Bombus Humilis) and Shrill Carder Bee (Bombus Sylvarum) at SESS Project Sites in 2011

Brownfield Stepping Stones

A landscape scale approach to brownfield conservation Clare Dinham Brownfield Stepping Stones Project

Talk content:

Setting the scene : habitat fragmentation and landscape scale approach

South Essex

Scunthorpe

Teesside

South Essex Stepping Stones The project aims to:

• Map current and historical known distributions of UK Biodiversity Action Plan invertebrate species within the project area • Identify key sites for survey for which no current records are held • Manage key interest features that support rare invertebrate assemblages • Identify areas for targeted habitat management or habitat creation to increase connectivity between key sites Project sites

Untidy Vange Industries Marshes

Wat Tyler Country Park

Canvey Heights Canvey Wick Bumble bee studies

• Studies carried out on spatial dynamics of UK BAP species Brown banded carder bee (Bombus humilis) and Shrill carder bee (Bombus sylvarum) at SESS project sites in 2011

• Foraging range of B. humilis found to be greater than B.sylvarum

• B. sylvarum needs a greater concentration of suitable forage over smaller spatial scales in relation to nest sites Shrill carder bee Bombus sylvarum © MJ Clark

B. sylvarum much more vulnerable to habitat fragmentation than other bees

• Bumblebees specialise on certain floral species and families to maximise the quality of pollen for developing larvae

• Studies on the foraging behaviour of in the South Essex Stepping Stones project area have identified: Species such as Odontites verna, Centaurea nigra and Ballota nigra identified as key forage plants for B. humilis and B.sylvarum

Black knapweed (Centaurea nigra) Narrow leaved bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus glaber) • Provision of suitable forage identified as a priority for conservation of bumblebees in the UK

• Large areas of open flower rich grassland 10-20km2

• East Thames Corridor - one of the most diverse bumblebee assemblages in the UK

• Many of these are brownfield sites and threatened with imminent development

Brown-banded carder bee Bombus humilis © Sam Ashfield Green Haying Landscape scale creation of wildflower meadows in and surrounding the project area

Direct seeding not permitted on SSSIs

Scrub clearance followed by the spreading of green hay proved to be a very effective method for the large- scale target forage patches for the brown-banded carder bee and the shrill carder bee

Carried out at Hadleigh Country Park and Canvey Heights in Essex. • Green haying at Canvey Heights – before and after

• An appropriate cutting regime will help to improve species diversity – usually and spring and autumn cut

Yarrow and Bird’s-foot trefoil meadow Scunthorpe Stepping Stones

• Carry out survey work on sites that have never been accessed before i.e. TATA steel

• Working with North Lincolnshire Council and Humber INCA to enhance and improve management of key brownfield sites within the County

• Sites can act as ‘strongholds’ – e.g. Tata Steel for Grayling

• Connectivity between sites is important for species dispersal

Connectivity between sites

Risby Warren SSSI

Sawcliffe LNR

Crosby Warren

Wetland • Scunthorpe used to support large areas of cover sands heath

• Lost to urban development

• Small remnant patches exist

• Risby Warren SSSI – inland dune systyen, heathand, acid and calcareous grassland, scrub, conifer plantation

• Management is needed where this habitat occurs

Sand martin Wetland

• Continuous disturbance is needed to maintain bare ground/ early successional habitats

• Can occur through: - habitat management - industrial processes - public access

• Good assemblage of common, local and regionally scarce species associated with open sandy sites Stiletto fly (Thereva annulata)

• Species more closely associated with coastal sites with loose, mobile sands

Cranefly (Nephratoma crocata) Tata Steel

• Coleophora inulae - a ‘nationally notable b’ species • Small colonies found in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight • Larval foodplants - Inula conyza Ploughman’s Spikenard and Pulicaria dysenterica Common Fleabane. • First record in Lincolnshire • Furthest northerly record aside from a small population in south Yorkshire

Lucite International • Former ICI Works dating back to the 1950s • Areas of hard-standing, crushed brick and slag • Free draining, low nutrient parts of the site support species rich open sward grassland • Bird’s-foot trefoil, blue fleabane, black knapweed, ox-eye daisy • Rank grassland, scrub, reed-bed and a pond

BP CATS • Original habitat was inter-tidal mudflats • Re-claimed in the 1970’s using river dredgings and blast furnace slag • High pH of substrates has produced calcareous flora Bee banks • Adds topographic variation to a site

• The creation of bee banks can produce extra areas of bare ground

• Provides habitat for warmth loving species such as solitary bees, wasps, beetles and spiders

• Management

Dingy skipper (Erynnis tages) • UKBAP species due to recent decline

• Good indicator species for brownfield habitat

• Main larval food plant is Common Bird's-foot- trefoil – present on many sites due to BFS

• Basks on areas of bare ground

Grayling (Hipparchia semele) • UKBAP species due to recent decline

• Localised distribution and coastal over much of its range

• Heathland, limestone and chalk grassland

• Found on dry, well drained soils with open-sward grassland and bare ground

• Found only at BPCATS and Maze Park Maze Park

• A number of Wainscot species are at the northern edge of their range in the north east

• Due to Phragmites reedbeds which often form part of the habitat mosaic on brownfield sites in Teesside

• The species concerned are nationally ‘local’ and include Fen Wainscot (Arenostola phragmitidis ) © Robert Woods Planning

Work to ensure key sites are protected and suitable mitigation and compensation is delivered

Retention/creation of OMH, wildflower meadows, biodiverse roofs The role of roof top habitats • Mitigation for new developments - retention of existing habitats or the creation of new habitat on the ground must always be the priority of a mitigation scheme when compensating for loss of habitat.

• Biodiverse green roofs are an innovative way of providing additional habitat where brownfield land (and other similar low nutrient, free draining habitats) is to be lost.

• Considerable benefit can be achieved by wildlife by designing bespoke biodiverse roofs that aim to replicate specific habitats.

Wat Tyler Country Park Ground crab spider (Thomisidae) Brown-banded carder bee Bombus humilis © Roger Taylor Living Roofs for London’s Wildlife

• Partnership between Buglife and Livingroofs.org

• Installed 6 biodiverse roofs for invertebrates in London

• Invertebrate surveys carried out on the roofs

• Workshops

• Production of Guidance on creating biodiverse green roofs for invertebrates © Livingroofs.org •Funded by the SITA Trust THANK YOU [email protected] www.buglife.org.uk