Biodiversity Action Plan highlights 2009

Welcome to the second newsletter of the HEF Biodiversity Partnership Group highlighting some of the key achievements of the partnership over the past year. Inside you can find out more about the work we are doing to conserve and enhance ’s biodiversity – more specifically, our progress with implementing the Hertfordshire Biodiversity Action Plan, a few examples of biodiversity projects being delivered by partners across the county and an update on some of the projects we first mentioned last year.

A global target to significantly reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010 was agreed by nearly 200 countries back in 2002. Despite all the good work that is taking place, biodiversity continues to be threatened at both a local and global scale. In recognition of this and to raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity for both our health and our wealth, the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. This is planned to align with the next conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity in October 2010 when governments will set new targets and steps needed to address biodiversity loss. Woodland Creation Project River Water-dropwort At Heartwood Forest near St Albans, site for the A survey of River Water-dropwort was undertaken in largest continuous new native forest in England, the the autumn of 2008, a follow up on a 2003-2004 Woodland Trust have been busy finalising plans to survey to identify its distribution in Hertfordshire. plant 600,000 native broadleaf trees to buffer The re-survey programme, looking at sites where and enhance 44 acres of fragmented ancient the plant was previously known, confirmed that semi-natural woodland and provide 858 acres of River Water-dropwort is still present at all the sites free public access. A detailed Environmental where it occurred in the last survey, all be it with Assessment has been completed and tree planting some variation in abundance and distribution. started in November 2009 – ambitious plans this winter are to plant 90,000 trees, all with volunteers. As well as hosting a Heartwood Forest Festival and numerous children’s Woodland Discovery Days, Photo: Inspecting bugs and beasties in Forest Photo: River Water-dropwort in the lower River Ash the site has been used for Forest Schools where © Barry Tranter 5 and 6 year olds have been learning about Schools © Alistair Crosby nature in the outdoors. Securing semi-natural woodlands in Purple Emperor perpetuity Hertfordshire County Council has produced, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust were successful subject to approval, a new management plan in securing funds to purchase , a 145 for Broxbourne and Bencroft Woods. The acre semi-natural ancient wood near Hertford. With implementation of the plan will amongst other 209 species of higher plants now recorded, it is things safeguard the foodplant essential for the already a very biodiverse wood. , a caterpillar of this butterfly. Whilst sightings of the 45 acre site, is also in the ownership of the Wildlife rare Purple Emperor during 2009 were sporadic, Trust, with thanks to the Gobions Woodland Trust. most known sites across the county were surveyed Protecting our ancient woodlands from loss and the butterfly observed. Butterfly Conservation continues to be a crucial part of the Hertfordshire have reported further sightings from new areas Biodiversity Action Plan. across the south and west of the county continue. Photo: Balls Wood official opening © Clare Gray. Photo: Male Purple Emperor at Broxbourne Woods National Nature Reserve © Laurence Drummond Action for orchards in Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Orchard Initiative (HOI) have had another busy year promoting and encouraging a Grizzled Skipper grater appreciation of Hertfordshire’s orchard and Partnerships formed with landowners around the

fruit growing heritage through giving talks and areas of the county where the Grizzled Skipper Highlights

Highlights orchard guided walks, holding orchard open days, exists/could exist, continue and are strengthening, providing juicing demonstrations and displays at ensuring that expansion sites for the species are events such as Farmers Markets and Country Fairs appropriately managed. All known sites where and by holding an extensive programme of events Grizzled Skipper occurs have been surveyed and throughout October promoting ‘Apple Day’. recorded. Numbers at are stable The Rivers Nursery Site and Orchard Group were and on several occasions in 2009 high numbers awarded an Awards for All grant last year to carry were recorded. Good numbers were also recorded out an oral history project on Rivers Orchard and its at Frogmore Pit. A number of public events have heritage which has been published in a book ‘Rivers been held at sites including Waterford Pit, Tring Nursery of Sawbridgeworth: The Art of Practical Park and . Photo: Grizzled Skipper at Waterford Heath Pomology’ by Elizabeth Waugh. Photo: Apple juicing at an event © HOI © Andrew Middleton Farmland Habitat Action Plan update Tree Sparrow Matt Perry of the Countryside Management In Hertfordshire the Tree Sparrow has undergone a Service and Jon and Sarah Birchall from Pilkington severe decline during the past 25 years, a decline Farms received the 2009 Chilterns Environment which has been mirrored nationally. Locally, a nest Award at a ceremony in November. A significant box scheme for the only known breeding colonies of change in farm practices targets declining species Tree Sparrow continues in the St Albans area, as does and important habitats highlighted in the county’s the provision of feeding stations over the winter Biodiversity Action Plan. Considerable lengths of period. Implemented by the Herts Bird Club, this and hedgerow and areas of grassy margins, spring-sown systematic monitoring since the mid 1990's, has crops and unsown areas provide for insects and provided essential intelligence about the species, birds such as Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, and opportunities to improve numbers. Additional Lapwing, Grey Partridge and Linnet. The farm funding from HEF will ensure this programme can protects its ancient trees, old boundaries, burial continue to run over the next 5 years. sites and other archaeological features and also

Habitat Habitat conserves rare breed animals.

Photo: Tree Sparrow habitat © Jim Terry Species Photo: Matt Perry and Jon Birchall with their award © Countryside Management Service Some news from the district and borough councils

Water Buffalo on Pishiobury Plans underway at Water Buffalo are carrying out the task of restoring an area Council owns many superb old of species-rich wet grassland and tall fen to the north-east woodlands, the largest of which is Oxhey Woods. Working of the main parkland, just to the south of Sawbridgeworth. with the Countryside Management Service, Three Rivers In the past the fen area has been cut and lifted by District Council’s contractor has begun to clear large areas volunteers. of overgrown Rhododendron and Laurel. A grant from the Pishiobury’s historic parkland is owned and managed Forestry Commission’s Woodland Grant Scheme has by East Herts Council. The Council is working with the supported the work which is part of a 5 year management Countryside Management Service to restore this Wildlife Site plan. The main elements are control of the invasive that is one of a series of jewels found along the River Stort. non-native species, opening up and widening the main rides, The conservation of the site is supported by Natural England surfacing footpaths, improving the car parks and entrances through a Countryside Stewardship Scheme. and installing new signs. Parish Conservation Volunteers and Countryside Photo: Water buffalo at Pishiobury Park © Countryside Management Service volunteers will help with some of the Management Service work. To kick off the volunteer activity, staff from the Leisure and Community Services Department of Three Rivers District Wildlife can bank on the Countryside Council spent a team-building day in the woods cutting Management Service vegetation back along some of the paths. The Countryside Management Service secured over Photo: Rhododendron clearance in Oxhey Woods £45,000 in grants and worked in partnership to improve a © Countryside Management Service section of the River Chess in Rickmansworth for wildlife and to protect a neighbouring lake. National Nature Reserve Sabey’s Pool, owned by British Waterways with fishing Broxbourne and Bencroft Woods form an integral part of rights leased to the West Hampstead Angling Club, was Hertfordshire’s only National Nature Reserve (NNR). The divided from the River Chess by an ugly and wildlife Countryside Management Service have been working on behalf of unfriendly fish screen comprising galvanised steel owners, Hertfordshire County Council, to prepare a vision and corrugated sheeting driven into the lake bed. Concerns management plan for the two woodlands that will accord with the over the integrity of this structure prompted the wider conservation aspirations for the NNR whilst ensuring that Environment Agency to contact the Countryside visitors understand what is planned and continue to enjoy the Management Service to draw together a proposal for recreational opportunities provided by this wonderful area. The replacement. The existing structure was replaced with a 4 Countryside Management Service has worked closely with NNR metre wide artificial river bank which when the planting partners, Natural England, Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust and matures will provide habitat for riverside creatures such as the Woodland Trust as well as Hertfordshire’s Biological Record water vole, dragonflies and reed warblers. Centre and the County Council’s Historic Environment Unit to The project was funded by Biffaward with contributions develop the plan. Guidance has also been sought from a variety of from the Environment Agency, Angling Club and interested groups including Butterfly Conservation and the Herts Hertfordshire County Council. Bird Club as well as volunteers from the Broxbourne Wood Photo: Artificial river bank at Sabey’s Pool © Countryside Wardens. The plan will be launched in early 2010. Management Service Photo: Broxbourne Wood glade © Countryside Management Interpreting , Service Working with the Friends of Baldock Green Spaces the Countryside Management Service has done much recently Cattle come back to to improve access and raise the profile of Ivel Springs, a Chorleywood Common retains an unusual mixture of wetland Local Nature Reserve owned and managed by North different types of grassland in good condition: a legacy Herts District Council. from the days when commoners kept livestock there. To Improvements to the wet grassland will enable see if grazing was still viable, the Countryside Management sustainable management of this Wildlife Site whilst Service has helped Chorleywood Parish Council to run a pollarding works will retain the crack and almond willow grazing trial. trees found here. Plans are now developing to establish Six Aberdeen Angus cows from a neighbouring new wetland and reedbed habitat within the site. farm were kept on Lark’s Meadow, a quieter part of the The work has been made possible by a grant from WREN common, for 6 weeks during the summer. Following the (Waste Recycling Environmental Limited) and funding from conclusion of the trial, local people voted to support North Herts District and Hertfordshire County Councils. further grazing of the common with 95% in favour. Photo: Interpretation panel being installed at Ivel Springs Countryside Management Service will work with the Parish by Countryside Management Service volunteers to devise plans to resume grazing later in 2010. © Countryside Management Service Photo: Chorleywood Common grazing trial © Countryside Management Service Thinking Bigger Green Infrastructure for Hertfordshire Stort Valley: The Stort Valley Living Landscape runs Hertfordshire County Council, Natural England and the Herts along the border of Hertfordshire and Essex, for 12 miles Local Wildlife Sites and & Middlesex Wildlife Trust jointly organised a conference in from Bishops Stortford through Harlow to Hoddesdon, where National Indicator 197 early November to consider the opportunities and value of it connects with the Lee Valley Living Landscape. Driven by In 2007, the Government announced 198 new National developing a Green Infrastructure Plan and approach for the Green Infrastructure Plan for Harlow and the Stort Valley Indicators which all Local Authorities must report and show Hertfordshire. This was later endorsed by the Better Places Feasibility Study, the aspirations are to restore and link improvements on. There is now one for Biodiversity – NI 197. conference, organised by Herts Forward. habitats, secure long term protection and increase public This is a measure of the percentage of County Local Wildlife access. Important habitats such as rivers, wetland, adjacent Sites which are under Positive Conservation Management Green Infrastructure is the term used to discribe the network grassland, hedgerow and small woodlands will benefit, as (PCM). of multi-functional living green spaces (including formal will key priority species such as the otter and water vole. parks, gardens, woodlands, green corridors, waterways and Upgrading the towpath and creating links joining As leader of the Wildlife Sites Partnership, the Herts & communities with the Stort Valley is important. the open countryside) within and between our cities, towns Middlesex Wildlife Trust is responsible for providing figures and villages. Key partners: British Waterways, East Herts Council, for the reporting of NI 197 for Hertfordshire. They produced the baseline figure in March 2009 and found that almost Key Biodiversity Areas identified through the Biodiversity Environment Agency, Epping Countycare, Harlow District Action Plan form landscape scale schemes, or Living Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Natural England and 20% of Hertfordshire’s Wildlife Sites are known to be under Landscapes, within Green Infrastructure. The Hertfordshire the Wildlife Trusts in Hertfordshire and Essex. PCM. The partnership is now working towards improving this Biodiversity Partnership see Green Infrastructure and figure by 5% per annum over the next 3 years. They will do particularly these landscape scale schemes, as providing new Key achievements: Purchase of additional land for wildlife this through a combination of increasing the knowledge base opportunities for biodiversity delivery, along with benefits for and people, development of a new country park near Bishops of current site management, working with partners, informing people, the economy and the environment. Stortford, habitat improvements to the Harlow Local Nature landowners and providing advice and support to get more Reserves, landowner liaison, Connecting People with the sites under PCM. One example of these landscape scale schemes or Living Stort Valley community project. Landscapes is the Stort Valley. Photo: Volunteers raking cut grass at Kings Mead © Clare Gray Looking Forward Designing Biodiversity into developments Guidance and examples of practical solutions on how 2010 International Year of Biodiversity Campaign for the Farmed Environment landscape and biodiversity considerations can be designed The United Nations General Assembly has designated The Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE), into development proposals are now available in the form 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) and launched on 5th November 2009, has been designed by of a draft Landscape and Biodiversity module on the will help raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), National Hertfordshire Building Futures website. through celebrations and events planned across the world. Farmers’ Union (NFU) and industry partners to retain and This global awareness campaign will act to highlight the exceed the environmental benefits that used to be The module includes a generic checklist of points to loss of biodiversity which is estimated to be as high as 100 provided by set-aside on arable land. Working in consider in providing a design which delivers the best times the natural rate as a result of human activities and partnership with Defra and its agencies, Natural England outcome for landscape and biodiversity. expected to rise further as a result of climate change. and the Environment Agency, the campaign will seek to do The consultation exercise closed in the summer of 2009 The UK Biodiversity is Life Partnership (IYB-UK) has been this by encouraging farmers, farm advisors and land and the final version will be available shortly. formed in response to this and was launched publicly on managers to retain uncropped land and take up 25 November 2009 at an event at the Natural History Environmental Stewardship options or voluntary For more information visit the Building Futures website Museum. Information on how to get involved, or to find management that will provide the greatest benefit to the at: http://www.hertslink.org/buildingfutures out about events during environment within their area. International Year of Biodiversity in the UK, The CFE’s main themes are: can be found at: Resource protection www.biodiversityislife.net Photo: Biodiversity benefits at Cambourne © Farmland birds and Chris at www.miltoncontact.co.uk Farm wildlife Hertfordshire Environmental Forum (HEF)

HEF is a county-wide group that undertakes sustainable development-based initiatives to raise awareness, encourage involvement and bring together key decision-makers to influence sustain- able development policies locally and nationally.

HEF members include: G St. Albans City and District Council G Hertfordshire NHS Environment Group G Borough Council G Borough Council G Council G Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust G Groundwork Hertfordshire G Borough Council G Hertfordshire Association of G Three Rivers District Council Parish and Town Councils G Watford Borough Council G Hertfordshire County Council G District Council

Five working groups have been established to achieve its aims. These are the: G Education & Promotions Group G Energy Group G Biodiversity Partnership Group G Quality of Life Group G NHS Environment Group

The Biodiversity Partnership Group of HEF includes local authorities, statutory agencies, nature conservation organisations, voluntary and interest groups working together to help implement the Hertfordshire Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), A 50-year vision for the wildlife and natural habitats of Hertfordshire. A Biodiversity Officer post, funded by HEF with support from Natural England, provides a driving force behind and co-ordinates progress of the actions within the Hertfordshire BAP.

For more information on the Hertfordshire Biodiversity Partnership and the Hertfordshire Biodiversity Action Plan please contact: Catherine Wyatt Hertfordshire Biodiversity Officer Tel: 01992 531478 Email: [email protected]

This report has been produced by the Hertfordshire Biodiversity Partnership with funding from Hertfordshire Environmental Forum. www.hef.org.uk Printed on recycled gloss paper containing 75 per cent post consumer waste.