Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan 2018-2023 Mid-term Review This review is intended to check on progress between January 2018 and December 2020. Highlights Figure 1 below summarises the overall progress on targets in the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). Of the 83 targets set for action between 2018 and 2023, 23 targets have been achieved and a further 45 targets have made some progress and 15 are yet to have action. This is testament to the hard work of all involved organisations to support biodiversity in the borough. Figure 1. Progress on targets in the Biodiversity Action Plan 1% 18% 27% 54% No progress Progress Complete N/A General themes • In 2020 the Nature Partnership held a Year of the Garden 2020 focusing on urban targets. While COVID-19 restricted public events, more focus went into encouraging people to focus on their gardens while in lockdown. The project has created a webpage (www.digforbracknell.org.uk/yog.html) hosted by BHA featuring factsheets on bumblebees, swifts and wildflowers. Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan 2018-2023 Mid-term Review Grassland • Peacock Meadows was surveyed in summer 2019 and designated as Local Wildlife Site (LWS) in February 2020. This site supports 20 hectares of species rich grassland habitat. • 14.7 hectares of grassland have been created or enhanced. This includes 11.5 hectares of wildflower meadow created at Frost Folly in 2018, 3.1 hectares at Cabbage Hill enhanced during 2018-2020 and 0.6 ha on road verges for the Downshire Way highway improvement project. Woodland • Since Spring 2018 Bracknell Forest Natural History Society has been working on the restoration of a 1.5ha woodland at Nightingale Crescent. The regular work parties undertake the removal of invasive species such as rhododendron and replanting with understorey and native wildflowers. This project is ongoing. • 1.3km of hedgerows have been planted between 2018 and 2020 comprising: o Approx. 846 metres of hedgerow planted as part of the Downshire Way highways improvement project. o 215 metres planted at Quelm Allotments in Jan 2020 by WPC. o 210 metres planted at Larks Hill in 2018-19 by WEG o 60 metres at Popes Meadow in 2019 with BCV. Wetlands • Wildlife in Ascot completed their Blackmoor Pond project in 2018. This project restored the pond by dredging, removing introduced large fish, replanting edges and installing a kingfisher nest site. The project also enhanced 100 metres of the Blackmoor Stream within gardens as part of Blackmoor Pond project. This involved removal or rubbish, invasive non-native species and obstructions (fences). • Wildlife in Ascot have also produced a leaflet “River Owners’ Responsibilities" which has been circulated to over 100 people with the Blackmoor stream flowing through their land. Heathland • Bird survey volunteers coordinated by 2 J’s Ecology have provided survey information each year for the three SPA birds to all landowners in the whole of the Thames Basin Heaths SPA. In 2020, trends since 1999 reported were 12% increase for Woodlarks (167 pairs), 53% increase for Nightjars (404 pairs) and 60% increase for Dartford Warbler (711 pairs). • In 2020, volunteers surveyed and found Silver-studded Blue butterfly at Wildmoor Heath, Swinley Brick pits, Wellington College Bog and rides within 2 Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan 2018-2023 Mid-term Review Swinley Forest. SSB at Wellington College is a return after an absence of several years. Farmland • Thames Water reported 4 barn owl chicks in barn owl boxes at their Sewage Treatment works in 2017. • Skylark surveys have been carried out almost every year to check breeding status at Peacock Meadows. In 2020, Cabbage Hill was added. Results show that numbers are stable within these sites. Urban • There are now 58 ‘hedgehog highways’ in the borough connecting 116 gardens (checked in June 2020). Help a Hog project hosted by the Bracknell Forest Natural History Society has helped to raise awareness and increase reporting of hedgehogs. • In 2019 and 2020, a total of 72 large trees were planted in response to council highway improvement projects. These include 14 extra heavy standards (5 species) around London Road and 29 standards (8 species) around Downshire Way. In 2019, 12 oak trees were also planted to commemorate 21 years of Bracknell Forest Borough Council. 3 Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan 2018-2023 Mid-term Review Measuring Progress In this review, coloured dots are used to show progress on targets as follows: Target has been achieved Target has made progress Target has not been achieved No longer applicable Action Plan Summary Below is a summary of progress on targets across the sections in the plan, each dot represents a target. These symbols are continued within the detailed reporting for quick reference to show which targets have been achieved. Please see the detailed tables for specific target progress. Section/Habitat Progress General themes Grassland Woodland Wetland Heathland Farmland Urban Conclusion The Biodiversity Action Plan continues to drive local nature conservation action which involves a wide range of partners. The efforts of local people have achieved a great deal for nature conservation over the last three years. As a result, most targets in the plan have made some progress but there is more work to do. We do face challenges created by the continuing decline of biodiversity and the limits on public funding. However, the tide is turning on public awareness and support now that the climate crisis is better publicised and during the COVID-19 pandemic bringing people closer to nature. 4 Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan 2018-2023 Mid-term Review Progress on targets In the following sections of the review, we look in detail at progress on each of the targets within the Biodiversity Action Plan between January 2018 and December 2020. Organisations and technical terms are referred to using acronyms that are listed in the Key to Abbreviations on page 39. General themes Objective Target Achieve by Partner 2018-2020 progress organisations A) Survey i) Every LWS 2023 TVERC designated to be sites to surveyed once monitor every 10 TVERC surveys some LWS every year and this would ideally be done condition years every 10 years, but some sites are privately owned and permission is often refused. ii) Develop a 2019 BFC, TVERC method to monitor surveying The database exists and could be updated by TVERC (subject to costs). status, rate This is sensitive information as not all LWS are publicly owned. and total numbers of LWS 5 Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan 2018-2023 Mid-term Review Objective Target Achieve by Partner 2018-2020 progress organisations iii) 75% of 2023 BFC, TVERC LWS in favourable management The latest report for 2020 showed that 69% (34 of 49 sites) of Local Wildlife Sites are in positive management. The proportion of local sites (LWS and LGS) in positive management has increased by 1% since the last BAP period. B) Explore i) Produce a 2019 BFC, TVERC habitat detailed green connectivity corridor map through for Bracknell Bracknell Forest Council ran a GI training session in 2019 to introduce ecological Forest members of the Nature Partnership to the GI review done by TVERC. networks of Borough Further work is needed to identify specific corridors. corridors C) Contribute i) Achieve the 2017 BBOWT, NE, BNCF, towards Biodiversity BFC Berkshire Opportunity biodiversity Area targets No action has been taken as BOA targets have not been updated since goals and within the beginning of this action plan. This work will be replaced by the work across Bracknell Nature Recovery Network as required in the forthcoming Environment administrative Forest Act. boundaries 6 Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan 2018-2023 Mid-term Review Objective Target Achieve by Partner 2018-2020 progress organisations ii) Where Every year WEG, BFC, Town & possible Parish Councils, source seeds Flora Locale, ELCG, and plants WVTG, BFVTG, BHA, WEG sourced all whips for hedges at Larks Hill from British Hardwood locally or BFNHS Tree Nursery or the Woodland Trust in 2018-19. within BEG Tree whips for Wicks Green from Jealott's Hill Landshare, and England bulbs procured from English companies. All trees and plants for A3095 Wildway project were sourced in England in 2020. BFNHS sourced all trees from Woodland Trust and Wildflowers from Kew Grow Wild. D) Support i) Engage the Every year BFC biological community to recording of survey all species in biodiversity WEG carried out annual newt surveys at Newt Reserve in April 2018 and order to and promote 2019. The group also carried out veteran tree surveys at Pendry's Lane maintain up- recording in October 2018 and July 2019. to-date BEG carried out monthly bird and butterfly surveys conducted at Wicks information on Green and Blue Mountain. Ad-hoc veteran tree, bat and dragonfly biodiversity surveys were also conducted. Bracknell Forest Council led a wildflower survey attended by volunteers including Bracknell Conservation Volunteers in 2018 and 2019. 7 Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan 2018-2023 Mid-term Review Objective Target Achieve by Partner 2018-2020 progress organisations ii) Involve Every year BFC, TVERC educational institutions in the TVERC helped a student carry out a study on Skylarks (BAP species) monitoring of which identified long term trends (see Farmland BAP Gi). biodiversity as part of their students' programmes iii) Make 2018 BFC, TVERC biodiversity information accessible to BFC has the Nature and Wildlife map on the council website. In 2019, the public, the map was updated to include Green Infrastructure, Ancient emphasizing Woodland and habitat networks using connectivity so that local groups the can identify important links. importance of Stag beetle loggery and interpretation was installed at South Hill Park the BAP (April 2019), and Lily Hill Park (October 2020).