1 Species Recovery Programme 10th Anniversary Conference Preface............................................................................................................................3 Introduction....................................................................................................................3 Dr Tony Whitten, World Bank ......................................................................................6 Origins of the Species Recovery Programme ............................................................6 Chris Baines.................................................................................................................11 The Nature of the Future..........................................................................................11 Dr Tony Gent, The Herpetological Conservation Trust ..............................................16 Conservation of amphibians and reptiles.................................................................16 Dr Martin Warren, Butterfly Conservation..................................................................25 Species recovery work on butterflies and moths: an overview................................25 Dr Roger Key, English Nature.....................................................................................31 ‘Pot’ beetles - Cryptocephalus spp. .........................................................................31 Dr Johannes Vogel, Programme Leader UK Biodiversity, The Natural History Museum, London .........................................................................................................36 Engaging With the Public – Progress and Perspectives on the English Nature-NHM Biodiversity Co-ordination project ..........................................................................36 Dr Valerie Keeble, People’s Trust For Endangered Species .......................................42 The benefits of wider involvement – the case of the stag beetle .............................42 D A Joyce, S Burke, L A Martin, and A S Pullin........................................................50 Genetics of Butterflies: Understanding Leading to Conservation ...........................50 Dr Michael F. Fay, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew .......................................................59 Conservation Genetics of Cypripedium calceolus...................................................59 Steve Compton, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation, University of Leeds.......62 Endemic Beetles in Britain: How Many Are There?...............................................62 Dr David Sheppard, Invertebrate Ecologist, English Nature.......................................67 The Importance of Scrub and Bare Ground.............................................................67 Dr Nigel Bourn, Butterfly Conservation......................................................................72 Habitats, the Landscape & Butterflies .....................................................................72 Dr Jenny Duckworth, Plantlife ....................................................................................76 A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss: Discuss............................................................76 Colin Speedie, MER Consultants ................................................................................79 The Basking Shark: Global Threats & Risks...........................................................79 Peter Richardson, Marine Conservation Society (MCS) .............................................90 Saving Turtles Together: The Partnership Approach ..............................................90 Barry Collins, UK Ecology Manager, Center Parcs ....................................................97 Species recovery and commercial development ......................................................97 Philippa Roberts, Earthwatch.....................................................................................102 The Business & Biodiversity Resource Centre......................................................102 Leigh Lock & Cath Jeffs, RSPB................................................................................106 The Case of the Cirl Bunting .................................................................................106 Dr Phil Wilson, Wessex Environmental Associates..................................................112 The Arable Flora....................................................................................................112 Brian Banks – English Nature....................................................................................117 American Bullfrogs in Britain ...............................................................................117 Jason Reynolds, Durham Wildlife Trust....................................................................123 Squirrels: Grey Versus Red ...................................................................................123 Paul Bradley, Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield......130 White-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes at Craven Limestone Complex SAC, North Yorkshire ...........................................................................................130 Dr Gillian Gilbert – RSPB .........................................................................................133 2 Species Recovery Programme 10th Anniversary Conference Reedbeds & Bitterns ..............................................................................................133 George Barker MBE ..................................................................................................138 Nature in Cities? You Can’t Be Serious!..............................................................138 Alfred Baldacchino, Head, Biodiversity protection Unit, Malta ...............................146 Species Action in Malta- the beginning.................................................................146 Martin Harper, Conservation Director, Plantlife .......................................................151 A worldwide vision to save England’s threatened plants ......................................151 Mike Harley, English Nature .....................................................................................159 Climate Change & Nature Conservation In Britain & Ireland ..............................159 Dr Mark Avery, RSPB/Biodiversity Challenge.........................................................165 Species Conservation – Future Challenges............................................................165 Alex Kirby, BBC News Online Environment Correspondent...................................170 Key note address....................................................................................................170 Appendix 1.................................................................................................................173 Species Recovery Programme Founder Awards....................................................173 Appendix 11...............................................................................................................175 References and contacts:........................................................................................175 Appendix 111.............................................................................................................178 Marine turtle information sheets............................................................................178 3 Species Recovery Programme 10th Anniversary Conference The Species Recovery Programme 10th Anniversary Conference Proceedings Editors: Dave Stone, Jenny Tither and Paul Lacey. Preface These are the official proceedings of English Nature’s Species Recovery Programme 10th anniversary conference, held at the Hayes Conference Centre at Swanwick in Derbyshire, between Wednesday 5 and Friday 7 December 2001. Introduction In December 2001 over 200 of the UK’s leading conservationists gathered in Derbyshire, England for a conference to celebrate the tenth anniversary of English Nature’s Species Recovery Programme. The conference delegates represented over 100 organisations, all of which had played their part in taking forward this ambitious programme to conserve some of the most endangered plants and animals in the country. The conference was a celebration of partnership, as well as longevity. The programme reflected on the successes of the past ten years, critical lessons for species conservation, and perhaps most importantly, some of the challenges that species’ recovery work will have to meet over the next decade. The challenges that emerged over the three days focused on the issues of agricultural practice; ecosystem solutions to species management; the importance engaging communities and businesses, developing international collaboration; and the need to address exploitation of our seas. As I write this, nearly one year on from the actual conference, I am acutely aware that the conference touched on many issues raised by the England Biodiversity Strategy and even at the 2002 world summit in Johannesburg. The recovery of species is not an easy process, and it is often asked what the real value is in years of work to save an obscure invertebrate or lichen. It can be argued that the saving an organism is a laudable act in its own right, and I have a great deal of sympathy with that view. The added value lies in the important focus for learning provided by scarce species. The extremes of their predicament and the solutions there-in often bring to light approaches