2016–2017 Annual Review

Protecting Wildlife for the Future Cumbria Wildlife Trust: 2016–2017

Chairman’s introduction A word from our President

2016–17 has provided project. This is being done through The fundraising climate continued to be Although it happened the day, this should be of considerable significant national political partnership working, ie collaborating a challenge for all charities this year, with after the 2016–17 year help in arguing our county’s case challenge due to the EU with like-minded colleagues in a range of more rules and regulations coming in end, I believe the with government, as well as a big referendum result and we Cumbria-based conservation groups. which affect us all. We are working hard event of the year encouragement for tourism. have been recovering from and monitoring our efforts, to ensure for Cumbria was Storm Desmond (December This year also saw the end of funding that we continue to comply with any new the UNESCO World The ongoing policy point of long-term 2015) which, although damaging, provided for the Marine and Coastal Heritage fundraising requirements as and when Heritage inscription significance is Brexit and leaving the Common Agricultural Policy. We must the opportunity to explore Natural Flood Programme. Fourteen young people have p HRH The Prince of Wales and Christa they come into force. for the Lake District. ensure that environmental and wildlife Management with the Environment benefited from this training scheme over Nelson help to sow The Queen’s Meadow This is because it identifies our county aspects are embedded and play their full Agency. Overall Cumbria Wildlife Trust has three years, and all of them have gone on to in Green Park, London, at the end of the This year was a great year for volunteers, as of world significance. In a world part in any future, wider rural policy. had a good year. put their training into practice by finding Coronation Meadows project with more volunteer days carried out on where political pressure and financial employment in marine conservation. The Photo: Robin Bell, Coronation Meadows our nature reserves than ever before. This stringency looks like being the order of Lord Inglewood, Hutton-in-the-Forest During the year several key projects Trust has benefited tremendously from is just one way in which people give us came to an end, although their legacy their energy, enthusiasm and hard work the profile of our southern-most reserve, their time. Many others help out in office- will continue far into the future. The and we shall certainly miss them! We as it is the North West’s only grey seal based roles, on the Board and committees, three-year Meadow Life project raised aim to continue our marine programme breeding colony. In the north of the carrying out plant surveys, taking photos Contents the profile of hay meadows and made an through a volunteer-based survey project county, near Carlisle, work has started and videos, on social media and writing Creating a Living Landscape through conserving habitats and species 4-6 impact on restoring and improving these with new partners in Allonby Bay and the on our new education and training hub for the press, etc. We are grateful to Creating a Living Landscape through bigger, better nature reserves 7-9 important habitats. We are delighted Solway Firth. at Gosling Sike Farm. We were pleased all of them and for their invaluable Securing Living Seas 10-11 to say that although funding for this when in January, as soon as planning contribution to the Trust. Our 2016–2017 achievements 12-13 project came to an end, we are continuing We were delighted when no fewer than permission had been agreed, work started Your highlights 14 the important work of hay meadow five seal pups were recorded at South on construction of the revamped building. Anne Powell Inspiring and engaging people to value nature 15-17 restoration by setting up the Cumbria Walney Nature Reserve over the autumn Look out for more news as the project Thank you! 18-19 Meadows Network and a new grasslands and winter. This is a record and has raised takes shape through 2017–18. Financial report 20-21 Legacies and in memoriam 22 Looking ahead 23 Cover: Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve. Photo: Les Fitton

2 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 3 Creating a Living Landscape through conserving habitats and species

 Beckstones meadow, Ravenstonedale, an exemplar site of the Meadow Life Project Beautiful flower-rich meadows were once resources. This is the first time we have Peatland habitats are under threat not Photo: Kath and Ian Jolly a common feature of Cumbria. Over a set up such a legacy structure to continue only in our county but around the world number of years we have set up projects a successful, funded project. The new and Cumbria Wildlife Trust continues to restore and create these important Network appears to be working well. to prioritise conserving these precious habitats, using traditional practices to ecosystems. Most restoration work this increase plant diversity. The most recent In early 2017 we secured new funding year was done at Mungrisdale Mires, a of these was Meadow Life, a three-year to build upon the work of our Meadow Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Heritage Lottery-funded project. Life project. Working with five partner Eden Valley catchment where we restored organisations, the focus will continue to 17 hectares of lowland raised bog. Work Funding for this project finished this year, be on restoring and creating species-rich included felling birch scrub on a dome and during its lifetime, 110 hectares of grasslands. Community events form an of raised bog and ‘cell-bunding’, which hay meadows were restored or improved. essential part of the new project, and these involves building a retaining wall around We trained over 50 volunteers in plant include scything workshops, planting the edge of the dome to raise the water identification and surveying, who then days and wildflower workshops. We are table. This technique has been used helped us survey 100 meadows and 70 also developing a pollinator project which successfully at Foulshaw Moss Nature roadside verges across Cumbria. Over focuses on the county’s insect pathways, Reserve. Small-scale wetland renewal work 40,000 plug plants were grown by HMP identified through the work of the Local was carried out at Northspring Marshy Haverigg and planted by volunteers, and Nature Partnership and Buglife. Grassland, a County Wildlife Site near at workshops in schools we taught nearly Staveley. During four visits to the site, log 900 children about hay meadows. Our UK-wide Coronation Meadows project dams were dug-in by hand. also completed this year, with a high- Even though the latest project has profile event in London’s Green Park, at ‘2,020 hectares of restored peatlands by been completed, the important work of which HRH The Prince of Wales helped 2020’ is the major target for the Cumbria meadow restoration continues. A Cumbria to create a wildflower meadow, with the Peat Partnership. Discussions have started Meadows Network was established, with assistance of the Trust’s Christa Nelson with the Forestry Commission about p Just two of the many volunteers who Cumbria Wildlife Trust acting as a catalyst. and a group of school children. It was the possible work in the Hardknott Forest area helped with plug planting in hay meadows The Network is coordinated by a volunteer 90th Coronation Meadow to be created in of the Duddon Valley and a survey of bare this year with members sharing their expertise and the year of HM The Queen’s 90th birthday. peat on Matterdale Common in the eastern fells identified further work in this region.

4 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 5 Creating a Living Landscape through conserving habitats and species Creating a Living Landscape through bigger, better nature reserves

Cumbria’s devastating floods of 2015 Cumbria Wildlife Trust expressed concern roadsides in the Morecambe Bay Nature raised the profile of Natural Flood about significant habitat loss if the Improvement Area and preliminary results Management (NFM) nationally, as well National Grid’s plans for overhead power- indicate that the project predicted a net as leading to much-needed funding for lines to connect the planned nuclear gain in biodiversity of 168%. local remediation. The Trust has taken power stations at Moorside to Heysham a lead in identifying sites where the were to go ahead. During the public We continued to work with other Wildlife restoration of peatlands can deliver NFM consultation, we highlighted the fact that Trusts to conserve red squirrels across the and help reduce the risk of flooding in almost 60 hectares of woodland, some of it north of England, as part of Red Squirrels local communities. We secured £320,000 ancient, would be destroyed, along with 16 Northern England (RSNE). This was a good of funding for this peatland restoration hectares of flower-rich grassland and 17km year for red squirrels across the north. work to be carried out over the next five of hedgerows. The Trust asked for the Annual results published by RSNE show years. In addition, the Slow the Flow proposed route to be reviewed to prevent that red squirrels were detected in 44% of project has included more tree-planting such a habitat loss and to consider a sites surveyed and greys were found in on hills and floodplains, restoring river greater level of compensation, so that more only 37% of sites, which is a decrease from courses and building woody debris dams. new habitat might be created elsewhere. the levels in 2015 when greys were detected Much of this work has helped raise the in 47% of sites. profile of NFM across the North West, 2016–17 was the final year of a two-year through community engagement, press Green Transport Corridors project, In north Cumbria around the forests articles and interviews. in which we continued to improve of Kershope and Spadeadam, funding biodiversity on our road networks. Work from the national Red Squirrels United Slow the Flow is currently supporting undertaken included reptile and botanical campaign helped RSNE to employ a full 12 key schemes, with more to follow. surveys, hedge planting and hedge laying. time ranger, and to put in place a quarterly Through this work we have created 47 Working with volunteers on a major monitoring programme aimed at detecting p The ponds at Bowness-on-Solway hectares of new wildlife habitat and highway was a new experience for us. The grey squirrels at an early stage after arrival Nature Reserve, some of the best in ongoing projects will create a further 750 project covered 13 hectares of habitat on in the area. the country for freshwater aquatic hectares, including 30 new woodlands and life, gained recognition as p In July we celebrated the 40th anniversary 15 new wetlands. Flagship Ponds of Bowness-on-Solway Nature Reserve

6 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 7 Creating a Living Landscape through bigger, better nature reserves

Four of our nature reserves reached This was our best year ever for volunteer were massive murmurations of starlings While restoring woodland at Barkbooth milestones this year. Staff, supporters numbers, with approximately 1,317 days over Tarn Sike Nature Reserve – an awe- Lot Nature Reserve, we enlisted the help and volunteers celebrated the 40th of voluntary work completed on our inspiring wildlife spectacle. During the of Danny the pony. With his handler, he anniversary of Grubbins Wood, Bowness- nature reserves. We are very grateful to two-day Bioblitz at Eycott Hill, visitors removed larch trees, which had been on-Solway and Argill Woods, as well as all our volunteers whose hard work helps collected 275 species records, taking the felled due to the threat of Phytophthora the 30th anniversary of Latterbarrow. to maintain these havens for wildlife. total species list to 760. This helps to build a ramorum disease. After processing, the At Bowness-on-Solway our Northern Work has included scrub clearance from more detailed picture of what wildlife can larch was taken to our northern base at Reserves Officer led a guided walk around Hutton Roof Crags and Humphrey Head be found on the nature reserve. Gosling Sike Farm, to be used as cladding the various habitats, including the nature reserves, coppicing at Brown Robin, on the new training and education hub. ponds, which are some of the best in the creating sunny corridors for butterflies at Three hectares of meadow were restored As part of the Dunes of Barrow project at country for freshwater aquatic life. They Park Wood and wildflower plug planting, at Eycott Hill Nature Reserve, through South Walney, we restored 1.3 hectares of found them teeming with life, including bracken bashing and hedgerow restoration harrowing, spreading green hay and dunes and removed scrub at North Walney abundant newt and caddisfly larvae, at Eycott Hill. planting plug plants, increasing the total National Nature Reserve, where it was which are good indicators of the quality area to six hectares. This year’s survey encroaching on dune heathland habitat. To of the ponds. At South Walney Nature Reserve we were  David Clarke from the British Dragonfly showed that the area restored in 2014  New boardwalk under construction at ensure the success of grazing at Eskmeals delighted to record five seal pups and you Society led a dragonfly walk at the is doing well, with the range of species Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve Dunes, fencing which had been destroyed The ponds are home to a number of can see over the page how new technology Eycott Hill Bioblitz including yellow rattle, rough hawkbit, by high tides was replaced and set further species of conservation concern, including helped us capture this information! A pair red clover and eyebright. Elsewhere on We improved the visitor experience at inland in the nature reserve. the mud snail Omphiscola glabra and two of breeding ospreys returned to Foulshaw backed gulls. Rockcliffe Marsh saw an the nature reserve, 2,700m of artificial several nature reserves, with 2km of new water beetles, Hydrochus angustatus and Moss in April 2016 and successfully raised increase in numbers of lapwing (78 pairs), drainage ditches were blocked to slow Restoration of mires continued on several boardwalk at Meathop and Foulshaw Helochares punctatus. This year these two chicks, watched by thousands of oystercatcher (56 pairs) and redshank the flow of water from the fell and nature reserves. Fields which were Mosses, and an upgraded entrance to impressive ponds were chosen by the people on our live webcam. Eiders had a (55 pairs), although skylarks were down enhance wetland grassland on the fellside. reverting to fen habitat were re-fenced Foulshaw Moss. At South Walney a new Freshwater Habitats Trust as Flagship very good year on Foulney Island with slightly from last year at 61 pairs. A further 4.5 hectares of heathland at Foulshaw Moss and Meathop Moss to hide was erected; the live seal cam was Ponds for the county. The small tarn 194 chicks fledged from 53 nesting pairs; restoration took place, with heather seed enable cattle grazing after water levels launched in August, and improved AA signs at Barkbooth Lot was also selected for 233 breeding female eiders were counted Interesting sightings this year included an sown and 1,100 heather, bilberry and were raised, and water-level data loggers helped to greatly increase visitor numbers. this project. Project funds will help tree on South Walney along with 2,000 pairs Isabelline shrike at South Walney Nature crowberry seedlings planted. were replaced at Foulshaw Moss. At Orton We had a celebrity visitor at Smardale Gill clearance around the ponds at Bowness- of lesser black-backed gulls, 1,000 pairs of Reserve and wood warblers were recorded Moss we planted 1,000 devil’s-bit scabious when Tony Robinson called in to do some on-Solway. herring gulls and 50 pairs of great black- for the first time in Low Fell Plantation plants, to encourage the reintroduction of filming for his Coast to Coast walk, shown at Barkbooth Lot. In the winter there the marsh fritillary butterfly. on Channel 5 in April 2017.

8 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 9 Securing Living Seas

We have a long-term strategy to support These included counts of breeding terns Defra and a Coastal Futures Conference traineeships at Cumbria Wildlife Trust. and other wading birds and wildfowl at in London, attended by over 300 delegates This year saw the completion of the Marine RSPB Hodbarrow Reserve, monitoring and 140 organisations. Discussions were and Coastal Heritage Programme, with bird disturbance from boats and people held with Scottish marine organisations, the final group of trainees completing at locations across South Walney Nature seeking to promote less environmentally- their nine-month placement in April 2017. Reserve, and 12 seal surveys, using a damaging fisheries. The evaluation report for the three-year, combination of traditional and hi-tech p A drone was used to count seals at Heritage Lottery-funded scheme deemed counting methods. The Irish Sea Marine Advocacy Programme South Walney Nature Reserve it a great success. Since 2014 when the received an additional grant of £100,000 programme started, 14 highly-motivated The seal surveys brought the Trust to the from the Peter De Haan Charitable Trust, young people have been trained in marine nation’s TV screens in January 2017. BBC to enable funding for the Senior Marine conservation by Wildlife Trusts in the Countryfile Winter Diaries filmed marine Conservation Officer for another two years, North West, an experience which has trainee Jade Chenery as she compared although due to political manoeuvrings, proved to be an excellent springboard to results from traditional seal counts the next round of consultations on MCZs launch their careers in this sector. (crawling across shingle and looking has been delayed beyond 2017. through binoculars) with aerial filming Over the three years, the trainees using the Trust’s new drone. Jade counted We supported Our Irish Sea, a new marine delivered over 300 events, made numerous about 150 seals with the first method, but awareness project run by Lancashire TV appearances and completed nearly the drone footage showed that there were Wildlife Trust, and set up the Marine 100 marine and coastal surveys. The Trust 259! The drone also captured the moment Mudness campaign to promote the has been delighted to design and run this just after the birth of this year’s fifth conservation of muddy habitats in the highly successful programme and to help seal pup. The North West’s only grey seal Irish Sea. The campaign caught both the develop the next generation of marine breeding colony appears to be thriving. press and the public’s imagination, with conservationists. A video on our website many articles and interviews appearing traces the stories of all the trainees who Following the successful designation of in local and regional press and popular have undertaken this education and two Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) magazines, as well as on local TV and radio. training programme. last year, we continued to raise the profile We encouraged people to sign up as a of marine conservation. Our advocacy ‘friend of muddy MCZs’ and work started p This year’s marine trainees carrying As well as running over 40 public events, continued at a national level, with the on the production of an Irish Sea tale-trail p Honeycomb worm reefs were surveyed by the marine trainees within the out a mussel survey at Heysham this year’s trainees conducted 51 surveys. Senior Marine Conservation Officer (published in May 2017), to bring these Cumbria Coast Marine Conservation Zone speaking at Government meetings with deep-water, muddy habitats to life.

10 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 11 Our 2016–2017 achievements

Looking after our Inspiring people Volunteering Our members Marine trainees Living Landscape

We helped 6,585 hours of practical conservation work others care for was carried out by volunteers on our nature reserves 58

volunteer days 3,102 welcomed to the Trust 1,437 events and talks completed on new members 253 hectares of wildlife 490 hours of events children took nature reserves ✓ habitats on our nature 648 1,317 and talks 2,715 part in our hectares of Conservation work reserves were cared for people attended Wildlife Watch wildlife habitats parties took place our events groups £525,140 160 on our nature reserves income from membership members in total Eycott Hill Nature Reserve in numbers events run 14,582 by our staff 40 hours 2,000 379 and volunteers of education trees planted hectares of 29CORPORATE 837 2,550 hay meadow MEMBERS people attended wildflower plugs restored events for our events planted 3 371m of drystone wall repaired 63 families people taught 2,700m of artificial drainage £42,643 GIVEN new skills ditches blocked BY CORPORATE MEMBERS 51 SURVEYS 137 160 new volunteers joined the Trust

12 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 13 Your highlights Inspiring and engaging people to value nature

Alasdair McKee Georgie Blow Jackie Hooley  Some of the visitors at our first Volunteer, Foulshaw Moss Marine Trainee Local Support Group Secretary ever Walney Wader Festival Nature Reserve This year was a Within a few days of Volunteering at this nature whirlwind of brand moving to Cumbria I reserve isn’t hard work new challenges and was co-opted onto the when you spend all day experiences. Since joining Sedbergh Local Support showing people one of your Cumbria Wildlife Trust Group committee. Our favourite places and helping on a marine traineeship, regular meetings are them engage with nature. two days have rarely been the same – enjoyable social occasions and my Ospreys are the stars and one real highlight from carrying out surveys of mussels duties as secretary are light as we have a this year was their safe return from Africa. and marine mammals to delivering supportive committee and a wonderful Then more excitement when eggs hatched presentations to large audiences. For chair. It’s been a great way to meet people and chicks made their first frantic flaps me one of the highlights of the year and become part of the community. into the air. There was the enthusiastic was exploring Cumbria’s exciting and Our winter talks are always fascinating, if confused visitor crying, “So, where are diverse coastline and having the chance such as the lovely presentation by these ostriches then?” I hope he wasn’t too to share it with others. I remember students from Sedbergh School on their disappointed. On long summer days the sky watching the sun rise as we surveyed the conservation expedition to Madagascar. was full of dragonflies and swallows, the sprawling Sabellaria reefs on the west Highlights this year include seeing the boardwalk seemed to have one lizard per coast, the tightly packed tubes formed by first primroses at Smardale Gill and plank and the regular adder was admired. the worm resembling a mass of untidy orchids later in the year, and the first red From a distance. There were water rail honeycombs. Another high point was squirrels for many years in Howgill. I also chicks, jet black bundles of fluff with huge leading people out onto the rocky shore recall a sunny picnic at Eycott Hill Nature feet, and hobbies hunting overhead. Add to and witnessing their enthusiasm as we Reserve, on one of those strange little that sweeping views of three counties and uncovered nooks packed with the jelly- outcrops of rock overlooking the valley. there could be no better place to work. like blobs of beadlet anemones, clusters I watched a work party of young people Alasdair McKee of coloured periwinkles and dog whelks, planting and fencing and they were and the occasional crab peeking furtively clearly enjoying themselves very much! out from underneath a rock! Jackie Hooley Georgie Blow 14 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 15 Inspiring and engaging people to value nature

This was a bumper year for volunteering of hedgehogs in Cumbria. It has proved A conservation undergraduate from the at the Trust, with 1,200 registered to be a very popular campaign and will University of Cumbria completed our first volunteers, 160 of whom were new this continue in 2017–18. This year 813 sightings southern reserves student placement, p Families enjoyed the guided walk at the p Finn Hurley, winner of the Wildlife Watch year. While many helped to maintain of hedgehogs were logged and students at initially based at Foulshaw Moss, then Eycott Hill Discovery Day Kestrel Award with his hedgehog house habitats and monitor rare species at the University of Cumbria are helping to supporting all southern reserves. A nature reserves, others were surveying analyse the data. postgraduate student joined us for a nine combined beach cleans at South Walney Staff and volunteers ran 160 conservation hedgerows in the Rusland Valley or month placement and she has helped with community workshops in Barrow, work parties and nine species ID training greeting visitors at our nature reserves. Cumbria Wildlife Trust presented its first out at work parties and events at Eycott and culminated with an exhibition in courses, covering birdsong and trees, as Others shared their wildlife expertise, ever Kestrel Award to a Wildlife Watch Hill, including plug planting and drystone Barrow and Kendal of artworks created by well as teaching coppicing and woodcraft such as the osprey volunteers at Foulshaw member. Nine-year-old Finn Hurley took walling, as well as leading walks and children and learning-disabled adults. skills. The Cross Bay Walk was once again Moss and Bryan Yorke, who has collected a year to complete his impressive wildlife school visits. a success, raising over £3,600. a huge amount of data on bird migration project, writing poetry, creating collages The trainees also ran Beached Art, our over the Hutton Roof area. and building a hedgehog home, as well A University of Cumbria student one-day celebration of marine wildlife at In collaboration with Prism Arts, a group as recording animal tracks and sightings p Keith Grafton from Ulverston won completed her placement at Eycott St Bees. This year a sand artist inspired of learning-disabled adults from the Everyone’s voluntary contribution to in the woods around Hutton Roof Crags first prize in the Walney Wader Festival Hill Nature Reserve before returning those taking part in the sand-sculpture Edington Centre in Penrith produced Eyes the Trust, no matter how large or small, Nature Reserve. photo competition with this picture of to complete the final year of her BSc in competition and over 250 people attended. on Eycott Hill, an animated film combining is greatly appreciated. At the Members’ a turnstone Animal Conservation Science, and two Throughout Marine Week, they organised folklore, stories written by local children, Conference at Newton Rigg we recognised Our five Wildlife Watch groups were very media students from the University of a further 13 events including rockpool geology and wildlife. The Edington Centre, 10 volunteers who have demonstrated active throughout the year, running 32 After two years, we said goodbye to our Cumbria completed short-term volunteer rambles and sea watches, as well as along with Eden Mencap and older people long-term commitment to the Trust and outdoor events for children, including Apprentice Conservation Officer as she projects at the Trust. Marine Mudness walks. from Amy’s Care in Carlisle, worked on to wildlife conservation. Badger's Paw trails through woods looking for started a degree at Bangor University, a textiles project inspired by the flora Awards were given to Maggie Acomb, sculptures, foraging and pond dipping. and welcomed two more young people The marine trainees organised several The Trust ran 379 public events this and fauna in the hay meadows at Eycott Robin Cornah, Christine Davison, Tina Trust staff ran sessions in 15 schools on a two-year apprenticeship scheme high-profile public events. Nearly 200 year, from creative writing and learning Hill Nature Reserve and their work was Galloway, John Gray, Ian Gregg, Jan in West Cumbria and we launched our funded by Yorkshire Dales Millennium people attended the first ever Walney how to scythe to searching for bats and exhibited in Carlisle and Penrith. Two days McArthur, Frank Mawby, Cedric Robinson contribution to the Wildlife Trusts’ Trust. The apprentices have all thrown Wader Festival, a two-day celebration moths. Popular family activities included of creative writing at Eycott Hill resulted in and Seb Sillito. national Friendship Bracelets campaign themselves into the challenges of this role of winter waders at South Walney discovery days, getting arty at Eycott Hill the publication of The Raspberry and the with the Cleator Beaver group. This was and gained confidence and wide-ranging Nature Reserve. The Waste Beneath Nature Reserve and storytelling on South Rowan, a poetry anthology, and The Raven We launched the online iSpy a Hedgehog a marine conservation petition that was skills, from monitoring wading birds to our Waves was an imaginative project Walney. Over 80 events were run by our of Eycott Hill was published, an engaging campaign, a citizen science project sent to the Prime Minister, calling for a delivering classroom sessions in schools which highlighted the dangers to wildlife nine local support groups, including talks tale-trail for families to use while exploring encouraging people to log their sightings ‘blue belt’ to protect our seas. and learning how to fly a drone. caused by beach litter. In collaboration on bee-keeping, red squirrels and swifts, the nature reserve. with Cumbrian artist Ellie Chaney, it as well as a fungal foray and family walks.

16 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 17 Thank you!

Supporters of Grant and donations income Corporate members during the year Cumbria Wildlife Trust Allerdale Borough Council Lake District National Park Authority Platinum members Bronze members Standard members Complimentary members The many achievements in the year would not have been possible without Arts Council LEADER Center Parcs Arnison Heelis Solicitors Aggregate Industries Cumbria Waste Management generous and wide-ranging financial Barrow Borough Council Morecambe Bay Partnership Lakes Distillery Cumbria Grand Hotel English Lakes Ice Cream Furness Building Society assistance from the Trust’s supporters. Thanks go to individual members, Biffa Award Natural England Greg Thompson Quality Fortis Remote Technology Vine House Farm corporate members, donors, grant- Landscapes and Treecare Radiata Trees Center Parcs Nugen Gold members Lakeland Limited giving organisations and legators. Holiday Cottages.co.uk Castle Green Hotel Langdale Hotel and Spa 2 Sisters Food Group Below are details of some of those Cumbria County Council Nurture Lakeland Rathbone Brothers plc who have supported the Trust’s Eden Insulation Pure Leisure Group CWMET Peter De Haan Charitable Trust Tarmac various projects. Lyon Equipment Stringers Beer D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Sir John Fisher Foundation University of Cumbria United Utilities Wildroof Landscapes Donations were also received from many Eden District Council South West Environmental Action Trust individuals towards a large number of Environment Agency SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd projects and nature reserves. Many members Silver members Esmée Fairbairn Foundation Tesco Local Community Grants generously supported a number of special Cyclife UK Ltd appeals including one to raise match Furness Building Society Vine House Farm funding used to secure grants at a multiple H&H Reeds Printers Ltd of 10 times the match funding contributed. Hadfield Trust WREN WCF Ltd Harold and Alice Bridges Charity Yorkshire and Clydesdale Bank Foundation Heritage Lottery Fund Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust John Strutt Conservation Foundation K2B

18 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 19 Financial report

Our aim is to create living landscapes, the Environment Agency. Where these Trustees' statement Income Expenditure secure living seas and inspire people sources prove insufficient, the balance to care for the natural environment. is supplied by voluntary income such However, our work is always limited as legacies, donations and membership The figures shown above are extracted Income in the year ended 31 March 2017 Expenditure in the year ended 31 March 2017 by the amount of money we can raise subscriptions. The £½ million contributed from the statutory accounts, which were and we need to keep our expenditure annually in the form of membership approved by the Trustees on 6 July 2017. under control. subscriptions is essential to the Trust’s The full statutory Annual Report and long-term financial stability and enables Financial Statements, on which the The Trust's income for the year was us to do many things for which we would auditors, Crowe Clark Whitehill LLP, gave 22% ■ Living Landscapes and Living Seas just under £2.5 million and expenditure not otherwise have sufficient funds. an unqualified report, will be delivered to ■ just over £2.6 million. After taking into the Registrar of Companies and submitted Membership ■ Beer havens, more wildlife account a gain in the value of the Trust's The Trust holds funds for longer-term to the Charity Commission. These extracts ■ Legacies ■ Inspiring people investments, the deficit for the year projects such as the purchase of nature may not contain sufficient information 36% 35% was £38,093. reserves but it can be a number of years 3% ■ to allow a full understanding of the Donations ■ Membership scheme costs before suitable opportunities arise. These financial affairs of the charity. For further 6% ■ In the current economic climate it is funds are invested to avoid erosion of 64% Other income ■ Fundraising costs information the full statutory accounts particularly difficult for the Trust to their value by inflation, an objective that 5% ■ should be consulted together with the Grants attract grants for habitat and species has been significantly exceeded over the 13% projects. Despite this, we still succeeded last seven years. £100,000 was drawn Auditors' report and the Trustees' Report. 13% in supporting an increase in expenditure from these funds last year to provide for Copies of these may be obtained from the 3% on our charitable objectives. In aggregate, the commencement of building works at Trust's Registered Office at Plumgarths, direct expenditure on charitable Gosling Sike Farm. Crook Road, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 8LX. activities, excluding land purchases, was £206,311 higher than in the previous The Trust recognises the invaluable Anne Powell John Farmer year. The funding for this comes mainly contribution of its members, both from grants from a combination of financially and through working as sources including charitable trusts, the volunteers in a wide variety of ways. National Lottery and government bodies Without you, we would achieve so such as Defra, Natural England and much less.

20 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 21 Legacies and in memoriam Looking ahead

Legacies Susan Cheesman of Carlisle Frank Kirkby of Penrith In the coming further. We also hope to secure improved County Council, we will be providing Susan volunteered at Gosling Sike Farm from Frank Kirkby was a member of the Trust for year we look parking for visitors at Smardale Gill. young visitors to this reserve with explorer the very first days that the Trust became over 34 years and was awarded a Badger’s forward to the In south Cumbria we are in negotiations backpacks, to help them spot and record the A legacy gift is the final and often the involved in the site. She attended virtually all the Paw Award in 2011 in recognition of his long- completion of regarding the management of Holme wildlife they see as they walk round the site. most significant gift any of us make. work parties there with her husband Howard. standing commitment to the conservation of our new training Park Quarry Local Nature Reserve and During the year the Trust was grateful They occasionally worked at other nature badgers. He was a very active field naturalist reserves but Gosling Sike Farm was her favoured and a well-respected expert on mammals. and education Clawthorpe Fell National Nature Reserve. During 2017–18 we will be implementing a to receive legacies from: location. Susan participated in all aspects of Frank died in January 2017, aged 84. hub at Gosling new membership and volunteer database, the work there, from surveying hedges and Sike Farm near We will continue to restore peatlands, with the aim of improving and streamlining Mary Burkett, John Edge, trees to building bridges across the sike, as well Jean Parker of Low Row Carlisle. The recycled, deep green, super focusing on their ability to provide our recording processes. A new-look website Florence Hall, Robert Kinley, as fencing and hedge-laying. Her kindness, Jean was a keen botanist and had been a insulated building will be clad with larch natural flood management benefits and is also being developed over the year. member of the Trust for over 30 years. She was Jenifer Leech, Joan Lord, generosity and sense of humour always shone from Barkbooth Lot Nature Reserve. In carbon storage. We will carry on with our The new layout should improve the user through, even on the most grey and wet days. involved in surveying roadside verges and was Rosemary Lowry, Doreen Massey active in both the Flora of Cumbria Recording the autumn and winter, work will begin campaigning for more and better Marine experience and make it easier for members and George Roden. Margaret Gregory of Brampton Group and the Wildlife in Sacred Places project. on a new wildlife garden and we will be Conservation Zones and will continue and others to find out more about our work Margaret Gregory was a keen botanist and In 2010 Jean received a Badger’s Paw Award for inviting local community groups to help to deliver the new species-rich grassland and about wildlife highlights and events All those who left us a legacy have had an active and dedicated member of the Flora her commitment to the North Cumbria Local us with planning and planting. Once project. This will involve not only restoring taking place across the county. of Cumbria Recording Group. She undertook Support Group and her tireless recording of completed, our plans for Gosling Sike Farm more hectares of flower-rich hay meadow, a brass leaf inscribed in their memory. many botanical surveys, including work flora in north east Cumbria. are firmly focussed on involving people but also running community days and Under our commitment to training future They are now decorating structures over many years at RAF Spadeadam, which from all sections of the community and workshops. Brexit will cause two new bills generations of conservationists, we will on our flagship nature reserves. culminated in a published account of its flora. Elizabeth Walton Greystoke, Penrith Margaret also took part in botanical surveys of Elizabeth Walton was a great supporter of delivering learning and skills programmes to pass through Parliament, on agriculture appoint two undergraduate sandwich-year roadside verges, and of churchyards as part of Cumbria Wildlife Trust and a valued volunteer. aimed at young people, volunteers and the and fisheries. Both present huge students this year. As part of a project the Trust’s Wildlife in Sacred Places project. She was a member of the current Penrith wider community. opportunities for wildlife conservation funded by an Environment Grant from In memoriam Local Support Group committee and had been as well as inevitable risks. We will work Lakeland Ltd, the students will be based In 1996 she was presented with a Badger’s Paw involved with the group since its earliest days. I’m pleased to announce that during hard to get the best possible outcomes for at Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve and Award in recognition of the contribution she Over the years she held various roles on the made to the Trust’s work. She was a member and committee, including serving as Chair on more 2017–18 we will complete the acquisition wildlife and people. Gosling Sike Farm. The Trust is indebted to the many of land which links Smardale Gill and individuals who contribute so much supporter for over 34 years and, at the age of 98, than one occasion. may even have been our oldest living member. Waitby Greenriggs nature reserves in Later this year you will be able to visit Thank you for your continued support for to the success of our organisation Elizabeth was a great fundraiser and will east Cumbria. The land, part of the same two striking new hides at South Walney Cumbria Wildlife Trust and I look forward and who have given so much in their undoubtedly be remembered for her cake- disused railway line, adds an ecologically Nature Reserve. Visitors will be intrigued to sharing more of our news with you as it lifetime. Sadly, a number of well- baking. She held numerous tea parties and and geologically fascinating extension to by the new structures which will help them happens over the coming year. coffee mornings in her house, selling Trust known members died during the year: goods and raising money. Elizabeth received a both reserves, and will boost the visitors’ get even more from this stunning nature Badger’s Paw Award in 2005. experience of these popular sites even reserve. Thanks to funding from Cumbria Peter Bullard, Director

22 Protecting Wildlife for the Future 2016-2017 Annual Review 23 Cumbria Wildlife Trust Cumbria Wildlife Trust: 2016–2017 Plumgarths, Crook Road, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 8LX Cumbria Wildlife Trust is the only voluntary organisation devoted solely to the conservation of the wildlife and wild places of Cumbria. The Trust stands up T 01539 816300 for wildlife, creates wildlife havens and seeks to raise environmental awareness. Formed in 1962, the Trust now cares for over 38 nature reserves you can visit, [email protected] works to protect endangered habitats and species such as peat bogs and red www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk squirrels, campaigns for the protection of marine wildlife and helps adults and children to discover the importance of the natural world. Registered in England as Cumbria Wildlife Trust Limited, a Company Limited by Guarantee No. 00724133. Registered Charity No. 218711.

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Back cover photo: Beautiful demoiselle damselfly. fluiddesignstudio.com by Designed

Protecting Wildlife for the Future