September 2018-August 2019
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-19 September 2018-August 2019 Wild Day Out – exploring the new sculpture trail © Tracy Standish Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 Acknowledgements The Blashford Project is a partnership between Bournemouth Water, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and Wessex Water During the period of 2018-2019 we are also very grateful to New Forest District Council for a grant towards the day to day running costs of managing the Centre and Nature Reserve, New Forest LEADER for their grant towards improving the visitor experience at Blashford Lakes (in particular the installation of wildlife camera’s for viewing by the public and the visitor improvements to the environs inside and immediately around the Centre) and to Veolia Environmental Trust, with money from the Landfill Communities Fund, for the creation of a new wildlife pond, the construction of a new hide and a volunteer manned visitor information hub and improvements to site interpretation and signage. The Trust would also like to acknowledge and thank the many members and other supporters who gave so genererously to our appeal for match funding. Thank you also to the Cameron Bespolka Trust for their generous funding and continued support of our Young Naturalist group. Publication Details How to cite report: No part of this document may be reproduced without permission. This document should be cited as: author, date, publisher etc. For information on how to obtain further copies of this document Disclaimers: and accompanying data please contact Hampshire & Isle of Wight All recommendations given by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Wildlife Trust: [email protected] Trust (HIWWT) are done so in good faith and every effort is made to ensure that they are accurate and appropriate however it is the Front cover: sole responsibility of the landowner to ensure that any actions they Wild Day Out – exploring the new sculpture trail © Tracy Standish take are both legally and contractually compliant. Therefore, Published by: HIWWT does not accept responsibility or liability for any losses Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust incurred or arising from recommendations that we give. Beechcroft House Copyright information: Vicarage Lane Maps reproduced by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Curdridge (Ordnance Survey licence no. 100015632) with the permission of Hampshire Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Crown Copyright 2014. SO32 2DP Unauthorised reproduction infringes Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. A company limited by guarantee & registered in England and Wales No. 676313. Registered Charity No. 201081. i Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-19 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 1 7.3 Conservation work – target habitats ................................................ 21 1.1 Summary of highlights 2017/18:......................................................... 2 8. WATER BIRD SPECIES MONITORING ...................................... 23 1.2 Summary of highlights 2016/17: Wildlife ............................................ 3 9. BREEDING BIRDS ..................................................................... 28 2. EDUCATION OVERVIEW.............................................................. 4 10. OTHER RECORDING ............................................................... 30 2.1 Formal education program ................................................................. 5 11. APPENDICES ........................................................................... 32 2.2 Informal education program .............................................................. 6 APPENDIX A: Annual visit data used to produce tables in the report; 2008- 2019 ...................................................................................................... 32 3. VISITORS ................................................................................... 10 APPENDIX B: Breakdown of visits across the financial year; 1/04/18- 4. ACCESS FOR ALL ...................................................................... 12 31/03/19 ............................................................................................... 33 5. VOLUNTEERS ............................................................................ 13 APPENDIX C: Young Naturalists reports .................................................. 34 5.1 Education volunteers ....................................................................... 13 APPENDIX D: Waterfowl total counts for September 2018- March 2019 . 36 5.2 Conservation volunteers .................................................................. 14 APPENDIX E: Butterfly transect summaries ............................................ 38 5.3 Wildlife survey volunteers ................................................................ 14 APPENDIX F:Reptile transect summaries ............................................... 40 6. ACCESS AND INTERPRETATION .............................................. 15 7.1 Survey work ..................................................................................... 20 7.2 Wildlife conservation success ........................................................... 21 ii Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-19 instrumental to its early success, withdrew from the Partnership during this period and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust takes this opportunity 1. INTRODUCTION to acknowledge and recognise their substantial contribution to the Project over nearly 25 years. Blashford Lakes is an area of land in the Avon Valley to the north of The project currently employs 3 full-time members of staff, supported by an Ringwood, Hampshire, incorporating a series of lakes formed by sand and invaluable, enthusiastic and growing team of volunteers. gravel extraction over the last sixty years. The Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve encompasses approximately 360 acres of this wider area, In addition, education activity on site is supported by three Outdoor including Ibsley Water, Ellingham Lake, Ivy Lake, Blashford Lake and the Learning Tutors employed on a sessional basis. land surrounding them. There are a wide variety of habitats (lake, pond, river, ancient woodland and secondary woodland, grassland and reedbed). Not withstanding extraordinary circumstances, the nature reserve is open As a result its wildlife is very diverse and it is an attractive destination for daily, from 9am-4.30pm, 364 days of the year. visitors throughout the year. For more information and links to the reserve blog and events programme The Blashford Lakes are important nature conservation habitats, recognised by national and international designations (SSSI, SPA and see: SAC) for migratory over-wintering wildfowl. Most activity by the Blashford www.hiwwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/blashford-lakes-nature-reserve Project occurs on and around Ibsley Water and Ivy Lake - the lakes and www.hiwwt.org.uk/education-centres/blashford-lakes-education-centre adjoining tracts of land provide a significant recreational resource for local residents, with an extensive educational role provided through the Blashford Lakes Centre. This was opened in 1996 by Professor David Bellamy and general public access to the nature reserve has been permitted and promoted since 2006. During that time the permissive footpath network has been extended to 8km of rolled gravel footpaths and the reserve also boasts 10 bird watching hides and screens. Ease of accessibility has been considered throughout the reserves development and as a result the reserve is visited and enjoyed by people of all ages and physical abilities. During this period the Project has benefitted significantly from an extensive programme of visitor improvements with funding from New Forest LEADER, Veolia Environmental Trust, with money from the Landfill Communities Fund and generous public donations. The nature reserve is managed as the Blashford Project by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust in partnership with the landowners of the site Bournemouth Water and Wessex Water. Partner representatives meet regularly throughout the year to discuss and agree project work. The New Forest District Council, one of the founder partners of the Project who were Blashford Lakes © Keith Betton 1 Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 1.1 Summary of highlights 2018/19: Education • 4520 - the number of children and adults engaged in Wildlife Trust staff and volunteer led guided activities during the report period. • 3224 - the number of people our Welcome Volunteers have engaged in conversation and provided assistance to since the inaugural weekend of this new volunteer role at the end of March 2019. Both the Welcome Volunteers and the new “Welcome Hut”, information hub, have proven to be a real asset to the Project, well received by both our visitors and the volunteers themselves. • 2101 - the number of hours given by volunteers in support of our education and engagement activities at Blashford Lakes in this period. • 16 - the number of “Wild Days Out” school holiday wildlife activity days held during this period. • 22 - the number of young people attending “Young Naturalists” monthly meetings, which this year included an overnight stay at Blashford Lakes and a weekend residential visit to the Isle of Purbeck. • 13 - the number of sculptures installed on the new “Wild Walk”, comprising four chainsaw sculptures and nine woven willow sculptures. Six of the willow sculptures (three wasps and three dragonflies) were