Glasgow Living Water Project : Phase 2 End Report James Stead North Lanarkshire and Glasgow Living Water Project Officer [email protected] www.froglife.org Froglife Graham Kerr Building The University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ Glasgow Living Water Project Phase 2 End Report June 2012 – May 2014 Page 1 Glasgow Living Water Project Phase 2 End Report June 2012 – May 2014 Page 2 Glasgow Living Water Project : Phase 2 End Report Table of Contents PROJECT OVERVIEW............OVERVIEW.................................................................................................................................................. 444 PROGRESS SUMMARY: AIMS & ACHIEVEMENTS........................................................ 666 INDIVIDUAL SITE PROGRESS REPORTS..........................REPORTS..............................REPORTS.......................... .......................................... 999 Mansewood Park Allotments........................................................................................ 9 Bellahouston Walled Garden........................................................................................ 13 Queens Park................................................................................................................... 16 Bishops Loch.................................................................................................................. 20 Hurlethill.......................................................................................................................... 25 Festival Park................................................................................................................... 29 SURVEY & MONITORING.................................................................................................................... 333333 Amphibian Surveys........................................................................................................ 33 Frogspawn Surveys....................................................................................................... 36 Invertebrate Surveys ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… .. 37 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK....................................WORK.............................................................................. 383838 Volunteer & Community Involvement.......................................................................... 38 Events & Training........................................................................................................... 44 Demonstration Days ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… . 50 Allotment Open Day ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… .. 53 School Sessions …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ........... ……… . 55 Additional Work.............................................................................................................. 58 FINANCIAL SUMMARY............................................................................. 595959 PROJECT TARGETS ………………… ......................................................................................................................................................................................... ........... 606060 SUMMARY ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 616161 Glasgow Living Water Project Phase 2 End Report June 2012 – May 2014 Page 3 Project Overview Introduction The purpose of this report is to detail the works achieved in phase two of the Glasgow Living Water Project between its inception in June 2012 to the projects end. The efforts undertaken will be assessed against the project aims outlined in the original Landfill Communities Fund application. Project Background Since July 2009, the Living Water Project has been working to create and enhance standing open water habitats in the Glasgow City Council district. This first phase of the project was extremely successful, creating 20 new ponds and enhancing 27 existing ponds on 14 sites across the city. In addition, the project conducted 20 amphibian surveys and attended 15 events to raise awareness of amphibian conservation in Glasgow. Phase one of the project came to an end in October 2011 and its success was recognised when it was ‘highly commended’ in the ‘rebuilding biodiversity’ category at the 2012 Biffawards. Glasgow Living Water Project Phase Two --- Specific Aims Due to the success of the first phase of the Glasgow Living Water Project, an application was made to Glasgow City Council Landfill Communities Fund to extend our work to 6 new sites within the district. The application was successful and project work began on the new sites in June 2012. The new sites are: Queens Park, Hurlethill, Bishops Loch, Festival Park, Bellahouston Walled Garden and Mansewood Park Allotments. The aims of the project remain the same, with the primary objective being to create and restore standing open water habitats on the new sites. Specific aims: • Improve a number of identified neglected habitats. • Create new aquatic and terrestrial habitats. • Provide volunteers with practical training. • Use demonstration sites to show examples of best practice. Glasgow Living Water Project Phase 2 End Report June 2012 – May 2014 Page 4 • Promote the biodiversity value of standing water habitats, primarily ponds, amongst a wide range of individuals. • Encourage, support and provide advice to local residents on creating water habitats in gardens, parks, allotments etc. Glasgow Living Water Project Phase 2 End Report June 2012 – May 2014 Page 5 Project Summary: Aims & Achievements Aims Achievement Summary Create new aquatic and Pond creation works were conducted at 4 of the 6 project terrestrial habitats sites as per the work schedule. In total, 12 ponds were created at project sites. 1 pond was created at Mansewood Park Allotments, 1 pond was created at Bellahouston Walled Garden, 6 ponds were created at Hurlethill (4 large ponds and 2 small ponds) and 4 ponds were excavated at Bishops Loch – all to best practice guidelines for pond creation for amphibians. In addition, 3 temporary shallow scrapes were created by volunteers at Hurlethill and 1 scrape was created at Bishops Loch. Ponds and scrapes were also created at non-project sites through volunteer efforts – in total 3 ponds and 9 scrapes were created by hand. Hibernation sites were created across the project sites with 3 hibernation sites created at Hurlethill, 1 at Bellahouston Walled Garden, 1 at Bishops Loch and 2 at Mansewood Park Allotments. 3 hibernation sites were also created through volunteer efforts at 3 non-project sites in Glasgow. Improve a number of Pond enhancement was a significant part of the project as identified habitats for many sites were established areas in urban environments. amphibians In total 3 ponds were enhanced on Glasgow phase 2 project sites. 2 of these ponds were enhanced at Festival Park and 1 was enhanced at Queens Park. All of the project sites had improvements and enhancements throughout the project (including repairs, litter-picking and planting sessions) which are detailed in the individual site progress reports. Several non-project sites also received pond and terrestrial improvements by volunteer teams which are detailed in the ‘volunteer and community involvement’ section. Glasgow Living Water Project Phase 2 End Report June 2012 – May 2014 Page 6 In total, 16 days were undertaken, t hese include 6 sessions to enhance and improve 6 ponds. 10 sessions were also held to improve habitats at non-project sites and are detailed further within the report – in total work was undertaken across 11 non-project sites. Provide volunteers with Phase 2 of the project has delivered 13 training sessions practical training in Glasgow, in total training 126 participants. These have included 2 pond creation training courses, 6 amphibian survey technique training courses, 1 training course on reptile surveys and 5 aquatic invertebrate training courses. Volunteer days have been on-going throughout the project, with volunteers invited to attend practical volunteer days, event days and survey nights. These days allow volunteers to gain hands on experience in a variety of fields, including practical conservation, public engagement and surveying skills. Over the course of the project, a total of 221 volunteers received hands-on training across all disciplines. Encourage, support and A total of 9 ‘pond doctor’ visits wer e made in the project in provide advice to local order to advise landowners, allotment groups and residents on creating water community groups on best practice methods for pond habitats in gardens, parks, creation and subsequent management. allotments etc. Use demonstration sites to Four demonstration days to highlight the project’s work show examples of best have been completed. practice A demonstration day (Festival of Frogs) as part of the Glasgow Science Festival was held on the 15 th June at Festival Park attracting 17 people despite the heavy rain throughout the day. An allotment demonstration day was held on the 11 th August at Mansewood Park Allotments to demonstrate all the work the second phase of the Glasgow Living Water Project had done at the site. This attracted approximately 90 people. A demonstration day to promote the project further was held at Hogganfield Loch on 1 st September as part of the Hogganfield Loch LNR Open Day to engage the general public and demonstrate some of the work previously Glasgow Living Water Project Phase 2 End Report June 2012 – May 2014 Page 7 conducted by the Living Water Project. This demonstration day attracted