forage over a variety of habitats and feed on insects caught in pursuit flight or during short flights from a perch. The nightjar was once more widespread and numerous but has been declining in numbers due to a loss of breeding habitat. Nottinghamshire still has strongholds of nightjar populations making them nationally significant. This summer, EMEC Ecology was commissioned to carry out a nightjar study in Clipstone Forest near Rainworth. The aims of the study were to determine the population status and the foraging and commuting behaviour of nightjar in the area. The survey included nest searching and telemetry using a new GPS data logger and VHF radio tracking tag and was carried out in partnership with Birklands Ringing Group and the British Trust for Ornithology. The nightjar population in Clipstone Forest was found to be similar to previous years, but an increase in males ‘churring’ on outlying sites was noted. This is due to management of these sites by the Forestry Commission, aiming to maintain open areas and allow

natural succession. Additionally, areas of restocked plantation are now secured by rabbit fencing, which creates undisturbed areas for nesting.

A female adult nightjar

surrounding a territory and the local food abundance; however behaviour did vary depending on breeding status and over the season. For example, movements of unpaired males were more dependent on the number of neighbouring territories and the distance of these from their own as they invested much of their time and energy in attracting a female. Paired males were found to forage much closer to the nest once they had dependent young.

Nightjar chicks

The breeding success of nightjar within the survey area this summer was slightly below the average for previous years and below the national trend, with 52.8% of eggs producing fledged young. The main cause of nest failure was predation, primarily at the egg stage. The distance of foraging flights was ultimately related to the habitat

A nightjar with a GPS data logger fitted

Richard Anderton EMEC Ecology

50th anniversary news

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Reserve Histories Project

BBC Summer of Wildlife

A key element of our 50th Anniversary Celebrations is our Reserve Histories Project. We are compiling a definitive history of each of our reserves and we want your input to help ensure we capture all the key information about our sites and also capture people’s individual stories of passion for or involvement with individual nature reserves. The latest version of the Histories documents can be found on the 50th Anniversary section of the Campaigns section of our website. If you would like to comment on or add to the documents you can do so using the special form on the website. We would also be delighted to receive copies of old photographs you may have of our reserves.

Our 50th Anniversary year coincided with the BBC’s Summer of Wildlife campaign and as a result we teamed up with BBC Radio Nottingham, East Midlands Today and the Urban Jungle team to produce a range of features and interviews showcasing our work and the county’s amazing wildlife. Radio Nottingham broadcast a special 50 hour wildlife watching initiative to coincide with our Big 50 event, East Midlands Today produced three special features about us for their evening news programme and a number of our reserves and projects - including our peregrine project with Nottingham Trent University - were featured in the East Midlands version of Urban Jungle.

To view the histories document go to: www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/campaigns/details/ 50-years-of-protecting-wildlife-in-nottinghamshire

YEARS OF PROTECTING WILDLIFE

Winter 2013

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News UK UPDATE

Habitat loss, mink predation and extreme weather have produced a dramatic drop in just five years

L UK-w atest id and i e news wildl ssues: ife org/n trusts. ews

New maps produced by the National UK Water Vole Database and Mapping Project show that the mammal’s range may have shrunk by 22% between 2007-2011 when compared with the previous recording period (2004-2008). The maps identify areas of England – especially the south west, south east and parts of the north west – where the species is vulnerable to further decline and extinctions. The reasons for the continuing losses are long-term habitat loss, mink predation and extreme weather such as 2012’s spring drought. There are still strongholds in areas with more extensive wetlands, or where the non-native American mink is absent or at low levels. However, some of these have reduced in size since the first mapping period. Wildlife Trusts are also succeeding in restoring water vole populations through targeted conservation efforts in some areas, but this work needs to be sustained and extended to stop the wider decline. In part, the new data reflects a reduced survey effort due to a reduction in available funding. But there is clear evidence from some areas that water voles are disappearing fast. “This latest information is a real cause for concern,” said Paul Wilkinson, The Wildlife Trusts’ Head of Living Landscape. “Not enough is being done to secure this charismatic species’ future. We must protect the remaining strongholds and renew efforts to save this species, through targeted conservation and sustained monitoring. We need to create and maintain large-scale, good quality habitat, good for voles and other wildlife. We must also control mink, and conduct reintroduction schemes. A lack of funding for these crucial projects is a real threat to their success.” The Wildlife Trusts and the Environment Agency are calling for a national water vole monitoring programme to be established. Annually recording populations in key areas would show how this vulnerable mammal is faring over time. Read what The Wildlife Trusts are doing and submit sightings: wildlifetrusts.org/watervole

Water voles local update Here in Nottinghamshire, water vole populations continue to suffer due to loss of habitat and pressure from mink. However, they do have strongholds along smaller rivers such as the River Leen in Nottingham and along both the River Idle and River Ryton in North Notts.

Around the Wildlife Trusts Avon

BBOWT

Cheshire

Dorset

Endangered white clawed crayfish have been moved to a new safe haven in Dorset. It is part of the South West Crayfish Project, led by Avon Wildlife Trust, with Buglife and the Environment Agency. wtru.st/AvonCrayfish

Thousands of people raised £270,000 to save Meadow Farm, 28ha of irreplaceable wildflower meadows on the River Ray, where true fox sedge survives in the medieval ridge and furrow fields. wtru.st/MeadowFarm

The Trust is restoring Delamere’s lost mosslands thanks to a £250,000 grant from WREN. This rare habitat is home to specialist plants and animals such as the white-faced darter. wtru.st/DelamereBogs

Record numbers of rare silver-studded blue butterflies have appeared at Upton Heath reserve. The species only lives on heathland, limestone grassland and dunes. Dark green fritillaries also did very well. wtru.st/RareSilvers

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© Elloitt Neep

Water voles disappearing

UK UPDATE NEWS

Critical areas for water voles

New marine species records had been no previous records off the Somerset coast.

The Wildlife Trusts’ annual National Marine Week celebrations in August turned up some interesting species records this year.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust reported sightings of large numbers of sunfish Mola mola off the Cornish coast throughout the summer.

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© Richard Morton

A Kent Wildlife Trust survey uncovered an extensive bed of sand mason worms Lanice conchilega in Kingsdown. These small brittle worms are commonly encountered by divers but rarely seen in such numbers in the shallows. Over in Porlock Weir, a Somerset Wildlife Trust rock-pooling group came across a stranded European common squid Alloteuthis subulata, a deep-water species for which there

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A 150 stone sunfish, one of our more impressive summer visitors

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Road proposal threatens Gwent Levels

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1 South East Despite records across the south east of England, there are no viable long-term populations. 2 River Ock and Ginge Brook BBOWT’s Water Vole Recovery Project has focused on survey and mink trapping for many years, allowing water vole populations to expand in some areas.

Gwent Wildlife Trust has expressed disappointment as the Welsh Government push forward with proposals to build a new 15-mile stretch of dual carriageway through the Gwent Levels. The Trust has been campaigning against proposals for a new M4 relief road in the area for more than a decade. This latest proposal is one of many to be considered in recent

5 Lancashire Wetlands Farm ditch systems are amongst important strongholds for the species in the north west. 6 Uplands Headstreams in the Peak District and Pennines, Snowdonia and the Cairngorms are important strongholds.

The Trust is promoting alternative options which it believes are less damaging to the environment and also cheaper. Details on savethelevels.org.uk

Impact of proposed M4 extension on protected wildlife sites Llanwern

Newport

M4

Bishton River Ebbw

Magor

Proposed route of M4 extension

Undy

M4 Duffryn

3 Devon and Cornwall Water voles are now extinct in the south west due to predation by American mink. 4 Lincolnshire Coastal Grazing Marsh A complex system of drainage ditches makes this farming landscape surprisingly good habitat for water voles.

years and comes as a blow to efforts to protect this nationally important area, home to iconic wetland wildlife including water vole, otter and more than 140 notable invertebrate species.

River Usk (SAC)

Gwent Levels SSSI

Redwick

Nash Whitson Goldcliff

Gwent Levels SSSI Marshfield

Newport Wetlands NNR

St Brides Wentlooge

Severn Estuary (SAC, SPA & RAMSAR)

Peterstone Wentlooge

Key Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) National Nature Reserve (NNR) Gwent Wildlife Trust Reserves Local Wildlife Sites Proposed route of M4 extension

Jargon buster SAC - Special Area for Conservation SPA - Special Protection Area RAMSAR - international wetland designation. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right (2013). CCW designations data: © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Map shows terrestrial designation areas only.

Winter 2013

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RESERVES

© Geoff Curtis

Make hay when...? Charles Langtree Head of Estate Management & Development Buttercup meadow

What a summer! The species records show what a good year it has been, but these hide the fact that it has been another slightly odd year. Can you remember back in April and May we were wondering when spring would get here? Well as I write this in October, we are wondering when summer is going to finish! We manage grassland for a number of species - plants, insects, small mammals, fungi, and I’m sure, a few more. Each group adds complexity to the discussion about when or whether to mow, about grazing pressures, timings, and so on. Summer is the time to make hay; a traditional technique which keeps a lot of meadows in good botanical condition by allowing seeds to develop and be left on site, and removes the growth keeping the area in a fairly stable condition. There is always a bit of discussion about the best time to make hay, and it is reasonable to accept that later is better as more plants can flower and seed, and the butterflies and other insects have more opportunity to feed, lay eggs and develop to pupae. By

contrast, mowing later in the season means fewer nutrients are removed from the site, and flower-rich meadows are necessarily low nutrient habitats. In addition, these sites have developed and persisted because they are important to people, so managing them in a way which is productive is important in retaining them in the longer term. It is vital that they retain this value if we are to create living landscapes in which species can move through from one patch to another. Good quality, flowerrich hay is valued by horse owners and for other pets and then you need to add to the mix the amount of work involved; it can’t all be done in September! Finally there is the old saying: Make hay when the sun shines!

In the last issue of Nottinghamshire Wildlife we highlighted the Duke’s Wood Artist’s Project. This ambitious project, organised and delivered by Ordinary Culture, was the first time we had hosted such an initiative on one of our nature reserves and we are pleased to say that the programme of events which began over the August Bank Holiday and ran throughout September proved very popular.

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Well over 700 people from all ages and backgrounds visited the wood over the course of the 24 open days of the exhibition and the project organisers were taken aback by the overwhelmingly positive response from the public.

The great news is that despite the weather ups and downs, this year has been great for our grasslands – and, as always, we have made sure that with careful management, our grasslands continue to be special places for wildlife to flourish.

Dozens attended the opening day of the event in August

© Ordina

Art proves to be a big draw at Duke’s Wood

Looking closely at many of the meadows we manage, you will notice that much of the grass has gone but that a strip has been left down one or more edges. Over the coming years this strip will move around the site so that no area becomes rank and is lost to scrub and a good proportion is left through the summer and into the winter for nectar and shelter for insects and small mammals.

© Jack Perks

Big 50 update

INSPIRING PEOPLE

As a celebration of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s 50th anniversary, a special three day wildlife survey - the ‘Big 50’ took place between 9th and 11th August 2013. BBC East Midlands Today presenter Dominic Heale filming a feature about the event

Visitors enjoying one of the many guided walks during the event

This ‘Bioblitz’ event was held at our Attenborough Nature Reserve – birthplace of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). During the weekend, wildlife experts from around the county and beyond descended on the reserve to undertake an exhausting 50 hours of wildlife surveying, watching and recording.

the first day!), created a real ‘buzz’ about the Reserve and the sightings soon rolled in. After the 50 hours were up, no less than 748 species had been recorded - including an incredible variety of insects, plants, mammals and birds. As for the 50 new species, we didn’t just achieve our target; we almost doubled it with 99 new species being added to the Reserve’s lists!

A total of 20 wildlife workshops were run over the three days, giving visitors to Attenborough the chance to try their hand at pond dipping, identifying insects, using a bat detector and much more during a series of expert-led walks and talks. Our goal throughout the event was to find 50 new species that had never previously been recorded on the site.

Some 30 new moth species were discovered along with 10 new slugs and snails, 10 new spiders, six new species of fish, and many other plants and invertebrates. Small mammal trapping in the Delta enabled us to confirm the presence of two mammal species that we had always suspected were here but had never actually been seen – the tiny bank vole and water shrew.

The sheer volume of surveying activity, coupled with the rate at which new species were being discovered (26 within

Possibly the most interesting find of the Big 50 was a rare fungus found on Corbett’s Meadow –

Paecilomyces tenuipes. This obscure species is carnivorous, arising from the larvae or pupae of moths in the soil. There have only been seven previous records of this species in the UK, all from Norfolk between 1942 and 1987. The information gathered from the Big 50 weekend is incredibly important to us as it helps us to plan management on the reserve, especially taking the new species into account. However, of equal importance is the number of people who took part! When you add up all the recorders, those who helped by leading walks and giving talks, and the team of volunteers who were checking the mammal traps three times a day, there were well over 100 staff and volunteers involved. Add this to the 350 visitors who attended a walk or a talk, and you really start to get an idea of just how big it got! Thank you to everyone who helped make this celebration event so successful.

Get out and explore! Our new iPhone app puts more than 2000 nature reserves across the UK at your fingertips ■■ Discover our protected moors, woods, meadows, rivers and grasslands ■■ Browse upcoming events ■■ Learn about 800+ species ■■ Find your local Wildlife Trust easily ■■ More details on wildlifetrusts.org/app

F down ree to load on th iTune e wildl s store or ifetru org/a sts. pp Winter 2013

10

RESERVES

Skylarks Appeal goes from strength to strength but we still need your help to turn ambition into reality One of the key factors in the success of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust over the past fifty years has been the backing and support of our members, partner organisations and the general public. In our 50th year we are aiming to purchase land adjacent to our Skylarks Nature Reserve at Holme Pierrepont to create a first class wetland site within easy reach of people living in and around Nottingham. In order to be able to purchase the land we need to raise in the region of £200,000. In addition to raising funds for the purchase we also need to raise significant funding so that we can carry out access improvements to the existing Skylarks reserve and turn the new land into a nature reserve. This will include the creation of new habitat areas such as new reed beds, shallows and islands. To help fund this work, and to help us access major grant funding we are seeking to raise £50,000 in cash donations and we have already raised over £20,000 of this - a wonderful total in such a short space of time. However, we must raise the remainder of the cash if we are to be able to purchase the site and prevent it from going back on to the open market.

Partnership support

We have also had official backing from a range of organisations including Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group, Nottinghamshire Bat Group, Nottinghamshire Birdwatchers, Butterfly Conservation ( East Midlands Branch), Holme Pierrepont and Gamston Parish Council, Radcliffeon-Trent Parish Council and Holme Pierrepont Running Club.

Ambition edges closer to becoming a reality The backing of the Environment Agency has given a tremendous boost to everyone involved in efforts to extend Skylarks and we now feel that the prospect of making the project happen is much closer to becoming a reality. Of course we still have a long way to go to raise the remaining £30,000 in cash donations required to help secure the purchase - but with your help we believe we can make it. The land we are trying to buy, called Blott’s Pit, is already designated as a Local Wildlife Site for its botanical interest but it also supports a wealth of other wildlife. Recent bird surveys have recorded a variety of warblers including Cetti’s warbler, willow warbler, garden warbler, whitethroat and lesser whitethroat, whilst seven bat species have been recorded, including Nathusius’ pipistrelle, brown long-eared and Daubenton’s. A great diversity of butterflies, moths, dragonflies, damselflies, beetles and other invertebrates have also been recorded. The site is also an important over-wintering site for duck and wildfowl, including species such as teal and wigeon, and forms a vital part of the complex of lakes and ponds in the Holme Pierrepont area.

For more information, please visit www.skylarksappeal.co.uk

11 Nottinghamshire Wildlife

With your help we can secure the future of the site’s wildlife and create a wonderful wildlife haven on the doorstep of hundreds of thousands of people. Speaking about the Appeal, Wildlife Trust Chief Executive John Everitt said: “The purchase and transformation of this land into a first class nature reserve is one of our most ambitious projects to date. In our 50th Anniversary year it’s great to have the opportunity to save this land for future generations and the funding support from the Environment Agency is a major boost. Their support moves us a step closer to being able to secure the future of this wonderful wildlife area but we need more support to make our dream a reality. We are delighted that so many individuals, groups and organisations are supportive of our plans and the public’s response to our Skylarks Appeal has been tremendous. However, to be able to purchase the land we must raise at least another £30,000 in cash donations.” There are a number of ways you can help - by making a donation to the Appeal, by organising a fundraising event, or even by purchasing one of our brand new Appeal T-shirts (see page 22). For further information about the appeal visit www.skylarksappeal.co.uk A view of Blott's Pit - part of the land we are trying to purchase

© The Wildlife Trusts

To help with our grant applications and to demonstrate that we have wide support for our plans for the area we have been collecting signatures from local residents keen to support us and so far we have gathered almost 1000 signature - an amazing demonstration of local support.

We also have the backing of the Environment Agency which has committed significant funds to the project as part of their off-site habitat mitigation for the Nottingham Left Bank Flood Alleviation Scheme at Attenborough. As a result the Agency have confirmed support of £104,000 towards the acquisition of the land and a further £194,000 towards habitat enhancements, access improvements, new viewing screens and interpretation.

INSPIRING PEOPLE

Role of volunteers put centre stage as we highlight success of ‘Lost Woodland’ Appeal

© Peter Gill

© The Wildlife Trusts

L-R John McMeeking, John Clark, Geoff Nickolds & John Everitt

50th anniversary news

Wollaton summer event

In September we were able to announce the success of our ‘Lost Woodland’ Appeal thanks to the support of local members and volunteers. The Appeal was established to raise funds for us to purchase land adjacent to Treswell Wood in order to undertake an exciting woodland regeneration project. Thanks to fundraising by members, including our Retford Local Members’ Group, and public donations we raised more than £15,000. This helped us secure grants of more than £65,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and over £33,000 from Biffaward. A celebration event was held at Treswell on September 5th with special guests including the Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council, Bassetlaw District Councillors including Cllr Ian Campbell as well as HLF and Biffaward. The event provided a fitting opportunity to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of our purchase of the wood in 1973. We also celebrated the efforts of the volunteer bird ringers who have built up a unique record of the reserve’s wildlife over the past four decades. As part of the overall project to re-generate woodland on the adjacent land, we have been able purchase new equipment and books for the ringing group - officially known as the Treswell Wood Integrated Population Monitoring Group - or TWIG for short. The new equipment was presented to group members by our Chief Executive John Everitt and Geoff Nickolds of the HLF.

The events, activities and celebrations linked to our 50th Anniversary in recent months have helped us celebrate the value of our volunteers, highlight the wonderful wildlife on our nature reserves and raise the profile of our work with the public.

1963-2013


Special events Over the summer we held a number of special Anniversary events including our amazing ‘Big 50’ (more on page 10), a fantastic family wildlife extravaganza at Wollaton Hall and an Urban Safari starting from our office in Nottingham - the latter two organised by our Wildlife in the City team. We have also had the honour of an official Royal Visit, with the Duke of Kent attending a special event at Attenborough to mark our 50th year and to celebrate the success of our education work across the county.

Personal Stories During the course of the year we want to gather a range of personal stories from members and volunteers about why they joined the Wildlife Trust and reflections on their favourite reserves. The first of these, including a contribution from our Vice President Paddy Tipping, can be watched /listened to via the campaigns section of the website detailed above. If you would be willing to share your memories in an interview during our Anniversary Year please contact Erin McDaid on 0115 958 8242 or email [email protected]

Have you made a pledge yet? Around 250 people have already made a pledge to do something extra for Nottinghamshire’s Wildlife this year. If you’ve not yet made a pledge - pick up one or our pledge leaves or download a copy from our website.

Winter 2013

12

Living Landscapes

A long old job Rob Stoneman Chief Executive of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Erosion This entire gully was once a narrow drainage ditch. All its peat has blown or washed away.

© Matthew Roberts

repaired The overhanging edge is gone, to be replaced with a smooth slope. New vegetation will stabilise it.

diggers They’re special low ground pressure versions, designed to tread lightly on delicate peat.

From the 1950s to the 1980s Yorkshire’s peat uplands were drained for farming. It turned out to be a disaster. Fixing the damage is Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s toughest challenge yet.

Diggers smooth the exposed sides of eroding gullies at High West Moor above Nidderdale. The restoration work across Yorkshire will last for years

Haze pollution in Singapore hasn’t got much to do with the North Yorkshire Moors, you might think. After all, the noxious fumes which shrouded the South Asian city-state last June were caused by the deliberate burning of tropical peatlands in Borneo and Sumatra to create oil palm plantations.

of deep-peat blanket bog in Yorkshire, 40,000ha (about 150 square miles) needs restoring. There were 3,100 miles of drains, 1,500 miles of eroding gully and at least 400ha of eroding bare peat. Taking on the task of restoring so much land was going to be one of the largest, most expensive projects The Wildlife Trusts had ever undertaken.

But the unfolding ecological and economic catastrophe in South East Asia – driven by short-sighted biofuel subsidies in the US and Europe – is part of a problem that affects the UK too. Largely as a result of palm oil demand, Indonesia is one of the world’s leading carbon emitters. The draining and burning of South East Asian peat forests contributes eight per cent of the world’s carbon emissions as damaged bogs release their once-safely stored carbon to the atmosphere. This is why peatland restoration, through re-wetting, is a critical part of the world campaign to stop catastrophic climate change. Re-wetting has two effects: first, it keeps the remaining stored carbon in the land; second, it re-starts the natural process of taking carbon out of the atmosphere and laying it down as peat. Achim Steiner, Head of the UN Environment Programme, calls peatland restoration, 'a low-hanging fruit, and the most cost-effective of options for mitigating climate change'. So the world’s peatlands could help reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. But past and present


damage all over the world means that, for now, those peatlands emit more carbon than they absorb. International conservation organisations are urging World Governments to do more. In the UK, the IUCN-UK’s peatland programme aims to restore all UK peatlands as an exemplar to the global community. That pressure is having an effect. All four UK country environment ministers have signed a joint declaration to restore our British and Northern Irish peatlands. But it’s one thing talking a good talk, quite another to take action on the ground – which is, of course, where The Wildlife Trusts come into their own, spearheading peatland restoration across the UK. In Yorkshire this work started in 2008 with a legacy from Mrs Joyce Mountain allowing Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) to work with the Yorkshire Dales National Park to map out the issues and propose solutions. The scale of damage was huge. Much of the county’s upland peat was damaged by massive drainage works during the 1950s to 1980s, funded through agricultural subsidies. Over time, some of the drainage ditches (known as grips) have eroded into huge gullies, or allowed fires to burn deep, leaving vast scars with miles of bare peat eroding into the rivers or being blown off the hillsides. Our scoping project discovered damage on an immense scale. Of the 65,000ha

Yet the funds were there, through Natural England’s agri-environment Higher Level Scheme. But with their staff stretched, and peatland restoration a rather technical discipline, they needed a crack team of dedicated conservation advisors who could work with land managers to survey upland peatlands, assess the damage in fine detail, and set out plans and, ultimately, contracts for restoration. And so the Yorkshire Peat Partnership was set up, with YWT employing staff and managing contracts for a broad range of partners: the National Parks, Nidderdale AONB, Yorkshire Water, the Moorland Association, the National Farmers Union, the Dales Rivers Trust, the National Trust, Natural England and the Environment Agency. This team set about surveying the upland peatlands of Yorkshire using geographic information system (GIS) technology, deploying aerial photograph digitisation of grips, gullies, hagging and bare peat. Sites identified for restoration were then ‘ground truthed’ by workers walking hundreds of miles across the

Yorkshire peatland restoration

3,073

miles of drains digitally mapped

17

habitat Restored peat uplands support scarce birds, reptiles, invertebrates and specialist plants.

restoration sites

23,932

hectares of land surveyed

689

miles of drains blocked

577

miles of gullies reprofiled

50

carbon store A healthy peat bog will keep on absorbing CO2 for thousands of years.

pool Sphagnum mosses are already here. When their old growth dies it will fall to the bottom to make new peat.

dam There’s little sign a digger was here, damming the ditch at regular intervals to create peaty pools.

hectares of bare peat re-vegetated

1,053

A grip dammed in 2011. Once the diggers have gone, nature can slowly carry on where it left off half a century ago

hectares of peatland restored

How to restore a peatland

Dam the grips. Dig out a lump of peat, place it in the grip (aka drain) and carefully re-cover with its original vegetation. Behind the dam, the grip fills with water. Within a few years, Sphagnum mosses colonise the trapped water. Eventually they begin to form new peat.

Re-profile the gullies. Most are too big to dam. Instead, turn the overhanging sides (dotted in black in the diagram) into smooth slopes, covering bare surfaces with vegetation. This stops the gully from eroding any further. Hags (eroding stools of peat) get a similar treatment, to become smooth mounds.

Re-vegetate bare peat. The trickiest task. We harvest Sphagnum-rich heather brash from less damaged peatlands and spread it across the bare peat. The brash reduces wind erosion and desiccation while the heather seeds and Sphagnum fragments establish.

moors with digital mappers to record vegetation, depth and width of grips and gullies, peat depth, slope, and so on. This information was used to set out the right restoration techniques for each site. Finally, these huge datasets allowed restoration plans to be drawn up to allow contractors to start work.

and cooperation will allow us to restore 435ha, says: “Working with organisations to deliver restoration can be a challenge. But with cooperation, communication and, often, compromise, the best outcome can be achieved. That’s best for Yorkshire’s peatlands, and also for those who derive their livelihood from the moorland areas. And that benefits the local economy.”

Damaged peatlands give off brown water full of organic matter, which turns into a carcinogen once chlorine is added. Currently, Yorkshire Water has to remove this matter chemically at great cost to water users – us, in other words. It makes more sense to treat the problem at source, which is why Yorkshire Water is already spending millions on restoring peatlands across the county.

By April 2013, the now multi-million pound project had restored nearly a quarter of Yorkshire’s damaged peatlands – an area of around 38 square miles. It is estimated that this work has prevented 29,500 tonnes of CO2 from reaching the atmosphere – the equivalent amount of carbon produced annually by 62,000 UK households. Partnership with landowners has been critical. Richard Johnson, a landowner in the Yorkshire Dales whose advice

Of course a restored peatland is richer in wildlife than a degraded one. Birds, reptiles, insects and plants will all benefit. But returning Yorkshire’s peatlands to their previous Sphagnumdominated state is not just about conservation, or even just tackling climate change. It also reduces the cost of producing drinking water. Seventy per cent of the county’s drinking water comes from peaty landscapes.

More than this, returning pristine blanket bog to the uplands of Britain restores some of our country’s essential wildness, and sets an example to the global community. It could even improve the quality of life in Singapore, and save us all from catastrophic climate change.

Winter 2013

14

Living Landscapes

Working with partners to restore key waterways Twelve months ago we highlighted a range of projects where Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust was working partners to help improve the wildlife value of rivers and streams across the county thanks to funding from the Environment Agency through the Water Framework Directive. Here Gaynor Jones Jenkins and Mark Speck from our Conservation Policy & Planning Team provide updates on two key projects at opposite ends of the county.

Fairham Brook restoration project update

Gaynor Jones-Jenkins Southern Conservation Officer

Over the past twelve months we have been carrying out small scale tests and modelling exercises to see what would happen to water flows in various scenarios, such as increased marginal planting, This information has helped us determine the best way to enhance the brook, as it flows between Bunny and Clifton. Later this winter, we’ll start putting our plans into practice. We will be working with landowners over the next few months to identify suitable locations for enhancements. We then hope to install features that will create a more natural diversity of flow rates to suit a wider range of wildlife, and to establish new areas of habitat alongside the main channel which will remain unaffected by regular maintenance. This will benefit wildlife such as water voles, otters, reed buntings and sedge warblers as well as providing better in-channel features for fish. Next year our activities will focus on the upper reaches of Fairham Brook. 15 Nottinghamshire Wildlife

River Idle restoration project update Mark Speck Northern Conservation Officer

Historically the River Idle has been significantly modified, resulting in a uniform channel and steady water flow, but a lack of features suitable for spawning fish, invertebrates, and plant growth. Significant potential therefore exists for habitat restoration and the improvement of water quality necessary to meet Water Framework Directive (WFD) objectives. The Directive became UK law in 2003 and provides a framework to deliver a better water environment, more focused on ecology. Funding from the Environment Agency (EA) through the WFD is helping us deliver high quality habitat creation along the Idle Valley between Retford and West Stockwith. A River Idle Management Partnership has been established to develop an overarching vision for the area and progress towards achieving this is now underway, with physical improvements being made to the river channel. A good example of this work can be seen at our Idle Valley Nature Reserve where we have installed a living willow barrier; a technique known as ‘spiling’, to prevent further erosion of a section of riverbank. This will protect the bank from wave action and encourage vegetation to establish. Bank erosion is, however, a natural process in a river, so we have removed willow stumps from the opposite bank to allow erosion to continue. We have consent from the EA to create a connection between the River Idle and a body of water within the nature reserve. The reed-fringed edge to the water will provide shelter for fish when the river is in spate and offer spawning opportunities. Our long-term aspiration is to create connections between many of the water bodies, and a new outflow into the River Idle at the northern end of the reserve to allow the watery areas within the reserve to function more akin to a natural floodplain. We are also working with Severn Trent Water at Lound Sewage Treatment Works to develop ways to limit the impact of phosphate and phosphorus pollution on the river. Phosphates are present in sewage effluent and consultants URS Scott Wilson have been researching the potential of a range of inert waste materials to capture these phosphates before water from the treatment works is returned to the river. The next stage of the project is to establish field trials to see which materials perform best. The most successful will then be used as a base for a reedbed which will further reduce the levels of polluting nutrients.

INSPIRING PEOPLE

County’s Green Guardians announced at gala event 2

1

3

(1) All our shortlisted candidates plus our supporters with Wildlife Trust Chief Executive John Everitt. (2) Bev Fulwood and Karen Hepworth of Extended Services for Retford Oaks & the Elizabethan Family of Schools with Ian Southcott of CEMEX UK. (3) Linda Foy (left) and Cassie Harrop of St John's C of E Primary with Steve Lee of EDF Energy.

On November 14th we announced the winners of our annual Green Guardians Environmental Awards. The announcements were made at a special Gala event at the Albert Hall Conference Centre and Awards were made in seven categories - with winners in six of the categories chosen by chosen by world famous botanist Professor David Bellamy. Awards were made to individuals, schools, community organisations and businesses and with over 50 entries across the categories, judging proved very difficult. Applications and nominations were received from right across the county and around 100 guests gathered at the Albert Hall to celebrate the diverse range of environmental programmes and initiatives that exist throughout Nottinghamshire.

In 2013 the Awards have been supported by the following organisations: The University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, EDF Energy, Nottingham City Council, Chinook Sciences and Novozymes Biopharma, CEMEX UK and EMEC Ecology. Winners included Gavin Wagstaff of Ollerton Village, who has used ponies and pigs to graze scrubland in Sherwood Forest, helping to transform it to vital heathland for the benefit of native species. Other winners included Nottingham Ecohome, the Mayborn Group and the Pleasley Vale Residents Association. Speaking about Green Guardians, Wildlife Trust Chief Executive John Everitt said: “Since their launch in 2000, the Green Guardians Awards have grown into something special - with our partners we’ve been able to invest around £70,000 in prize money and we’ve judged around 500 applications. Over the past 13 years the range and quality of the applications has grown but

what’s really exciting is that new environmental projects are still starting up right across the county demonstrating just how much people care about our shared environment. ” Winners in six of the award categories will receive £1000 in cash towards their environmental activities. The Environmental Business of the Year winner receives a tailor made package of support to help them become even ‘greener’. Mr Everitt continued: “On behalf of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust I would like to congratulate all the winners but our congratulations also go to everyone who applied or who was nominated, as they are all working hard to protect our county’s environment. We’d also like to thank our supporters and our local judging panel.” A full list of winners, and all the shortlisted candidates is now available on our website: www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/ green-guardians

Green Guardians Awards are sponsored by:

Winter 2013

16

INSPIRING PEOPLE

© Tim Sexton

Natural childhood In the last issue of Nottinghamshire Wildlife we featured the launch of the Natural Childhood campaign. The Wildlife Trusts are part of the Wild Network partnership of organisations that are championing the cause of reconnecting children and young people with nature and the outdoors. This movement will gain further resonance through the release of a feature length documentary film called Project Wild Thing. This is an account of a journey around the UK by one dad who is concerned that his young children spend most of their time indoors in front of screens. On his travels he talks to academics, parents, branding experts and, of

course, children about what the natural environment means to them. Our mission at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust is to enable every schoolchild in the county to have access to outdoor learning experiences. Our extensive learning programmes offer schools a range of opportunities for learning outside

the classroom, including curriculumlinked sessions at our nature reserves and centres as well as on their own sites. Through projects such as the Trent Vale partnership, and more recently, thanks to grants made by EDF Energy, we have been able to offer schools advice on creating outdoor learning spaces within their grounds. We can also provide training

© James Greed

Karen Bennett Head of People & Wildlife


Child with magnifying glass

50th Anniversary Memories Children exploring the willow walk at our Idle Valley Nature Reserve

sessions for teachers to help them develop real-life, practical, or hands-on activities they can use within their own school grounds. One school we have been working with is North Clifton Primary School. Last year our Northern Education Officers, Rick Berry and Kevin Widdowson, helped them build a pond and do some willow work. The pupils were fully involved in this project and a particular highlight was the Key Stage Two pupils organising a shuttle run with buckets of water to fill the pond! Since then a very successful Wildlife Watch group has been established, assisted by Rick, and this now meets every month. Up to 13 pupils stay after school to take part in wildlife sessions, often with a guest speaker. One recent memorable session was a visit by some real live owls! Chris Wilson, the Head

Teacher, is firmly committed to learning outside the classroom and believes it is central to all learning as you can’t ask children to imagine or describe something if they have no experience of it. He says: "Since working with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust our children have created habitats for wildlife in numerous forms. They have learned about waste and what is biodegradable or not. They have made their own string, using nettle fibres, and toasted marshmallows over a fire. We have incorporated maths into learning outside the classroom by making clinometers and using angles to calculate the height of a tree and also used calculations to work out the age of a tree. One parent came up to me and said her child was 'buzzing' after the wildlife club this week. What better start could they have for further learning?"

Looking at bluebells

“I wasn’t allowed to go that far from home when I was about 8 or 9 years old as I had to cross the railway lineso I did; it’s bit like seeing a door ajar, you want to see what’s on the other side! I would cross the road to the park and then cross the railway and spend ages wandering around both Strawberry Hill and Rainworth Heath. I left the area about 20 years ago. When I came back five years ago I joined the Trust soon after. The railway line that ‘stopped’ me going to Rainworth Heath and Strawberry Hill has now gone and Rainworth Heath is now grazed by the Trust’s sheep to manage the heathland. They wouldn’t have dared put sheep on the heath when I was kid. I have worked as a conservation volunteer for nearly 4 years. It always amazes me how volunteers turn out in all weathers. We have done some interesting tasks over years including building a boardwalk at Meden Trail Nature Reserve and a dipping platform at Besthorpe. I went on a horse logging course at Treswell: in a week we were taken from people who had not put harness on a horse, to being able to direct the horse pulling out ash trees on our own. It was great to have a go at an old skill that is dying out - the horses were better than us, and could probably have done it on their own!” Ian O’brien Volunteer Reserve Warden, Rainworth Heath.

© Tom Marshall

Winter 2013

18

INSPIRING PEOPLE

A forest full of fun The Wildlife Trusts are giving children the space and encouragement to discover the world they live in. Helen Walsh went to visit a Forest School in Sussex. Looking round the circle, Katie asks, “So, what do you want to do today?” A chorus erupts from the children: “Den building!” “Fire making!” “Mud!”. It’s the final Forest School session of the term at Southwater Infant Academy in West Sussex, and it’s learning with a difference. Developed from the Scandinavian model of learning through play outdoors, the Forest School programme gets children outside and exploring nature in their own way and at their own pace. From fire lighting to cooking, woodwork to bushcraft, they learn about the natural world in a safe environment. And by visiting the same space for up to ten weeks, they can build relationships with the environment, the leaders and their classmates.

Growing imaginations “It takes time for the children to get the idea that they can say what they want and lead the activities themselves,” says Katie Riley, Sussex Wildlife Trust’s Forest School Officer. She’s running the morning alongside volunteer Bilal and freelance Forest School Leader Rachel Thomas. “Children can make their own decisions here. We facilitate rather than lead the session.” It might look chaotic at first, but it’s not. Group size is limited to 15, the leaders are qualified and the children clearly understand the boundaries they have. The fire circle cannot be entered when the fire is alight, particular activities happen in specific areas, and leaders help out with using tools. Yet these restrictions don’t appear as ‘rules’; they’re simply the norm. The children ask for help when they need it, but busy themselves in imaginative play the rest of the time. From a shallow hole one group invents a mud café. Flinging mud at each other (and anyone who happens to get too close) they happily discuss what they are making: “My pizza is going to have a mud worm on top,” says Harry. “I’m making a mud person,” explains Bryony. Hannah simply says, “I love mud!”


Mo work re on our w and y ith child ren oung wildl ifetr people: usts .o disco ver y rg/

Taking a step back Observation is key to the success of a Forest School. The leaders are trained to watch the children closely, appreciate different learning styles and personalities, and provide the right support for the individuals they care for. This is a little at odds with how adults often treat children. It’s in our nature to want to teach them what we know. But it can be stifling for a child to consistently hear what they can and can’t do. It’s certainly not easy letting the child be free to learn, as Bilal, a parent himself, admits: “One of the hardest things is trying not to do it all myself. It took some self-training, but it’s wonderful to see the children develop.” Besides imagination, sessions also encourage teamwork and decisionmaking. The children help each other tie branches together to make den walls. “It’s better than being in lessons,” says Nicholas. They are also in tune with the environment. “I’m using silver birch to make the fire as it’s good for starting it up,” explains Tom.

Impossible to fail Extensive research shows that Forest School sessions increase confidence, self-esteem, language skills, and social and emotional development. “It’s impossible to ‘fail’ at a Forest School,” Katie explains. “There’s just space and encouragement to discover the world. There’s no set place to be at the end of the six weeks, but it’s astonishing what happens. It brings out confidence, increases skills and learning, and produces a comfortableness with the natural world.” Many modern children are spending their youth indoors in front of screens. Not only are they not getting the exercise and fresh air they need; they are becoming more and more disconnected from the natural world. That’s why the Forest School programme is part of a wider strategy in The Wildlife Trusts: to foster a love and appreciation of the environment in the people who will grow up to be its guardians.

The fire circle is the hub of the session – a place for planning fun, and talking about it afterwards You have to concentrate to make sparks with a fire striker

UK UPDATE © All Helen Walsh

Den building: a perfect chance to develop teamwork and decision-making

Local update Here in Nottinghamshire, the Wildlife Trust offers a range of woodland based activities as part of our formal education work and our family focused events programme.

Learning to use a bow saw without troubling the first aid kit

Our Education Team delivers sessions featuring a range of skills such as fire-lighting and den-building for local schools at Gamston Wood as part of partnership with EDF Energy. We also deliver sessions for families at both Attenborough and Idle Valley Nature Reserves where we can also offer them as part of themed birthday parties for children. For further details contact a member of our Education Team on 0115 958 8242 or email [email protected]

Woodland workshops help develop a range of useful skills

Winter 2013

20

News

Corporate round up

Our corporate supporters

The past few months have seen a huge amount of activity with our Wildlife Guardians, particularly in helping us move towards our fundraising target for our Skylarks Appeal. We have seen many employees from various organisations raising money and making donations and our thanks goes to everyone.

■■ Autofil Worldwide Ltd

Castle Rock Brewery recently gave us a hand to generate donations at the Nottingham Beer Festival and, in addition to brewing another range of extremely well-received Natural Selection beers, they organised a vote from the public on their favourite Wildlife Trust beers from the last ten years. The chosen beers will form a special celebration range for 2014. Our Skylarks Appeal is one of our most ambitious projects for a number of years and we would like to thank Optima creative agency who have been helping us design the next stage of the appeal and providing ideas on how we can improve our online fundraising. We would also like to thank Nottinghambased sign manufacturer Caliba for the production of our Appeal sign and totaliser at the Skylarks reserve. Maber is one of our long-standing supporters and we would like to thank this Nottingham-based architectural practice for funding the production of our latest publication - Biodiversity and Urban Design: An Architect’s Guide. This new booklet, authored by Paul Hicking, is designed to help architects, developers and planners consider the opportunities for designing biodiversity features into developments at an early stage. The guide was launched at the Speedo International, Maber-designed offices at NG2 in Nottingham, and is available to download from our website: www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/ urbandesign.

■■ Browne Jacobson LLP ■■ Broxtowe Borough Council ■■ BT Customer Service Centre, Nottingham ■■ Caliba ■■ Capital One ■■ Castle Rock Brewery ■■ Center Parcs ■■ Chinook Sciences Ltd ■■ Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce ■■ DFPTV ■■ E.ON UK ■■ EDF Energy ■■ George & Co Press Ltd ■■ Hanson Aggregates Ltd ■■ HSBC Bank plc ■■ LaFarge Aggregates Ltd

Caliba and our Skylarks Appeal sign

■■ LaFarge Tarmac ■■ Langwith Lodge Residential Home ■■ L’Oreal Luxe (UK) Ltd ■■ Make Hay Ethical E-Media ■■ Mary’s Kitchen ■■ Mayborn Group ■■ North Midland Construction plc Staff from EDF Energy along with their mascot Zingy at Idle Valley Nature Reserve

Wildlife Guardian employees have also been out and about helping us to do valuable work on our reserves, including representatives from Novozymes at Kings Meadow, Siemens Metering Services at Harrisons Plantation, EDF Energy at Idle Valley, and Mayborn who supported the development of the restored and extended wildlife garden at Portland Park.

■■ Nottingham City Council ■■ Nottingham Trent University ■■ Novozymes Biopharma UK Ltd ■■ Optima Graphic Design Consultants Ltd ■■ Ransomwood Estates Ltd ■■ Respect Green Burial Park ■■ RWE npower ■■ Siemens Metering Services ■■ Speedo International Ltd ■■ Tarmac Midland ■■ The Sherwood Hideaway ■■ Trent Valley Internal Drainage Board ■■ Walter Harrison & Sons ■■ XMA Ltd

Sean Kelly of Walter Harrison & Sons presenting a cheque for nearly £15,000 to Wildlife Trust Chairman Valerie Holt

© Phullar Studio


■■ Bildurn Properties Limited

■■ CEMEX UK

We would like to give a warm welcome to Harworth Estates as our latest Wildlife Guardian. Our Conservation Team are advising Harworth Estates on the restoration of their land at the former Rufford Colliery site at Rainworth which will provide extremely valuable heathland habitat to link with our reserves at Rainworth Heath and Strawberry Hill Heath. In addition, Harworth’s support will help us extend our current Historic Heathlands Education project until next autumn.

We would also like to thank Walter Harrison and Sons for their recent donation. Through members of the public purchasing specialist bird food products, Walter Harrison and Sons provide valuable financial support to the Trust. Products are available to buy at our Attenborough and Idle Valley Nature Centres as well as at stores around the county.

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NEWS

Discover a great range of Wildlife Trust gift ideas...online! The Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust online shop is complete. You can view a range of gifts, nature products, cards and calendars and then order online, with delivery in the United Kingdom included in the price. One of our most popular products is our special ‘Discovery Packs’ - unique to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. There are two for you to choose from:

Minibeasts Discovery Pack Brings together a range of useful items - a pooter for collecting ‘min-beasts’, a magnifier and an ‘I-Spy Creepy Crawlies’ Identification Guide.

£12.98

■■ Piccolo IV 8x21 Compact Binoculars ■■ FSC Guide to the ‘Top 50’ Garden Birds ■■ FSC Guide to Wetland Birds


By pledging a lifetime’s support for the Wildlife Trust at only £250 for Individual Life Membership or £325 for Joint Life Membership you will be helping us plan better for the future and enabling us to protect wildlife on your doorstep for years to come. By becoming a Life Member, your support will help us to plan for the future. Since we launched our half price Life Membership offer to celebrate our 50th Anniversary, five couples and six individuals have become Life Members, so far generating an additional £3,125 of income. This brings the total number of Life Members to 30, and it would be excellent if we could increase that figure to 50 during our Anniversary year.

£26.98

Asked why he and his wife took up the offer, Ian Johnston, one of our Trustees, said:

Ian Johnston

“Given the fantastic work Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust does for wildlife we would have continued our membership annually for many years to come. However, Life Membership means that Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust gets the cash now, when it’s needed, so this offer was too good to miss.”

© Andy Wickham

■■ Checklist of the Birds of Attenborough Nature Reserve

Find the shop at www. nottinghamshirewildlife.org/shop

1963-2013

Like all Members we are keen that Life Members have opportunities to take an active role in our work, should they so wish, and we are currently developing a programme of engagement activities, the first of which will be an afternoon tea event some time during the spring or summer, as a special thank you to all our Life Members, old and new.

Birdwatching Discovery Pack

■■ Notebook and Pencil (to record your sightings)

50% off Life membership for our 50th anniversary!

Taking up the half price Life Membership offer is easy. You can: ring the Membership Team on 0115 958 8242. Join online: www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/ membership

‘Ay up mi duck’ Help support our Skylarks Appeal by purchasing one of our exclusive new T-Shirts.

The shirts are available in a range of popular colours and sizes via our Webshop and directly from Attenborough Nature Centre.

To help boost our Skylarks Appeal and to raise awareness about the site’s value for ducks and other wildlife we’ve commissioned an exclusive T-shirt design that also includes that traditional Nottinghamshire welcome ‘Ay up mi duck’

The design has been produced by Optima Graphic Design Consultants Ltd, who also produce Nottinghamshire Wildlife magazine, and we hope to launch more designs in the New Year.

Winter 2013

22

The miracle of ecotherapy Paul Farmer reflects on the mental health charity Mind’s partnership with The Wildlife Trusts You might not think that Mind and The Wildlife Trusts have much in common, but by working together we’ve discovered that we have. Over the past four years, Mind’s Ecominds scheme, with help from the Big Lottery Fund, has supported 14 Wildlife Trust projects that have introduced hundreds of people with mental health problems to ecotherapy. The projects range from nature conservation schemes to community gardens. They’ve helped people reap the benefits of the natural environment, make new friends, feel part of their communities again, and learn new skills to get back into work. A wonderful example of the difference this can make to someone is Wayne, who has attended Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s Idle Valley conservation project. Wayne is an ex-serviceman who has been managing post-traumatic stress and depression since leaving active service 14 years ago. He joined the Notts Idle Valley group in November 2010 following a hospital admission, and immediately showed an interest in woodworking and conservation. After a year Wayne’s Community Psychiatric Nurse reduced her visits from every week to every two weeks, and then every month. His medication was also reduced, and finally, after a year and a half, he was discharged by his nurse.

For most of us, the benefits of getting outdoors and doing some exercise are obvious. However, few people think of ecotherapy activities such as gardening or walking as valid treatments for diagnosed mental health problems. In truth, ecotherapy could be offered on its own as a treatment for shortterm conditions such as depression or mild anxiety. With medication or talking treatments it can also help longer-term conditions such as bipolar disorder. Recently, we surveyed a group of GPs and more than half of them said they see ecotherapy as a valid treatment for anxiety and depression. Sadly only 11% felt that they could prescribe it for a condition such as schizophrenia, even though the Ecominds scheme has made a difference to people with such mental health problems. We clearly need to hear more stories like Wayne’s, and see more evidence of the impact of ecotherapy. We published our Feel Better Outside, Feel Better Inside report in October. Developed by the University of Essex, the report provides academic research to show the impact of ecotherapy projects on psychological health and wellbeing. For example, we found that 63 per cent of people with mental health problems felt more positive about their lives by the time they left an Ecominds project. In another survey, 76 per cent experienced improvements in

overall mood after a single Ecominds session, with 48 per cent feeling less depressed. We have also found that ecotherapy helps people to gain the confidence, skills and qualifications to get back into work. Two in five people who attended an Ecominds project were helped back into employment, training, education or another voluntary position. Last year more than 50 million antidepressant prescriptions were written out, at a cost to the NHS of £211 million. Currently one in five people are waiting up to a year to access talking treatments. As more traditional treatments such as antidepressants don’t work for everyone, and access to talking treatments is patchy across the UK, it is so important that people are given a wider choice of treatment. That’s why we want to celebrate The Wildlife Trusts’ fantastic achievements. They have helped more people with mental health problems to access ecotherapy – a holistic treatment that is cost-effective and tailored to an individual’s needs. We hope to continue working with them to spread the message about mental health. Read the report and find your nearest Wildlife Trust ecotherapy project at mind.org.uk/ecominds For a good dose of restorative nature: wildlifetrusts.org/reserves

Paul Farmer Chief Executive, Mind

The Old Ragged School, Brook Street, Nottingham NG1 1EA Tel: 0115 958 8242 Fax: 0115 924 3175 www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org

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