Sanctuary Magazine Until I Took Over As Under Secretary of State for Defence in June 2003
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FOREWORD I was not familiar with Sanctuary Magazine until I took over as Under Secretary of State for Defence in June 2003. I was surprised and quickly absorbed by the informed, well- written articles from a diverse range of contributors to the extent that I sent every Member of Parliament a copy. I am very pleased to have this opportunity to contribute this foreword to such a notable publication. My role has provided me with the opportunity to visit much of the Defence Estate across the British Isles and some of our overseas bases. As the Department’s Green Minister I am always interested to learn about our efforts in respect of the environment. The significance of the integration of operational needs and stewardship by commanding officers, and indeed how some MOD security staff have absorbed observation and recording of wildlife into their daily routine, cannot be underestimated. I firmly believe that environmental protection is about both these points of view - planning for the bigger picture and the adoption of individual actions. From a ministerial point of view, the issue of sustainable development is one that is high on the Government’s agenda. In principle, sustainable development seeks to ensure that we balance our demands upon the environment with both protection and stable economic growth. The Government’s sustainability strategy has set us targets that provide real challenges, including bringing 95% of our Sites of Special Scientific Interest into favourable condition by 2010. I am happy to report that Defence Estates and our Armed Forces are working together to identify solutions for improvement, with 61% of our SSSIs already reaching the target despite the operational demands of defence. The MOD’s culture of care for the environment has been greatly aided by our working relationships with both Other Government Departments and Non-Government Organisations. Last August I visited a remote part of the British Isles when I went to Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides. The MOD has had a permanent presence on St Kilda since 1956 and I was in Benbecula to renew our partnership with National Trust for Scotland by signing a new 25-year lease. QinetiQ manages the ranges on MOD’s behalf and all parties are commmitted to work together for the long-term benefit of St Kilda’s cultural and natural heritage. In addition, MOD’s continued occupation safeguards jobs that are crucial to the fragile economy of the area. Finally, I was delighted to note that the ‘Turtle Watch Project’ in Cyprus won the Sanctuary Award, and would like to express my pride in the enormous efforts by MOD staff and the local community to protect this endangered species. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the professional environmental staff and the volunteers in the Conservation Groups for their efforts to care for the environment. I am greatly impressed. I hope you enjoy reading this edition of “Sanctuary”. Ivor Caplin MP Under Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans ▲ Sanctuary Magazine is printed on satimat; a sustainable souce of timber. When you have finished this edition, you may wish to pass it on to friends, family or donate it to a surgery. EDITORIAL Lt Col Norman Clayden, the first MOD Conservation Officer, was at the vanguard of MOD’s conservation work in the early seventies. He started Sanctuary Magazine in 1976 to publicise and encourage MOD conservation, and it has evolved into the magazine you read here today. Sadly, Lt Col Clayden passed away in December last year. The MOD owes him a deep debt of gratitude for his tireless work and immense dedication to MOD conservation. The agenda for conservation is itself evolving. New legislation for conservation, heritage and access is bringing changes to MOD’s policies for the environment, and within the pages of Rosie Rowe Sanctuary we still aim to bring you the latest news, illustrated by a selection of stunning Editor Sanctuary feature articles. Yet while our intentions remain the same, our subjects do change. I’m always amazed by the diversity of topics and the sheer scope of work undertaken across the land that the MOD uses. Those with a passion for deer may have already been attracted by our cover photo, but read more about the deer of Lulworth Ranges on page 40 to 44. For the botanists amongst you, Bryan Edwards describes the lesser-known, lower plant groups that thrive at Lulworth (on pages 45 to 49), and for the ornithologists, Constable John Simpson provides us with an interesting insight into the bird life at her Her Majesty’s Naval Base at Clyde in Scotland on pages 52 to 53. As I have received articles from diverse locations across the MOD estate, I’ve been captivated by the picture of our ever evolving world. The breadth of historic articles, from the geological evidence of prehistoric life forms in Pembrokeshire (pages 17 to 20), to the more recent evidence of man’s activities during the Great War (pages 54 to 58), illustrate vividly, our ability to shape the landscape. As always, this magazine would not have been possible without the many volunteers that have taken the time to update us on their recent activities and my thanks goes to them. I hope that you enjoy this, our 33rd edition of Sanctuary. Front Cover: Roe Deer, Andy Rouse © ARWP Ltd. Back Cover: Porton Down Ant-scape © Stephen Davis The majestic European Roe Deer Capreolus As the name suggests, a high density of capreolus is one of only two species of deer ants at Porton Down have formed this native to Britain, Red being the other. Both unique landscape. Anthills are formed by species are now common, after spreading the Yellow Meadow Ant Lasius flavus. It has to England following the last Ice Age. been estimated that there are three million There are three sub-species of Roe Deer: anthills containing 35 billion ants on these European, Siberian and Chinese. European grasslands. Anthills can only form in the Roe Deer are very adaptable and can be absence of disturbance by farming found in a wide variety of habitats ranging operations and livestock trampling. Rabbit from open moor to thick cover in conifer or grazing keeps the turf short, favours the deciduous woodland. There can be a development of low growing herbs and marked variability in body size depending allows the sun to warm the mounds. As the on food availability and climatic conditions. anthills become shaded, temperatures fall Wild deer numbers are increasing and too low for ant brood production and the sensitive management is an important part mounds are abandoned. A study of ants at of MOD’s conservation effort. You can read Porton Down published in 2002 states that more about deer on the Lulworth training 20 species were present including a number area on pages 40 to 44. of scarce species. You can read more about Dstl Porton Down on pages 70 to 71. 1 Sanctuary Sanctuary The Ministry of Defence Conservation Magazine Number 33 – 2004 Editor Rosie Rowe Defence Estates CONTENTS Sanctuary Support Amy Collins Officer Defence Estates Designer Stephen Shortall CTS MEDIA, Bath Printer Newnorth Print Ltd 1. Editorial Regular Photographers 4. The Sanctuary Award 6. Ecological Research at HMS Dryad Professor Heather Angel and colleagues 8. British Forces Conserving in Cyprus Natural Visions – http://www.naturalvisions.co.uk 11. A Range of Butterflies Dr Tracey Rich and Andy Rouse 17. The Old Red Sandstone of Old Castle Head http://www.andyrouse.co.uk 21. Mammals on the Castlemartin Range Bob Glover 25. Brownslade Barrow - Castlemartin Range 331 Plumberow Avenue, Hockley, Essex SF5 5NP or 27. New Hope for the Elm telephone 01702 201959 31. Coastal Plant Communities of Mullock Bay Stephen Davis Kirkcudbright Ranges Stephen.Davis@ english -nature.co.uk 33. The Battle of Yeomanry Editorial Address 34. “The Haunt of Ravens and Goshawks” Raebury Castle and the historic landscape of the Rosie Rowe, Sanctuary Magazine, DE EST, Building 21, Westdown Camp,Tilshead,Wiltshire, SP3 4RS. Kirkcudbright Training Area 38. Surveying the Reptiles at RAF Fylingdales Telephone : - 01980 674665 Fax : - 01980 674736 40. The Japanese Jewels of Lulworth Ranges Email : - [email protected] 45. Lulworth’s Lower Plants 50. A Fresh Start - Holcombe Moor Training Centre Sanctuary Magazine is a free publication. For further copies please write to the address above, 52. The Feathered Friends of HMNB Clyde or email [email protected] 54. A Mirror of the Apocalypse - Great War Training Trenches Sanctuary can be viewed online at: - 59. Foreign Interests and the Army Ornithological Society http://www.defence-estates.mod.uk 61. Pippingford the Tranquil Home of Sussex Dragons Sanctuary Editorial Board 64. A Trip Down Memory Lane...The Tale of Post Hill 66. The Tale of the Yatesfield Three - Alan Mayes, ES&P Sec&RM (Chair), Barn Owl Conservation on Otterburn Training Area Diane Jackson, ES&P Sec&RM1, Martin Coulson, Head of Rural Sustainability 70. Dstl’s Hidden Treasures Strategy and Policy, 72. Army Training Estate Penhale Camp Keith Maddison, Principal Environmental 76. Salisbury Plain Life Project Manager DE, Rosie Rowe, EST Environmental Advisor 80. Battle to Save Dorset’s Disappearing Heathland Environmental PR & Communications 84. After the fire - hidden treasures on the Pirbright Ranges (Editor & Coordinator), 87. Around the Regions Guy Hagg, EST Senior Environmental Advisor 121. Obituary DE EST Conservation. Sanctuary Magazine is an annual publication about conservation of the natural and historic environment on the Defence Estate. It illustrates how the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is undertaking its responsibility for stewardship of the estate in the UK and overseas through its policies and their subsequent implementation.