WWT Conservation Report 2008–2009
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WWT Conservation Report 2008 –2009 Weighing a Madagascar Pochard duckling CONTENTS Garth Cripps FOREWORD .......................................................5 Wetland treatment systems ....................... 46 The creation of Lady Fen – PARTNERS AND DONORS ................................8 a wet grassland for Wigeon ................... 49 Planning for the future – STAFF LIST ...................................................... 11 managed realignment feasibility ........... 50 SPECIES CONSERVATION ............................... 13 Enhancing and demonstrating the benefits of wetlands ....................................... 53 Survey, monitoring and setting Clean water for people and wildlife priorities for conservation ............................. 14 in Laos .................................................... 53 Greylag Goose monitoring .......................... 15 Managing wetlands for sustainable Bewick’s Swan population declines ........... 16 livelihoods at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Aerial surveys of waterbirds Reserve, Nepal ....................................... 54 in UK inshore waters ............................. 18 Capacity building for natural resource Capacity building for monitoring management in Guyana ......................... 56 overseas ................................................. 21 Wetlands In My Back Yard (WIMBY) ........... 58 Birds of Conservation Concern .................. 22 Assessing the benefits of IUCN CONSERVATION ADVOCACY ........................... 61 guidelines for waterbird Water and energy re-introduction projects ......................... 24 ............................................ 62 Sustainability starts at home ..................... 62 Investigating threats to species ..................... 26 Stop Climate Chaos .................................... 63 Use of satellite-tracking technology EU Water Framework Directive and in assessing offshore wind farm River Basin Management Plans ............ 65 locations ................................................. 26 Blueprint for Water ..................................... 66 Illegal shooting of Bewick’s and A Wetland Vision for England ..................... 67 Whooper Swans ..................................... 28 Wildlife health Lead poisoning in Whooper Swans ............ 30 ................................................. 68 Avian influenza and wider wildlife Action to save species .................................... 32 health issues: an international The Great Crane Project ............................. 32 policy approach ...................................... 68 Conservation of the Scaly-sided Wetland Link International Merganser in Far East Russia ............... 33 ............................ 70 Saving the Madagascar Pochard – PUBLICATIONS ................................................ 71 the world’s most threatened duck......... 34 WETLAND CONSERVATION ............................ 37 WWT CONSULTING ......................................... 79 Protecting important wetlands ...................... 38 Saving the Severn ....................................... 38 WWT nature reserves ..................................... 40 Ten years of bat monitoring at the London Wetland Centre ......................... 42 Triops – the world’s oldest living animal species discovered at Caerlaverock .......................................... 44 WWT Conservation Report, 2008-2009 3 FOREWORD Using the Strengths of the Past to to enhance the wellbeing and livelihoods of those Meet the Challenges of the Future that use or depend upon them. It is the research, advocacy and direct conservation component of our Founded in 1946 by the naturalist and artist, the work that is covered in this report. late Sir Peter Scott, the Wildfowl & Wetlands WWT’s brings people and wildlife together in urban Trust (WWT) saves wetlands for wildlife and and rural situations to engender an empathy with people across the world, and identifies and the natural world through close encounters with acts to counter threats to them. We also enrich wildlife. In many cases, we believe that this results people’s lives through enabling them to learn in a lifelong commitment to the conservation about and be close to nature. Our nine UK visitor of wetlands and their wildlife. The majority of centres have introduced millions of people to our public engagement work takes place at our Tack Piece at WWT Slimbridge the wonders of wetlands and their wildlife. In centres in the UK, although we increasingly use James Lees/WWT total WWT centres cover over 2,600 hectares of our expertise overseas where our consultancy, wetland nature reserves, including eight Areas WWT Consulting, helps others to create wetland or Sites of Special Scientific Interest, six Special centres, and Wetland Link International provides an “We must not let the coming generations Protection Areas and six Ramsar sites. Many of education and public awareness support network. judge us negligent for failing to advance our sites have captive collections as well where the international conservation of natural our visitors and members can experience rare, Our conservation work, some of which is described resources and so bequeathing to them an threatened or simply unusual species up close. in detail in this report, takes place both on and off In addition to work at our centres and on our our nature reserves in the UK, and overseas, often abomination instead of an environment. reserves, we have a wide-ranging programme of in partnership with others. Our work builds upon Conservation in the absence of skilful wetland conservation work across the UK and at the traditional strengths of WWT, in waterbird strategically selected locations overseas. monitoring, conservation science, wetland creation research will result in irretrievable and management and sustainable development. 2009 is the centenary of our founder, and thus a mistakes. Conservation without reference Expertise developed through managing our pertinent time to reflect on the progress made to the realities of social and economic wetland visitor centres is also invaluable for many and future directions that WWT needs to take of our conservation activities. For example, the requirements is a recipe for heartbreak.” to tackle the challenges of the 21st century. Sir captive collections initiated by Sir Peter in 1946 Peter described four conceptual ‘pillars’ as the have helped us to develop the expertise to run or cornerstones of WWT. These were research, advise on conservation breeding and reintroduction conservation, recreation and education, and Prof G.V.T. Matthews, Rapporteur-General programmes for some of the rarest species in the they play as important a role in our work today UK, including the Eurasian Crane, and the most as they did in 1946. Sir Peter was a visionary Ramsar, 30 January 1971 threatened species globally, like the Madagascar conservationist. He was a great advocate of Pochard. scientific method, promoting the use of science to underpin conservation action, but equally he Many leading conservationists today developed recognised conservation as a social and political their passion through visiting WWT centres process, for which success ultimately depends as children, or through volunteering to work upon wide public engagement and support. This with our collections or on our reserves. We dual approach with a common purpose is one of hope that you enjoy reading about our ongoing the things that has always made WWT unique. We conservation work and plans for the future in engage with people to increase their enjoyment this report, and encourage you to contact us or and understanding of wetlands and the natural visit one of our centres to learn more. world, alongside our research, advocacy and direct action to conserve wetlands and their species, and Martin Spray, Chief Executive 4 WWT Conservation Report, 2008-2009 WWT Conservation Report, 2008-2009 5 Sally Mackenzie/WWT Sally Mackenzie/WWT Conserving wetlands for wildlife The average economic value of these benefits, The immense value of wetlands and their includes case work to protect wetlands of and people or ‘services’, provided to society across the wildlife, and the huge threats that they face, are national or international importance, such world is large, yet society often takes wetlands what drive WWT’s mission to conserve them and as the Severn Estuary, and the creation, Wetlands are extremely diverse habitats. Many for granted. manage the benefits that they bring to people in restoration and management of wetlands. wetlands are highly productive and support far a sustainable way. This involves work on our own reserves in Wetlands are also one of the most threatened more species than would be expected for the the UK, and the wetland restoration, creation ecosystems on the planet. It is estimated that This report contains selected examples of WWT’s surface area that they cover. and management support that we provide more than 50% of inland wetlands have been conservation work undertaken between 2007 to others across the UK and overseas. Our lost across the world since 1900 and wetland and 2009. This is described under the sections Wetlands are also essential habitats that provide wetland conservation work focuses not only loss and degradation is continuing. This is of Species Conservation, Wetland Conservation, society with a wide range of benefits in addition to on biodiversity, but also on investigating, largely through drainage for agriculture or and Conservation Advocacy, although in reality