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BRISTOL ZOO, CAR PARK (WEST) ECOLOGICAL REPORT For BRISTOL ZOO, CAR PARK (WEST) ECOLOGICAL REPORT For BRISTOL, CLIFTON & WEST OF ENGLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY LTD FEBRUARY 2021 BRISTOL ZOO, CAR PARK WEST ECOLOGICAL REPORT 1 INTRODUCTION This report summarises the findings of a field survey and a data search covering an area currently used as a car park off College Road, Clifton. It also assesses the nature conservation value of the site and identifies potential impacts associated with proposals to redevelop the site. 2 METHODS Extended Phase 1 Surveys were carried out on 8th January and 19th January 2021. The surveys covered vegetation types and plant species, birds, some groups of insects and badgers. Trees were checked, using binoculars, for holes, crevices and other features that might support roosting bats. Buildings were checked, using binoculars, a ladder and a torch where appropriate, for signs of roosting bats and for features that might be used by roosting bats. Habitat potential for other protected species was assessed. A data search was carried out at Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre (BRERC), who provided details of designated sites, protected species and notable species recorded within 500m of the survey site. 3 SURVEY RESULTS 3.1 Site Description The survey site is currently in use as a car park and ancillary gardens yard. It is largely unvegetated ballast, with narrow beds of ornamental shrub planting separating some of the bays. Some of these beds have sapling or immature trees and there are larger conifer trees on the margins of the site. The site includes two buildings and several outbuildings. The site is in an urban setting and neither the survey site nor any adjacent area has any nature conservation designation. However, the Clifton Downs Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) is within 100m of the application site, to the north. The nearest part of the Avon Gorge Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Avon Gorge Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is just over 100m to the west. The application site is separated from both Clifton Down and the Avon Gorge by housing and well-used roads. 3.2 Vegetation The areas described below are shown on the attached map. A plant species list is attached as appendix 1. Most of the site has ballast that is in regular use for car parking and is unvegetated. Small areas around the edges of the car park have very sparse ruderal vegetation, 1 which includes groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), petty spurge (Euphorbia peplus) and growths of moss species, which are locally dense and include Didymodon insulanus, Bryum capillare and Barbula convoluta. Trees planted between car parking bays are largely non-native but include immature silver birch (Betula pendula) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). There is a self- sown immature sallow (Salix x reichardtii) in the south-western part of the site. The three larger trees on the margins of the site are all non-native conifers. Several of the boundary walls have a mixture of ornamental planting and self-sown bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg) and holm oak (Quercus ilex). Species associated with these areas include very small quantities of ivy broomrape (Orobanche hederae) and madder (Rubia peregrina); the locations of these plants are shown on the attached map. There is a small length of planted hedge in the northern part of the site. This consists of beech (Fagus sylvatica), holly (Ilex aquifolium) and holm oak, with an associated ground flora of Atlantic ivy (Hedera hibernica) and bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg). 3.3 Protected Species No badger sett or other signs of badger activity were found. None of the trees on the site has any hole, crevice or similar feature that could be used by roosting bats. There are two buildings on the site. The north-eastern building has a combination of pebble dash and stone walls; the latter are well-pointed. It has a tile roof; tiles are in good condition and close-fitting. The interior of the building, which is in use as a storeroom, is open to the roof. There is no separate roof space and the whole of the interior is well lit through windows and skylights. The other building has walls of well-pointed brick with well-fitting and snug window and door frames. It has a flat roof with a bitumen covering. The interior of the building is in regular use as an office; there is no separate roof space. There are several outbuildings associated with this building. All of these were checked for signs of and none was found. Further details are given in the Assessment section below. 3.4 Birds and Insects The only bird species recorded on the survey site were robin, blackbird and great tit. Species recorded in adjacent gardens were herring gull, wood pigeon, blue tit, coal tit, goldcrest, blackcap, dunnock, redwing, magpie, jackdaw, robin, goldfinch and house sparrow. Due to the timing of the surveys the only insects recorded were larval leafmines as follows: Phytomyza ilicis fly and Phyllonorycter leucographella, Phyllonorycter maestingella and Mecyna asinalis moths. 2 3.5 Adjacent Areas The areas adjoining the site consist of a mixture of houses, roads and gardens, some of which are well-established and include large trees. The closest part of the Clifton Down SNCI has a mixture of amenity grassland, scrub and woodland, with small areas of species-rich grassland around rock outcrops on steeper slopes. The closest part of the Avon Gorge SSSI has secondary woodland although there are more important habitats, including limestone grassland and crevice communities with assemblages of rare plants, within 300m of the application site. 3.6 Data Search BRERC does not hold any records of protected or notable species from the site itself. There are many records from the surrounding area; most of these relate to bird species that remain common or widespread but are of conservation concern due to steep population declines but there are also records of notable plant and insect species from the Avon Gorge and parts of Clifton Down. These include records of nationally rare and scarce species. Records of protected species in the surrounding area are the following: Slow worm: From the edge of the Avon Gorge, approximately 350m to the west, in 2015; from a site approximately 350m to the south, in 2018. Badger: From several sites on the Downs and along the edges of the Gorge. Hedgehog: There is a small number of records of this species from the edges of the Avon Gorge. Common toad: From within the zoo, approximately 150m to the east, in 2019. Great crested newt: From Whiteladies Road, approximately 750m to the north-east, in 1999. Common pipstrelle bat: From a site approximately 550m to the south, in 2013; from a site approximately 400m to the south-east, in 2011. Soprano pipistrelle bat: From a site approximately 550m to the south, in 2013. Brown long-eared bat: A roost is present in the Avon Gorge. Noctule bat: From a site approximately 550m to the south, in 2013. Serotine bat: From a site approximately 150m to the north, in 2011. Greater and lesser horseshoe bats: Roosts of both species are present in the Avon Gorge. Leisler’s bat: From within the zoo, approximately 100m to the east, in 1998; from a site approximately 450m to the south, in 1993. 4 ASSESSMENT The biodiversity value of the various features on the site has been assessed in order to determine whether they are of nature conservation value in a national, regional or city-wide context, of either high or low value in a local context, or of minimal nature conservation value. The assessment has used standard ecological criteria, such as 3 diversity, rarity, fragility and amenity value. Reference has been made to suitable guidance, including the 2006 NERC Act and the UK and Bristol Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs). The value of the site for groups not surveyed, including many invertebrates, has been assessed using information gathered on habitat type and structure. The survey was carried out early in the year, but given the nature of the habitats on site the information gathered is sufficient to allow a full assessment to be made. 4.1 Habitats Most of the site is unvegetated, and other areas have small quantities of common and widespread species. Regular use of the site as a car park does not allow any significant value for invertebrates. These areas are of minimal nature conservation value. The trees on the site, with the exception of the sallow, have all been planted and most are non-native species. They are isolated from any extensive areas of wooded habitat. They are of some ecological value but are not of any significance in a wider context. The most valuable of the trees from a biodiversity point of view is the sallow, since this species provides early nectar and is also a larval foodplant for many insect species. There are no ecologically significant trees or areas of scrub on the site. Two of the plant species recorded on the site – ivy broomrape and madder – are Avon Notable Species and also have a restricted distribution nationally, although both are fairly widespread in this part of Bristol. The micro-moth Mecyna asinalis, which feeds only on madder, is also present and is also an uncommon species. The populations of these three species are of high nature conservation importance in a local context. 4.2 Protected Species Due to the absence of vegetation across most of the site and the tall walls that surround it, broken only by gateways, it is unsuitable for most protected species. None of the trees on or around the site has holes, crevices or dense growths of ivy that could be used by roosting bats.
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