Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire - Spring 2023

Wild

Spring 2023

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire

MORE NATURE EVERYWHERE Our plan for 30% of land to be wildlifefriendly by 2030 WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS to inspire and admire PRECIOUS GRASSLANDS

Of grass and grazers Berkshire Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust

Discover what it means to manage a meadow

Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive

JON HAWKINS/SURREYHILLSPHOTOGRAPHY

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Get closer to nature Ignite your wild side on a nature reserve

Grass roots Discover the life within grasslands

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More nature everywhere How we’ll meet our 30% by 2030 target

ROSS HODDINOTT/2020VISION

Last year closed with a promising landmark agreement at the UN Biodiversity Conference – to protect 30% of the planet for nature by 2030, thereby halting and reversing the loss of nature.

The coming years will be critical in avoiding the million species of plant and animal identified as threatened from going extinct. BBOWT has a bold plan to lead action on the ground locally, and it’s already well underway.

We have a vision for More Nature Everywhere and 30% of land well-managed for nature by 2030. We are in step with international and UK targets and have a hunch that this is a breakthrough moment for nature’s recovery.

Domestic legislation continues to be shaped across agriculture and the environment, giving on the one hand through enhanced targets, and taking with the other – for example in granting the use of bee-killing neonicotinoids! This is a government at odds with itself and most of civil society, including businesses who are desperately calling for guidance on their role in helping the planet recover from decades of destruction.

You can read more about our 30% by 2030 target on page 12. We are putting increasing energy and investment into turning plans into action, working in partnership with landowners to join up vital habitats and corridors for wildlife.

In other news, a major review of evidence by The Wildlife Trusts has uncovered some shoddy accounting by HS2 Ltd. Its claims of ‘no net loss’ of wildlife are, frankly, not true and we need you to bring this to the attention of Government. Find out how on page 15.

Rest assured BBOWT is working with other conservation organisations, landowners, and decision makers to deliver a more promising future. We are combining a global outlook with local action and impact. Your support is also hugely appreciated because as a member you too are helping us shape that greener, more wildlife-filled future.

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust Get in touch Wild Berks, Bucks & Oxon is the membership magazine for Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust Contact 01865 775476, info@bbowt.org.uk Membership 01865 788300, membership@bbowt.org.uk Address The Lodge, 1 Armstrong Road, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4XT Website www.bbowt.org.uk President Steve Backshall Chair George Levvy Chief Executive Estelle Bailey

Wherever you are in the country your Wildlife Trust is standing up for wildlife and wild places in your area and bringing people closer to nature.

Wild Berks, Bucks & Oxon brought to you by Editor Ben Vanheems UK Consultant Editor Tom Hibbert UK Consultant Designer Ben Cook Design Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Design Studio Print CKN Print Ltd Cover Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION

Registered Charity Number 204330 Company Registered Number 006800007

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Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

A large-print version of Wild Berks, Bucks & Oxon (text only) is available on request. Call 01865 775476 or email info@bbowt.org.uk Enjoy the extended version of Wild Berks, Bucks & Oxon online at bbowt.org.uk/publications

ROSS HODDINOTT/2020VISION

RIC MELLIS

Welcome

Your wild spring The best of the season’s wildlife and where to enjoy it on your local patch

A big thankyou!

JON HAWKINS/SURREY HILLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Money from your membership goes towards protecting essential habitat for birds such as woodpeckers. From them – and us – thank you!

SPRING SPECTACLE

And the beat goes on…

Guess how many beats per second a great spotted woodpecker makes with its beak.

Five? Ten? Try 40! The great spotted is one of three native woodpeckers and by far the best drummer. Its frantic drumming helps attract a mate, with beats rasping out across woodlands from January to June. Lesser spotted woodpeckers look similar but are a lot smaller and a lot rarer – just 3,000 breeding pairs remain in the UK. No problem finding a green woodpecker though. The largest of our woodpeckers is a common garden visitor, often seen on lawns hunting for ants and other titbits. Listen out for its laugh-like ‘yaffle’.

SEE THEM THIS SPRING Bowdown Wood Listen for both great and lesser spotted woodpeckers in these woods.

Little Linford Wood Head towards the mature oak and ash for a chance of hearing a great spotted woodpecker.

Wells Farm This working farm is a great place to seek out green woodpeckers.

There are no headaches for these head bangers!

Woodpeckers withstand the rapid deceleration that comes with quick-fire drumming thanks to their compact skulls and close-fitting brains.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring Winter 2023 2022

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YOUR WILD SPRING

Did you know?

Glow-worms generate light through a chemical reaction in their abdomen. Looking for a mate is a full-time job for adult glow-worms who do not eat during this final stage of life.

Nature’s calling Reawaken your wild side this spring

Glow up!

OGRAPHY JON HAWKINS/SURREY HILLS PHOT

Lock up your lawnmowers Close-cropped lawns are bad for wildlife, so it’s time we let them grow longer. No Mow May is a campaign that invites gardeners to go lazy in the name of helping struggling pollinators. Ease off mowing in May (and beyond) and let the wild flowers in your lawn bloom. Learn more at nomowmay.plantlife.org.uk

Get set for summer heatwaves by installing more water butts now. Harvested rainwater is best for watering plants and topping up wildlife ponds, and it saves precious tap water.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

SEE THIS

TOM MARSHALL

Go on a wild walk Longer days present ample opportunity for a meadow march, woodland wander, or riverside ramble. Why not visit a nature reserve?

INSTALL THIS

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Listen to birdsong Enjoy a mellifluous start to the day. Set an early alarm and tune into the rich notes and trills of the dawn chorus.

CHRIS GOMERSALL/2020VISION

Insects are in decline, but you can play a part in reversing their fortunes. Find out how: bbowt.org.uk/action-for-insects

Go wild this June! Take part in The Wildlife Trusts’ annual 30 Days Wild challenge.

Do one ‘wild’ thing every day throughout June to feel happier, healthier, and closer to nature. Here are some ideas to get you started. Sign up and receive a free pack at bbowt.org. uk/30-days-wild

Plant wild flowers Wild flowers are best for native pollinators. Sow wild flower seeds or plant nectar-rich blooms to help them.

PAUL HOBSON

SEE THEM THIS SPRING Decoy Heath Visit by day for one of the very best displays of dragonflies and damselflies then hang around for nightfall

and the bioluminescent afterparty courtesy of your glow-worm hosts.

Grangelands & The Rifle Range The chalk grassland slopes hide plenty of snails that support a thriving population of glow-worms.

THOMAS JOHN ELLIS

Glamorous… simply glowing! There’s no missing the glitz of a glow-worm on a sultry summer’s evening. Only the wingless females go in for the lightshow, hoping to lure males who have big, photosensitive eyes.

Glow-worms are in fact beetles, not worms.

The males look the part, while the females appear much like their grey-brown, segmented larvae. The larval stage of the lifecycle is anything but glamorous. Voracious predators of slugs and snails, they paralyse their victims with a toxic bite that slowly dissolves them ready for ingestion – a far cry from the innocent twinkle of the glow-worm’s courtship!

Larvae live for up to three years before transforming into adults for just a few weeks.

They prefer chalk grasslands, so this is the best place to look for them. Visit on a warm, calm evening in late June or early July, avoiding nights with a fuller moon when they are less likely to glow. The darker it is the better, so resist using a torch, allow your eyes to adjust, then scan for their faint greenish glow.

30 Days Wild

April into May is bluebell time when woodland floors spring to life with carpets of the delicately nodding flowers. Plan a trip to admire them: bbowt.org.uk/seasonal--spectacles

WILD THOUGHTS

Simon Barnes @simonbarneswild

DAFFODIL ILLUSTRATION © DAWN COOPER; SIMON BARNES HEADSHOT © ROBERT BECKINSALE

The plants that shaped us Perhaps the most exciting thing in life is ignorance. That’s because ignorance is an open door: walk through it and learn. And the more you learn the more doors you find, waiting for you to walk through. Until very recently I was shockingly — stupidly — ignorant about plants, considering them just the soft furnishings of the wild world.

But then I realised that, roughly speaking, everything that lives on earth is either a plant or depends on plants. What have plants ever done for us? Well, there’s oxygen, water, food...

We humans are as dependent on plants as the cow in the field or the butterfly flying past her nose. Plants are the only living things that can use the energy of the sun to make food. Plants have shaped human history. So I made a list of the significant plants of human history: wheat, rose, potato, tobacco, cannabis, grass, oak... and soon I realised that there was no escape. I would have to write The History of the World in 100 Plants. So let’s look at two UK plants that made the book.

Edward Stone, an 18th century clergyman, was walking along the river while suffering from ague: probably a rotten, feverish cold.

Perhaps his condition had rendered him slightly daft, for he nibbled on a piece of willow bark. He reckoned that, since both willows and fevers are associated with wet places, the one must have been put there to cure the other. And it worked: he got better and wrote a paper to the Royal Society in London.

It worked because willow bark contains salicin. In the 19th century synthetic salicin was developed, and this was adjusted, so that it caused fewer digestive problems. The medicine

firm Bayer marketed it — and called it aspirin.

Our second plant is a familiar one. These days the beauty of wild places is obvious to us all, but that wasn’t always the case. In the 18th century, a well-tended garden was regarded as the ultimate form of living beauty: cultivated, civilised and tamed. Outside was just wilderness.

That changed at the beginning of the 19th century, when, and not by coincidence, the Industrial Revolution and the Romantic Movement both began. People began to appreciate the glories of untouched, unspoiled nature. The great emblem of that change was the daffodil, as celebrated in the poem

by William Wordsworth:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance The modern understanding of nature as something wonderful and fragile dates back to that time. Wordsworth’s daffodils made this understanding vivid for all time.

But there are things to learn about almost every species of plant: the poppies that grow on ground disturbed by ploughs or by bombs, orchids that excite human passions, grape and barley that get us drunk... and on and on and on, because without plants we are nothing.

We wouldn’t even exist.

Wild daffodils are a beautiful spring sight. Discover some of our best nature reserves for spotting them: wildlifetrusts.org/wild-daffodils

THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 100 PLANTS

Simon explores the stories of more of the plants that shaped us in his latest book, The History of the World in 100 Plants. As humans, we hold the planet in the palms of ours hands.

But we couldn’t live for a day without plants. Our past is all about plants, our present is all tied up with plants; and without plants there is no future.

From the mighty oak to algae, from cotton to coca, discover a hundred reasons why.

Simon Barnes is the author of many wild volumes, including the bestselling Bad Birdwatcher trilogy, Rewild Yourself, On The Marsh, and The History of the World in 100 Animals. He is a council member of World Land Trust, trustee of Conservation South Luangwa and patron of Save the Rhino. In 2014, he was awarded the Rothschild Medal for services to conservation. He lives in Norfolk, where he manages several acres for wildlife.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

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WILD NEWS

Stay informed

For all the latest news sign up to our e-newsletter at bbowt.org.uk/ newsletter

All the latest local and national news from The Wildlife Trusts

Revamp complete

SURVEY RESULTS

Wildlife’s ups and downs damselflies – almost four times the previous highest count for this rare species. A survey of the new channel at Chimney Meadows counted 450 fish of nine species – remarkable for such a new feature. While at Gallows Bridge Farm two breeding pairs of rare redshank reared at least three young between them.

“We are seeing some worrying losses,” says Ecology Officer Colin Williams.

“However, we’re also seeing some big wins for nature thanks to our work, and the help of our volunteers.” Indeed, all these recordings are only possible thanks to the fantastic army of volunteer surveyors for whom we are incredibly grateful.

LINDA PITKIN

Last year we carried out more than 250 ecological surveys on 77 nature reserves.

The surveys, from orchid counts to reptile refugia checks, help paint a picture of how local wildlife is changing.

The summer’s extreme heat and drought proved exceptionally challenging.

Some species, such as hazel dormice, are being badly hit by the effects of climate change and habitat loss. Just one male dormouse was found at Warburg Nature Reserve, a clear indication the population is lower than ever.

There was plenty of good news too though. At Parsonage Moor surveyors found a record-breaking 425 southern

Brown trout

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

Local author Lizzie Pepper has released her debut children’s novel The Last Year of the Wild. Set in the year 2060, the adventure story follows a brave wild community of birds as they battle a changed climate. Lizzie is kindly donating 5% of profits to BBOWT. Order your copy at lizziepepper.co.uk

The Wildlife Trusts, led by BBOWT and Future Nature WTC (our ecological consultancy) have teamed up with Jamie Langfords of Oxford Garden Design to create a show garden at May’s RHS Malvern Spring Festival. ‘Wilder Spaces’ will feature wildlife-friendly planting and reclaimed materials. Tickets available at rhs.org.uk

CLIVE NICHOLS

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Wild adventure

Going for gold!

Businesses back wildlife A warm welcome to our newest Investor in Wildlife members: St Anne’s College, Oxford, and Prodec Networks. Huge thanks to A.Menarini Diagnostics, Chroma Group Printing, Ipsen Biopharm, NatureBureau, QuickMoveNow, and University College Oxford for renewing their memberships. And thank you to staff from Chroma Group Printing in Reading for donating £2,000 of printing services for the second year – your swift and wonderful service is so appreciated!

Discover why investing in wildlife makes sound business sense: bbowt.org.uk/business-partnerships

The Nature Discovery Centre at Thatcham reopened in winter following a £125,000 refurbishment. The revamp has created an open-plan layout for the café and shop, new educational table displays and a ‘hide in the sky’ on the first floor where visitors can spy on the lakeside wildlife below.

UK NEWS

UK HIGHLIGHTS UK UPDATE

The Great Big Nature survey launches To help us understand how much nature matters to you, The Wildlife Trusts are launching The Great Big Nature Survey this spring. We want to hear your views on some of the most important issues affecting nature and wildlife, and your relationship with the natural world. How often do you get out into nature? Should people try to control nature to better protect it? How important are green spaces to you? What roles should people, business, and government have in looking after nature? Should local communities be at the centre of nature conservation on their doorstep?

Whatever your views on nature, however important (or not) it is to you, make your voice heard by taking The Great Big Nature survey today. With respondents from a variety of backgrounds and with many different experiences in and views

of nature and wild places, The Great Big Nature Survey will reveal what people in the UK and islands really think about nature and how we, as a society, should protect it. Results will also help The Wildlife Trusts to hold governments to account over environmental policies and priorities.

After you’ve completed the survey, why not share it with your friends and family?

Take the survey at wildlifetrusts.org/ great-big-nature-survey or scan the QR code

Discover how The Wildlife Trusts are helping wildlife across the UK

Hen party The Northumberland Hen Harrier Protection Partnership, of which Northumberland Wildlife Trust is a member, announced a bumper breeding year for hen harriers in the county. Last year the partnership monitored nine nests, seven of which were successful — fledging a total of 26 chicks. This is eight more than in 2021 and brings the total since 2015 to 106 fledged birds. wtru.st/26-harriers

Give peat a chance Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has been awarded a £100,000 Discovery Grant by Natural England to protect and restore the county’s peatlands. Peatland is a vital habitat, not just for wildlife but also for storing carbon. The grant will allow the Wildlife Trust to identify mechanisms to restore the region’s peatlands, so they can absorb and lock away carbon. wtru.st/Derby-peat-grant

Mr Blean

Ragged robin has declined due to habitat loss

Plotted plants The Wildlife Trusts are co-sponsoring production of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) Plant Atlas 2020, which is published this March. The Atlas is based on more than 30 million records collected by thousands of botanists between 2000 and 2019, providing

RAGGED ROBIN © KIERON HUSTON; BISON © EVAN BOWEN

Kent Wildlife Trust has welcomed a male bison into the herd at West Blean and Thornden Wood. The bull’s arrival was delayed by post Brexit complications, but he has now joined the three females that were released in July, and the calf born in September. The bison have 50 hectares to roam as part of the Wilder Blean Project, a joint wilding initiative. wtru.st/bison-bull an unrivaled picture of the changing distribution and fortunes of plants in Britain and Ireland. This knowledge is likely to provide evidence to help us protect nature across the UK. Find out more: bsbi.org/atlas-2020

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

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EVENTS DIARY

WHAT’S ON

Highlights from our busy events diary. For full and up-to-date listings or to book visit bbowt.org.uk/events

GREEN TV

TOP PICK

Day Camps Dazzle your child’s imagination over the school holidays on one of our Day Camps. Aimed at 6-12-year-olds, these outdoor-based sessions are packed with lots of nature-themed fun! Get to know animals and their habitats through exploration, experiments, and craft. Small group sizes ensure children flourish and grow in confidence. Drop them off for the day and let our fully trained staff share their specialist knowledge in a relaxed environment. Find out more and book via the website.

n Woolley Firs (Berks) – Mad about Minibeasts (Mon 3 Apr), Ponds and ‘Dragons’ (Tues 4 Apr), Animals and their Superpowers (Weds 5 Apr), and Bushcraft for Beginners (Thurs 6 Apr). n College Lake (Bucks) – Nature Explorers (Thurs 13 Apr).

n Family Pond Dipping. The pond at Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre (Oxon) is bursting into life! Come and find out what’s hatched.

Weds 12 Apr. n Family Bat Walk. Discover our brilliant creatures of the night in an evening of nocturnal discovery at our familyorientated bat walk and talk! Windsor Great Park. Weds 12 Apr.

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n Where’s the Hare? Hares are such interesting creatures. Come to the Nature Discovery Centre and find out more about them! Tues 4 & Weds 5 Apr. n Step into Spring. Follow our self-guided family trail at College Lake to learn about the signs of spring. Tues 4-Sun 16 Apr. n Dinosaur Egg Hunt. Add a twist to your egg hunt this Easter, by looking for dinosaur eggs! Windsor Great Park.

Weds 5 & Thurs 6 Apr.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

For teens n Wildlife Gardening Workshop. Find out what makes a pond great for wildlife and build your own to take home. Sutton Courtenay. Thurs 13 Apr. n Teen Rangers. Wildlife club for young people aged 11-17 years who love wildlife.

Help manage and look after local wild spaces and learn skills to become a wildlife warrior. Running at both Windsor Great Park and College Lake. Sat 15 Apr. PHY

n Eggs-tra Fun for Everyone. Join Emma Storyteller for song-time and a story followed by games and an egg-citing egg hunt with a difference. Nature Discovery Centre (Berks). Weds 12 Apr.

Family Easter trails n Easter Bunny’s Egg Hunt. Follow the trail and help the Easter bunny discover who has laid all the different eggs to earn your Easter treat. Sutton Courtenay.

Mon 3-Thurs 6 Apr.

PETER CAIRNS PHOTOGRA

Easter family events n Taking Better Photos. Capture the magic of nature at College Lake on your phone camera. Morning and afternoon sessions. Thurs 6 Apr.

PEOPLE & WILDLIFE

Nourish your wild side We’re doing more to connect local people with local nature.

Adult Pond Dipping Join us at College Lake for an adult beginner’s workshop and fall in love with the wonderful creatures that live in our pond! Thurs 6 Apr. Find out Fridays Enjoy a nature stroll around College Lake Nature Reserve and find out more about the plants and animals encountered along the way. Fri 14 Apr.

Nextdoor Nature

Our Nextdoor Nature project is helping green-fingered residents in Reading connect with nature and turn more areas of their town wild through a network of new natural spaces.

Neighbours in Southcote have been busy planting bee-friendly flowers and herbs in Coronation Square to boost local wildlife and bring their community together. Further plans are in the pipeline and the group hopes to complete a total of eight to ten similar projects with support, training and expert advice from BBOWT. One of those involved is local postmaster and café owner Nahulasalingam Abiram: “This is a nice area with a massive multicultural community, and we want to build that community. We’re already growing, but this summer when we see the flowers it will really have that ‘wow factor’ – everyone will smile and it will create a great impression.”

As well as Coronation Square, BBOWT is working with

Adult Workshop: Stick to Bread Take the journey from foraging for fuel to baking your own bread on the campfire at the Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre. Sat 15 Apr.

KATE TITFORD

Lifelong Learning We could all do with feeding our wild side.

Our exciting new adult Lifelong Learning programme offers the opportunity to do exactly that through wildlife-related workshops, walks and talks, arts and crafts, heritage skills, and wellbeing sessions.

Events take place across all five of our education centres and make use of our lovely facilities in peaceful surroundings.

There’s something for everyone, so keep an eye on what’s being scheduled at bbowt.org.uk/events where you can filter by courses ‘suitable for adults’. Here are a few examples of what’s coming up.

Newtown Community Garden’s ‘rewilding’ project on the other side of town as part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported project.

This spring Nextdoor Nature is also expanding to Slough as we look forward to working with ladies from the Ujala Foundation, a charitable Muslim organisation based at Manor Park Pavilion.

Find out more Nextdoor Nature is bringing communities together to help nature flourish where they live and work. To find out more about the project, or if you are interested in getting help with your community nature project, visit bbowt.org.uk/ nextdoor-nature-projects

Botanical Illustration for Adults All-day workshop at Woolley Firs. Join us for a day of botanical inspiration, delving into the anatomy of plants and brushing up on your drawing skills. Weds 19 Apr. Steve Gozdz photography courses Coming soon in Berkshire and Oxfordshire. #teamWILDER Discover more ways to get closer to nature. Join in at bbowt.org.uk/team-wilder

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

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COLIN WILLIAMS

GO EXPLORE THIS SPRING

You’re fab!

Meadow Farm, Upper Ray Meadows

Get closer to nature

MARK HAMBLIN/2020VISION

Spring is here with its longer days and warmer weather.

What better excuse for pulling on the walking boots to explore a nearby nature reserve?

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1 Upper Ray Meadows Postcode HP18 0RF (for Leaches Farm and Ludgershall Meadows) Great for… Locally scarce wading birds Best time to visit Winter to summer Size 212 hectares Map ref SP 646 198 (Leaches Farm) Wading birds like lapwing and curlew were once common in our region but as the floodplain meadows disappeared, so too did their haunting calls. Thankfully, a few strongholds remain, such as here along this patchwork of meadows.

The Upper Ray Meadows is a special place at any time of year but none more so than in spring, when the ancient ridge and furrow undulations, untouched by modern ploughing, burst into floriferous life. Look out for meadow favourites such as raggedrobin, yellow rattle and cuckooflower among the grasses and sedges.

Lapwing and curlew will have arrived towards the end of winter and may now be seen displaying as they seek to forge new bonds or strengthen old ones. In recent years new pools, ditches, and scrapes have

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

Did you know BBOWT protects 10% of all remaining lowland floodplain meadows found in the UK. But we couldn’t do it without you!

been created to hold on to winter’s wetness for longer. This has made a big difference as more feeding opportunities remain for their chicks well into spring. Other wildlife like frogs, toads, dragonflies, and damselflies have also benefited.

The sprawling meadows have been pieced together, bit by bit. The most recent addition was in 2021 when we were thrilled to purchase Ludgershall Meadows following a major appeal. This 31 hectares of hay meadow and permanent pasture to the immediate south of Leaches Farm has expanded Upper Ray Meadows into an even greater wildlife haven.

Work is now underway to help Ludgershall Meadows reach its full potential, as has happened several times before on nearby meadows.

Hunting birds such as kestrels and owls are known to feast on the small mammals that scamper among the pasture, and it’s hoped other birds will follow. It will be fascinating to watch Ludgershall transform over the coming summers, as seed-filled green hay from Leaches Farm is spread to kickstart a new wild flowerrich chapter to these meadows.

GO EXPLORE THIS SPRING

BANBURY

WALK with care

MILTON KEYNES

WALK with care to avoid damaging precious wild flowers:

BUCKINGHAM

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Follow the WALK code: Watch where you walk, Abide by the rules of the site, Leave the site as you found it, Keep to the paths

BICESTER

AYLESBURY WITNEY THAME

OXFORD

CHESHAM

Want more?

AMERSHAM

ABINGDON DIDCOT

Then check out the bonus content in the extended version of Wild Berks, Bucks & Oxon.

Read it at bbowt.org.uk/ publications

BEACONSFIELD

SLOUGH WINDSOR READING

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THATCHAM

BRACKNELL

NEWBURY

2 Ardley Wood Quarry

Postcode OX27 7NU Great for… Butterflies and geological treasures Best time to visit Spring to summer Size 11 hectares Map ref SP 534 274

Treasures abound in this old quarry. The exposed rock gives up secrets from many millions of years ago, revealing geological insights from the Jurassic period, while medieval earthworks remind us of a more recent, though still-distant past.

Today’s wanderer can explore treasures of a wild kind: a host of spring wild flowers such as bugle, primroses and violets, followed by stunning orchids like the common spotted and bee orchid.

The shelter of the quarry is prime butterfly territory, with colonies of skippers and green hairstreaks and, in the grassier areas, marbled whites.

JON HAWKINS/SURREY HILLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Fall in love with your nearest nature reserve. Find it at bbowt.org.uk/reserves

3 Kintbury Newt Ponds

Postcode RG17 9XR Great for… Rare newts Best time to visit Spring to summer Size 3 hectares Map ref SU 386 663

This tiny reserve holds a big surprise: a breeding colony of nationally rare great crested newts. The ponds, together with surrounding reedbed, dense blackthorn scrub and grassland also offer nesting

opportunities for summer migrants such as warblers.

It’s a small but wonderfully diverse site, yet Kintbury Newt Ponds was almost lost to housing development in the late 1990s, saved only by the great crested newt’s protected status. While the wartyskinned saviours are the main attraction, both smooth and palmate newts may also be found here.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

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CONSERVATION IN ACTION

More nature everywhere We can improve the fortunes of wildlife once and for all if we take decisive action now. Conservation Strategy Director Prue Addison outlines our ambitious target – 30% of land well-managed for nature by 2030 – and why it’s a goal that’s both necessary and attainable if we act together.

O

ur region is under enormous pressure from development but like everywhere else, we must balance this with the need for a local environment rich in nature. We need to make more space for nature to become abundant once again, give our struggling wildlife the chance to recover and restore beautiful wild places.

As part of our current Strategic Plan, we have an ambition to see ‘More Nature Everywhere for Everyone’. This bold ambition is backed by a target to see 30% of land well-managed for nature by 2030.

The 30% target is backed by research, which has shown that when habitats cover 30% or more of a landscape this is generally sufficient to provide connectivity for a range of habitats and species, and supports the coexistence of native habitat within working landscapes whilst also promoting food security, and other ecosystem services like flood and climate change mitigation.

Solid backing

Our ambition for nature’s recovery has been reinforced at the national level, with The Wildlife Trusts calling for at least 30% of our land and sea to be connected and protected for nature’s recovery by 2030. It has recently been backed up internationally too, at the

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15th Conference of the Parties, where representatives of 188 governments adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

The GBF aims to address biodiversity loss, restore ecosystems, and protect indigenous rights. The plan includes concrete measures to halt and reverse nature loss, including putting 30% of the planet under protection, and restoring

so we must act now.

The responsibility for 30 by 30 is a shared one. To get anywhere close to achieving this we will require all sections of society to work together – from civil society, to businesses, farmers, communities, and individuals. Everyone has a role to play.

So what would 30 by 30 look like across our three counties? In 2021, in

“The next ten years must be a time of renewal, of rewilding our lives, of green recovery. ” 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030.

As Craig Bennett, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts says: “The next ten years must be a time of renewal, of rewilding our lives, of green recovery. We all need nature more than ever and when we succeed in reaching 30 by 30, we’ll have wilder landscapes that store carbon and provide on-your-doorstep nature for people too. Everyone can support and help us to succeed.”

Shared responsibility

There is no doubt that achieving 30 by 30 will be an enormous undertaking. This is not a target that is set so far into the future such as some 2050 climate targets, which we can set and forget about until much later. 2030 is only seven years away,

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

collaboration with scientists at the University of Kent we developed a Nature Recovery Network (NRN), which is our roadmap to creating joined-up areas across our three counties that are important for wildlife. It represents a combination of the existing places where wildlife is more abundant, such as BBOWT’s nature reserves – our precious jewels that already protect wildlife – plus places where habitats need to be restored or created in order to expand and connect the remaining fragments so that nature can recover. It extends across our three counties, including

CONSERVATION IN ACTION

How we’ll hit 30 by 30

n Acquire, protect and create new nature reserves n Expand existing nature reserves at scale n Advise landowners on wildlifefriendly approaches n Empower communities to take action for nature n Work in partnership with local farmers, businesses and decision-makers

Map detailing our Nature Recovery Network

Banbury

Milton Keynes

Bicester

Aylesbury rural and urban areas, and is made up of core and recovery zones that cover approximately 30% of the three counties.

These are encompassed by a wider countryside zone which covers the remaining 70% of the three counties.

By concentrating our efforts on protecting and restoring nature across the 30% of the core and recovery zones of our NRN, we stand the best chance of achieving a wilder, more connected landscape. Currently we estimate that approximately 10% of the three counties can be considered as being well-managed for nature. This includes our nature reserves (2,670 ha or 0.5% of the three counties), and designated sites such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Local Wildlife Sites (34,698 ha or 6.1% of the three counties).

Hitting our target

Abingdon High Wycombe

Maidenhead

Slough

Reading Newbury

Thatcham

joined up’. We will be looking for sites that offer opportunities to create new habitats, restore ecological systems and connectivity across landscapes, and provide environments for local rare and threatened species.

We will focus on creating and expanding reserves at a scale that has a positive

ANDREW PARKINSON/2020VISION

So how can we all reach 30 by 30? Some of the key things BBOWT will do is acquire new nature reserves, prioritising sites that complement our existing network of sites in line with the strategy defined in the report by Professor Sir John Lawton of ‘bigger, better and more

Oxford

New sites will help us protect and create valuable wildlife habitat

Bracknell

impact on habitats and species both locally and countrywide, and that can be enhanced by working with partners and neighbours. And we will be developing new landscape-scale conservation projects that sit within the core and recovery zones of the NRN, concentrating in the first instance with those that also lie within our historically important Living Landscapes.

Across our area we are also delivering wildlife and land management advice in agricultural landscapes, working with local businesses to better understand and proactively compensate for their environmental impacts, and empowering communities to take local action for nature. We are working in partnership with local and national governments, to develop new Local Nature Recovery Strategies, which must deliver positive outcomes for nature rapidly. What is clear is BBOWT can’t do this on its own, and a collective effort will be required to achieve 30 by 30.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023 Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

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CONSERVATION IN ACTION

30 by 30 in action Reconnecting Bernwood, Otmoor and the Ray is just one project bringing 30 by 30 to life

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ver the past year BBOWT has led a scoping study for the Bernwood Forest, Otmoor and Upper Ray region. This 300km2 area lies between Oxford, Bicester and Aylesbury, and contains some important but increasingly fragmented habitats, such as ancient woodland and nationally scarce floodplain meadows.

Clusters of ancient woodland are relics of a medieval royal hunting forest now sitting within a farmed landscape. The remaining ancient hedgerows across the area support pockets of black and brown hairstreak butterflies but are hampered by inappropriate management. The River Ray, which runs through, is one of the most heavily modified tributaries of the Thames. In the Upper Ray, medieval ridgeand-furrow drainage systems still exist, making the area both archaeologically significant and ecologically important for locally-scarce wading birds.

Threats posed to the area’s wildlife range from the historic intensification of agriculture, ongoing development, and climate change. If we act now, we can reconnect fragmented wildlife hotspots such as the Bernwood Forest, the River Ray and the Otmoor Basin to set nature on the road to recovery, while also tackling climate change.

We have been working to see more land better managed for wildlife in this region long before we set our 30 by 30 target. This new ambition has renewed our focus to do as much as we can at this scale.

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Fragmented habitat such as ancient woodland can be reconnected The project area includes BBOWT’s Bernwood Forest and Ray Valley Living Landscape, as well as a number of nature reserves, such as Whitecross Green Wood, the Upper Ray Meadows, and Finemere Wood. Since 1981 we have been buying and restoring floodplain meadows to add to our landholding of the Upper Ray

be more nature that benefits everyone.

Initiatives range from a farmer cluster group to ensure that a mosaic of really high-quality habitats stretch across the agricultural landscape so wildlife can move through connected areas; a hedges and edges project to create coherent ecological corridors and empower local

“This new ambition has renewed our focus to do as much as we can at this scale.”

Meadows, and we have been working with neighbouring farmers to create a stronghold for wading birds like curlew and lapwing.

In 2021 we acquired Ludgershall Meadows (see page 10), which will be one of our first sites for habitat restoration to support Buckinghamshire Council and local developers achieve a net gain in biodiversity for their developments.

The council’s most recent scoping study, led by BBOWT, has input from government, NGOs, businesses, landowners, farmers, and community groups. With connectivity and resilience of ecosystems front of mind, this emerging partnership has been developing project concepts to help us build a giant jigsaw puzzle of sites to protect, restore and create. The result will

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

communities to support nature’s recovery on their doorstep; and a woodland project to protect and restore ancient woodland sites in the northern Bernwood Forest.

There is a longer-term aspiration to undertake an ambitious project to develop the Ray river valley into a nationally important wetland complex.

In early summer we will publish a call to action highlighting the enormous value of this region for wildlife and setting out our plans to work with others to safeguard and enhance the heritage of this special landscape. In the meantime, we are working with others to launch these projects over the next few years, so we can ensure a significant improvement in the connectivity and health of ecosystems across the region and achieve real progress towards our 30 by 30 ambition.

HOT TOPICS

On the wrong tracks HS2 Ltd has got its nature figures all wrong. It’s time for the Government to halt construction and do the job properly!

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he Wildlife Trusts have published a fresh review of evidence surrounding HS2 Ltd’s claims that there will be ‘no net loss’ of wildlife along the route of the high-speed rail line. Its conclusion is damning: HS2 has made fundamental flaws in the way it assesses the value of nature along the construction path, with natural habitats grossly undervalued and significant wildlife already destroyed.

Furthermore, the impact of its nature compensation measures is exaggerated.

valuable habitats, it creates a barrier to less mobile species.

The new report HS2 Double Jeopardy: How the UK’s largest infrastructure project undervalued nature and overvalued its compensation measures finds that HS2 Ltd’s ‘No Net Loss’ metric – their ‘accounting tool’ for assessing impacts on nature – is untested, out of date and fundamentally flawed.

The research also found watercourses, ponds and trees had been missed out of the data, and problems with the way

“We know that HS2 Ltd has been destroying nature on our patch and our new report shows the damage will be so much worse than we feared” nature was being valued. For example, many tree-lined, well-established and species-rich hedgerows, which provide berries, shelter and nesting places for wildlife, have been given a lower nature value than the new hedgerows that HS2 Ltd is planning to plant.

“We know that HS2 Ltd has been destroying nature on our patch and our new report shows the damage will be so much worse than we feared,” says BBOWT Chief Executive Estelle Bailey. “The calculations on nature loss and restoration are all wrong – they’ve ignored important habitats and turned a blind eye to others.

It’s astonishing and terrifying.

“This vast infrastructure project is taking a wrecking ball to wildlife, and

The Wildlife Trusts have published an open letter to the Secretaries of State for Transport and the Environment urging them to work together to address the new evidence and asking for an immediate pause on construction.

You can sign the letter too. To add your name and read the full report follow the links from wildlifetrusts. org/hs2

communities are in despair at losing the wild places they love. They will never get these back.”

HS2 Ltd should re-map existing habitats along Phases 1 and 2a, correcting mapping errors, applying the correct nature values to habitats, and ensuring no habitats are excluded. It is essential they recalculate the total impacts to nature, and Government must respond swiftly, while there is still time to change the scheme’s design and delivery to achieve a minimum 10% net gain in biodiversity. It is essential that HS2 Ltd pauses all construction and enabling works while these new findings are assessed by the Government.

HS2 CONSTRUCTION CREDIT FLICKR.COM_DJIM (CC BY 2.0)

The review finds that the first phase, which covers the 140 miles of track between London and Birmingham, will cause at least 7.9 times more nature loss than HS2 Ltd has accounted for.

The major construction project is currently ploughing through the heart of Buckinghamshire and parts of Oxfordshire, bisecting the Chilterns.

Large parts of our Calvert Jubilee nature reserve have been commandeered by the company and the route cuts along the side of Finemere Wood. Construction has had a devastating impact on wildlife in and around both reserves, with a huge swathe of countryside being turned into a vast construction site largely devoid of life.

Not only does the scale of damage remove

Sign our open letter

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

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WILDLIFE GARDENING

Help wildlife on a budget It doesn’t cost the earth to make a wildlife-friendly garden, says Kate Bradbury and — with the landowner’s permission — dig them up to grow for free in your garden.

It’s not just gardening that can be done cheaply. Want a log pile? Keep an eye out for neighbours doing tree work and ask if you can have a log or two. Want a new bird box? Find instructions online to make your own. Other ways to help wildlife require no money at all: let grass grow long around the edges, avoid cutting back plants and start a nice open compost pile at the end of the garden. Nature costs nothing, we just have to let her in.

Get more tips for helping nature at home from bbowt.org.uk/actions

Sow pollinator-friendly favourites like cosmos into pots of peat-free compost. Plant out in early summer. ake new plants from old M Dig up herbaceous plants like cranesbill and use a bread knife to slice the rootball in two, with intact stems. Replant and water well. ake softwood cuttings T Cut 10cm shoots from shrubs like lavender, remove lower leaves and push into pots of moist, gritty compost. Keep on a windowsill to root. ake a log pile M Ask for some logs! Pile logs up in a corner or beneath a bench to provide an easy, inexpensive habitat.

Be less tidy Let an area of grass grow long, allow leaves to pile up in borders, deadhead and cut back less.

Make your own habitat boxes Check online for instructions to make bird and bat boxes, hedgehog feeding stations and even ‘toad abodes’. row your own G bird food Simply avoid cutting back seed-bearing plants like knapweed, grasses and sunflowers.

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Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

ILLUSTRATIONS BY HANNAH BAILEY

Rather than buying plants grown in peatbased compost and plastic pots, grow them from seed in your own compost and an upcycled container. Take cuttings and dig up and divide plants to propagate more, and if you have too many why not share them with friends and neighbours who might return the favour? It’s a good idea to save seeds rather than buy fresh every spring, but don’t forget how good birds are at farming — if you’ve ever watched a goldfinch feeding on knapweed seed you’ll know that half of it ends up on the ground to grow into next year’s larder.

Look out for berrying seedlings such as holly and hawthorn at the base of fences or other spots where birds like to perch,

CONSERVATION IN ACTION

Grassland officer Claire Cornish explores the diversity of grasslands

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nyone who’s ever gardened will know that, left to its own devices, grass gets everywhere. Leave any area for longer than a fortnight and the fine green shoots will emerge, challenging our attempts at neat borders, vegetable beds and gravel.

The same is true beyond our gardens. Grass is a supreme survivor. It can grow in most soils: wet, dry, salty, sandy, or even poisonous. As a result, natural grassland can be found almost anywhere — from the coast to the highest mountain tops.

You might think that two fields of grass are much the same, but there’s an amazing variety in the types of grassland you can find. The UK has around 160 species of grass, growing in different combinations, alongside different wildflowers, to produce a range of grassland habitats. A coastal grazing marsh is very different to a chalk grassland or an upland hay meadow. Some of our richest grasslands can contain dozens of different species of grass and flower in just one square metre.

The main factors that shape the species found on a grassland are whether it’s in the uplands or lowlands, and the type of soil it grows on. There are calcareous grasslands on shallow, base-rich soils like those over chalk and limestone; acidic grasslands on sands, gravels, and siliceous rocks; and neutral grasslands on clay and loam soils.

Grasslands and people have a long history, with traditional farming practices like hay cutting and livestock grazing shaping meadows as we know them. The richest grasslands have developed under this sort of management over rocks such as limestone or chalk. They can be found from Scotland down to The Lizard in Cornwall, Northern Ireland across to the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Grazing animals help maintain areas of open grassland

ROSS HODDINOTT/2020VISION

Full of life

The rich variety of plants is ideal for insects, so healthy grasslands are often buzzing with life.

Flowers attract pollinators like bees, beetles and butterflies, offering protein-packed pollen and sugary nectar. Indeed, grasslands are some of our best places to see butterflies and moths, whose caterpillars chomp on the juicy

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

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CONSERVATION IN ACTION

stems and leaves of grasses and other plants. Some species are particularly picky about their grassland, such as the mountain ringlet, found only on montane slopes in the Scottish Highlands and the Lake District.

The abundant insects in turn attract hungry birds and small mammals, like voles. Strong-billed birds such as sparrows, goldfinches and, in some places, twite also feast on the seeds of plants and grasses. The tussocky structure of meadows provides the perfect nesting cover for birds, including skylarks, yellow

unfertilised grasslands can be home to spectacular displays of colourful waxcaps — tiny, glistening umbrellas of orange, red, green, or pink.

Graze expectations

Left alone, grassland is generally a temporary habitat. Over time it develops into longer grass with brambles or bracken, then scrub, and eventually woodland. These are all important habitats in their own right, but support different species to wildflower-rich grasslands. To stay grassy and open, most

“The tussocky structure of meadows provides the perfect nesting cover for birds, including skylarks, yellow wagtails, and larger birds too.” wagtails, and larger birds too. Redshanks, lapwings, and especially curlews use the tall herbage to hide their nests.

It’s a complicated story underground, where the roots of many species grow deep into the soil to find nutrients, using fungi on their root hairs to draw these up into the plant. These are swapped in turn for the sugary products of photosynthesis from the plant’s leaves.

This kind of relationship is common in low fertility habitats, but is much rarer for grasslands that have had lots of fertiliser applied, and hardly present at all under arable crops. Some old, unploughed and 18

grasslands need the influence of grazing animals. In the UK this comes from a variety of herbivores — rabbits and hares, geese, deer, and more often domesticated goats, sheep, cattle, and horses or ponies.

Grazing can be a by-product of farming for meat and milk, or it can be done purely with wildflower and habitat conservation in mind — sometimes, with the right animals, it can be both. While most grazing will help prevent grasslands developing into scrub, the seasonal timing of grazing and the density of animals play a part in determining the end result.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

The choice of animal is important too, as different species and breeds have different food preferences and feeding styles. Overgrazing can be very bad for grasslands, preventing flowers from growing and damaging the soil.

Wildlife Trusts across the UK undertake conservation grazing to preserve precious meadows and other vital habitats, using livestock to replicate more traditional farming methods, or the herds of large herbivores that would once have shaped the landscape. This is also a key component of rewilding initiatives, which seek to reinstate natural processes. Allowing animals to roam over a large area and browse or graze at will generally reduces grazing pressure. This intermittent grazing, or light grazing over a period of time, can allow a mosaic of scrub, trees and grassland to develop, providing a wider variety of habitats for wildlife.

The grass is greener on the wild side

Grasslands have a big role to play in battling the climate crisis. They have a huge potential for locking up carbon, thanks not only to the diversity of plants but also their relationship with the fungi in the soil. The UK’s grasslands hold two billion tonnes of carbon in their soils, but this carbon can be easily released by human activities. From 1990-2006,

CONSERVATION IN ACTION

Grow your own grassland

The state of grasslands across the UK is in flux. The loss of the basic payment scheme for farmers, dramatic changes in weather patterns and the rising cost of fertiliser and fuel are creating pressure on the livestock industry. Some are opting for smaller animals and lower

input systems, some for more ploughing and reseeding, while estates may opt for rewilding options.

The Wildlife Trusts are helping to safeguard and enhance our native grasslands. We are working to restore meadows, both on our nature reserves and with farmers and landowners, as well as introducing wildflowers and pollinator friendly habitat into school grounds and urban areas, and providing inspiration and advice for anyone wanting to change the grasslands in their local area.

Grasslands are so ubiquitous, we often take them for granted. Nearly any grassland, if given the chance, can offer much to the smaller creatures that live near us: the birds, mice and voles, the butterflies, moths, spiders, beetles and flies, not forgetting the tiny soil fauna and fungi that help power the whole system. Even a private garden can make a difference to local wildlife, so let some of your grass grow longer and leave wildflowers to flourish. Try ‘No Mow May’ in 2023, then sit down for a few minutes and watch your own tiny Eden.

Get tips for making the most of your green space at wildaboutgardens.org.uk

COASTAL MARSH © TERRY WHITTAKER/2020VISION; BOWBER HEAD FARM © STEPHEN TROTTER; COOMBE BISSETT DOWN © ASHLEY WHITE

14 million tonnes of CO2 was released as grassland was converted to arable farmland. It’s vital that our grasslands are managed sensitively to lock in carbon and keep it in the soil.

Having healthy fungal networks in the soil also reduces the need for fertilisers, which are often produced using carbonemitting manufacturing processes.

Deep rooted scrub, trees and grassland are better at combatting field run off triggered by the high intensity rainfall we are all experiencing in our climate emergency. Bare ground left over winter in arable systems has a loose surface that can be swept away into our rivers and seas, carrying with it high levels of nutrients that throw nature off balance.

Grassland varieties

Here are just three of the types of grassland you can find in the UK.

Coastal grazing marsh

Occasionally flooded grassland, crisscrossed with ditches of fresh or brackish water, and seasonally grazed by livestock. Perfect for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl.

See it for yourself at: Howlands Marsh, Essex Wildlife Trust

Lowland chalk grassland Thin, low nutrient soil over chalk rocks promotes a huge diversity of plants. Regular grazing keeps the grass short. Famed for its orchids and butterflies.

See it for yourself at: Yoesden, Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust

Northern upland hay meadows

Found in sub-montane climates, where non-intensive hay production creates dense grasses and herbs.

See it for yourself at: Bowber Head Farm, Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Grasslands are home to rare insects like the large blue butterfly Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

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6 places to see

WOOD ANEMONES © MARK HAMBLIN/2020VISION

woodland wildflowers

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

hen it comes to woodland wildflowers, there’s one plant that hogs the headlines – and it’s easy to see why! Bluebells are undeniably beautiful, carpeting the forest floor in a swaying sea of violet-blue petals. They flower around April and can be an indication that you’re standing in an ancient woodland. But they aren’t the only wildflowers that grace our woodlands each spring.

You could find the ground coated with wild garlic, scenting the air with that unmistakable aroma, or wood anemones with star-shaped flowers balanced atop long slender stalks. Combine these colourful carpets with the soundtrack of singing birds and you have an idyllic spring scene.

See the spectacle

for yourself 1

Straidkilly, Ulster Wildlife As well as the usual collection of beautiful spring wildflowers, including bluebells, this secluded woodland is home to some stranger plant life. You could spot three species of parasitic plant: toothwort, bird’s-nest orchid, and yellow bird’s-nest.

Where: Carnlough, BT44 0LQ 2

Hetchell Wood, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust This tranquil retreat on the edge of Leeds comes alive with wildflowers in spring. There are carpets of bluebells, wood anemones, and wild garlic. Look out for the pink towers of toothwort, a strange parasitic plant.

Where: Near Wetherby, LS14 3AL 3 Roundton Hill, Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust Many people visit for the invigorating hike to the hill’s summit and its breathtaking panoramic vistas, but each spring the woodland on Roundton’s lower slopes becomes swathed in glorious spring flowers, from pretty lesser celandine in March to luminous bluebells in May. Where: Near Churchstoke in Powys, SY15 6EL Launde Woods, Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust You’ll find amazing displays of spring wildflowers beneath the ancient trees of Big Wood, on the west of the reserve.

There are wood anemones, bluebells, wood-forget-me-not, sweet woodruff, and primroses to name just a few.

Where: Launde, LE7 9XB 4

5 Shadwell Wood, Essex Wildlife Trust The oxlip is a precious gem in a treasure trove of wildflowers gracing the floor of this ancient woodland in north-west Essex. Oxlips are only found in a few pockets of woodland in the UK, where their beautiful clusters of yellow flowers can be seen popping up in April.

Where: Saffron Waldon, CB10 2NB 6 Lower Woods, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust One of the largest ancient woodlands in the south-west, rich in wildflowers like bluebells, wild garlic, and wood anemones. As well as early purple and greater butterfly orchids, keep an eye out for the understated flowers of herb-Paris.

Where: Near Wickwar, GL9 1BX

Did you spot any wildflowers?

We’d love to know how your search went.

Please tweet us your best photos! @wildlifetrusts

FAMILY WITH DOG © TOM MARSHALL

ere at The Wildlife Trusts, we know how important it is that everyone has the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature.

Across the UK, we look after around 2,300 nature reserves to help ensure that no matter where you live, you can enjoy a walk on the wild side. But nature can be sensitive. There are animals that are easily disturbed, plants at risk of trampling. Sometimes we have to impose restrictions to keep wild places wild.

Our communications recently have had a real focus on getting this message out to the public. We know our members are wildlife lovers that truly care about nature, so we wanted to highlight some of the issues that you’re helping us prevent by respecting nature reserves and the special species they protect.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Spring 2023

ROT PROPERTY

Paws for thought Dogs are our most popular pet, with an estimated 13 million in the UK. They bring companionship and joy to their owners. They also lead people to be more active and spend more time in nature, which is great! But unfortunately for both us and wildlife, dogs and nature reserves aren’t always compatible.

Even the most mild-mannered of our four-legged friends is still shaped like a predator, and that’s exactly how wild animals see them. A dog is a potential threat. Even if the dog doesn’t chase birds, squirrels, deer or other animals, its presence can cause them to stop feeding, become stressed, and even temporarily abandon a nest. Many birds nest or feed on the ground, where they’re vulnerable. When a dog is off lead and wanders away from the path, it has the potential to disturb even more wildlife.

Man’s best friend can directly influence wild places too. Chemicals in flea treatments can leach into ponds, lakes, and rivers, harming wildlife. And dog poo isn’t just unpleasant to stand on, it also adds nutrients to the soil. Wee does the same. This can be disastrous for rare plants that are adapted to low nutrient levels. As the soil nutrients increase, these plants are crowded out by nutrient-loving plants like nettles. A recent study on Belgian nature reserves estimated that each year dogs add an average of 11kg of nitrogen and 5kg of phosphorous per hectare. Picking up the poo can reduce these numbers dramatically.

Fungi can be a feast for wildlife

Slim pickings Last autumn some Wildlife Trusts had issues with gangs of foragers sweeping through nature reserves, gathering bags of fungi. Wild foraging can be fun and useful (if you know what’s safe to eat), but it can lead to problems for wildlife and wild places if done too frequently. Picking mushrooms isn’t generally bad for the fungus itself, as they’re seasonal fruiting bodies, but lots of people roaming in search of them can lead to plants being trampled and ground compacted.

There are plenty of animals that feast on fungi too, from flies to mice and deer — so it’s important that some are left for nature’s foragers.

The heat is on The Wildlife Trusts’ Changing Nature report highlighted that climate change is increasing the risk of wildfires on our nature reserves. Hot, dry springs and summers turn heathlands, grasslands and forest floors to kindling. A single discarded cigarette or a barbecue is all it takes to ignite a blaze that can destroy acres of vital habitat for wildlife.

Rare reptiles, protected plants, endangered insects, and ground-nesting birds can all be lost. But these fires don’t just harm wildlife, they also release huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere and damage the ability of wild places to help fight the climate crisis. So thanks for packing a picnic instead and helping us spread the message.

We hope this helps explain the need for restrictions in some of our wild places. Many Wildlife Trust nature reserves welcome dogs on leads, but some are so sensitive they need to be dog free entirely — so please check before you travel. Thank you for helping keep our wild places safe and setting a great example for other visitors..

FIGHTING FIRES © JASON SMALLEY, NATUREPL; NIGHTJAR © DAVID TIPLING/2020VISION; BIRCH BOLETE © AMY LEWIS;

Ground nesting birds like nightjars are especially vulnerable

Love wildlife? Keen photographer? Then enter our photo competition!

Berkshire Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust

Wildlife Photography Competition 2023 This is your moment to shine. Share your photos of the natural world for a chance of winning top prizes and to feature in our 2024 wildlife calendar.

Overall winner: Top-of-the-range camera and A3 canvas print of your winning photo.

Category winners: Workshop with Steve Gozdz of GG Wildlife Experiences, copy of BBOWT’s 2024 wildlife calendar, café voucher, and certificate.

Runners up: Calendar and certificate.

Highly commended: Café voucher and certificate.

Schools: Children and teen entrants can also win nature books for their school!

Submit up to four photographs across 12 categories: 1. Children (ages 6-11) 2. Teens (ages 12-17) 3. Flora 4. Fungi 5. Insects and Arachnids 6. Birds 7. Mammals 8. R eptiles, Amphibians and Fish 9. Nature Reserve Landscapes 10. Team Wilder (individuals and communities acting for nature) 11. People in Nature 12. Urban Nature

Lucy Colston (runner up, Teens category, 2022 competition)

Full details on our website: bbowt.org.uk/photocomp23 Entry is free and the closing date is 1 September 2023