August Wild Life News In Brief

Wild Life Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

NEWS IN BRIEF

Learning from lockdown Reserves round-up Take action for insects

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

hiwwt.org.uk

Welcome Welcome to Wild Life News in Brief, where you’ll find the latest updates from our nature reserves and some simple ways you can help wildlife at home.

Turn to page six and discover how you can take action for insects – these small but mighty animals prop up the ecosystem, and it’s vitally important that we ensure their survival.

Beavers are also part of the rich tapestry of our natural world, and these amazing, formerly native herbivores could play a major role in nature’s recovery. The initial findings from a study we commissioned to explore the possibility of a beaver reintroduction on the Isle of Wight are very promising. But to secure their future we need the government to publish a national beaver strategy for England. If you would like see beavers bounce back, show your support at: hiwwt.org.uk/beaver-strategy

In the last issue of Wild Life we asked what changes you’d like to see maintained once normal life resumes after lockdown.

On page seven we share the results, and how we plan to use them as part of our campaign for a wilder Hampshire and Isle of Wight. Thank you to everyone who took part, and to all of our members for your ongoing and invaluable support.

Staying in touch We’d love to keep in touch. Sign up to our weekly e-newsletter at hiwwt.org.uk/newsletter You can also see what the Trust is up to via our social media channels: Facebook: facebook.com HampshireandIsleofWightWildlifeTrust

Twitter: @HantsIWWildlife twitter.com/HantsIWWildlife

Instagram: @hantsiwwildlife instagram.com/hantsiwwildlife

YouTube: youtube.com/user/HIOWWT

If you have any questions or comments, please email us at: membership@hiwwt.org.uk Cover image: Southern damselfly © Chris Button

Wild Life | NEWS IN BRIEF

Learning from lockdown Lockdown has forced us to make drastic changes to how we live, and as a result many of us have started to question the patterns of behaviour that were once ingrained in our day-to-day lives.

In the last edition of Wild Life we asked what kind of changes you would like to retain once normal life resumes. Now the results are in, and they reveal an overwhelming appreciation of local green spaces, as well as a desire to protect them.

We will use this new information to shape future campaign demands for policy makers, and to help local employers create happier and more sustainable workplaces.

97

%

68

%

of respondents said that nature has been important for relieving stress during the pandemic.

said that they will drive less than they did before.

87

%

said that employers should ensure that staff have access to nature.

85

%

said that they are more likely to help wildlife where they live.

Debbie Tann, Chief Executive Officer at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: “It’s encouraging that local people are keen to stick with some of the habits that will help nature recover. There is also a clear message for governments, local policy makers and businesses – people want to better balance the needs of people and the planet, and we must now ‘build back’ in a way that creates a healthier, wilder future and facilitates green recovery.”

Starling © Ben Hall/2020VISION

NEWS IN BRIEF | Wild Life

Reserves round-up While many of our normal activities have ground to a halt, for wildlife it’s business as usual. Here’s what’s been happening on a selection of nature reserves across our two counties.

Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve

Reserves Officer Chris Lycett

“Swanwick Lakes has been extremely busy over the lockdown period, seeing many more visitors and, unfortunately, some antisocial behaviour. Despite this, wildlife is thriving. Dragonflies have been hugely successful in the warm conditions, with large numbers of broad bodied chasers and four-spotted chasers. This year has seen more downy emeralds than usual, and our summer butterflies are now on the wing with meadow browns and marbled whites in the meadows and large skippers and white admirals in the woodland glades.”

Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve

Senior Reserves Officer Bob Chapman

“It was strange to be working through lockdown, the sunniest spring on record, but with almost nobody about!

I felt slightly guilty about being able to experience such a spring when most people were so restricted. It was great for insects, and lots of birds had a good nesting season, except for our ground-nesting birds - they suffered as some visitors kept going into ‘off-limits’ areas. On the water, the common tern rafts did well, with lots of chicks making good use of the shelters.”

Wild Life | NEWS IN BRIEF

Summer meadow © Mark Heighes

Reserves Officer Ellie Green

Senior Reserves Manager Jamie Marsh

Barton Meadows Nature Reserve

Newchurch Moors Nature Reserve

“It has been another wonderful spring at Barton Meadows. The meadows always look fantastic in full bloom with ox-eye daisies taking centre stage and the invertebrates making the most of the pollen.

Skylarks are still breeding successfully on the nature reserve and I have seen my first orchids since the site’s establishment.

There were at least 20 white helleborines in May and several pyramidal orchids in June.”

“We’ve been busy preparing the floodplain meadows so the cattle can graze there over the summer, and we have also been carrying out some species surveys. Currently, we have an invertebrate survey underway, which has already identified a number of rarities, including ruby-tailed cuckoo bee.

Watching scarce chaser dragonflies and kingfishers flying over the nature reserve have been particular highlights this year.”

Roydon Woods Nature Reserve

Forestry Manager Martin Boxall

Image of Jamie Marsh © Ian Pratt

“Roydon has been extremely busy recently and the level of litter has shot up, but we have had some true local heroes step forward to help. One gent took on the role of ‘dog poo fairy’, regularly removing discarded bags of dog waste, and a local family visit the reserve daily to litter-pick as they walk. The increased pressure on our reserves has made it a difficult few months, but nature is carrying on. Fallow deer have been born on-site, nightjars have arrived to breed, and otters swim in the southern reaches of the Lymington River.”

NEWS IN BRIEF | Wild Life

Action for

insects Insects are amazing. They pollinate our crops, provide food for much of our wildlife and dispose of our waste! Yet 41% of them face extinction. The good news is that it’s not too late to help. Here are five simple ways you can take action for insects.

Go chemical free Weed killers and insecticides are freely available to buy, but they harm insects and destroy the habitat they rely on.

Growing without harmful chemicals takes a bit more thought and planning but, by harnessing nature’s natural defences, a happy balance between predator and prey can be found.

Create a water source Ponds are important sources of water and nourishment for insects, from dragonflies to water boatmen. Even a small, shallow pebble pond or upcycled washing-up bowl will help.

Choose plants that provide food for insects Prioritise nectar-rich flowers and choose native, locally grown trees and plants where you can. Plan your planting so there is something in flower, leaf or fruit throughout the year.

Keep some grass long A short-mown lawn doesn’t offer shelter or much food for insects, but allowing it to flower in midsummer will provide them with a rich bounty.

Allow ‘insect safe’ spaces Cracks in walls, rockery piles and corners of sheds will all provide safe spaces for insects to hide from predators, breed, and shelter during poor weather.

Complete our online form and download your free guide at: wildlifetrusts.org/take-action-insects

Wild Life | NEWS IN BRIEF

Grasshopper © Jessica Hilton

30

d l i W s y a D

Despite the restrictions that we faced throughout June, this year’s 30 Days Wild campaign was a roaring success. More than 22,000 people took part in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, and throughout the month people connected with the natural world in some really inventive ways.

We saw participants cooking with hand-picked herbs, making greetings cards with natural materials, painting wildlife themed pictures, writing poems about nature, litter-picking, wildflower planting, pond-digging, and all sorts of other wonderfully wild activities.

The Big Wild Weekend went ahead with a digital twist, and participants joined us online for a weekend of music, campouts, and quizzes.

If you took part in 30 Days Wild and enjoyed it so much that you can’t wait until next year, visit our website for inspiration and ideas so you can stay wild all year round! hiwwt.org.uk/30-days-wild

NEWS IN BRIEF | Wild Life

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Wildlife Trust

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Hampshire & Isle of Wight