Progress towards the Wiltshire Biodiversity Action Plan

In this section of the website we are going to include information about progress that has been made already towards meeting the targets and actions in the Wiltshire BAP. Watch this space!

All our latest updates can be found in the latest edition of the Wiltshire Biodiversity Newsletter. Download here (421kb).

Dire, Disastrous and Delightful at Defence Science Technology Laboratories, Porton Down.                 

Three words summarise the butterfly season up to mid July at Dstl Porton Down - Dire, Disastrous and Delightful! Yet, more than 30 years after extinction at Porton Down we are delighted to welcome back one of our most beautiful but somewhat vain butterflies.

Butterfly counts take place here on a weekly basis along two transects, one is a component of the National Environmental Change Network project, sited mainly on open downland and another covering a mixture of woodland and grassland.

The butterfly transect counts have been dire for most species and verged on disastrous for some. Dark Green Fritillaries, particularly, appear to have had their flight period and numbers curtailed by cloudy, rainy days with cool winds and in such a climate it is delightful and surprising to be able to report a Biodiversity Action Plan success.

Dstl Porton Down is already regarded as the best UK butterfly site and has very few of the expected species missing from its list. One such species is the White Admiral, which in the 1960’s was quite a common butterfly seen on site in oak and yew woodland. In 1970 woodland managers of the time regarded Honeysuckle as a threat to forestry and successfully carried out a campaign to wipe it out. Unfortunately they were also very successful in wiping out the White Admiral, whose larvae feed on honeysuckle. However, since 2003, small amounts of honeysuckle were to be seen again and hopes were held for the return of the White Admiral.

Winter work such as hazel coppicing and work along tracksides, carried out by the Dstl Conservation Group, both encouraged the growth of herbaceous plants and allowed more light and warmth in. These combined factors made July 10th 2008 a truly delightful day when, on a bend in a sheltered track, my eye was drawn to a dark butterfly. I thought I knew what it was but had to dash back to the office to confirm its identification and to collect a camera. On return the butterfly, now confirmed as a White Admiral, could be seen still daintily picking its way amongst the flowering plants and kindly settled on a bramble flower to allow me to photograph it. I could almost hear it saying “OK guys, I’ve come back to make your day. Get my best side please”. Just as I thought that the day couldn’t get any better, a second White Admiral appeared. Perfect!

Stuart Cobett - Dstl

For more information go to the Dstl website.

Chalk Country Connections

The RSPB is embarking on an ambitious project aiming to work with partners and landowners in the 'Wiltshire Chalk Country' around Salisbury Plain and Porton Down. The aim is to create a safe haven for nesting stone-curlews on semi-natural habitat, by establishing landscape scale areas of flower-rich chalk grassland linking the two largest remaining tracts in the UK.

Strategically this helps form a geographical link between two downland strategies of the Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs AONB and the North Wessex Downs AONB. The RSPB is also looking forward to working with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to complement the restoration of neglected chalk grasslands being proposed in the 'New Life for Chalk Grassland' project.

As a corner stone of this vision, the RSPB has already established two nature reserves in this area. At RSPB Normanton Down, 46 ha of arable land has been reverted to grassland. The RSPB has set up a nature reserve agreement with the owners, and removed scrub from the barrows to allow the ancient chalk flora to flourish under a sympathetic grazing regime.

The RSPB owned, Winterbourne Downs nature reserve occupies a key location between Porton Down and Salisbury Plain. Over the next five years, the RSPB plans to create a total of over 160 ha of flower-rich chalk grassland. The reversion programme is underway with 41 ha of chalk grassland sown in 2006, and a further 22 ha in 2007. The transformation to flower-rich grasslands has begun with 33 sown species recorded in the first year. Wildlife is already starting to take advantage of these new habitats; with the marbled white and common blue butterflies being the most conspicuous.

The RSPB is grateful for the support of Natural England, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the SITA Trust in getting this exciting biodiversity project running.

Patrick Cashman - RSPB 

Stone-Curlew Looking Strong

Since the last BAP targets were set in 2002, Wiltshire's stone-curlew population has increased beyond expectations. In fact, the 2010 target of 66 breeding pairs was achieved in 2005 and success continued into 2007 when figures rose to 85 pairs.

This has been made possible by a partnership of conservation organisations. Natural England, Defra, the MOD and the RSPB are working with Wiltshire's farmers to provide the right nesting and feeding habitat and species protection for successful breeding.

Challenges ahead include; The loss of set-aside, difficulties in the delivery of agri-environment schemes, rising revenues from cereals, and ever increasing development pressures. These combined issues mean that stone-curlews will find it more difficult to find space in the Wiltshire landscape and for this reason, the RSPB see the aim of the next BAP period as one of consolidation for stone-curlews. Whilst we do hope to see a continued rise in the population, targets are set with the objective of securing a place for the birds in the Wiltshire Chalk Country with habitat targets, specifically in a semi-natural environment.

Phil Sheldrake - RSPB

Action for theRiver Kennet (ARK) Crayfish Campaign

Action for River Kennet (ARK) and Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's River Cottage Team, recently ran a televised experimental crayfish trapping exercise to assess the impact of intensive trapping on the Americal Signal Crayfish in the River Kennet.

20 traps were set along a 40m stretch of river and checked and emptied every day. Over 13 days approximately 140 crayfish were caught. The expected decline over time in the size and number of Signal Crayfish had no significant impact on the population.

Signal Crayfish have almost wiped out our native Crayfish by out-competing them and because they carry a deadly virus that devastates the native population. In order to 'fish out' this accidentally introduced alien species along a given stretch of river, hundreds of traps would need to be set.

The next phase of this campaign is to set sampling traps in the upper Kennet to assess crayfish distribution. Once a suitable location has been established, it is ARK's intention to run a large community project, with lots of local volunteers, to 'fish out' a section of river and monitor the impact of intensive trapping on invertebrates and weed growth.

If you or anyone you know would like to be involved with the project please email: crayfish@riverkennet.org

Early Gentian Survey

A partnership event involving three botanical societies and Plantlife took place locally on Saturday 7th June 2008. 34 botanists from Wiltshire Botanical Society, Hampshire Flora Group, Dorset Flora Group and Plantlife searched for Early Gentian over Martin and Pentridge Downs.

The Downs are split by county boundaries, hence the partnership work. Despite some disappointments, one area contained good numbers and 81 plants were recorded overall. Other stunning wild flowers were seen along the way, including orchids such as Burnt-tipped, Fragrant, Greater Butterfly and Bee, and other rarities such as Field Fleawort. Adonis and Small Blue butterflies were also spotted.

Tim Wilkins - Plantlife 

Rivermead Launch

A launch event took place at Rivermead in Swindon on Tuesday 17th June 2008 to celebrate the end of a 5 year project to create a space in the heart of Swindon for people and wildlife.

The project was funded and supported by volunteers, Biffa Awards, Thames Water, SITA Trust, the Environment Agency, Swindon Bourough Council, and Hills Waste and involved renaturalising the river and creating meanders, pools and riffles.

Neil Pullen - WWT

Clouts Wood Celebration

On Sunday 3rd of August 2008 the purchase of Clouts Wood by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust was officially celebrated.

There were a number of information displays, children's activities and opportunities to  meet experts and gain a closer look at the diverse range of wildlife found in the woods.

Despite the rain, the day was a great success and was attended by many.

UPDATES FROM THE COTSWOLD WATER PARK

Water Vole Recovery Project

In April 2008, a Project Officer was employed by the CWPSoc specifically to impliment the Water Vole and Otter Biodiversity Action Plan under the new CWP Biodiversity Action Plan 2007-2016. For more information regarding the CWP BAP, go to the CWP website.

This dedicated post has allowed the already successful Mink control programme to expand to include the River Leach. Over the next two years, Water Vole surveys of the CWP will be undertaken and the results compared to previous surveys to determine just how effective the Mink control programme and habitat enhancements have been.

If you would like any further information about this project, please contact Dr Phoebe Carter, Biodiversity Field Officer, Cotswold Water Park Society on 01793 752413 or via email at phoebe.carter@waterpark.org

CWP Dragonfly Atlas 2008: Off to a Flying Start!

During the review of the CWP BAP, a new Species Action Plan was added for the Dragonflies & Damselflies. In response to this, the Cotswold Water Park Society launched a CWP Dragonfly Atlas Project in April 2008. This is being undertaken in partnership with the National Dragonfly Atlas Project and the British Dragonfly Society, the Wiltshire Dragonfly Atlas and Gloucestershire Naturalist's Society.

Things are off to a flying start! Within only a few weeks of the project launch, two new species have been added the CWP species list; the Beautiful Demoiselle and the Hairy Dragonfly. The Beautiful Demoiselle is a fairly widespread species, but has not been recorded in the CWP area for perhaps 15 years or more. The Hairy Dragonfly is a more exciting find, with only one other population known in Gloucestershire and none known in Wiltshire!

Furthermore, populations of Downy Emeralds in the CWP also appear to be expanding, with two new locations supporting this species found in June already!! This is a nationally scarce species, so to see it doing so well in the CWP is fantastic!

For further in formation see http://waterpark.org/society/dragonfly_atlas.html or http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/home.html or contact Gareth Harris, Biodiversity Officer, Cotswold Water Park Society.

Gareth Harris - CWP