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CONSERVATION TEAM MEETING 2012 w/c 5th November NEWS & FEEDBACK - Manor Yard Staff

Caroline B Caroline K FINANCE/ADMIN FUNDRAISING Ian John Review visit to Holtspur Bottom reserve with Branch and Town Council members / vols who look after the adjoining LNR which is covered by the same HLS agreement that we hold. Main issues as usual concern the difficulties of securing the contractors to undertake the cutting and collecting needed, and sufficient supporting grazing. This growth- abundant year underlines the inadequacy of a late cut and autumn-graze approach to creating and maintaining a short, herb rich sward. Horseshoe vetch is abundant where planted in the two scrapes (c 20m long) created but succession will eventually swamp those. The Chalkhill Blues (illicitly released..) are apparently hanging on – but any prospect more widespread habitat and strong population requires a drastic change in management regime. Getting further with the scrub removal intended to recover grassland will also need a heavier handed approach if the dogwood in particular is to be suppressed – mechanical excavation and herbicide are in mind.

Les Mark Although mainly on leave last week, did provide comments on the first drfat of the State of Britain’s Moths report to Richard, submitted a response on behalf of BC to DONG Energy on a proposed wind farm, the landfall cables for two routes could impact on the sole good population of Belted Beauty in England, and attended the BENHS exhibition last Saturday (as ever an interesting and busy day).

At the BENHS I picked up the new volume of The Geometrid Moths of Europe. This is the first book I’m aware of for Lepidoptera that uses DNA Barcoding extensively, 95% of the species coverd having being barcodeed. This does mean we have lost a species in Britain, Arran Carpet has been sunk to a subspecies of Common Marbled Carpet.

Martin Attended Forestry Stakeholder meeting which discussed the future priorities for FC. Rather cheekily, Defra are asking what other stakeholders will be doing to help FC in their work (ie for free!). They re- iterated that woods would not be privatised but a few people said that FC were now constrained by 20% loss of staff to do anything! I made the case about active management for biodiversity being a greater priority than tree planting. Interestingly, the NT said that was their priority to on their own estate.

Wildlife Link have made a formal submission to the latest consultation that Defra are doing and I have supplemented this with a short one from BC, stressing our own interests and willingness to help with advice, survey and monitoring.

The whole issue of Ash Die-back (Chalara) has been in the news and we are preparing a list if species that might be affected for the website. At least 16 moths feed on ash, and several butterflies feed on the honeydew, so it could be a real problem. We are also looking at whether we should be issuing guidance for BC members visiting sites to avoid helping CONSERVATION TEAM MEETING 2012 w/c 5th November transmission of the spores.

We wrote a letter to NBN urging them to reconsider plans for full data downloads facility on the Gateway as this will undermine our schemes. The letter was signed by BSBI and RSPB. We had a quick reply and have hastily fixed a meeting on 14 Nov before their next Board meeting. We hope we can get them to change their mind.

Council meeting was interesting, mainly technical issues about how we organise our restricted funds and financial reserves, as well as governance issues. We have had some good feedback from Branches about the 2020 vision feedback, but also some more lobbying on the need for more Branch support!! We are looking at several options.

MEMBERSHIP Nigel PUBLICITY Rachel Sam Tom B Zoe

WORK ITEMS & WEEK AHEAD – Manor Yard Staff

Caroline B In Monday to Wednesday. Monday – species team meeting. Rest of the week progressing FBI project. Helping Sam/Nigel with any further work on the Landscape report.

Caroline K FINANCE/ADMIN FUNDRAISING Ian John Les Mark Although I kept on top of emails last week, there are a number that require further action. This includes comment on text for State of Nature report and a draft of a paper on the NMRS (with Richard). Also expect to work on the larger moth IUCN statuses with Richard, and the State of Britain’s Moths report, also with Richard. In between times, there are the Lep. Cons. Bull. moth accounts and an article on top ten most endangered moths, amongst other things, no doubt some will carry over into future weeks.

Martin Priorities

Wed - M&S telecom to discuss the future of Big Butterfly Count Council minutes Ash Die-back response Plan AGM

MEMBERSHIP Nigel PUBLICITY Rachel Continuing with Duke Site Dossier and Pearl-bordered Fritillary Site Dossier whilst working on a few other bits such as Heath Fritillary in CONSERVATION TEAM MEETING 2012 w/c 5th November Blean report. Sam Landscape Conservation Review: final final edits! Education project: meeting Kate and Catherine on Thurs

Tom B Zoe

NEWS & FEEDBACK - Non Manor Yard Staff

Catherine SOMM Dominated this week. Visit from Audience Development Consultant from Plantlife to help shape the HLF audience participation plan, tenders for the development phase gone through, first event for the project surprisingly successful at Killykeeghan. Our mushroom expert dropped out at the last minute and I had to dredge through all the moths to in my brain to rediscover Hygrocybe and lead the walk on Grassland fungi and indicators. Despite no power and no chairs, we had a surprising number of people from lots of different backgrounds (not that many ‘locals’) and we all felt we had started something quite exciting. If we can manage with snow on the mountains in the dark, the summer should be a breeze!

NIEL Challenge Fund The micro-Leps project that the branch have gone for and the swatches have both received Letters of Offer, which I am delighted about.

Bioblitz Ha! After a recheck of all the data NI won the All-Ireland Bioblitz. Just announced this week. The ‘winners’, Glengariff, are now third! Good news in many ways as there’s a meeting this week to discuss next years event and I really really hope we get another one in a more central location for 2013, there’s a lot of interest. I’ve put my oar in anyway. Fingers crossed.

Dan Dukes: - Met with Jay Doyle to review FE sites in South England District (including parts of East England District in Sussex, Kent and Chilterns) as part of FC/BC strategy. Good progress on many sites, a few highlighted for potential future work including Charlton, Eartham and Houghton Forests in West Sussex as part of a landscape for Drab Looper and Dukes. To discuss with Tony. - NE meeting looking at national climate vulnerability model for BAP Habitats led by Simon Duffield and Sarah Taylor (part of Hampshire Winning Ways post-NIA project). Unsurprisingly river valleys and wetlands scored as most vulnerable, and of little value for woodland because of poor resolution of woodland habitats in the BAP, but also shows little vulnerability for chalk grassland. Model being made available includes scores for 200m2 grids in habitat fragmentation and topography which may be useful (e.g. for cross referencing with species dossiers to look for patterns). - Contract issued for SITA scrub management at Butser Hill to start November.

RO: - Met Upper Thames volunteers and BBOWT concerned over Bernwood Meadows project which will be fencing and grazing CONSERVATION TEAM MEETING 2012 w/c 5th November meadows and creating more scrubby habitat for brown and black hairstreaks on several BBOWT sites. Volunteer concerns about lots of hedges being ripped out in one go largely assuaged. - Provided advice to Dan Danahar and Brighton & Hove District council staff about management at Stanmer Park, Brighton (SWF & general management) - Also revisited Dan’s ‘Butterfly Haven’ bare ground creation project at Dorothy Stringer School, Brighton. The early succession habitat by bulldozing chalk in 2007 only lasted 3-4 years and is now very green and lush – turns out too much topsoil was included in the mix, and parts of the site need to be reset with more scraping. Good colonization by Small Blue etc but now being both cut and grazed to try and keep it short. Butterfly Haven 2 created nearby this year has much higher % of bare chalk, more varied aspects and slopes, and almost no grass seeded in (just herb seeds).

Dave W George Graham Jenny J Completed the first draft of the South Shropshire Woods report with Mike Williams. This proved to be a useful exercise in terms of identifying the amount achieved and where to go to from here.

Attended the launch of the Meres and Mosses NIA and Landscape Partnership Scheme where Butterfly Conservation was mentioned at least three times in the presentations with full credit going to Stephen for his collaborative working and his efforts in helping these schemes get off the ground.

Jenny P Site visits to HLS pipeline sites (Grendon Farm, Clannaborough Farm & Moortown Farm) with new NE Adviser to discuss management for MF under potential new agreements.

Spent a day with 9 volunteers at Higher Bumsley Farm on Exmoor, transplanting violets from a bank into the nearby bracken slope, in restoration efforts to encourage the HBF back onto the site.

Also spent a day with volunteers from South West Lakes Trust at Fernworthy Reservoir, clearing scrub and transplanting Devil’s-bit into the MF breeding area. This was supposed to be an opportunity to do some filming with Dartmoor NPA, who are making a short film which will be accessible on their website about the work going on at Marsh Frit and Southern Damselfly sites. This would have been an excellent opportunity to promote the project but we were doomed by the weather which was really changeable, and every 5 minutes it trashed it down, so we didn’t get the filming done as the camera was really sensitive to the wet … so we’ll try again on the next volunteer task day.

Met Chris Marrow (ex FC area manager), and now the land agent managing forestry around Kennick, Tottiford & Trenchford Reservoirs, to discuss management for PBF, Grizzled & Dingy Skipper and other butterflies. Local volunteer recorder, Stephen Hatch, also came along and was able to share his vast local knowledge of the flight areas. Chris is preparing the next management plan and it looks hopeful that the long period of neglect/minimal management is about to end and more pro- CONSERVATION TEAM MEETING 2012 w/c 5th November active management and clearing is about to get underway (he was really impressed with the Woodland Management booklet!).

Martin Seem to be getting on well with Dallam Estate, and they are interested in managing over 35 Ha of limestone woodland as a woodfuel and butterfly project. Am very keen to be involved and i’m looking to include this in my NIA role. End of week work (and expenses) taken up with an urgent project plan for Wakebarrow, with a meeting next week with FC to progress this important site work. Plus work on Friday curtailed by the Ash Dieback survey, and I was dragooned into helping over the weekend on this huge FC survey. None found in north Lancs.

Paul Richard Russel Complicated meeting regarding grazing plans of sites in Ystradgynlais Metapopulation focusing on the Neath Port Talbot sites and a 60ha failed forestry block. So many people involved that new problems crop up seemingly daily. Trying to get a common grazing licence for the graziers as they will be issued by three different organizations to the same group of graziers.

Still working on Environment Wales bids for Drab Looper and Brown Hairstreak. Now waiting for letters of support and final sign off before submitting next week.

Started to explore funding of Median Farm reserve extension – prepared draft project outline for DB. Hoping to get lease finalized next week.

Urgent request from CCW for report on results of grazing management at Harlech for Marsh Fritillary – Sounds like internal conflict regarding SAC features (Marsh Fritillary isn’t included). Thanks to Ian and George for sorting the data.

WEL Chairs meeting examining how we best influence the Government’s massive legislative programme when even big NGO’s are experiencing consultation overload.

Still getting positive feedback on this year’s Wales Newsletter – thanks to those who have read it enough to think they spotted a mistake!

Sharon Completed pre-comms meetings with contractors and FC at Bucknell and Hazelborough Woods. We have included some scallops but the main effort will be ride clearance due to uncertainty about whether FC will be able to maintain scallops in the future. Meeting with contractor to agree clearance of tree filled pits at West Harling Heath which have been a magnet for Grizzled Skipper in the past.

Shona Applied to British Science Association for funding towards costs of Recorders’ Gathering in March. Promoted BCS at Keep Scotland Beautiful’s annual get-together in Stirling (200 attendees).

Stephen L Launch of the Meres & Mosses Landscape Partnership Scheme and Nature Improvement Area at Ellesmere. Did a display. Owen Patterson, Sec of State for Environment and local MP, should have done this but he CONSERVATION TEAM MEETING 2012 w/c 5th November had to be in London to chair a COBRA meeting on ash trees – reasonable excuse I suppose. Chair of NE stood in for him. Certainly a lot of energy behind all the different projects. Very few ash trees on Prees Heath, and we did not include any in the roadside tree planting we did a few years ago. Inspected one ash tree using the FC’s website guide regarding what to look for – seemed healthy to me. Received some old moth records for the site, and will be putting together a comprehensive moth list in the next few weeks. The correct Shropshire Way waymarkers have now been installed, and I have corrected their draft leaflet guide.

Tom P Started extracting vegetation data from the New Forest Burnet archive to help detect any changes in vegetation at the site and thus determine the need for grazing.

Hopefully finalized SAF talk and abstract plus some work on the contents for the SAF handbook. Further liaison with Coille Alba (previously Scottish Native Woods) over continued funding of cotoneaster clearance on Mull to benefit Slender Scotch Burnet and with SNH and woodland agent over woodland grazing at Craig Dhu particularly to benefit PBF and NBA. Otherwise good week for catching up.

Tony Attended annual BENHS exhibition in London. Some interesting exhibits as usual but the main value is in talking to other entomologists. Some particularly useful discussions with Andy Page of FC regarding various species in the New Forest.

WORK ITEMS & WEEK AHEAD - Non Manor Yard Staff:

Catherine Important meetings for this week Mon – WAH Tuesday – Corp Comms meeting, Belfast Wednesday – Office Thursday – Belfast/BCNI committee meeting Friday – WAH

Three main work areas: 1. SOMM 2. Corp comms 3. Records/Stock checking

Dan Important meetings for this week Tue & Thurs: Volunteer work parties Verdley Wood, Sussex, with South Downs NP Friday: Site visit to Harewood Common (Test Valley Borough Council) with Alison Cross HWT & Kevin Harrington TVBC) – Dukes project

Three main work areas: Dukes management planning Site dossiers SEWWI

Dave W George Forestry reports CONSERVATION TEAM MEETING 2012 w/c 5th November

Graham Jenny J Visit to the Wyre Forest to see the contractor work to date.

Jenny P Important meetings for this week Monday – Species team meeting, Manor Yard Tuesday a.m. – meet contractor at Great Plantation, then Haldon sites re winter management Tuesday p.m. – Dartmoor National Park management plan workshop, Parke Wednesday – Exeter office Thursday – site visits, Exmoor (probably Barle Valley) Friday – Roborough Common – Duchy College students, scrub management

Main work areas 1) Meetings, site visits, and volunteer tasks, and trying to do an admin catch-up

Martin Important meetings for Week for Morecambe Bay Project Mon- Toil Tue – NIA first Tuesday meeting, Dave Wainright mini appraisal and planning meeting Wed – Meeting with Leighton Hall Estate to review work and Myers. Sustainability meeting in evening to present woodland progress to group Thurs – Myers allotment wood fuel volunteer day Fri –.Rusland Valley HLF meeting. Middelbarrow extraction day. Evening talk to Naturalist group about project.

Three main work areas: 1) Expenses 2) expenses 3) expenses

Paul Richard Russel Important meetings for this week 1. Monday – PM: Meeting Rights of way officer at Seven Sisters – Neath Port Talbot. 2. Thursday – PM Discuss Median Farm lease with CCW – Llandeilo 3. Sunday – First work party of year at Hirwaun.

Three main work areas: 1. State of Wales report 2. Finish EW applications

Sharon 1. Meeting contractors and FC at Yardley, Sywell and Whitfield 2. Marking plots for contractors at Cranwich

Shona 1) Scottish Newsletter 2) Speckled Wood Survey results 3) Gen admin

Stephen L Tom P Important meetings for this week CONSERVATION TEAM MEETING 2012 w/c 5th November HAG committee meeting

Three main work areas: 1) Collating CS & PBF monitoring CS & PBF monitoring on data on NFE and chasing final contractors 2) Collating NFB vegetation data 3) Collating data from CS survey

Tony 1. Ash feeding Lepidoptera info 2. Finalise info for wockeella project so that we can actually start 3. Preliminary work on Tytherley Woods project