Download environmental forum – thursday 7 july 2011

BIODIVERSITY PROJECTS OFFICER’S REPORT – AGENDA ITEM 5
Hertfordshire Sustainability Forum (HSF) Local Nature Partnership (LNP)
 There is a new Chair of the Hertfordshire LNP after Cllr. Richard Thake
stepped down due to a change of responsibilities in his role at Hertfordshire
County Council.
 Cllr. David Andrews, Deputy Executive Member for Environment, Planning and
Transport will be taking up the position of LNP Chair.
 There is also a LNP co-ordinator in place, Julia Coulson, who will be working
on the LNP and the HSF.
Sphagnum Moss Reintroduction Trials
 Trials, over the next three to five years, are being carried out on areas of the
Peak District Moor to investigate the best was of reintroducing sphagnum
moss to peat moorlands that have suffered due to environmental change over
the last 150 years.
 If sphagnum moss can be reintroduced it will help a number of issues such as
flood risk, erosion, wildlife habitat regeneration and climate change mitigation
by storing carbon dioxide.
 The trial involves various reintroduction techniques with the aim of concluding
the best overall method which can then be utilised on moorland throughout the
world.
Lynx Reintroductions
 The Lynx Trust has conducted a national survey of on peoples’ thoughts and
attitudes towards the idea of reintroducing lynx as part of a scientific trial in the
UK.
 Under the Habitats Directive the UK Government has an obligation to
investigate the appropriateness of reintroducing species to their former range
which are threatened in Europe and are now extinct in the UK if it is probable
that it will aid their conservation – the lynx is one such species.
 The lynx has been extinct in the UK for more than 1300 years.
 The Lynx Trust is hoping that they will be able to reintroduce lynx to
Aberdeenshire, Cumbria and Suffolk.
High Brown Fritillary Butterfly
 The High Brown Fritillary butterfly, which is one two critically endangered
butterflies in the UK, had an exceptional summer in 2014. In fact their
numbers were higher than they had been in the previous ten years and this
was principally due to the warm spring and habitat restoration.
 Figures for 2014 showed a 180% increase when compare to those for 2013.
 The high brown fritillary requires large woods to breed and these have been
much reduced in extent.
 The butterfly can now only be found in a limited number of colonies in North
West and South West England and to just on site in Wales.
Other Butterflies
 The warmer than normal spring and early summer also benefitted a number of
other butterflies. The ringlet, brimstone and marbled white, for example, were
more abundant than in any year since Butterfly Conservation began their
survey work in 1976.
 Other winners include the orange-tip, speckled wood and all seven species of
skipper. The large skipper, for example increased by 86% compared to 2013.
 Overall more than 50% of the butterflies experienced an increase in
abundance in 2014.
 Those butterflies that did not do so well include the large white and small white
which declined by 66% and 69% respectively.
 Many of the butterflies that suffered during 2013 were those that are generally
associated with high summer. August was cold and this had an obvious
impact. For example the chalk hill blue declined by 55% in 2014 when
compared to 2013.
Acorns and Climate Change
 Recent research carried out by Coventry University shows that climate change
may be affecting the quality of acorn crops in the UK.
 The research, which studied more than 160,000 pieces of data, suggests that
warmer years lead to less synchronised flowering and lower quality acorn
crops. In fact Coventry University found that for every four days increased
variation in first flowering date; the mean fruiting score for the acorn crop
produced that year fell by 20%.
 These initial results now require further analysis.
EU Nature Legislation ‘Fitness Check’
 The European Commission is undertaking a review of EU nature legislation as
part of the Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme.
 The nature legislation includes the Birds and Habitats Directive, which
provides the foundation of nature protection across the EU, principally through
the creation of the Natura 2000 sites network and the system of species
protection.
 Public consultation is now running at:
https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EUNatureDirectives
Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) and Open Spaces

Various projects have taken place at the LNRs and open spaces:
 TRDC will find out this month, as part of Love Parks Week, if Green Flag
Awards have been re-awarded to The Aquadrome (Rickmansworth),
Chorleywood House Estate (Chorleywood) and Leavesden Country Park
(Abbots Langley).
 The Aquadrome received a full assessment at the end of June whilst
Chorleywood House Estate and Leavesden Country Park received ‘mystery
shopper’ visits.
 There are eight categories upon which the parks and open spaces are
assessed. The sites must, amongst other things, be welcoming, safe and
secure, clean and well maintained, sustainably managed, have community
involvement, and be well managed.
 For more information go to: www.keepbritaintidy.org/GreenFlag
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The cattle that graze Croxley Common Moor should be back by now and,
subject to the vegetation growth and weather, they will leave in
October/November. The cattle help keep the scrub at bay and the array of
wildflowers, for which the site has been designated as a Site of Special
Scientific Interest, flourish.
Further works, as part funded by Natural England through a ten year Higher
Level Stewardship agreement, are due to take place this winter. An additional
section of scrub that is growing on the Moor will be removed to open up the
area and help restore the area back to grassland.
The Friends of Croxley Common Moor will finish their summer programme of
events and volunteer days at the end of August and will return to their
winter/autumn programme of scrub removal in September.
There is still time to attend ragwort removal sessions on Sunday 12 July and
Sunday 9 August, at 10am.
For more information on all of the volunteer tasks and guided walk dates at
Croxley Common Moor visit: http://www.croxleycommonmoor.org.uk
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The Withey Beds LNR is one of the few remaining wetlands in Hertfordshire
containing wildlife rich habitats such as wet woodland, swamp, marsh, open
ditches, drier grassland and the River Colne.
 Work to enhance some of these habitats, as well as create new ones, is due to
start soon. For example five new small ponds will be dug along the boardwalk,
a new scrape will be created in the top field and the main pond will be
increased in size. This will make the site far more attractive to a variety of
animals; from dragonflies and damselflies to redshanks and lapwings.
 It is also hoped that grazing will be able to return to The Withey Beds with the
installation of fencing and a water supply. The aim is that we will be able to
have some Dexter cattle grazing the top field. Grazing is a traditional
management technique which will greatly help to increase the diversity of
wildflowers at the LNR.
 Dexter cattle are a small and friendly breed of cattle which should fit in nicely
at The Withey Beds.
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A number of family activities have been organised for the summer at the Local
Nature Reserves and open spaces. This year there is a special focus on
events during Love Parks Week which runs from 24 July until 2 August.
 Love Parks Week is organised by Keep Britain Tidy. The aim of the week is to
raise awareness and celebrate the importance of parks and open spaces.