WINTER 2021
WWW.DURHAMWT.COM
News
Butterfly survey in 2021 Supporting our supporters
Reserves
Rainton reedbed gets underway
Conservation
Healing Nature & Naturally Native Seascapes Discover Brightwater Where the past and future meet
3 4 5 6 7 8 10
Campaigning
Making green greener 12 Working with us to secure a wilder future 13
National
Sunflower power Rebugging our homes
14 15
If you would like to opt in to receiving a digital copy of Wildlife Durham instead of your printed copy, please email mail@durhamwt.co.uk with your name and membership number and we will update your preferences.
WINTER 2021 ISSUE The United Nations climate conference in Glasgow was in full swing when the content for this edition of the magazine was put together, and the Trust has been reviewing its own climate impacts in recent months. It’s no surprise then, that climate and carbon feature prominently in this issue.
T
he term ‘climate emergency’ is becoming more and more prevalent, but thankfully the fact that we are also facing an ecological emergency is now also recognised. The two issues are very closely linked – destruction of habitats, such as deforestation or draining of wetlands, kills wildlife and leads to increased C02 in the atmosphere. A changing climate increases pressure on habitats (think wildfires, extreme weather) accelerating the loss of wildlife. However, measures to address the climate emergency don’t necessarily prevent the continued loss of wildlife, but they can. Why develop engineered solutions to remove carbon from the atmosphere – that take up land and resources to build – when you can plant a tree? Society can tackle both the climate and ecological emergencies with nature-based solutions, which is why you’ll also see information in this issue on Durham Wildlife Trust’s work to create and restore habitats, and make sure people are at the heart of that effort.
VISITOR CENTRES Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve Chilton Moor, Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear, DH4 6PU. Tel: 0191 584 3112 The Meadows Coffee Shop Angela Watson and Team. Tel: 0191 512 8940
This has been a difficult year for many, but hopefully 2022 will be the start of a nature-based future.
Low Barns Nature Reserve Witton-le-Wear, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 0AG. Tel: 01388 488 728 Low Barns Coffee Shop Angela Watson and Team. Tel: 01388 488 729
Jim Cokill Director
Paper: FSC accredited, 100% recycled uncoated Design: Edmundson Design www.edmundsondesign.com
Printed by: North Wolds Printers Cover Image: ‘Vole in a hole’ by George Rockett
MANY THANKS TO ALL OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS FOR THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT
Gold Members
Northumbrian Water Northern Gas Networks Vine House Farm Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd.
2 | WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021
Silver Members Wienerberger GlaxoSmithKline Fusion for Business
Partners
ACM Environmental
Bronze Members
Simon Berry Optometrists Down to Earth Garden Care Spincraft Holidaycottages.co.uk Airedale Forestry Ltd
NEWS
Butterfly survey in 2021 by Nick Jobson Between April and September, the Washington local group undertook a butterfly survey, attempting to cover the whole of the Washington New Town area.
E
ach member was given a specified sector (or sectors) to cover, and a minimum requirement set of two visits over the six month period. We didn’t achieve the full coverage hoped for, but did record a total of 20 species, including the more unusual finds of dingy skipper and brimstone. The latter was recorded by a volunteer at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, who gave us some excellent detailed data covering all of the survey period. The observations have been recorded on the ERIC North-East database which we will be looking at and interrogating later. Poor weather in May meant a sluggish start to the survey, but good spells in June and July certainly helped.
Grant funding support for young conservationists
I
t’s an exciting time for young people with a passion for wildlife. Two new Conservation Trainees will join the Trust, thanks to support from ALA Green Charitable Trust and the Government’s Kickstart scheme. The trainees will get hands-on work experience out on the reserves with the conservation team and volunteers, as well as completing accredited training. This generous support will help to train and inspire the next generation of conservationists, helping them to find employment in the environment sector. Thanks to a Large Community Grant from ‘believe housing’ more young people can now join the Nature Rangers and Young Rangers to make a difference for wildlife at Low Barns and in their local area around Crook, Willington, and Bishop Auckland. The Rangers have a go at practical conservation tasks and surveying wildlife, as well as meeting new people and having fun. Rainton Meadows Young Rangers have also had a funding boost with support from the Coalfield Healthy and Active Teens fund from Sunderland City Council. This means that there are sessions every fortnight at Rainton Meadows so more young people from the surrounding area can get out and discover local wildlife.
In 2020, the group conducted a small-scale butterfly survey covering the coast-to-coast (C2C) cycle path through Washington, about five miles in total. This survey produced 13 species which included large skipper. Unfortunately, this species eluded us in 2021, which was frustrating, but we were nevertheless pleased with our total of 20! Each participant was given a standard butterfly guide for identification purposes, with funding for the purchase provided via the ERIC Small Grant Award scheme.
Looking to the future
M
ore than 40 members attended the 2021 Annual General Meeting of Durham Wildlife Trust in October, where they were given an overview on the performance of the Trust over the past year, plus updates from our conservation team, including details of new nature reserves which have been secured as part of our 50th anniversary campaign, and the latest from the Healing Nature project (more on that on page 6).
There was also a special guest appearance from Craig Bennett, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (the national body that represents all the Wildlife Trusts across the UK). Craig talked about how the Wildlife Trusts will be delivering nature’s recovery, locally and nationally, and how individual Trusts, as locally-based nature conservation charities, can play a vital role in addressing the climate and ecological emergencies through the 30 by 30 campaign. Find out more: durhamwt.com/campaign/30-30 WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021 | 3
NEWS
Supporting our supporters After five years as the Membership Development Officer, Durham Wildlife Trust is pleased to announce that Emily Routledge has taken on a new role as Supporter Development Manager. Many of you will already know Emily and the great work she has been doing looking after our members and growing the Trust’s membership. Supporter Development Manager is a completely new role within the Trust, and will see Emily take on a broader role supported by a newly appointed administration apprentice, Megan Thornton. In the wider remit of this new position, Emily will continue to develop the Trust’s membership, while also recognising the essential role of volunteers at Durham Wildlife Trust. Emily will be improving the way the Trust looks after all its supporters, whether members, volunteers or donors, and there will be lots of work behind the scenes making sure that administration and communication is delivered to the highest standard. We want all members and volunteers to have the best possible experience when they choose to give the charity their support.
Leave a gift to wildlife
Gifts in wills are a wonderful way for your passion for wildlife to live on and ensure that future generations can enjoy the wild places you love. Having an up-to-date will is so important, giving you and your family peace of mind. If you don’t have a will, or need to make changes, we can help. Through a new partnership with EMG Solicitors, Durham Wildlife Trust members can access a discounted will writing service with a local solicitor.
Find out more: durhamwt.com/legacy
As ever, you can contact Emily with any queries about the support you give Durham Wildlife Trust on 0191 584 3112 or by emailing membership@durhamwt.co.uk
Connect with Nature
at a Durham Wildlife Trust event
Our programme of events will bring you and your family closer to wildlife.
Woodland Reindeer Trail RAINTON MEADOWS AND LOW BARNS NATURE RESERVES, 17-23 DECEMBER Take your little ones on an outdoor adventure. Follow the clues and map to navigate the nature reserve and complete our fun festive quiz.
Find out what is coming up on our website:
durhamwt.com/events 4 | WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021
Pick up your trail sheets from our visitor centre shops, open 10am-3pm each day. £2 per child.
RESERVES
An update from around the reserves, by Mark Dinning
Rainton reedbed gets underway O
ctober saw ground being broken on the latest addition to wetland habitats at Rainton Meadows. The new one hectare reedbed has been made possible by funding from Biffa Award, Sunderland City Council, Northumbrian Water, Heritage Concern Foundation, the Hamamelis Trust, and E.ON Great Eppleton Wind Farm Community Benefits Fund via County Durham Community Foundation. Work will be ongoing through the winter to develop habitats that will provide a home to species including otter, reed bunting, reed warbler and starling.
Wear Wetlands As part of wider partnership work with the Environment Agency and land owners, change is coming to the mid-Wear. This winter will see the delivery of the first of what is hoped to be a number of habitat improvements along the mid-Wear corridor. Starting with work at Durham Wildlife Trust’s Low Barns Nature Reserve to remove excess silt from Marston Lake, which has built up and is now preventing effective water level management. Scoping work will also be carried out to begin to evaluate the impact the collapsed ford across the Wear has on the river’s morphology, with a view to the potential removal of the structure in 2022. It is hoped that continued funding in coming years will be used to restore many of the water-dependent habitats along the river from Stanhope to Bishop Middleham.
Mark Dinning
Head of Conservation
Community Conservation Returns Our successful Community Conservation citizen science project is returning in spring 2022, with lots of opportunities to get involved. Understanding how some often overlooked species are responding to climate and habitat change in our county will be one of the main tasks for 2022. Previous years have seen amateur wildlife enthusiasts undertake surveys to support conservation of the dingy skipper butterfly, identify important dragonfly sites, and get up close with Emperor moths through the use of pheromone lures. The focus this spring will be two overlooked moths - the red-tipped clearwing and the large red-belted clearwing. The red-tipped is associated with water stressed willow, a key component of many habitats along the mid-Wear wetlands. The large red-belted has seen a significant population decline in the last ten years, even though it is associated with the widespread silver birch. Surveys will also be investigating the Brimstone butterfly, developing long-term monitoring of this species and its larval foodplant, the alder buckthorn. For more details visit: durhamwt.com/community-conservation
Red-belted clearwing moth by Margaret Holland
New base for Rangers and schools at Low Barns This winter, a new base for the Nature Rangers and Young Rangers will be unveiled at Low Barns. Situated overlooking Marston Lake, this will be an easily accessible glass-fronted hide, only a few yards from the visitor centre. Designed to provide a base for the Ranger groups, and when not in use by the Rangers or schools, also offer visitors a comfortable view of the bird life on the lake throughout the year. The hide is being delivered thanks to funding from Northumbrian Water, Weardale Area Action Partnership, and the Scotto Trust. WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021 | 5
CONSERVATION
Healing Nature
Phill Catton
Healing Nature Project Manager
by Phill Catton
T
ick, tick, tick. Unbelievably, that’s the sound of the clock already counting down to the end of the Healing Nature project. In many ways, it feels as though we have only just started, but a lot has happened in the last nine months. Three thousand hours of staff and volunteer time has been spent on project sites, carrying out work to improve these important greenspaces for wildlife and people (also raising the profile of the project within local communities), and more than 650 people and 340 school children have been connected to nature through our delivery of events. Meanwhile, the team has grown, with the addition of four trainees who started in July and have been fast-tracked through a comprehensive training programme to give them the skills and certifications necessary to pursue careers in land management and conservation.
Between now and the end of March next year, there is a lot planned. We will be planting a hectare of woodland near Lobley Hill; creating 600m of hedgerow on land in Chopwell; and planting thousands of wildflower bulbs in Jarrow. On top of this, there will be scrub clearance for the benefit of grasslands; new fence lines and kissing gates on sites to enable future grazing; and, of course, the ongoing programme of talks and events. There may not be much time left, but there are still many ways to get involved. Drop an email to healingnature@durhamwt.co.uk if you are interested in volunteering with us, or if you would like to be added to the Healing Nature mailing list to get the latest project news and information on events. Stay up to date on the Healing Nature project: durhamwt.com/healing-nature
Naturally Native by Kirsty Pollard, Naturally Native Project Manager
W
ith winter now upon us, the Naturally Native Team have hung up their water vole survey forms and shifted their attention to habitat improvements. Results from the 2021 surveys and habitat assessments, along with our survey focus areas for 2022, will be published in the spring, but in the meantime, Durham Wildlife Trust is encouraging some of its younger supporters to get involved in efforts to save the water vole. We know how important it is that future generations understand the importance of the natural environment, and Naturally Native provides an opportunity to do that. Over the summer months, an education specialist has been working with the Trusts to develop a programme of environmental and ecological-themed lessons for secondary school students, which target learning about native wildlife – such as the water vole – and environmental threats, including discussions around invasive species and impacts of climate change and pollution. Currently, we have 20 lessons on offer, all linked to different parts of the curriculum. 6 | WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021
For those young environmentalists who want to step beyond the classroom, Naturally Native has started a Young Rangers Group for 14 – 18 year-olds. With monthly weekend meetings, there will be a wide range of activities on offer, including making practical improvements to water vole habitat; learning different survey skills for riparian mammals (field signs, use of cameras and understanding how trained conservation dogs can be a useful tool for water vole surveys); as well as animation workshops to develop a water vole awareness campaign. Find out more: durhamwt.com/naturally-native Our thanks to Project Manager, Kirsty Pollard, who has recently gone on maternity leave. Kelly Hollings (pictured left) has joined the team to cover Kirsty’s leave.
Have you ever held a crab? And can you tell whether it’s male or female?
CONSERVATION
Dorinda Kealoha Intertidal Interactive Officer
Well, just over 500 children can say ‘YES!’ to both those questions, as they took part in the SeaScapes Intertidal Interactive Project activities and events this summer. For some of those children it was the first time they’d been to the beach, and it gave them an opportunity to feel the texture of seaweed and giggle as shore crabs ran across their open palms.
B
etween May and September, more than 700 people joined the SeaScapes team on the Tyne to Tees coastline to explore and discover our natural heritage and wildlife: • There were weekly Beach Tots sessions at South Shields, where toddlers and their adults enjoyed sensory learning activities using sand, pebbles, seaweed and shells. •
Almost 400 school pupils participated in our North Sea Explorer workshops, learning about our coastal heritage and surveying the rocky shore habitats at Whitburn, Hendon, Seaham, Hawthorn Hive, and Hartlepool headland.
•
A new group of young volunteers, called the Beach Rangers, aged 14-18, met up monthly at Roker Pier. The Rangers carried out beach cleans and rocky shore surveys, learning all about the marine life that lives in our coastal habitats and taking action to help protect it.
•
Children weren’t the only ones to have fun, as there were many chances for adults to get involved too. There were walks and talks on coastal wildlife and geology, as well as volunteering opportunities.
•
Our new volunteers received training from the SeaWatch Foundation, in how to identify cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and carry out surveys. So far, 29 surveys have been submitted, with many sightings of bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises!
•
SeaScapes also worked with Newcastle University’s Dove Marine Lab to deliver training in surveying methods for our new Intertidal Survey volunteers, who will help us identify and record the various seaweeds and rocky shore animals that live on the Tyne to Tees coastline.
A whale of a time was had this summer, and there’s more to come as the SeaScapes Intertidal Interactive Project will be delivered over the next three years. During autumn and winter, the Beach Rangers will continue to meet monthly, and there will be snorkelling lessons for school children in local swimming pools. For adults and families there will be more walks and talks, some online and some outdoor, where you can learn about shorebirds, seals, cetaceans and more – visit www.durhamwt.com/events for further information. If you would like to become an Intertidal Interactive Project volunteer please email dkealoha@durhamwt.co.uk for more details, and join other volunteers surveying shorebirds, coastal plants and invertebrates, cetaceans and intertidal species. Full information on SeaScapes can be found at exploreseascapes.co.uk Follow us:
Explore SeaScapes
@tynetotees
@tynetotees
WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021 | 7
CONSERVATION
Discover Brightwater For those who don’t already know, Discover Brightwater is a £3.3 million Landscape Partnership Programme, supported by all you National Lottery players via the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The partnership is led by Durham Wildlife Trust, and it’s our ambition to restore, reveal and celebrate the catchment of the River Skerne in southern County Durham and Darlington. That’s our Bright Water Landscape, where the project partners have been tasked with delivering more than 19 individual projects and more than 40 separate activities by summer 2022.
The River Skerne Much has been done to improve habitats along the river, which is straightened and over-deepened by dredging over much of its length. Work in the channel has improved flows, creating riffles and faster-flowing sections that slow sedimentation and create better habitats for fish. We have already completed more than 15km of river improvements, and we are currently working on another 6km between Holdforth Bridge and Bishop’s Fen, with other improvements to a stretch of river in central Darlington.
8 | WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021
Wetland restoration projects are improving the health of the water environment across the Skerne catchment by providing a ribbon of restored wetland habitat along the river corridor. Our project will restore a minimum of 40ha of floodplain, grazing marsh, fen and reedbed habitats. We are currently in negotiation with landowners to see if we can support improvements to another 60ha by the time the project comes to a close. Read our latest river updates here discoverbrightwater.com/the-river-skerne
CONSERVATION
Digging up the dirt on our past
Song of the Skerne
In addition to our wildlife work we’ve also a range of archaeology and arts projects. So, if you like mystery, history, and hands that get blistery finding out what our Brightwater Roman and Medieval ancestors got up to... then read on.
Young people in Darlington have been working with professional composer Sarah Freestone, lyricist Katie Doherty, and musicians from Opera North, to create and record a brandnew piece of music, inspired by the Skerne.
Archdeacon Newton
On 7th November we were able to enjoy the live premiere of the music, performed by the choir of Durham Music Service with the orchestra of Opera North, at a fantastic concert at the Darlington Hippodrome.
This summer, archaeologists from The Archaeological Practice, along with volunteers, have excavated a deserted medieval village on the east and north-east side of the present settlement of Archdeacon Newton. County Durham contains some of the best-preserved medieval village earthworks in the country, but very little investigation of these sites has taken place. This excavation will help us uncover the site’s history, foundation, growth, and reasons for desertion. So, you’re intrigued by the discoveries at Brightwater? Then do have a read of our latest magazine – the special archaeology edition is bursting with finds we unearthed around the patch. We literally unlocked the secrets of Sedgefield when we discovered an 1800-year-old iron key. There’s our ‘Wonder -wall’ dig in Bishop Middleham, and we got to grips with a deserted village and our very own medieval ‘mafioso’ in Walworth. Read our magazine online: discoverbrightwater.com/getting-the-right-message-out
The Durham Ox
Three hundred school children from Aycliffe Village and Firth Moor Primary schools have written, illustrated, and now published their very own book! With the help of Darlington author and illustrator, Liz Million, the budding writers and artists have produced the storyline, artwork and characters to help tell the tale of the Durham Ox and his astonishing ability to travel in time!
Roam from Home
The Brightwater team has designed an initial selection of ten walks that are suitable for a range of ages and abilities. The guides are available to download from www.discoverbrightwater.com/roamfromhome
Wooden Sculpture Trail
Together with our friends at Hardwick Park and Groundwork NE & Cumbria, we have commissioned Lee and Jill, from LJB Design, to create a fun and exciting wooden sculpture trail. It has been recently installed, and we are currently completing the trail and leaflet to accompany it. Each of the carved sculptures represents the wildlife found in our local area. The trail leads visitors to discover all of the beautiful sites throughout Hardwick Park and then on to Durham Wildlife Trust’s new nature reserve – Bishops Fen.
They’ll also be available to pick up from multiple venues across the patch over the coming months. Walking is a great way to explore the patch, to discover and celebrate its beautiful landscape, wildlife and history. Do follow us on social media, or better still, sign up to our newsletter via our website to receive updates about the Discover Brightwater programme and information on opportunities to get involved…
discoverbrightwater.com WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021 | 9
CONSERVATION
Where the past and future meet The edge of an ancient woodland, with SSSI status, is an unlikely place for cutting edge energy research, but that is exactly what is happening at Northern Gas Networks’ InTEGReL* site next to Thornley Woods near Gateshead. Durham Wildlife Trust has been working with Northern Gas Networks (NGN), our region’s network gas supply company, for a number of years, and NGN were conscious that the development work it was carrying out at InTEGReL needed to consider the impact on the local environment. To get the best possible advice and support, NGN turned to Durham Wildlife Trust and the charity’s consultancy arm, Durham Wildlife Services, to analyse site conditions and develop the environmental mitigation work needed to provide Biodiversity Net Gain across the facility. The story of InTEGReL is a fascinating one, and the extensive research and innovation being delivered there, designed to support homes and industry meet the UK government’s Net Zero ambitions. Heating homes and powering industry with gas is currently responsible for more than 30 per cent of the country’s carbon emissions, and is recognised as one of the more challenging areas to decarbonise. Hydrogen can play a key role as, unlike the natural gas we use today, it doesn’t produce any carbon when burned and this, alongside energy efficiency measures and new digital and energy related technologies, can provide the right solutions for a wide variety of customers and industries to support a fair transition to Net Zero for all.
10 | WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021
* Integrated Transport Electricity and Gas Research Laboratory
Developing hydrogen for heat This year at its InTEGReL facility, Northern Gas Networks, in partnership with fellow gas distributor Cadent, and the Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), has built two ‘Hydrogen Homes’ – the first homes in the UK to showcase the use of 100 per cent hydrogen appliances for domestic heating and cooking. For the first time, members of the public can visit the unoccupied houses, which are fuelled by hydrogen instead of natural gas. The homes are installed with 100 per cent hydrogen appliances including boilers, hobs, cookers and fires. Visitors can interact with a range of appliances which look and feel like those they use today, and operate in the same way, but are compatible with a Net Zero future. Although a full hydrogen conversion may sound futuristic, there is another innovative and unique project at the InTEGReL site, which is already bringing hydrogen to the public, right now for the very first time. NGN is a partner in HyDeploy, a project aimed at demonstrating that blending up to 20 per cent hydrogen into the natural gas supply can heat homes without any change experienced by the customer. This is possible because current gas appliances are already compatible with a blend of up to 23 per cent hydrogen. In August 2021, the community of Winlaton, close to the InTEGReL site, made history when it became the first community to receive a blend of hydrogen and natural gas on the public gas network.
CONSERVATION
The 668 homes, along with the local primary school, church and shop, are all successfully using the blend with no impact on how they use gas. Whilst 20 per cent blends won’t achieve Net Zero, demonstrations such as these are an important stepping-stone to kick-start mass hydrogen production. At InTEGReL, a purpose-built hydrogen grid entry unit blends the hydrogen into the natural gas network.
The first project planned to utilise this new development will focus on exploring energy efficiency technologies that can make a material difference to the energy consumption of the home. Working with National Energy Action and Newcastle University, the technologies will be installed and tested over a 12-month research period, to gather feedback and understand how they perform.
The Government recently published its Heat and Buildings strategy which sets out aspirations for the use of hydrogen in the coming years. The strategy aims for a neighbourhood to receive 100 per cent hydrogen by 2023, and a village of 1,000 to 2,000 properties by 2025. In addition, the Government has set out a plan to make a decision about whether hydrogen blending will be implemented across the UK in 2023, a decision which will be informed by the Winlaton pilot.
Future projects are also looking more broadly at solutions for heat, considering which technologies work best in different environments, to identify the most affordable and suitable clean home energy solutions for different house types. New digital technologies and new low carbon heat systems such as hydrogen boilers, heat pumps, and infrared heat, will all be tested. The Customer Energy Village seeks to further understand the best decarbonisation solutions and support customers as they consider how they might reduce their carbon footprint, whilst driving down their energy bills allowing them to make well informed decisions on the best technologies for them.
The Trust’s Role
From the start of their work at InTEGReL, NGN realised that the project would only be truly sustainable if it delivered gains for nature, as well as innovation to help the UK and wider world deliver a fair transition to Net Zero. Both the climate and ecological emergencies are real and require action. The work delivered by Durham Wildlife Services put in place the plans needed to ensure that the Low Thornley site was richer in wildlife after the InTEGReL project was delivered than it was before. Durham Wildlife Trust’s role will be to deliver the improvements on the ground. The development of InTEGReL as a centre of research into the future of energy is planned to continue with another ground-project already designed. Along with partners including Newcastle University and North East Energy Catalyst, and funded in part by North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP), Northern Gas Networks has designed a unique ‘Customer Energy Village’ which it is hoped will be located next to the Hydrogen Homes. This planned development is reflective of the millions of properties that exist across the UK, which were built in different eras, but will still be home for millions of families in 2050. Once built, the nine unoccupied homes would be used as a test bed for different technologies to address the Government’s challenging target of Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050, and will increase understanding of which energy solutions are best suited to different housing stock. The Customer Energy Village design replicates different types of housing seen throughout the UK today. The village consists of three 1910 terraced homes, two semi-detached 1930s houses, a 1950s bungalow, two flats from the 1970s and a detached home from the 1990s, to represent the complexity of the UK’s building stock and the decarbonisation challenge.
This autumn, volunteers from both organisations spent a day beginning the transformation. Expertly led by Durham Wildlife Trust Woodland Officer, Peter Downes, and his team, volunteers spent time managing the woodland planting that had been done on-site in the past. Glades were formed, creating space for ground flora to thrive, and an area where school groups visiting the site can learn about the wildlife of the local area. The team also prepared areas for future tree planting, which will increase the range of native species on-site. Prep work was also done for the creation of a pond and wetland area, increasing the biodiversity of the site and creating interesting new spaces for visitors to explore as they visit the research projects. More volunteer days are planned to deliver further work, including sowing wildflowers to enhance the grassland areas on-site. As the new habitats establish, the InTEGReL facility will not just be a great place to undertake research and innovation, but a great place for wildlife too. The Hydrogen Home is now open for visits which can be booked by emailing hydrogenhome@northerngas.co.uk WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021 | 11
CAMPAIGNING
Making green greener How is Durham Wildlife Trust addressing its carbon footprint? As Head of Operations and Development, it is my job to make sure that Durham Wildlife Trust is the most efficient organisation that it can be. Obviously, our commitment to reversing the ecological crisis is clear, and many of the things we do work towards addressing this. But what about the climate emergency – and whether doing our part to address that will also make us a more efficient organisation that can do more for wildlife? The climate and ecological emergencies are obviously closely linked, but the solutions can sometimes look very different. Addressing climate change can feel like a huge and daunting job, so Durham Wildlife Trust needed a plan as to how we were going to play our part.
Crunching the numbers First of all, data is the key. Our initial step was to gather information on where we are now, in order to work out where we could make most improvements. Funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery, via The Wildlife Trusts nationally, enabled the Trust to enlist the services of Genee¹ to help us with data collection and collation. This data has also contributed to the national Wildlife Trusts carbon footprinting exercise. The Trust is also part of the North East Climate Coalition and VONNE² Climate Action Alliance, which has been a brilliant support in helping organisations like ours to get our house in order. Through this, we are also able to share our journey with other voluntary and community organisations and contribute towards a toolkit and supportive networking sessions. To get started, we collated all our internal data for staff and volunteer mileage and commutes; numbers of grazing animals; electricity and water use; fuel consumption for trust vehicles and equipment; and consumption of office supplies. This is known as Scope 1 and 2 carbon data. We did this for 2019/20, and we are in the process of repeating the exercise for 2020/21. The comparison will be interesting with fewer miles travelled and offices closed due to Covid lockdowns. But this comes with its own challenges too – how do we take account of home working in our carbon calculations?
12 | WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021
Zoe Hull
Head of Operations and Development
Easy wins, challenges and next steps A quick and easy change for us was moving to 100% renewable energy and replacing all our bulbs with LEDs. More challenging things are our heating systems in the offices. At both Rainton Meadows (electric storage heaters) and Low Barns (oil fired boiler), the systems are outdated but very expensive to replace, so any investments need to be made carefully to ensure they deliver savings and reduce our carbon footprint. With the data gathered, we are working alongside the experts at Genee to produce a carbon reduction strategy and action plan to look at practical changes we can make. Some will be straightforward to implement, but others will require real cultural change across the Trust, so will take longer to implement and will probably be harder to measure. We will also need to consider the carbon impact of our nature reserves. Some may sequester carbon over the long term, but doing major works on them - for instance excavation to create wetland habitats - might have a negative carbon impact in the short term. But this isn’t a quick-fix project. We are taking our time and doing things properly because we want to make permanent and sustainable change. In order to make our limited funds work for us in the most effective way, it is important to think longer term; for instance, reducing our energy consumption permanently, not simply moving tariff. The Trust will keep you updated on our plan of action and progress, in the hope that by sharing our experience you can take something from it and make some positive changes at home or work. 1. Genee is a not for profit environmental consultancy which was established by the North East England Nature Partnership. 2. VONNE is the regional support body for the North East Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector
Working with us to secure a future for wildlife We have been delighted with more interest than ever in our corporate partnership opportunities. Every business we work with has its own unique reason to work in partnership with Durham Wildlife Trust. Companies come to Durham Wildlife Trust because we are the local experts – they can see the impact that their support is having, visit the sites that they support and address some of their own environmental impact at the same time. In turn we can extend our work through their financial support but also through volunteering and having expertise gifted in kind.
Two of our new partners are supporting specific sites Fusion for Business have become a Silver member of the Trust, supporting the grasslands at Rabbitbank Wood near Consett, donating to support an acre for every new client that they take on. Chris Charlton, CEO of Fusion for Business says: “Doing the right thing for our people and our planet is at the forefront of our business strategy. Bringing positivity and sustainability to the Consett area is of utmost importance, now more than ever.”
CAMPAIGNING
ACM Environmental is part of the UK’s largest Zero Waste business (the Reconomy Group). Their client, Smithers Oasis, in Washington, has joined their ‘Greener Path Programme’ which helps businesses transform their waste operation in line with Circular Economy principles. They have committed to support the development of new tree planting at Milkwellburn Wood.
Become a Corporate Member Designed to suit your company’s needs, our business membership packages allow you to select the level of support which best suits your organisation. Bespoke options are also available. Whichever package you choose, you will be supporting the work that the Wildlife Trust does to protect wildlife and promote nature conservation in County Durham, the City of Sunderland, and the Boroughs of Gateshead, South Tyneside and Darlington. Contact zhull@durhamwt.co.uk for more information
Go wild at work
Plan your next team get-together at a venue that’s a little less ordinary.
Wild Work Days
Help us to manage our reserves: putting in fences or hedgerows, cleaning up a beach, creating a new pond or planting reeds.
Wild Wellbeing Days
Offer time and space for your team to connect with nature. Join us for wild yoga, forest bathing or a mindfulness walk. Our on-site coffee shops can provide a fantastic breakfast or lunch buffet as part of your day. Find out more: zhull@durhamwt.co.uk
WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021 | 13
NATIONAL NEWS
This September marked the first anniversary of 30 by 30, our vision for 30% of land and sea to be restored for nature by 2030. In the past year we’ve launched some inspirational projects to restore land for nature, from saving meadows for mountain pansies in Shropshire to restoring rhos pasture in Radnorshire — marshy grasslands home to rare butterflies, curlew and snipe. Thanks to your generous support, we will continue to bring nature back across the UK — to link up wild places and protect and repair others.
waders, wildfowl, and rare insects and plants, and establishing England’s first large-scale community rewilding project, on 170 hectares of land near Bere Regis, Dorset. Discover more of our 30 by 30 projects at wildlifetrusts.org/ 30-30-30
Our latest projects include securing more land for nature in Somerset’s Avalon Marshes, an internationally important wetland landscape home to
UK HIGHLIGHTS Discover how The Wildlife Trusts are helping wildlife across the UK
1
2
3
1 Great news for gulls Gull chicks have fledged at South Walney nature reserve for the first time since 2015, thanks to a new predator-proof fence. Since 2017, no chicks have survived longer than a week, but this summer Cumbria Wildlife Trust recorded over 100 large and healthy chicks of lesser black-backed gulls and herring gulls – a red-listed and declining species. Find out more at wtru.st/Cumbria-gulls
2 Tadpole triumphs The northern pool frog has been successfully reintroduced to Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Thompson Common, the last place it was recorded before its extinction in Britain in the 1990s. Since 2015, more than 1,000 pool frog tadpoles have been released on the site, with early indications promising that the frogs will form a self-sustaining population. Learn more at wtru.st/frogs-return
Vine House Farm grow over 100 acres of sunflowers
Sunflower power
Birdfood suppliers, Vine House Farm has generated £2 million to support the conservation work of The Wildlife Trusts. For the past 14 years, The Wildlife Trusts have been in partnership with the wildlife friendly farm in Lincolnshire, with a percentage of each purchase of their bird seed going to local Wildlife Trusts and helping wildlife across the UK. This year saw the contribution pass the impressive milestone, with the Covid-19 pandemic prompting more people than ever to purchase food for their garden birds. Vine House Farm grows 400 acres of bird seed crops, including the ever-popular sunflower seeds, as well as being a haven for wildlife in itself, with a thriving population of tree sparrows and other farmland birds. Learn more at wtru.st/2-million 14 | WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021
3 Jelly jeopardy Cornwall Wildlife Trust supporter Ian Watkins spotted the unusual sight of a whiting trapped inside the bell of a compass jellyfish, whilst on a walk during National Marine Week. Juvenile fish often hide amongst jellyfish tentacles for protection from predators, but are occasionally stung and eaten.
Sunflower © Matthew roberts, Whiting inside of jellyfish © Ian Watkin & Cornwall Wildlife Trust, snipe © Andy Rouse/2020vision
Big vision, high ambition – a year of progress
Rebugging our homes Vicki Hird has been working on environment, food and farming issues for over 25 years. She explores more insect stories in her new book, Rebugging the Planet: The Remarkable Things that Insects (and Other Invertebrates) Do — And Why We Need to Love Them More
I
’ve always loved bugs, from the ants in my garden to the huge rhinocerous beetles that wander our woodlands. Concerned by their alarming signs of decline, I’ve tried to share my love and encourage everyone to do what they can to help save them. We can all benefit — humans and bugs alike — by rebugging our lives and homes; starting with how we think about and view bugs, to how we eat, garden, what we buy and even how we talk about them. Wildlife is all around us: it’s not just out in the countryside, in woodlands or other remote wild places. It’s in our towns, our gardens and even our homes! Here I explore — and celebrate — some of the tiniest housemates that have moved in with us, either permanently or just for a short stay (and that you might not even know about)…
Sharing your space
Your home and garden can be wonderful places, and not just for you. Thousands of creatures, visible and hidden share these spaces with you. From the fly catching spiders sheltering in the corners of your bedroom, to the worms wriggling through your garden soil, the teeny pollinating wasps in your window box, and the cavity-nesting tree bumblebees tucked into a gap in your eaves. Not only do these creatures live peacefully and often unnoticed around you, but they also contribute much to your life. They are gardeners that help your flowers flourish, farmers that lend a hand with your home-grown veg, and bouncers that get rid of other less welcome house guests.
Nooks for nature
The cracks and crevices around our houses are hugely important for our bugs. They serve as everything from a nesting place for bees and wasps, to a lurking space for others. One species that may move in is a centipede. Centipedes, whilst harmless to us, use their huge jaws to feast on other bugs you won’t want around like silverfish, carpet beetle larvae, and cockroaches. Globular Springtail, Centipede © Alex Hyde Nature PL
Several species of spider thrive in houses
They will hide in cracks around your house, in drains and damp dark spaces. If you spot a centipede scurrying from its hiding place, take a close look as they are fascinating to watch.
Eight-legged lodgers
Do you shudder with fear when you see a spider? It’s worth giving that reaction a rethink, as these wonderfully diverse and useful creatures are very unlikely to harm you. You are a far bigger threat to them and if you can resist the urge to hurt them, that’s a great start. Your home and garden provide cosy spaces for these handy housemates. Spiders make great neighbours as they munch through huge volumes of insects each year including ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches, aphids, flies, and even fleas. They are food too for your garden birds. Welcome the spiders with open arms (even if it is at arm’s length)!
The hidden underworld
Your garden soil is home to many more critters than worms. The soil, in which we grow most of our food, is created largely by the guts and jaws of worms, mites, springtails, termites, beetles and many more. If you can imagine the soil as a cooking recipe, the bugs basically do all the cutting, grating, mashing, grinding and, given their role in moving fungus and microbes about, they ensure fermentation happens too. They also help draw down air, water and nutrients; your flowers, grass and spuds would not grow without the huge array of hard-working hidden beasts beneath your feet. WILDLIFE DURHAM WINTER 2021 | 15
House Spider © Stephen Dalton Nature PL
NATIONAL NEWS
Winter Gifts
You can support wildlife as you shop with our great range of gifts
Eco Card Company Cards
Adopmt aalnpack Ani
£2.99 each
pack £25 per
Help us continue our work to build safe spaces for North East wildlife by choosing an Adopt an Animal gift box.
Beautiful, wildlife-inspired cards with fantastic green credentials.
The packs are available for the following species: owl / otter / dolphin / hedgehog
Give the gift of membership
from £2.50 per month
Help us continue protecting wildlife from Tees to Tyne.
e d i u g e s Conckis boo each £6.99
Beautifully illustrated pocket field guides, packed full of information on a marvellous variety of wildlife.
Bird Seed Mixes
from £ag4 per b
Our range of bird seed is from Vine House Farm Bird Foods, home grown on their wildlife friendly farm in Lincolnshire. We stock a variety of mixes.
Order online at
www.durhamwt.com/shop
Also available from
Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve Chilton Moor, Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear, DH4 6PU. Low Barns Nature Reserve Witton-le-Wear, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 0AG.
