Bulletin of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management

Issue 95 | March 2017 Rewilding and Species Reintroductions

In this issue

Rewilding - An Idea Rewilding in a Getting It Right Whose Time Has Come? Managed Landscape With Reintroductions Welcome Information

Rewilding In Practice No. 95 March 2017 Politics used to be sooooo boring. For me it was somewhere between clothes ISSN 1754-4882 shopping and watching paint dry on World Go-Slow Day. Not anymore. Now, thanks to the radical Brexit decision, we have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Editor Dr Gillian Kerby ([email protected]) to change the most important set of rules affecting the UK’s natural environment – namely how we fund the management of our rural land and for what purposes. Internal contributions This is where rewilding has a key role to play. We now have steadily growing coordinator evidence that localised restoration interventions deliver significant measurable Mr Jason Reeves ([email protected]) benefits at a small- to medium-scale for flood risk management, water quality, Editorial Board biodiversity, etc. But I can still hear the sceptics muttering: “Yes, but there’s no Mr Jonathan Barnes, Dr Kate Bayley, evidence all this stuff works at scale.” Well, I am certain that it is largely a case Dr Andrew Cherrill, Mr Dominic Coath, of multiplying up interventions across a larger area and joining them up – i.e. Mr Neil Harwood, Dr William Latimer, doing lots of small to medium-sized things a thousand times over. And this is Dr Caroline McParland, Mrs Kate Morris, why rewilding now needs to be a key part of the rural debate, because it takes Mr Paul Rooney, Mr Paul Scott, catchment restoration to another level, both in terms of scale and the extent of Miss Katrena Stanhope, Mr Darren Towers re-naturalisation. Opinions expressed by contributors My own working definition of rewilding, shamelessly constructed to fit in a to In Practice are those of the authors tweet, is: “The large-scale restoration of naturally functioning ecosystems to and not necessarily supported by the the point where nature can flourish unmanaged for the benefit of people and Institute. Readers should seek appropriate wildlife.” However, rewilding is a process and various elements of that process professional guidance relevant to their apply across a wide spectrum of activity, with scale and impact generally individual circumstances before following increasing as you move along that spectrum, with everyone having a role to play. any advice provided herein. I am currently toying with the idea of promoting a grading system for rewilding, Information on advertising, including with my pocket handkerchief garden wildlife pond being at the bottom end of rates and deadlines, can be found at the spectrum at say Grade 4, and Grade 1 being the Holy Grail where it basically www.cieem.net/ip-advertising. The means ‘hands-off’ across a very large area. In scale terms, for now at least, Institute does not accept responsibility for this probably means blocks of 10,000 ha plus in England, Wales and Northern advertising content or policy of advertisers, nor does the placement of advertisements Ireland, and 100,000 ha plus in Scotland. Rewilding at this scale should also within In Practice imply support for involve the reintroduction of key species such as beaver, pine marten, lynx and companies, individuals or their products or wild boar, where necessary to help achieve and sustain the naturally functioning services advertised herein. ecosystems. And yes, at the largest end of the scale it could even ultimately mean wolves and elk. But right now we have a long way to go before we CIEEM Office have anywhere in the UK of that Grade 1 standard, so we should focus hard 43 Southgate Street, Winchester, on the journey, not the destination, and we must make that journey with local Hampshire, SO23 9EH, UK communities on board. We cannot and should not attempt it without them. T: 01962 868626 So how can members help? Well every one of us has a role to play, that’s for sure. My plea would be for us all to take every opportunity to promote, E: [email protected] enthuse, nag and inspire the delivery of multiple benefits through every W: www.cieem.net organisation, project, plan and strategy we deal with, whether we are drafting In Practice is printed on paper using the next agri-environment funding rules or designing a stream diversion for a 100% post-consumer, de-inked waste. road bypass. If we all do this, we will build a societal land management culture This is manufactured by an ISO14001 where joined-up thinking becomes the norm, moving governments towards and EMAS accredited company. valuing rural land for the full range of societal benefits it can provide and not just for food and birds. This will, in turn, lead to the acceptance that in some © Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management parts of the country ‘Grade 1 rewilding’ is in fact the best socio-economic option for local communities. Our time is now, but we need to act fast. Front cover image: Prof. Alastair Driver FCIEEM Wild Konik horses at Oostvaardersplassen in the Netherlands. Oostvaardersplaasen [email protected] has become an icon of rewilding in Twitter @AliDriverUK western Europe.

2 Issue 95 | March 2017 Contents

Getting It Right With Reintroductions: Are There Too Many or Too Few Large What Conservation Evidence Tells Us Herbivores in Our Woods? About Bringing Back Birds. PG 11 Keith Kirby PG 27 Claire Wordley

Anthropogenic Rewilding: Pine Marten Translocations: The Road An Oxymoron? to Recovery and Beyond PG 16 Phil Colebourn and Ben Kite PG 32 Jenny MacPherson

Pearls in Peril – Conserving and Rewilding in a Managed Landscape – Reintroducing Freshwater Pearl Mussels The Swindale Beck Restoration Project Iain Sime, Jackie Webley, Diane O’Leary, Lee Schofield, Jean Johnston, George Nia Watkin, Lorna Wilkie, Steff Ferguson PG 21 Heritage and Oliver Southgate PG 37 and Flora Grigor-Taylor

02 Editorial Professional Updates 03 Contents 43 – Data Reliability, Data Provision, Professional Judgement and Assessing Impact Assessment for Planning Purposes 04 Chartered Institute News and Activities Tim Reed 06 News in Brief 49 – Using MAGIC to Locate European Protected Feature Articles Species Licences Richard Clarke 08 – Viewpoint: Rewilding – An Idea Whose Time Has Come? Helen Meech and Mick Green 52 – Projects Set to Benefit Through Pioneering and 11 – Viewpoint: Are There Too Many or Too Few Large Collaborative Strategic Ecology Framework Herbivores in Our Woods? 55 – Career Advice: What Are We Looking For in a Keith Kirby Graduate Ecologist? 16 – Anthropogenic Rewilding: An Oxymoron? Owain Gabb Phil Colebourn and Ben Kite 59 – Natural England Launches Badger Class Licence 21 – Rewilding in a Managed Landscape – The Swindale Beck Restoration Project 60 – An Update from the President Lee Schofield, Jean Johnston, George Heritage Stephanie Wray and Oliver Southgate 61 – Meet the Policy and Communications Team 27 – Getting It Right With Reintroductions: What Conservation Evidence Tells Us 62 – Chartered Membership About Bringing Back Birds. Claire Wordley 63 – British Ecological Society Richard English 32 – Pine Marten Translocations: The Road to Recovery and Beyond 65 CIEEM’s Member Networks Jenny MacPherson 67 New Members 37 – Pearls in Peril – Conserving and Reintroducing Freshwater Pearl Mussels 68 Recent Publications and Journals Iain Sime, Jackie Webley, Diane O’Leary, Nia Watkin, Lorna Wilkie, Steff Ferguson and Flora Grigor-Taylor 72 Diary 42 – Meet the Author – Keith Kirby 73 External Advertisements Issue 95 | March 2017 3 Chartered Institute News and Activities

Review of Biological Recording CIEEM Spring Infrastructure in Scotland CIEEM joint letter to Conference 2017 Environment Minister The Scottish Biodiversity Information Forum Mainstreaming Biodiversity (SBIF) is currently undertaking a review of CIEEM – jointly with the British into Future Cities the biological recording infrastructure in Ecological Society, the Institution Scotland in order to inform any realignment of Environmental Sciences and the 22 March 2017, London of structures and resources necessary to Landscape Institute – has identified a The CIEEM Spring Conference 2017 achieve the Forum’s original vision. number of principles for future policy will explore the wider benefits of relating to land management and the As part of the information gathering stages natural environment, and has issued including biodiversity in designing of the review SBIF has issued a survey and a joint letter to the Secretary of State and planning our sustainable cities would like to hear from anyone interested in for the Environment, Food and of the future. Speakers will make any aspect of biological data handling and Rural Affairs setting out our ideas the business case for creating usage whether in Scotland or elsewhere. in greater detail. opportunities for biodiversity, By completing the survey you will be resolving the conflicts that can arise informing the review of your requirements Read more: www.cieem.net/news/369/ and demonstrating how architects, for the biological recording infrastructure, select-committee-recommends-new- engineers, landscape designers and which will enable SBIF to develop a high environmental-protection-act ecologists can work together to deliver level business case setting out the need for biodiverse urban environments. change. If sufficient responses are received New accredited Our keynote speaker is Tony Juniper. from beyond Scotland, we will summarise degree programmes our findings by country. The full programme of speakers is We are pleased to announce that the available on the website. The survey can be accessed at: https:// following university degree programmes nbn.org.uk/about-us/where-we-are/in- Book your place now: have now been accredited by CIEEM: scotland/review/ www.cieem.net/spring- • University of South Wales conference-2017 For further information please contact – BSc Natural History Christine Johnston, NBN Scottish Liaison • University of South Wales – MSc Wildlife Officer: [email protected] and Conservation Management • Harper Adams University – BSc Wildlife Conservation and CIEEM and Brexit Natural Resource Management CIEEM’s new Brexit Task Groups have all Society (BES), Chartered Institution of CIEEM accreditation means that the course been reformed and are now working on Water and Environmental Management has been assessed and recognised for policy papers for each of their specific (CIWEM), Institution of Environmental the quality of teaching and delivery of topic areas: Sciences (IES) and Landscape Institute learning outcomes that meet the needs of (LI) to work together on responding to employers in the sector. Congratulations to • Marine Environment and Resources the programme leaders and our thanks to the Defra 25-Year Plans, share relevant • Habitats and Species the assessors. information as produced or received, • Land Management and Funding meet on a monthly basis, and agree More information: www.cieem.net/ • Air Quality some overarching shared principles for accreditation • Water future external communications. Over the first six months of 2017, We have also engaged with a number CIEEM position the groups will work on producing a of other organisations to work on Natural Capital briefing paper or advisory note, develop collaboratively and share information A working group has been set up to collaborations for working with other as relevant, including DAERA (Northern develop a CIEEM position on natural organisations, plan and deliver an Ireland), DEFRA, Environment Agency, capital. The group had an initial event, and respond as necessary to the Environmental Audit Committee, teleconference on 27 January 2017 consultations on the Defra 25-Year Plans Green Alliance, The Law Society, and is now working on the initial draft and the Great Repeal Bill. Natural England, Scottish Government, position paper. If you are interested in contributing to UK Environmental Law Association, The group agreed that CIEEM must one or more of the Brexit Task Groups Welsh Government, and Wildlife and play a part in the Natural Capital please contact [email protected] as soon Countryside Link. debate, given that it is becoming more as possible. Keep up to date with CIEEM’s important in policy (e.g. Defra’s 25- Year Plans) and is increasingly being CIEEM has begun a collaborative Brexit activities: www.cieem.net/ picked up by other sectors (politics, partnership with the British Ecological eu-referendum economics, business etc.).

4 Issue 95 | March 2017 Wildcare offers new CIEEM Awards 2017 members-only benefits! Each year, CIEEM presents a series of Awards to celebrate the achievements of both CIEEM aims to continually improve the the profession and of individual practitioners, and to raise the profile of CIEEM by membership benefits package we offer, highlighting our role in championing the importance and practice of ecology. ensuring it is valuable and relevant for The 2017 CIEEM Awards have now closed and we would like to thank all those who you, our members. As part of this, we are submitted an entry or made a nomination. We are now in the middle of the judging eager to launch our brand new partnership process and will be announcing the finalists in the near future. with equipment supplier Wildcare, to offer CIEEM members-only discounts on some of Tickets for the Awards Lunch, which will be held for the first time in London, will their most popular and useful products. also be available shortly. The Awards Lunch 2017 will be held at Drapers’ Hall, Wildcare has been supplying equipment London on Wednesday 21 June 2017. to ecologists and environmental managers More information: www.cieem.net/cieem-awards-2017 for over 15 years and offer UK next day delivery wherever you are! Their staff, with a wealth of knowledge and advice, are on Accredited ECoW hand to take orders over the phone or via Project Launched Revision to CIEEM email Monday to Friday (7:30am-5pm). Membership Regulations Work is now underway to develop an Mailed with this issue of In Practice you Members’ are advised that CIEEM’s accredited Ecological Clerk of Works will find the CIEEM members-only discount Membership Regulations have catalogue, collated specifically for our (ECoW) scheme in response to feedback undergone a minor revision in membership, with instructions on how to from ECoWs, developers and construction February 2017. A new version is access the CIEEM members-only portal contractors. Representatives of all of these now available to download from the through the Wildcare website. groups are part of a project partnership CIEEM website. New and upgrade We are looking forward to our partnership currently working on defining roles, applicants will no longer have with Wildcare bringing an exciting new competencies, training and assessment their names advertised for 30 days benefit to our members. in advance of admission via our methods for this new accreditation Need a reminder of your membership eNewsletter. Applicants successfully scheme which aims to raise the profile of benefits? Find out more here: admitted to the Institute will still be the ECoW role, to raise the standards of www.cieem.net/why-join-ieem listed in the next available edition of -benefits-of-membership- ECoW delivery, to upskill those taking on In Practice. Any member considering the role for the first time and to ensure an raising a complaint against a newly adequate supply of ECoWs in relation to admitted member should do so via Consultation responses an anticipated increase in demand in the the standard complaints process. in 2017 coming years. CIEEM has responded to the following consultations and inquiries in 2017: CIEEM Conferences 2017 • Environmental Impact Assessment Date Title Location – Joint Technical Consultation Spring Conference 2017 (planning changes to regulations on 22 March 2017 London – Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Future Cities forestry, agriculture, water resources, land drainage and marine works) Summer Conference 2017 (Defra, Welsh Government, Scottish 4 July 2017 – Integrated Management of the Marine Southampton Government, DAERA) Environment • Environmental Impact Assessment: 21-22 November Autumn Conference 2017 Technical consultation (regulations Manchester 2017 – Mitigation, Monitoring and Effectiveness on planning and major infrastructure) (Department for Communities and In Practice themes 2017 Local Government) • Review of Draft 3rd National Edition Theme Submission deadline Biodiversity Action Plan (National June 2017 Grassland Ecology and Grazing n/a Parks and Wildlife Service) September 2017 One Year on from the EU Referendum 29 May 2017 • Closing the STEM Skills Gap (Science and Technology Select Committee) Nature Conservation Approaches with December 2017 28 August 2017 To read the full responses please visit: Reduced Resources www.cieem.net/past-consultation- If you would like to contribute to In Practice please contact the Editor at [email protected]. responses Contributions are welcomed from both members and non-members. Issue 95 | March 2017 5 News in Brief

Select Committee Prime Minister sets out recommends new Ireland State of vision for Brexit Environmental Protection Act Environment Report Prime Minister Theresa May has set The Environmental Audit Committee has Ireland’s Environment – An Assessment out her Plan for Britain, including called on the Government to introduce a 2016 report provides an integrated the 12 priorities that the UK new Environmental Protection Act during assessment of the overall quality of government will use to negotiate Article 50 negotiations to maintain the Ireland’s environment, the pressures Brexit. There was no mention of UK’s strong environmental standards. being placed on it and the societal the environment in her speech. responses to current and emerging www.cieem.net/news/369/select- environmental issues. www.cieem.net/news/371/prime- committee-recommends-new- minister-sets-out-vision-for-brexit environmental-protection-act www.epa.ie/irelandsenvironment/ stateoftheenvironmentreport/ UK Government publishes Brexit White Paper Review of PES pilot projects Brexit fisheries The UK Government has published a White report published This review sets out the main findings, Paper – The United Kingdom’s exit from achievements, challenges and lessons The EU Energy and Environment Sub- and new partnership with the European learned from Defra’s payments for Committee has published its report Union – intended to provide Parliament ecosystem services (PES) pilot projects highlighting some of the opportunities and the country with a clear vision of what between 2012 and 2015. and challenges related to managing they are seeking to achieve in negotiating shared fish stocks following the www.gov.uk/government/publications/ the UK’s exit from, and new partnership withdrawal of the UK from the EU. payments-for-ecosystem-services-review with, the European Union. -of-pilot-projects-2011-to-2013 www.parliament.uk/business/ www.cieem.net/news/380/uk-government- committees/committees-a-z/lords- publishes-brexit-white-paper select/eu-energy-environment- Consultation on Scottish subcommittee/news-parliament-2015/ Planning System changes Welsh Government brexit-fish-rpt/ The consultation paper Places, People publishes White Paper & Planning sets out 20 proposals on Brexit European Commission to for change which aim to strengthen The Welsh Government has published retain Nature Directives the planning system and support a white paper entitled Securing sustainable economic growth across European Environment Commissioner Wales’ Future – Transition from the Scotland. The consultation closes on Karmenu Vella has announced that the European Union to a new relationship 4 April 2017. EU will keep the Habitats and Wild Birds with Europe. Directives intact. www.cieem.net/news/373/scottish- www.cieem.net/news/376/welsh- government-consulting-on-scottish- www.cieem.net/news/365/european- government-publishes-white-paper- planning-system-changes commission-to-retain-nature-directives on-brexit NBN Gateway to New POSTnotes Leaving the EU: implications become NBN Atlas The Parliamentary Office of Science and opportunities for science The NBN Gateway will permanently close and Technology has published three and research on 31 March 2017; the NBN Atlas will new POSTnotes that will be of interest The Commons Science and Technology supersede the NBN Gateway and will be to members: Committee has published its report on the live from 1 April 2017. implications and opportunities for science • Research Integrity • Reform of Freshwater Abstraction and research from leaving the EU. UK Climate Change Risk www.parliament.uk/business/committees/ • Environmental Crime Assessment 2017 committees-a-z/commons-select/ www.parliament.uk/mps-lords- The UK Committee on Climate science-and-technology-committee/news- and-offices/offices/bicameral/post/ Change has published the UK Climate parliament-2015/leaving-the-eu-report- publications/postnotes/ Change Risk Assessment 2017 – published-16-17/ Synthesis report: priorities for the next www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ five years. cm201617/cmselect/cmsctech/502/502.pdf www.cieem.net/news/379/uk-climate- change-risk-assessment-2017

6 Issue 95 | March 2017 Natural Capital Committee Welsh Beaver Project publishes fourth report World’s largest MPA declared in Antarctica The Welsh Beaver Project has been The Natural Capital Committee has investigating the suitability of potential published its fourth annual report on the Delegates from 24 countries and the release sites across Wales, and will be state of natural capital. The report makes EU have agreed that the Ross Sea in submitting a licence application to a series of recommendations to Antarctica will become the world’s reintroduce beavers to Wales in 2017. government on developing the 25-Year largest marine protected area (MPA). The project has also been investigating Environment Plan. Some 1.57 million square kilometres the possibility of reintroducing beavers to of the Southern Ocean will gain www.cieem.net/news/377/natural-capital- enclosed sites where they can be used as a protection from commercial fishing committee-publishes-fourth-report habitat management tool. for 35 years. www.welshbeaverproject.org/home/ www.marine.ie/Home/site-area/news- Dáil votes to divest events/news/worlds-largest-marine- from fossil fuels protected-area-declared-antarctica Ireland Curlew Ireland may soon become the world’s Taskforce established first country to fully divest from all fossil Marine Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has fuels. The Government was defeated Areas Revisited announced the establishment of a as the Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill passed Taskforce to reverse the decline of the second stage 90 votes to 53. The Environmental Audit Committee the curlew as a breeding species in has explored the lessons learnt from the http://greennews.ie/dail-votes-to- Ireland. Ireland is home to thousands designation and implementation of the first divest-from-fossil-fuels-in-move-that- of Curlew each winter, yet the national two tranches of Marine Protected Areas. could-see-ireland-become-world- breeding population has declined to leader-in-divestment/ www.parliament.uk/business/committees/ below 150 pairs – a decline of 97% committees-a-z/commons-select/ since the 1980s. environmental-audit-committee/news- Diverse fish communities www.ahrrga.gov.ie/minister- parliament-2015/marine-protection-areas- humphreys-announces-establishment- have greater resistance to revisited-ev1-16-17/ climate change of-curlew-taskforce/ Researchers have found that the greater New Northern Ireland NPWS publish 5th annual report the diversity of fish in an assemblage, MCZs designated the less vulnerable that assemblage is to on threats to birds of prey climate change. Environment Minister Michelle The Department of Arts, Heritage, McIlveen has announced that four http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) integration/research/newsalert/pdf/diverse_ has published the fifth annual report on have been designated in Northern fish_communities_greater_resistance_ threats to birds of prey. The report is the Ireland’s in-shore region: Rathlin, climate_change_469na3_en.pdf product of a joint Departmental initiative to Waterfoot, Outer Belfast Lough and investigate bird of prey deaths in Ireland. Carlingford Lough. New UK marine protected www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/ www.daera-ni.gov.uk/news/new- publications/pdf/2015%20RAPTOR%20 sites for harbour porpoise marine-conservation-zones-designated submitted to Europe report%20final.pdf As part of the UK’s commitment to Natural England to roll-out implementation of the EU Habitats Bats and churches set for new national approach to a harmonious future Directive and development of the GCN licensing Natura 2000 network, five harbour A new project bridging the gap porpoise Special Areas of Conservation Following a pilot by Woking borough between bat conservation and the (SACs), proposed and consulted on council, Natural England is to implement a protection of historic English churches in 2016, have been approved by new approach to the conservation of great has received £3.8 million of National relevant UK Governments. These crested newts, which will bring greater Lottery support. The five-year Bats sites have been submitted to the benefits to the newts whilst streamlining in Churches partnership is set to trial European Commission (EC) and are the licensing process for developers. The new techniques to enable bats and now candidate SACs (cSAC), pending approach will now start to be introduced church congregations to live together EC approval. across the country after its roll-out was more harmoniously. announced in the Housing White Paper. http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-7369 www.cieem.net/news/381/bats-and- www.cieem.net/news/382/natural- churches-set-for-a-harmonious-future england-to-roll-out-new-national- approach-to-gcn-licensing

Issue 95 | March 2017 7 Viewpoint: Rewilding – An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

Rewilding – An Idea Whose Time Has Come? Helen Meech and Mick Green CEnv FCIEEM Rewilding Britain Keywords: nature, restore, rewilding

‘Rewilding’ has suddenly become a word which has entered the mainstream conservation debate, although the idea is not new. It has many definitions but in a UK context it has been relatively well defined for some time and is now being further developed both as a concept and as a major part of European nature conservation. The key rewilding principles and definitions have been developed by Rewilding Europe (rewildingeurope.com): 1. Restoring natural processes and ecological dynamics – both abiotic such as river flows, and biotic such as the ecological web and food-chain – through reassembling lost guilds of animals in dynamic landscapes. 2. A graduated and situated approach, where the goal is to move up a scale of wildness within the constraints of what is possible, and interacting with local cultural identities. 3. Taking inspiration from the past but not replicating it. Developing new natural heritage and value that evokes the past but shapes the future. 4. Creating self-sustaining, resilient ecosystems (including re-connecting habitats and species populations within the wider landscapes) that provide resilience to external threats and pressures, including the impact of climate change (adaptation). 5. Working towards the ideal of passive management where, once restored, we step back and allow dynamic natural processes to shape conservation outcomes. Lynx 8 Issue 95 | March 2017 6. Creating new natural assets that connect with modern society and economy and promote innovation, enterprise and investment in and around natural areas, leading to new nature-inspired economies. 7. Reconnecting policy with popular conservation sentiment and a recognition that conservation is a culturally dynamic as well as a scientific and technical pursuit. The rewilding movement in Britain has been stimulated in response to the fact that Britain is one of the most ecologically depleted nations on earth. We have lost all our large carnivores and most of our large herbivores. While the average European forest cover is 37%, ours is just 12%. Our ecosystems have almost ceased to function. Because of the absence of trees and loss of soil, our watersheds no longer Figure 1. ‘Cartoon’ spectrum of protected areas scaled by size and by a qualitative indication of hold back water, with rainfall flashing off management quality. Diagram courtesy of John Lawton (Lawton 2016). the hills and causing flooding downstream. The latest State of Nature report reveals This is not to suggest that rewilding seeks The current policy framework largely that 56% of the species studied for the to ditch traditional nature conservation works against rewilding. Farm subsidies report have declined over recent decades, management. That approach often works, through the Common Agricultural Policy and that more than one in 10 species but nature will not thrive if restricted to (CAP) create a powerful incentive to are under threat of disappearing from small reserves that are disconnected from prevent ecological restoration: wherever our shores altogether (State of Nature each other and the natural systems that partnership 2016). land ceases to be in ‘agricultural should support them. It’s clear that we condition’ it is disqualified from payments. Rewilding offers a chance to reverse that; need to move from a focus on protection Conservation designations often insist that a chance to bring nature back to life of nature, to a system that promotes both ecosystems are kept in a state of arrested and restore the living systems on which protection and restoration of nature across development, and attempts to allow trees we all depend. A chance to work with landscapes and at sea. or missing animal species to return are communities to restore to parts of Britain usually deemed unlawful. Regulations the wonder and enchantment of wild Rewilding is essentially an extension of the around wild animals, livestock movement nature; to allow magnificent lost creatures to “Making Space for Nature” approach of and species reintroduction can also be live here once more; and to provide people “bigger, better, more, joined up” (Lawton major impediments. with some of the rich and raw experiences 2010). Figure 1 is borrowed from Sir John of which we have been deprived. Lawton. He argues that rewilding is about However, Defra’s forthcoming 25- the process of moving conservation from Rewilding is not a new idea. And it’s not Year Plan for the Environment and the the top left of this diagram towards the just about bringing back wolves as the development of a land management policy bottom right – about making space for media might have you think. And it’s to replace CAP post-Brexit both provide nature at a larger scale, and reducing not about going back in time, but about excellent opportunities to advance and management intervention (and costs) as going forward by embracing a realistic, expand policy in relation to the natural a result. resilient ecology. It can occur at a range of environment. Rewilding Britain is calling scales, from small-scale habitat restoration Rewilding can be transformative for for a more progressive land management within cities, to the development of large- nature, by increasing connectivity, creating policy based on public payment for scale wild, and even wilderness, areas diversity and making room for species to delivery of public benefit. This should on land or at sea. What is common to all move through landscapes as they adapt reward farmers and land managers for rewilding projects is a focus on process- to environmental change. It puts nature’s the delivery of ecosystem restoration and led conservation – restoring natural processes, structures and species back associated benefits, such as improvement processes, then standing back as much as into our landscapes to enable them to of water quality at source, natural flood possible – rather than any goal-orientated become more self-sustaining, biologically risk management and carbon storage in focus on the conservation of certain richer and better able to support society soils and biomass. Within the devolved species or habitats. and the economy. administrations there are also many Issue 95 | March 2017 9 Viewpoint: Rewilding – An Idea Whose Time Has Come? (contd)

opportunities to develop policy, for We also believe this is more than just a example the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 policy debate: the principles as a whole References and Further Reading requires the Welsh Government to develop can be utilised by CIEEM members – in More information and debate can be found at ‘resilient ecosystems’ – this is after all policy or consultancy positions – to www.rewildingbritain.org.uk what rewilding is about. Fully restored and strengthen ecosystems and promote Forest Research (2016). Slowing the Flow at functioning ecosystems are by definition joined-up thinking. Pickering. Available at http://www.forestry.gov. uk/fr/slowingtheflow. Accessed 2 January 2017. more resilient than the damaged and The principles of rewilding, given above, scattered sites we now have. can be developed into practical projects Lawton, J.H., Brotherton, P.N.M., Brown, V.K., Rewilding Britain also believes that on the ground. For example, one of the Elphick, C., Fitter, A.H., Forshaw, J., Haddow, R.W., Hilborne, S., Leafe, R.N., Mace, G.M., communities should be given a far greater authors (MG) has been involved in writing Southgate, M.P., Sutherland, W.J., Tew, T.E., role in environmental decision-making, many management plans for windfarm Varley, J. and Wynne, G.R. (2010). Making Space informed by open data and expert sites – these tend to be large sites where for Nature: a review of England’s wildlife sites and ecological networks. Report to Defra. facilitation. There are some great examples the principles of rewilding can be applied, of projects involving communities in flood and opportunities for joining up with Lawton, J.H. (2016). Making Space for Nature risk management. In Pickering, North adjacent sites can be explored. The income and Ecological Restoration: Some thoughts about the future. Presentation to Nature Improvement Yorkshire, rather than building a £20 from turbines can offset loss of income Areas National Event, 23 February 2016. million concrete flood wall through the from intensive agriculture. Likewise, the Available at http://publications.naturalengland. centre of town, the community planted development of flood control programmes org.uk/file/6217361634885632. Accessed 9 January 2017. 29 hectares of woodland upstream to should start upstream and look at water naturally soak up water, and created retention, not flood barriers. In policy State of Nature partnership (2016). The State of hundreds of natural obstructions in the development, rewilding as a principle Nature report 2016. Available at http://www. rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/centre-for- river made of logs, branches and heather (whatever you call it) should be included as conservation-science/research/projects/ to restore its natural flow. The flood risk an option, and barriers to an ecosystem- 363867-the-state-of-nature-report has now fallen from 25% to just 4%, and based approach – such as over-prescriptive at a fraction of the cost of hard defences. outcomes for sites – should be avoided. Policy debate is also needed to support There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ prescription a more strategic approach to species and, by its nature, rewilding does not have reintroduction. The animals we lack over a defined end point. most of Britain such as beavers Castor The rewilding movement in Britain is About the Authors fiber and boar Sus scrofa, and those in a design and innovation phase. We Helen Meech joined missing completely such as lynx Lynx lynx, believe any new policy framework should Rewilding Britain as and wolves Canis lupus lupus, are not embrace this, and create tax incentives Director in September just ornaments of the ecosystem – they and innovation funding to support 2015. Helen has have a role as ecosystem engineers and the development of new nature-based worked in the natural are essential to an effectively functioning economic models for land use in different environment policy and campaigns sector environment. They drive ecological regions and at a range of scales. for the last 10 years, processes and are crucial components of We hope rewilding will both inspire and most recently leading flourishing ecosystems. Yet the current revitalise communities across Britain, by the National Trust’s public engagement on nature, including the award-winning approach to species reintroduction in offering a positive environmental vision Britain is rather piecemeal, with individual ‘50 things to do before you’re 11 3/4’ and by bringing in new sources of income campaign. Helen is currently on landowners and organisations making and jobs. Examples from around Europe maternity leave. applications for localised reintroductions. show that this offers great potential for the Contact Helen via Rewilding Britain at: Rewilding Britain believes that a national recovery of the human economy as well as [email protected] forum should be established to bring the natural world. Mick Green CEnv stakeholders together to discuss the FCIEEM is a Trustee of potential benefits and disbenefits of Rewilding Britain. He different approaches. International works as a freelance experience has shown that stakeholder ecologist and as a engagement plays a key role in the success policy advisor to Whale and Dolphin of species reintroductions, which with the Conservation. He right planning and execution can benefit has worked for most the species concerned, wider biodiversity, major conservation organisations in the local communities and the general public. UK and in consultancy as managing director of Ecology Matters Ltd for 10 Years. Contact Mick at: [email protected]

10 Issue 95 | March 2017 Viewpoint: Are There Too Many or Too Few Large Herbivores in Our Woods?

Are There Too Many or Too Few Large Herbivores in Our Woods?

Keith Kirby FCIEEM Keywords: rewilding, Vera Hypothesis, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford woodland grazing, wood-pasture

My first proper job was doing a Phase 1 woodland survey in the Lake District National Park in 1977. A widespread concern then was that the oakwoods Quercus petraea were being damaged because of overgrazing, a particular issue being the lack of oak regeneration. Had George Monbiot’s term ‘sheepwrecked’ been around it would have undoubtedly been used! However, there were more positive views on grazing as well amongst my bosses: some pointed out that when areas were fenced the distinctive alder Alnus glutinosa parkland above Ullswater turned into rather ordinary young ash Fraxinus excelsior woodland, that the mossy carpets of the oakwoods tended to be reduced under the dense grass or bramble Rubus fruticosus. In the mid-eighties, by then with the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC), we let a contract to explore this ‘positive’ effect on woodland conservation through an experiment with different levels and seasons of grazing in an oakwood by Haweswater. It proved more difficult than we envisaged but the results confirmed that permanently fencing all stock out of upland woods was seldom likely to be the optimum solution from a conservation perspective (Kirby et al. 1994, Mitchell and Kirby 1990). During the early 1990s, when NCC had become English Nature, I was involved with setting up the Veteran Tree Initiative, a project to raise awareness of the conservation importance of wood-pastures Distinctive habitats created/maintained by stock grazing – not necessarily ‘sheepwrecked’. in all their various forms. Two issues tended Photo credit Keith Kirby. Issue 95 | March 2017 11 Viewpoint: Are There Too Many or Too Few Large Herbivores in Our Woods? (contd)

An old pollard at risk from too little grazing in a wood-pasture (above); and woodland ground flora and understorey hammered by too high deer pressure (right). Photo credit Keith Kirby. to dominate such management discussions actually developed, under the farming and Natural grazing in the pre- – getting a new generation of trees forestry prevalent in the late nineteenth Neolithic period – a useful underway in those sites which were mainly and early twentieth century. During guide or not? open with just scattered veteran trees, that period (c1850-1950) over much of The pre-Neolithic landscape (i.e. before typically lowland grazed parkland; and England, where the most broadleaved widespread farming) is often taken as dealing elsewhere with the sites (frequently tree cover survived, deer were scarce, if the last time the British countryside was former common land) where grazing had not totally absent. Domestic stock were largely ‘natural’ (although the increasing long stopped and any surviving veteran generally kept out of woods or at least evidence for impacts from Mesolithic trees were being overtopped by too much from those areas where regeneration/stool peoples complicates such an idea). The young growth (Kirby et al. 1995). regrowth was happening, by fences and conventional view on this landscape, prior Meanwhile, in many ancient woods the hedges, or herding. In the wood-pastures to 1990, was that it was largely tree- spread and increase of the lowland deer fallow deer tended to be confined at covered, but there were dissenters such as population, largely unnoticed up to that high densities in parks so would keep the Frances Rose who argued: “it is interesting point, was making itself felt in terms of ground between trees open; common that the great majority of epiphytic shifts in the ground flora, widespread grazing of livestock was still sufficiently lichens ... are light-demanding species. failure of coppice regrowth following valuable (and without the problems of ...If the primeval forest were uniformly cutting, and reduced density of shrub layers too much traffic on roads) to be worth dense, where did all these species grow? with consequent impacts on breeding bird maintaining on commons and in the ... These facts suggest that the primeval populations (Fuller and Gill 2001). remnants of the Royal Forests, as at Epping. oak forests were not uniformly dense and Thus, if we base our conservation that numerous glades were a feature, One thing here and another expectations on the past, we do need perhaps maintained by large herbivores thing there? to keep most ancient woods largely present” (Rose 1974). Oliver Rackham One answer to the question posed by my ungrazed (but regularly managed to create gave a keynote talk entitled ‘Savanna title is thus that it is ‘contingent on the openings) but wood-pastures with quite in Europe’ at a woodland conference in objectives set for a site’ or more prosaically an intensive level of grazing to keep the 1996 in Nottingham (Rackham 1998). This ‘it depends what you want here’. Many veteran trees free of competition from happened to coincide with the completion expressions of a wildlife-rich countryside too many younger trees (but with a low of a thesis in the Netherlands Metaforen are based on what the founding mothers number of open-grown successor trees). voor de wildernis: Eik, hazelaar, rund en and fathers of modern British conservation Both are difficult with our relatively small paart, which reached a wider audience movement were familiar with – heathland, conservation sites that are now largely in Britain when a book based on it was coppice woods, meadows, parks, etc. divorced from the modern farming and published in 2000 as Grazing ecology and These landscapes had survived, if not forestry that surrounds them. forest history (Vera 2000). 12 Issue 95 | March 2017 Two modern landscapes sometimes used as models of ‘natural’ forest – Bialowieza Forest, Poland (left), and the New Forest, England (above) – although both, of course, have a long history of human management. Photo credit Keith Kirby.

Vera argues for a much greater role for from the pollen record that at least some Sussex where cattle grazing ceased post- large herbivores in the pre-Neolithic period of the species were present. However, war, and at Wytham Woods where I have than previously allowed: he presents them wild boar Sus scrofa might make the worked near Oxford, even short periods as the main determinant of vegetation formation of large uniform stands of (a couple of decades) when the grazing structure and composition across large bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta, level is reduced (not always eliminated areas of at least the lowlands of central ramsons Allium ursinum, or anemones completely) can allow a dense cohort of and north-western Europe. Their impact, Anemone nemorosa unlikely because their young trees and scrub to establish over he believes, would have resulted in a half- rootling would break them up and reduce large areas. open landscape (Vera 2000). flowering. Short periods (c.10-15 years) I do not think we know enough about I first read his book while stuck on a of heavy grazing can lead to major shifts the pre-Neolithic landscape structure train between Manchester and Glasgow in the structure and the composition of and functioning to assume that they (it was a long delay!) and I took part in the flora, favouring species such as wood will also maintain the sorts of habitats the subsequent debate generated by false-brome Brachypodium sylvaticum and landscapes that we have inherited his arguments. The case for proposing a and pendulous sedge Carex pendula at and which we value from more recent half-open level of openness has nowhere the expense of the abundance of other managed times (Hodder et al. 2009). to my knowledge been justified. Even woodland herbs. if large herbivores such as aurochs Bos Large areas with scattered, open-grown Rewilded grazing? primigenius and bison Bison bonasus veteran trees amongst grass-heath type Extensive or naturalistic grazing is were the dominant drivers of vegetation vegetation seem equally unlikely to me. generally a component of rewilding pattern, why would a half-open landscape For such a landscape to be stable in the proposals, under the assumption that automatically result: it could be more long term a succession of younger trees it will produce interesting mosaics of open, or less open? Thus, I do not accept coming along would be required. However, habitats and provide conditions that all of the case put forward by Frans Vera, the grazing level has to be fairly finely favour a wide range of wildlife. The but I would agree that we probably balanced such that a few trees get away Knepp Estate in West Sussex has, for underestimated the role of grazing and from time to time, but not so many (e.g. example, attracted significant populations openness in the pre-Neolithic forest, even no more than about 10 per hectare per of turtle dove Streptopelia turtur, if not going as far as the half-open state decade) that they can close the canopy nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos and (Sandom et al. 2014, Whitehouse and and overshadow existing veterans. Yet, on purple emperor butterfly Apatura iris Smith 2010). downland following the collapse of the (www.knepp.co.uk). However, the essence Would such landscapes have contained rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus population in of rewilding is that the outcomes are analogues of, for example, modern the 1950s, on lowland commons such as at indeterminate: the nightingales may move coppice woodland floras? We can see Odiham in Hampshire, or Ebernoe in West on somewhere else as the current scrub Issue 95 | March 2017 13 Viewpoint: Are There Too Many or Too Few Large Herbivores in Our Woods? (contd)

areas mature and we cannot be sure that equivalent areas will develop neatly in succession elsewhere on the estate. The wildlife is likely to be much more dynamic, both spatially and temporally. On current evidence, therefore, I back some further large-scale trials of rewilding with associated naturalistic grazing because I believe these will produce rich and exciting landscapes. They may not accommodate – at least in the short term – all the species that we currently value and maintain through managed grazing (including grazing exclusion). Rewilding thus needs to be seen as a complementary approach to trying – however difficult this can be – to maintain both high and low grazing levels elsewhere in our woods through management. So, are levels of large herbivores too high or too low? – BOTH.

Scattered bluebells showing in an area rootled by pigs (top); a sward of wood false-brome developed from a more mixed flora under heavy deer pressure (bottom). Photo credit Keith Kirby.

References About the Author Fuller, R.J. and Gill, R. (2001). Ecological impacts of Rackham, O. (1998). Savanna in Europe. In: K.J. Keith has extensive deer in British woodland. Forestry, 74: 193-299. Kirby and C. Watkins (eds). The ecological history of experience of the European forests. CABI, Wallingford. ecology, conservation Hodder, K.H., Buckland, P.C., Kirby, K.J. and Bullock, and management of J.M. (2009). Can the pre-Neolithic provide suitable Rose, F. (1974). The epiphytes of oak. In: M.G. British broadleaved models for re-wilding the landscape in Britain? Morris and F.H. Perring (eds). The British oak. woodland derived British Wildlife (supplement), 20: 4-15. Classey, Faringdon. from over 30 years Kirby, K.J., Mitchell, F.J.G. and Hester, A.J. (1994). A Sandom, C.J., Ejrnæs, R., Hansen, M.D.D. and as national advisor role for large herbivores (deer and domestic stock) Svenning, J.-C. (2014). High herbivore density on forestry and in nature conservation management in British semi- associated with vegetation diversity in interglacial woodland matters with Natural England natural woods. Arboricultural Journal, 18: 381-399. ecosystems. Proceedings of the National Academy and its predecessors. He maintained an of Sciences,111: 4162–4167. active research interest during this time, Kirby, K.J., Thomas, R.C., Key, R.S., McLean, I.F.G. particularly in the drivers of long-term and Hodgetts, N. (1995). Pasture woodland and Vera, F.W.M. (2000). Grazing ecology and forest change in woods and has published its conservation in Britain. Biological Journal of the history. CABI, Wallingford. extensively on the subject. For the Linnean Society, 56: 135-153. last five years he has continued that Whitehouse, N.J. and Smith, D. (2010). How research, based in the Department of Mitchell, F.J.G. and Kirby, K.J. (1990). The impact of fragmented was the British Holocene wildwood? Plant Sciences in Oxford, both individually large herbivores on the conservation of semi-natural Perspectives on the “Vera” grazing debate and in collaboration with groups based woods in the British Uplands. Forestry, 63: 333-353. from the fossil beetle record. Quaternary elsewhere in Britain and on the Continent. Science Reviews, 29: 539-553. Monbiot, G. (2014). Feral: Rewilding the Land, Sea Contact Keith at: and Human Life. Penguin, London. [email protected]

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Issue 95 | March 2017 15

Feature Article: Anthropogenic Rewilding: An Oxymoron?

Anthropogenic Rewilding: An Oxymoron?

Phil Colebourn MCIEEM and Ben Kite CEcol MCIEEM Keywords: anthropogenic, Ecological Planning & Research Ltd dormice, management, rewilding

This article examines the supporting role that anthropogenic habitats can play in rewilding. Using a study of hazel dormice Muscardinus avellanarius as an example, we outline how, and in what circumstances, ecologically rich, managed habitats can be identified and then ultilised to accelerate efforts to rewild the British landscape. We also consider how historical ecology can inform this approach to rewilding, so that the biodiversity we still have is protected and A grazing exclosure maintained for over 40 years at Cwm Idwal, Snowdonia. utilised to best advantage. Photo credit Ben Kite.

Introduction Engendered by a stream of statistics about of species that would otherwise no longer habitats from scratch, will involve many habitat loss and species decline, there has be viable. These sites are labelled ‘cultural more decisions by many more people; been vigorous debate in recent years about reserves’ by Monbiot (2014) in which where should we as professional ecologists how to ‘re-wild’ the British countryside nature is kept in ‘arrested development’. aim to exert influence? to create benefits for biodiversity and The September 2016 POSTNOTE by the Present-day landscapes have been ecosystem services. Rewilding proponents Parliamentary Office of Science and fragmented by agricultural clearance such as George Monbiot point out that Technology (POST PN 537) explains that and intensification, and by development. Britain has lost its mega-fauna and most rewilding ‘…generally refers to reinstating Major changes took place in medieval of its meso-fauna including bison Bison natural processes that would have times, but the Inclosure Acts of the bonasus, boar Sus scrofa, bear Ursus arctos occurred in the absence of human activity’. 17th to 19th centuries destroyed much arctos, wolf Canis lupus lupus, and lynx This begs the question whether those common and other unenclosed land, Lynx lynx (Monbiot 2014). This version of ‘natural processes’ require the absence of erasing its ancient features and habitats the rewilding vision is a landscape at least human activity, and challenges whether in the process. More recently, the World partly free of human interference where ‘managed’ habitats have value as part of War II War Agricultural Committees were these predators and their prey may once the rewilding agenda. responsible for the loss of many flower-rich again live wild in Britain. meadows. Oliver Rackham’s History of the Aligned to this, there has been criticism of A Diversity of Landscapes Countryside (1986) consequently identifies the way in which some nature reserves and The British landscape has been shaped by a fundamental difference between ‘ancient Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are innumerable decisions made by farmers countryside’ and ‘planned countryside’. managed using tools such as controlled and landowners over thousands of years. Different landscapes need different grazing to preserve particular assemblages Reversing biodiversity loss, or creating new approaches to rewilding. 16 Issue 95 | March 2017 Ancient countryside harbours relics of – ploughsoils may mean that we need a long period of time. However, harmful formerly extensive biodiversity, reflecting to recreate biodiversity from scratch as management or negative stochastic events, what George Peterken (1993) called the process of repeatedly turning soil such as the application of artificial fertiliser, ‘original’ or ‘past’ naturalness – complexity eradicates its accumulated seed bank. Tithe will interfere with this trend. Vegetation that developed in times when sources of maps and records of Enclosure Awards for surveys are essential but clues to the seed and spores were widespread and a parish give a useful indication of which existence of relict biodiversity-rich places can agrochemicals were unknown. In the areas have remained pasture or droveway come from particular species, such as the lowlands, this also reflects complex human for longest. hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius. responses to topography, geology and Historical Ordnance Survey (OS) maps Importance of the dormouse as soils, exemplified by organic patterns of are also helpful – the 1870 6” series a historical indicator species lanes, pastures, woods, meadows and was the most accurate rural mapping droveways, often on poorer soils and ever undertaken, and one can still find The distribution and abundance of dormice commons. A high number of SSSIs are individual trees growing today that are is correlated with ‘old’ arboreal habitats commons, ranging from the New Forest to shown on those maps. The maps can such as ancient woodland, particularly those coastal grazing marshes and hill pastures. also tell us about commons and detached with a history of coppice management In planned countryside, by contrast, typified portions of parishes, but they mainly (Bright and Morris 1996). This may be by the former Danelaw where open field show the countryside after the Victorian partly because the dormouse lacks a farming has held sway since medieval times, re-organisation into Civil Parishes. The caecum (an organ helping mammals to woods and droves are few, most land has 1st Edition OS 1” engravings, and the digest green matter), so it relies on a been arable for centuries, and there are far Surveyors’ drawings at 2” or 3” – the latter succession of different flowers, soft and fewer fragments of high biodiversity. in the British Library – are more informative hard mast fruit, and insects to get through about places pre-Inclosure. Proprietary the year, meaning that it survives better in Where to Start Rewilding? maps made for county landowners, or biodiverse habitats. Consequently, dormice Besides the land itself, it is useful to estate maps, sometimes provide landscape are generally more abundant in ‘ancient have information on what is theoretically information from even earlier. countryside’ than in ‘planned countryside’. possible, and in this respect historical Field evidence is critical in verifying By looking at dormouse distribution over topographical maps, and information what maps tell us, whether from the wide areas, we can examine the link to on geology and soils, are helpful guides. distribution of ‘indicator’ species, or biodiverse habitats, which might prove Biodiversity is often highest where from records of rarities and their former to be valuable source populations of agricultural productivity is lowest, and distribution. Antiquity of habitats can be species for rewilding projects. The left- soil type and structure is an important a proxy measure of biodiversity, as new hand pane of Figure 1 shows dormouse determinant of what can be achieved species typically arrive and establish over distribution in northern Surrey, overlaid

Figure 1. Dormouse Distribution and Ancient/Recent Woodland in northern Surrey. Data provided courtesy of People’s Trust for Endangered Species. OS Data © Crown Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. Licence number 100005596. Issue 95 | March 2017 17

Feature Article: Anthropogenic Rewilding: An Oxymoron? (contd)

onto Natural England’s Provisional Ancient woodland antiquity. This once vast woodland residential and commercial development Woodland Inventory (lime green). Red dots known to the Saxons as ‘Andreada’s Wald’ and roads, between the M27 and the indicate National Dormouse Monitoring now comprises two landscapes with distinct coast. Contrary to suggestions that Programme (NDMP) sites and yellow dots histories: the ‘High Weald’ retains much of dormice prefer large, well-connected are National Dormouse Database (NDD) its old woodland cover but the ‘Low Weald’ networks of species-rich habitats, here records. Dormouse distribution appears was largely deforested from around the 12th they also live in scrub, roadside hedgerows well related to ancient woodland, with century because it could be converted to and even laurel Laurus nobilis in gardens. the northernmost part of the County fertile farmland. However, old maps provide clues to sparsely populated. The right-hand pane In 1819, the town of Paddock Wood was how the animals came to be living in sub-optimal habitat. Possibly the earliest on Figure 1 shows Ancient Woodland in indeed a wood (see Figure 2). The east- reasonably accurate map of the area is red and more recent woodland from the west line of the railway roughly demarcates Milne’s Map of Hampshire (1791), shown National Forest Inventory in yellow. The the division between the High Weald in Figure 3 alongside a modern OS map. northern area is clearly well wooded today (south) and Low Weald (north) on the Other maps show the intervening time- but lacks dormouse records. This confirms modern map – topographically clear on the period, including Greenwood (1826) and that dormouse distribution is well related 1819 OS map. Most dormouse records are the 1” and 6” OS maps from the early to to ancient woodland, but less so to more in the High Weald, where there is greater mid-1800s. recent (less diverse) woodland. woodland cover and where much more The dormouse population centres on The 1820s 2” to 1 mile Ordnance woodland is presumed to be ancient. Lambert’s Coppice, a small ancient Surveyor’s Drawing shows the northern part The suggestion that dormice fare better woodland with an intriguing history. of Surrey mainly as heathland, with very in ancient woodland has been challenged In Milne’s day, the area was far less sparse woodland cover. Much woodland by instances of the animal subsisting well populated and built up. West of Lambert’s in this area today is conifer plantation or in habitats that, ostensibly, appear neither Coppice was Titchfield Common, the rump pioneer species such as silver birch Betula old nor biodiverse (Eden and Eden 2001, of a vast unenclosed area of heathland, pendula, Scots pine Pinus sylvestris and 2003). However, where such places are grassland, scrub and trees, grazed by oak Quercus spp. developed over former not obviously embedded within ‘ancient commoners and similar to the New heathland. It is not known whether countryside’, (as with much of Dorset), Forest today. It stretched from the River dormice have not yet had time to colonise research using historical maps and in the Hamble to the River Meon, around which these more recent woods or whether the field sometimes reveals a hidden history that lay patches of unenclosed woodland, woodlands are not yet sufficiently diverse helps to explain how dormice got there. including Lambert’s Coppice. Beyond this, to provide the resources they need. For example, surprisingly, a population of Milne’s map shows enclosed land in a The Weald of Kent offers another example dormice live around Segensworth Industrial lighter shade, but unfortunately does not of how dormouse distribution reflects Estate in Hampshire, surrounded by show boundaries of enclosed fields.

Figure 2. The Kentish Weald around Paddock Wood. Left-hand pane shows modern OS Mastermap with Provisional Ancient Woodland Inventory (green) and dormouse records (red and yellow dots). Right-hand pane shows 1st Edition 1 inch to the mile OS Map (1819). Data provided courtesy of People’s Trust for Endangered Species. OS Data © Crown Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. Licence number 100005596. 18 Issue 95 | March 2017 Figure 3. Segensworth Past and Present: Left pane shows modern OS map with Lambert’s Coppice encircled. Right pane shows Milne’s Map (1791) with Lambert’s Coppice encircled. Map courtesy of Old Hampshire Mapped, University of Portsmouth. OS Data © Crown Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. Licence number 100005596.

Nevertheless, we can infer from more Coppicing is also beneficial for other There are other examples of the positive recent maps that this enclosed area was species such as woodland butterflies. It lets effects of management on biodiversity. criss-crossed with hedgerows that were in light and allows ground flora to flourish, Cricklade North Meadow National Nature later reduced and simplified. Later maps including the guild of coppice plants Reserve (NNR) (Figure 4) and Special Area from the 1800s show the encroachment that remain dormant in the seed bank of Conservation (SAC) has been preserved of enclosure, the disappearance and waiting for the opportunity to germinate in an ecologically rich condition through ultimate development of Titchfield after clearance. The biodiversity merits sustained hay meadow management and Common, and the formalisation of woods of coppicing are so well documented seasonal grazing by a ‘Court Leet’ since like Lambert’s Coppice into enclosed land that Natural England (2008) state that Saxon times. Because of this management, with rectilinear boundaries. ‘The cessation of traditional woodland the NNR is reported to support some 240 species of vascular plants (approaching one This historical evidence reveals how a management practices such as coppicing third of the British flora). relict population of dormice, established is the most important factor affecting when the landscape offered a much more the condition of our woodlands and the The management of these ecologically rich favourable habitat, found itself isolated biodiversity they support’. habitats often imitates natural processes in a small fragment of biodiverse ancient coppice, and which today is spilling out into surrounding areas. Lambert’s Coppice today is a beautiful and diverse little woodland, rich in flora. When Management has Merit The dormice at Lambert’s Coppice have avoided paying their ‘extinction debt’, unlike others isolated in small woodlands, apparently by an accident of chance. After World War II, electricity pylons were routed through the wood, since when contractors have periodically cleared the wayleave. The trees here are notably productive in terms of mast fruit, probably because they receive more light. In effect, wayleave clearance appears to be imitating the ancient practice of coppicing, which is reported to favour dormice (Bright and Morris 1990). Figure 4. Cricklade North Meadow in bloom. Photo credit Ben Kite. Issue 95 | March 2017 19

Feature Article: Anthropogenic Rewilding: An Oxymoron? (contd)

that no longer operate. We know, for a vital role in sustaining assemblages example, that open grassland habitats of species that otherwise might not References existed in the interglacial periods prior to have been able to persist so far into the Bright, P. and Morris, P. (1990). Habitat human clearance (Colebourn and Gibbons Anthropocene. Monbiot (2014) suggests Requirements of Dormice Muscardinus avellanarius in Relation to Woodland Management in Southwest 1990). In the absence of large fauna to that such places preserve nature like ‘jars England. Biological Conservation, 54: 307-326. create and sustain such places naturally, of pickles’, but they could more correctly Bright, P. and Morris, P. (1996). Why are Dormice management must mimic these processes be seen as ‘the pantry cupboards’, Rare? A Case Study in Conservation Biology. to preserve these specific assemblages of providing the ingredients for a rewilding Mammal Review, 26(4): 157-187. species artificially. renaissance in the ancient countryside. Colebourn, P. and Gibbons, B. (1990). Britain’s Countryside Heritage: A Guide to the Landscape. The many small relicts of biodiversity Blandford, London. Published in association with the Conclusions: How to Rewild could become reservoirs for restoration, National Trust. It is clear that restoring a species-rich contributing their own hitherto ‘preserved’ Department for Communities and Local landscape will require more than simply complement of species to linked networks Government (2012). National Planning Policy Framework. Available at https://www.gov.uk/ reintroducing species and allowing nature of rewilded areas. Where else would we government/publications/national-planning-policy- to take its course. The preservation of some find the many species that are envisaged framework--2. Accessed 29 January 2017. species, like dormice (and by extension the as drivers of the trophic cascades that Eden, S. and Eden, R. (2001). The Dormouse in rich ecosystems that they act as ‘indicators’ rewilding hopes to unleash? Dorset: a reappraisal of Dormouse Ecology. Dorset Proceedings, 123: 75-94. for), may need ongoing, regular habitat Understanding what is appropriate Eden, S. and Eden, R. (2003). Further Observations management. Different landscapes require management, identifying the places on Dormice in Dorset. Dorset Proceedings, 125: different approaches to rewilding. that have been and are subject to it, 125-129. and distinguishing these from places Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology In ‘planned’ countryside, biodiversity is (2016). Rewilding and ecosystem services. already impoverished but this offers the where management has been harmful to POST-PN-0537, Houses of Parliament, London. opportunity for more radical approaches biodiversity is therefore key to maximising Available at http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ the prospects of a successful national ResearchBriefing/Summary/POST-PN-0537. to restoration. This has been done to great Accessed 26 January 2017. rewilding programme. effect on the Knepp Estate in West Sussex Peterken, G. (1993). Woodland Conservation (see www.knepp.co.uk) where biodiversity Ultimately, our proposition is that the and Management. Second Edition. Chapman & has dramatically increased over the last 10 extent to which a landscape might be Hall, London. years. Land has been taken out of intensive described as ‘wild’ is clearly a question Monbiot, G. (2014). Feral: Rewilding the Land, Sea and Human Life. Penguin, London. agricultural production and turned over of degree. Making a landscape ‘more Natural England (2008). State of the Natural to extensive grazing by cattle, pigs, wild’ (through rewilding) need not require Environment for the South East. Natural England ponies and deer, simulating the effects of the abandonment or absence of human Publications. Available at http://publications. large herbivores that would have grazed management where it has demonstrably naturalengland.org.uk/publication/31044?catego ry=118044. Accessed 29 January 2017. exerted a positive effect on biodiversity and the landscape in the distant past. With Rackham, O. (1986). The History of the minimal intervention, these herbivores have can pump-prime rewilding projects with a Countryside. Dent, London. recreated a variety of habitats including range of species no longer common in the scrub, wood pasture and grassland, each wider countryside. Anthropogenic rewilding supporting different species assemblages. can be real and need not be an oxymoron. In ‘ancient’ countryside, however, we What seems clear to us, given the About the Authors should focus on reconnecting the many complexity of the issues and the current Phil Colebourn small, rich habitat patches isolated by uncertain policy backdrop, is that ecologists is Chairman of farming or development, linking them must step forward and lead the way in Ecological Planning & Research Ltd (EPR), into functional networks where species helping to decide which of the above models (or mix of models) best fits the based in Micheldever, can disperse more easily. The ‘Nature Hampshire. Improvement Areas’ advocated by the landscape in which rewilding opportunities National Planning Policy Framework arise. We must be willing to help build (Department for Communities and Local the collaborative coalitions of farmers, landowners, conservationists, politicians, Contact Phil at: Government 2012) could provide a policy [email protected] regulators and the general public, that are basis within Local Plans, if authorities could needed both to initiate and then sustain the Ben Kite is the be persuaded to adopt the approach. Areas significant effort required to make rewilding Managing Director like the Cotswolds, where unimproved of EPR. fulfil its tantalising potential. habitat already stretches almost seamlessly across limestone valleys and ridges, might Contact Ben at: be good places to start. [email protected] Many such areas are already ‘designated’, and whilst their management is not always well informed or executed, it has played 20 Issue 95 | March 2017 Feature Article: Rewilding in a Managed Landscape – The Swindale Beck Restoration Project

Rewilding in a Managed Landscape – The Swindale Beck Restoration Project

Lee Schofield Keywords: geomorphology, RSPB restoration, rewilding, river, uplands, water Jean Johnston Natural England

George Heritage AECOM

Oliver Southgate Environment Agency

Figure 1. Swindale Beck before restoration. Photo credit RSPB Images.

This article describes the 1859 Ordnance Survey map, in order to of the valley. At times of moderately high work carried out to restore a create useable meadows that would allow flow, water would be carried through the the valley’s people to farm more effectively. leveed, armoured channel at high velocity, meandering profile and natural Evidence of the fact that the river had not typically carrying with it a bedload of processes in a section of the always occupied its straightened route can gravel. Much of this would be deposited Swindale Beck, a tributary of be seen in the land either side of the river in downstream at the United Utilities drinking the form of paleochannels. These are visible water intake, necessitating regular the River Eden in Cumbria. on the ground as lower lying, wetter areas. maintenance. The lack of slower flowing It outlines the need for the Figure 1 shows the state of the river in areas within the channel meant that project, the restoration methods 2015. Rock armoured on both sides, a smaller sized gravel had little opportunity employed and the anticipated straight route with almost no variation in for deposition, resulting in the channel width, depth or flow, the beck had little of bed being made up of fairly uniform larger benefits, and discusses some the in-channel habitat features that a river sized gravel. The lack of smaller substrate of the challenges of delivering of this type should support, with no gravel meant there was little suitable habitat for a rewilding project within a bars or deep pools and very few riffles. Atlantic salmon Salmo salar or brown trout Salmo trutta to spawn. managed landscape. Historic management of the channel had resulted in the creation of levees running The upper catchment of Swindale is The Setting along a 2 km length through the middle enormous, meaning that flooding of the of the valley. Grazing had prevented tree valley bottom will always be a regular Swindale Beck is a tributary of the River regeneration so that this section had only occurrence. Before restoration, the levees Eden in the Eastern Lake District that runs a handful of bankside trees. prevented water flowing back into the through Swindale Farm, where the RSPB river once flooding had subsided, creating is working in partnership with landowner Decades of natural deposition of gravel United Utilities to demonstrate sustainable from upstream meant that most of the stagnant pools on the meadow to either land management. Like a great many straightened length was perched above the side, reducing both the botanical interest of watercourses in the UK, Swindale Beck has surrounding land. Had the river not been the meadows and their agricultural value. been heavily modified. It was straightened constrained, it would most probably have Some of the hay meadows and rush at least 160 years ago, as evidenced by the moved into a different, lower lying part pastures on the valley bottom are Issue 95 | March 2017 21 Feature Article: Rewilding in a Managed Landscape – The Swindale Beck Restoration Project (contd)

Figure 2. Swindale Hay Meadows. Photo credit RSPB Images. designated Sites of Special Scientific have helped the CRRS partnership to gain Previous river restoration schemes had Importance (SSSI) and Special Areas of recognition as national leaders in the field shown that there is little need to do much Conservation (SAC) (Figure 2). Under of river restoration. The CRRS contributed detailed design work and that once a RSPB management, with zero fertiliser significantly to the work in Swindale and river is connected into a restored channel, inputs and carefully timed grazing, their lessons learned from previous projects natural processes rapidly take over and botanical interest has been improving. helped to inform the design and delivery the desired in-river features (gravel bars, They are also an important part of the of the scheme. The value of this expertise riffles, pools) all form spontaneously. This RSPB farming operation, providing winter and the partnership between RSPB, approach was taken with the design for fodder for sheep. United Utilities, Environment Agency and Swindale, and contractors were asked to Natural England on this project cannot create a simple channel profile based on Swindale Beck Restoration be underestimated. a basic two-dimensional design. As part of the RSPB management planning process for Swindale, consultation with the Eden Rivers Trust helped to identify the potential to restore sinuosity and enhance the biodiversity value of the beck. In 2015, the project began in earnest, with geomorphologists from the Environment Agency (EA) using a digital elevation model and the locations of paleochannels to design a new sinuous channel. The Cumbria River Restoration Strategy (CRRS) was originally developed to help deliver the government’s obligation to improve the quality and function of Cumbria’s SAC/SSSI rivers but has since expanded to support all river restoration across the county. The resulting projects Figure 3. Swindale Beck restoration work in progress. Photo credit RSPB Images. 22 Issue 95 | March 2017 A large part of the new channel needed means that there will be a good source of unfounded once the flood water subsided. to be dug through the SSSI/SAC hay suitable seed for recolonisation. The high flow had brought down large meadow and rush pasture. Following A specialist environmental contractor, amounts of gravel and in-filled areas that an Appropriate Assessment under the OpenSpace, won the tendering process were lacking in suitable bed material, Habitats Regulations, Natural England and started work on site in March 2016 reshaped and increased the size of the concluded that the overall impacts on (Figure 3). Weather proved challenging embryo bars, and formed new bars, riffles the ecology of the SSSI/SAC meadows at times, as did the presence of a and pools, resulting in a new channel that and pastures would be positive and it large number of land drains, which in was instantly more diverse than the old was able to support the project. The new combination regularly inundated the straightened route. channel to be dug ran mostly through an work area. Insufficient gravel found in The restored channel at 891 m is 140 m area that was almost permanently wet, some parts of the new route added extra longer and around 2 m wider than the with less botanical and agricultural value complications and raised concerns that the old route and, without the levees, is than other areas of the meadow. Some restored river may be more dynamic than much better connected to the flood plain. small areas of reasonably species-rich was desirable, which could have negative In-channel deposition is visibly occurring grassland would be lost in the short term consequences for surrounding land. To but by reinstating hay meadow on the in several places, which should reduce help provide some stability, a number of straightened channel after it had been the quantity of material ending up at embryo gravel bars were constructed in in-filled, the project aimed to increase the the United Utilities intake, saving on locations where these would be most likely extent of species-rich and agriculturally maintenance costs. Gravels are naturally to form naturally. utilisable hay meadow. The increase in sorted within the channel resulting in dynamism in the system was also felt to After electro-fishing to remove fish from areas of fine sediment distinct from be a positive factor, with a more natural the straightened route, connection into the larger substrate. As the new river beds flooding regime and new niches being new sinuous channel took place in August in, and aquatic organisms recolonise, this continually created for plants to colonise. 2016 (Figure 4). A very heavy rainfall event enhanced morphological diversity will The fact that the RSPB are managing hay occurred two days later, flooding the whole almost certainly result in the beck having meadows across the whole of the valley valley bottom. Concerns about what this much more wildlife than it has supported bottom in a way that is increasing the might have done to the unconsolidated for decades. We will be carrying out a extent and quality of species-rich habitat, banks of the new river proved to be range of different monitoring activities

Figure 4. Aerial photo showing the straightened route and the restored route before connection. Photo credit RSPB Images. Issue 95 | March 2017 23 Feature Article: Rewilding in a Managed Landscape – The Swindale Beck Restoration Project (contd)

Swindale Beck restoration is nested within a programme of complementary projects to improve ecosystem services in the Swindale catchment, including 40,000 trees being planted around the valley over the last four years, large-scale moorland restoration, a renewed drinking water intake and fish pass, and plans for two flood attenuation areas. (Figure 5). Rewilding? While we haven’t generally referred to Swindale Beck restoration as ‘rewilding’ it can clearly be considered in these terms. The aim of the project was to restore natural dynamic river processes in order to enhance the biodiversity, water quality, flood alleviation and aesthetic benefits that have been shown to result from similar projects. The RSPB/United Utilities partnership responsible for the management of Swindale Farm could have opted for a fuller rewilding scenario. All livestock could have been removed, or naturalistic grazing by large herbivores introduced. Land drains could have been blocked to reinstate more natural hydrology and create areas of wet woodland and fen alongside the restored river. A more intensive programme of tree planting, or natural regeneration of trees, could have been planned. We could have been less prescriptive about the route of the restored channel and allowed the new river to have found its own way. We took the conscious decision not to follow this ‘wilder’ route for the following reasons. Protection and enhancement of hay meadows Hay meadows are a diminishing resource in the British countryside, having declined by an estimated 97% over the last century Figure 5. Annotated aerial photo showing river restoration and other Swindale projects. (Burns et al. 2013). While supporting Photo credit Glasgow University. significant species richness, hay meadows are essentially artificial habitats, managed to document these changes. These will the RSPB and the University of Leeds, through low-intensity agricultural practices. include periodic fish, invertebrate and commencing in 2017. While a rewilded Swindale valley bottom bird surveys and drone flights to capture Around 4,000 trees were planted along would still have retained a high degree morphological change. Water flow and the river corridor during winter 2016/17 as of botanical richness, natural succession water quality data will be recorded at the part of the project. As these mature, they would probably result in a transition from drinking water intake just downstream will add shade and woody debris to the hay meadow communities toward wetter, of the project area. Additional research river as well as enhanced habitat alongside. richer, taller fen habitat and later into wet into the impacts of vegetation cover on Part of the restored channel will be fenced woodland. To say that hay meadows are water flows in the surrounding valley will out to result in a wooded section, while worth more than a fen or wet woodland be carried out through a postgraduate the section running through the SSSI will would be completely subjective, but hay research project in a partnership between be left open. meadows do have a particular place in 24 Issue 95 | March 2017 our cultural consciousness, and their There is understandable concern from diminishing national presence seemed farmers that river restoration may result in References significant enough to attempt to retain land in the flood plain becoming unusable. Addy, S., Cooksley, S., Dodd, N., Waylen, K., them in Swindale. We hope that Swindale will contribute to Stockan, J., Byg, A. and Holstead, K. (2016). River the growing body of evidence showing Restoration and Biodiversity: Nature-based solutions Maintenance of culturally valuable for restoring rivers in the UK and Republic of Ireland. that this doesn’t have to be the case. traditional farming practices CREW reference: CRW2014/10. Available at http:// Many hill farms in the Lake District will be www.crew.ac.uk/sites/default/files/sites/default/ The Lake District has a long history of similar to Swindale in that, following hay files/publication/River%20Restoration%20and%20 biodiversity_web.pdf. Accessed 10 January 2017. pastoral hill farming. While it could be cutting and aftermath grazing, there is argued that in the main this has not been Burns, F., Eaton, M.A., Gregory. R.D., Al Fulaij, N., little to keep livestock in the valley bottom. August, T.A., Biggs, J., Bladwell, S., Brereton, T., good for the region’s ecology (Ratcliffe In current hill farming practice, it is not Brooks, D.R., Clubbe, C., Dawson, J., Dunn, E., 2002), this is at least in part due to uncommon to send livestock to other Edwards, B., Falk, S.J., Gent, T., Gibbons, D.W., government policies following the Second Gurney, M., Haysom, K.A., Henshaw, S., Hodgetts, farms for the winter, or keep them inside. N.G., Isaac, N.J.B., McLaughlin, M., Musgrove, World War which encouraged farmers to So why not allow these fields to flood? A.J., Noble, D.G., O’Mahony, E., Pacheco, M., Roy, graze with unsustainably large numbers As long as the land in the valley bottom D.B., Sears, J., Shardlow, M., Stringer, C., Taylor, A., of livestock. The aim of our work at Thompson, P., Walker, K.J., Walton, P., Willing, M.J., is able to dry out again, producing a hay Wilson, J. and Wynde, R. (2013). State of Nature Haweswater is to assess if it is possible crop and/or useable pasture in the summer Report. The State of Nature partnership. to deliver environmental benefits within months should be perfectly feasible. Ratcliffe, D. (2002). Lakeland. Collins, London. an extensive hill farming operation (RSPB Swindale has probably flooded every RSPB (2015). Farming with Nature at RSPB Haweswater. RSPB, Sandy. 2015). The restoration of Swindale Beck is winter since time immemorial, but this has an important project within this landscape- not impacted on the production of hay and scale programme of trial management. summer grazing. If this type of rewilding project and the benefits that accrue from it can be What if? delivered within a farmed environment, Now the Swindale Beck is flowing About the Authors then there is a stronger case for continued through its restored, sinuous channel, we Lee Schofield is Site Manager at RSPB support for hill farming which at present is don’t expect it to stay where it is. There Haweswater. heavily dependent on government subsidy. has already been bank erosion and the Contact Lee at: Demonstration value possibility that the river may decide to lee.schofield create a new channel for itself is one that Showing that river restoration can be @rspb.org.uk we were fully aware of from the outset delivered within a farm without negative of the project. The river could become impact on production may help to inspire wandering, it could cut off access to the other farmers and land managers to meadow or the farm track that runs along Jean Johnston is Lead carry out similar projects elsewhere. Advisor at Natural the valley bottom. It could affect soil The CRRS has been very successful at England. hydrology so that hay meadows become delivering a range of river restoration Contact Jean at: wetter and dominated with rush. While projects in Cumbria in recent years, jean.johnston there are steps that we could take to but to have a really meaningful flood @naturalengland. lessen the likelihood of these impacts (land org.uk alleviation impact to protect communities drainage, bunding, bank reinforcement), at risk from flooding, a great many more we are keen to avoid taking them if we need to be carried out. The IUCN has George Heritage is a can. While our aim is to try to integrate recently published ‘River Restoration Geomorphologist and rewilding with management, if nature tells and Biodiversity’ calling for a national Technical Director us that this isn’t possible, then that will be Geomorphology & programme of river restoration (Addy et al. a valuable lesson learned. Hydromorphology at 2016), which highlights the value of rivers AECOM. and their potential to help mitigate some Contact George at: of the effects of a changing climate. george.heritage @aecom.com Oliver Southgate is the River Restoration Project Manager at Environment Agency. Contact Oliver at: oliver.southgate @environment- agency.gov.uk

Issue 95 | March 2017 25 ǁĂƌĚƐϮϬϭϳ ĐŚĂŶĐĞƚŽďĞƉĂƌƚŽĨƐŽŵĞƚŚŝŶŐĂŵĂnjŝŶŐ

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26 Issue 95 | March 2017 Feature Article: Getting It Right With Reintroductions: What Conservation Evidence Tells Us About Bringing Back Birds

Getting It Right With Reintroductions: What Conservation Evidence Tells Us About Bringing Back Birds Claire Wordley Conservation Evidence, University of Cambridge

Keywords: Conservation Evidence, grey partridge, Red kite Milvus milvus. red kite, species reintroductions, white stork Photo credit Silviu Petrovan.

Reintroducing species back to unfamiliar silhouette in the sky. With its carcasses. However, by the 16th century our industrialised island nation distinctive forked tail and cool, effortless it was decided that the kite was ‘vermin’ glide I knew what it was right away. and it was poisoned, trapped, shot and can be tough. Gathering, My heart started pounding, I gasped persecuted by egg-collectors until it sharing and using evidence at aloud, and I stopped dead in my tracks disappeared from England in 1871 and to watch it lazily rise on the thermals every step of the way, from Scotland in 1879 (RSPB 2016). A handful until it was just a speck in the distance. of birds remained in central Wales, which captive rearing animals to Nothing I saw at Tropical World gave me DNA analysis showed were all descended anywhere near the aching thrill that wild, preparing the public for their from a single female. The cool, damp soaring kite did. Watching an animal climate and limited food supply in the release, is critical to maximising that had been persecuted to extinction bird’s last stronghold appeared to hinder its the chances of success. This in England and Scotland sweeping over productivity and the chance of it spreading article illustrates some of the suburban parkland felt like one of the best conservation experiences possible – a scrap back across the UK, so attempts were lessons learned from bird of untamed nature elevating the mundane made to reintroduce this bird to England reintroductions, which have surroundings into something breathtaking. and Scotland. Between 1989 and 1994, red kites from Spain, Sweden and Wales been collected on the evidence- Six years later, I’ve seen red kites increasingly frequently across England – were released in the Chilterns, and kites sharing platform www. most recently over Hampstead Heath in from Sweden were released in the Black conservationevidence.com. London. If they can make it there, they Isle in Scotland (Williams et al. 2012a). can truly make it anywhere. But why did Due to the successes seen at these sites Introduction: Flying high these birds disappear, and why are they more birds were released across the UK, I remember clearly the first time I ever coming back when so much of our wildlife and there are now over 2,700 pairs in saw a red kite Milvus milvus. I had just is struggling? the UK, despite indications that illegal moved to Leeds and was heading out to In the Middle Ages the red kite was persecution has slowed the growth of the the outskirts of Roundhay, to visit Tropical protected in the UK due to its useful role population in Scotland (Orros and Fellowes World, when my eye was caught by an as a scavenger, clearing up rubbish and 2015, Smart et al. 2010). Issue 95 | March 2017 27 Feature Article: Getting It Right With Reintroductions: What Conservation Evidence Tells Us About Bringing Back Birds (contd)

Building an evidence revolution This is a clear reintroduction success story. But what are the elements that add to the success, and what are the potential stumbling blocks faced by other attempts to reintroduce species lost from these isles? Gathering data on the success (or otherwise) of reintroduction attempts, and experimenting with different ways of translocating, captive breeding or releasing animals, is key to maximising the chances that a reintroduction attempt will succeed – as emphasized by the guidelines for reintroduction produced by the Re-Introduction Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (IUCN 2013). The Conservation Evidence project (www.conservationevidence.com) is working to do this, as part of its wider Red kite Milvus milvus. Photo credit Silviu Petrovan. remit to collect together all the evidence on interventions undertaken in the name Getting it right for kites of conservation. While the database of For example, looking at Conservation Moscow). However, the red kites from evidence is still growing, this is a fantastic Evidence it is clear that the way the kite Sweden released in Scotland appear to – and free – resource for anyone planning reintroduction was managed met a have retained the migratory instincts of a conservation or mitigation project. number of important criteria, even if this species at higher latitudes, while The aim of the project is simple: to it could not completely eliminate all the Spanish and Welsh birds in southern revolutionise the way we do conservation, problems. In the red kite reintroduction England did not migrate from their release by liberating evidence from papers behind programme, birds were translocated site (Olsson 2007). This may have had paywalls and making it available to the rather than captive bred. Translocation some implications for the relative success people who need it most. has been successful for a range of raptors: of red kite releases in the two countries, red kites and sea eagles Haliaeetus albicilla and sourcing individuals with appropriate The Conservation Evidence project tackles in the UK, ospreys Pandion haliaetus in migratory behaviour may be as important the task of gathering evidence by breaking the USA and Montagu’s harrier Circus or more important than ensuring that they it into sections for particular species groups pygargus in Spain (Williams et al. 2012a). are from a genetically similar population. (such as amphibians, bats or birds) or An alternative approach would have been The red kites were collected from across habitats (such as forests or farmland) in to release captive-bred birds, which has Europe as four- to six-week-old nestlings, ‘synopses’. A range of conservationists are worked in some raptor release programmes and kept in aviaries at the holding pen consulted to draw up a list of all possible but not in others (Williams et al. 2012b). with minimal human contact for eight conservation actions for that species Decisions about the appropriateness of weeks before release. This mimics some group or habitat. Systematic searching translocation versus captive breeding must of the techniques used to release captive- is employed to find all the direct tests be taken for each species based on the bred birds without them becoming used to of that action, and each scientific paper best available evidence. humans in terms of preconditioning them or report is summarised in a paragraph, While there are only a few studies that to the local environment and familiarising with ‘key messages’ summarising all the have looked at the effects of where birds birds with local food. These techniques paragraphs. Next, experts are asked to look for release are sourced from, there are have worked to increase survival in some at the evidence and score each action for indications that birds sourced from closer programmes, but more evidence is needed how beneficial (or otherwise) it is, how to the release site do better than those to determine the overall effectiveness of strong the evidence is and whether there from further away in the species where this this method (Williams et al. 2012d). are any harms resulting from this action has been tested (Williams et al. 2012c). Changing the perception of a species, to the target species group or habitat. Red kites were genetically tested to check and reducing persecution towards it, are This ensures that anyone searching for the for differences in populations before critical in any release programme. The evidence can see it all at once, and get an release; birds from Spain and Sweden were RSPB and other groups involved in the immediate feel for how well the action is deemed genetically similar enough to those red kite release worked hard to reassure likely to work; then dive in to look at the from Wales to be likely to be viable in the landowners that the kite was not a threat details that are relevant to them. UK (the species ranges from Morocco to to livestock, and this appears to have had 28 Issue 95 | March 2017 positive results in England (RSPB 2005). Data on supplementary feeding gathered hand-reared female grey partridges had However, in Scotland the population by Conservation Evidence shows that this little positive impact on the local wild is still somewhat limited by poisoning, appears likely to benefit populations of population, due mainly to poor survival shooting and trapping, indicating that the raptors, including red kites (Williams et al. and low reproductive success in hand- education and outreach programmes have 2012f). The provisioning of red kites over reared birds (Williams et al. 2012h). not been universally successful (Smart et several years in Scotland may have been Similarly, in Scotland commercially reared al. 2010). This reflects the overall mixed a contributory factor to their persistence and released grey partridge had very low success of education programmes and local north of the border, where conditions overwinter and breeding-season survival, engagement to help reduce persecution or were harsher than in southern England mostly due to predation. Of the few exploitation of species worldwide, as seen (Evans et al. 1999). captive-bred birds in Scotland that survived by data gathered by Conservation Evidence to breed, none fledged chicks in their first (Williams et al. 2012e). Flapping about breeding season, and only one released It can be difficult to design education and Unfortunately, not all species reintroduction female survived to breed in her second year engagement programmes that are effective programmes are as successful as that of the (Williams et al. 2012h). in any given community and cultural red kite. Grey partridge Perdix perdix have There are hopes that success can be context; people’s beliefs and attitudes declined drastically in the UK, probably due improved in grey partridge reintroduction towards wild animals are often bound up to herbicide application, the removal of projects by testing different ways in wider identities and may not change hedgerows, shooters mistaking it for red- of breeding and releasing the birds, easily. It can also be difficult to measure legged partridge Alectoris rufa and infection and publishing the results. A study in the impacts of education programmes with caecal nematodes from farm-reared Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, England, on species populations. However, both pheasants. There have been numerous found that partridges released in family the success of kites in England and attempts to re-establish populations groups or ‘coveys’ in autumn had much several other programmes documented through releases of captive-bred birds, higher survival (over 13 days) than birds by Conservation Evidence give hope that with low success rates (BTO 2010). released in pairs in spring (Williams et al. this is not a fruitless endeavour; gathering A study from Finland found that hand- 2012i). There are also some indications more evidence on such programmes will reared grey partridges did not take off from France and England that feeding hopefully enable the analysis of whether to fly as effectively as wild-caught birds, wild grey partridge can increase local particular approaches are more successful which could potentially make them more abundance, and perhaps increase than others, or whether these programmes vulnerable to predation from ground population sizes (Williams et al. 2012j). are more likely to be successful in some predators (Williams et al. 2012g). Another Experimenting with these methods can contexts than in others. Finnish study found that releasing help to develop evidence-based guidelines for optimal reintroduction. Storks of the future? White storks Ciconia ciconia have been touted as another possible candidate for reintroduction in the UK, as they lived in the UK until medieval times (the last known breeding was in Edinburgh in 1416) and roughly 20 migrant birds are spotted each year. It is thought that these impressive birds, with their distinctive plumage and seven-foot wingspan, could be great ambassadors for the concept of reintroducing lost species as they will not pose a threat to livestock (although they may build unwanted nests on chimneys) (Rewilding Britain 2016). It is not entirely clear why storks were lost from the UK, but they are unlikely to recolonise naturally; the young imprint on the area in which they are born, and we are relatively far from continental populations, so it is unlikely that any of the few passing migrants will choose to breed here (although there are touching pictures of lone Larry building a Grey partridge Perdix perdix. Photo credit Silviu Petrovan. nest on his own in Mansfield (RSPB 2012)). Issue 95 | March 2017 29 Feature Article: Getting It Right With Reintroductions: What Conservation Evidence Tells Us About Bringing Back Birds (contd)

shown to breed well in captivity (Williams et al. 2012k), so this may be a viable option. Decisions would have to be taken about the best age to release the captive- bred birds, for which different species have shown different patterns (Williams et al. 2012l); on whether to soften the release using a holding-pen on site (Williams et al. 2012d); on whether to try and train birds to migrate with a microlite (Williams et al. 2012m); and on a variety of other factors. One of the major issues in planning a stork reintroduction would be trying to figure out whether they would survive once reintroduced. We know kites were hunted to near-extinction, so engaging people to see the positives of kites was a key approach; corncrake Crex crex, which almost went extinct in the UK in the 1990s, can be successfully reintroduced to areas from which they have been lost but they need grassland mowing patterns to be altered to reduce chick mortality (Williams et al. 2012n,o,p). But would storks need a White storks Ciconia ciconia. Photo credit Tim Kasoar.

If stork reintroductions are to work, it will be important to look at evidence from other stork reintroductions, and from introductions of similar species, to make sure we get it right. As storks migrate, it will be especially important to source appropriate populations from which to take birds for release in the UK, as migratory behaviour appears to have a genetic component. In Sweden, white storks released from North African birds (from a captive breeding facility in Switzerland) produced fewer than half the number of chicks of naturally recolonising birds from nearby areas of north-east Europe, and were less likely to migrate than naturally recolonising birds (Williams et al. 2012b). Eastern European white storks migrate to East Africa, while North African white storks make a shorter, later migration to eastern sub-Saharan Africa, although stork migration routes appear to be altering across Europe (Shephard et al. 2015). A stork reintroduction programme may choose to translocate individuals as chicks, as was done with kites, or to establish a captive breeding population, as seen with white storks in Switzerland. So far white storks, unlike some other storks, have been White stork. Photo credit Tim Kasoar. 30 Issue 95 | March 2017 public engagement campaign to prevent irate homeowners from chasing them from References their chimneys? Is there sufficient habitat BTO (2010). Breeding Birds in the wider countryside: Williams, D.R., Pople, R.G., Showler, D.A., Dicks, L.V., for them? Their successful reintroduction Grey Partridge Perdix perdix. Available at Child, M.F., zu Ermgassen, E.K.H.J. and Sutherland, in other industrialised countries such as https://www.bto.org/birdtrends2010/wcrgrepa.shtml. W.J. (2012). Bird Conservation: Global evidence for the Accessed 30 November 2016. effects of interventions. Pelagic Publishing, Exeter. the Netherlands in recent years suggests Euronatur (2016). European Stork Villages. Available at a) Translocate raptors, http://www. that with public engagement storks could https://www.euronatur.org/fileadmin/docs/arten/Storch/ conservationevidence.com/actions/574 boom in Britain (Euronatur 2016), but Storchendoerfer/European_Stork_villages_update__ b) Release captive-bred individuals into the wild careful monitoring of any reintroduction June_2016_English.pdf. Accessed 30 November 2016. to restore or augment wild populations of process and gathering of detailed data Evans, I.M., Summers, R.W., O’Toole, L., Orr-Ewing, raptors, http://www.conservationevidence.com/ actions/626 would be needed to maximise the chances D.C., Evans, R., Snell, N. and Smith, J. (1999). Evaluating the success of translocating Red Kites Milvus milvus to c) Use appropriate populations to source released of success. the UK. Bird Study, 46(2): 129-144. populations, http://www.conservationevidence. com/actions/631 IUCN (2013). Guidelines for Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations. Reintroduction Specialist d) Use holding pens at release sites, http://www. Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission, Gland, conservationevidence.com/actions/632 Switzerland. Available at http://www.iucnsscrsg.org/ e) Use education programmes and local index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=197& engagement to help reduce persecution Itemid. Accessed 26 January 2017. or exploitation of species, http://www. conservationevidence.com/actions/274 Olsson, O. (2007). Genetic origin and success of reintroduced white storks. Conservation Biology, f) Provide supplementary food for raptors to 21(5): 1196-1206. increase reproductive success, http://www. conservationevidence.com/actions/532 Orros, M.E. and Fellowes, M.D. (2015). Widespread g) Artificially incubate and hand-rear gamebirds in supplementary feeding in domestic gardens explains captivity, http://www.conservationevidence.com/ the return of reintroduced Red Kites Milvus milvus to actions/607 an urban area. Ibis, 157(2): 230-238. h) Release captive-bred individuals into the wild Rewilding Britain (2016). Opportunity to reintroduce the to restore or augment wild populations of white stork. Available at http://www.rewildingbritain. gamebirds, http://www.conservationevidence. org.uk/magazine/white-stork-opportunity. com/actions/619 Accessed 30 November 2016. i) Release birds in ‘coveys’, http://www. RSPB (2005). Red kite reintroduction. Available at http:// conservationevidence.com/actions/635 www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/conservation- j) Provide supplementary food for gamebirds and-sustainability/species/casestudies/redkite.aspx. to increase adult survival, http://www. Accessed 30 November 2016. conservationevidence.com/actions/544 RSPB (2012). Community Wildlife Enquiries. Available at k) Use captive breeding to increase or maintain http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/b/wildlife/ populations of storks and ibises, http://www. archive/2012/04/26/something-to-stork-about.aspx. conservationevidence.com/actions/595 Accessed 30 November 2016. l) Release birds as adults or sub-adults, not RSPB (2016). Red Kite population trends. Available juveniles, http://www.conservationevidence.com/ at http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird- actions/636 and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/r/redkite/population.aspx. m) Use microlites to help birds migrate, http://www. White stork. Photo credit Silviu Petrovan. Accessed 30 November 2016. conservationevidence.com/actions/640 Shephard, J.M., Rycken, S., Almalik, O., Struyf, K. and n) Release captive-bred individuals into the wild Van Erp-van der Kooij, L. (2015). Migration strategies to restore or augment wild populations of Conclusions revealed by satellite tracking among descendants of a rails, http://www.conservationevidence.com/ population of European white stork (Ciconia ciconia) actions/620 The Conservation Evidence team is reintroduced to Belgium. Journal of Ornithology, o) Delay mowing or first grazing date on pasture or working hard to bring out new synopses 156(4): 943-953. grassland http://www.conservationevidence.com/ covering reintroductions on more species, Smart, J., Amar, A., Sim, I.M., Etheridge, B., Cameron, actions/131 from reptiles to carnivores, and on more D., Christie, G. and Wilson, J. D. (2010). Illegal killing p) Use mowing techniques to reduce mortality slows population recovery of a re-introduced raptor of http://www.conservationevidence.com/ habitat restoration programmes, from high conservation concern–the red kite Milvus milvus. actions/698. wetlands to heathlands. As the number Biological Conservation, 143(5): 1278-1286. of reintroduction and habitat restoration programmes grows, it will be even more important to publish new evidence on what works (and what doesn’t), and to About the Author make sure that evidence is easily accessible Claire Wordley is a postdoc. in the Conservation Evidence Team at the so it can inform other conservationists. University of Cambridge, and can be contacted for further information Evidence-based conservation needs to be about any aspect of Conservation Evidence. more than just a buzzword; it should be Contact Claire at: the start and end point of all we do. [email protected]

Issue 95 | March 2017 31 Feature Article: Pine Marten Translocations: The Road to Recovery and Beyond

Pine Marten Translocations: The Road to Recovery and Beyond

Jenny MacPherson Keywords: feasibility study, monitoring, The Vincent Wildlife Trust pine marten, research, stakeholders

Female pine marten fitted with a combined radio and GPS collar. © Nick Upton/naturepl.com.

Summary Project for England and Wales. This article martens in suitable areas throughout describes the background to the project England and Wales. Translocation is an increasingly and discusses the long-term commitment and partnerships that are contributing to Feasibility study common method used to re- its success. Before considering translocations of pine establish wildlife populations martens, a feasibility study and background Introduction in situations where natural research was completed (MacPherson The Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) has been recovery or recolonisation is et al. 2014) in accordance with IUCN carrying out research and monitoring of guidelines (IUCN 2013) and following the the pine marten for thirty years. After unlikely. However, conservation Scottish Code and Best Practice Guidelines a long period of decline, pine martens translocations need to have clear for Conservation Translocations (National are now making a good recovery across Species Reintroduction Forum 2014). goals from the outset and be very Scotland, but in England and Wales carefully planned and resourced. the numbers are so low that recovery is Habitat modelling, along with a database unlikely without intervention. Based on of reported pine marten sightings and The Vincent Wildlife Trust is currently extensive data gathered over many years, other evidence, was used to identify carrying out conservation translocations of the VWT’s Pine Marten Recovery Project a number of potential reinforcement pine martens Martes martes from Scotland began in 2014. The long-term objective regions. These are areas of predicted high as part of its Pine Marten Recovery of the project is to help re-establish pine habitat suitability in regions where reports 32 Issue 95 | March 2017 action to prevent the pine marten from Figure 1. Pine marten habitat becoming extinct in Wales. More detailed suitability map for England and Wales based on MaxEnt consultations with stakeholders and other model predictions. Darker land users in the prospective release shades of grey represent areas were carried out in order to gauge higher predicted habitat local levels of support for the project and suitability. identify any specific issues (Figure 2). All the information gathered during this stage was used to inform the final decision regarding if and where releases should take place. Field surveys GIS data were used for the initial habitat suitability assessments followed up with ground-truthing of the results. The pine marten is a generalist predator and in Britain its diet includes small mammals, fruit and berries, birds, invertebrates and carrion. Pine martens preferentially den above ground in tree cavities, birds’ nests and squirrel dreys, but they will also den of recent sightings and other evidence Stakeholder and in cairns, burrows, tree roots and brash suggest pine martens are still present albeit community engagement piles. Extensive field surveys were carried in extremely low numbers. For each of Alongside the biological feasibility of out to evaluate both structural and species these regions, analysis was carried out of translocations, it was essential to evaluate diversity of woodlands in the proposed variables that are likely to have an impact the social feasibility, and the potential release area, and to look at the extent of on establishment and spread, such as human impacts and consequences of ground cover and denning sites and the woodland patch size, connectivity, and prey translocating pine martens to Wales. availability of prey and other food. availability. Even a low rate of additional Effective and sustainable conservation, mortality (in addition to natural mortality) particularly of predators, needs the full Risk assessments, licences and will increase extinction risk and jeopardise support of local people (Linnell et al. landowner permission the establishment of a population while 2010) and all groups should be listened As well as ensuring that the proposed release numbers are still small. Roads are likely to in a participatory process from the area was suitable and there were enough to be a significant cause of additional earliest stage. The results of a wide-scale resources to support sufficient numbers of mortality for pine marten populations. public opinion survey suggested that the pine martens to establish a viable population, Therefore, the total length of roads in majority of people would be in favour of it was necessary to find a suitable source each potential reinforcement region and the percentage of those within woodland, combined with the annual volume of traffic, were used to evaluate the relative likelihood of marten mortality due to road traffic accidents. The results of the feasibility study suggested that the large expanse of well-connected woodland throughout the Cambrian Mountains in central Wales provides a suitable habitat network with the potential to support a viable population of pine martens (Figure 1). The total area of woodland combined with the low density of roads and traffic in this region make central Wales ideal for conservation translocations of pine martens. This is also a region from which there is recent DNA- confirmed evidence of pine martens (in 2007 and 2012), so releases here constitute Figure 2. One of the community consultation events that were held in villages throughout the release area. Photo credit Henry Schofield. reinforcement rather than reintroduction. Issue 95 | March 2017 33 Feature Article: Pine Marten Translocations: The Road to Recovery and Beyond (contd)

of animals for translocation. For any wild will carry new parasites or pathogens with of the feasibility study and for a Habitat population, it is also important to assess the them that will cause harm to other animals Regulations Assessment preliminary risk to the source population of removing or humans at the new location. There is also screening report. These documents, individuals for translocation. Results of the a risk that the animals being moved will with the feasibility study, translocation population viability analyses, supported by encounter new diseases in the destination and monitoring plan and the Disease experience from translocations of other ecosystem and be harmed by these, or Risk Analysis, were submitted to Natural Martes species elsewhere, suggested that, to that the translocated animals will alter the Resources Wales in early 2015 in support maximise the likelihood of establishment, a disease ecology at the release location in of a formal application for permission to minimum of 30-40 pine martens would need some way. Disease risk analysis determines release pine martens on land that was to be released into an area of woodland the extent of these risks, and the magnitude owned and managed by them. sufficient for this number of contiguous of any potential consequences, should they marten territories (c. 10,000 ha). occur. The results can then be incorporated Capture, translocation and release Wherever possible, wild-caught animals into the final decision of whether or not As part of the feasibility study and should be used for carnivore reintroductions to proceed with the translocation. If the associated translocation plan, an because they generally show higher decision is to proceed, a mitigation strategy assessment was made of the number, age survival and better adaptation to new that is proportionate to the risks identified class and sex ratio of individuals required to environments than captive-bred animals in the Disease Risk Analysis can then be designed and implemented. maximise the chances of the translocation (Jule et al. 2008). The genetic provenance, achieving its goals. Capture methods, morphology, physiology and behaviour of The Disease Risk Analysis for the project holding, transportation and release source populations should show similar was carried out by a wildlife health and protocols were all designed to minimise characteristics to any remaining wild veterinary consultant and specialist in stress to the animals and maintain the populations. Ideally, animals should be wildlife population health. It was reviewed highest standards of animal welfare. The sourced from areas with similar prey species, by a panel of experts in this field and then health and safety of the staff involved was competitors, predators and habitats because presented to a wider group of stakeholders also a major consideration. they have been shown to demonstrate in order to reach consensus on the disease higher rates of post-release survival and risks associated with the translocation and In early September 2015, trapping, under reproduction (Aber et al. 2013). A study appropriate mitigation measures. licence from SNH, began in a number comparing the haplotype composition The possible ecological roles that the of areas selected as suitable donor sites. of historical and current pine marten translocated species will have in their new By September, young of the year are populations in England, Scotland and environment must also be considered, and independent and adults have mated. Post- Wales found no differences between the care taken that the conservation interests translocation releases were scheduled for main haplotype of contemporary (post- of other species and habitats are not likely late autumn when fruit is most abundant 1950) populations across the UK (Jordan to be jeopardised by the translocation. and small mammals are at their highest et al. 2012). Therefore, the increasing and An evaluation of potential impacts densities, and were completed well before expanding population of pine martens in of pine martens on the conservation February, when blastocysts implant. Scotland was thought to be a suitable source interests of other species already present Captured animals were initially evaluated of animals for translocations to Wales. in release areas was undertaken as part in the trap and those that appeared to be Field surveys were carried out to identify sites and source populations where the removal of two to four individuals at the end of the breeding season was unlikely to have an impact on population viability (based on site-specific marten density estimates and population modelling). Following initial discussions early in the project, formal applications were submitted to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Forestry Commission Scotland (the landowner) for the relevant licences and permissions to remove animals from these sites. An essential element of the planning and preparation for any translocation is a detailed Disease Risk Analysis (DRA). When wild animals are moved from one place to another, there are potential associated disease risks: principally, that the animals Figure 3. Pine marten leaving a soft release pen. © Nick Upton/naturepl.com. 34 Issue 95 | March 2017 Table 1. Summary of success criteria and target timescale for pine marten translocations to Wales. Milestone Target timescale Progress Have trapped, transferred and released 30-40 September to November 39 adult martens (20 males, 19 females) adult pine martens (equal sex ratio) at the first (2015 and 2016) translocated and released by October 2016 sites with no loss or injury Post-release – animals using supplementary September to November All but 2 remained within 10 km; 1 male and 1 feeding and most remaining within 10 km of (2015 and 2016) female have settled c.100 km and 44 km north of release sites release sites Evidence of successful breeding by at least some March-June (2016 and Breeding confirmed by 4 females in May 2016 translocated females 2017) Stable home ranges established and overall August (2016 and 2017) Mortality of 6 martens (30% releases) by the end annual survival rates at least 70% of August 2016 Survival of site-native young from year 1 and August (2017 and 2018) Kits have been genotyped for non-invasive year 2 monitoring (scat, hair tube and camera trap surveys) No evidence of a significant effect of removals September 2017 Re-surveys of donor sites carried out in March on donor site populations 1-2 years post-removal 2016 and 2017 Establishment of site-native population 2019 onwards Production of second generation animals 2019 onwards Increase in population size in release area 2020 onwards Colonisation of surrounding suitable habitat and 2025 onwards population spread adults in good condition, and therefore acclimatise to a new site and recover from more than two animals were released on candidates for translocation, were taken the translocation process before being any one night. Supplementary food was to a mobile veterinary unit nearby. Here released. It can also reduce any homing provided at each release site for two to six the martens were anaesthetised by a instinct and allow for the development weeks (as long as it continued to be taken). wildlife veterinarian, given a full health of social relationships in some species. check and samples (blood, hair and However, being kept in temporary captivity Monitoring and adaptive ectoparasites) were taken for further can induce additional stress and increase the management screening and surveillance. Animals not risk of injury if animals try to escape. Significant amounts of time, money and suitable for translocation (not of breeding Martens were all soft-released, as it has effort go into planning and conducting age or a surplus of either sex) were been shown that animals acclimatised translocations, including consideration of released at their capture site after recovery. to a release site in this way are less the ethical and welfare considerations of the Pine martens selected for translocation likely to move long distances following released animals. Therefore, it is important were microchipped, the throat patch release (Davis 1983). Large (3.6 x 2.3 x to establish clear criteria for both short- and photographed for subsequent visual 2 m), temporary, pre-release pens were long-term success, and to monitor what identification and a hair sample taken for constructed at release sites by staff from happens after the translocation. Some of genotyping. All animals were fitted with Chester Zoo, one of the project partners. the success criteria for the VWT project are a radio collar incorporating a mortality Whilst in a pre-release pen, each animal summarised in Table 1. sensor to monitor post-release survival. was monitored remotely by camera If a translocation results in establishment, Larger animals were also fitted with a GPS for any visible signs of stress, including followed by reasonable population growth logger (as seen in main image on page 32) stereotypic behaviour or loss of appetite. and long-term persistence, then further to gather more detailed movement data. Each pen held only one animal, and pens intervention may not be necessary, although Combined collar/transmitter weights did were located so that each male’s pen was long-term monitoring is critical to check not exceed 5% of the weight of the animal. within 500 m of a female but at least 2 km for unexpected problems. Alternatively, Once the animals had fully recovered, (the approximate diameter of an average if monitoring reveals low post-release they were transported to the release area home range) from the nearest male. Pens survival and low population growth, then overnight by road in a modified vehicle. were sited in large, open-canopy areas further action may be needed to achieve The release protocol itself was carefully of woodland near habitats rich in voles establishment and long-term persistence. considered to reduce stress and maximise Microtus agrestis such as rough grassland, This might include refining the translocation post-release survival. The options were and den boxes were put up within 50 m of protocols and release site selection for soft release, where animals are confined each pen. After a maximum of seven days future translocations and further “top-up” temporarily at the release site, or hard in the pre-release pen, the pen was left translocations. Finally, if a translocation release, where they are released immediately open before dark so the animal could find fails, it is essential to know when and why on arrival. Soft release allows animals to its way out during the night (Figure 3). No it failed in order to establish what else Issue 95 | March 2017 35 Feature Article: Pine Marten Translocations: The Road to Recovery and Beyond (contd)

vulpes) predation; however, two martens died just two weeks after release of an acute References fungal encephalitis not previously seen by Aber, B., Callas, R., Chapron, G., Clark, J., the wildlife pathologist who performed the Copeland, J.P., Giddings, B., Inman, R., Ivan, J., Kahn, R., Long, C., Magoun, A., Mattison, J., post-mortem examinations. Likely sources Oakleaf, B., Odell, E., Persson, J., Reading, R., for the mould could have been natural Sartorius, S., Schwartz, M., Shenk, T., Sirochman, vegetation in release pens, or uneaten food M., Squires, J., Wait, S., Wild, M. and Wolfe, L. (2013). Restoration of Wolverines: Considerations items. These two martens were among for Translocation and Post-release Monitoring. the last translocations, in late November Wolverine Translocation Techniques Working 2015, when wet conditions were optimal Group. Wildlife Conservation Society North America. Available at https://northamerica.wcs. for fungal growth. In response to this, org/About-Us/Publications/Categoryid/276.aspx. the translocation window was shortened Accessed 26 January 2017. in 2016 to ensure that all animals were Davis, M.H. (1983). Post-release movements of introduced marten. The Journal of Wildlife released by the beginning of October. Hiding Management, 47: 59-66. food items in the enclosures as enrichment IUCN (2013). Guidelines for Reintroductions and was also discontinued and all uneaten food Other Conservation Translocations. IUCN Species was removed each day. There have been no Survival Commission, Gland, Switzerland. Figure 4. David Bavan and Josie Bridges recurrences of the fungal encephalitis at the Jordan, N.R., Messenger, J., Turner, P., Croose, locating one of the radio-collared martens. E., Birks, J. and O’Reilly, C. (2012). Molecular time of writing (January 2017). © Nick Upton/naturepl.com. comparison of historical and contemporary pine Research is key to improving the science of marten (Martes martes) populations in the British Isles: evidence of differing origins and fates, could be done to increase the likelihood of reintroductions and translocations. It has and implications for conservation management. success before deciding whether further been suggested that this has been a missed Conservation Genetics, 13: 1195-1212. translocations should be attempted. opportunity in many past reintroductions. Jule, K.R., Leaver, L.A. and Lea, S.E. (2008). The effects of captive experience on reintroduction Twenty pine martens (ten male and ten In future, the best progress will be made by survival in carnivores: a review and analysis. female) were translocated to mid-Wales multidisciplinary teams of resource managers Biological Conservation, 141: 355-363. and released in autumn 2015, with and scientists working in close collaboration. Linnell, J.D.C., Rondeau, D., Reed, D.H., Williams, The Vincent Wildlife Trust, in partnership R., Altwegg, R., Raxworthy, C.J., Austin, J.D., a further ten males and nine females Hanley, N., Fritz, H. and Evans, D.M. (2010). between September and early October with the University of Exeter, has a rigorous Confronting the costs and conflicts associated 2016. Following release, all the animals programme of research associated with with biodiversity. Animal Conservation, 13: 429-431. were intensively radio-tracked (Figure 4) the Pine Marten Recovery Project. This is focussed not only on the ecology of the MacPherson, J.L., Croose, E., Bavin, D., until they had established home ranges, O’Mahony, D., Somper, J. and Buttriss, N. (2014). after which they were located daily and translocated animals, but also on other Feasibility assessment for reinforcing pine marten species at the release sites as well as the numbers in England and Wales. The Vincent then weekly. From the following March Wildlife Trust, Ledbury. socio-economic impacts of the project. onwards, there is a further period of National Species Reintroduction Forum (2014). intensive radio-tracking to locate denning Engagement with communities in the Best Practice Guidelines for Conservation sites of breeding females. Hair tubes and project area continues and, in addition Translocations in Scotland. Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness. camera traps are also used to monitor to attending events and meetings, many breeding success. In the first year, we were local volunteers are directly involved in able to confirm that at least four females the project by radio tracking the martens, successfully reared kits. Pine martens are monitoring camera traps and providing re-captured approximately 10-12 months assistance in the field. Ultimately, this local after release to remove radio collars and support will be as important to the long- About the Author check the animals. So far, all have been in term survival of pine martens in the Welsh Dr Jenny MacPherson good condition at re-capture. Cambrian Mountains as the science that is the pine marten project manager underpins the project. Lessons learned and the for The Vincent Wildlife Trust. She way forward has worked on a The Vincent Wildlife Trust and partners Acknowledgements number of mammal continually review the translocation process The VWT pine marten team includes David Bavin, reintroduction Josie Bridges, Lizzie Croose and Dr Alexandra projects in the UK to determine if protocols can be refined or Tomlinson. Our thanks go to all our project and Africa over the past twenty years, improved. All mortality is monitored and funders and supporters, and in particular to and carried out research on the ecology our three major partners: The People’s Trust carcasses are retrieved immediately and and behaviour of a range of species for Endangered Species, Chester Zoo and the sent for post-mortem as part of an ongoing Woodland Trust. We would also like to thank including pine marten, dormouse, red health surveillance programme. Six martens Wildlife Vets International, University of Exeter, squirrel, water vole and mink. Scottish Natural Heritage, Natural Resources died during the course of the year following Contact Jenny at: Wales and Forestry Commission Scotland [email protected] the first releases. The cause of death for for their help in-kind. four martens was natural (likely fox Vulpes 36 Issue 95 | March 2017 Feature Article: Pearls in Peril – Conserving and Reintroducing Freshwater Pearl Mussels

Pearls in Peril – Conserving and Reintroducing Freshwater Keywords: Atlantic salmon, encystment, glochidia, Margaritifera margaritifera, Pearl Mussels river restoration, trout Iain Sime MIEEM Nia Watkin Steff Ferguson MIEEM Scottish Natural Heritage Natural Resources Wales Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland

Jackie Webley Lorna Wilkie Flora Grigor-Taylor MIEEM Scottish Natural Heritage Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland

Diane O’Leary West Cumbria Rivers Trust

Freshwater pearl mussels Margaritifera margaritifera are one of the longest-lived invertebrates in the world and are critically endangered in Europe. The Pearls in Peril LIFE+ project has been working since 2012 to improve conditions for pearl mussels in 21 Special Areas for Conservation in Scotland, England and Wales. A range of techniques have been employed to restore suitable habitat, as well as reintroduce and reinforce the species in river reaches where it has become scarce.

Introduction The Pearls in Peril (PIP) LIFE+ project is a four and a half-year initiative, led by Scottish Natural Heritage, that is raising awareness of the freshwater pearl mussel in order to secure and conserve our most important remaining populations (Figure 1). The project aims to improve riparian habitat, undertake in-stream habitat restoration, raise awareness of wildlife crime and restore some populations by moving larval pearl mussels. Freshwater pearl mussels have a complex and long life cycle. In the summer, female pearl mussels release millions of microscopic Figure 1. Freshwater pearl mussels in a river. © SNH. Issue 95 | March 2017 37 Feature Article: Pearls in Peril – Conserving and Reintroducing Freshwater Feature Article: EcologyPearl Mussels Legal (contd) Update (contd)

larvae, called glochidia, into the water column. In order to complete the first stage of their lifecycle these glochidia must attach to the gills of a young Atlantic salmon Salmo salar or brown trout S. trutta. The glochidia may preferentially use a salmon and/or a trout as the host, depending on the preferences of particular populations. The glochidia grow harmlessly on the fish gills over the following winter. The following spring, the glochidia drop from the fish’s gills and attempt to establish on a suitable clear gravel or coarse sand area of the riverbed. They can take 12-15 years to reach sexual maturity and can live for 100 years. Due to pressures such as pearl fishing, river works and pollution, pearl mussels have declined or become absent from many rivers in Britain. In many cases, the juvenile mussels struggle to survive to adulthood, resulting in populations that are dominated Figure 2. Well developed glochidia under the microscope. © Freshwater Biological Association. by increasingly old adult animals. These aging populations often die out over time The first step was to determine when valves were opening and closing) under as a consequence. The species has declined gravid female pearl mussels were about the microscope, this indicated that their globally by 61.5% and by 87% in Europe to release their glochidia. Starting in July, release was imminent (Figure 2). At that (Moorkens 2011). It is estimated that the and working under a protected species stage the glochidia were collected, under freshwater mussel is now present in just licence from Natural England or Scottish licence, by placing a small number of 5% of its former range compared to the Natural Heritage, a small number of pearl adult mussels in a bucket of river water. th beginning of the 20 century (Mollusc mussels were examined to determine if After a few minutes, as the dissolved Specialist Group 1996). Despite recent there was development of any glochidia. oxygen concentration dropped and the improvements to freshwater environments The pearl mussel shells were opened using temperature rose, the female mussels in the UK, the demanding water quality specially designed tongs and the mussel’s were induced to release their glochidia requirements of pearl mussels (Skinner gills were either examined directly by eye into the water. After the glochidia were et al. 2003) mean that problems persist or an otoscope was inserted to allow released the adult mussels were returned for the species, with population losses the surveyor to identify if glochidia were to the river unharmed. continuing (Watt et al. 2015). This article present, evidenced by a pale creamy, The glochidia were then transported, if describes a range of techniques being used brown colour on the mussel’s gills. A small necessary, to the donor location. During to help restore several of our struggling sample of glochidia was collected from transportation, the water had to be kept pearl mussel populations. inside the swollen gills using a syringe and cool and aerated to ensure the glochidia Artificial encystment needle. Trained staff carried out the work remain viable. At the donor site, juvenile carefully to ensure no harm came to the The Pearls in Peril project includes work salmonids were collected using standard pearl mussels. to help reintroduce and reinforce pearl electrofishing techniques (e.g. Scottish mussel populations in areas where very Five stages of glochidial development Fisheries Co-ordination Centre 2007). few individuals were left but where have been identified (Scheder et al. 2011) These fish were held in an aerated holding negative impacts have been, or are being, allowing the best date for undertaking tank into which the glochidia had been addressed. A range of translocation artificial encystment to be estimated as the introduced. The enclosed nature of the techniques can be used, including moving glochidia progress through these stages. tank maximised the potential for the adult mussels, rearing juveniles in captivity, Only a very small number of pearl mussels glochidia to attach to the gills of the and infecting wild or hatchery reared need to be checked at any one time as the fish. In order to ensure that the fish did fish. The success of these techniques has individuals in a population in a particular not receive too high a glochidial load, recently been reviewed by Killeen and river tend to release their glochidia at the fish were left in the tank for only a few Moorkens (2016). Within the PIP project, same time (Degerman et al. 2009). minutes. The fish were carefully removed techniques first developed in Germany Glochidia were sampled approximately using nets and returned to the river. The (Altmüller and Dettmer 2000) have been every two weeks and when fully process was repeated throughout the day adapted to devise a protocol for artificially developed glochidia were seen, and in order to maximise the number of fish encysting wild fish in the UK. were actively “snapping” (the shell carrying glochidia. 38 Issue 95 | March 2017 This work has taken place over two to three years at three rivers so far. At this relatively early stage (in the lifecycle of such a slow growing animal) it is not possible to confirm that the work has resulted in increased production of juvenile pearl mussels as the mussels are still microscopic when they excyst from the fish. However, fish carrying heavy glochidial loads have been recorded in areas where adult pearl mussels are scarce, perhaps indicating this work has been a success. With the right habitat conditions, evidence suggests that this approach can ultimately help populations re-establish. Host fish surveys An important pre-requisite is to confirm the host salmonid species before artificially encysting glochidia to wild fish (of relevance to many other reintroduction efforts for pearl mussels). Although freshwater pearl mussels can use Atlantic Figure 3. Glochidia (white spots) on salmonid gills. © Jon Watt/Waterside Ecology, SNH. salmon and/or brown trout, the specific host fish species can vary between rivers. for the presence of encysted glochidia. Habitat restoration A straightforward identification of the host Care was taken not to make contact with The importance of understanding species can be made when the glochidia gill filaments or gill arches in order not to have formed small characteristic white host specificity has been of particular damage host fish. Only the most anterior cysts on the fish gills, which are obvious to importance in some of the habitat gills were visible and, therefore, counts of the naked eye in spring time (Figure 3). restoration works during the PIP project. glochidia were probably an underestimate. In Wales, on the Afon Eden Special Area In order to identify the host species, Of the four rivers where host salmonid of Conservation (SAC), surveys showed junvenile salmonids were collected using that not only are brown trout the local standard electrofishing techniques. When species were confirmed within the PIP host fish species but that they were also doing this work during spring, care needs project, the pearl mussels were found to the least abundant salmonid species in the to be taken not to disturb any salmon be utilising brown trout in two rivers and catchment. To tackle this important issue or trout redds in the river. The fish were Atlantic salmon in two rivers. This reflects the Pearls in Peril project restored 2.4 km anaesthetised and the operculum was recent findings elsewhere in Scotland. The of riverbed habitat, particularly targeting lifted with a blunt instrument so that the reason behind the host specificity is unclear reaches that could provide spawning exposed gill filaments could be examined but it is thought to reflect local adaptation. areas for trout. This work included placing locally sourced, clean gravels in tributaries (Figure 4) and placing large boulders with woody debris in the main river. Elsewhere, hard bank protection works that have been contributing to poor riverbed habitat for pearl mussels have been removed. In the River Ehen SAC in Cumbria, in river reaches where boulder protection has been removed or has deteriorated, softer techniques including willow spiling has been used as an alternative. Willow spiling is a technique where live willow rods are woven between live willow uprights driven into the bank of a river. This has resulted in improved instream habitat (by controlling fine Figure 4. Clean gravel being seeded into the Afon Eden SAC. © Natural Resources Wales. sediment erosion) and has helped to Issue 95 | March 2017 39 Feature Article: Pearls in Peril – Conserving and Reintroducing Freshwater Pearl Mussels (contd)

Figure 5. Croys being dismantled on the River Dee. © River Dee Trust. prevent the loss of valued neighbouring habitat. In the River Dee SAC in Grampian Further conservation farmland. In addition, sections of willow several such structures constructed from translocations and actions spiling can be used subsequently as a large boulders have been disrupted and Future pearl mussel translocations local source of further willow rods. When the boulders distributed in the main river to reinforce the outcome of habitat rods are being harvested any necessary channel to restore the diverse habitat restoration measures will need to be maintenance can be done, helping to required by pearl mussels. The importance carefully planned. Recent guidance ensure the river bank’s longevity. and value of good design and build in and information such as the IUCN such a large river was evidenced by the Despite the difficulties of measuring the and Scottish translocation guidelines fact the restored reaches survived near- benefits of restoring river and riparian (Hollingsworth and Gaywood 2015) will unprecedented floods during early 2016. habitats to a long-lived and slow-growing be an important source of advice. In animal like the pearl mussel, some In the upper reaches of the River South Esk addition, reviews of past pearl mussel successes have been quantified already. SAC in Angus nearly 1 km of boulder bank translocations will be important reference Around the Afon Eden SAC, drainage protection was removed by the PIP project documents (Killeen and Moorkens 2016, ditches have been blocked and settlement during 2015. Since then the river channel Watt et al. 2017). ponds constructed on an 88-ha former has widened in many places and increased More generally, the experience of the PIP forestry block that is being restored to the availability of salmon spawning and project reinforces the need to understand a wetland. The success of these actions juvenile habitat. This area represents the the habitat and ecological requirements current upstream limit for pearl mussels, has been monitored in the Afon Eden of pearl mussels, particularly their host which rely on salmon as their host. The by measuring the loss in redox potential specificity. By working to improve the changes will help support pearl mussel in the surface layers of the riverbed near conservation of pearl mussels, and recruitment by increasing the availability of the former forest block. This technique because of the pearl mussel’s extremely their hosts, as well as improving habitat. measures the quality of the riverbed habitat demanding habitat requirements, river The work in the South Esk and River Dee for pearl mussels (Geist and Auerswald restoration actions for the species will has also included substantial riparian 2007). In 2013, prior to the restoration also benefit biodiversity in general. woodland creation, extending along more work, redox results at eight locations in the Similarly, many of the recognised methods than 80 km of riverbank, to provide shade, river indicated conditions were too poor to for restoring rivers, such as those recently reduce erosion and reinstate characteristic support juvenile pearl mussels. By 2015, published by the IUCN (Addy et al. 2016) vegetation communities (Figure 5). In future after the works were complete, only one will help further the conservation of pearl years, as the benefits of these changes take mussels. site remained unsuitable. effect, it is envisaged that pearl mussels Other interventions have included may be translocated upstream to help the removal of redundant deflector reinforce the outcomes of the physical structures that had been installed in the restoration work. Such restoration actions past as an attempt to enhance habitat. will also help to buffer the pearl mussels However, they have instead acted as and their habitat against future extreme partial impoundments, preventing the weather events, including low flows, maintenance of naturally diverse river elevated temperatures and flooding. 40 Issue 95 | March 2017 Acknowledgements About the Authors The authors would like to acknowledge the extremely wide partnership that has implemented the Pearls in Peril LIFE+ project. Iain Sime manages the Freshwater and Wetlands It is co-funded by 22 organisations across Britain and the European Commission and has received great support from partners, group within Scottish Natural Heritage. He also stakeholders and many volunteers. More information is coordinated the submission of the Pearls in Peril LIFE+ available from the PIP website at www.pearlsinperil.org.uk. funding bid and chairs the project steering group. Contact Iain at: [email protected]

References Jackie Webley is the project manager for the Pearls in Addy, S., Cooksley, S., Dodd, N., Waylen, K., Stockan, J., Byg, Peril LIFE+ project. She oversees project delivery across A. and Holstead, K. (2016). River Restoration and Biodiversity: Nature-based solutions for restoring rivers in the UK and Republic Scotland, England and Wales working alongside a of Ireland. CREW reference: CRW2014/10. Available at http://www. team of Project Officers and partners. Prior to PIP, she crew.ac.uk/sites/default/files/sites/default/files/publication/River%20 worked as a consultant undertaking ecological surveys Restoration%20and%20biodiversity_web.pdf. and assessments for a range of developments. Accessed 9 January 2017. Contact Jackie at: [email protected] Altmüller, R. and Dettmer, R. (2000). Successful species and habitat protection for the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) in lower saxony (north Germany). Natur und Diane O’Leary is the Project Officer responsible for landschaft, 75: 384-388. taking forward actions to improve riverine conditions Degerman, E., Alexanderson, S., Bergengren, J., Henrikson, L., for mussels in the River Ehen in England and for Johansson, B-E., Larsen, B.M. and Söderberg, H. (2009). Restoration of Freshwater Pearl Mussel Streams. Available at http://www.wwf. successfully trialling artificial encystment. se/source.php/1257735/Restoration%20of%20FPM%20streams. Contact Diane at: pdf. Accessed 25 November 2016. [email protected] Geist, J. and Auerswald, K. (2007). Physicochemical stream bed characteristics and recruitment of the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera). Freshwater Biology, 52: 2299-2316. Hollingsworth, P.M. and Gaywood, M. (2015). New international Nia Watkin is a conservation officer with Natural and national guidelines for conservation translocations. In Practice Resources Wales, taking over the project officer work on – Bulletin of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental PIP in Wales from Elain Gwilym in March 2016. Aside Management, 89: 8-10. from her work with PIP, Nia works on designated sites in Killeen, I. and Moorkens, E. (2016). The translocation of freshwater Meirionnydd. Prior to NRW, she worked as a countryside pearl mussels: a review of reasons, methods and success and a warden and biodiversity assistant for Denbighshire new protocol for England. Natural England Commissioned Reports, Countryside Services. Number 229. Mollusc Specialist Group (1996). Margaritifera margaritifera. The Contact Nia at: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996: e.T12799A3382532. [email protected] Available at http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/12799/0. Accessed 25 November 2016. Lorna Wilkie is the Pearls in Peril Scotland Project Moorkens, E. (2011). Margaritifera margaritifera. The IUCN Red Officer, and has led on several in-stream restoration List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T12799A3382660. Available projects for PIP. Before joining PIP, Lorna worked with at http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/12799/1. Accessed 25 November 2016. a wide range of species and habitats including tree surveying in Edinburgh’s cemeteries, and studying for Scheder, C., Gumpinger, C. and Csar, D. (2011). Application of a five-stage field key for the larval development of the a PhD in seagrass ecology in the Tay Estuary. freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera Linné, Contact Lorna at: [email protected] 1758) under different temperature conditions – A tool for the approximation of the optimum time for host fish infection in captive breeding. Ferrantia, 64: 13-22. Available at http:// Flora Grigor-Taylor and Steff Ferguson have flussperlmuschel.at/fileadmin/redakteure/Service/Downloads/ job-shared the post of Agricultural Project Officer SchederGumpingerCsar2011.pdf. Accessed 25 November 2016. for the PIP project since 2013, in conjunction with Scottish Fisheries Co-ordination Centre (2007). Electrofishing Team running a small ecological and land management Leader Training Manual. Scottish Fisheries Co-ordination Centre & consultancy based in the North-East of Scotland. Inverness College. June 2007. Available at http://www.gov.scot/ Their combined working experience in Resource/Doc/295194/0096726.pdf. Accessed 26 January 2017. conservation and ecology spans over 40 years. Skinner, A., Young, M. and Hastie, L. (2003). Ecology of the freshwater pearl mussel. Conserving Natura 2000 Rivers. Ecology Contact Flora at: series 2, English Nature, Peterborough. [email protected] Watt, J., Cosgrove, P.J. and Hastie, L.C. (2015). A national or [email protected] freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera, L.) survey of Scotland. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 901. Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness. Watt, J., Cosgrove, P.J. and Hastie, L. (2017). Monitoring the Contact Steff at: success of freshwater pearl mussel reintroductions. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 956. Scottish [email protected] or Natural Heritage, Inverness. [email protected]

Issue 95 | March 2017 41 Feature Article: Meet the Author

Meet the Author – Keith Kirby

What do you do? Are there any ‘must-have’ declined. There is less chance to feel personal responsibility for achievements. After 33 years as a woodland ecologist qualifications and/or experience? with the conservation agencies I am What’s next for you? officially retired, but have a loose For specialised posts a relevant degree Working through various sets of long-term association to the Department of Plant and post-graduate qualification may be ground flora data to assess change in Sciences in Oxford as a visiting researcher. required, but good technical skills, an woodland assemblages. ability to get on with people, and evidence What or who first inspired you that you can deliver work on time are What is your top tip for success? to make a career in ecology or attributes that will be valuable in a wide environmental management? Be prepared to listen and help others; you range of situations. never know when you will need to call in David Attenborough’s Zoo Quest series in a favour. the 1950s set me off on wanting to do Do you have any advice for something with wildlife. My biology master someone setting out on a career encouraged an interest in natural history, in ecology and environmental while my maths master, Bill Dawkins, had management? a small new wood growing Christmas If you want to influence how land is trees; my first ‘job’ was weeding these managed some knowledge/experience of at weekends. the practical factors (ownership, economics, weather, regulations….) that determine How did you get to where you what gets done can be as useful as the sorts are today? of ecological insights you get from a Ph.D I did Agricultural and Forest Sciences at or MSc course. Look at Farmers Weekly Oxford and a D.Phil on bramble growth, regularly as well as Journal of Ecology! which left me unemployed. A letter to the Lake District National Park got me taken on What was the best thing about as a temporary woodland surveyor, then your job? another temporary post with the Nature It was the variety, e.g. from advising a Conservancy Council. The permanent local landowner to contributing to a post as woodland ecologist came up and I parliamentary committee, with the chance managed to get it. also to keep some research projects going. And seeing situations where you could What have been the most say you had made a positive difference important steps along the way? to conservation. During my subsequent career I had to maintain links and (I hope) credibility with What’s the downside? For further information research, practitioner and policy sectors As the conservation sector has got bigger Contact Keith at: which meant becoming aware that each of and more influential (it really has!), [email protected] these communities has their own valid but opportunities for an individual to work distinctive perspective. through a project on their own have 42 Issue 95 | March 2017 Professional Updates

Wind turbines. © David Kilbey. Data Reliability, Data Provision, Professional Judgement and Assessing Impact Assessment for Planning Purposes Tim Reed MCIEEM Tim Reed Ecological Consultants

1. Introduction The reliability of ecological material used Problems with data reliability are not tenets. Whilst noting the ‘subliminal’ for planning purposes is fundamental just a UK issue. Larsen (2016) noted that approach sometimes used, they (Thompson et al. 2016, CIEEM 2016). rapid assessment surveys are very variable, emphasised the need for justifying and For Planning Authority and third party lacking minimal best-practice standards, demonstrating how a judgement was assessment of development proposals, it meaning that they cannot be used to track arrived at. Where clarity and transparency is critical that methods are suitable, are sustainability and delivery of claimed no- are especially critical, such as in public as claimed, are supported by detailed net-impact objectives. inquiries, reasoned arguments need data, and can be assessed by independent The CIEEM (2016) review on pragmatism, backing with adequate evidence. If one scientists (Cherrill 2015, Thompson et al. proportionality and professional or both are missing, there are problems in 2016, CIEEM 2016). judgement set out some of the basic assessing a planning application. Issue 95 | March 2017 43 Professional Updates

Thompson et al. (2016) and CIEEM planning purposes. Most were renewable Site Group Proposed Limitations Data Comment (2016) looked at the list of good practices energy developments (wind turbines), but no development recognised & available? expected by CIEEM. They form the basis included transport service areas, housing stated Y/N of this current short review of methods, and intensive chicken farms and the main material and interpretations presented in focus was birds and bat species. In some 1 Bats Housing N N Serious methodological problems; claims on methods & data unsubstantiated. Data sources break NBN policies. planning applications for a range of sites, cases, reptiles and invertebrates were also 2 Birds Wind Turbines N Partially Methodological issues; limited data; limitations not recognised or justified. Collison Risk (CR) calculations unsafe. assessed on behalf of planning authorities covered. Cases are anonymised. and third parties. 3 Bats Wind Turbines N N Methodological issues & data amalgamated from different years. 2. The Data: Thompson et al. (2016) saw clarity and Background Information 4 Birds Wind Turbines N N Major methodological issues; limitations not recognised & claim of ”data accurate” unsafe. Data missing. objective reporting as the basis for all reports – supported by clearly expressed Every planning application should be Bats Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data set; no recognition of methodological problems; data “within acceptable parameters”– not defined. limitations, reasons for variance from accompanied by appropriate ecological 5 Bats Wind Turbine N Partially Partial data availability; no recognition of serious methodological constraints on sampling & data collection or analysis. standard methods, clarity on the use of information for the site. This allows a professional judgment, and explanatory Planning Authority and the public to Birds Wind Turbine N N Desk surveys missing; no field surveys; reliance on inappropriate data source. support for the report’s conclusions. assess potential impacts of a proposal. 6 Birds Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; major methodological issues unrecognised; CR results unsafe & data missing. Adequate, properly reported, desk searches The suitability and probity of the Bats Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; major methodological limitations not recognised. are a basic requirement of expected information is fundamental. standards. The suitability of claimed CIEEM (2016) expects sufficient 7 Bats Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; major methodological limitations not recognised. survey methods is essential: these should information to be provided such that Birds Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; major methodological issues unrecognised; CR results unsafe & data missing. be stated, and the data made available. experienced ecologists with no connection Often, departures from standard methods to, or experience of, the project can 8 Birds Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; Collison data & CR estimates unsafe; professional judgement stated but unsubstantiated. are unsupported by cogent professional understand the professional judgements justification (CIEEM 2016). Most reports made in reaching conclusions, especially Bats Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; methodological issues; estimates unsafe; professional judgement stated – unsubstantiated. have senior CIEEM member sign-off and where good practice guidelines are quoted Reptiles Wind Turbines N Y Methodological issues not in line with claims. this should act as a quality check. for each survey type. Deviations from the 9 Birds Wind Turbines N N No field surveys; partial data lists; Phase 1 not a bird technique – wrong season. Thompson et al. (2016) were concerned guidelines must be clear and capable of about the absence or inadequacy of robust justification. Bats Wind Turbines N Partially Phase 1 & desk survey; unsuitable to state no limitations; no field data; some limits to approach noted. analyses (or data), and unjustifiable For 17 sites the methods used, data 10 Birds Wind Turbines N N Phase 1 & desk survey; unsuitable to state no limitations. conclusions. Within the planning process, provided, and conclusions reached were selective data interpretation or inclusion, examined for birds (15 sites), bats (15 Bats Wind Turbines N N Phase 1 & desk survey; unsuitable to state no limitations. and unsupported assertions, add to the sites) invertebrates (1 site: 2 separate 11 Birds Wind Turbine Y/N N Major methodological issues; data missing. CR unsafe. Data stated as “adequate” – no supporting material. difficulties of over-stretched planning staff surveys), reptiles (2 sites), as well as attempting to provide professional scrutiny accompanying Phase 1 survey data (JNCC Bats Wind Turbine Y/N N Serious methodological issues; claim data good enough to “inform” assessments – unsubstantiated. at times of diminishing resources. Missing 2010). All sites were in England and 12 Birds Chicken sheds N N Serious methodological issues; no data provided; no recognition of limitations. Bird survey methods unknown. data do not help third party evaluation. submitted for planning approval between Here I look at the data, methods and claims 2010 and 2015. In all but two cases, the Bats Chicken sheds N N Serious methodological issues; no recognition of limitations. No known bats survey methods used. made for a range of site proposals for qualifications of at least the surveyor/report 13 Birds Wind Turbine N N Serious methodological issues; no species data; no numeric data; limitations not recognised. author and signatory included membership of CIEEM. One case lacked authorship and A Bats Wind Turbine N N Serious methodological issues; no species data; no numeric data; limitations not recognised. sign-off details. 14 Birds Wind Turbine N N Limitations of actual data not recognised; mis-use Bright et al. (2009). For applications involving wind turbines the standard for bats was Hundt (2012), and 15 Birds Wind Turbines N N Major methodological issues; data are for a different site; limitations not recognised. for birds Natural England’s TIN069 (2010). Bats Wind Turbines N N Major methodological issues; data are for a different site; limitations not recognised. For other types of development (housing, motorway service area, chicken sheds) 16 Birds Service area N N Serious methodological changes unsupported; limitations unrecognised. Data missing. and taxa/groups the planning applications Birds Service area N N Serious methodological problems; limitations not recognised; not in line with BS42020 as claimed. stated the methods used. All stated the use of standard methods in site Environmental Bats Service area N N Serious methodological problems; claims on data set unsupportable. Data missing; limitations unrecognised. Statement (ES) reports. Bats Service area N N Serious methodological problems; claims on data set unsupportable. Data missing; limitations unrecognised.

3. Methods inverts Service area N N Serious methodological problems; data missing; limitations unrecognised. For all 17 sites, the following topics were Inverts Service area N N Serious methodological problems; limitations unrecognised; data not comparable between years; data missing. examined in each ecological chapter/ section: the objectives, methods stated, Reptiles Service area N N Serious methodological problems; data missing; limitations unrecognised. the data presented and supporting data, 17 Birds Wind Turbines N N Serious methodological issues; full data sets not available; CR results unsafe. Limitations not acknowledged. and the conclusions reached. In line with 44 Issue 95 | March 2017 Site Group Proposed Limitations Data Comment no development recognised & available? stated Y/N 1 Bats Housing N N Serious methodological problems; claims on methods & data unsubstantiated. Data sources break NBN policies.

2 Birds Wind Turbines N Partially Methodological issues; limited data; limitations not recognised or justified. Collison Risk (CR) calculations unsafe.

3 Bats Wind Turbines N N Methodological issues & data amalgamated from different years.

4 Birds Wind Turbines N N Major methodological issues; limitations not recognised & claim of ”data accurate” unsafe. Data missing.

Bats Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data set; no recognition of methodological problems; data “within acceptable parameters”– not defined.

5 Bats Wind Turbine N Partially Partial data availability; no recognition of serious methodological constraints on sampling & data collection or analysis.

Birds Wind Turbine N N Desk surveys missing; no field surveys; reliance on inappropriate data source.

6 Birds Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; major methodological issues unrecognised; CR results unsafe & data missing.

Bats Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; major methodological limitations not recognised.

7 Bats Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; major methodological limitations not recognised.

Birds Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; major methodological issues unrecognised; CR results unsafe & data missing.

8 Birds Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; Collison data & CR estimates unsafe; professional judgement stated but unsubstantiated.

Bats Wind Turbines N Partially Partial data availability; methodological issues; estimates unsafe; professional judgement stated – unsubstantiated.

Reptiles Wind Turbines N Y Methodological issues not in line with claims.

9 Birds Wind Turbines N N No field surveys; partial data lists; Phase 1 not a bird technique – wrong season.

Bats Wind Turbines N Partially Phase 1 & desk survey; unsuitable to state no limitations; no field data; some limits to approach noted.

10 Birds Wind Turbines N N Phase 1 & desk survey; unsuitable to state no limitations.

Bats Wind Turbines N N Phase 1 & desk survey; unsuitable to state no limitations.

11 Birds Wind Turbine Y/N N Major methodological issues; data missing. CR unsafe. Data stated as “adequate” – no supporting material.

Bats Wind Turbine Y/N N Serious methodological issues; claim data good enough to “inform” assessments – unsubstantiated.

12 Birds Chicken sheds N N Serious methodological issues; no data provided; no recognition of limitations. Bird survey methods unknown.

Bats Chicken sheds N N Serious methodological issues; no recognition of limitations. No known bats survey methods used.

13 Birds Wind Turbine N N Serious methodological issues; no species data; no numeric data; limitations not recognised.

A Bats Wind Turbine N N Serious methodological issues; no species data; no numeric data; limitations not recognised.

14 Birds Wind Turbine N N Limitations of actual data not recognised; mis-use Bright et al. (2009).

15 Birds Wind Turbines N N Major methodological issues; data are for a different site; limitations not recognised.

Bats Wind Turbines N N Major methodological issues; data are for a different site; limitations not recognised.

16 Birds Service area N N Serious methodological changes unsupported; limitations unrecognised. Data missing.

Birds Service area N N Serious methodological problems; limitations not recognised; not in line with BS42020 as claimed.

Bats Service area N N Serious methodological problems; claims on data set unsupportable. Data missing; limitations unrecognised.

Bats Service area N N Serious methodological problems; claims on data set unsupportable. Data missing; limitations unrecognised. inverts Service area N N Serious methodological problems; data missing; limitations unrecognised.

Inverts Service area N N Serious methodological problems; limitations unrecognised; data not comparable between years; data missing.

Reptiles Service area N N Serious methodological problems; data missing; limitations unrecognised.

17 Birds Wind Turbines N N Serious methodological issues; full data sets not available; CR results unsafe. Limitations not acknowledged.

Issue 95 | March 2017 45 Professional Updates

Thompson et al. (2016) and CIEEM (2016) 4.3 Application of standards shortcomings, and a site where “no note was taken of: If claiming use of the appropriate significant limitations to the assessment • CIEEM membership grade of author/ standards, it would be expected that they were encountered”; this site made year- fieldworker and counter-signatory; were applied. If not, there should be clear round value judgements on a single April supporting rationales for variations. In Phase 1 visit and limited desk data. • stated standard(s) used for birds, bats, all cases, there were clear unsupported For bats, in 10 out of 15 reports no or other taxa; differences from standards, sufficient to limitations or constraints were noted. • whether the standards were applied as affect the reliability of the data set. In the remaining five cases, comments claimed, and where there were errors/ For birds, differences included: included “no significant constraints”. differences from the standard, and what None were supported by suitable material • incorrect months for surveys; these were; or justifications. • incorrect total hours of Vantage Point • whether any differences or limitations to (VP) surveys for potential wind farm areas 4.5 Justification and report conclusions the surveys undertaken were recognised, (with sometimes large errors, especially For the 10 cases where bird methods if these were discussed or justified in the for raptors); were based upon, or adapted from, text, and how these affected the data and wind turbine guidance TIN069, or other conclusions in the report; • geographic mis-coverage; documents, but did not apply them, there • absence of winter data, incorrect seasons; • whether professional judgement was was no justification or discussion of the claimed as the basis for variation, and • placing of VPs within wind farm implications of non-application. These was backed up with details and boundaries (without assessing the included two cases where the geographical explanations, and if this was consistent consequences of this); risk categories in Bright et al. (2009) were with the claimed standard; • failure to apply Common Bird Census or used as the basis for not surveying – whilst • whether the data from surveys were other techniques as claimed; not understanding the meaning of that presented in tables or appendices in • multiple cases of data omissions; and study. Others based year-round conclusions from single out-of-season visits, or on desk sufficient detail, for third party assessment; • repeated mis-matches between data data that TIN069 recognised as anecdotal • whether the data collected were suitable collected and data entered in Collision Risk and unsuitable for use. for the estimates of population impacts, (CR) calculations. Hundt (2012), the standard bat reference such as in estimating bird collisions at For bats, differences included: cited by most bat studies, is explicit on wind turbines; • major errors in desk searches; needing justification when departing from • whether appropriate statistical analyses • large gaps in seasonal coverage; the standard. As so few cases recognised had been undertaken in support of claims • weather effects ignored; any form of limitation, it was unsurprising or conclusions for impacts on various • mis-location of recorders; that justifications were rare. One case species; and stated that “all surveys were carried out • data missing or only in summary form; and • whether the overall conclusions of the within acceptable parameters as outlined • unsupported assertions of professional reports could be justified based on the in the guidance”. Hundt (2012) was the judgement. approach, materials, justifications, or data guidance, but how acceptability was provided in the application. defined was not clarified. For the two invertebrate cases the 4. Results 4.4 Recognition of differences or limitations related to claimed standards position was similar: claims were made without justification, and contrary to 4 .1 CIEEM membership and Thompson et al. (2016), CIEEM (2016) and the data provided and to the standards authorship/sign-off British Standards Institute (BSI) Biodiversity apparently used. For the two reptile surveys In all but one case authors were CIEEM Standard BS 42020 (2013) require that justifications were inconsistent with the members. This applied also to sign-off. departures from standard methods are stated objectives and standards cited. recognised, and reasons presented and 4.2 Standards justified. This requires clearly presented 4.6 Professional judgement and Whilst at least half of bird and bat cases limitation sections, or identifications standards used mentioned the appropriate standards, of constraints. Ten of the 15 bird cases Only in two of the cases was professional many then stated that surveys were omitted recognition of limitations, judgement mentioned: for birds and “based upon”, “adapted from”, “designed including one that stated “the data bats on the same site. In both, the scale with reference to” or “within acceptable provided... is accurate”, without stating of deviations away from the standards parameters”, but without showing how, why, or how, and contradicted by their were not agreed in advance, nor were or if, this affected the data collection or field methods. the variations justified in the documents results. In practice, survey limitations were Sites that did discuss possible effects submitted with the planning application. not recognised. None were consistent with included statements such as: “no significant In both cases, the data needed to evaluate BS 42020 (BSI 2013). gaps” for a site with major methodological claimed judgements were also deficient. 46 Issue 95 | March 2017 In all other cases, variations from claimed standards were made, with few attempts to explain the changes, or their impacts on the conclusions for the proposed development’s impacts. 4.7 Data, details, and evaluation All data for surveys and statistical calculations should be available as tables, detailed appendices, or as downloadable data sets. No bird or bat data were readily available, some ES omitted all data and for the invertebrate sites, detailed numeric data were omitted. In one of the two reptile cases no data were tabulated. For birds, most of the missing data were critical to impact assessment, such as collision risk (CR) estimates, to assess potential wind turbine impacts. Missing data and methodological problems meant it was impossible to evaluate claimed levels of impacts. The same applied to other taxa. 5. Discussion If the material in an ES forms the basis for planning decisions, it must use correctly carried out desk and field surveys, supported by all appropriate data. There was no recognition of any limitation to the desk searches for bats, even when Noctule bat. the search distances were incorrect and not reported in full. Most desk search data The use of Phase 1 visits for other Data in a report should be for the actual lacked quantification, dates, and distances biodiversity elements is also a concern. For site under discussion. In one case, the for species records. TIN069 is very clear on example, an early March Phase 1 field visit Phase 1 survey was the only element that the essential anecdotal quality of bird desk in northern England was used to determine related to that site. All desk and other study data, and the need for full disclosure, the year-round value of the site for birds. field survey data came from a site 800 m so that “the basis for any conclusions is Undertaken two months too early for away. As the report omitted any formal clear and subject to scrutiny”. SNH (2005) botanical purposes (JNCC 2010), the report assessment of limitations, its unreliability is equally clear. Recurrent failure to provide omitted the route walked, time, methods was not obvious to any cursory review of data is not in line with CIEEM standards or (other than noting recording of incidental the planning submission. BS 42020, and precludes assessment of the observations), yet felt safe to conclude that Reports either stated the use of a standard site. In one case the bat data were taken the site would not support significant local for field surveys, and then departed from directly from the NBN Gateway, not from bird populations. The report omitted desk this in practice, or claimed that standard the Local Record Centre (LRC) – breaching search data, but stated it was produced methods were used without specifying licence conditions (Thompson et al. 2016). with reference to BS 42020. It failed to which methods. In two cases, it was Normally, a Phase 1 survey forms the meet the requirements of BS 42020 for stated that methods were “designed backdrop for understanding the site. openness and transparency. with reference to” Hundt (2012) and that Along with photographs (absent from Thirty-three percent of the ES documents “standard methods have been used”. Both many documents), Phase 1 surveys provide used Phase 1 for assessing the value of cannot be right; neither was. Both had a habitat baseline. The reliability of the the site for birds. One site relied solely on significant spatial and temporal departures Phase 1 surveys is uncertain. Cherrill (2016) Bright et al.’s (2009) bird sensitivity map from Hundt (2012). noted misidentification of habitat types in for bird records, rather than undertaking some 20% of reports over a 5-year period. a desk search. Data in Bright et al. (2009) Most reports either omitted limitations, Forty percent of those who reported errors are at least seven years old, and shown at or included foreshortened discussion of suggested that this had led to inaccurate an inappropriate resolution for individual methodological or related issues, and initial site assessments, and in some cases site examination; this was not recognised stated for example that the “results are…. this led to biodiversity loss. as a limitation. representative at the time of surveying” Issue 95 | March 2017 47 Professional Updates

without support or clarification. Others If the methods used, and data do not stated data as “accurate”, or without agree with stated objectives and claims, References “significant constraints” – whilst omitting there are problems interpreting an ES and BSI (2013). BS 42020:2013 Biodiversity. Code any explanation, and contrary to a detailed agreeing with conclusions; objectivity can of practice for planning and development. BSI, London. examination of the surveys undertaken. be a serious issue (Thompson et al. 2016). Ideally, errors should be picked up in the Bright, J.A., Langston, R.H.W. and Anthony, S. One study used nine nights that were (2009). Mapped and written guidance in relation on average 26.2 hours long to estimate signatory/internal peer-review stage. to birds and onshore wind energy development bat pass rates, yet contended that errors In all but one case, the authorship or in England. RSPB, Sandy. were unimportant. Other bat data were sign-off was by a member of CIEEM. That Cherrill, A. (2016). Inter-observer variation in habitat survey data: investigating the also in error. On the same site, the bird a CIEEM signatory or counter-signatory is consequences of professional practice. Journal of Vantage Point (VP) was at the bottom of not a consistent indication of quality is a Environmental Planning and Management, DOI a sharp slope (personally checked by field potential problem. 10.1080/09640568.2015.1090961. inspection) – obscuring the site. These If neither Phase 1 nor NVC data are robust CIEEM (2016). Pragmatism, Proportionality and unsafe VP data were used in collision Professional Judgement. In Practice – Bulletin (Cherrill 2016, Hearn et al. 2011), and of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and estimates and impact assessments. The more detailed ES data sets are equally Environmental Management, 91: 57-60. same study refused to apply TIN069, uncertain, then there is a real risk of Drake, C.M., Lott, D.A., Alexander, K. and Webb, without acknowledging or justifying these accepting claims of no impact in an ES; J. (2007). Surveying terrestrial and freshwater departures, apart from stating that the risk invertebrates for conservation evaluation. when there may well be a significant Natural England Research Report NERRR005. of fatigue from over-long VP sessions that difference on development and a Natural England, Sheffield. TIN069 explicitly blocks “is simply not true”. consequent impact. Whether this is true or Hearn, S.M., Healey, J.R., McDonald, M.A., CIEEM (2016) noted the need for close not can only be shown with proper data, Turner, A.J., Wong, J.L.G. and Stewart, G.B. (2011). The repeatability of vegetation scrutiny and a critical assessment of methods, and material; the very data that classification and mapping. Journal of ecological evidence and information are often missing from an ES. Environmental Management, 92(4): 1174- submitted to consultees. Consultees assume 1184. Available at http://www.sciencedirect. It should not be up to reviewers to com/science/article/pii/S030147971000424X. that the data, methods, and processes in an show that what was claimed has not Accessed 14 February 2017. ES are correct, especially as authors/sign-off been done. The risk appears to be that Hundt, L. (2012). Bat surveys: Good Practice signatories are CIEEM members. Consultees the essentially adversarial approach Guidelines, 2nd edition. Bat Conservation are typically overstretched, making it hard underpinning the development planning Trust, London. to validate ES statements, especially if process, and which requires statements JNCC (2010). Handbook for Phase 1 habitat survey. JNCC, Peterborough. data are missing or over-summarised. Data of apparent compliance with standards, is should be trustworthy. compromising the material that is being Larsen, T.H. (2016). Core standardized methods for rapid biological field assessment. Thompson et al. (2016) noted that ES produced. Consequently, biodiversity, Conservation International, Arlington VA. data analyses are commonly based on scientific integrity, and CIEEM’s reputation Natural England (2010). Technical Information few or insufficient data, and often, as are at risk of being compromised. Note TIN069: Assessing the effects of onshore indicated above, they are not supported wind farms on birds. 1st Edition, January 2010. What should be done to improve the Natural England, Peterborough. by full data sets. situation? At the very least, authors should Thompson, D., Graves, R., Hayns, S. and Where data are provided, it is often state what was done, if and how this Alexander, D. (2016). The Alternative Decalogue possible to controvert claims. For example, varied from standards, how this affected for CIEEM Members: Towards Improving both invertebrate surveys stated they “were the reliability of the data and results, and Standards in the Profession. In Practice – Bulletin of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and in line” with Drake et al. (2007). Neither provide data as a matter of course: either Environmental Management, 91: 63-66. met the stated objectives, survey times in appendices or supplementary material. Scottish Natural Heritage. (2005 and 2010). for individual groups were unsuitable, Signing off reports should be a more Survey methods for Use in Assessing the spatial coverage was incomplete, different rigorous process, requiring revision or Impacts of Onshore Wind farms on Bird Communities. Scottish Natural groups were surveyed in different years stating of gaps and limitations in the text. Heritage, Perth. – the adding together of data from two For now, much of this remains inconsistent. years raised more questions than the study answered. Most numeric data were missing. Statistical examination of data About the Author contradicted claims. Nonetheless, there was no mention in the ES of limitations to Tim Reed worked for the UK Statutory sector for a long time, including heading ornithology, site management and common standards areas. Over the last 17 years he their surveys. has been closely involved in developing site baseline and monitoring approaches to assess potential site impacts, both in the UK and around the world for corporate clients, but has moved increasingly into fieldwork and ecological data quality problems in planning submissions and public inquiries in the UK. Contact Tim at: [email protected]

48 Issue 95 | March 2017 Professional Updates

Using MAGIC to Locate European Protected Species Licences Richard Clarke Natural England

One question anyone applying to Natural England for a European Starting in 2017, Natural England will Protected Species (EPS) Mitigation Licence needs to answer is now update the MAGIC dataset on a six- monthly cycle, with updates scheduled for whether “the site being applied for is subject to any recent, February and August each year. concurrent, pending or future applications for the same or other The MAGIC dataset for licensing covers all European protected species or other protected species”. This the European Protected Species licences question had always been difficult for applicants to answer because issued by Natural England, including bats, great crested newt, dormouse, and reptiles, the information required to answer it was held only by Natural as well as less commonly licenced species, England. In 2013, Natural England started making information such as cetaceans. The dataset now on licences publicly available using MAGIC, an online interactive includes all granted licence applications received since October 2008. mapping tool that holds geographic information about the natural The primary driver for making these data environment from across government. MAGIC allows you to quickly available via MAGIC was to ensure anyone and easily identify where licences have been granted. applying for a licence affecting a European

Figure 1. Example of how Granted EPS-MIT Licences appear as points on MAGIC. Issue 95 | March 2017 49 Professional Updates

• In the orange section to the left of the MAGIC includes a number of other useful screen expand ‘Habitats and Species’ tools to help interrogate the dataset. The by clicking the small ‘+’. Then expand ‘Site Check’ tool identifies all the licences ‘Species’ in the same way. Then expand granted within a defined area or within a ‘European Protected Species’, and finally user-selected distance of a point on the expand ‘Granted European Protected map. You can add other environmental Species Applications (England)’. datasets to the maps, such as the location of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), • Add a tick to the ‘Granted European and include these in checks. Protected Species Applications (England)’ checkbox. The data should now be There is one important restriction on available on the map as a series of the licence dataset. Data points are coloured squares. not displayed on the map if the zoom Figure 2. Results displayed when ‘Identify’ tool resolution exceeds 1:25,000. This is to • Use the Map Search box to navigate to an is used on Granted EPS-MIT Licence point. ensure that individual dwellings that application site using a place name, post may support European Protected Species Protected Species is aware of other licences code, or grid reference. cannot be identified. granted in the vicinity of their site so Once the dataset is displayed, individual Natural England is committed to the they could take account of the potential data points can be interrogated using continued update and improvement of cumulative impact of different licensed the ‘Identify’ tool located in the ‘Feature this dataset and may in future extend it activities. The data may also be useful for Tools’ box directly above the map. Clicking to cover other species. We have done other purposes, for example in planning on this tool and then on any point visible all we can to ensure that these data are ecological survey work. on the map will cause a new window accurate, but if you spot an error please to open up containing details about the How to use MAGIC contact Richard Clarke (richard.clarke@ specific granted licence represented by that naturalengland.org.uk). Please note that To find out where licences have been granted point. This will tell you the case reference we are unable to map data for licences you need to follow these simple steps: number, species, species group, licence granted prior to October 2008. • Visit the MAGIC website: start and end dates, and (for licences www.magic.gov.uk granted since 2014) whether the licence • At the top right of the page hover over the allows damage or destruction of breeding ‘Maps’ button and click ‘Interactive Map’. or resting places.

Figure 3. Example ‘Site Check’ set to include Granted EPS-MIT licences and SSSIs within 1 km of user specified point of interest. 50 Issue 95 | March 2017 ^ƵŵŵĞƌŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞϮϬϭϳ /ŶƚĞŐƌĂƚĞĚDĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚŽĨ ƚŚĞDĂƌŝŶĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ ϰ:ƵůLJϮϬϭϳ͕^ŽƵƚŚĂŵƉƚŽŶ

ĂůůĨŽƌWĂƉĞƌƐ dŚŝƐŽŶĞͲĚĂLJĐŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞǁŝůůůŽŽŬƚŽ͗ ͻ ƵŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚƚŚĞĞdžƚĞƌŶĂůŝŵƉĂĐƚƐŽŶƚŚĞŵĂƌŝŶĞ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚĂŶĚŚŽǁĂŶŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƚĞĚŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ ĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚĐĂŶĚĞůŝǀĞƌŵƵůƟƉůĞďĞŶĞĮƚƐ͖ ͻ ĞdžƉůŽƌĞĞīĞĐƟǀĞĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚĞƐƚŽĐŽůŽŐŝĐĂů/ŵƉĂĐƚ ƐƐĞƐƐŵĞŶƚŝŶƚŚĞŵĂƌŝŶĞĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ͖ĂŶĚ ͻ ĚŝƐĐƵƐƐƚŚĞƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚĞůĞŵĞŶƚƐŽĨĂƉŽƐƚͲƌĞdžŝƚŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƚĞĚ ŵĂƌŝŶĞŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚƉŽůŝĐLJĂŶĚůĞŐŝƐůĂƟǀĞůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞ͘ &ƵƌƚŚĞƌĚĞƚĂŝůƐĂŶĚĂƉƌŽͲĨŽƌŵĂĨŽƌƐƵďŵŝƫŶŐƉƌŽƉŽƐĂůƐĨŽƌ ƉĂƉĞƌƐĂƌĞĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞďLJĐŽŶƚĂĐƟŶŐ͗ <ĂƌĞŶ,ŽŽĚͲƌĞĞΛĐŝĞĞŵ͘ŶĞƚ dŚĞĚĞĂĚůŝŶĞĨŽƌŽīĞƌƐŽĨƉĂƉĞƌƐŝƐϮϭƉƌŝůϮϬϭϳ͘

Issue 95 | March 2017 51 Professional Updates

Projects Set to Benefit Through Pioneering and Collaborative Strategic Ecology Framework

Communication and What is BREEAM? engagement lies at the very BREEAM is the world’s leading heart of the development sustainability assessment method for of every BREEAM scheme. masterplanning projects, infrastructure and buildings. It addresses a number of lifecycle stages such as New Construction, Working with CIEEM and Refurbishment and In-Use. Globally there are more than 556,600 BREEAM certified others, BREEAM have taken developments, and almost 2,260,100 buildings registered for assessment since it was first launched in 1990. a pioneering approach to the BREEAM inspires developers and creators to excel, innovate and make effective strategic development of its use of resources. The focus on sustainable value and efficiency makes BREEAM assessment of ecology and its certified developments attractive property investments and generates sustainable environments that enhance the well-being of the people who live and work in them. links to other issues covered by How BREEAM works BREEAM. This work resulted in The BREEAM assessment process evaluates the procurement, design, construction the publication of a BREEAM and operation of a development against targets that are based on performance Strategic Ecology Framework benchmarks. Assessments are carried out by independent, licensed assessors, and developments rated and certified on a scale of Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent (SEF) in Spring 2016 which and Outstanding. is now being implemented BREEAM measures sustainable value in a series of categories, ranging from energy through the current updates to ecology. Each of these categories addresses the most influential factors, including low impact design and carbon emissions reduction; design durability and resilience; that BRE are carrying out for its adaption to climate change; and ecological value and biodiversity protection. Within UK schemes. These are due to every category, developments score points – called credits – for achieving targets, and their final total determines their rating. be released from 2018.

The work in developing an overall extensively reviewed in order to develop framework has involved collective input the Strategic Ecology Framework (SEF) in a collaborative way from a wide range so that it maximizes the opportunities of stakeholders, including ecologists, to evaluate and improve the ecological landscape architects, policy-makers, performance of buildings and infrastructure architects and contractors. assets. The key aims of the SEF are to help A Strategic Approach project teams to: to Ecology Assessment • understand the existing ecology of a site The BRE team behind BREEAM have to identify the best approach; developed an overall framework to • identify, protect and enhance key encourage best practice consideration ecological features; of ecological impacts and enhance • remove or limit existing features that are the ecological benefits arising from development or management of existing negatively affecting the site’s ecology; assets. As a result the treatment of • mitigate unavoidable impacts and ecology in UK BREEAM schemes has been compensate against residual impacts; and 52 Issue 95 | March 2017 • enhance the ecological value of the site How the BREEAM Strategic are BREEAM assessed. The work will be and surrounding areas by encouraging Ecology Framework Works carried out in three stages as follows: other ecological features. Whilst the SEF does not itself present • Stage 1: SEF Advisory Group set up and ecological assessment criteria for use within working group meeting Consensus of Knowledge BREEAM schemes, it provides a framework • Stage 2: SEF Implementation – focus on The SEF was developed with input and of common objectives and actions to guide ecology links to wider sustainability activities support from CIEEM and a range of and align their development. • Stage 3: SEF implementation – practical other stakeholders including landscape All BREEAM schemes are regularly reviewed application considerations and wider architects and managers as well as and updated to ensure that they remain stakeholder involvement client organisations. in line with current knowledge, evolving A workshop was held in December 2016 Sally Hayns, Chief Executive Officer of solutions, revised legislation and feedback as part of Stage 1 with key stakeholders from users, so ensuring that they continue CIEEM, said: “Inter-disciplinary collaboration reviewing and agreeing key areas to pursue to drive higher sustainability standards. The is vitally important if we are to develop as part of the implementation of the SEF. This SEF will now form a part of this process. tools and techniques that add value to will support the development of a viable, It will guide the development of balanced relevant methodology and set of scheme the development process. The publication ecology-related assessment criteria which development guidance to drive the SEF’s of the SEF marked a step forward in the better account for current real-world implementation across the BREEAM family approach. The challenge now is for those practicalities and the functionality of the of schemes. A strong driver of this work is to delivering the framework to work together building/asset or other development being promote alignment across schemes. to design methods of implementation that assessed. The SEF will form part of the new Stage 2 – centered on Task 2 of the are meaningful and effective. We welcome updates of all key BREEAM schemes. Over SEF (Strategic outcome identification the partnership approach.” the coming few years these are expected and preliminary selection) – focuses on to include BREEAM UK Communities, Before drafting the SEF, the BREEAM team working with the stakeholders to identify BREEAM UK New Construction (Non- extensively consulted with a wide range opportunities for integrating ecology with Domestic), Home Quality Mark (new-build of stakeholders, including ecologists, wider sustainability activities and benefits. domestic), BREEAM UK Refurbishment This might be through closer alignment landscape architects/managers, policy- (Domestic and Non-Domestic), BREEAM In- with industry practices and procedures makers, specifiers, contractors, BREEAM Use and BREEAM Infrastructure/CEEQUAL. or the promotion of multifunctional assessors and client organisations. More The SEF has been designed to deliver approaches to maximise cross benefits than 150 responses to an online survey assessment criteria which encourage and minimise conflicts in a range of areas were received and carefully considered in project teams and clients to consider and activities including landscape design, preparing the SEF’s draft scope, which was ecology issues throughout a project’s green infrastructure, air and water quality then refined by stakeholder focus groups design, construction and operational life and noise mitigation measures flood risk before being sent to the BREEAM assessor cycle stages. Some aspects of the SEF will management, climate change mitigation, network for comment. not be appropriate to all life cycle stages life cycle costing and service life planning but relevance will be considered as each and more. Ben Kimpton, a Principal Ecologist with scheme is updated. To download the The Ecology Consultancy, which has been Commenting on Stage 3 of the SEF SEF and review the external consultation implementation process, Alan Yates, working with BRE since 2007 as part feedback response please visit: Technical Director Sustainability at BRE of the task groups set up to advise on http://www.breeam.com/resources Global, said: “A lot has changed since the biodiversity, said: “The launch of the SEF current approach to assessing ecology Process of Implementation provides a significant shift in how future in BREEAM was developed in 1998 and BREEAM methodologies will be updated. Following publication of the SEF last year, current work on ecosystems services and The development of the framework has the process of implementing this in the natural capital will keep these changes been correctly designed in consultation form of scheme criteria is now underway. happening over the next few years. It is with a broad range of stakeholders in BRE, working with the CIEEM and the good to see a high degree of consensus both the landscape and ecology sectors. Landscape Institute, formed a group forming on the best way for BREEAM to of ecologists and landscape architects As a result, it promotes more collaborative drive improvements in this important area to advise on the development of a through the recognition of environmental work within design teams and takes methodology for implementing the SEF social and economic benefits that account of current approaches on how which could be used across all BREEAM ecological protection and enhancements to deliver high quality environmental schemes. These individuals span all of can bring. BREEAM is responding to and sustainable features in a robust yet the BREEAM schemes including those these changes and will continue to pragmatic way. The construction industry in development and comprise industry monitor and engage with the ecological and our clients are set to benefit from practitioners with extensive experience of sector to ensure that we are all driving these changes.” ecology/landscape work on projects that enhancements in the same direction.” Issue 95 | March 2017 53 Professional Updates

It is vital that we aspire to a built Protecting and improving the ecology can environment that is optimal in terms contribute greatly to the environmental Further information on BREEAM’s of ecology, and not only in terms of quality of our increasingly urbanised world new Strategic Ecology Framework technology and costs. Of course not all and – as a growing body of evidence can be found at: www.breeam.com/sef projects can be ecological high fliers, shows – improve the health, well-being but all can take steps to protect and and even productivity of users. The new enhance the ecological value of our and comprehensive Strategic Ecology natural and urban environment. This Framework developed by BREEAM and the might be through the preservation of assessment criteria that flow from this will natural/semi-natural areas, maintaining be key to both promoting and rewarding and enhancing ponds and watercourses, this in projects in the UK, bringing a wide promotion of bee and other insect-friendly range of benefits and value to those planting or in the design of buildings involved in the development and operation and infrastructure assets themselves. of buildings and infrastructure.

54 Issue 95 | March 2017 Professional Updates

Career Advice: What Are We Looking For in a Graduate Ecologist? Owain Gabb CEcol CEnv MCIEEM Director, BSG Ecology

At BSG Ecology we are regularly What are we looking for? ‘extended Phase 1.’ The Phase 1 is approached by students and recent There are few pre-requisites for an typically the first survey undertaken on a graduates keen to understand the ecologist-grade recruit other than a good, site, and provides the foundation (along skills they need to pursue a career in relevant first degree and (preferably) a with desk study) for determining the consultancy work. Masters degree, a clear interest in his or her scope of ecological survey work that is The following short article summarises, subject, some broad-brush field skills (or recommended. from our perspective, areas in which an emerging relevant technical specialism), A Phase 1 survey involves broadly some basic experience is likely to be motivation and an ability to communicate classifying habitats based on their advantageous in securing an ecologist well. We are not looking for the finished dominant and abundant plant species and (entry-level) position. article, but we are looking for someone communities. The survey is ‘extended’ to who has an aptitude for problem solving, is assess the potential of these habitats to Background likely to develop quickly (given training and support protected species (and invasive Ecological consultancies vary in the way mentoring), and will fit into our team. plants), a consultancy industry bolt-on to in which they are structured. BSG employs While our expectations are not prohibitive, the original method which only concerned a relatively high proportion of senior there are lots of enthusiastic, well- habitat mapping. staff, and there is little variation in our qualified ecologists looking for a career With an awareness of the Phase 1 survey workforce over the year. Staff co-ordinate in consultancy: job advertisements tend method – and more importantly an ability survey work, build survey teams (often to elicit a very large response. It follows to identify common plants (including including experienced sub-contractors), that to set themselves apart, candidates invasives) and understand the typical and are responsible for client liaison and need to find ways to stand out from their habitat types they occur in – an incoming written outputs. peers. The best candidates tend to start ecologist should be able, with some thinking about positioning themselves for It follows that we tend not to take on large training and support, to accurately execute consultancy work during their academic numbers of ecologist-grade staff. Typically, a Phase 1 survey. Basic botanical skills are studies, and many degree courses have however, we do recruit a small number of therefore very attractive in a potential evolved to help meet their needs. ecologists each year, and look to integrate recruit, as is familiarity with field signs of them into our team so that they can Phase 1 Survey a range of protected species. rapidly start to contribute to the delivery The staple survey technique for many Protected (Animal) Species of project work. ecological consultancy projects is the Much commercial consultancy work is driven by the legal and policy protection afforded to a relatively limited number of fairly widespread species/species groups. These include species protected under European law, such as hazel dormouse, great crested newt, otter and bats; and species subject to domestic protection including badger, common reptiles and water vole. Graduates who are familiar with aspects of the ecology of these species, have experience surveying for them, and in the case of bats the use of data analysis Issue 95 | March 2017 55 Professional Updates

are probably less advantageous in a some experience using commonly-used potential recruit than an equivalent level programmes is advantageous. of proficiency in botanical or protected The way in which we capture data on species survey. This reflects a number of nocturnal and unobtrusive species is also factors: the onshore wind industry has changing. As a practice we are making far declined due to unfavourable renewables greater use of unmanned aerial vehicles policy; there are numerous regionally-based (drones), high-specification thermal ornithological contractors with a high level imaging equipment, and infra-red and of expertise and local knowledge; and motion-activated cameras. Application of the locations of jobs requiring significant these technologies has resulted, in some ornithological work in relation to office cases, in more accuracy and confidence locations are inherently unpredictable. It in our conclusions. For example: we have follows that outsourcing of ornithological filmed the way in which commuting bats Great crested newt. © David Kilbey. work is common in the industry. respond to breaks in cover; the numbers software, have an advantage over their GIS and Remote Technologies of bats emerging from boxes; how golden peers. Demonstrable experience can be As a practice we need to keep abreast plover behave at night around wind gained through the selection of applicable of available technology and apply it farms; we have collected high resolution research projects during academic studies, sensibly to the work we do for numerous aerial imagery of the roofs of inaccessible membership of mammal, bat or other reasons, not least of which are commercial buildings (to assess bat roost potential); special interest groups (which actively considerations. Our clients expect us to and have monitored whether great undertake field recording), and through collect robust data, and to limit their crested newts and other amphibians are completing seasonal work at consultancy commercial risk. using purpose-built culverts under new companies. Some applicants for ecologist The use of Geographical Information roads for dispersal. roles have already secured European Systems (GIS) has taken a while to filter Experience in the design and Protected Species survey licenses: to into Environmental Impact Assessment implementation of survey and monitoring have done so is a clear advantage, albeit (EIA). However, GIS allows straightforward using one or more of these technologies some licenses are more difficult to obtain transfer of georeferenced data within is therefore very useful in a graduate, as than others. EIA teams, and is very useful in multi- they are likely to become more mainstream Experience with more regionally restricted disciplinary constraints mapping. GIS is survey methods over time. and/or habitat-specific protected species, also extremely useful for analysing and such as red squirrel, sand lizard, pine presenting large ecological data sets, and Communication marten, white-clawed crayfish or marsh the field data for many of our larger sites Field survey is only part of the work of a fritillary will be valued differently by is now input directly into GIS using tablets consultant ecologist. Most consultancies different practices depending on the (preventing double-handling). It follows are heavily reliant on repeat work, nature of their work and the areas of that a good understanding of GIS, and which in turn requires effective verbal the country they are most active in. Ornithological Experience The ability to identify birds by sight and sound is very useful in an ecologist grade recruit, as an element of bird survey work is typically required to inform all large- scale developments. The most detailed and long-running (onshore) bird survey work is usually conducted to inform wind farm applications, or developments that require significant land take such as major residential projects or new power plants. Survey work tends to be most detailed where these large schemes could impact upon statutory designated sites, particularly Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar Sites, and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). At present, despite the fact that they are very useful, ornithological field skills Knots. © David Kilbey. 56 Issue 95 | March 2017 Glenmore. © David Kilbey. communication and positive relationships While it is reasonable to expect that Finally, while field skills and a drive to with clients and consultees, as well as the interview process (which may learn are extremely important, it needs proactive project management and delivery incorporate a written exercise) is the best to be understood that commercial of a final product (usually a report of one test of communication skills, in a highly consultancies provide a service. To develop type or another) that is of a high standard. competitive job market, spending time as an all-round consultant, the ability to Obviously the main function of a CV is refining a CV and covering letter is time communicate effectively in writing, as well to present relevant experience, while an well invested. as verbally, is critical. Your first opportunity accompanying covering letter should to impress is through your application. establish why the candidate feels they Conclusions are suitable for the post advertised and It is unrealistic to think that any graduate what they would bring to it. From our will be proficient in all of the subject areas perspective, however, in combination they identified in this article prior to beginning provide a useful initial insight into both a career in consultancy. This article the written capability of the candidate simply aims to set out a few key areas in and their attention to detail. which developing experience is a distinct Another critical role of a CV is to advantage when it comes to competing demonstrate the commitment of the with peers for a consultancy position. candidate to working in the industry. It is also worth reiterating that different It should detail how volunteering has About the Author consultancies may have slightly different been relevant to developing skills for priorities based on the nature of their Owain Gabb is a consultancy role, which professional Director at BSG core work, and the areas in which their societies (including CIEEM) and nature Ecology’s Swansea conservation groups the candidate is a offices are located, and this article is office. His role includes project member of (and how they have contributed by no means an industry standpoint. However, demonstrable experience of supervision and to them) and the industry training courses management, staff they have completed, along with their botanical and protected species survey performance reviews learning outcomes. Many graduates will in a UK context is always likely to be and recruitment, also have undertaken some seasonal work advantageous, ornithological field skills business development and marketing. He useful, and additional experience of GIS is also a specialist ornithologist and holds with consultancies (often providing back up an A licence and training endorsement for health and safety purposes, for example and the application of emerging survey for bird ringing. on bat surveys or for work in or adjacent to techniques may prove the difference (at Contact Owain at: water), and the understanding gained from least in getting to interview) in a highly [email protected] this should be outlined. competitive jobs market. Issue 95 | March 2017 57 Professional Updates

Featured CIEEM Training Events

Using eDNA and Traditional Eurasian Beaver Ecology and Advanced Bat Survey Techniques for Effective Great Survey Techniques Techniques Crested Newt (GCN) Surveys NEW NEW NEW LOCATION Birnam, Perthshire 2 May 2017 Gloucester 18 – 19 May 2017 Nottingham 29 March 2017 Trainers: Helen Dickinson Grad CIEEM and Trainer: Jim Mullholland MCIEEM Basildon 12 April 2017 Roisin Campbell An intermediate to advanced level course Trainers: Jon Cranfield MCIEEM and James This training provides knowledge and exploring survey design and implementation Simpson MCIEEM understanding of beaver ecology to help and covering mist netting, harp trapping, An intermediate level course exploring practitioners deal with enquiries from land radio-tracking and ringing techniques. The the benefits and limitations of the range managers and interested members of the training combines classroom and fieldwork of accepted methods for surveying GCN public. Classroom and field-based sessions sessions, to include setting up of catching populations. Training includes practical will provide opportunities to explore the equipment and up to two optional evening sessions covering the protocols for species’ ecology, including behaviour and catching sessions. collecting reliable water samples for eDNA habitat manipulation, as well as field sign analysis and sessions to consider the use of identification and survey methods. CIEEM QGIS for Ecologists and eDNA in the field, some of the pitfalls and also offers ‘Eurasian Beaver Mitigation Conservation Practitioners its potential future. and Management’ training at the same NEW LOCATION venue on 3 May 2017. Nottingham 24-25 April 2017 Wind Farm Bird Collision Gloucester 27-28 June 2017 Risk Modelling Livestock Management Trainers: Matt Davies / Mark O’Connell NEW in the Uplands Over two days, delegates will learn how Aberdeen 30 March 2017 NEW to use free, open source, Quantum Malham, Yorkshire Dales 16 May 2017 Trainer: Chris Cathrine MCIEEM GIS software to access a variety of Wind farm bird collision risk modelling Trainer: Katherine Tonge MCIEEM environmental data sources, create their is a standard tool used to inform impact Based on a working upland farm, this own habitat and species survey data on assessments for large-scale onshore wind training will provide an understanding of a map, perform basic spatial analysis and farm development as well as small-scale how a ‘typical’ upland farm manages their produce maps suitable for inclusion in wind clusters. This course will introduce livestock, exploring farming constraints, reports. Prior knowledge of GIS is not the Band collision risk model, survey design opportunities, pressures and the impacts required though basic computer literacy and data management and provide a that they have on conservation of the (managing files and installing software) worked example to illustrate how flight uplands. The course will help improve is essential. activity survey data is used to build and run knowledge of the methods, terminology a bird collision risk model. Interpretation and economics of upland farming and Beginner’s Guide to the of results and limitations of the model will provide confidence in discussing livestock National Vegetation also be discussed. management and land management Classification (NVC) solutions with farmers. Carlisle 8 June 2017 Basic Statistics using R Trainer: Stuart Colgate MCIEEM NEW An introductory level course covering Dundee 24 May 2017 the theory and practice of NVC methodology for identifying and Trainer: Jim McNicol describing UK plant communities. This training will help practitioners gain Classroom and field-based sessions are confidence in the use of R open source used to explore the background and software for the simple statistical analysis use of NVC methods, demonstrate the of ecological and environmental data. principals involved and practice recording Through guided tutorials and exercises and sampling plant communities. delegates will practice reading data into R, generating numerical and graphical summaries of their data and carrying out simple t-tests and regression analysis. www.cieem.net/training-events 58 Issue 95 | March 2017 Professional Updates

Natural England launches Badger Class Licence Natural England Operations team

The Badger Class Licence will permit Registered Users to monitor sett use by badgers, exclude badgers from their setts by means of one-way gates and destroy setts for the purposes of development (as defined in section 55(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) and to prevent serious damage. It does not in any way reduce the protection afforded to badgers under the Protection of Badgers Act (1992), nor is it introducing any new activity or extending existing powers for any group. It will provide an alternative to the current system of individual licences and offer a reduced level of administration to those who demonstrate a level of earned recognition in excluding badgers from setts • Have not been convicted of any wildlife- the Badger Class Licence, instead of using one-way gates. related or animal welfare offence in the applying for an individual licence, in the Natural England is inviting applications to last five years, which is not spent under circumstances previously described. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. become a Registered User now to allow Applicants can choose to use Natural time to fully assess applications and advise • Are a Full member (or Associate member England’s Discretionary Advice Service, successful applicants before this year’s for at least three years) of a professional where we will retrieve information badger licensing season opens on 1 July. body or other organisation that will on previous licences from our files for investigate and penalise improper conduct. Registered Users will be permitted to a standard charge of £220 plus VAT monitor sett use at any time of the year, Natural England expects that most and advise whether we consider the but exclusion of badgers and closure of applicants will have held at least four information shows that the applicant setts will only be allowed between 1 July badger licences within the last five years meets the eligibility criteria. Where the and 30 November (inclusive). for which they have written a Method criteria are met, an applicant can submit To successfully register, applicants will need Statement that involves closing a sett (two this written advice with their formal to demonstrate that they: involving a main sett). Applicants will need to provide information application. Assuming there is no material • Have produced Method Statements to to support their formal application (such change in the applicant’s circumstances exclude badgers from setts using one-way as previous applications, surveys and between receiving Natural England’s advice gates to a standard that Natural England is proposed mitigation). Individuals who and applying to register, they will receive able to licence without major modification. don’t meet the above criteria can still confirmation that they are a Register User • Have experience at a minimum of apply, by providing alternative evidence for of the Badger Class Licence within five four different locations of successfully consideration with their formal application. working days. excluding badgers from a sett, including Natural England will assess the application main setts at two locations. Following an initial launch in the Midlands and advise whether the applicant has during February, the Badger Class Licence • Have submitted licence returns in a timely provided sufficient evidence which will launch nationwide during March 2017. manner to Natural England that include meets the criteria. If they have not done The application forms and further details full details of action taken under licence. so, applicants can make one further will be available on GOV.UK. • Have not been subject to enforcement formal application within a 12-month action in respect of licences held or period. Successful applicants will become https://www.gov.uk/government/ acted under. a ‘Registered User’ and can then use collections/badger-licences Issue 95 | March 2017 59 Professional Updates

An Update from the President Stephanie Wray CEcol CEnv FCIEEM CIEEM President

As I am approaching the are governed by Royal Charter and are as advisors and ecological clerks of works halfway point of my term as here to advise Government – and while (ECoW). I have secured funding from the we may have strong views on some issues, Construction Industry Training Board in President it seems appropriate we are neither a lobbying nor a political collaboration with the Civil Engineering to review how things are organisation. I am happy that we are Contractors Association to research the going with reference to my key starting to be asked – that people know skills and competences that are needed we are here to advise – and I hope to see for these roles, where gaps exist, and priorities for the Institute. As I that flourish further. the scale of the market opportunity for set out when John Box handed My second focus was around membership. members given the large increase in over to me in November 2015, I I’m pleased to say that the secretariat construction projects in the UK in the next membership team and the Membership 10 years. Alongside this, we have raised have three main points of focus. Admissions Committee have taken huge funding from a variety of organisations Firstly, I was concerned about the external strides to streamline the processes for to start developing standards and course profile of the Institute, both in political/ joining the Institute and re-think the grades materials to upskill ECoWs, working with policy-making circles and more generally of membership. This sets us in great shape a range of partner organisations, including in the media. We all recognised that the to encourage new members, including the Association of Environmental and primary focus of this work at that time those not from a traditional degree route, Ecological Clerks of Works (AEECoW). would to be around the EU referendum into the profession. Member retention at Finally, although I’ve said I’m just reaching last June. Like many of you, I was surprised the Institute is excellent – so clearly once the mid-point, we do need to elect my by the referendum outcome and this has people join us they feel that it is a benefit successor at the next annual conference in had a significant bearing on our work in to their career. We still need to work on November, to take over in November 2018. this area. I have formed a Strategic Policy reaching out to those who would be If you are potentially interested in taking Panel of senior Fellows and members of eligible for membership, but are under- on the mantle I’d be very happy to hear the Institute whose remit is to proactively represented in our ranks, notably ecologists from you. You don’t need to be on the look at future policy trends. We have in local government and (some of) the existing Governing Board to put yourself forged, thanks to the work of Jason, Sally statutory agencies. We have also been forward – and if you’re not, I can assure and other members of the secretariat, approached by other organisations who you they are a great team to work with. great working relationships with other would like to work more closely with us If you would like to know more about the institutions and professional bodies which and perhaps become affiliated in the future. time commitment involved please do get in has strengthened our voice significantly. We will look at all of these opportunities touch with me directly. I attended an event at Defra to meet the closely to ensure we can maintain our high Thank you all for your continuing support new Ministerial team and engaged with standards but deliver the benefits of a of the Institute. Therese Coffey MP and George Eustice bigger organisation to members. MP, explaining to them the remit of our Thirdly, my aim was to continue to raise Institute and how our members could help standards in our industry and promote in the drafting of new environment policy best practice. My personal focus in this in the light of Brexit. I’ve since met with area has been around standards for other parliamentarians with an interest in ecologists working on construction sites this policy area, including Kerry McCarthy MP, and have a forthcoming meeting with Molly Scott Cato MEP. Slowly we are extending our reach and having more opportunities to influence evidence-based policy. It’s a very fine line to tread, as we

For more information Contact Steph at: [email protected]

60 Issue 95 | March 2017 Professional Updates

Meet the Policy and Communications Team

CIEEM’s Policy and Communications Jason joined CIEEM Outside of work Jason is a committee team is responsible for the Institute’s in October 2005 member of Winchester Photographic external facing operations. The team is (then IEEM) as an Society, is involved in local politics, and comprised of Emma Downey, CIEEM’s intern, and has since enjoys hiking, camping and CrossFit. Marketing Officer, and Jason Reeves, the moved through Emma and Jason also work closely with Policy and Communications Manager. several positions until a number of freelance and outsourced They jointly deliver on CIEEM’s strategic becoming the Policy services. These include: Dr Gill Kerby, who objective of increasing CIEEM’s external and Communications edits the Feature Articles for In Practice influence and exposure. Manager in July magazine; our website developers; a Emma has worked 2014. He has number of graphic designers and printers; in marketing a BSc in Biological Sciences and an and occasional public relations support. for over 6 years, MSc in Biodiversity Conservation and previously having Management. Between 2008 and 2014 worked for a Fiat Jason was also the Co-ordinator for the and Alfa Romeo car European Network of Environmental dealership in Devon Professionals (ENEP), of which CIEEM is and for a hearing a member. aid company in Jason is responsible for leading on Cornwall. Emma has the development of CIEEM’s policy been the Marketing Officer at CIEEM engagement and ensuring effective since April 2015, moving to Winchester delivery of the Institute’s communications from Plymouth. She is an Associate and marketing. In addition, he is member of the Chartered Institute of responsible for the delivery of In Practice Marketing, and is part of the Professional magazine, compiling the monthly Policy Associations Research Network’s (PARN) eBriefing, and moderating CIEEM’s Communications Special Interest Group. LinkedIn groups. Jason is also part of Emma is responsible for CIEEM’s strategic the CIEEM Management Team which marketing, Twitter, website maintenance, contributes to organisational decision- newsletters, advertising and sponsorship. making. Jason is currently leading, under She is also involved with organising the the guidance of the Governing Board CIEEM Awards and is often part of the and Strategic Policy Panel, CIEEM’s policy conference team. engagement with regards to the UK Emma is a Girl Guide leader, runs the leaving the EU. local Winchester Wildlife Watch group and is on the committee for her local Read Easy group as Publicity Organiser. She’s hoping to complete a triathlon this year and loves cycling!

For more information Contact Emma at: [email protected] Contact Jason at: [email protected]

Issue 95 | March 2017 61 Professional Updates

Chartered Membership

Fellows and Full Members of CIEEM can The following profile highlights the work Please note, these dates are subject develop their skills and gain professional of Chartered professionals and provides to the availability of assessors and recognition from employers, colleagues an insight into the kind of roles that may change. and clients by achieving Chartered status. these senior ecologists and environmental CIEEM offers two Chartership awards: managers are required for. • Chartered Ecologist (CEcol): The Register of Chartered Ecologists New Chartered Members recognises the effective application of CIEEM is pleased to announce the Chartered Ecologist knowledge and understanding of the following new Chartered members: application deadlines science of ecology by professionals committed to the highest standards Chartered Ecologist CEcol Application CEcol of practice. Mr Luke Casey CEcol MCIEEM due date Interviews • Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv): Mr Paul Scott CEcol CEnv MCIEEM 3 April 2017 w/c 26 June 2017 CIEEM is one of 23 professional Miss Leila Payne CEcol CEnv MCIEEM bodies licensed by the Society for the Environment (SocEnv) to award Chartered Environmentalist status. CEnv is an Chartered Environmentalist application deadlines increasingly recognised standard of good CEnv application due date CEnv report CEnv Interviews environmental practice. submission deadline 1 September 2017 24 November 2017 8 January 2018

Kathy Dale my application the process was easy What volunteering experience and quick and my interview was do you have? CEcol FCIEEM straightforward. I volunteer for CIEEM and am currently Associate Director, How has achieving Chartered the Vice-President for Scotland. I also EnviroCentre Limited status impacted on the types volunteer in my community, championing of work you undertake? outdoor access. As yet Chartered status has not impacted What training experience do Why did you on the work I undertake but I hope join CIEEM? that in time there will be a requirement you have? I joined CIEEM as one of the earliest for elements of Ecological Impact I am a tutor on training courses, members in order to raise the profile of Assessment (EcIA) to be undertaken by particularly on aquatic ecology and EcIA. ecologists and also to raise standards in Chartered Ecologists. I anticipate that ecological practice. this will increase my involvement in large, What is the best thing about complex EcIAs and raise the fees that I your job? Why did you apply for am able to charge for my services. Chartered status? The best thing about my job is the variety of work and the opportunity to I applied for Chartered status because Would you recommend be involved with experts in different I feel it is important to be on a par with applying for Chartership to disciplines. I enjoy helping to provide other professions and to show that I your peers and colleagues? solutions to problems that benefit have achieved a high level of knowledge Yes, I would recommend applying for in ecology. CEcol to my peers and colleagues but society and the environment. I also enjoy not until they have at least 10 years’ mentoring the staff in the Ecology Team. How did you find the experience. My employer encourages all Chartership process? staff to aspire to Chartered status. The application form was quite complex and took longer than I expected to What is your education If you are interested in submitting complete but most of the time was background? your own profile please contact the spent on completing the competency I have a BSc in Ecology and an MSc in the Registration Officer, Michael Hornby, framework. Once I had submitted Biology of Water Resource Management. at [email protected].

62 Issue 95 | March 2017 Professional Updates

British Ecological Society Richard English Communications Manager, British Ecological Society

We find ourselves at the start of a year Journal of Applied Ecology’s Special Profiles that has already highlighted challenges are now called ‘Spotlights’. These are but we, at the BES, understand the groups of papers on a current, important way forward is through collaboration, theme in applied ecology accompanied by greater understanding and enabling our a post on the Applied Ecologist’s Blog. In community to reach its potential. December 2016 we published a Spotlight During 2016, we established our Equality on ‘Wildlife and renewable energy’ and see and Diversity Working Group; its aim issue 1 of 2017 for ‘Ecosystem restoration is to develop and deliver our work to under the microscope’. More information: increase the diversity of people involved in https://jappliedecologyblog.wordpress.com/ This year, we are looking forward to ecology. We achieved a lot during the year, The new volume of our Ecological attending Evolution in USA, INTECOL including the creation of an Equality and Reviews book series, Enhancing the in China, ESA in USA and several other Diversity policy which will continue to be Resilience of Agriculture: Perspectives meetings across Europe. If there is a an important strand of our work. from Ecology and Economics (edited by meeting you think we should attend, or In 2017, our Journal of Applied Ecology Sarah Gardner, Stephen Ramsden and if you are organising an event and would will be developing a new online resource Rosie Hails), presents an interdisciplinary like advice on crafting a workshop, please to help bridge the gap between academics perspective to the challenge of maintaining email [email protected]. and practitioners; our vision is to provide the productivity of both agricultural In September last year, our journals a web resource containing a variety of and renewable natural resources in the team conducted a customer satisfaction information types relevant to applied face of economic, environmental and survey with over 15,000 authors and ecology, including summaries, reports and social uncertainty. It will be published reviewers of our journal articles. We are journal articles. Look out for more details in early 2017. More information: www. pleased to report that satisfaction with and different ways for BES and CIEEM britishecologicalsociety.org/publications/ the submission, publication and review members to collaborate. ecological-reviews/ process was high amongst the over 2,000 Fittingly, our first symposium is a joint event We regularly attend international respondents and 79% stated that they with BESS (Biodiversity and Ecosystem conferences where we showcase our were likely to submit to our journals again. Service Sustainability): ‘Advances in exciting work in grants, careers, events, The full dataset is currently being analysed Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’ in policy and outreach. Our journals team and relevant results will be made available Cardiff on 24-26 April 2017. There is an showcase our world-class international later in the spring. urgent need to understand how natural journals and hold stocks are linked to flows of ecosystem workshops for authors services and how these linkages are on themes such as how likely to change in the future – given the to get published, peer SUBMISSION environmental challenges of an increasing review, open access, open population, demand for housing and data and reproducibility. Clarity of communication in infrastructure, the need to feed a rapidly We have produced guides the submission system growing planet and climate change. More to promote research information: www.britishecologicalsociety. excellence, with subjects org/SYMP2017/Cardiff including peer review, 91% SATISFIED This will be followed by our symposium data management and Clarity of guidellines on the on ‘The Macroecology of Alien Species: how to get published. Journal website Patterns, Drivers and Consequences of These are free to Global Biotic Exchange’ in Durham on 24- download and available 26 July 2017. The symposium will explore in hard copy at the 91% SATISFIED the major drivers behind the mixing of conferences we attend. the world’s biotas, and the consequences More information: Ease of use of the submission system for conservation of biodiversity. More www.britishecological information: www.britishecologicalsociety. society.org/blications/ 88% SATISFIED org/SYMP2017/Durham guides-to/ Issue 95 | March 2017 63 Professional Updates

We will be in Dale Fort, Pembrokeshire Our members can gain first-hand This year will close in style with our Annual from 17-21 July 2017 for our third experience of the policy world with our Meeting in Ghent, Belgium on 11-14 immersive Summer School. We take 50 new Fellowship programme, launching December 2017. A year of collaboration talented Undergraduates from around the in the spring. We will continue to offer finishes with this joint event with the GfÖ UK, including 10 A-level students from our three-month placement at the (Ecological Society of Germany, Austria BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) Parliamentary Office of Science and and Switzerland), NecoV (Dutch-Flemish and low SES (Socio-Economic Status) Technology, as well as the chance to Ecological Society) and EEF (European backgrounds. We are grateful to CIEEM for shadow Government Ministers and Ecological Federation). We pride ourselves providing sessions related to consultancy officials and regular training days. More in having world class plenary speakers, and supporting students with careers information: www.britishecologicalsociety. science which spans the whole of ecology, beyond academia. org/policy/opportunities/ and an event that is both inclusive and fun. Our outreach programme includes a Our presence in the devolved Our members are central to our work and number of free festivals, including the administrations continues to grow, with our future; we are keen to support the Festival of Nature (Bristol) and, fingers our Scottish Policy Group working in needs of the community and are always crossed, a return to Glastonbury. collaboration with NGO partners to host open to partner with other organisations. Look out for us at the RHS Chelsea Flower MSPs for a breakfast briefing on the If you are interested in any of the initiatives Show, too! latest ecological science during Scottish here, or if you have an idea of how We will continue to engage with the Environment Week. We shall also host we can work together, email challenges and opportunities that Brexit events with our Wales Policy Group, and [email protected] or get poses for environment and science policy, work with colleagues in the Irish Ecological in touch via Twitter (@BritishEcolSoc). working in collaboration with a number of Association to build policy connections partners including CIEEM, and are currently across Ireland. More information: establishing a dedicated Brexit working www.britishecologicalsociety.org/policy/ group. Follow the latest at: policy-networks/ www.britishecologicalsociety.org/policy/ policy-topics/eu-referendum/

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64 Issue 95 | March 2017 Member Network News

Member Network News

CIEEM’s Member Networks are each run by a Committee of members for the benefit of other members, providing opportunities to network, share knowledge and learn more about the science and practice of our profession. For further information about Member Networks and how you can get involved, please visit www.cieem.net/get-involved.

NORTH WEST ENGLAND Saltmarsh restoration site visit – Mersey Gateway Project 22 November 2016, Widnes Ecologists, environmental professionals and students from the MSc Ecology and Environmental Management at Liverpool Hope University (a course accredited by CIEEM) visited the Mersey Gateway Project – a new six-lane toll cable-stayed bridge over the river Mersey between the towns of Runcorn and Widnes. The new crossing will be open in autumn 2017, but it is already starting to bring major Bill Haines explaining black cap characteristics Mist netting environmental benefits to the local area. SOUTH EAST ENGLAND Find out more at www.cieem.net/north-west Bird Ringing and Wetland Species and Management at the London Wetland Centre 14 September 2016, London Wetland Centre WALES We were lucky enough to be provided with another opportunity to see behind the scenes at Winter bat talks the London Wetland Centre, well worth the 6am meeting time! Bill Haines and colleagues December 2016, Bridgend provided a fascinating demonstration of bird ringing techniques and we were privileged to The Wales Section Committee see 46 birds up close, with nine species caught, including blackcap and long-tailed tit. organised several joint winter talks After the ringing demo, Richard Bullock of the WWT provided a talk and tour of the LWC, with the Vale of Glamorgan and focusing on wetland habitat management for species, and providing further insight into Bridgend Bat Group in December the issues of managing this highly successful urban habitat creation scheme and very 2016. These included a talk by popular visitor attraction. Geoff Billington on his bat research in Greece, plus a talk by Rob Colley IRELAND Assessment Guidelines in 2016 and about horseshoe bats on Gower. the imminent release of the new EIA Irish Section Conference 2017: Both were well-attended, and guidelines in Ireland, the conference will provided one way to throw Advancing Ecological Impact draw on the latest research findings, off the blues during dark Assessment in Ireland tools and experiences of professionals winter evenings. 6 April 2017, Dublin to address current topics in ecological This day-long conference will focus impact assessment. on the latest developments and To find out more and book your place, challenges in assessing and mitigating visit www.cieem.net/events/1350/ ecological impacts. With the launch of advancing-ecological-impact- the updated CIEEM Ecological Impact assessment-in-ireland.

Issue 95 | March 2017 65 Member Network News

WALES A walk with bryophytes: the mosses and liverworts of Pensychnant Nature Reserve 18 March 2017, Pensychnant Nature Reserve The Wales Section Committee is reprising the previously popular Photo by R. Wardle bryophyte field trip with Lucia Ruffino EAST OF ENGLAND on 18 March 2017. Come on over to Jim Jones of Surrey Wildlife Trust rounding Conwy for a morning of fossicking up after the field meeting Guided Walk of Tollesby Wick in damp woods and an afternoon of 8 December 2016 peering down the odd microscope SOUTH EAST ENGLAND Less than a two-hour drive from central or two. Places are limited, so please Harvest Mouse Conservation London and you can arrive at the beautiful be sure to book in advance at with the Surrey Wildlife Trust coastal nature reserve of Tollesbury Wick, http://www.cieem.net/events/ 14 October 2016, Shalford a rare freshwater grazing marsh in Essex. category/59/cieem-section-events. The elusive harvest mouse receives no This 242 ha enwalled site has a fantastic formal legal protection and is therefore history with 25% of it ploughed, drained perhaps overlooked during ecological and levelled for agriculture in the 1960s. surveys, yet it is a Species of Principal Essex Wildlife Trust claimed the site in 1993 Importance under the NERC Act and as and began one of the largest restoration such should be considered during EcIAs. projects the Trust has ever been involved Eighteen South East England Section with. EWT broke field drains, created a members attended this workshop led 4.5ha freshwater lagoon, built islands by Jim Jones, Living Landscapes Project and replaced old water controls with new Manager for the Surrey Wildlife Trust sluices, and as a result has potentially made Participants enjoyed a fine April day for (SWT), and Dr Rowenna Baker of Sussex it the best site in Essex for breeding waders. the 2016 bryophyte trip and we look University. Find out more about what they Find out more at www.cieem.net/ forward to another excellent day for the 2017 trip – photo by Diana Clark discovered at www.cieem.net/south-east. east-of-england Please get in touch with the Welsh Section Support Officer, Diana Clark SCOTLAND ([email protected]), or anyone Scottish Section Conference and on the Committee if you have ideas Annual Members’ Meeting 2017 about Section events you’d like to Creating Sustainable Cities using see happen in Wales. an Ecosystem Services Approach 18 January 2017, Perth SOUTH WEST ENGLAND Delegates gathered for an inspiring Biodiversity in Urban Green Spaces day looking at the ecosystem services – how can the ecologist’s voice be heard? provided by urban habitats and their impact on human wellbeing and 7 December 2016, Taunton economic prosperity. The South West England Committee To find out more and access speaker organised a very successful winter seminar presentations, visit www.cieem.net/ in Taunton to inform and inspire members previous-conferences. about how we can influence the design and management of urban developments to achieve good outcomes for biodiversity. Six excellent speakers covered a range of topics in the morning and this was followed by site visits to look at sustainable drainage Look out for upcoming events in your solutions and learn how community area and keep up to date with what’s involvement in management of a nearby Delegates learning from Bob Bray about the been going on at www.cieem.net/ public open space has paid dividends. design of rain gardens member-networks. Further details and speaker presentations can be found at www.cieem.net/south-west. 66 Issue 95 | March 2017 New Members

New Members The decision on admission is usually taken by the Membership Admissions Committee under delegated authority from the Governing Board but may be taken by the Governing Board itself. CIEEM is pleased to welcome the following individuals as new members:

ADMISSIONS

Full Members Charlotte Hammond, Dr Sarah Mullen, Daniel Anderson, Richard Angliss,

Jamie Bevan, Dr Emmett Clarkin, Erik Paterson, Hayley Percival, Emma Ashby, Ann Bailey,

Leanne Cooke, Richard Dale, Samuel Smith Chloe Balmer, Samuel Braine,

John Day, Dr Arnaud Duranel, Robert Branch, Benjamin Brown, Graduate Members Jonathan Goodrick, Steven Heaton, Helen Butt, Mike Caiden, Sarah Callow, Matthew Attrill, Sinead Barrett, Damien Hicks, Dr Jacqueline Hill, Sian Comlay, Ruth Coxon, Adam Crowther, Vikki Bird, Isobel Bramer, Rory Chanter, Ruth Oatway, Alexis Pearce, Bronte Daley, Shannon Davies, Thomas Clements, Sarah Cruickshank, Stephen Preston, Dr Samuel Quin, Stephanie Davis, Terri Dawson, Steven Duncan, David Eves, Jeremy Sabel, Jonathan Ward, Claire Evans, Rachael Findlay, Pierre Fleet, Marion Gohier, Clara Gonzalez Hernandez, Daniel Flint, Thomas Frampton, Jonathan Wohlgemuth Poppy Hookings, Rosie Jackson, Charles Gannicott, Samantha Gate, Upgrades to Full Membership Robin Jennings, Elizabeth Kimber, Alex Gazi, Emma Griffiths, Olivia Guindon, Sarah Atkinson, Ruth Bramwell, Kate Moore, Louise Morrison, Clare Guy, Jacob Haddon, Paul Hammond, Katherine Mullin, Nichelle Murray, Charlotte Carroll, Stephanie Cottell, Natasha Hannah-Lyons, Rozanne Imaita, Kate O’Connor, Sebastian Phelan, Andrea Evans, Lucy Hill, Christopher Jack, Iona Kay, Sarah Kilshaw, Tom Preece, Jake Smith, Sarah Proctor, Jake Robinson, Julie Smith, Hemmings Kim, Samuel King, Emma-Louise Spicer, Hannah Train, Georgina Tayler Arnon Lokitsataporn, Christopher Long, Thomas Travers, Jacob Willmore Nick Marriner, Marco Maxia, Associate Members Upgrades to Graduate Membership Danny Meek, Shonte Miller-Howe, David Byett, Nathan Coughlan, Katherine Halsall, Kaidi Kuusk, James Oliver, Caollaidhe O’Sullivan, Stephen Hewitt, Kevin Heywood, Kirstene Stevenson Alex Pelton, Helen Pietkiewicz, Kirsty Macpherson, Adam Noon, Suzanna Platts, John Salisbury, Nicholas Westwood Qualifying Members Fiona Shuttle, Cameron Singh-Johnstone, Leigh Cresswell, Harvey Dawson, Upgrades to Associate Membership Jack Slattery, Gillian Tetlow, Sailatha Theagaraj Robyn Ablitt, Calum Campbell, Linzi Thompson, Agness Uhuru,

Andrea Coyne, Claire Dunphy, Student Members Robert Wakefield, Georgina Watkins,

Paula Graham, Erin Grieve, Dominic Allmark, Laurence Allnatt, Jake White, Mary-Rose Winter

Issue 95 | March 2017 67 Recent Publications

Britain’s Spiders: A Field Guide Invasion Dynamics Authors: Lawrence Bee, Geoff Oxford Authors: Cang Hui and & Helen Smith David M. Richardson ISBN: 9780691165295 ISBN-13: 9780198745341 Price: £24.95 Price: £37.99 Available from: http://press.princeton. Available from: www.nhbs.com/title/ edu/titles/10987.html 212135/invasion-dynamics?bkfno=232006 Britain’s Spiders is a photographic guide Humans have moved organisms around to all 37 of the British families, focussing the world for centuries but it is only on spiders that can be identified in the relatively recently that invasion ecology has grown into a field. Illustrated with a remarkable collection of photographs, it is mainstream research field. Invasion Dynamics examines both designed to be accessible to a wide audience, including those new the spread and impact dynamics of invasive species, placing the to spider identification. This book pushes the boundaries of field science of invasion biology on a new, more rigorous, theoretical identification for this challenging group by combining information footing, and proposing a concept of adaptive networks as the on features that can be seen with the naked eye or a hand foundation for future research. Biological invasions are considered lens with additional evidence from webs, egg-sacs, behaviour, not as simple actions of invaders and reactions of invaded phenology, habitats and distributions. Individual accounts cover ecosystems, but as co-evolving complex adaptive systems with 390 of Britain’s approximately 660 species, with the limitations to emergent features of network complexity and invasibility. field identification explained. Invasion Dynamics focuses on the ecology of invasive species and As the first photographic field guide to British spiders to be their impacts in recipient social-ecological systems. It discusses not published since 1989, this book fills a major gap in the resources only key advances and challenges within the traditional domain available to everyone with an interest in this fascinating, diverse of invasion ecology, but introduces approaches, concepts, and and important group of animals. insights from many other disciplines such as complexity science, systems science, and ecology more broadly. It will be of great value to invasion biologists analyzing spread and/or impact dynamics as well as other ecologists interested in spread processes or What Works in habitat management. Conservation 2017 Editors: William J. Sutherland, Lynn V. Dicks, Nancy Ockendon, Plant Biodiversity: Monitoring, Rebecca K. Smith Assessment and Conservation ISBN: 978-1-78374-308-7 Editors: Abid A. Ansari, Sarvajeet Singh Price: £19.95 Gill, Zahid Khorshid Abbas and M. Naeem Available from: ISBN-13: 9781780646947 www.openbookpublishers.com/product/ 552/what-works-in-conservation-2017 Price: £150.00 What Works in Conservation has been created to provide Available from: www.nhbs.com/ practitioners with answers to this and many other questions title/209956/plant-biodiversity about practical conservation. This book provides an assessment Results of regular monitoring of the of the effectiveness of 763 conservation interventions based species diversity and structure of plant communities is used on summarized scientific evidence. Chapters cover the practical by conservation biologists to help understand impacts of global conservation of amphibians, bats, birds and forests, perturbations caused by humans and other environmental factors conservation of European farmland biodiversity and some on ecosystems worldwide. Changes in plant communities can, for aspects of enhancing natural pest control, enhancing soil example, be a reflection of increased levels of pollution, a response fertility and control of freshwater invasive species. It contains to long-term climate change, or the result of shifts in land-use key results from the summarized evidence for each conservation practices by the human population. intervention and an assessment of the effectiveness of each Plant Biodiversity presents a series of essays on the application by international expert panels. The accompanying website of plant biodiversity monitoring and assessment to help prevent www.conservationevidence.com describes each of the studies species extinction, ecosystem collapse, and solve problems individually, and provides full references. in biodiversity conservation. It has been written by a large This is the second edition of What Works in Conservation, which is international team of researchers and uses case studies and revised on an annual basis. It will also available online as a free-to- examples from all over the world, and from a broad range of download PDF at www.conservationevidence.com. terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Plant Biodiversity is aimed at those with a strong interest in plant biodiversity monitoring and assessment, plant community ecology, biodiversity conservation, and the environmental impacts of human activities on ecosystems.

68 Issue 95 | March 2017 Recent Journals

Editorial: Solving environmental problems in the Anthropocene: the need to bring Biodiversity and ecosystem services in forest novel theoretical advances into the applied ecosystems: a research agenda for applied ecology fold forest ecology A.S. Mori, K.P. Lertzman and L. Gustafsson M.W. Cadotte, J. Barlow, M.A. Nuñez, N. Pettorelli and P.A. Stephens Journal of Applied Ecology 2017, 54: 12–27. Journal of Applied Ecology 2017, 54: 1–6. The rapid expansion of sustainable forest management (SFM) doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12855 has resulted in the adoption of various forest management frameworks intended to safeguard biodiversity. Concurrently, the Translating global awareness and concern into effective policies importance of forest ecosystem services has been increasingly requires sound science to inform management decisions. As a recognised. Although some initiatives aimed at conserving both result, applied ecology has increased in prominence and relevance. biodiversity and ecosystem services are emerging, knowledge Ecology needs to be relevant for our human-dominated landscapes gaps still exist about their relationships and potential trade-offs and their vulnerable species and functions. Ecologists have spent in forests. Given recent advancements, increasing opportunities much effort studying intact and semi-natural systems to understand and some lags in forest ecology, further research on biodiversity, the basic operations of nature. But now, we are required to ecosystem functions and services will play substantial roles in the develop this understanding further to minimise loss, and to improve development of SFM practices. ecological integrity and human well-being. The authors identified key issues including (i) relationships Potential interventions range from designing and prioritising between biodiversity and ecosystem function as a foundation landscape protection, ensuring the delivery of food production and of ecological integrity, (ii) resilience thinking to better prepare other services, local-scale remediation of chemical contamination for and adapt to environmental changes, (iii) social–ecological and restoration, to global-scale rewilding. Applied ecology indeed perspectives that facilitate real-world conservation and provides evidence and tools that can inform management and management and (iv) theory-driven restoration that bridges policy across spatial scales, can lead to new developments in our science and practice. They illustrate priorities and future fundamental understanding of the natural world, and is at the possibilities in applied ecology studies in forests, which will help forefront of using ecological knowledge to develop and implement society and ecosystems to build capacity and resilience to face strategies. Yet, despite the multiple advances we see, there is uncertainty in the changing environment. differential success in the transition of some ecological tools and concepts into applied practice. The authors examine how and why Under substantial human influences, forests are highly likely some theories, concepts and methods successfully transition to the to be largely altered, potentially leading to the emergence of applied realm and ask if some other areas of research have more to novel ecosystems or alternative stable states. Management thus offer applied ecology than has yet been realised. needs more flexible, novel measures to address the significant uncertainty this generates. Resilience-based approaches are http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12855/full important to respond adaptively to future changes and cope with surprises, potentially providing multiple options. Although challenges exist, theory should play an important role in Editorial: Biodiversity and ecosystem services managing, conserving and restoring forest ecosystems. The issues discussed should receive further attention in the context of the in forests: management and restoration multiple goals of sustainable forest management. founded on ecological theory http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12669/full A.S. Mori Journal of Applied Ecology 2017, 54: 7–11. doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12854 The provision of ecosystem services is spatially heterogeneous in facets of forests including biodiversity per se, the functionality forests, and some services can be synergetic or antagonistic with of ecosystems and possible linkages between biodiversity and others, and there are often trade-offs between them. Understanding ecosystem services. Humans and nature cannot be separated the trade-offs and synergies among different ecosystem services and are indeed coupled, and this has been evident for societies is crucial to inform policy and management. The actual flow of living in or near forested regions throughout history. Considering provisioning of goods and services to society from biodiversity the numerous cases of past failures to tighten this link, further preservation has much uncertainty, and this is especially the case consideration is needed regarding future forest use, conservation in natural forests characterised by high structural complexity, and restoration within the context of social-ecological systems. spatiotemporal heterogeneity of resource distributions and the http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12854/full dominance of long-lived organisms. Furthermore, there may be a trade-off and a conflict between biodiversity conservation and some Brown bear ecosystem services within a landscape, because some ecosystem services of interest are often independent of the diversity measured or of interest. In addition, the increased provision of specific goods and services often requires land conversion and other forms of human intervention that inevitably result in negative impacts on biodiversity at multiple spatial, temporal and biological scales. Accordingly, there is much to be done to gain a firm understanding of how human-induced environmental changes can affect multiple

Issue 95 | March 2017 69 Recent Journals

Predicting costs of alien species surveillance across varying transportation networks Optimizing confirmation of invasive species eradication with rapid eradication assessment L. Blackburn, R. Epanchin-Niell, A. Thompson and A. Liebhold J.C. Russell, H.R. Binnie, J. Oh, D.P. Anderson Journal of Applied Ecology 2017, 54: 225–233. and A. Samaniego-Herrera doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12754 Journal of Applied Ecology 2017, 54: 160–169. Efforts to detect and eradicate invading populations before they doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12753 establish are a critical component of national biosecurity programmes. An essential element for maximizing the efficiency of these efforts is Confirmation of invasive species eradication following the balancing of expenditures on surveillance (e.g. trapping) versus management programmes is typically determined by waiting an treatment (e.g. eradication). Identifying the optimal allocation of arbitrary period of time before determining success or failure resources towards surveillance requires an underlying model of how based upon the then obvious presence or absence of the target costs and the probability of detection fluctuate with survey intensity species. Rapid eradication assessment could be achieved more across various landscapes. The authors have developed a model, widely expediently by applying statistical models of the probability of applicable across biological systems, for predicating costs associated detecting survivors and their offspring, using a grid of detection with varying surveillance intensities across diverse road networks. devices, for a given set of biological and monitoring parameters. The authors assumed that surveillance is conducted across a set of The authors simulate the estimation of the probability of point locations. Resources needed to conduct surveillance include the eradication for invasive rodents on islands across a range fixed costs associated with surveying a point (e.g. cost of materials of monitoring parameters in order to provide guidance to or labour time spent at the survey point) and variable costs that managers on the optimal values, diminishing returns and trade- correspond to the expense of the time and distance travelled between offs in monitoring to achieve a given level of confidence in points. The authors estimated travel time and distance between points successful eradication. as functions of surveillance intensity and road network characteristics The authors found that monitoring an island for survivors over using data from simulated least cost driving routes connecting points 15–20 nights is optimal and that waiting longer than a year located on real-world road networks. Time and distance estimates before commencing monitoring has a negligible impact on the were then combined with cost data from an actual gypsy moth estimated probability of success. The spacing between detection Lymantria dispar surveillance programme in the state of Washington, devices has a considerable influence on estimated probability of USA to predict per trap costs of surveillance across varying road success but only when it is <60 m. network densities and surveillance intensities. The authors recommend island eradication managers routinely Per point driving time, driving distance and total costs all decline implement rapid eradication assessment on small islands for with increasing survey point density and increasing road density. the demonstrated cost savings and to accelerate eradication Surveillance intensity (planned point spacing) explains ~94% of confirmation, ultimately facilitating island restoration. the average time driven per point and 97% of the distance driven http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12753/full per point – thus representing the primary explanatory variable. Incorporating road density and dead end road density explains relatively little additional variance in the model, although they improve goodness of fit. relative risk of alien species establishment across landscapes and This work predicts costs associated with surveillance of invasive measures of surveillance efficacy dependent on effort, these cost species populations. The authors found that the cost per survey point predictions can increase efficiency of surveillance and eradication diminishes with increasing survey point density and also depends efforts for the gypsy moth and other invasive species. on road network characteristics. When combined with maps for the http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12754/full

Wildlife crossing

70 Issue 95 | March 2017 Weeds on the web: conflicting management Pipistrelle bat advice about an invasive non-native plant B.S. Robinson, R. Inger, S.L. Crowley and K.J. Gaston Journal of Applied Ecology 2017, 54: 178–187. doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12712 Invasive non-native plants (INNPs) can have serious and widespread negative ecological and socio-economic impacts. It is therefore important they are managed appropriately. Within domestic gardens management decisions, which will tend to be made by individual members of the public, are likely to vary depending on (a) understanding of problems caused by INNP, and (b) knowledge of best practice. Using content analysis, an approach seldom employed in an ecological context, this study analysed variation in internet- based information sources regarding INNP to determine how this collective discourse might influence risk perceptions and management decisions for domestic garden owners/managers. The authors used Japanese knotweed Fallopia japonica in the UK, as a case study, as it is one of the most ecologically Transition from conventional to light-emitting and economically damaging INNP in the region. Their analysis categorised the types of author disseminating information diode street lighting changes activity of urban bats about Japanese knotweed, the relative frequency of documents D. Lewanzik and C.C. Voigt between author categories, and variation in content and style Journal of Applied Ecology 2017, 54: 264–271. between and within author categories. doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12758 The authors identified five author categories: environmental Light pollution is rapidly increasing and can have deleterious effects NGOs, control companies, government, media and the property on biodiversity, yet light types differ in their effect on wildlife. Among market. There was extensive variation in document structure, the light types used for street lamps, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are topics discussed, references and links to other sources, and expected to become globally predominant within the next few years. language style; sometimes this variation was between author categories and sometimes within author categories. The In a large-scale field experiment, the authors recorded bat activity most significant variation in topics discussed between author at 46 street lights for 12 nights each and investigated how the categories was indirect socio-economic problems, with control widespread replacement of conventional illuminants by LEDs affects companies discussing these most. The number of pieces of urban bats: they compared bat activity at municipal mercury vapour legislation referenced and the proportion of militaristic words (MV) street lamps that were replaced by LEDs with control sites that used were also highly significantly different between author were not changed. categories. Some documents used neutral terminology and were Pipistrellus pipistrellus was the most frequently recorded species; more circumspect, whilst others were more forceful in expressing it was 45% less active at LEDs than at MV street lamps, but the opinions and sensational. activity did not depend on illuminance level. Light type did not affect The author category returning the highest number of documents the activity of Pipistrellus nathusii, Pipistrellus pygmaeus or bats in was the subcategory local government, the shortest of which the Nyctalus/Eptesicus/Vespertilio (NEV) group, yet the activity of P. contained neither links to other information nor referenced any nathusii increased with illuminance level. Bats of the genus Myotis organisations. Further analysis of local government documents increased activity 4.5-fold at LEDs compared with MV lights, but revealed conflicting advice regarding the disposal of Japanese illuminance level had no effect. knotweed waste material; confusion about this topic could result Decreased activity of P. pipistrellus, which are considered light tolerant, in decisions being made that spread Japanese knotweed further probably paralleled insect densities around lights. The results suggest and are potentially unlawful. that LEDs may be less repelling for light-averse Myotis spp. than To help prevent inappropriate management of invasive non-native MV lights. Accordingly, the transition from conventional lighting plants (INNPs), the authors recommend that local and national techniques to LEDs may greatly alter the anthropogenic impact of authorities collaborate and work towards disseminating more artificial light on urban bats and might eventually affect the resilience consistent messages about (a) the potential socio-economic and of urban bat populations. ecological problems caused by INNP, whilst avoiding hyperbole, At light-emitting diodes (LEDs), the competitive advantage – the and (b) the most appropriate management techniques. exclusive ability to forage on insect aggregations at lights – is reduced http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12712/full for light-tolerant bats. Thus, the global spread of LED street lamps might lead to a more natural level of competition between light- tolerant and light-averse bats. This effect could be reinforced if the potential advantages of LEDs over conventional illuminants are applied in practice: choice of spectra with relatively little energy in the short wavelength range; reduced spillover by precisely directing light; dimming during low human activity times; and control by motion sensors. Yet, the potential benefits of LEDs could be negated if low costs foster an overall increase in artificial lighting. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12758/full Issue 95 | March 2017 71 Diary

Forthcoming Events 2017 For information on these events please see www.cieem.net. Conferences Date Title Location 22 March 2017 Spring Conference 2017 – Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Future Cities London 6 April 2017 Irish Section Conference 2017 – Advancing Ecological Impact Assessment in Ireland Dublin 4 July 2017 Summer Conference 2017 – Integrated Management of the Marine Environment Southampton 21-22 November 2017 Autumn Conference 2017 – Mitigation, Monitoring and Effectiveness Manchester

Training Courses 14 March 2017 Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) of Plans and Projects Edinburgh 14-15 March 2017 Water Vole Live Trapping, Handling, Practical Care and Re-establishment Launceston 21 March 2017 BS42020 Biodiversity: Code of Practice for Planning and Development Cardiff 27 March 2017 Ecological Clerk of Works London 28 March 2017 Otter Ecology and Surveys Cirencester 28 March 2017 Badger Ecology and Survey Techniques Cambridge 29 March 2017 Using eDNA and Traditional Techniques for Effective Great Crested Newt Surveys Nottingham 30 March 2017 Wind Farm Bird Collision Risk Modelling Aberdeen 4 April 2017 Badger Ecology and Survey Techniques Leatherhead 6 April 2017 Barn Owl: Ecology, Surveying and Mitigation Tamworth 6 April 2017 Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) of Projects Bristol 12 April 2017 Using eDNA and Traditional Techniques for Effective Great Crested Newt Surveys Basildon 19 April 2017 Great Crested Newt Ecology and Survey Techniques Coatbridge 20 April 2017 Great Crested Newt Assessment and Mitigation Coatbridge 24 April 2017 Introduction to Bat Ecology and Bat Surveys Wareham 24-25 April 2017 QGIS for Ecologists and Conservation Practitioners Nottingham 25 April 2017 Bats: Impact Assessment and Mitigation Wareham 26 April 2017 Introduction to Bats and Bat Survey Dunblane 27 April 2017 Bat Impacts and Mitigation Dunblane 27 April 2017 Great Crested Newt Ecology and Survey Techniques Leatherhead 2 May 2017 Eurasian Beaver Ecology and Survey Techniques Dunkeld 2 May 2017 Water Vole Ecology and Surveys Cirencester 3 May 2017 Eurasian Beaver Mitigation and Management Dunkeld 3 May 2017 Water Vole Mitigation Cirencester 10 May 2017 Badger Ecology and Survey Techniques Lincoln 11 May 2017 Badger Impacts and Mitigation Lincoln 11 May 2017 Early Season Grass and Sedge Identification Salisbury 11-12 May 2017 Introduction to Phase 1 Habitat Mapping and Plant Identification Newark 12 May 2017 Camera Trapping for Ecologists Stockton-on-Tees 12 May 2017 How to write an EPS Mitigation Licence application London 16 May 2017 Extended Phase 1 Survey Carlisle 16 May 2017 Livestock Management in the Uplands Skipton, North Yorks 18-19 May 2017 Advanced Bat Survey Techniques Wooton-under-Edge, Glos 22 May 2017 Grass and Sedge Identification – Neutral and Calcareous Grasslands Salisbury 23 May 2017 Grass, Sedge and Rush Identification – Heathland, Acid Grassland and Bogs New Forest 24 May 2017 Using R for Basic Statistics in Ecology and Environmental Management Dundee 1 June 2017 Otter Impacts, Surveying and Mitigation Dunblane 6-7 June 2017 Grasses for Phase One Habitat Survey London 8 June 2017 Beginners Guide to the NVC Carlisle 8-9 June 2017 Introduction to Phase 1 Habitat Survey London 10 June 2017 Bat Handling and Identification Herne Bay 13 June 2017 Otter Ecology and Surveys Cannock 14 June 2017 Otter Mitigation Cannock 26 June 2017 Using Indicator Species for Habitat Assessment (Phase I and NVC) – Grasslands Salisbury 27 June 2017 Water Vole Ecology and Surveys Ilkeston 27-28 June 2017 QGIS for Ecologists and Conservation Practitioners Gloucester 28 June 2017 Water Vole Mitigation Ilkeston

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74 Issue 95 | March 2017 A CAREER FOR BIG THINKERS Bristol / Cardi / London / Stroud / Warrington

We are seeking ecologists, from assistant to technical director, to join us in delivering some of the UK’s most complex projects.

We are proud of our commitment to the protection and enhancement of biodiversity and are looking for people who can bring their experience to life with spark and imagination, and are passionate about playing their part in our story.

If that speaks to you, talk to us www.arcadis.com/careers or contact: [email protected]

Arcadis. Improving quality of life.

9799_Ecologist Advert.indd 1 02/02/2017 12:05:38

Issue 95 | March 2017 75 IDEAS US CLEAR NOW?

FOR A SMART APPROACH TO THE NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

We are currently hiring ecologists at various grades in multiple locations. You would be joining a large and highly respected ecology team who work on a wide range of interesting projects. We work together to achieve better environmental outcomes for our clients and projects. To find out more about our friendly and supportive work environment, competitive salaries and benefits and excellent opportunities for career development, please contact Rachel Finn ([email protected]).

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76 Issue 95 | March 2017