SAVING NATURE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS The RSPB’s year 2011 –12 CONTENTS

ALL OF US TOGETHER CREATING A WORLD RICHER IN NATURE. A LEGACY FOR CONTENTS GENERATIONS Thank you for stepping up for nature with us. TO COME. Look at what we achieved together…

PAGE 5 PAGE 14 PAGE 32 PAGE 48 Welcome Saving special Northern Money matters ...from our Chief Executive places Ireland A year of weathering the and Chairman. Protecting the places wildlife Find out what happened recession and still sailing lives, from individual habitats when a basking shark strong. to landscape-scale conservation. visited Stormont.

PAGE 6 PAGE 20 PAGE 36 PAGE 52 Stepping Up Saving the Scotland Thank you For Nature environment A new RSPB nature reserve in We couldn’t have done it Every step helps make the Making sure nature is put at one of Scotland’s most iconic without you. Yes, you. world richer in wildlife. the heart of all policies that landscapes. affect the environment.

PAGE 8 PAGE 26 PAGE 40 PAGE 55 Saving birds Connecting people Wales Looking forward – and wildlife with nature A year of Centenary saving nature celebrations in Wales. Pulling the world’s most Helping everyone, especially Where do we go from here? threatened species back children, experience nature at A few words on the road ahead from the brink. its best. from Mike Clarke.

2 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 3 WELCOME

We’d like to start by thanking you for making possible everything in this annual review of the RSPB’s achievements.

Mike Clarke Ian Darling Chief Executive Chairman WELCOME

ight from its beginnings, the RSPB has always been In a year when politicians questioned whether about people coming together to tackle nature’s environmental protections were a barrier to economic Rgreatest challenges. We’ve always worked in growth, you helped us speak up in nature’s defence. partnership. But this year, more than ever before, under And you helped us continue to defend our Harapan the banner of Stepping Up For Nature, our most Rainforest from commercial exploitation. ambitious campaign to date, we have raised a clarion call, You helped us acquire two fabulous new nature we have banged our drums and blown our bugles, we reserves – Pagham Harbour on the Sussex coast, and have hollered in the streets, asking for your help to Wards Estate on the banks of Loch Lomond; they are save nature. yours to visit, and the wildlife there, from curlews and And you have answered. In your thousands. In your water voles to Greenland white-fronted geese and homes, in your neighbourhoods and supermarkets, in Atlantic salmon, are yours to enjoy. your places of work, in your local nature reserves, in You helped the Welsh Black Grouse Recovery Project Westminster, and even across the other side of the world beat its Biodiversity Action Plan target four years in the icy tundra of North-East Russia – a place you may ahead of schedule. You helped our efforts to boost never have been, but where, nevertheless, your footsteps populations of some of the rarest species on our nature have been felt. reserves, releasing more field crickets at Farnham Individuals, businesses, fellow charities, ministers: Heath and Pulborough Brooks, more pine hoverflies you have stepped up for nature and the results have been at Abernethy Forest, and more pearl-bordered fritillary outstanding, as you’ll see when you begin reading butterflies at Tudeley Woods. You helped us establish through this annual review. a new population of Britain’s rarest spider, the ladybird Whether you support the RSPB as one of our 1,090,000 spider, at our Arne nature reserve. members, or as one of our volunteers who donated You helped our innovative Future of the Atlantic more than a million hours of their time this year, or by Marine Environment (FAME) seabird tracking project campaigning with us via Twitter, or by buying Christmas shatter long-held beliefs about these ocean cards from our gift catalogue, each of the stories reported wanderers – discovering that they wander twice as far in these pages is yours to celebrate. They are your as previously thought to find food for their chicks. achievements – steps we’ve taken for nature together. Most of all, in these pages you’ll see that a year of You helped us push for, and get, a Marine Bill for austerity did not hamper our efforts to save nature, Northern Ireland. You helped bitterns increase to record- but strengthened the belief we’ve always had – that breaking numbers. You enabled us and our conservation creative and collaborative working with like-minded partners to take a major step in saving the spoon-billed people can achieve wonders. sandpiper from extinction, bringing chicks all the way from Russia to Slimbridge in Gloucestershire to set up the world’s first captive breeding centre.

RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 5 STEPPING UP FOR NATURE AT HOME A YEAR OF “I've stepped up to save the albatross by collecting stamps and sending them to your campaign.” STEPPING UP Alison Frank This year RSPB volunteers gave a million hours to nature. FOR NATURE Read about two of them on page 28. Around the world…

… we’re losing the diversity of life that is vital for our health and makes this place special. Stepping Up For Nature is a way we can all help. We can all take simple actions that, when combined, make significant changes for wildlife. We hope that when governments see how much you care about birds and wildlife, they will act too. Your steps will push them to make the changes in policy that only they can make. IN YOUR LOCAL AREA “I objected to a development proposal on greenbelt land, adjoining a nature reserve and destroying a wildlife corridor.” Valerie Campbell You can read about a building proposal we fought on page 16.

AT YOUR LOCAL SHOP “I donated my green Clubcard points to save a rainforest.” Lyn Barron Find out how the RSPB and Tesco are getting Together For Trees on page 22.

6 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 7 SAVING BIRDS AND WILDLIFE

Rob Sheldon reports on the ground-breaking partnership racing to save the spoon-billed sandpiper from extinction. Rob Sheldon RSPB Head of International Species Recovery SAVING THE SPOONY

he spoon-billed sandpiper is a little wader in big When the spoonies leave the Russian tundra for their trouble. Today there are fewer than 100 pairs left. wintering grounds, they make pitstops all along the TThere are more people working to save this bird 5,000-mile journey in the East Asian mudflats. But this than there are spoon-billed sandpipers left in the wild. intertidal habitat is being lost rapidly to agriculture and I’m one of them. industrial development in countries such as China The race to save the spoony is being run in three and Korea. different ways. The first begins in one of the most remote We are helping prepare a detailed report on this habitat regions in the world – the icy tundra of North-East loss and its effect on spoon-billed sandpipers and other Russia. Here, the spoonies arrive to mate as soon as the waterbirds to present in September 2012 at the IUCN snow starts to retreat. They make their nests – no more World Conservation Congress. The congress is being held than a dimple in the tussocky vegetation – and lay three on Korea’s Jeju Island, so it’s the ideal place to highlight or four eggs. this crucial issue. This year, a team of conservationists collected 20 of The final part of the race to save the spoony is to protect these eggs to begin the world’s first conservation them from hunters in their wintering grounds. One of the programme for spoon-billed sandpipers. most important wintering sites for spoonies is the Gulf of The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is leading the Mottoma – a vast unspoilt estuary in Myanmar. I travelled breeding team alongside Birds Russia, with support from there in January to meet the local communities. the RSPB, BTO, BirdLife International, ArcCona, the The villages around the Gulf are incredibly poor. Local Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force and Moscow Zoo. people trap birds with nets just so they’ve got something Inside their eggs, these chicks began an enormous to eat. They’re after bigger waders, but are trapping the journey. First, the team brought the eggs back to base spoonies unintentionally. camp in the small Russian settlement of Meinypilgyno BANCA, our BirdLife partner in Myanmar, has been in Chukotka. From there, to Anadyr in Russia by a working with villagers to provide alternative sources of Heritage Expeditions boat. It was on this boat that all the income, including boats and fishing nets, and ice boxes eggs hatched, immediately recognisable as spoonies: little so they can keep the fish fresh. The villagers want to help, balls of fluff with enormous feet and that amazing bill. and now that they have an alternative livelihood the From Anadyr, the chicks travelled to Moscow Zoo, hunting has stopped. The impact of the work here has where they spent a month in quarantine in preparation been immediate and dramatic. for coming to the UK. The chicks flew into Heathrow in The partnership is making great progress, but there’s November, and were transported to their new home – a long way to go. The population is declining by 26% every the custom-built breeding facility at WWT Slimbridge. year. Without our help, the spoony could be extinct by There are now 12 young birds in captivity, ready to 2020. For the latest on our efforts to save it, visit kickstart the world’s first captive-bred population when www.saving-spoon-billed-sandpiper.com they reach maturity in 2013. The second part of the race to save the spoony tackles the loss of habitat along their migration route. You’re helping us save the spoony from extinction.

8 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 SAVING BIRDS AND WILDLIFE

Every day, the RSPB Investigations Team receives reports of illegal trapping and killing of birds of prey. Mark Thomas describes a major case that has just come to a close. Mark Thomas RSPB Senior Investigations Officer FIGHTING CRIME

he RSPB Investigations Team has just come to the What the keeper didn’t know was that we had marked end of a two-year case involving a South Yorkshire the white pigeon’s wings in a unique way, so if we came Tgamekeeper. across it later, we could identify it again. The gamekeeper, Glenn Brown, worked on an estate We had now gathered enough evidence to get the within the Derwent Valley in the Peak District National police involved. That afternoon, we briefed the police Park. Birds of prey have suffered terrible fortunes in the on everything we had discovered, and at 7pm went valley in recent years, and in 2010 we decided to monitor with them to execute a search warrant at Glenn the situation closely. Brown’s home. We frequently visited the estate well before dawn, We found clothing and a balaclava that matched the and on one spring morning, at the bottom of a densely one he had been wearing when we filmed him visiting the wooded slope, we found a cage trap. The trap was the size trap that morning, and, most significantly, we found the of a garden shed, made of wood and mesh, and it had a marked pigeon in his loft. funnel entrance that would let the target species enter, Glenn Brown was arrested and interviewed at 1am. but not escape. This kind of trap is legal when used to We’d now been up nearly 24 hours, our surveillance that catch crows, but inside we saw a live domestic white day having started at 3am. pigeon – this kind of bait could only be intended to His trial began in June 2011 at Chesterfield Magistrates illegally catch a bird of prey. Court and lasted 12 days. The whole Investigations Team The cage also contained hundreds of white feathers were at court, and the keeper was convicted of seven from a different pigeon. We searched the area and offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and found the body of that pigeon, and close by, a dead Animal Welfare Act 2006. He was sentenced to 100 hours sparrowhawk. The underside of the sparrowhawk’s tail community service and ordered to pay £10,000 costs. was covered in faeces – evidence that it had been We were stunned when, in the face of all the evidence, confined before dying. No doubt, the pigeon had been he appealed. A complete retrial took place in January 2012. used to entice the sparrowhawk into the trap. We Once again our integrity was questioned, and we were installed a hidden camera, and then sat and waited. even accused of planting evidence, which of course was Shortly after eight, we heard the distinctive snapping a terrible lie. of branches underfoot and saw a figure carrying a gun Glenn Brown was once more found guilty of all charges moving through the trees towards the trap. We watched and ordered to pay a further £7,000 in costs. We were him check the cage, and then leave with a disappointed satisfied with the outcome, but we will continue efforts to look on his face. We maintained our surveillance. bring wildlife criminals to justice if we’re going to protect On Saturday morning the situation changed suddenly. these magnificent, but vulnerable, birds of prey. The covert camera caught a man arriving wearing a balaclava. He released the white pigeon and disarmed the trap. He probably did this because weekends there You are helping us tackle bird of are busy with tourists and the trap was likely to have prey persecution. been found.

10 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 SAVING BIRDS AND WILDLIFE IN BRIEF THE BEST YEAR FOR BITTERNS This year, we counted a record 104 booming bitterns in England – the highest number in living memory. The Great Crane Project reared and released a second generation of 17 ritain’s loudest bird, once extinct Nottinghamshire and Somerset. young cranes. The two generations are Bin the UK, has enjoyed its best For decades we’ve been recreating getting on well together in the wild, boding well for future breeding. year since records began. The bittern wetland habitats on an enormous Rare beetles discovered is bouncing back, following intensive scale at our nature reserves. These It was a good year for our Asian conservation efforts, which have exciting results really demonstrate We do our best to meet the needs of all the wildlife on our nature reserves, vultures programme. Captive breeding so we are thrilled that our efforts have been rewarded with the discovery centres in India fledged 18 young helped its population rise over the that when you give habitat back to vultures, almost double last year’s total. last 15 years from 11 males in 1997 wildlife, the wildlife responds. of some exciting new beetles. And levels of diclofenac, the drug that At RSPB Mersehead, Dumfries and Galloway, we found the impressive has killed millions of vultures feeding on to 104 this year. carcasses of treated cattle, have halved rhinoceros beetle Sinodenron cylindricum . The male uses its rhino-like horn We were pleased also to see from Bitterns are at the top in the environment. the RSPB and Natural England the of the reedbed food to guard the entrance to its tunnel while the female lays her eggs. At South chain – their success Stack in Anglesey we discovered Calosoma inquisitor , the “ caterpillar-hunter ”. It was the worst year for hen harriers survey that bitterns are expanding in England since their recolonisation this year shows that And our ecologists have discovered a new site in East Anglia for Omophron their range and moving into new our habitat recreation in the 1960s. There were just four big limbatum – a ground beetle that lives on quicksand. It’s found in only a few successful nests in England, all on land territories. There were nesting picture work is helping all the reedbed wildlife sites in Britain – three of which are RSPB nature reserves. the RSPB and United Utilities manage. bitterns in six new sites in to thrive: plants, We launched the Skydancer project to Cambridgeshire, Somerset dragonflies, fish – galvanise local communities to protect all of it. hen harriers in northern England, where and Yorkshire, as well as booming Albatross Task Force shows the way illegal persecution persists. bitterns at new sites in The RSPB and BirdLife International’s Global Seabird Programme completed Numbers of stone-curlews Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, a major review of the impact of longline fisheries on seabirds. We estimate continued to rise at Winterbourne Downs, and that 160,000 seabirds are being caught and killed each year on longline hooks on acid grassland created – but the actual figure may be double. The Albatross Task Force has at RSPB Minsmere. Since demonstrated that this problem can be significantly reduced or even 2005, breeding pairs at NEW HOME FOR these sites have increased from two eliminated in fleets that use bird-deterring ‘tori’ lines and other simple to 13. devices that keep birds away from the baited hooks. Slavonian grebes raised eleven young BRITAIN’S RAREST SPIDER on RSPB Loch Ruthven (their only RSPB Save swifts campaign breeding site) – a big jump from last We’ve settled 29 ladybird spiders into their new home on year’s six young. You contributed thousands more records of nesting swifts in this third year of We had the highest recorded lapwing RSPB Arne nature reserve in Dorset. our save swifts campaign. Each of your records feeds into an online inventory hatching success at Otmoor after that we’ll use to encourage local authorities, builders and developers to installing fences to keep out foxes. provide and protect swift nest sites as a routine part of their work. Swifts n the 1990s, the ladybird spider Ladybird spiders are An RSPB-led study demonstrating the just one of the rare need all the help they can get – since 1995 we’ve lost over a third of them. how illegal killing has limited red kite Iwas on the brink of extinction in creatures we’ve been We hope your records will help to reverse these declines. population growth in northern Scotland the UK, with only a single colony reintroducing to new has been awarded the Watson Raptor www.rspb.org.uk/helpswifts of 56 individuals left. To give them big sites across the UK. Science Prize . picture For the second year a hand establishing a new running, we released We continue to fight to save the population, we relocated 29 spiders more field crickets at Northern bald ibis in Syria. The Being the best we can be for all wildlife population is down to just three birds, to our Arne nature reserve. Farnham Heath and Pulborough Brooks, To make sure that we’re doing everything we can for the most important which successfully fledged two young The spiders travelled in style – this year. and pine hoverflies species on our reserves, we are reviewing our management for plants, fungi, in plastic drinks bottles filled with at Abernethy Forest. We also topped up the and other animals. The first step was to combine all non-bird wildlife records Red-backed shrikes bred for a second heather and moss, so they felt at population of pearl- from all of our reserves into a single database. We used it to identify the rare year on Dartmoor, with two pairs home on the journey. To release bordered fritillary raising seven young, the only and scarce species that rely on RSPB reserves for their protection in the UK. successful breeding in the UK. them, we simply buried the bottles butterflies at Tudeley Woods. Some of these already benefit from the work we are doing for birds, but we An RSPB-led team of 30 in holes in the ground, leaving the volunteers protected have identified others that need special help. We are working with other spiders free to move out in their the nest sites. experts to try to find out what some of these species need and to provide the own time. We hope these pioneers right conditions for them. Some require special habitats, others might need will kindle a new population of numbers boosting by translocations (see the ladybird spider story, left). ladybird spiders in the area.

12 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 13 SAVING SPECIAL PLACES

Our newest nature reserve in West Sussex is a well-known and much-loved gem. Adrian Thomas reports on how we have helped secure Pagham Harbour’s future. Adrian Thomas RSPB Communications Officer SAFE AND SECURE: PAGHAM HARBOUR

ou know the theme music to Desert Island Discs, Harbour LNR is a big, complex, costly nature reserve, all those dreamy strings and seagulls calling in the and, as the Council had always said, it needs investment. Ybackground? Called ‘By the Sleepy Lagoon’, its They themselves also needed to be sure that the move composer Eric Coates was inspired by a sweep of idyllic was the right one, especially as it would include their Sussex coast, offshore from a place called Pagham existing team moving to the RSPB. Harbour. The good news is that, after an intense period of It’s at the village of Pagham that the coastal research, deliberation and negotiation, both the RSPB conurbation, which has stretched almost unbroken from and the Council concluded that this was most certainly Brighton, finally takes a deep pause. Here the sea finds the right move. In February 2012, we took over the a narrow path through the shingle beach into a wide, day-to-day management of the core area of the LNR sheltered bay – the Harbour – that fills and empties with and its staff team. each tide. It is surrounded by a rich mosaic of fields and West Sussex County Council remains very much hedges, pools and freshwater streams called ‘rifes’, which involved as welcome partners, continuing to provide together with the Harbour forms Pagham Harbour Local much needed funding and support. We’re working closely Nature Reserve (LNR). too with the Friends of Pagham Harbour, the local charity It’s the kind of place that draws local people and visitors that has long championed the reserve. And we’re from all around the south-east to walk, enjoy the wildlife, engaging closely with local communities. and get away from it all. I love it: it’s so peaceful, with a Our key task is to ensure that the LNR remains the great vault of sky over the top and Chichester cathedral special place that so many people – and so much and the South Downs a distant backdrop. wildlife – adore. There are no sweeping changes to be And, yes, the gulls do call, but more often in winter it made, but we will improve the visitor centre facilities. is the plaintive whistles of curlews and wigeons and the And of course the whole nature reserve needs ongoing yapping herds of brent geese that break the silence, just care and attention. For such a special place, it’s the least some of the 20,000 or so waterbirds for which the site is it deserves. internationally important. There are breeding birds too, Pagham Harbour is open to the public year round. The RSPB such as little terns, not to mention water voles, adders, visitor centre is open daily, and is just south of Sidlesham on and rare plants such as the delicate childing pink. the B2145 Chichester/Selsey road. But the LNR faced an uncertain future. West Sussex County Council had been its guardian since 1964, but in 2009 they approached the RSPB, concerned that they Your support helped us keep our didn’t feel well placed to manage the site in the long-term. 213 nature reserves in tip –top It was tempting to just leap in, but it is at precisely these condition, for their wonderful wildlife and for the people who moments that the RSPB must take a deep breath and come to be inspired. carefully examine the implications. After all, Pagham

14 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 SAVING SPECIAL PLACES

The RSPB tackles around 700 new development proposals on behalf of nature each year. Renny Henderson reports on just one of them. Renny Henderson RSPB Conservation Officer SAVING TALBOT HEATH

n a cold day in February 2012, I was driving when So we were shocked when, in June 2010, despite this my phone rang and set my heart pounding. Was vigorous opposition, Poole Borough Council resolved to Othis the news I had been waiting for? For the last grant planning consent. We immediately wrote to the two years, I had been part of an RSPB team fighting a Government raising our concerns. development proposal threatening a precious bit of In September 2010, we were delighted to hear that the wildlife habitat called Talbot Heath. Minister had called a Public Inquiry, allowing all the We first stepped into the fight when we received a letter arguments to be made to decide if the development from Poole Borough Council. They were notifying us of should be permitted. a proposed development by the Talbot Village Trust that At this point, we decided that the most powerful way included 378 houses and 450 student units on an area of for us to fight this development was to join forces with farmland in Poole. The farmland was immediately Natural England. In July 2011, the inquiry began, and we adjacent to Talbot Heath. As soon as I read this, alarm presented our joint case to the Inspector. The developer’s bells began ringing in my head. barrister grilled our ecological experts on the stand. Our Talbot Heath is home to several threatened species barrister grilled their witnesses. For four weeks, notes were including Dartford warblers, nightjars, smooth snakes and furiously taken, arguments and counterarguments revised. sand lizards, and so has the highest level of legal wildlife It was like a nail-biting courtroom drama because the fate protection available in Britain: it is a Special Protection of so much wildlife was at stake. Area, a Special Area of Conservation and a Ramsar Site. At the end of it, exhausted, we knew we’d done We began a four-month process of putting together our everything we could. The Inspector would now submit objection. We always try to work with developers to find recommendations to the Minister. But even though we’d solutions, but sometimes the threat is so high we have to made a strong case, at that time the planning system was dig in and fight unacceptable proposals. in a state of flux. The Government had included all 278 The Council’s own planning rules state that you cannot pieces of environmental legislation and regulations in its build within 400 metres of a protected heath, and if you ‘Red Tape Challenge’ – labelling these vital protections build within 400 to 5,000 metres, you have to provide for as mere bureaucracy and asking whether they should be effective measures to make sure no harm is done to the scrapped altogether. So no matter how strong our case heath. The Talbot Village Trust’s measures were had been, with the climate in Westminster, we really did inadequate. For example, they proposed a cat-proof fence think the decision could go either way. to protect the heathland wildlife. We knew it would only That’s why, when my phone rang on that cold day in take one hole in this fence to allow cats onto the heath. February, my heart started pounding. I pulled over and While we were preparing our objection, local people returned the call. I got the news that the Minister had began writing to us asking what we were going to do refused planning permission for the development. about the development – they didn’t want it either. The Nature and common sense had won. campaign against the development was huge. When we put in our official objection, it went alongside a thousand letters from local people, plus an objection from Natural You’re helping us fight developments England, too. that threaten wildlife.

16 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 SAVING SPECIAL PLACES IN BRIEF

It was another record-breaking year for our Hope Farm in Cambridgeshire. Breeding birds have more than doubled HOLDING BACK THE SEA AT since 2000, while crops also brought in a record profit. It can be done! TITCHWELL We added 1,392 hectares, including two new reserves , to our reserve network: at Pagham Harbour, West Our three-year Coastal Change Project at RSPB Titchwell Marsh Sussex, and at Loch Lomond, West Dunbartonshire. As of 1 April, the RSPB nature reserve is complete, saving the homes of bitterns, bearded tits managed 143,780 hectares at 213 nature reserves – an area nearly four and water voles. times the size of the Isle of Wight. BBC Springwatch presenter Iolo ising sea levels on the North sea defence, and also form ideal Williams opened our new extension to RSPB Dee Estuary reserve at Burton RNorfolk coast have been habitat for wading birds. Mere Wetlands in Cheshire. He said: pounding Titchwell’s crumbling sea We’ve named this newly created “This is a brilliant example of a place which is not only fantastic for wildlife defences for years, threatening to saltmarsh ‘Volunteer Marsh’ as a but is now great for people to come inundate the nature reserve’s tribute to the reserve’s invaluable and visit and get excited about nature.” precious freshwater habitats. team of volunteers. Saving Henderson Island We transformed 270 hectares of To save this habitat, we have just The project has ensured that Thanks to a unique international partnership, contributions from the farmland into wetland at Bowers completed a pioneering project to RSPB Titchwell will remain one of UK Government, and generous donations from our supporters, an aerial Marsh , part of RSPB South Essex Marshes. realign and reinforce the sea wall. the best wildlife sites in Europe. baiting operation using helicopters was completed on Henderson Island. This involved punching a Thanks to EU LIFE+ Nature The goal was to preserve the ecology of one of the most remote islands in Following a long-running 40-metrewide hole in the wall, Fund, WREN, The SITA Trust, the world, and save the Henderson petrel from extinction. Despite this effort, RSPB campaign, the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits allowing the sea to flood a part of Marine Communities Fund, and rats survived on Henderson, and we are now considering the next steps in in Northamptonshire were the reserve, but in a controlled way. the many individuals and RSPB our programme to save this special place. confirmed as a Special Protection Area. This gives The flooded area has created a tidal supporters who donated to make the site full protection, saltmarsh that will work as a natural it possible. and recognition as an internationally One step closer to nature reserves at sea important wetland for the ducks, swans We’ve helped ensure that seabirds receive better protection at sea. and wading birds that visit in winter. This includes six important sites for seabirds in the final proposals for RSPB campaign volunteers contributed Marine Conservation Zones in England. These zones will provide a safe to preventing a damaging tidal barrage WORK BEGINS AT development on the Mersey Estuary. place for seabirds to find food for their chicks, as well as allowing other marine life, from corals to lobsters, to flourish. Just 15 years after their inception, our Avalon Marshes nature reserves WALLASEA In Scotland, we’re working hard to ensure the Scottish Government creates in the Somerset Levels are among the an ambitious network of sites that protects marine life. And we continue to best wetlands in the country. A quarter We are transforming Wallasea Island on the Essex coast into one of push for similar Marine Conservation Zones in Welsh waters. of UK bitterns (25 booming males) were found here in 2011, plus the UK’s the best wetland habitats in the UK. only breeding little bitterns. Futurescapes update Natural England awarded us top marks for the Site of Special Scientific Interest our hundred years ago, the Essex wetland and saltmarsh habitat on Futurescapes is the RSPB’s most ambitious programme to date, creating at The Lodge nature reserve, Fcoast was a wild and stunning the banks of the River Crouch. more space for nature at a landscape-scale across the UK. In 2010, working Bedfordshire. This follows years of saltmarsh – a haven for wildlife. Over the next decade, this recreated in partnership with farmers, landowners, businesses, and other non- work on the old heath to get it just right for heathland wildlife, such as nightjars, Today, agriculture and coastal erosion ancient wetland landscape of governmental organisations, we launched our first phase of 34 Futurescapes, woodlarks and Dartford warblers. have eaten up more than 90% of mudflats and saltmarsh, lagoons and extending to over a million hectares. Volunteers have helped turn 38 hectares of conifer plantation into a this habitat. pasture will fill with nationally and This year, the Futurescapes Programme received a major boost in the form new heath, the largest in Bedfordshire. To bring a good chunk of it back – internationally important wildlife. It of just under €2 million from the EU LIFE+ fund. This has allowed us to 744 hectares – we are working with will also be the perfect place for the employ eight new members of the Futurescapes team around the U K. Crossrail in a landmark conservation local community and visitors to get and engineering scheme on a scale close to nature in a way that’s not Protecting the best places for never before attempted in the UK. been possible here for decades. The Wallasea Island Wild Coast wildlife overseas Project will use material excavated Recreating We have helped protect several Important Bird Areas. In Kazakhstan , we during Crossrail’s construction of a the wetlands is one supported our BirdLife partner and the Government of Kazakhstan to get of our priorities. new rail link across London to create We’re also full protection for a sensational 900,000-hectare area in Altyn Dala. And in the RSPB Wallasea Island nature big doing it at Kenya , to our great relief, G4 Industries pulled their proposal to grow 28,000 picture Lydden in Kent hectares of biofuel crops in the magnificent Tana River Delta, following reserve. This material will build up and Bowers land levels, creating a major new Marsh in Essex. pressure from the RSPB and our BirdLife partner.

18 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 19 SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT

Ellie Owen has been making history as part of the innovative FAME seabird tracking project.

Ellie Owen RSPB Seabird Ecologist TRACKING SEABIRDS

’ve always loved fulmars. They were one of the first was extremely valuable, which made re-catching it species I worked with when I became a seabird a nerve-wracking experience. Iresearcher. Fulmars can live longer than 50 years, Back at my tent, when I connected the GPS tag to my which meant some of the beautiful seabirds I was laptop, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The GPS handling then had been out, struggling to survive in map showed that this fulmar had been all the way the harsh marine environment, since my parents to Norway and back. That’s 292 miles. This was just were children. one of the many surprises we’ve had so far during the I met a particularly remarkable fulmar as part of my FAME project. work on the Future of the Marine Atlantic Environment The €3.4 million EU-supported FAME project is led (FAME) seabird tracking project. by the RSPB, working in partnership with conservation It was on Copinsay – one of the Orkney islands. I first organisations in Spain, Portugal, France and Ireland. spotted the fulmar sitting on its spartan nest, on a tiny In the UK, we’ve been tracking five seabird species: cliff-ledge, far above the crashing waves. By creeping up guillemot, razorbill, fulmar, kittiwake and shag. along the top of the cliff, I was able to get quite close to Until now, where seabirds go to feed has been one the fulmar without it seeing me. But the fulmars on the of the great unsolved mysteries in natural history. The adjacent part of the cliff could see me, and started FAME seabird tracking project is revealing for the first cackling away – calls that sound to me like giggling. time exactly where seabirds go when they leap off the Thankfully, my fulmar didn’t pick up on their signals, cliff edge and head out for the horizon. Knowing where and I was able to slip the net over the nest and catch it. seabirds feed is the first step in saving them. Bringing it gently up onto the cliff top, I stuck a little One of the major reasons for the recent seabird GPS tracker on its back with special waterproof tape, declines is that they’re struggling to find the right food and then released it again. at the right time to successfully raise chicks. Climate A couple of days later, the fulmar was back on its nest. change and human activities at sea are rapidly changing I wasn’t sure whether to catch it again right away and the marine environment, and seabirds just can’t keep up. collect the data about where it had been in the last 48 The aim of FAME is to locate the most valuable feeding hours, or whether I should leave it and allow the tag to sites for seabirds, so that we can push for them to gather a bit more data. The danger of waiting was that become Marine Protected Areas – nature reserves at sea. if I left the tag on too long, it would fall off, and then That way, we can increase the chances that when I would have no data at all. But something in me said seabirds, like my remarkable fulmar, go out foraging, to take the risk and wait. they can find fish and bring them back to their hungry I came back the next day, and the fulmar was not chicks waiting on the cliff. there. I came back twice the day after that, and it was still not there. I regretted not getting the tag back when I’d had the chance. You helped us take the first steps Four days after I’d last seen the fulmar, it returned. in protecting vital seabird Now, carrying six days worth of data, this fulmar’s tag feeding grounds at sea.

20 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT

Jonathan reports from the front line of tropical forest conservation – where we continue our efforts to protect precious rainforests. Jonathan Barnard Head of Tropical Forest Unit TOGETHER FOR TREES

’m lucky to have spent a fair amount of my career so Deforestation like this is still being driven by the far in rainforests, but never, until now, wearing a suit. demand for commodities, such as palm oil, which hide, IA suit is not ideal clothing for rainforest work, but on mostly unlabelled, in everyday products from biscuits this particular day, it was essential. We had a very special and crisps to shampoos. More and more, our fight to visitor – the President of Sierra Leone – who had come save the rainforests is fought here, in the UK, making to officially declare the Gola Rainforest a National Park. consumers aware of the consequences for rainforests And he wasn’t alone. of picking certain products off the shelf. This was a massive event, with hundreds of people: That’s why we were so pleased this year to begin local chiefs and community members, ministers, civil a new partnership with Tesco – Together for Trees – servants and the President’s entourage. It was surreal to which has the potential to do enormous good for be standing at the edge of the rainforest in a suit and tie, tropical forests. in the heat, listening to amplified speeches and a pop We’re helping Tesco look at and improve the song written for the occasion. But it was wonderful to see environmental impact of their supply chain. Plus, the this place get the protection it deserves after two decades Together for Trees partnership means that every time of working with the Sierra Leonean Government, and our a shopper opts in and reuses a carrier bag, 1p is donated BirdLife Partner, the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone. to our tropical forest conservation work. We expect this Even after a rainforest receives legal protection like this, to raise £1 million in the first year, giving a massive the fight to protect its boundaries goes on. Mostly, boost to the RSPB and BirdLife International rainforest we manage to keep illegal loggers at bay, but at Harapan programme in Indonesia, Kenya, Montserrat, Sierra Rainforest , Sumatra, this year they arrived on a bigger Leone, Tanzania, Thailand and Uganda. scale than before. Re-using a carrier bag might seem like a tiny gesture, Satellite images of Harapan Rainforest revealed the but, like many of the ways you can step up for nature tell-tale bare squares nibbled into the forest – illegal with the RSPB, thousands of people taking small actions loggers had cleared several areas to grow oil palm. We’re together creates a major force for positive change in the working with the Indonesian authorities to tackle this natural world. illegal activity. It’s hard work, but this is the frontline of The very first funds that Together for Trees has raised conservation and we’re confident this will be resolved have already gone straight to the Gola Rainforest to buy soon, keeping the forest safe for the rare Sumatran tigers, a new Land Rover for the team there. They were in Asian elephants and other wildlife, as well as the 800 desperate need of one, as in the wet season they’re often indigenous people who without the forest would have working in knee-deep mud. Next time I go back, I will nowhere else to go. definitely not be wearing my suit. Once the threat is removed, we will be able to restore these damaged areas. This year, we grew a massive 1.7 million seedlings, and planted out 250,000 trees of You’re helping the RSPB and our more than 60 different species to regenerate damaged BirdLife International Partners protect areas of rainforest and create the canopy under which nearly 240,000 hectares of tropical forest in seven countries . so much life flourishes.

22 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT IN BRIEF MAKING WIND FARMS WORK FOR WILDLIFE We’ve fought several wind farm proposals this year, but we’ve supported some too. It’s all about where they go.

e objected to three major one of the proposals and granted environment. As part of the Woffshore wind farm proposals two, striking a balance between development, Vattenfall will restore in the Greater Wash, which could maximising clean energy production 1,000 hectares of degraded bog for have harmed the Sandwich tern and safeguarding wildlife. wildlife, creating habitat for golden Working closely with other wildlife population on the North Norfolk At Waterhead Moor, North plovers, hen harriers, merlins, organisations, we participated in the Coast SPA. The Government refused Ayrshire, we successfully fought off peregrines and curlews. Government’s review of the Birds and Habitats Directives in England. The an application for a 29-turbine wind Katie-jo Luxton, Director of the evidence we gave helped Defra farm that would have damaged hen RSPB in Wales, said: “We welcome conclude that protecting vulnerable harrier habitat (more on page 36). Vattenfall’s positive approach to Seeing off cuts to wildlife friendly farmers species and habitats enhances our In June 2011, we discovered plans were afoot in Brussels to significantly wellbeing and is not a block on But we supported the major new nature conservation here, which appropriate development. Pen y Cymoedd wind farm in south will result in a net gain for wildlife cut Pillar II of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which funds agri-environment schemes that reward farmers who take steps for wildlife. The National Ecosystem Assessment Wales . Here, we’ve been working in this area. We hope other was launched. The report took more with and advising the developer, companies adopt a similar attitude, We launched into action, lobbying and letter-writing to the Prime Minister, than 300 experts (including RSPB staff) Vattenfall, to make sure that the and this project will set a positive MPs and MEPs, and providing testimonials from farmers committed to two years to compile and provides wildlife-friendly farming. We also led a campaign with BirdLife Europe that further compelling evidence on the benefits of sustainable energy do not example for wind farm importance of the natural environment come at the expense of the natural developments.” generated over 11,000 e-mails to European Commission officials. While the to human wellbeing. effort was successful and these plans were scrapped, Pillar II may face fresh The Natural Environment White attacks as the CAP reform round moves forward. Paper has been released. It outlines how the Government intends to protect wildlife and reverse biodiversity loss. TRISTAN DA CUNHA Farmland bird friendly zone launched To succeed, it’s critical that these responsibilities are shared across all We launched an ambitious new landscape-scale conservation project at the government departments. OIL SPILL Oxford Farming Conference in January. The Thorney Farmland Bird Friendly We are campaigning against proposals Zone in the Cambridgeshire Fens is a partnership between 14 farmers and from the Mayor of London, Boris The whole population of Tristan da Cunha came to the rescue when the RSPB. The farmers are all stepping up for nature together, by taking Johnson, and renowned architect, Lord measures to provide nesting and year-round feeding opportunities for Foster, for an International Airport a massive oil spill threatened to destroy a vital colony of northern hub in the Thames Estuary . Much of farmland birds on 3,782 hectares of arable farmlan d. the estuary has European conservation rockhopper penguins. protection and is on a migratory route for hundreds of thousands of birds.

Putting nature at the heart of planning The Public Inquiry into the proposed n 16 March, the bulk carrier, A massive rescue mission began, In July, the Government unveiled draft plans for a radical overhaul of Lydd airport expansion ended in OMS Oliva , ran aground. The ship involving all the residents of Tristan national planning policy. We publicly criticised the proposals for putting the September 2011. The Inspector has was travelling from Brazil to da Cunha, the Tristan Conservation assessed the cases for and against the economy ahead of the environment, fighting alongside the National Trust, proposal and it is with the Government Singapore with a cargo of 65,000 Department, the crew of the CPRE and other partners. In response to our objections, the new National to decide. We have objected to the tonnes of soya beans and 1,500 Edinburgh , RSPB staff and the proposal, which would damage Planning Policy Framework contains positive policies for nature that will important wildlife habitats. tonnes of bunker fuel. Southern African Foundation for enable local authorities to plan for vital homes, jobs and transport links As the ship broke up in the rough the Conservation of Coastal Birds. without causing damage to our wildlife and countrysid e. We co-hosted a major conference on seas, the soya and oil were Together, we moved quickly to climate change at the Royal Society with Natural England and WWF, raising discharged into the waters around collect and clean up the oiled birds awareness of the dangers of climate Nightingale Island. In the days that and prevent many more from Live Q&A with Marine Minister change to biodiversity and people. followed, the oil reached coming into contact with the oil. On 29 November, Defra Minister Richard Benyon faced an audience of RSPB In the run-up to the Rio+20 Inaccessible Island, a World The true impact of the spill won’t sealife champions in a Q&A session about Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). earth summit, Stop Heritage Site, and Tristan, more than be known for some time yet, but a The event was streamed live and watched by several hundred people. Climate Chaos created an animation, Reasons 30 km away. This group of islands is considerable number of penguins We presented the Minister with an image of a tern created from over 50,000 to be Cheerful , which home to over 65% of the world’s died. We can at least be sure that marine pledges from RSPB supporters, to remind him that Britain’s marine has been viewed online around 12,000 times now. endangered northern rockhopper everything that could be done life urgently needs a coherent network of MPAs. You can see highlights of You can watch it here: penguins. was done. the Q&A at www.rspb.org.uk/marine http://rioconnection.org

24 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 25 CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE

Adam Rowlands has been part of the team creating the ultimate wildlife experience for families at our revamped Minsmere nature reserve. Adam Rowlands Senior Site Manager , RSPB Minsmere MINSMERE MAKEOVER

here can you sit on a giant bittern egg? created a wonderful visitor experience here, a journey Or crawl inside a sand martin’s burrow? of discovery that begins from the moment you pull into WThere’s only one place – the new RSPB the car park. Minsmere – the beating heart of Suffolk’s wild coast. Every visit begins at the visitor centre, which is now After seven years of planning, fundraising, consultation totally transformed. The shop is better, the café is and design, and six months of construction, we were bigger (the fresh-baked cakes are the same size, but proud this year to finally open Minsmere’s Discover still as delicious as ever). We’ve got a new, bright glass Nature visitor facilities. This is a place where families and reception building, where a staff member or one of our schoolchildren can get close to nature in a completely 100-plus volunteers greets you as you walk through the new way. door to help you get your bearings and offer whatever The giant willow bittern nest and sand martin tunnels advice you need to make the most of your day. are part of the new Wild Zone – the ultimate play area – And everything has been designed to work in a which deftly teaches children about wildlife and even sustainable way, with an ecological footprint that’s basic field-craft while they’re busy having the time of smaller than an avocet’s. The new toilets flush with their lives. collected rainwater. Our hot water is solar heated. While navigating their way through the log maze, And something called an air source heat pump (don’t children learn about the birds that migrate to Minsmere ask me how it works) takes ambient warmth from the every spring and winter. While turning the handles on air and uses it to heat the new Discovery Centre. the bumblebee, bittern, teal and tawny owl listening In the Discovery Centre are two modern classrooms posts, they will hear animal sounds from each of equipped with electronic whiteboards, interpretive Minsmere’s seasons. While following a joke trail, they can murals and floor-prints, and interactive exhibits. These use their binocular skills to find and read the punchlines. are perfect formal classrooms for visiting school groups In the Wild Wood Adventure, it’s time for bush-craft. of up to 80 children; and on evenings and weekends, Dads can get quite competitive over their den-building they’re free for families to investigate together. skills. There’s a woven willow hide beside the river, and The beauty of these major additions to the reserve a Wildlife Lookout, from which you can see avocets and is that they’ve all been done with sensitive zoning. marsh harriers and bearded tits, or even a spoonbill. This means everyone can have their ideal experience A carved totem tells the story of Minsmere’s beginnings here, whether that’s a lone ramble in some of the best in WW2, when the site was deliberately flooded to keep countryside the UK has to offer, or an unforgettable out invading armies, inadvertently creating the perfect family adventure. habitat for avocets. With the help of visitor attraction consultants A Different View, and £2 million in funding from the You helped create a new way Heritage Lottery Fund and the Interreg 2 Seas for children to connect with Programme through the European Regional nature at RSPB Minsmere. Development Fund, among many others, we have

26 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE

This year, for the first time ever, the RSPB’s 17,609 volunteers donated one million hours of their time. Mary and Dave Braddock were two of them. Mary tells their story. Mary and Dave Braddock RSPB volunteers ONE MILLION HOURS VOLUNTEERING

ne million hours. It makes my mind boggle just Dave has designed our garden for wildlife. It’s not a to think about it. It has all kinds of equivalents: big garden – we live in a semi-detached house – but O591 full time RSPB staff, or 12 people spending you’d be amazed at what we get there: 115 house their entire working life with the RSPB, or one person sparrows on one occasion, tonnes of finches, and all volunteering 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for 116 sorts of bees: tree bumblebees, red-tailed bumblebees, years. An impressive feat. And, I’m proud to say, my buff-tailed bumblebees and honey bees. We’ve just husband Dave and I contributed some of those hours. installed a stag beetle nesting site on the front lawn. Last We begin in the early hours – 5am – because as well night, Dave left a light trap out overnight and found 46 as being volunteers and running the RSPB North West different species of moth this morning. Our hedgehog Surrey Local Group, Dave and I both have full-time jobs. box has attracted a pair of hedgehogs who are at this Dave works for Thames Water and I’m an NHS primary moment raising a young one that we’ve named Trundle. care nurse. Our day jobs can be stressful – nature is Oh, and we have a 1m-long grass snake called Loopy the perfect antidote to that. who lives under the waterfall in the pond. With our local group of 140 members, we run events We get so much pleasure from encouraging nature throughout the year. We run RSPB stands at local fairs wherever and however we can. The RSPB is such a big and garden centres. We do quiz nights and barbeques. part of our lives. We even met at our local group in 1996, We organise street collections. We give wildlife talks and got married in 2003 (our wedding presents from our to local natural history groups, women’s groups and fellow volunteers were nestboxes for our garden). Now church groups. We do guided walks. We organise events we run the local group together. The more we get to coincide with the big RSPB events such as the Big involved, the more we enjoy it. It gives us a real buzz. Garden Birdwatch. All of it to raise money for the RSPB I sometimes think about how I’m just one little person and to recruit members. in this one little part of the world, giving a few hours to Dave and I step up for nature at home too. Dave’s a the RSPB here and there, but if you put all the people whizz in the garden. He grows about 1,700 plants a year, like me together, it adds up to something big. That’s geraniums and the like, to sell and raise more funds. what makes change happen. And that’s what keeps Dave’s plants have earned such a good reputation that driving us to do our bit. we get advance orders from people. On my way to work in April and May, I play delivery-woman, dropping the plants off and collecting a few more pounds for nature. You made time for nature – thank you. We’ve raised over £7,000 in the last few years with For more ways to step up for nature those plants alone. by volunteering, visit www.rspb.org.uk/volunteering

28 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE IN BRIEF EVERY CHILD OUTDOORS FESTIVAL On 24 June, local schoolchildren and their MPs visited 20 of our outdoor classrooms across the UK.

e believe it’s vital that to protect it. I thoroughly enjoyed Wchildren have regular my visit and learning with the contact with nature. Our Every children.” Child Outdoors festival was a great The day attracted national media opportunity to promote this to MPs, coverage, including outside Date With Nature goes HD while demonstrating the quality broadcasts by BBC Breakfast and The Manchester peregrines Date With Nature event streamed live high In spite of difficult economic times, of our work with schools and interviews with RSPB President definition video from the city centre nest this summer. The peregrines also RSPB membership remains as strong had their own Twitter and Flickr accounts, to keep fans updated all the way as ever, at more than 1,090,000. On young people. Kate Humble. top of all the members renewing their Jessica Morden MP, who joined We followed up this day by through to the successful fledging of four chicks. Thanks to the Manchester support, more than 185,000 people Digital Development Agency who made this possible. This was just one of the joined as members in the last year – Lliswerry Primary School pupils on encouraging the Government to a fantastic endorsement of our work a visit to RSPB Newport Wetlands in meet its commitments to outdoor 70 Date With Nature events, which brought 432,000 people closer to nature, and how much the UK public cares Wales, said: “Educational visits like learning in the Natural including ospreys, seabirds, red deer and dragonflies. about nature. this are incredibly important if we Environment White Paper. The Almost 600,000 people took part in are to highlight to the next festival was a partnership between the Big Garden Birdwatch in January, International education projects making it the second biggest ever. generation the wonder of our the RSPB, Field Studies Council and All year we’ve been working with our BirdLife International partners on Over nine million birds of 73 species natural environment and the need Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. were counted and 140 special events education projects. In China, we helped train teachers and birdwatching were held around the UK. volunteers at the two most important wetlands on the Chinese coast for the spoon-billed sandpiper. In Bulgaria, we helped the BirdLife Partner with an A record number of children – 83,024 – took part in the Big Schools’ imperial eagle and saker falcon education project, and another project about Birdwatch in January, investigating SPRINGWATCH AT protected wetland sites in Bourgas on the Black Sea coas t. We also supplied the wildlife around their schools. educational games and materials to the Spanish, French, Finnish and Love Nature Week took place for the YNYS-HIR Armenian BirdLife Partners. third year, with 622 volunteers taking to their local streets, supermarkets and shopping centres to collect donations When BBC Springwatch set up their new home at RSPB Ynys-hir nature for nature and raising a fantastic Stepping up with social media £35,635. reserve, we had a terrific opportunity to showcase this wonderful place. Social media is becoming a more and more popular way for our supporters This was also the third year for our to get involved with our work. In March 2012, for example, supporters used Make Your Nature Count survey in social media to take part in our Wake Up George campaign, calling on the June. Around 77,000 people took part. reparations for the arrival of wonderfully ugly from the start This year, we asked people to look out Chancellor, George Osborne, to put the environment at the heart of the UK’s Pthe BBC team began months but slowly turning into the majestic for some more unusual species, such economic recovery. There was also a live Q&A with Marine Minister Richard in advance, with dummy cameras beauty of the adults. Close shaves as stag beetles, great crested newts Benyon (see page 25) where supporters submitted questions to him via and grass snakes. being installed so the birds could for wrens, writhing grass snakes on Twitter and Facebook. get used to them. The production a compost heap, bobbing dippers The RSPB stand at BBC Gardeners’ There are now more than 20,000 fans on the national RSPB Facebook page: World Live featured two distinct village was erected on a and fleeting glimpses of badgers – wildlife habitats: a brownfield site facebook.com/RSPBLoveNature and over 25,000 followers on our national neighbouring farmer’s field. For the we have enjoyed it all.” dressed with a derelict postbox and an Twitter page: twitter.com/natures_voice . There are also regional RSPB Ynys-hir staff and volunteers, it was During Springwatch season, abandoned bath surrounded by wild Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as specific RSPB Facebook pages flower-filled grass, and a wildlife garden a thrilling, hectic, fun experience. Ynys-hir got a massive boost in with trees, flower beds and a pond. such as Volunteering, which has over 3,500 fans. Reserve Warden Russell Jones visitor numbers – we put on special We recruited 419 members, making it easily the highest recruiting show on said: “From the first programme guided walks to point out the nest the RSPB calendar. to the last, we have followed the cameras and the bird stars of the Learning outdoors stories of the bird families, rejoiced show, such as the redstarts and The number of farmers entering the In July, we were awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge 2011 Nature of Farming Award more in the wood warblers and buzzards. for another two years. The Quality Badge is a nationally recognised indicator than doubled. We run the award in grasshopper warblers fledging, and The Springwatch team are back partnership with the Daily Telegraph, of good quality education provision. It reduces the red tape associated with Plantlife and Butterfly Conservation. have been dejected on the death of at Ynys-hir in 2012. learning outside the classroom, making it easier for teachers to get their Over 22,000 votes were cast in the the pied flycatcher broods. The grey public voting round, and the winner pupils out of the classroom and into nature. This year, 51,000 school children heron chicks have been fascinating was Treshnish Farm, on the Isle of Mull. visited our outdoor classroom s. and the barn owl chicks

30 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 31 NORTHERN IRELAND www.rspb.org.uk/northernireland

A new Marine Bill, a welcome return for breeding choughs, and nettle gatherers: James Robinson reflects on a wonderful year for wildlife in Northern Ireland. James Robinson Director, Northern Ireland NORTHERN IRELAND

his year, I’ve been seeing something exciting when yellowhammers re-established themselves. It makes me I go cycling near my home on the County Down proud to be able to ensure that this bird will be there Tcoast. It’s a landscape of hills, called drumlins, on for future generations.” which there are lots of small farms. The farmers produce It’s not very often that you get to see a basking shark a mix of grain, meat, vegetables and milk, and it’s here, moving up the mile-long road to Stormont – the Northern perched on telegraph wires and on top of hawthorn Ireland parliament, but this year, I did. bushes, that I’ve been seeing more and more of a bright The shark was made of weaved willow, full size, and was yellow bird with a distinctive song. carried by some of a 150-strong march that we organised At one time, yellowhammers were found all over to push our politicians to create a Marine Bill for Northern Ireland. They thrived on the mixed farms that Northern Ireland. reared animals and grew oats – a seed-rich environment. I was on the march, among the local schoolchildren, But now the farming landscape has changed, RSPB staff and volunteers, and people from our yellowhammers are generally restricted to the east, campaigning partners. When we reached Stormont, the where lots of arable crops are still grown. environment minister, Alex Attwood MLA, came out to To help yellowhammers regain their former numbers, meet us. He answered questions from the children about we’ve been visiting farms and advising farmers on how getting better protection for wildlife in our oceans, and they can manage their land to make it better for wildlife. even sat inside the mouth of the shark for photos. As encouragement to make these kinds of changes, the We were all thrilled when the minister announced Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland gives that he would be bringing a Marine Bill to the rest of payments to farmers through agri-environment schemes. the Assembly. After years of campaigning, this is a great Recently though, the department has been questioning achievement we can all be proud of. whether these schemes actually work. The Government The Bill is a strong one, with provisions for marine puts a lot of money into them – what are the results? reserves, which should protect seabirds and help This year, we’ve been able to demonstrate those depleted fish stocks to recover. Now it will go through results: on farms we’ve visited to offer advice, the the environment committee for rigorous assessment. number of yellowhammers has increased by 79%. As soon as the Bill is made law, we’ll announce it in A terrific success. a future issue of your Birds magazine. Michael Calvert is one of the farmers we’ve worked with. In 2009, he won the Nature of Farming Award for In June, we opened a new visitor centre at our beautiful his efforts to create space for wildlife on his land. Prince Portmore Lough nature reserve at the south-east corner of Charles visited Michael’s farm this year, and we were Lough Neagh. This lovely wooden lodge fits discretely into able to show him what a rich, healthy environment the its natural surroundings and includes a community room, agri-environment schemes help create. which anyone from the local community can book. Michael told us: “We maintained rough-grass margins and planted wild bird cover. As we are part of the You helped get a marine bill Countryside Management Scheme, we were able to in Northern Ireland cover costs for this. I was amazed to see how quickly the

32 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 www.rspb.org.uk/northernireland NORTHERN IRELAND

Already people are using the room for children’s parties This year, two chough chicks successfully fledged from and all kinds of meetings. their cliff nest – the first ever from our nature reserve. One visitor said: “I don’t live very far from here and We continue to study the needs of the choughs to get I never knew this place existed, we’ll definitely be back”. the environment just right for them, and hope that these We hoped this new community room would act as a new chicks will be the first of many more. If you’re over gateway to the reserve to introduce local people to the this way, I do recommend taking that boat from wonderful reserve on their doorstep – it’s working a treat. Ballycastle – you won’t get a sight like this anywhere else in Northern Ireland… yet , but hopefully one day This spring, I took six members of the Northern Ireland soon. Already, the chough chicks have spread to the Committee to see what your support is helping us north coast of the mainland. achieve at Lower Lough Erne – one of the ten RSPB nature reserves in Northern Ireland. We’ve been working hard on Rathlin this year to create We travelled out in a cot across the Lough to visit habitat for another bird that has vanished from several of the islands that we look after. A cot is a Northern Ireland. Our Rathlin wardens, Liam McFaul traditional flat-bottomed boat that’s usually used for and his nephew Sean, can remember being kept awake carrying cattle, and so it had a bit of cow dung in the on summer nights by the constant calls of corncrakes – bottom. Not the most luxurious way to travel, but none a persistent rasping sound that’s been absent since 2000 of us minded because the wildlife to be seen was so when breeding was last recorded. spectacular. The council members were astonished Corncrakes like to hide in nettles when they arrive to see skies full of curlews and drumming snipe, and to breed in the spring, but there aren’t many nettles lapwing and redshank chicks scuttling around on the on Rathlin, so a group of volunteers went round to islands. This is a sight you just can’t get anywhere else. farmers on the mainland asking if we could take theirs. It’s truly unique. In supporting the RSPB, you’re The farmers unanimously said, “yes please!” creating an experience that’s vanished from the rest In all, the volunteers filled 45 big bags with nettle of Northern Ireland. roots, then took them across to Rathlin and planted them by hand round the edges of fields, helping to Around 20,000 people take the boat from Ballycastle to create 20 hectares of habitat for corncrakes. Rathlin Island every year to visit the RSPB nature reserve Patsy Harbinson, who co-ordinated the volunteer there, and this year, a lot of them were coming to see teams, said afterwards, “It was good craic and something some very special new arrivals. different, plus it’s doing something positive for our For years we’ve been looking after the coastal local wildlife”. grassland there to keep it in top condition for choughs , Corncrake experts from Scotland came over to take but the birds had never before nested on our nature a look at what we’d created, and they said that from reserves on the island. We’ve watched choughs establish a corncrake’s perspective, it was just right. themselves in Cornwall again, and wondered how we From Rathlin, we can see Islay, where there is a could help them regain their former numbers in healthy corncrake population, so our hopes are high Northern Ireland, too. that a few will pop over in spring 2013 to kindle a new Working with colleagues from Cornwall and Scotland, Northern Ireland population. Watch this space. we have learned a lot about the needs of these birds, and we’ve done everything we can to meet those needs. We’ve grazed the coastal grass heavily, at just the right You helped choughs breed time of year, so that the sward is short enough for them on our Rathlin nature reserve to probe the sandy soils beneath with their curved beaks. for the first time ever. And the cattle are given none of the worming chemicals that can affect the number of invertebrates present in their fields. Now this work really seems to be paying off.

RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 35 SCOTLAND www.rspb.org.uk/scotland

High times for Orkney’s hen harriers, whisky receptions for conservation heroes, and a new nature reserve in one of Scotland’s most iconic landscapes: Stuart Housden shares his conservation highlights of the year in Scotland. Stuart Housden Director, Scotland SCOTLAND

he RSPB in Scotland has celebrated some big This year, I’m pleased to say, we moved one step closer successes this year, and not just our own to seeing this dreadful proposal off. With our supporters, Tconservation achievements, but those of many like- we were able to gather and present 22,000 signatures minded people and organisations. This is where I’ll begin. from people objecting to the station – the most ever In March, I got dressed up in my best black tie to attend submitted to a development proposal in Scotland. North the inaugural Nature of Scotland Awards dinner at the Ayrshire Council has now rejected the proposal, forcing Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh. it to go to public inquiry. The RSPB created the awards to recognise and celebrate This puts the decision in the hands of the Scottish excellence, innovation and outstanding achievement in Government. We will play an active part in the inquiry, nature conservation in Scotland. Our host for the evening providing evidence to back up our original reasons for was comedian and presenter Fred MacAulay, who objecting to Hunterston. We are also working with entertained 241 guests – all eager to see who had won other organisations under the banner of the Say ‘No’ in the six different categories. to Hunterston Campaign to ensure that a broad range of The evening began with a drinks reception sponsored concerns is raised during the inquiry. ( Editor’s note: just by Black Grouse Whisky. This was followed by the awards as this review went to print, the plans were scrapped by the ceremony itself, a three-course dinner, and a ceilidh into developer. We remain vigilant! ) the wee small hours. In North Ayrshire, we’ve had success with another The event brought together a range of businesses, development that we’ve been objecting to for the last public sector organisations, community groups, politicians seven years. We were delighted to hear in October 2011 and individuals, all of whom have an interest in protecting that Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) had withdrawn Scotland’s greatest asset – its natural heritage. its proposal for a 29-turbine windfarm on Waterhead After tough deliberations sifting through nearly Moor . 90 entries, the judges managed to narrow it down to six This windfarm would have been built within one of winners. These are all people who are stepping up for the best places for hen harriers in Europe. The site has nature in some truly inspirational ways. You can see been designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) their details, and find out more about the awards, for harriers. which will run again next year, at We look forward to continuing our constructive www.rspb.org.uk/thingstodo/natureofscotland relationship with SSE and the renewables industry In last year’s review, I wrote about the threat of a to ensure that windfarms are built in the right places, proposed coal-fired power station at Hunterston . without harming Scotland’s precious wildlife habitats. We’ve been fighting this one since the planning Staying on the subject of hen harriers – whilst they’re application was submitted in 2010. The development in big trouble across most of the UK (see page 13), on would involve building a dirty-great carbon dioxide- belching factory on a Site of Special Scientific Interest – one of the few remaining intertidal mudflats on the outer Pink-footed geese are just one Firth of Clyde, where oystercatchers, curlews and of the species you helped us redshanks thrive. protect at Crook of Baldoon.

36 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 www.rspb.org.uk/scotland SCOTLAND our Orkney reserves we celebrated a 20-year-high in As the 2011 –12 financial year came to a close, we numbers of this stunning bird of prey: 100 breeding completed the purchase of a brand new RSPB nature females produced more than 100 chicks. reserve – a cracking piece of land for wildlife on the This success comes after decades of careful bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. management of the hen harriers’ habitat on Orkney, Wards Estate sits within one of the best wetland grazing just the right number of sheep to keep the grass habitats in Scotland. It’s at the southern end of the Loch, at the perfect height for voles, their main food source. and gives a view north of the wooded islands, Ben Lomond and the other snow-capped mountains that At our East Scotland Sea Eagles (ESSE) reintroduction divide the Highlands from the Lowlands. It really is project, we celebrated the release of the 60 th white-tailed breathtaking – one of the best views in Scotland. eagle (and then the 61 st , 62 nd and 63 rd ). We began this This is a pioneering partnership project between the project in June 2007, in partnership with Scottish Natural RSPB, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, and in 2012 and Scottish Natural Heritage – the first time all three it will come to an end, bringing the total number of birds of us have worked together in this way. The purchase released to 86. The people of Tayside, Fife and lowland was made possible by a hugely successful appeal to our Scotland can now enjoy seeing these magnificent birds members. Thank you to all those who helped us secure restored to their former haunts. this place. It really is something special. Elsewhere, we still have much ground to gain before The new reserve sits within a Special Protection Area, nature can enjoy similar successes. We have been designated because every winter one in every 50 of the reporting declines in seabird numbers for several years world’s Greenland white-fronted geese comes here. now, with the far north particularly badly affected. Some It’s a Special Area of Conservation for the salmon that species have been hit especially hard – kittiwakes declined fight their way upstream to spawn in the autumn, and by around 30% between 2000 and 2010, and many once- for the rare brook and river lampreys. It’s a National massive colonies in the Northern Isles have dwindled. Scenic Area, a RAMSAR site (a wetland of international It appears that climate change is driving some significant importance), and it includes three Sites of Special changes in the marine environment, and that this is Scientific Interest. This site is vital for so much nature, having knock-on effects for top predators like seabirds. from oakwoods and mosses, to beetles and dragonflies. So it was very disappointing to learn that greenhouse And, of course, the bird life here is knockout. gas emissions in Scotland were 2% higher in 2010 than the Now begins the management work to make this site previous year. This means Scottish Government ambition even better for wildlife, improving the habitat for has not been matched by action. breeding waders such as lapwings, curlews, snipe More must be done to protect Scotland’s seabirds – and redshanks. these aren’t just our seabirds, but the world’s. Scotland As funds allow, we’ll also be transforming the area has 45% of all the EU’s breeding seabirds, so we have an into a spectacular place for you to come and visit by international responsibility. sympathetically introducing visitor facilities and paths. Following the passing of the Scottish Marine Act, we We’ll be able to get you as close to the wildlife as were hoping that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) would possible without disturbing it. When it’s finished, Wards have been set up by now, but the Scottish Government has Estate will be an unforgettable day out. We’ll keep you yet to implement any – we will continue to push for the updated on our progress. declaration of a meaningful suite of protected areas. I’ll finish on the ending of our Bird Friendly Schools Moving from nature reserves at sea to nature reserves project in Scotland. Over four years, the project sent on land... in Dumfries and Galloway, we extended our trained RSPB volunteers and field teachers to nursery Crook of Baldoon nature reserve. The new 39 hectares of and primary schools to give the pupils first-hand grassland takes the total reserve size to 191 ha. This new experience of nature, both in and outside the classroom. area will enable us to develop wetland habitat to help Bird Friendly Schools reached 22,094 children in 736 nesting lapwings and redshanks, which are now present schools across the country. I’m sure that this experience in very low numbers. will have sparked a lifelong interest in nature for many Since we first acquired the Crook of Baldoon in 2010, of these children, and that one day soon, just like all the we’ve worked hard with the help of the local community other people I’ve mentioned in these pages, they’ll be to make this a rich site for wildlife, and rich it is. Every stepping up for nature, too. year, internationally important numbers of wintering whooper swans, pink-footed geese and a variety of Your support helped us acquire wading birds come here. Whimbrels and black-tailed a new nature reserve on the godwits use it as a pit stop on their migrations. And in banks of Loch Lomond. winter you can see hen harriers here. We’ll soon have a great wildlife spectacle for visitors to the new part of the reserve, too.

RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 39 WALES www.rspb.org.uk/wales

In the year that we celebrated 100 years of the RSPB in Wales, help for nature came from many unusual quarters: whisky, Girlguiding Cymru and carrier bags. Katie-jo Luxton explains all.

Katie-jo Luxton Director, Wales WALES

his has been a hugely exciting year for the RSPB so many people who have been involved in the success in Wales – our Centenary – a chance to look back of each reserve – staff, volunteers, local supporters, Tover some of our conservation successes of the last businesses and sponsors. 100 years and look forward to the challenges ahead. One particularly memorable event was held at Ynys-hir, We kicked off our celebrations on St Dwynwen’s Day, in the formal gardens of the Ynyshir Hall hotel, on a 25 January. Saint Dwynwen’s bones are supposedly laid perfect warm summer evening, with the sound of to rest on a tiny island off the south coast of Anglesey, birdsong everywhere. Over 100 people attended, which was the workplace of the first ever person to be including the wife of the first ever warden of Ynys-hir employed by the RSPB in Wales. Her name was Mrs nature reserve, who entertained us with stories about Jones, and she was paid to watch over and protect the the early days of the reserve in the 1950s. tern colony there. Meanwhile, the BBC were setting up their Springwatch In her honour, Black Grouse Whisky, who sponsored ‘production village’, and I went along to their open our Centenary celebrations and our black grouse evening to talk to the local villagers, who’d come along conservation work, concocted a special whisky cocktail to see what was going on. I hope you got to see some of and named it after her. At our Centenary celebration the brilliant coverage of Ynys-hir on the programme – the on Conwy, I had the pleasure of clinking glasses of this team there worked so hard, and we’re all really proud cocktail with the great, great granddaughter of Mrs Jones. of the results. (For more on Springwatch at Ynys-hir, And while I’m talking about black grouse , this has see page 30). been a record-breaking year for them in Wales. The Of course the Centenary wasn’t just about celebrating. annual survey recorded 328 displaying males – the It was also a great opportunity to raise more funds for highest since the survey began in 1997. This means the conservation work, especially for curlews, which were Welsh Black Grouse Recovery Project has beaten the the focus of our efforts. 2015 Biodiversity Action Plan target four years earlier We created special golden curlew badges and gave than expected. them to people who had done especially great things for Captain Tim Bell, manager of one of the grouse moor nature, or who had raised more than £50 for the RSPB. estates we’ve been working with, said: “We have been Curlews are iconic birds of rural Wales, and their working in partnership with RSPB Cymru and the distinctive call is familiar to everyone who grew up here. Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) to manage But curlews have been declining dramatically. In the last Ruabon Moor since the late 1990s. The combination of 20 years, we’ve lost more than 80% of them. There are conservation and game management with keepering is now more red kites breeding in Wales than curlews. working well here – last year’s results are good evidence It’s a shocking fact, and one that has made clear to people of this. We also have a number of curlews breeding on the desperate need to protect the curlews’ habitat. the moor, and hope that other waders such as golden plovers will re-establish themselves in the near future.” You helped black grouse We celebrated our Centenary at events at five of our recover to record levels. nature reserves across Wales. It was wonderful to meet

40 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 www.rspb.org.uk/wales WALES

That’s what we’ve been doing in Hiraethog in North- delivered. The Softrac was funded by Waste Recycling East Wales, where we’ve been working in partnership Environmental (WREN), and has already helped us with farmers to secure the mixed-farmland on which do a huge amount of habitat creation work on this curlews thrive. This is one of the very few places wetland reserve. in Wales where curlews are just about hanging on. The ground at Malltraeth is very boggy, making it We’ll continue to work with farmers in this area to difficult to drive regular machinery around. But the secure a brighter outlook for these beautiful birds so Softrac is designed for working in these conditions, that future generations will continue to hear their spreading its weight over its enormous tracks and evocative call. having very little impact on the ground. So far we’ve used the Softrac to create new ditches, We joined forces with Girlguiding Cymru this year, as pools, scrapes and 27 ponds. It’s also had an unexpected part of our centenary celebrations. Guides, Brownies use. The lapwings on the site are very sensitive to people and Rainbows from all over Wales have been visiting walking about, and will fly up and away as soon as you our nature reserves and Futurescapes sites. More than get near, but they’re so used to seeing tractors that they 3,750 Girl Guides and Leaders have taken part, doing stay put. This means the Softrac has also become a kind various activities, from pond dipping to making bird of mobile hide, allowing us to move about the reserve feeders. Some have even camped on our reserves doing counts of lapwing chicks without disturbing the before heading out at first light for dawn chorus walks. birds. It’s odd that you have to get into something so They’ve also been fundraising for our conservation big to become invisible, but it works. work. We’ve really enjoyed their support, and are very grateful for it. We have continued discussions with Severn Trent Water One particular girl comes to mind whenever I think to buy the leasehold of the farmed land of Lake Vyrnwy about their involvement with us this year. She was one estate in partnership with United Utilities this year, of a group of eight-year-old Brownies who came along though progress has been much slower than we had to our Stepping Up For Nature launch, at the Pier Head hoped. We remain committed to securing the future of Building in Cardiff Bay. the internationally valuable habitats and species at The Brownies asked the politicians lots of questions Vyrnwy and encouraging more people to enjoy this about what they were doing to save nature, but this incredibly beautiful place. one girl in particular gave them a really hard time, My last highlight came from an unexpected source. demanding to know: ‘What exactly have you done in This year, the Welsh Government introduced a 5p levy your life for nature?’ It was heartwarming to see on every plastic and paper carrier bag sold in Wales. youngsters really holding their politicians to account. Tesco decided to give the profits raised from sales of In June 2011, we had elections to the National plastic bags in their stores to the RSPB. So far, they’ve Assembly, so we immediately got busy meeting the donated £400,000. new Assembly Members and making the case for We put this money to use right away at our Carngafallt biodiversity. Our letter-writing volunteers were a great nature reserve, helping us look after the Atlantic oak help with this. woodland with its wonderful veteran trees, which are There was also a referendum, which devolved home to some very rare lichens. We also used the primary legislation from Westminster, giving Welsh donation to help create the new ‘close to nature’ family politicians control over the levers of power that protect visitor facilities on our Conwy nature reserve. and manage our environment. Within months, the Furthermore, the donation from Tesco helped lever Welsh Government was consulting on a decision to £350,000 in match-funding for the project from the merge together the three bodies (Countryside Council European Union. This is the first time I’ve heard of for Wales, Environment Agency Wales and Forestry carrier bags doing something good for the environment Commission Wales) that oversee and deliver (see page 22 for more on how Tesco has been Stepping environmental management. Clearly the decisions on Up For Nature with the RSPB). the structure, powers and priorities of the new body Thanks for all your support. If you want to keep up-to- will have an enormous, long-term impact on the date with everything you’re helping us achieve in Wales, environment, so we’ve been lobbying hard to make go to www.rspb.org.uk/wales sure nature is placed high up on the agenda.

Nothing makes a reserve warden happier than a You helped us to make sure the conservation success, but a close second is an enormous Welsh Government steps up bit of new machinery. So we had a very happy warden for nature. at Malltraeth when the new Softrac tractor was

RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 43 CYMRU www.rspb.org.uk/cymru

Yn ystod y flwyddyn y buom yn dathlu 100 mlynedd o’r RSPB yng Nghymru, daeth cymorth dros fyd natur o ffynonellau hynod o anghyffredin: chwisgi, Geidiau Cymru a bagiau plastig. Mae Katie-jo Luxton yn egluro’r cwbl. Katie-jo Luxton Cyfarwyddwr CYMRU

u’r flwyddyn hon yn un arbennig o gyffrous i’r cyfarfod cymaint o bobl sydd wedi bod yn rhan o RSPB yng Nghymru – ein Canmlwyddiant – ac yn lwyddiant pob gwarchodfa – staff, gwirfoddolwyr, Bgyfle i fwrw trem yn ôl ar rai o’n llwyddiannau o cefnogwyr lleol, busnesau a noddwyr. ran cadwraeth dros y 100 mlynedd diwethaf yn ogystal ag Cynhaliwyd un digwyddiad cofiadwy yn Ynys-hir, yng edrych ymlaen at sawl her sydd o’n blaenau. ngerddi ffurfiol gwesty Neuadd Ynys-hir ar noson braf o Cychwynnwyd ar ein dathliadau ar ddydd Santes haf, gydag adar yn canu o’n cwmpas. Daeth dros 100 o Dwynwen, 25 Ionawr. Yn ôl y chwedl, mae esgyrn Santes bobl draw, yn cynnwys gwraig warden cyntaf Dwynwen yn gorwedd ar Ynys Llanddwyn, ynys fechan gwarchodfa natur Ynys-hir, a fu’n adrodd straeon i ni am oddi ar arfordir deheuol Ynys Môn, a man gwaith yr ddyddiau cynnar y warchodfa yn yr 1950au. unigolyn cyntaf erioed i gael ei chyflogi gan yr RSPB yng Yn y cyfamser, roedd y BBC yn paratoi eu ‘pentref Nghymru. Ei henw oedd Mrs Jones, ac roedd yn cael ei cynhyrchu’ ar gyfer Springwatch, ac mi es i draw i’w thalu i wylio’r nythfa o fôr-wenoliaid yno a’u gwarchod. noson agored i siarad â’r pentrefwyr lleol, a oedd wedi Er cof amdani, crëwyd coctel arbennig o chwisgi gan galw heibio i weld beth oedd yn digwydd. Gobeithio Chwisgi’r Rugiar Ddu, a noddodd ein dathliadau eich bod wedi cael cyfle i weld y lluniau gwych o Ynys- Canmlwyddiant a’n gwaith cadwraeth dros y rugiar ddu, hir ar y rhaglen – gweithiodd y tîm yno’n ddygn iawn, ac a’i enwi ar ei hôl. Yn ein dathliad Canmlwyddiant yng rydym i gyd yn falch iawn o’r canlyniadau. (Am fwy ar Nghonwy, cefais y pleser o flasu’r coctel hwn gyda gor- Springwatch yn Ynys-hir ewch i dudalen 30). gor-wyres Mrs Jones. Wrth gwrs, roedd y Canmlwyddiant yn golygu mwy Tra fy mod yn sôn am y rugiar ddu, hon oedd y na dathlu’n unig. Roedd hefyd yn gyfle gwych i godi flwyddyn orau eto i’r aderyn hwn yng Nghymru. mwy o arian ar gyfer gwaith cadwraeth, yn enwedig ar Cofnodwyd 328 o geiliogod yn arddangos eu hunain yn yr ran y gylfinir, sef canolbwynt ein hymdrechion. arolwg blynyddol - y nifer uchaf ers rhoi’r arolwg ar waith Cr ëw yd bathodynnau gylfinir aur arbennig a roddwyd ym 1997. Mae hyn yn golygu fod Project Adfer y Rugiar i bobl oedd wedi cyflawni llawer dros fyd natur, neu a Ddu yng Nghymru wedi ateb targed Cynllun Gweithredu oedd wedi codi dros £50 i’r RSPB. Bioamrywiaeth 2015 bedair blynedd yn gynt na’r disgwyl. Aderyn nodweddiadol o Gymru wledig yw’r gylfinir, Meddai’r Capten Tim Bell, rheolwr un o’r stadau ac mae ei alwad trawiadol yn gyfarwydd i bawb a grugieir yr ydym wedi bod yn cydweithio â nhw: “Rydym fagwyd yma. Ond, mae’r gylfinir wedi prinhau’n arw. wedi bod yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth gydag RSPB Yn yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf, rydym wedi colli dros 80% Cymru a Chyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru (CCGC) i reoli ohonyn nhw. Bellach mae mwy o farcutiaid yn nythu Rhostir Rhiwabon ers diwedd yr 1990au. Mae’r cyfuniad o yng Nghymru na gylfinirod. Dyma ffaith ddychrynllyd, gadwraeth a rheolaeth anifeiliaid hela gyda chipera yn ac un sydd wedi dangos i bobl cymaint yw’r angen i gweithio’n dda yma – mae canlyniadau’r llynedd yn warchod cynefin y gylfinir. dystiolaeth o hyn. Mae gennym hefyd nifer o ylfinirod yn nythu ar y rhostir, a gobeithiwn y bydd rhydwyr eraill fel cwtiaid aur yn ailsefydlu eu hunain yn y dyfodol agos.” Gyda’ch cymorth chi daeth miloedd o Geidiau’n nes at fyd natur. Buom yn dathlu ein digwyddiadau Canmlwyddiant ar bump o’n gwarchodfeydd ledled Cymru. Roedd yn wych

44 Adolygiad Blynyddol yr RSPB 2011/12 www.rspb.org.uk/cymru CYMRU

Dyna beth yr ydym wedi bod yn ei wneud yn Amgylcheddol (WREN), ac mae eisoes wedi ein Hiraethog yng ngogledd ddwyrain Cymru, lle’r ydym cynorthwyo i wneud llawer iawn o waith creu cynefin ar wedi bod yn cydweithio mewn partneriaeth â ffermwyr i y warchodfa wlyptir hon. sicrhau’r ffermdir cymysg sy’n gartref i’r gylfinir. Dyma Mae tir Cors Ddyga yn hynod o gorsiog, ac mae hi’n un o’r ychydig iawn o fannau yng Nghymru lle mae’r anodd iawn felly gyrru peiriannau yno. Fodd bynnag, gylfinir yn dal ei thir. cynlluniwyd y Softrac i weithio o dan yr amodau hyn, Byddwn yn parhau i gydweithio gydag amaethwyr yr gan wasgaru ei bwysau dros ei draciau anferth ac felly ardal hon i sicrhau gwell dyfodol i’r adar hardd yma fel effeithio ychydig iawn ar y ddaear. bod cenedlaethau’r dyfodol yn parhau i glywed eu cân Hyd yma rydym wedi defnyddio’r Softrac i greu nodweddiadol. ffosydd, pyllau, pantiau a 27 pwll newydd. Cafodd ddeunydd annisgwyl hefyd. Gan nad yw cornchwiglod y Fel rhan o’n dathliadau Canmlwyddiant eleni, daeth safle yn gyfarwydd â phobl yn cerdded o gwmpas, maen Geidiau, Brownies a Rainbows ledled Cymru i ymweld nhw’n codi oddi ar eu nythod cyn gynted ag y bydd â’n gwarchodfeydd natur a’n safleoedd Tirlun i’r Dyfodol. rhywun yn agos áu. Ond, maen nhw wedi arfer â Mae dros 3,750 o Geidiau ac arweinwyr wedi cymryd thractorau sy’n sefyll yn llonydd. O ganlyniad, mae’r rhan mewn amrywiol weithgareddau o rwydo’r pwll i Softrac wedi dod yn fath o guddfan symudol, ac wedi ein wneud bwydwyr adar; bu rhai’n gwersylla ar ein galluogi i symud o gwmpas y warchodfa a chyfrif cywion gwarchodfeydd cyn cychwyn yn y bore bach i wrando ar cornchwiglod heb aflonyddu ar yr adar. Mae’n rhyfedd gôr y wawr. Maen nhw hefyd wedi bod yn codi arian ar fod rhaid dringo i rywbeth mor fawr i fod yn anweledig, gyfer ein gwaith cadwraeth, ac rydym wedi gwir fwynhau ond mae’n gweithio. eu cefnogaeth, ac yn hynod o ddiolchgar amdano. Mae un ferch arbennig yn dod i’r cof pryd bynnag y Rydym wedi parhau â thrafodaethau gyda Dwˆ r Hafren byddaf yn cofio am eu rhan gyda ni eleni. Roedd hi’n un Trent i brynu les y tir a amaethir ar stad Llyn Efyrnwy o grwˆ p o Brownies wyth mlwydd oed a ddaeth draw i’n mewn partneriaeth ag United Utilities eleni, er bod hyn lansiad Camu ’Mlaen Dros Natur yn Adeilad Pen y Pier wedi cymryd cryn amser. Rydym yn parhau’n ym Mae Caerdydd. ymrwymedig i sicrhau dyfodol y cynefinoedd a’r Gofynnodd y Brownies lawer o gwestiynau i rhywogaethau sy’n bwysig yn rhyngwladol yn Efyrnwy ac wleidyddion ynglyˆn â’u cyfraniad i achub byd natur, ond annog mwy o bobl i fwynhau’r ardal hynod o hardd hon. bu’r ferch arbennig yma’n gofyn cwestiynau arbennig o Daeth fy uchafbwynt olaf o ffynhonnell annisgwyl. dreiddgar fel: ‘Beth yn union ydych chi wedi ei wneud yn Eleni, cyflwynodd Llywodraeth Cymru dâl o 5 ceiniog ar eich bywyd dros fyd natur?’ Roedd yn galonogol gweld bob bag plastig a phapur a werthwyd yng Nghymru. plant yn gofyn i wleidyddion egluro’n union beth oedden Penderfynodd Tesco roi’r elw o werthiannau’r bagiau yn nhw wedi ei wneud dros fyd natur. eu siopau i’r RSPB. Hyd yma, maen nhw wedi cyfrannu Ym mis Mehefin 2011, cynhaliwyd etholiadau i’r £400,000. Cynulliad Cenedlaethol, felly aethom i gyfarfod Aelodau Defnyddiwyd yr arian hwn yn syth bin ar ein newydd y Cynulliad yn syth bin er mwyn cyflwyno achos gwarchodfa yng Ngharngafallt, i’n helpu i warchod y bioamrywiaeth. Cafwyd llawer o gymorth gan ein goedlan dderw Atlantig gyda’i choed hynafol hardd, sy’n gwirfoddolwyr ysgrifennu llythyrau gyda hyn. gartref i gennau hynod o brin. Defnyddiwyd y rhodd Cafwyd refferendwm hefyd, lle datganolwyd hefyd i helpu i greu adnoddau ymwelwyr ‘agos at natur’ i deddfwriaeth gynradd o San Steffan, gan roi rheolaeth i deuluoedd ar ein gwarchodfa yng Nghonwy. Hefyd, wleidyddion Cymru dros rymoedd sy’n gwarchod a helpodd y rhodd gan Tesco i sicrhau £350,000 mewn arian rheoli ein hamgylchedd. O fewn misoedd, roedd cyfatebol gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidd ar gyfer y project. Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymgynghori ar benderfyniad i Dyma’r tro cyntaf i mi glywed am fagiau plastig yn uno’r tri chorff (CCGC, Asiantaeth Amgylchedd Cymru a gwneud rhywbeth da i’r amgylchedd. (Gweler tudalen 22 Chomisiwn Coedwigaeth Cymru) sy’n arolygu ac yn am fwy ynglyˆn â sut y bu Tesco’n Camu ’Mlaen Dros darparu rheolaeth amgylcheddol. Mae’n amlwg y bydd Natur gyda’r RSPB). penderfyniadau ar strwythur, pwerau a blaenoriaethau’r Diolch i bawb am eu cefnogaeth. Os hoffech gael y corff newydd yn cael effaith enfawr a thymor hir ar yr newyddion diweddaraf ar y cwbl a wireddwyd gyda’ch amgylchedd, felly rydym wedi bod yn lobïo i sicrhau bod cymorth chi yng Nghymru, ewch i www.rspb.org.uk/cymru byd natur yn cael ei osod yn uchel ar yr agenda.

Mae llwyddiant cadwraethol ar warchodfa’n sicr o Gyda’ch cymorth chi camodd fodloni warden, ond yn ail agos i hynny mae peiriant Llywodraeth Cymru ymlaen newydd anferth. Felly roedd gennym warden bodlon dros natur. iawn ym Cors Ddyga pan gyrhaeddodd y tractor Softrac newydd. Ariannwyd y Softrac gan Ailgylchu Gwastraff

Adolygiad Blynyddol yr RSPB 2011/12 47 MONEY MATTERS

most enduring way of safeguarding habitat. It would be widespread coverage on TV. We sent out so many a disaster for nature conservation if future generations packs to schools that we ended up with just eight left! were to witness further loss of biodiversity as a These examples are just the tip of the iceberg consequence of our generation’s financial woes. because education, in its widest sense, needs to engage MONEY As well as making nature reserves and protected areas every age group. With regard to new technology the best they can be for nature, we must work on the mentioned earlier, we have just made our debut into pieces of land between them to join up the fragments the world of Smartphone technology by launching of habitat that go to make up the landscapes that are two apps: LoveNature and LoveBirds. MATTERS important to wildlife. Futurescapes is the name we give Looking further afield, through BirdLife International Alan Sharpe Alan Martin to the vision for these landscapes, and it provides a we work very closely with our overseas partners. About Director of Finance Honorary Treasurer brilliant example of how the RSPB has been able to 12% of our expenditure supports overseas conservation progress land management in spite of the recession. but about half of this is funded from money specifically Nature reserves are an important part of landscape- donated for the purpose (from the EU or KfW – the Outcome for the year 2011–12 To provide even more stability and growth to our scale conservation, but it is unrealistic for a single German Development Bank for example). Support for Despite the wider economic difficulties, we ended the income, we are starting to gain more support from the organisation to realise the vision alone. The key to success BirdLife Malta and Cyprus to save migrant birds that year with a surplus, adding £2.6 million to our cash and corporate sector where social responsibility, despite is partnership working. For example, we work with United use the flyway between Africa and Europe is one of our investments available for conservation. We are thankful economic difficulties, is gaining importance all the time. Utilities in the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire – the only top conservation priorities. It is an issue that many that the majority of our income streams held up well, There is a growing recognition amongst forward-thinking place in England where hen harriers nested successfully RSPB supporters care passionately about and, of so our conservation work programmes could continue companies that this is an important ingredient for success in 2011. We have to do more in partnership with course, success isn’t just dependent on funding, we uninterrupted. The Trustees are committed to putting and we are ideally placed to benefit. In this arena, we are companies, farmers and other conservation charities, have to change the behaviour of those involved in income to work as soon as possible, and the surplus has delighted to be working with Tesco to help protect and our fundraisers are striving to come up with new illegal trapping and hunting too. been earmarked for projects which span the year-end. rainforests around the world. Twenty million shoppers, and innovative ways to fund more land purchases. including RSPB supporters, can now take another “step To help constrain the damaging impact on conservation Looking ahead Income for nature” through this scheme – a huge opportunity in of sea level rise, we undertook two major projects on the One of the challenges we face is the pension deficit. The continued backing we receive from our members and the battle against climate change. Partnerships like this English east coast during the year. The first one was at The RSPB, like all other responsible employers, has supporters means that the underlying income trend was one can take many months from inception to launch but a Wallasea Island in Essex, where Crossrail and the invested considerable time and effort in finding the stable in spite of challenging times. We value highly the sound relationship can serve both parties well over many Environment Agency have helped to fund the Defra- best solution to the complex problem of providing an current support of more than a million people through years. The deal with the Co-operative Bank has run since supported project to secure 155 hectares of saltmarsh affordable pension scheme for its employees. We are membership, donations, buying from our shops and 1989 and has helped us to raise around £10 million and mudflat as replacement habitat for that lost to committed to providing a remuneration and reward catalogue, and of course from legacies. These are the through the RSPB affinity credit card. “coastal squeeze”. And secondly, with financial support package that attracts and retains the quality of people bedrock of all we do and we are hugely grateful that Net income (money available for charitable purposes), from the European Union, we have improved the sea we need to deliver our conservation ambitions. We people continue to join and support us even in difficult at £89.3 million, was slightly down on the previous year. defences to protect freshwater habitats at Titchwell on have made a number of changes over the last nine times. However, we are not immune to the impact of This is shown after deducting the £17.9 million cost of the Norfolk Coast. years to share the risk of pension provision more external pressures on our income. generating income and a further £12.5 million cost of The amount we spend on education and equally between staff and the RSPB and we have in Membership subscriptions and donations include tax goods for resale by our trading operation. The majority communications has been stable for the last couple of place a long-term deficit recovery programme, which recovery under the Gift Aid scheme, which fell by around of products sold, such as bird food and feeders, optics, years, but the amount spent probably is not the best way is agreed with the Pension Trustees. The latest triennial £0.7 million due to the end of the “transition relief” - wildlife books and videos, relate directly to our by which to judge the scale of much of our work. For review is underway. In reaching an outcome we will introduced by the Government to cushion the impact charitable objectives. example, new technology is driving down the cost of strike a balance between the needs of all those involved of reducing the basic rate of income tax from 22% to The cost of generating income increased due to communication – which is a relief given the rising cost of but, at this stage, the specific details are under review. 20% in 2008. inflationary pressure in a number of areas such as postage – so this doesn’t mean we are doing less, we are However, it isn’t just the financial consequences of The reduction in grant income trend is slightly printing and postage costs. We also invested in just doing it more efficiently. Our monthly e-newsletter recession that are of concern. Economic woes have deceptive where the timing of receipt of the income is future income growth by bringing our processes up to is a good example – we now have more than 400,000 shifted the environment down the Government’s crucial. It would have been flat over the two years if we date and promoting the opportunity for supporters to subscribers. agenda as well as buffeting the security of our income, had received the £1.2 million that was earmarked by the upgrade their annual subscription to a monthly amount Turning to education specifically, we are consciously making funding sources harder to tap into. Thankfully, donor for the restoration of Bowers Marsh in Essex a of their choice. investing in quality rather than quantity as verified by we have strong support from our members and we are couple of weeks later. However, a proportion of our grant the Government sponsored Quality Badge – 14 of our weathering the storm reasonably well. income has been adversely affected by the Government’s Expenditure sites reached the standard of outstanding or very good. We would love to be able to say that we confidently Comprehensive Spending Review and funding for some The diversity of our income streams gave us the financial And on the quantity side, we are very pleased that more expect brighter skies to appear on the horizon by this species recovery projects was lost. Fortunately, some grant stability to continue to increase our conservation and than 50,000 children visited RSPB countryside classrooms time next year. The Trustees spend a lot of time agreements run over many years. This gives us time to education work, spending £1.2 million more than last in organised school groups. Minsmere’s million pound balancing between the need for prudence and the need both advocate against reductions and seek alternative year. In addition, expenditure on land purchases and makeover (much of it funded by partners) sees a new to invest wisely for the benefit of wildlife today and funding. Support in this area comes from local, national associated visitor facilities increased by £1.0 million from discovery centre designed for families and children with tomorrow. Being realistic, we think that will be a and international sources – see pages 52 –54 for the full a comparatively low base in 2011. The reduced availability a dedicated learning facility, Wild Zone and Wild Wood feature of our financial planning meetings for some list – the breadth gives us the opportunity to plan our of grants and the high price of land continue to constrain Adventure. We were taken by surprise by the level of time to come. work with a degree of confidence. our aspirations. We believe that acquiring land is the participation in the Big Schools’ Birdwatch after

48 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 49 MONEY MATTERS OPERATING STATEMENT 2012 2011 5% 1% 4% for the year ended 31 March 2012 £m £m Membership Governance Acquisition of nature services and reserves and enquiries operating assets 16% 34% INCOME Education and Conservation Membership subscriptions and donations 39.0 39.2 HOW WE RAISED IT communications on RSPB nature Grants, corporates and trusts 26.8 29.7 reserves Legacies 2 7 .1 27 .5 We raised £89.3 million for conservation this year. Commercial trading 20.4 20.9 This sum is net of the £17.9 million cost of generating Land rents, farming and advisory services 5.8 4.5 income and a further £12.5 million cost of goods for Financial income – profit on sale of fixed assets and interest 0.6 0.7 resale for our trading operation. The majority of products sold, such as bird food, optics, wildlife books TOTAL INCOME 119.7 122.5 INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S COST OF GENERATING INCOME and videos, relate directly to our charitable objectives. STATEMENT TO THE TRUSTEES OF Cost of goods for resale 12.5 12.8 THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE More than two-thirds of RSPB income comes from Other cost of generating income 1 7 .9 15.7 PROTECTION OF BIRDS individuals, and with the adult membership renewal rate approaching 90%, the loyalty of our members TOTAL COST OF GENERATING INCOME 30.4 28.5 We have examined the summarised provides a robust foundation for our work. Much of financial statements set out on this page. NET INCOME AVAILABLE FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES 89.3 94.0 the remaining third comes from grants, corporate Respective responsibilities relationships and land-related income. Whilst each EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE PURPOSES of trustees and auditor of these sources fluctuates, the diversity provides Acquisition of nature reserves and operating assets 4.0 3.0 You are responsible as trustees for the preparation of the summary financial Conservation on RSPB nature reserves 29.3 28.9 reasonable stability. statements. We have agreed to report Conservation – research, policy and advisory 34.2 33.7 to you our opinion on the summarised 5% 1% 40% Education and communication 13.6 13.3 statements’ consistency with the full Land rents, farming Financial income – interest and Conservation – research, Membership services and enquiries 4.1 4.0 financial statements. and advisory profit on sale of fixed assets policy and advisory Governance 0.5 0.5 32% Basis of opinion 17% Membership We have carried out the procedures we Commercial subscriptions TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES 85.7 83.4 trading HOW WE USED IT consider necessary to ascertain whether and donations the summarised financial statements NET OPERATING INCOME 3.6 10.6 TO SAVE NATURE are consistent with the full financial statements from which they have been OTHER MOVEMENTS This year we spent £85.7 million on our charitable prepared. Investment assets 0.1 0.9 activities. The diversity of our income streams and Pension scheme (2.9) (2.4) Opinion continuing support of over a million people gave us Stock, debtors and creditors 1.8 (4.4) In our opinion, the summarised financial the financial stability to continue to increase our statements are consistent with the full TOTAL OTHER MOVEMENTS (1.0) (5.9) financial statements for the year ended conservation and education work. 31 March 2012. We deliberately maintain a modest level of free MOVEMENT IN AVAILABLE CASH AND INVESTMENTS 2.6 4.7 financial reserves to maximise the funds available Crowe Clark Whitehill LLP Chartered Accountants and for immediate conservation needs. These currently Registered Auditors, stand at £17.5 million and represent 11 weeks’ STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS St Bride’s House, 10 Salisbury Square, expenditure. This is towards the lower end of the London as at 31 March 2012 2012 2011 EC4Y 8EH, UK range set by the trustees of between eight and £m £m 26 June 2012 22% sixteen weeks. Grants, 23% Nature reserves 125.4 121.7 corporates Legacies Operating assets 4.7 4.3 THE FULL AUDITED ACCOUNTS were and trusts Cash and investments 3 7 .4 34.8 authorised for issue on 26 June 2012 Stock, debtors and creditors 5.4 7.2 and, together with the Annual Report, s RSP have been submitted to the Charity nd B Pension liability (46.7) (33.5) fu co Commission. The opinion of the auditor y n was unqualified. These summarised tl s NET ASSETS 126.2 134.5 c e accounts may not contain sufficient e r information to allow for a full WHERE YOUR r v understanding of the financial affairs i a d FINANCIAL RESERVES of the charity. For further information, t £1 GOES i the full accounts, the auditor’s report 1 o as at 31 March 2012 2012 2011 on those accounts and the Trustees’

We do everything we can to make sure that £ n £m £m Annual Report should be consulted. y

almost all of every £1 goes directly to fund o Copies can be obtained, free of charge,

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b Available financial reserves at the start of the period 42.0 32.9 from the Director of Finance, The RSPB,

our conservation objectives. Only 5p from e

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v UK Headquarters, The Lodge, Sandy,

e Net operating income 3.6 10.6

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your pound goes to administrative c

Movement in investment assets and pension scheme (2.8) (1.5) Bedfordshire SG19 2DL.

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overheads, including governance, and i i

v Available financial reserves for future activities 42.8 42.0

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another 5p on our membership related costs. s Held for specific purposes (25.3) (28.5) 0 This leaves 90p of your £1, which makes 9 FREE FINANCIAL RESERVES 1 7 .5 13.5 all of the successes in this annual 90p Conservation review possible. objectives 5p 5p Representing future expenditure cover of 11 weeks 9 weeks Ian Darling, Chairman, 26 June 2012 Membership costs Admininstration overheads

50 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 51 THANK YOU

Mr Peter Lund and Mr David Lund through the Landfill Communities Dorling Kindersley Ltd Discretionary Trust Fund: The Famous Grouse Miss Helen Rachael Mackaness Fulham Heating Merchants Ltd THANK YOU Discretionary Trust Angus Environmental Trust The Green Insurance Company Miss J A Matthews Argyll & Bute Council Hartley Anderson Ltd Robert McCracken QC Banbridge District Council Hoseasons Group Joan Montague Discretionary Trust Biffa Award JD Sports Fashion plc Mull and Iona Community Trust County Durham Environmental Jeanie Media Ltd By Stepping Up For Nature together, we’ve achieved so much. Nationale Postcode Loterij, Trust Ltd Just Go! Holidays Thank you all. Netherlands Down District Council Northern Ireland Electricity The National Trust EPAC through Groundwork Pride Ltd The Otter House Group The Nature Trust (Sandy) Limited Fermanagh District Council Paramo Nikwax Ltd Northern Ireland Environment Glasgow City Council PD Ports Members Garden Birdwatch, and 90,043 took to acknowledge the following: LINK GrantScape Puffin Post The support and loyalty of our part in our Make Your Nature Count The Oglesby Charitable Trust Highland Council PURE members is critical to the success and survey. Adessium Foundation Susan and Franklin Orr INCA Questmark Ltd achievements of the RSPB. Meeting Agreement for the Conservation The Orr Mackintosh Foundation Million Ponds project in association Ricoh Europe plc the rigorous conservation targets that Legacies of Albatrosses and Petrels The David & Lucile Packard with Biffa Award Scottish & Southern Energy we set would not be possible without This year, as ever, we are grateful Arrowgrass Capital Partners LLP Foundation Newport City Council Landfill Scottish Power the enormous contributions that to individuals who generously A J H Ashby Will Trust Mr Brian and Mrs Nancy Pattenden Communities Fund Scottish Power Renewables members make. Members help in remember the RSPB in their wills. Geoff Ball Discretionary Trust Newry & Mourne District Council Swarovski Optik many ways, all of them equally The income generated in this way The Banister Charitable Trust The Peacock Charitable Trust North Lanarkshire Council Talisman Energy UK Ltd important: financially, through makes a significant impact on the Basel Zoo – Across the River Charles Pettiward Environmental Key Fund Tarmac Ltd volunteering, by supporting RSPB amount of conservation work we are The Gordon & Ena Baxter Mr A Rafinski Perth & Kinross Quality of Life Trust The Telegraph Media Group campaigns through letter writing, able to carry out throughout the year. Foundation Rapid Response Facility SITA Trust Tesco Stores Ltd and by helping to deliver RSPB Whilst it is impossible to thank each BBC Wildlife Fund RBS CommunityForce Smith Skip Ltd Two Ravens Press Ltd projects on the ground through and every one of our benefactors, BirdLife International Restore UK Staffordshire Environmental Fund Turcan Connell local groups. there are a few we would like to BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Alice Richie Irrevocable Trust Ulster Wildlife Trust Landfill United Utilities plc mention: Programme Lost Species Fund The Robertson Trust Communities Fund Vital Earth Ltd Community groups British Birdwatching Fair The Rufford Foundation Veolia Environmental Trust Zegrahm Expeditions RSPB local groups, RSPB Wildlife Ronald Charles North British Trust for Ornithology Save our Species (SOS) Veolia Havering Riverside Trust Explorer groups and RSPB Phoenix Vera Constance Messam Edward & Dorothy Cadbury Scottish Environment LINK Veolia Pitsea Marshes Trust Support from statutory sector groups worked unstintingly over the Eileen Nora Campbell White Charitable Trust Scottish Power Green Energy Trust Viridor Credits Environmental and other public bodies year. Local groups provide a great William John Else Cambridge Conservation Initiative The Shears Foundation Company We are grateful for co-operation and focus for us in local communities, Stephen Cooper Shepherd Mr Ronald Glyn Carr Will Trust Smart Energy for Europe Platform Waste Recycling Group Ltd (WRG) support from organisations of many involve many people in our work, James William Hardcastle Mrs M M G Carter Deceased (SEFEP) through Waste Recycling kinds, and would especially like to and raised over £431,500 for RSPB Anna Margaretha Moesker Will Trust Nini Isabel Stewart Trust Environmental Ltd (WREN) thank the following: conservation projects. Wildlife Mary Collins Alfred Chandler The Suffolk Foundation Explorers (our junior members) Kathleen Mary Davidson Sir Charles Chadwyck-Healey Sir John Swire CBE Business supporters and Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute raised more than £23,000 to help Stanley James Baldry Miss Joyce Stephanie Collard Teesside Environmental Trust trading partners Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Save Birds of Prey. Discretionary Trust The Tree Council The RSPB enjoys successful Council On behalf of the RSPB, RSPB local Heritage Lottery Fund and Conservation International – Mrs C Tremeer partnerships with business Big Lottery Fund – Awards for All groups and Wildlife Explorer groups Big Lottery Fund Global Conservation Fund The Tubney Charitable Trust supporters to our mutual benefit. Programme throughout the UK, we would like to The Heritage Lottery Fund has Critical Ecosystem Partnership Mrs Margaret Turner Discretionary We would particularly like to Big Lottery Fund – Community thank Awards for All (supported by provided essential support for RSPB Fund (CEPF) Trust acknowledge the following: Sustainable Energy Programme, the ‘good cause’ Lottery distributors projects to restore and secure natural Mrs Peter Edgson Trust University of Cambridge distributed by BRE across the UK) for their continued heritage for current and future Ellem Foundation University of Durham ACE UK Bonn Convention for Migratory support of local projects through generations to discover, learn about Esmée Fairbairn Foundation University of Leeds Audioboo Species (CMS) their community grants scheme. and enjoy. The Big Lottery Fund has Frankfurt Zoological Society Vogelsbescherming Netherland BBC Wildlife Magazine Cairngorms National Park Authority helped us create opportunities for A M Frost Discretionary Trust Wales Environment LINK Bloomsbury Publishing plc Ceredigion County Council through Volunteers people from all backgrounds to have The Gannochy Trust David and Christine Walmsley BP through the Scottish Forest Rural Development Plan Axis 3 The RSPB enjoyed the support of over greater access to the natural The Helen and Horace Gillman Michael and Rosemary Warburg Alliance Coasts, Wolds, Wetlands and 17,600 volunteers last year, giving the environment, involve local Trusts Waterloo Foundation Bupa Care Services Waterways LEADER, through the RSPB a gift of time of over 1,017,782 communities and provide The A B Grace Trust The Joan Whitehead Trust The Caravan Club Rural Development Programme for hours. This is equivalent to an extra sustainable energy initiatives. The The Doris Louise Hailes Whitley Animal Protection Trust Carillion plc England (RDPE), joint funded by 591 full-time staff working for nature RSPB is indebted to HLF and BIG for Charitable Trust Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust CEMEX UK Ltd Defra and the EU conservation. These volunteers their continued support for our work. Richard Hale Wildlife & Countryside LINK Chevron Comhairle nan Eilean Siar helped with virtually every aspect Peter Harrison MBE Geoff Woodard Co-operative Bank Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) of the RSPB’s work, and we cannot Charitable trusts, non- Mrs Iris Hulse Discretionary Trust John Young Charitable Settlement Co-operative Financial Services Danish Development Assistance thank them enough for their governmental organisations J E V B Charitable Trust Cumnock and Doon Valley Minerals Programme (DANIDA) generous support. Additionally, and individual donors Henry Kenner & Deirdre Boyle Landfill Communities Fund Trust Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding 594,684 people gave an hour of their We are grateful for the support The Kirby Laing Foundation We are grateful for funding support Disney Worldwide Conservation Natural Beauty (AONB) Sustainable time to participate in the RSPB’s Big received and would particularly like The A G Leventis Foundation from the following organisations Fund Development Fund

52 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 53 LOOKING FORWARD:

Department for International Forestry Commission England Pennine Prospects Development (DfID) – Civil Forestry Commission Scotland Renfrewshire LEADER 2007–2013, SAVING NATURE Society Challenge Fund The Forest of Bowland Area of jointly funded by the Scottish Department for the Environment, Outstanding Natural Beauty Government and the European o where do we go from here? We are at a crossroads. The threat Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) (AONB) Commission Sto the natural world is too big for any one organisation: in just Defra – Darwin Initiative Forest of Dean Local Action Group, Ribble Valley Borough Council 40 years, there has been a 40% decline in the average abundance Department of Agriculture & Rural through the Rural Development Rural Development Programme Development (DARD) Programme for England (RDPE), for England (RDPE) of species. We cannot afford to lose any more. Department of Energy and Climate jointly funded and supported by Rural Tayside LEADER We are faced with a choice: to limit our ambition, or to step up to the Change (DECC) Defra, Forest of Dean Partnership, Scottish Environmental Protection challenge and work with others to fulfil our conservation ambitions. Department of Environment, LEADER and EAFRD: Europe Agency Heritage and Local Government Investing in Rural Areas Scottish Government Rural Decades of collective experience have taught us that success comes in the Republic of Ireland Forth Valley & Lomond LEADER Payments and Inspections not from looking at any individual species or site or habitat in isolation, Department of Environment in 2007–2013, jointly funded by the Directorate but as an interconnected whole. This awareness will continue to drive Northern Ireland Scottish Government and the Scottish Government Science our conservation efforts. Dumfries and Galloway Council European Commission Engagement Grants Scheme Dumfries and Galloway LEADER French Government’s Fonds Scottish Natural Heritage This annual review demonstrates that together we can achieve 2007–2013, jointly funded by the Français pour l’Environnement Somerset Levels & Moors Local remarkable things. With the pressure of the 2020 biodiversity targets Scottish Government and the Mondial (FFEM) Action Group, through the Rural fast approaching, we each have a responsibility to help achieve even European Commission The German Ministry for the Development Programme for more of these remarkable things. Together, we are ready to build on English Heritage Environment (BMU), via the England (RDPE), jointly funded Environment Agency German state development bank and supported by Defra, Somerset our successes and step up to the next level, to save nature. Environment Agency Wales (KfW) County Council, LEADER and Environment Wales Heritage Lottery Fund EAFRD: Europe Investing in Environment Wales Biodiversity Heritage Lottery Fund – Your Rural Areas Fund Heritage South West Action for Rural European Agricultural Fund for Highland LEADER 2007 –2013, Development (SWARD) under the Rural Development (EAFRD) jointly funded by the Scottish Rural Development Programme European Commission – DG Government and the European St Albans City & District Council Environment Commission Stoke-on-Trent City Council European Commission – LIFE+ Homes and Communities Agency’s through the Future Jobs Fund European Commission – LIFE- Parklands funding administered Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB Nature by Essex County Council Sustainable Development Fund European Commission – LIFE- Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Suffolk Coastal District Council – Information and Communications Council Economic Development Support European Commission (Seventh Lancashire County Council Green Fund Framework Programme) – Partnership Awards Teignbridge District Council EuroGEOSS project Loch Lomond & Trossachs National USAID/USFS STEWARD European Commission – Tropical Park Authority Programme Forests and Other Forests in National Heritage Memorial Fund US Fish and Wildlife Service Developing Countries budget line Natural England Visit West Lothian European Regional Development Natural England – Access to Nature, Welsh Government Fund (ERDF) part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Welsh Government Ecosystem ERDF – INTERREG IVA 2 Seas Changing Spaces programme Resilience, Diversity and Cross-Border Cooperation Natural England – Action for Birds Compliance Fund Programme 2007-2013 in England partnership West Cornwall Local Action Group, ERDF – INTERREG IVA Natural England – Nature After through RDPE, jointly funded and administered by the Special Minerals supported by Defra, Cornwall European Union Programmes Natural England – Wetland Vision Development Company, LEADER Body (SEUPB) Grant Scheme and EAFRD: Europe Investing in ERDF – INTERREG IVB North Sea Northern Ireland Environment Rural Areas Region Transnational Cooperation Agency Yorkshire Dales National Park Programme 2007–2013 Northern Ireland Rural Authority ERDF – INTERREG IVB Atlantic Development Programme Area Transnational Programme administered by the Southern 2007–2013 Organisation for Action in Rural Event Scotland areas (SOAR) Foreign & Commonwealth Office Northern Ireland Tourist Board (FCO) / DfID – Overseas Orkney Islands Council Territories Environment Orkney LEADER Programme (OTEP) Peak District National Park Fife LEADER Authority

54 RSPB Annual Review 2011/12 However you step up CONTACT US for nature, whether it’s with your RSPB UK HEADQUARTERS membership donation, The RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire by volunteering your SG19 2DL. Tel: 01767 680551 time, or speaking up ENGLAND NORTHERN IRELAND for it in the workplace, Midlands Office Northern Ireland 46 The Green, South Bar, Headquarters thanks for helping Banbury, Oxfordshire Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast OX16 9AB BT8 7QT make possible the Tel: 01295 253330 Tel: 028 9049 1547 Eastern England Office enormous range of Stalham House, 65 Thorpe SCOTLAND Road, Norwich NR1 1UD Scotland Headquarters successes in this Tel: 01603 661662 2 Lochside View, Edinburgh London Area Office Park, Edinburgh EH12 9DH annual review. Second Floor, 65 Petty France, Tel: 0131 317 4100 London SW1H 9EU East Scotland Office Tel: 020 7808 1240 10 Albyn Terrace, Aberdeen Northern England Offices AB10 1YP Tel: 01224 624824 Please help us win even more Westleigh Mews, Wakefield North Scotland Office Road, Denby Dale, Etive House, Beechwood Park, victories for wildlife this year: Huddersfield HD8 8QD Inverness IV2 3BW www.rspb.org.uk/supporting 1 Sirius House, Amethyst Road, Tel: 01463 715000 Newcastle Business Park, South and West Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7YL Scotland Office 7.3.1 Cameron House, White 10 Park Quadrant, Glasgow Cross Estate, Lancaster G3 6BS LA1 4XQ Tel: 0141 331 0993 For all offices - Tel: 0300 777 2676 WALES South East England Office Wales Headquarters 1st Floor, Pavilion View, Sutherland House, Castlebridge, Cowbridge Cover: girl in bluebell wood by David Tipling, page 3: bee by David 19 New Road, Brighton, Tipling and black-headed gull by Nigel Blake (rspb-images.com), East Sussex BN1 1UF Road East, Cardiff CF11 9AB page 4: people on reserve by Andy Hay, page 6: love nature cyclist Tel: 01273 775333 Tel: 029 2035 3000 by Eleanor Bentall (rspb-images.com), page 7: house sparrow by Ray Kennedy, Gola Rainforest by Alex Hipkiss, food planting, looking South West England Office North Wales Office at clipboard and two ladies by Andy Hay, pond dipping by Eleanor Keble House, Southernhay Unit 14, Llys Castan, Ffordd y Bentall (all rspb-images.com), fishing boat by Albatross Task Force, Parc, Parc Menai, Bangor, staff with painted backs by RSPB Northern Ireland, volunteer by Gardens, Exeter, Devon Richard Campbell, page 9: spoon-billed sandpiper chick by Eleana EX1 1NT Gwynedd LL57 4FD Lappo, page 11: sparrowhawk by Steve Round (rspb-images.com), Tel: 01392 432691 Tel: 01248 672850 page 12: bittern by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com), ladybird spider by Ian Hughes, page 13: ground beetle by Bob Gomes (RSPB), crane by Nick Upton, stone-curlew and hen harrier by Andy Hay (both rspb-images.com), page 15: Pagham Harbour by Dreamstime, page 17: Dartford warbler by Ben Hall (rspb-images.com), page 18: workers at Titchwell and Wallesea Island by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com), page 19: helicopter by Richard Cuthbert, grey plover and RSPB The Lodge nature reserve by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com), page 21: FAME project by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com), page 23: Gola launch by Jonathan Barnard (RSPB), page 24: wind farm by iStockphoto.com, penguin rescue by The RSPB speaks out for birds and wildlife, Katrine Herian, page 25: Norfolk farming staff at work by Andy Hay, tackling the problems that threaten our large blue butterfly by Mark Sisson and redshank by Roger Wilmshurst (all rspb-images.com), page 27: Minsmere Wild Zone environment. Nature is amazing – by Ian Barthorpe, page 29: Mary and Dave Braddock by Mary help us keep it that way. Braddock, page 30: Every Child Outdoors by Andy Hay We belong to BirdLife International, (rspb-images.com), Springwatch presenters by Bryan Bland (RSPB), the global partnership of bird page 31: peregrine by Ben Hall, Big Schools’ Birdwatch by David McHugh (both rspb-images.com), page 33: willow basking shark conservation organisations. by Laura Hagan, page 34: chough by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com), page 37: pink-footed geese by Chris Knights (rspb-images.com), page 38: Loch Lomond by Patricia and Angus McDonald (Aerographica Scottish), page 41: black grouse by Andy Hay www.rspb.org.uk (rspb-images.com), page 42: Softrak (RSPB), page 45: Mike Clarke with Brownies by Katie-jo Luxton (RSPB), page 46: walking in woodland by Eleanor Bentall (rspb-images.com), page 55: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: Mike Clarke by Eleanor Bentall (rspb-images.com) England & Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654 350-1864-11-12