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Biodiversity Species Action Plan Waxcap Species Common Name: Waxcap Fungi Scientific Name: Hygrocybe species Welsh Name: Cap Cwyrog UK BAP Status: Priority Species (Pink Meadow Waxcap and Date-Coloured Waxcap only) Lead UK Partner: Plantlife Denbighshire Status: Local Priority Species Local Lead Partner: DCS Statutory Protection: The Pink Meadow Waxcap and Date-Coloured Waxcap are protected through the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 and feature on the Provisional Bern Convention list. Links to other Action Plans: Unimproved Neutral and Acid Grassland HAP, Calcareous Grassland and Pavement HAP, Coastal Sand Dunes and Vegetated Shingle HAP, Lowland Wood Pasture, Parkland and Veteran Trees HAP, Urban Green Spaces HAP, adjacent counties’ Waxcap SAPs. Objectives Objective 1 To establish, where possible, the distribution and status of waxcap species in Denbighshire. Objective 2 To maintain, and where feasible enhance, the known populations of waxcap species in Denbighshire. Objective 3 To increase public awareness of waxcap species and their conservation requirements. Current Status UK and Wales There are 60 recorded species of waxcap in Europe which are most commonly found in the west and north and tend to be strongly associated with grassland habitats. The continued loss of unimproved grassland habitats, largely due to agricultural intensification, has restricted the distribution of waxcap fungi. Two waxcaps are identified as priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan: Pink Meadow Waxcap Hygrocybe calyptriformis and Date-Coloured Waxcap Hygrocybe spadicea. The number of Pink Meadow Waxcap sites in Britain is now known to total 500 following a survey by the British Mycological Society and the UK has a particular responsibility to this species as it is much rarer in the rest of Europe. Of these, 87 sites occur in Wales. Conversely, the Date-Coloured Waxcap is less uncommon in continental Europe but is rare in the UK. It is found at sites scattered throughout Britain, 10 of them in Wales, but being small and inconspicuous it is probably under-recorded. There are over 40 known waxcap species found in the UK, and the UK holds a significant proportion of the total European waxcap resource. Denbighshire Pink Meadow Waxcaps are found in Denbighshire on unimproved limestone grassland at Bodelwyddan and Glan-yr-Afon. There are currently no records in Denbighshire for Date-Coloured Waxcaps. Other locally important waxcap species are found at sites throughout Denbighshire, with particularly good sites at Castell Dinas Bran and the Eglwsig area in Llangollen. Description Waxcap fungi are a distinctive and attractive component of many undisturbed and nutrient-poor grasslands. They are usually brightly coloured with thick waxy gills, moist brittle flesh and waxy, sticky or slimy caps. They are found in a range of grasslands, usually ancient and unimproved, within pasture, meadows, churchyards, parkland, rabbit-grazed sand dunes, commons, village greens and lawns. Good waxcap sites are well-drained, with a short turf usually maintained through grazing or regular mowing, free from fertilizer or lime input and disturbance, in particular ploughing and re-seeding. The Pink Meadow Waxcap is mainly found on lawns, grassy meadows, pastures and woodland margins. It tends to exhibit a slight preference for acidic/neutral soils but is found on both limestone and acid grasslands. Whilst the fruiting bodies are seldom abundant they are conspicuous and distinctive, which may be why this species tends to be better recorded than others. Appearing from August to October, especially after rainfall, they have attractive pinky-lilac pointed caps with fine striations and a greasy appearance and pinky-white gills. In Wales, they have been observed as late in the year as December but a hard frost will immediately bring fruiting to an end. As they age, the cap expands causing the margin to split and flick upwards earning them the colloquial name of ‘ballet dancer’. The Date-Coloured Waxcap is smaller and less conspicuous. It prefers well drained sites and is most commonly found on south-facing limestone pastures but will also colonise neutral grassland which is dry during the summer, calcareous dunes and mown parkland. Fruiting bodies are produced following heavy rain in summer and autumn. They have a brown, chestnut or coffeecoloured conical cap which becomes progressively more flattened with age, yellow gills and a yellow stem and grow to between 4 and 7cm tall. Current Factors Affecting Species The continued loss of unimproved grassland habitats through agricultural intensification and urban development. Many good waxcap grasslands were ploughed during and immediately after the Second World War and it is estimated that in the past 60 years in excess of 95% of haymeadow habitats in the UK have been destroyed (Lovegrove, Shrubb & Williams, 1995). Fertilizer application. Waxcaps exhibit a high sensitivity to elevated nutrient levels and recovery after fertilizer application can take over 30 years for some sensitive species (Ejrnaes & Bruun, 1995). Reduction or cessation of mowing or grazing regimes has a deleterious effect on fruit body production as it leads to successional changes in plant communities, altering the grassland habitat. For the Date-Coloured Waxcap, stabilisation and associated vegetational succession of its dune sites has the same consequences. An increase in recreational pressure may have an adverse effect on certain waxcap sites through soil compaction and destruction from trampling. Current Action UK The British Mycological Society initiated a waxcap grassland survey in 1996, which is ongoing and provide advice nationally through their Conservation Officer, records and workshops. Plantlife also began a waxcap survey in 2002 and the species feature in their ‘back from the brink’ programme. Wales The Pink Meadow Waxcap is present on a known site in Wales owned by the National Trust who manage it with regard to the waxcap’s conservation needs. It is also found on 3 SSSIs in Mid Wales. Aberystwyth University is undertaking research into waxcap autecology. CCW and the Fungus Conservation Forum have produced advisory literature for managing land with fungi in mind and in 2001 launched an appeal to gardeners to record the presence of fungi. CCW has been involved in survey work on grassland fungi and have subsequently produced a leaflet: ‘Grassland Fungi’. A methodology has been devised (Rald, 1985) to evaluate the conservation value of nutrient-poor grasslands through the use of waxcaps and other fungi as indicator species. SOURCES OF INFORMATION: Principal Author: Kate Burgess (DCS) References Ejrnaes, R. & Bruun, H.H. (1995) Prediction of grassland quality for environmental management. Journal of Environmental Management.41: 171 – 183. English Nature. Grassland Information Note: Number 4 Grassland Fungi. Griffith, G. W., Easton, G. L. & Jones, A. W. (2002) Ecology & Diversity of Waxcap (Hygrocybe spp) Fungi. Botanical Journal of Scotland 54(1): 7-22. Lovegrove, R. Shrubb, M. & Williams, I. (1995) Silent Fields. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Wales). Rald, E. (1985) Vokshatte som indikatorarter for mykologisk vaerdifulde overdrevslokaliteter. Svampe 11: 1-9. (With English summary). Rotheroe, M., Newton, A., Evans, S. & Feeham, J. (1996) Waxcap grassland survey. Mycologist 10(1): 23-25. www.bryosoft.co.uk/bapsite www.nifg.org.uk/waleswaxcaps/species/atlas.htm CCW leaflet Abbreviations BAP – Biodiversity Action Plan CCW – Countryside Council for Wales DBP – Denbighshire Biodiversity Partnership DCC – Denbighshire County Council DCS – Denbighshire Countryside Service HAP – Habitat Action Plan NWWT – North Wales Wildlife Trust SAP – Species Action Plan SSSI – Site of Special Scientific Interest WAG – Welsh Assembly Government Glossary Autecology – The study of the ecology of an organism in relation to environmental factors. Proposed Actions by Lead Partners 1. Policy and Legislation Lead Partners 1.1 Ensure the species and its habitat is protected through the planning system. DCC 2. Species/Site Safeguard and Management 2.1 Ensure that the potential presence and management requirements of waxcaps are considered within any relevant site management plans or agri-environment schemes. CCW, WAG, DCS 2.2 Consider notifying as SSSIs or Wildlife Sites, sites with viable populations of waxcap species where this is consistent with selection guidelines and where this is necessary to ensure their long term protection and appropriate management. CCW, NWWT, DCS 2.3 Identify and ensure favourable management of council owned waxcap and grassland fungi sites. DCS 3. Communications and Publicity 3.1 Provide publicity to the general public promoting fungi and their ecological importance and encourage the reporting of waxcap sightings / possible sites. DCS, CCW 3.2 Include gardening for fungi advice in wildlife gardening publicity and promotions. DCS 3.3 Encourage participation in national Mycological Society, waxcap surveys. Plantlife, DCS 4. Advisory 4.1 Advise landowners and land managers of the presence of waxcaps and their importance, specific management requirements and any potentially damaging actions. CCW, DCS, WAG 5. Survey, Research and Monitoring 5.1 Identify and survey known waxcap sites in Denbighshire and areas that may be suitable habitat for waxcaps. DCS 5.5 Review this plan every 5 years. Target Objective No net loss of waxcap sites. 2 Ongoing. 2, 3 As appropriate 2 From 2005 onwards 2 One press article by end 2006 and other publicity as opportunities arise. 1, 3 As opportunities arise 2, 3 Ongoing 1, 3 As opportunities arise 2, 3 Ongoing. 1 2011 1, 2 DBP For Further Details Contact:Denbighshire Countryside Service: County Ecologist – Tel: 01824 708263 Biodiversity Officer – Tel: 01824 708234 or e-mail: [email protected] Denbighshire County Council. March 2006