Summer 2016 Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre Photo by Julie Kerans Welcome available to LERCs from local perhaps devolution will lead and central government if to communities having the Since our last newsletter was there’s a cut in budgets, and knowledge, passion and published in December, from developers paying for power to identify, protect and there’s been plenty of change data searches if the house- enhance wildlife corridors and at a national level with Brexit building market stalls. We’ll green spaces. We have bringing in a new Prime manage this by continuing to exceptionally good data and Minister and Cabinet. Along promote the value of using knowledge in Berks and Oxon with possibilities of our evidence-base for decision so we need to work on devolvement of powers to and -making, and by offering a ensuring it’s used and reorganisation of our local diverse range of services to a understood by the right governments. wider range of customers. people. How will this affect us? We On the positive side, the In the meantime of course, don’t know for sure yet but inevitable review of agri- we’ll all carry on with the INSIDE THIS will be keeping an eye on the environment and planning great recording and ISSUE: horizon to ensure we handle policies could give us the conservation work we’ve been any issues effectively! opportunity to influence and doing in our patch! make decisions at a more local Spring Recorders’ 2 There might be a reduction in Camilla Burrow, Director level which are better at Day the amount of funding conserving wildlife. And Volunteering, good 3 for you... TVERC training 4 TOE2 and TVERC courses Recorders’ Grant Scheme TVERC annual 5 report Caroline Coleman Brightwell cum 6 TOE2 is delighted to invite Sotwell’s applications for projects that community orchard improve the quality, quantity and/ or coverage of voluntary species Trap Grounds 7 recording in Berkshire and Restoration Work Oxfordshire. Applications may be BBOWT Local 8 standalone grants to support Wildlife Site Pilot better recording or they may be Project linked to a larger biodiversity application to TOE2.Please Wychwood Verges 11 contact us or look at our website www.trustforoxfordshire.org.uk for TVERC training 11 programme 2017 further information about the Recorders’ Grant Scheme. Fiona Danks - TOE2 P A G E 2 TVERC Spring Recorders’ Day in Oxford “Linear habitats and pollinators” VERC Spring Recorders Day Agency using river fly monitoring in Oxford “Linear habitats data to trigger water pollution and pollinators” investigations to Natural England altering stewardship scheme options T for hedgerow management. Camilla (the TVERC Director) highlighted how all the data provided to TVERC by volunteer recorders (70% of the data we receive) is made into high quality data products by TVERC staff. These data products are used on a daily basis by all the local authorities in Berkshire and Oxfordshire, BBOWT, RSPB and the Environment Agency to make sound decisions on how to manage land and waterways and the Photo by Marilyn Cox design and location of development. If you are thinking I wish I had been About 60 people attended TVERC’s there, don’t despair, we have our th Autumn Recorder’s Day being held “Come along to the spring recorders’ day on 27 on Saturday October 8th, in Reading., Autumn Recorders’ February. From local projects to enhance habitats for pollinators more details to follow keep an eye on day at The Oracle around Chipping Norton to national our website. … on Saturday Oct schemes, gathering data on wildlife TVERC runs conferences and training from roadkill and training volunteers courses for recorders in Oxfordshire 8th?” to take water quality samples, we and Berkshire. To learn more, visit heard great examples about how our website or contact TVERC both amateur and professional ([email protected]; tel: 01865 scientists can harness people’s time 815451). and effort to help monitor habitats and species. The series of lively talks and workshops demonstrated the importance of data for good decision-making, from the Environment Dr Judy Webb’s Workshop Photo by Marilyn Cox Volunteering - good for you, good P A G E 3 for TVERC, good for the environment ou may already know that TVERC relies a lot interesting data management activities. Volunteers on its volunteers to help out with data might be manipulating data in spreadsheets, carrying management and projects as well as field out mapping in our Geographical Information System surveys. In 2015-16, volunteers contributed (GIS) or searching for ecological data in reports from Y188 days to TVERC. Many of these days were spent online planning portals. Field volunteers have unique by volunteers in the TVERC office tidying and opportunities to visit sites that might checking data, enabling us to add new species not normally be open to access. And, records to the TVERC of course, there are recognised health “If you want to database. Specialist volunteer benefits associated with getting enjoy the personal surveyors support our outside. Some people have come to Biodiversity Officers, providing TVERC to help develop their career and benefits of their ecological expertise to several have left to take up new jobs in volunteering and tell us more about particular conservation, having gained relevant species on Local Wildlife Sites. experience with us. Whatever people make a truly That information helps inform want, we set out to be flexible, helping positive the selection panels about the our volunteers to meet their true ecological value of those aspirations and fit TVERC into their contribution to sites. Volunteers have also busy lives. your local supported TVERC with several An important aspect of volunteering projects. They have helped environment, then with TVERC is the feel-good factor prepare a new set of maps for people can gain from making a positive TVERC might be the Oxfordshire Rare Plants difference. The purpose of collecting Register, reviewed ancient for you. “ biological and geological data is to woodland using historic maps and investigated the benefit the environment. TVERC shares distributions of invasive non-native species. data with its partners, ensuring that data contributed The benefits to TVERC are obvious. Like all other and handled by volunteers is used directly in environmental records centres, TVERC has seen its planning control and strategic decision-making. The central funding from Natural England withdrawn. data we hold informs developers and their Whilst we continue to be fortunate in having a strong consultants, making sure that protected and notable partnership with our local authority partners, the species are taken into account in planning Environment Agency and applications. BBOWT, we have to cover Importantly, information the costs of data collection is also available to and management. It is clear conservation that volunteers allow us to organisations, voluntary do much more than would groups, members of the be possible without them. In public, landowners - in financial terms, the days fact anybody wanting to given by volunteers use data for positive amounted to a value of conservation outcomes. nearly £19k. We don’t make a profit from this, but can simply do more because of If you want to enjoy the our fantastic volunteers. personal benefits of volunteering and make a truly positive contribution But volunteering is not a one-sided arrangement. It to your local environment, then TVERC might be for offers people an opportunity to meet others with you. Further details can be found on our website or similar interests whilst learning more about TVERC by contacting Caroline Coleman. and its host organisation, Oxfordshire County Council. For office volunteers, there are plenty of P A G E 4 TVERC Training Programme 2016 o you know what you started with snow – not ideal for bees! But don’t know? the course tutor, Ivan Wright, was well prepared with specimens and live bees for How often do you go into the people to examine indoors. Fortunately, countryside with friends and the weather did improve so there was an D family and, because you’re opportunity to get out in the field later in the ‘wildlifey’ one, get asked Wioodland Plant ID course the day. all sorts of questions? It Photo by Hannah Boylan happens to me quite The course on small mammal identification frequently and it often makes has been one of several on mammals and me realise not only what I included a chance to see live mammals know, but also the things I caught in traps that had been set overnight. don’t know. There’s never The course was led by Merryl Gelling, a real enough time to learn about expert in her field, who can set traps and everything, but TVERC can handle animals before releasing them help you develop your skills safely into their home environment. TVERC in identification and survey has also run courses on brown hares and techniques. Since 2015 we dormice and there are still opportunities to have run nine training register for our last two courses for 2016 courses and, as well as on otters and water voles. another two this year, we are Of course, one of the best things for an planning more for 2017. environmental records centre is to see All of the courses include a people feeling able to become recorders mixture of indoor and for the first time or expanding their outdoor work, so course knowledge into new areas. All of the participants have had a good courses include ideas on how to take the grounding in the theory as well as next steps as a recorder by joining a local “All of the practicing what they have learnt in the group or starting to visit a local patch for courses include field.