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6. Survey and Monitoring

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6. Survey and Monitoring 6. Survey and monitoring Survey and monitoring are essential components of good Surveying management. Surveys of the scrub itself give information on extent, species composition and structure, and are essential ‘Survey’ is the recording of qualitative or quantitative for planning management. By using standard, repeatable biological data using easily repeatable standardised techniques for the initial surveys, they become the techniques over a restricted period without preconception baseline against which further monitoring is done. of the results. Surveys of species associated with scrub provide ‘Monitoring’ is the comparison of repeated surveys. It is information on their distribution and status, which is critically important that initial (baseline) surveys are done essential when planning management. Many scrub to a standard, described method and that the results are dependent species are now rare, due to loss and fully documented so that they can be repeated. fragmentation of their preferred scrub habitat. Management decisions made without regard to rare Baseline information should be gathered to inform species could damage or extinguish them; for example, management decisions and ongoing monitoring is needed eradication of willow scrub to prevent succession on a to continuously refine management techniques. This is wet heath could cause the local loss of the rare Dingy especially important on sites designated for nature Mocha moth. conservation. In England and Wales, targets have been set to ensure that SSSIs are in, or moving towards, It is theoretically possible to survey everything within the favourable condition. It is the responsibility of the statutory scrub community but this would take a great deal of time nature conservation body to assess whether this is the and money. It is therefore important to carefully plan a case by monitoring the designated interest. However, this survey programme so that the information gathered will represents the minimum required and in most cases more be of practical use. For sites with statutory designations detailed monitoring would inform management decisions. (SSSI, Scheduled Monument etc), there are legal Any additional survey and monitoring needs to be carefully requirements to monitor the designated interest. This planned to ensure it will deliver the required information in might be certain species of importance or the balance of a usable form and collected in a cost-effective way. communities, including changes in the extent of scrub. Even on non-designated sites it may be important to Survey and monitoring techniques must be objective, record changes in scrub distribution, structure and repeatable and provide the information required. Survey dependent species. and monitoring takes time, can require a significant level of expertise and has cost implications (especially if the Scrub regeneration monitoring. John Bacon/English Nature work is contracted out), so proposals need to be made in light of resources and skills available. The amount of survey and monitoring needs to be balanced with the resources needed to manage the scrub. It is good practice to delay the start of management until baseline surveys can be completed and plans developed. However, where resources are limited, monitoring can be limited to essentials, providing information only on the condition of the key interest of the site. 6 1 Monitoring monitored, which trigger management action. For example, Monitoring shows change: for example rate of spread of the extent of a scrub stand might be stated as being no scrub, rates of senescence or succession. Monitoring more than (eg) 20% of the land cover of a site, if it requires an ongoing commitment of resource, so, as part exceeds this, then reduction would be implemented. of the management planning process, the priority areas and species will need to be determined, as will the Some limits will be set by the Statutory Conservation frequency at which they should be covered in order to Agency (SCA), when determining favourable condition identify where problems occur with enough time to take criteria for nationally designated sites (SSSIs in England, action to rectify them. If resources allow, more in depth Wales and Scotland and ASSIs in Northern Ireland). Others monitoring is to be encouraged. Demands on staff or will need to be set at a site level, but guidance should be budgetary resources may be supplemented by experts available from the conservation agencies or experts in the who are willing to volunteer their time. relevant fields. Monitoring selected groups or species is partly an Survey and monitoring objectives must be achievable, so exercise in risk management to avoid any adverse it is important to assess them against the resources and impact to the species. However, there may be significant expertise available. Amateur naturalists often undertake species on the site that are not recorded and opportunities ad hoc surveys, particularly on sites with open access, should be taken to get a comprehensive species list. and can provide excellent data. Local biological record centres usually archive their data and can provide contact What follows is an outline of survey and monitoring, details of recorders. The National Biodiversity Network setting objectives, suggesting basic requirements, and web site (www.nbn.org.uk) provides links to all of the outlining methodologies for some of the surveys. These Local Record Centres. Other sources of useful information concentrate on those that are relatively cheap and simple. are likely to include local bird clubs and other natural history societies, country Conservation Agencies and 6.1 Setting objectives for Survey and Monitoring county Wildlife Trusts. There should be a clear objective for each survey, stating why it is necessary. Otherwise there is a risk that 6.2 Vegetation surveying will be done for its own sake and have no real Understanding what scrub communities are present, value. Surveys are carried out for many specific reasons their extent and their association with other habitats is – these fall into four main categories; fundamental to making appropriate management choices. The community type, age structure, condition and species • to assess the extent of scrub communities; needed present are also important. Basic vegetation surveys do to inform decisions about control of invasive species, not necessarily require high levels of botanical skill and or increasing the extent of threatened communities, experience. Simple surveys can effectively describe the conservation status of the habitat and its component • to assess the structure of scrub stands; to identify species and indicate any management issues. Repeated the need for diversifying structural mosaics, surveys allow changes to be monitored, showing changes in vegetation in response to management. • to assess the species composition of scrub stands; to identify community type(s) and so make appropriate 6.2.1 Phase 1: mapping decisions for its conservation or control, Phase 1 is a relatively simple, standardised method for mapping broad vegetation communities that needs no • to assess the presence of species using the scrub; specialist equipment and only basic botanical skills. to identify key species to be maintained or enhanced, Phase 1 defines scrub in broad terms; deciduous, mixed, or possibly to identify pests and so plan for their coniferous or alien, but target notes are used to list eradication, dominant species. Phase 2, the NVC survey (see below), defines the precise vegetation community type. The generic objective for monitoring is to assess any changes in the above parameters. Field surveys identify the habitat types and map them onto a 1:10,000 scale map using a standard colour Survey and monitoring informs the site manager of the scheme and alphanumeric habitat codes. Codes are used status and trends in the parameters being measured. for dominant species and target notes are used to record This information is used to determine management, so specific features and information. The maps need to be it is necessary to evaluate the results carefully so that as accurate as field conditions will allow. If field GPS appropriate management decisions are made. It is a good (global positioning system) and a GIS (Geographic idea to determine limits for the various parameters being Information System) programmes are available, they can 6 2 greatly increase the precision and speed of the survey as 6.2.3.2 Photographic monitoring community boundaries can be logged by the field GPS Fixed-point photography is a simple, cheap and quick means and data automatically transferred to GIS. of monitoring change. Photographs are taken from exactly the same point at the same angle, in the same light Phase 1 maps are very useful in management planning. conditions and at the same season, annually or at set For more detail on the methods and analysis of Phase 1 frequencies. Comparisons will show trends at a macro Survey read the JNCC Handbook for Phase 1 habitat scale. Fixed points must be carefully chosen – it is possible survey. (JNCC 1993) to miss many changes through poor selection – and to ensure the view from the camera is not obscured in later 6.2.2 Phase 2: National Vegetation years as scrub grows taller. Classification (NVC) The National Vegetation Classification system defines Aerial photograph surveys (vertical or oblique) are usually British vegetation communities based on their species flown by local authorities every 5 or 10 years. Paper composition.
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