THE HERPETOLOGICAL BULLETIN The Herpetological Bulletin is produced quarterly and publishes, in English, a range of articles concerned with herpetology. These include society news, full-length papers, new methodologies, natural history notes, book reviews, letters from readers and other items of general herpetological interest. Emphasis is placed on natural history, conservation, captive breeding and husbandry, veterinary and behavioural aspects. Articles reporting the results of experimental research, descriptions of new taxa, or taxonomic revisions should be submitted to The Herpetological Journal (see inside back cover for Editor’s address). Guidelines for Contributing Authors: 1. See the BHS website for a free download of the Bulletin showing Bulletin style. A template is available from the BHS website www.thebhs.org or on request from the Editor. 2. 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No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the Editor. Printed by: Bruce Clark (Printers), Units 7-8, Marybank Lane, Dundee, DD2 3DY. ISSN 1473-0928. REVIEW ARTICLE The Herpetological Bulletin 131, 2015: 1-6 The Froglife Trust: Working for amphibians and reptiles in the UK and beyond KATHY WORMALD*, J. ROGER DOWNIE, SILVIU PETROVAN & REBECCA NEAL Froglife, 1 Loxley, Werrington, Peterborough, PE4 5BW *Corresponding author email: [email protected] INTRODUCTION of Amphibians and Reptiles from Transport Systems (ENPARTS), working with many partners on promoting best mitigation and prevention practice and collaborative research The Froglife Trust is a national wildlife conservation charity across Europe on road crossings. Froglife is also a founding with a specific focus on reptiles and amphibians. Froglife member of Peterborough PLUS, a group of organisations began as Herpetofauna Consultants International in 1988, drawn from across the charitable sector, which aims to ensure which evolved into Froglife in 2002. Today Froglife employs that local government tendering procedures recognise the around 20 people and has an annual turnover in the region ability of the charitable sector to deliver high quality service of £900,000. Froglife Trust’s vision is strong, yet simple. contracts. Froglife works closely with a number of UK We want to see a world in which reptiles and amphibians Universities, primarily University of Glasgow, University of flourish as part of healthy ecosystems. Our strength is that Hull, University of Leeds but also Salford University, Exeter we encourage people from all walks of life to get involved in and Anglia Ruskin. wildlife conservation. Our aim is to make a real difference; Froglife operates a policy of placing all the data we collect which we do through our education and conservation teams in the public domain. We have data sharing agreements with working on-the-ground to inspire people and create and most of the biodiversity records centres in the UK where we restore vital reptile and amphibian habitats. regularly submit our data. In 2001 Froglife produced the Great Crested Newt Conservation Handbook (Langton et al. 2001), The Key Strategies in our business plan are to: which is still the main reference for both conservationists and 1. Work internationally with relevant partners on reptile and ecological consultants working with this species in the UK. It amphibian conservation. has almost 10,000 downloads as a pdf as well as thousands of 2. Continue to expand our learning and conservation project printed copies. We are preparing an update of this publication. work both geographically and through programme development. Hands-on conservation 3. Extend links with universities, research institutions, and Froglife’s work centres on delivering on-the-ground actions key technological centres to support external research, and for the benefit of reptiles and amphibians and as such we work expand Froglife’s internal research capacity. extensively across the UK on creating and restoring standing 4. Build on communicating our messages to diverse water and terrestrial habitats. audiences, and continue to demonstrate the positive Since 2010 we have worked impact our work has on wildlife and people. on 410 sites improving their 5. Raise sufficient funds to continue and expand our work. biodiversity value. A total Froglife collaborates actively with a range of partners of 391 species surveys have within the wildlife conservation sector including a range been completed on these of organisations in the UK and Europe, along with British sites involving an amazing government departments and statutory conservation 2,308 volunteers (Fig. 1). agencies. We do not have the in-house capacity to maintain all of We collaborate extensively with organisations operating these sites so in order to in other areas of the charitable sector including health, ensure that the work that we education, environment and social deprivation. Froglife do is sustainable all of our is actively involved in forums including Scottish Wildlife projects include an extensive LINK, a collective of organisations that lobbies the Scottish volunteer training package. Government on conservation and environment issues; and This includes training Figure 1. Volunteers working The Cambridge Conservation Forum, which works on in species identification, on a habitat restoration project strengthening links between practitioners and researchers surveying methodology and at Cardowan Moss Woodland, Glasgow, UK. based in the Cambridgeshire area. Additionally Froglife is practical habitat maintenance. founding member of the European Network for the Protection Herpetological Bulletin 131 (2015) 1 Kathy Wormald et al Traditionally, Froglife’s work has focused on the more the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme) we have carried out habitat widespread UK species - great crested newt (Triturus creation work and implemented strategies to encourage toads cristatus), Smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), palmate newt to use new ponds avoiding the necessity to cross a road as (Lissotriton helveticus), Common frog (Rana temporaria), well as improvements to existing infrastructure to allow safe Common toad (Bufo bufo), Viviparous lizard (Zootoca crossing of amphibians using road tunnels. We are currently vivipara), Slow worm (Anguis fragilis), Adder (Vipera berus) monitoring this work to gauge its success. We provide an and Grass snake (Natrix natrix helvetica). Although these interactive map to allow very rapid contact with existing are still relatively common some have undergone significant patrols and encourage more volunteers. Froglife also provides declines and have been listed as priorities within national free insurance to all registered toad patrols, which can be vital biodiversity strategies. Our work to conserve these species is for people