Sbp newsletter spring 2013

Suffolk Biodiversity Project Partners’ News Spring 2013

In this issue:

Partners News Condition monitoring County Geodiversity sites Non-native invasive plants in the Stour Valley. Let’s Get Recording!

Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project news Environment Agency Challenges and Choices Consultation Online recording with Suffolk BRC Havergate Island hits the headlines Grass verge cutting by Suffolk County Council Monitoring change at Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Grove Farm U3A group provides a valuable resource for monitoring wildlife Suffolk Biodiversity Partnership News Information and news Funding opportunities Local news National news What’s on SBP information

Page No. 1 3 4 4 5 8 9 10 11 13 14 14 17 20 25 27

PARTNERS NEWS Condition Monitoring County Geodiversity Sites Caroline Markham

GeoSuffolk continues its programme of condition monitoring the 23 public County Geodiversity Sites (CGS) which it has designated over the last two years. 19 sites have been monitored to date and all have achieved ‘good’ or ‘green light’ status; they are all top quality, well-managed geodiversity sites with good public access. The joint Natural England, GeoConservationUK, Geology Trust guidelines however, have four categories of ‘good’! Four CGS, recently visited, illustrate the way GeoSuffolk uses these categories.

GOOD DECLINING The sarsen stones at the Stoke Bridge Pocket Park in Ipswich are particularly fine examples of these Tertiary concretions. They were dredged from the bed of the River Gipping in the 1970s and the three large ones, set in place as standing stones by local sculptor Bernard Reynolds form an impressive display. They have always been vulnerable to graffiti and other defacement, and recently this has increased to the extent that the two largest stones have permanently lost some of their geodiversity interest. During our February 2013 visit, GeoSuffolk considered the surface

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details of these two sarsens to be beyond rescue. The site achieved good declining status. Good, because there are many other stones with good surfaces and the impressive size of the two largest is still evident, and the declining epithet has been used because management to restore the detail of these two is desirable but not possible.

GOOD STEADY The Coralline Crag pit on the Orford Castle site has been designated a CGS for its exposures of the ‘Rock bed’ which shows large scale cross-bedding. This 4 million year old Pliocene deposit is unique to Suffolk and this is one of the very few exposures with public access. It is part of the English Heritage Orford Castle Scheduled Ancient Monument and may have supplied the Coralline Crag building stone seen in the ceilings, fireplaces and the altar in the Castle. A 2-3m exposure of Coralline Crag ‘Rock Bed’ can be seen along the top of the pit, but talus has built up at the base over the last few decades, but could easily be removed and the pit restored to its former condition. GeoSuffolk visited in February 2013 and assessed it as good steady – management is possible and required to restore it.

GOOD IMPROVING The well at the Long Shop Museum in Leiston was constructed in the late 19th C for water supply to Garrett’s ironworks on the site and for Leiston town. The well with a borehole at its base extends down more than 400 feet through the Crag, London Clay and Lower London Tertiaries into the Chalk, which is our basement bed (and still supplies much of our water) in Suffolk. It survives today as part of the museum with the original well log, detailing the geology, mounted on the wall beside it. The well has undergone remedial work recently, making it sound for some time to come and the GeoSuffolk visit in September 2012 gave it good improving status – management had been undertaken to maintain in good condition.

GOOD Christchurch Park CGS was designated for its rockery of sarsen stones believed to be from the 19thC excavation of Ipswich Dock. Also, the springs supplying landscaped ponds at the junction between sand/gravel/Red Crag and the impermeable London Clay have been given CGS status.

The GeoSuffolk site visit in March 2013 allocated good status to all of these features – they are in excellent condition and well managed.

The Coralline Crag pit at Orford Castle showing a 2-3m exposure of Crag with vegetated talus below.

Clearing the talus (as at Rockhall Wood SSSI in November 2012 – see SBP Newsletter Winter 2013) would improve the site for public viewing of the Coralline Crag.

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Non-native invasive plants in the Stour Valley. Let’s Get Recording!

Matt Holden, Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project Event Organiser: Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project Date and Time: July 3rd 2013, 7pm to 9pm Location: The Granary, Quay Lane, Sudbury, Suffolk. CO10 2AN Cost: Free Extra Information: Tea, coffee, cold drinks and biscuits/cake will be provided at the event This is a training and informative event on the key Non-Native Invasive Plants (NNIP) in the River Stour catchment*, including Himalayan balsam, floating pennywort, water fern, giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed as well as other potentially threatening NNIP. The event will be examining the ecology of these species and will be looking closely at how to identify and importantly how to report NNIP. The event would be ideal for anyone who has an interest in the outdoors and who spends a lot of time out and about in the Stour Valley. This could include naturalists, practical conservation volunteers, navigation enthusiasts and walkers. A key part of the event will be to demonstrate to attendees how they can report any sightings of NNIP that they might come across in the future using a simple online recording form. Guidance on this will be provided by Ben Heather from Suffolk Biological Records Centre.

The event forms part of a wider project being organised by the Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project in conjunction with the Environment Agency. The aims of the project are to raise awareness of NNIP, prevent their spread, assess their distribution and implement control/eradication activities.

If you would like to attend the event or would like any further information on the project then please get in contact with Matt Holden at the Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Project: Email: Dedhamvale.project@suffolk.gov.uk. Tel: 01473 264263.

The Stour catchment covers the main river catchment all the way from Wratting in Eastern Cambridgeshire down to Manningtree as well as the catchments for all of the main tributaries including the River Box, River Brett, Chad Brook, Stour Brook, Chilton Brook, Belchamp Brook, River Glem and Bumpstead Brook. *********

Look on page 8 to find out who’s using these strange constructions on Havergate Island!

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Dedham vale AONB & Stour Valley Project news Stour Valley Environment Champions Eight businesses have now signed up to the supporter’s scheme with a further 3 expressing an interest in joining the scheme. Members seek to raise awareness about the Stour Valley and support environmental projects in the area. Further information > Sustainable Development Fund The panel awarded grants to 11 organisations to a total value of c£26,000. Details of the awards will be made public after the election moratorium period at the AONB’s host organisation. A further round of applications will be sought as the fund for 2013/14 as there up to a further £14,374 to be allocated.

Staffing News Simon Amstutz is going on secondment to the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB as interim manager until March 2014. Katherine Potts is increasing her hours as Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley manager.

To view the DVSVP newsletter >

Environment Agency Challenges and Choices consultation If you only have 30 seconds to learn about Challenges & Choices, read this: 1) We want to know what people in Anglian region think the significant issues are that affect the water environment, how to solve them and in what order.

2) The consultation starts on the 22 June 2013 and runs for 6 months until 22 December 2013.

3) We want to maximise engagement and collaboration. Please let as many of your contacts as possible know about this consultation.

4) The consultation document has specific information about the issues affecting each catchment.

5) Consultation information will be available from our website. In Suffolk please contact Will Akast, Catchment Delivery Manager at will.akast@environment-agency.gov.uk for more information.

What is the Challenges & Choices consultation?

We want to engage with communities and partners about how to improve the water environment up to 2021 via the next River Basin Managememt Plan (RBMP). The consultation asks: • What are the main issues affecting the water environment?

• What are the best solutions to these issues and what should we tackle first?

When will it happen?

From the 22/06/2013 to the 22/12/2013.

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Where can people see the consultation information?

On the Environment Agency website or in Suffolk please contact Will Akast, Catchment Delivery Manager at will.akast@environment-agency.gov.uk We need to ensure the decisions to improve the water environment are made collaboratively and at a catchment level.

How can I help?

By raising awareness of the consultation through your networks and encouraging them to respond.

Why is public participation essential?

We are interested in the views of all parts of society and sectors.

• We can’t produce the second RBMP alone and need to work in collaboration with others to arrive at the right solutions.

Online recording with Suffolk BRC Ben Heather, SBRC

In brief: • www.suffolkbrc.org.uk/public_html/recording • Create and submit biological records to SBRC and the NBN gateway online • Record any wildlife • Create records using an interactive form incorporating Google maps for creating grid references and the NBN taxon dictionary for spelling-proof species input • Hosted in conjunction with iRecord • Submit pictures to support verification • Register with iRecord to explore other species recorded and edit your own records The last couple of years have seen the emergence and growth of the term ‘citizen science’. As a concept, it has really taken off and we need to see citizen science, not as a dumbing down of biological recording, but as an opportunity to enthuse a new generation of naturalists. This shift towards a citizen led approach has seen the need to make biological recording both more accessible and more interactive and has led to the Suffolk Biological Records Centre realising the need to embrace new technologies.

With the help of the national BRC and their pioneering website iRecord we now can offer an online recording service on our website. iRecord has been developed in conjunction with, and making use of, something called Indicia which is a new and evolving toolkit of web code. It has given iRecord, and now us, the chance to host very interactive forms, with things such as Google maps and the NBN taxon dictionary built in.

At this stage, it is worth stressing that, like all new technologies, there have been a few teething problems getting set up and dealing with such niggles as understanding how cookies are stored for iframes in different browsers. To break with this jargon, seemingly alien to many as it was to me, it is worth making clear that our online recording service will, like the technology and our understanding of it, evolve over time.

The recording section of our website can be found by navigating to our home page and clicking on the recording link on our main menu or by simply going to the following URL www.suffolkbrc.org.uk/public_html/recording. Treat this page as a portal to different ways of

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recording and it is here where I plan to feature other methods of recording in the future. On this page you will find instructions on how to use iRecord forms on our website as well as how to send in records to SBRC in the traditional way, by downloading, populating and sending in a spreadsheet. We do not want to discourage recorders who are already using our ideal spreadsheet, as for many, this is still the best way to send in large quantities of records.

On our recording page under the online recording heading there is a set of instructions on how to register and or sign into an iRecord account. There is no obligation to do this and you can send records in by skipping this step, but we do recommend it. By having an account with iRecord you will be able to login and review any records you have made, change their details and even delete them if you have made a mistake. It also means that we can provide feedback about records, they can be better verified and that you can explore what other people near you have recorded.

When you register and login to iRecord be sure to click ‘remember password’ (when prompted by your browser) this will enable our website forms to remember who you are when you navigate back to them in the future. This is a major benefit of being a registered user, time is greatly saved as there is no need to enter personal details every time you want to make a record, as with any record, we still need the ‘who’ piece of information to go with the ‘what, where and when’ to make it valid.

The forms on our website have been set up on a three tab basis. The first tab asks for personal information (which is skipped once you have logged in), the second asks when and what and the third asks for where. A step-by-step pdf presentation on our website goes through the forms stages in more depth, but in general, each submission from a form allows you to submit one or more species records from one location and place in time.

The key and most useful parts of the online recording form are based around the method for selecting species and assigning the grid reference. On the second tab (first if you are logged in) the species input is linked to the NBN taxon dictionary. When you start inputting a species name, either in Latin or English, the form starts to guess and suggest possible species (see fig.1). Once the species you want is listed, all you need to do is click on it and this is then input on the form.

This method ensures that there are no spellings mistakes and also makes sure that the right scientific name is selected, which helps later on when data is exported into the SBRC dataset and onto the NBN. Also on the “What did you see” tab you can specify certainty, quantity, sex and stage parameters, add details of anyone who helped with your identification, add a record comment and even submit photos to help with the verification of your record.

Fig.1 – Entering Species into the SBRC recording form.

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When you login to iRecord by following the links you will see that there is a whole raft of different recording forms available, apart from ours, and you can use nation-wide based forms when visiting other parts of the country. However, once logged in with iRecord you should be able to use the forms from our recording page (please choose the option that agrees with your browser) as a registered user. The forms featured on our website are tailored to making records in Suffolk.

On the third tab (second if your logged in), the form incorporates Google maps to provide an easy portal to select the grid reference for your record. You can of course enter your own grid reference and the mapping interface will serve to confirm that your grid reference is accurate, or not (see fig.2). Clicking on the map will bring up a grid square (and a corresponding grid reference will be input), the form will then encourage you to zoom in and click the map again to select a smaller grid square. This process continues until you have an 8 fig. grid reference (or 10m square).

However, you don’t have to submit all records with this level or accuracy as it is not always possible and you can also swap to aerial photography to help define your location.

Fig.2 – Creating a grid reference with the SBRC recording form.

Also on the “Where was it” tab you search for locations, add habitat information and, if you are logged in, you can save sites you frequently visit to save time when inputting in the future. Sites can be as large as you like, for example Alton Water, or as small as you like, for example pond 1 at a specific site.

On the iRecord website http://www.brc.ac.uk/iRecord/ you will also find a variety of inputting forms (as well as ours), which may come in handy for recording when you visit other parts of the country, however, please use the tailored Suffolk recording forms on our website to input your Suffolk records and also let us know what you think.

This article has hopefully covered the main features of our new online recording section and a walk-through presentation can be found on our website to take you through the process of adding a record step by step.

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In the ideal world we hope that spending 5 minutes inputting records via our recording form directly after a day out on site can get into the routine of every active wildlife officer in the county. www.suffolkbrc.org.uk/public_html/recording Ben Heather, Biological Records Officer (GIS) ben.heather@suffolk.gov.uk

Havergate Island hits the headlines

Ian Barthorpe, RSPB It’s been a busy few weeks on RSPB Havergate Island. The island is becoming increasingly well known as one of the best places to reliably see brown hares in the UK. While the hares are easily seen on any visit, many people understandably want to visit during the spring, when there’s the chance to see the hares boxing.

This interest led to a visit from TV presenter Ellie Harrison and the BBC Countryfile team. Retired ex Havergate warden, John Partridge joined them too. John and his farther, Reg, had managed Havergate between them for about 50 years, so John was perfectly placed to recount stories of Havergate’s interesting history, while Kieren and Aaron showed Ellie the charismatic hares.

The programme was broadcast on 13 April, just days after a very successful three day event to watch the hares. A few days later, Havergate again hit the headlines when it was selected as one of Visit England’s 101 things to do before you go abroad – one of only two Suffolk entries in the list!

This increased profile for Havergate led to the wardens scheduling extra boats for May, June and July. The next available trips are on 20/21 July. Call RSPB Minsmere on 01728 648281 for details.

There’s much more than just hares to see on Havergate, and the island is also a great place to watch spoonbills in summer. These amazing birds have recently established colony in North Norfolk, but despite being regular summer visitors to Havergate for several years, they have never nested. In a bid to persuade them to nest, the wardens are offering a helping hand.

Havergate’s spoonbills are attracted to the large colony of herring and lesser black-backed gulls on the island, but may be deterred from nesting due to the presence of ground predators. To help them, the wardens have built artificial nesting platforms of various heights, creating a small “spoonbill wood”.

Spoonbill platforms at Havergate Island. Photo: RSPB

These platforms consist of tree trunks of varying heights with a large fork in the top, to which planks of wood are attached and birch brash laid on top to form the basis of a future nest. Such artificial platforms have proved success

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for ospreys, white storks and other species, and the hope is the Havergate’s spoonbills will find them equally attractive.

With so much to see on Havergate, it’s perhaps not a surprise that a series of new photographic events have proved very popular. These involve 12 hours on the island with four photographic experts providing one-on-one tuition and catering provided by Pump Street Bakery in Orford. In fact, they’ve proved so successful that June’s event includes an overnight stay on the island.

Grass verge cutting by Suffolk County Council Sue Hooton, SCC

Suffolk County Council is responsible for managing the grass verges on Suffolk's main A and B roads in rural areas (see Suffolk County Council Highways website >). These have the first 1.2 metre width cut twice each year to maintain visibility at junctions, bends and signs although minor roads only receive a single cut in the summer. Many rural verges are wider than 1.2 metres, with vegetation beyond this point remaining largely untouched where wild flowers can flourish.

Any cutting in addition to this width may be carried out by the adjoining landowner, not the County Council. Grass cutting in urban areas and on housing estates is carried out for amenity purposes by District or Borough Councils, and this is more frequent than required for highway safety.

In Suffolk we have a stunning collection of 93 Roadside Nature Reserves (RNRs), situated on highways verges and managed by the County Council. These are a special part of Suffolk’s natural environment and form an attractive feature of our highway network and many local volunteers act as local eyes and ears as voluntary wardens. These RNRs contain some of Suffolk’s rarest wild plants e.g. Crested Cow-wheat and Tower Mustard which are 2 wayside flowers which, according to Plantlife, are threatened with extinction.

Plantlife, the UK’s foremost plant conservation charity has launched a road verge campaign (see Plantlife website >) and the tailored grass cutting of Suffolk RNRs meets Plantlife's "2 steps to good road verge management". Individual management regimes to conserve the special plants may require different timings and for more information on our RNR project, visit Suffolk Roadside Nature Reserves or contact Sue Hooton, Senior Ecologist sue.hooton@suffolk.gov.uk if you know of a stretch of verge with orchids or other rare flowers.

Crested cow-wheat, a summer annual, on one of Suffolk’s chalky boulder clay Roadside Nature Reserves. This fascinating plant has co-evolved with ants which feed the seeds to their larvae and thus aid their dispersal. The plant is Nationally scarce and is just surviving at most of its remaining sites, which are nearly all protected roadside verges.

Plantlife's campaign recommends "Managing these ribbons of grassland just like we do our historic hay meadows, ideally cutting twice (with cuts very early in the year and in late summer), but avoiding the key growing, flowering and seeding period (roughly four months for many species). Ideally, arisings should be removed, if possible. Road verges receive some of the highest dosages of airborne pollutants in the country, and the nutrient rich

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compounds in these can enrich the soil, which allows a small group of guzzling plants such as nettles and cow parsley to grow at such a rate that more specialised plants don’t stand a chance." Therefore to conserve flowers such as the nationally scarce Sulphur Clover, an early cut to knock back any dominant vegetation on RNRs is essential and if other plants, such as Cowslips, are affected these will flower again within a few weeks and set seed before the Autumn cut.

Tower mustard grows in grassy places and disturbed ground on free draining sandy soils over chalk in Breckland and in the south of England. It is a tall plant, sometimes growing up to 4 feet high. It is a UK Priority Species, classified as ‘Endangered’, but is thriving in some appropriately managed Suffolk sites.

Monitoring change at Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Grove Farm Juliet Hawkins, Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s farmland and pond adviser

Suffolk Wildlife Trust acquired Grove Farm in Norton, near Bury St Edmunds, when it was generously left as a legacy by Laura Cooper in 1995. It has six mostly small, winter-cropped arable fields totalling 45ha along with 17ha of species-rich cattle-grazed marshes, designated as County Wildlife Site. In 2010 SWT successfully applied for a ‘Million Pond Project’ grant to create nine new ponds to add to the 11 existing ponds at the farm. The Trust has also recently agreed exciting new changes with Natural England to its ten-year Higher Level Scheme (HLS) agreement. This HLS scheme will help SWT’s enthusiastic new farming tenants, the Barker family from Westhorpe, by providing management payments for new, more challenging options that aim to help reverse the decline in key farmland birds and rare arable flora.

In February, SWT was awarded a Suffolk Naturalists’ Society grant to help study the various changes in wildlife that will occur in the forthcoming years at Grove Farm from the baseline year of 2012. However, this monitoring project is also an experiment in harnessing the enthusiasm of volunteers from the local Blackbourne group of the University of the Third Age (U3A) with the following specific aims: 1. To study how quickly rare arable flora returns to arable fields following a change in the management of arable field margins and the introduction of winter stubbles. The chalky boulder clay in Suffolk is known to be important for rare arable flora. With a change from conventionally farmed land to the introduction of overwintered stubbles and spring and autumn cultivated margins, specifically aimed at benefiting rare arable flora, there is an opportunity to monitor the changes from a baseline year.

2. A study of how quickly Biodiversity Action Plan species (great crested newt, toad, grass snake, tassel stonewort) and aquatic invertebrates colonise 9 new (and several restored) ponds from existing ponds. Within this are the following objectives:

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a. To increase local/interested amateur naturalists’ understanding of pond ecology, amphibian, plants and aquatic invertebrates through two training workshops (May & September); collection of data and ongoing feedback/dialogue regarding recorded finds. b. To contribute records that help the understanding of colonisation of newly created ponds. c. To establish whether it is possible to use non-specialist volunteers to help flag up sites of high conservation value which can then be studied further by specialists.

It is early days yet, but SWT is delighted with the progress made: U3A volunteers have been issued with pond nets and sampling equipment; a really well-attended training workshop was held in May; and volunteers have regularly visited Grove Farm to collect data. New volunteers with additional skills such as photography have joined the monitoring team; there are frequently additional observations of orchids, birds and butterflies on the Grove Farm e-grapevine; and aquatic specimens to identify this winter are rolling in. The Wildlife Watching Group of the Blackbourne U3A is fast becoming SWT’s local ears and eyes and Rob Parker’s demonstrates that, in turn, the project is proving enormously rewarding for those involved.

Adrian Chalkely, Suffolk’s Aquatic Invertebrates Recorder, teaching sampling methods to Grove Farm U3A volunteers

U3A group provides a valuable resource for monitoring wildlife Rob Parker

The University of the Third Age (U3A) is a self-help organization of retired citizens, who share expertise through informal learning in groups led by retired professionals, academics and amateur enthusiasts. I lead a “Watching Wildlife” group within the Blackbourne U3A, based at Thurston (near Bury St Edmunds) and covering the geographic area around the River Blackbourne (a former Hundred of Suffolk). The Watching Wildlife Group meets monthly, visiting local nature reserves

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and other sites to see natural history, learn a little and to simply enjoy an outing in the countryside. We number 25 in total and our interests range from farming and gardening, through archaeology, botany, photography and entomology to ecology and biological recording.

Training for monitoring Our closest Suffolk Wildlife Trust nature reserve is Grove Farm, a working farm inherited by the Trust, and recently enhanced by the construction of specially designed conservation ponds. The reserve allows natural regeneration, and monitoring the colonisation of the resultant string of 20 ponds has become a focus for our Watching Wildlife Group.

Some of the ponds are well established; two are dried and overtaken by successional growth of scrub, several of the old ponds were de-silted, others were extended and ten were dug afresh in 2009/2010. 18 of us volunteered to get involved in the monitoring project and attended an excellent training day by Juliet Hawkins (SWT Farmland and pond adviser), and County Recorders Martin Sanford (Flora) and Adrian Chalkley (Aquatic Invertebrates). We split into sub groups to monitor amphibians, flora (of the field margins) and aquatic invertebrates, and shared the load by sub-dividing to cover particular field margins and clusters of ponds in smaller teams.

Martin Sanford, Suffolk’s Flora Recorder, teaching arable flora sampling techniques at Grove Farm training day.

Our photographers got to work recording our antics, the development of each pond and close-up images of everything that required specialist identification. In the case of aquatic invertebrates, it was necessary to take samples to be referred to Adrian for identification to species level, whilst at the other end of the scale, the amphibians could only be handled by those appropriately licensed for the job.

Progress

Four months after our induction we have visited each of the target ponds and field margins.

Smooth newts have been found in almost all of the ponds, both old and new. However, we will have to wait until spring 2013 to have a proper opportunity to search for great crested newts, none of which have yet been found, but are known to inhabit one pond on the marsh edge. By August, common frogs and toads were turning up in the grass margins, sometimes well away from the ponds.

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Butterflies, dragonflies, birds and a few mammals have been noted as incidental sightings and are being recorded centrally.

Learning the aquatic invertebrates was a new task for most of us, but even the new ponds were found to be populated with pond skaters, backswimmers, lesser waterboatmen, whirligig beetles, diving beetles, dragonfly larvae, mayfly larvae and immature stages of flies and mosquitoes. Sometimes a single net sweep would produce any of these plus two or three immature newts too. The common water snails were already present, but leeches and flatworms have been slower to surrender. The problem is that each of these groups contain species which require microscopic inspection to determine. As this is (at present) beyond our expertise, samples are being sent to Adrian Chalkley for expert identification.

The whole process has been absorbing, educational and good fun too. If you think of pond dipping as a pursuit for children, we now have a bunch of senior youngsters.

Botanising is fun too and we are all feeding on one another's knowledge – in the true spirit of the U3A. So, we are progressively assembling an inventory of the natural treasures of Grove Farm, and under expert guidance, achieving the right quality of identification to satisfy the needs of the county recorders and Suffolk Biological Records Centre. This is being done for the benefit of SWT, but not through SWT. Larva of Diving Beetle Acilius sulcatus

The use of retired, non-specialist volunteers as local recorders (under the supervision of County experts), within a partnership between U3A and SWT, is a new venture. This may prove a useful model for use elsewhere and it is certainly providing an enlightening activity for U3A members.

SUFFOLK BIODIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP NEWS  Thank you to all who responded to our Survey Monkey!

We received 172 responses to our Survey Monkey asking for your views on the future direction of Suffolk Biodiversity Partnership. The results can be viewed on our website at www.suffolkbiodiversity.org. These being analysed and we will be taking all your thoughts on board before deciding on our future work streams. Check our website (www.suffolkbiodiversity.org) for next steps and developments.

 Goodbye and ‘Thank You’ to John Davies

We would like to say a huge ‘Thank You’ to John Davies who retired from Suffolk Biodiversity Partnership’s Executive Steering Group and as Countryside manager at Suffolk Coastal District Council in March. He was a founder member of the Partnership in 1998 and has been a highly committed supporter of our work during all the intervening years. Thank you for all your hard work John, we will miss you!

 Suffolk Bats and Small Wind Turbines guidance updated

This guidance has been reviewed after recent published research and a High Court ruling. An updated version can be downloaded here > (PDF 87 Kb) or is available on the SBP website >

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 Waveney and Suffolk Coastal house sparrow project

SBP is delighted to have contributed to World House Sparrow Day on 20th March by funding some colony sparrow boxes for Leiston Primary School. It was a true partnership project brought together at great speed by Steve Piotrowski (Waveney Bird Club), and Andrew Murrary-Wood (Suffolk County Council ecologist). The boxes were made by HMP Hollesley Bay. The whole project was initiated by Stephen and Louise Dean of Waveney Bird Club and, through them, is linked with MGD Girls' School in Jaipur in India where, sadly, house sparrows are also declining. The project will be expanding to additional schools in the future.

 Suffolk Traditional Orchard Group (STOG)

SBP works closely with STOG and information about the group is held within the Partnership’s website. The spring newsletter has just been published; please let Gen know if you would like to receive the newsletter by email, or it can be downloaded from the website here >

INFORMATION and NEWS Funding opportunities Viridor Credits

The Landfill Communities Fund (previously Landfill Tax Credit Scheme) provides funding for community or environmental projects within ten miles of ANY landfill sites (not only Viridor sites).

The Conservation category states: Promotion of biological diversity through: • the provision, conservation, restoration or enhancement of a natural habitat, or • the maintenance or recovery of a species or its habitat on land or water.

10% third party funding from an independent source will be needed e.g. from a local authority, a club, an individual or a charity.

Visit Viridor Credits >

SITA Trust Enriching Nature programme 2013

This programme provides funding for one-year biodiversity conservation projects that focus on a single species or habitat present on the NERC 2006 list of priority species and habitats, with awards of up to £75,000. Applications of a value up to £25,000 are considered as small grant applications. The Trust has allocated £2.25 million in 2013, which will be allocated equally between each of 9 funding regions. Applications are considered once a year with a deadline in January and notification of the outcome in July. The East of England pot was undersubscribed in 2013, so get your landscape scale conservation projects in now!

Visit Sita Trust website >

WREN Biodiversity Action Fund (Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd)

WREN has funded 30 projects in the past 3 years and are looking to fund large projects in Suffolk within 10 miles of ANY active landfill site. The projects should be between £75 k and £250 k.

Deadline for applications: 31 January 2014 (annual deadline) Visit the WREN website >

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Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB can provide funding for local sustainability projects

Do you have an idea for a project that improves the social, economic or environmental sustainability of the Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)? If so, our environmental and sustainable development funds may be able to provide you with financial support.

We’re looking for suitable projects that help the local economy, develop community infrastructure, support biodiversity or help conserve or enhance the AONB in some way. You could be providing environmental education, supporting local producers or reducing carbon emissions in communities. Whatever the project, if it’s local and sustainability-focused then we want to hear from you!

There are three grant options available to you, depending on the amount of funding required, where the project is located, and the type of project you wish to undertake. For more information on the different funds available and the grants they provide, please view the Grants & Funding pages of the AONB website >.

The application process for 2013-14 has now ended. Please contact AONB Funding Officer Cathy Smith by email: Catherine.smith@suffolk.gov.uk or tel: 01394 384948 for further information.

Sustainable Development Fund 2013-14

The Dedham Vale AONB Sustainable Development Fund has grants to award in 2013-14. The fund is money provided by Defra to promote a wide range of sustainable projects that support conservations in AONBs and national parks. The Sustainable Development Fund panel met in April 2013 and awarded grants to 10 organisations to a total value of c£26,000.

Deadline for applications: 1 July 2013 For further information about eligibility and the criteria for applications, visit: Dedham Vale AONB > Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB > Please contact AONB Funding Officer Cathy Smith by email: Catherine.smith@suffolk.gov.uk or tel: 01394 384948 for further information.

Stour Valley Environment Fund

The Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Stour Valley Project has established the Stour Valley Environment Fund (SVEF) to support charities and voluntary groups working to enhance the environment in the Stour Valley. The Fund is managed by the Essex Community Foundation (Reg. Charity No. 1052061).

Several donations have been made to the Fund. The new Fund is both donation seeking and grant giving, and will support voluntary and community organisations working to enhance community life and the environment in the Stour Valley area, on both the Essex and Suffolk sides of the river Stour.

Deadline for applications: 9 September 2013 Visit Dedham Vale and Stour Valley Project >

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Essex & Suffolk Water Branch Out Project

Working in partnership to reconnect habitats for the benefit of people and wildlife This initiative encompasses a number of projects with the aim of helping the region build resilience and adapt to the changing climate whilst bringing benefits to water, wildlife and communities. Our partners include other utility companies, conservation organisations, farmers/landowners, local authorities and the general public.

Project aims must include “linking up habitats, creating new areas for wildlife to use, or finding ways to reconnect people with the natural world around them. “ To find out more visit Essex & Suffolk Water website >

Amenity and Accessibility Fund

The AAF has been set up by EDF Energy to help people enjoy and improve their local environment in the AONB along the Suffolk coast.

Deadline: March 2014.

Visit the Suffolk Coast and Heaths website > Please contact AONB Funding Officer Cathy Smith by email: Catherine.smith@suffolk.gov.uk or tel: 01394 384948 for further information.

Coastal Communities Fund A £23.7 million scheme. The CCF will support the economic development of coastal communities by promoting sustainable economic growth and jobs, enabling people to respond to their changing economic needs and opportunities. Grants of between £50,000 and £2 million are now available and can be used for both capital and revenue projects.

Visit the Communities and Local Government website >

UK Mammals Grants (UK) – People’s Trust for Endangered Species

Applications are invited from organisations needing financial support for mammal conservation work. Grants under £30,000 available. Proposals that address the Priority Research Themes below will be given priority, although proposals addressing other pressing conservation issues will be considered. Funds for work carrying out practical habitat work will only be granted as part of a wider project. Priority research themes: 1. Monitoring mammals – better methods for estimating distribution and abundance – more sensitive methods for assessing population change 2. Habitats for mammals – assessing habitat suitability and connectivity – improving and restoring habitats – habitat management – habitat fragmentation, modification and loss 3. Human impacts and mitigation – climate change – habitat fragmentation, modification and loss – impact of introduced mammals and diseases – roads and other infrastructure – toxic chemicals and pollution.

Deadline for applications: December 2013 Visit PTES website>

British Ecological Society – Research Grants

These grants support scientific ecological research where there are limited alternative sources of funding. Small projects can be awarded up to £5,000 and early career ecologists can apply for funding up to £20,000. BES support projects where there is a clear ecological science focus to the work; any other aspects, i.e. sociology, economics, etc., must be clearly integrated into the ecology and scientific goals of the project. The grants are to support work of the highest international standard and applicants need to show how the work will advance ecological science.

The objectives of the grant are to provide funding:

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for new and innovative ecological research for pump priming projects to help early career ecologists to establish an independent research career in ecology.

Deadline for applications: 17 September 2013 Visit BES website > • • •

100% Fund The 100% Fund is a small grants scheme supporting practical projects carried out by Amphibian and Reptile Groups. All money donated to the fund is awarded to conservation projects with nothing spent on overheads. Projects that include funding from other sources or

involve partnership working are looked upon favourably.

Costs supported include purchase/hire of equipment or payment of contractors’ fees for practical work. The fund does not support administration or training costs or survey work.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

The maximum award is usually £250.

The application form is available from the ARG UK website www.arguk.org Please contact John Baker johninhalesworth@aol.com to discuss options.

If you want to donate to the 100% Fund please contact David Orchard ARGSL@btinternet.com

Paths for Communities Scheme

Natural England has a £2 million grant scheme to develop and enhance the network of Public Rights of Way. The aims of the scheme are: •

to encourage and enable local communities to work with land owners to develop and enhance local public paths in ways that deliver wider benefit;

•

to offer a network with more appeal to visitors and tourists, contributing to the rural economy through better support for local services such as shops, pubs, hotels, bed and breakfasts, equestrian and cycle businesses.

Natural England anticipates funding of £1.5 million will be available in 2013. There will be a wide distribution of awards ranging from £5,000 up to a maximum of £150,000. Grants will normally be limited to 75% of actual costs, with encouragement to seek match funding.

Find out more >

Catchment Sensitive Farming grant scheme

Farmers in England are now able to apply for grants of up to £10,000 form the Catchment Sensitive Farming capital grant fund. Grants are available for carrying out practical works on farms that will help boost the health of England’s streams, rivers, meres and mosses by improving water quality and reducing pollution from agricultural activity. The fund, which is administered by Natural England, operates across England and is available to holdings situated within the CSF project's 79 catchment areas. More than 40 types of project are eligible, including installing water troughs, managing pesticides to reduce groundwater impacts, roofing manure and silage stores and works to keep livestock away from streams.

2013/14 scheme has now closed for new applications.

Visit NE website >

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LOCAL NEWS Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

To find out more about this new group please email EssexSuffolkRT@gmail.com. The organisation has a blog which will be updated with information and progress updates. http://essexsuffolkrt.wordpress.com/ . Projects under development include Fish and eel passage, water availability, land management and flooding and community amenity.

About My Area CO10

This newsletter is focused on the Sudbury and surrounding area (CO10). It includes biodiversity issues as they arise and is updated daily throughout the day. You can follow them on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/AMA_CO10 Visit About My Area CO10 >

Green Light Trust seeks new chair of trustees

The search is on for a new Chair for our Board of Trustees. We are seeking someone who shares our passion for the natural environment and its relationship to peoples’ education, wellbeing and health.

For more information - see Chair of Trustees - Role Description.

Ministry of Justice Biodiversity update

This excellent publication covers the work for biodiversity being undertaken by the Ministry of Justice Biodiversity Delivery Team headed up by Principal Ecologist Dr Phil Thomas. The current issue features the involvement of HMP and YOI Hollesley Bay in the Hollesley Community Jubilee Woodlands. HMP Hollesley has also made house sparrow boxes for an SBP project – see page 11 of this newsletter.

To request the MoJ Biodiversity Update, contact Dr Phil Thomas at phil.thomas@justice.gsi.gov.uk

Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB spring newsletter

The spring 2013 newsletter includes: Green light for Touching the Tide, BALANCE, New year, new money, Deben Estuary Partnership, Holistic approach to Water Management – success for the Deben, Alde & Ore Estuary Partnership, Erosion protection works, Stour & Orwell baitdigging community plea, Working hard to keep it special, Planning in the AONB and Swans at Mistley Download the SCHU latest newsletter >

Famous Five Birds project – Shadow Puppet show

“One of the most imaginative and innovative projects ever launched in East Anglia.”

East Anglian Daily Times

Nutmeg Puppet Company is creating a shadow puppet show about Bitterns, Bearded Tits, Barn Owls, Marsh Harriers, and Nightingales. The Famous Five Birds show will be presented in Diss, Harleston, Bungay, Beccles, Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth, Halesworth and Minsmere Discovery Centre in August and September. The shadow puppet show is part of a Waveney & Blyth Arts project to get children more interested in nature through five iconic birds. The project took top birder Steve Piotrowski, RSPB poet Matt Howard, and shadow puppet maker Meg Amsden into ten local primary schools to run workshops about the five species.

The Project Patron is writer and naturalist Mark Cocker (author of Birds Britannica, Crow Country and Birds and People) and wildlife photographer David Tipling is a Project Supporter. Project partners: Waveney & Blyth Arts, RSPB, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk and Suffolk Biodiversity

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Partnership. Project funded by: Heritage Lottery Fund, Touching the Tide project, the Broads Authority Sustainable Development Fund, Essex & Suffolk Water’s Branch Out fund.

To find out more: pick up a “Celebrate the Waveney & Blyth” booklet; email Jan Dungey at jan@ollandstreet.co.uk; phone 01986 895227 or visit www.waveneyandblytharts.com

“Being green and sustainable can, and indeed does, go hand in hand with economic development” John Dugmore (Suffolk Chamber of Commerce chief Executive)

Delegates at the Suffolk and Norfolk Chamber’s fourth sustainability conference in Norwich heard from Suffolk Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive John Dugmore that firms across the two countries were showing that “being green and sustainable can and indeed does go hand in hand with economic development” and that eco-friendly business practices have become part of the ‘mainstream’. Industry leaders present included Mark Pendlington, chair of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnerships’ Green Economy Pathfinder and Dr John French, chief executive of Adapt Low Carbon Group.

Read the EADT article >

Dedham Vale and Stour Valley Spring 2013 newsletter

Includes: volunteer news, Visitor Guide, events diary, Neil’s notes, news from the valley and Walks guide. Download the newsletter here > The new Dedham Vale and Stour Valley non-native invasive species newsletter can be downloaded from the website > The project’s leaflet on non-native invasive species can be download here > (PDF 3.2 MB)

Chalara-resistant ash tree search

A major project to find Chalara-resistant ash trees was announced by Environment Secretary Owen Paterson on 26th March. The £1.5 million project is part of the latest Chalara Management Plan which will see a quarter of a million young ash trees planted in up to 25 sites, mainly in East Anglia.

Read about the project on the Gov.UK website >

Beachwatch Suffolk results for 2012

645 volunteers collected more than 716kg of litter from Suffolk beaches.

A total of 56 litter surveys were carried out on 29 beaches covering over 35km of the Suffolk coast. o 43,256 items of litter were recorded at an average of 1,229 items of litter per km surveyed.

Read the full report on the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB website > o o

Westleton Common 2012 report published

This interesting report includes information about what has been achieved since 2003 and wildlife reports on scarce plants, butterflies including silver studded blue, birds, lichens, bryophytes, reptiles and fungi. Many naturalists have studied the site resulting in extensive lists of species present.

Download the Westleton Common 2012 report > (PDF 2.86 MB)

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Biodiversity in the East of England

To find out what’s going on in our region, check the websites for the county Biodiversity Partnerships forum: Norfolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and the East of England Biodiversity Forum website >

NATIONAL NEWS ‘The State of Britain’s Larger Moths’2013

Butterfly Conservation and Rothamsted Research, Wareham, Dorset The new State of Britain’s Larger Moths 2013 report shows clearly that moths are in decline. The total number of larger moths recorded in the national network of Rothamsted trap samples decreased by 28% over the 40 years from 1968 to 2007. Analyses of this data set, carried out by Rothamsted Research and Butterfly Conservation, including information from the National Moth Recording Scheme and other sources, have been gathered together to produce the new report.

Download the report from Butterfly Conservation – The State of Britain’s Moths >

Environment Audit Committee criticises Defra policies on bee deaths

On 5th April, the Environmental Audit Committee, Parliament’s cross-party watchdog released a report Pollinators and Pesticides which was critical of Defra’s policies on bees. The report concluded “More research is needed to monitor pollinator populations and establish the impact that particular pesticides are having, but Defra must not use this as an excuse to avoid urgent precautionary action”.

Read further on the Bio-Diverse website > On 29th April, the EU decided to restrict the use of neonictonides – BBC website > On 1st May, the European Environment Agency welcomed the ban – EEA website >

‘Realising Nature’s value’ report published

The independent Ecosystem Markets Task Force published its final report on 4th April, reviewing the opportunities for UK business from expanding green goods, services, products, investment vehicles and markets which value and protect the natural environment.

Read more on the Sustainable Development in Government website >

Butterfly Conservation factsheets

Butterfly Conservation has factsheets detailing the ecology of more than 50 different butterflies and moths (the majority of which are UK BAP priority species). Habitat management recommendations are also included. There are seven new fact-sheets being produced on Brown Hairstreak, Grayling, Forester, Goat Moth, Grey Carpet, Sloe Carpet and Dyers Green weed species that are available for download only.

Download Butterfly Factsheets > Download Moth Factsheets > View habitat information >

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State of Natural Capital Report 2013 published

The Natural Capital Committee (NCC) was formed following the Natural Environment White Paper (2011) and reports to the Economic Affairs Committee (chaired by the Chancellor of the Exchequer). NCC has now published the first State of Natural Capital Report 2013. The NCC aims to help Government better understand how the natural environment affects the performance of the economy and individual wellbeing, and on how it should be managed more sustainably. The report sets out a framework that will help natural capital (the elements of nature that produce value, directly and indirectly, to people) to be hard-wired into economic decision-making in this country and work that will enable better understanding of our natural assets.

Visit Defra website to download report >

Government Committee report say Marine Conservation Zones are vital

The creation of new Marine Conservation Zones, vital to protect biodiversity in UK waters, should not be stalled by Government fears of judicial review, the Science and Technology Committee has warned.

Visit the Parliament website >

Scientists’ open letter backs Marine Conservation Zones

The Marine Conservation Society supports an open letter by leading scientists, led by Professor Callum Roberts of York University, to the Prime Minister urging Westminster to step up and protect English seas. 127 Marine Conservation Zones have been proposed after a long consultation process, but the government is proposing to establish only 31.

Visit MCS website to read the letter (23rd April) >

Marine and coastal biodiversity offsetting reports published

The Institution of Civil Engineers has published The Role of Coastal Engineers in Delivering No Net Loss through Biodiversity Offsetting. The paper explores the wider context within which an offsetting policy might be applied in coastal and estuarine areas, and says that coastal engineers must understand both what it means and what is needed.

Visit Institution of Civil Engineers website > The Crown Estate has published a marine biodiversity offsetting scoping study for the UK. Download the Crown Estate report > (PDF 2.61 MB)

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Ecosystems Markets task Force final report

The Ecosystem Markets Task Force has published its final report. It makes practical recommendations for both Government and business where interventions would assist in the creation and development of new markets, enhancing opportunities for growth that also benefit the environment. The report affirms that business is often unaware of its true reliance on nature, and that a new approach is needed to maximise opportunities and manage future risks.

Visit Defra’s Ecosystems Markets Task Force website >

2012 worst year on record for UK butterflies

Figures from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme showed that 52 out of the 56 species monitored suffered declines. Rare species, including the critically endangered High Brown Fritillary fell by 46%, while common species also struggled. The widespread ‘Whites’, including Green-Veined White and the two 'Cabbage Whites', Large White and Small White, populations declined by more than 50%.

Visit UK Butterfly Monitoring scheme website >

Species and Habitats of material consideration for planning in England

(Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management) In recent years there has been some confusion and uncertainty over the use of Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) list as a material planning consideration in England. The uncertainty has arisen as a consequence of the publication of Biodiversity 2020: A strategy for England’s wildlife and ecosystem services (2011) to replace the previous England Biodiversity Strategy, coupled with the replacement of the UK BAP itself with the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework (2012).

Biodiversity issues are now devolved. These new strategies and framework resulted in changes in the terminology used to describe priority habitats and species in England.

Previous planning policy (and some supporting guidance which is still current, eg ODPM Circular 06/2005, now under revision), refers to UK BAP species as being a material consideration in the planning process. Equally many local plans refer to BAP priority habitats and species. Both remain as material considerations in the planning process but such habitats and species are now described as Species and Habitats of Principal Importance for Conservation in England, or simply priority habitats and priority species. The list of habitats and species remains unchanged and is still derived from Section 41 list of the Natural Environmental and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006. As was previously the case when it was a BAP priority species hen harrier continues to be regarded as a priority species although it does not appear on the Section 41 list. So the same species and habitats are of material consideration for planning purposes as previously was the case, they are just referenced using different terminology.

Given the relatively recent nature of these changes you will still see references in local plans and some Government or Government agency documents and circulars to BAP habitats and species.

As stated above these same habitats and species remain material considerations in planning albeit they are now referred to either as habitats and species of principal importance or simply priority habitats and priority species.

Visit Natural England website >

Natural England publishes Draft Corporate Plan

Natural England has published its draft Corporate Plan for 2013-2015 which NE’s priorities for the next three years against a set of four strategic outcomes: 1. A healthy, well functioning natural environment 2. People are inspired to value and conserve the natural environment 3. Sustainable use of the natural environment 22

4. A secure environmental future Download the report > (PDF 4.8 MB)

Natural England publishes adaptation principles for biodiversity conservation

NE has published a report Testing the Effectiveness of Climate Change Adaptation Principles for Biodiversity Conservation. The report found that the community composition of birds and butterfly species has been changing over recent decades consistent with impacts of a changing climate. Both groups show a shift towards species typical of warmer climates. The report also highlights the potential for land use and management decisions to influence climate change resilience. The results are complex but the clearest finding was that species typical of relatively cool climates have declined less where there is a large area of semi-natural habitat.

Visit NE website >

“Green spaces boost wellbeing of urban dwellers” BBC news 22 April

Parks, gardens and green space in urban areas can improve the wellbeing and quality of life of people living there, says a University of Exeter study. Using data from 5,000 UK households over 17 years, researchers found that living in a greener area had a significant positive effect. The findings could help to inform urban planners and have an impact on society at large, they said.

Visit BBC News website >

Training for volunteer wildlife recorders

The Field Studies Council (FSC) and Natural England (NE) have announced a ‘citizen science’ programme to train volunteer wildlife recorders. With support from Defra’s Fund for Biodiversity in the Voluntary Sector, FSC and NE have created ‘Biodiversity Fellows’, a new programme to train and retain wildlife recorders as volunteer experts. The programme addresses the lack of existing courses for ‘difficult to identify species’ and the need for post-course support to ensure trained volunteers go on to become active recorders. Biodiversity Fellows offers a fresh approach; as well as a series of traditional face-to-face training courses, it offers a package of supporting resources and mentoring to aid and encourage the transition from enthusiastic volunteer right through to active, useful recorder.

To find out more visit NE’s website >

Can you help with research into the impact of roads on toad populations?

Road mortality is one of several factors believed to be harming common toad populations in the UK. Toads are particularly vulnerable during annual migrations to breeding ponds. As well as the obvious impacts of deaths caused by road traffic, this form of mortality may also be affecting the body size of toads in impacted populations. To find out how you can help with this research visit ARG’s website >

OPAL tree health survey launched

OPAL’s new survey launched in early May encourages people across the UK to examine the trees where they live, work or go to school. The survey, designed in collaboration with Forest Research and FERA includes activities such as identifying tree species, measuring height and examining trees for signs of poor health.

Find out more on the OPAL website >

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The Co-Operative’s ‘Plan Bee’

The campaign aims to address the decline in pollinators such as bees, butterflies and moths.

To find out how the CoOperative is helping bees, visit the website >

Natural England research into Environmental Stewardship benefits

Environment Minister Richard Benyon visited a Buckinghamshire farm in March to see the results of research into how Environmental Stewardship can better deliver benefits to wildlife as well as investing in England’s farm businesses. The Hillesden Farm study showed that winter food habitats were largely exhausted by the end of December and that the separate provision of food at the farm level appeared to significantly increase the number of birds surviving over the winter.

The work has helped inform the development of new Environmental Stewardship options that are designed to encourage farmers to provide food for wild birds during the ‘hungry gap’.

Find out more >

Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management conference Presentations from the CIEEM spring conference “Ecosystem Services 1: Practical Methods for Demonstrating the Value of Nature to Decision Makers” can be downloaded from the CIEEM website >

Securing nature’s future – The Ecologist

Naturalist and wildlife photographer Matt Adam Williams asks whether childhood experiences are the key to the long-term health of nature and the conservation sector. Matt says “Education about and access to nature has been found to reduce levels of aggressiveness, at a personal level, a household level, and a community level. Children’s ‘attachment to place, civic engagement and environmental stewardship’ are all enhanced by environmental education. Time spent outdoors is also the strongest link with levels of physical activity, and childhood attitudes to outdoor exercise are strongly predictive of levels of physical activity in adulthood.”

Read the Ecologist article >

UK Forestry Standard for Planners

The planning system can have significant impacts on our trees and woodlands, but they can also offer solutions to planners, such as helping us adapt to climate change. The Forestry Commission (FC) has prepared a briefing note for planners outlining how the UK Forestry Standard can help them. It includes information about tree and woodland legislation, the role of FC in the planning system and how woodland issues can be addressed through planning conditions.

Download the briefing note > (PDF 1.6 MB)

App to record deer collisions – The Deer Initiative

The six main species of deer living wild in Britain have an estimated combined population of over 1.5 million head and the number of deer involved annually in vehicle collisions in the UK is estimated to lie between 42,000 to 74,000. The App aims to improve knowledge of numbers and locations of deer accident hotspots. More information on the project can be found at www.deercollisions.co.uk.

“Biodiversity News” winter edition published

'Biodiversity News' is published four times a year by Defra. It contains news, updates, features, and local and regional articles of relevance to the UK BAP, as well as details of relevant publications and forth-coming events.

Download Biodiversity News here > (PDF 3.7 MB)

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WHAT’S ON Recording ‘Taster Day’ with Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk Naturalists’ Society and Suffolk Ornithologists Group

29 June Knettishall Heath Cost: FREE Come and join us to find out about recording the various groups in Suffolk and to meet the people involved. We’ll be looking at moths, birds, dragonflies, plants, invertebrates and more.

Visit Suffolk Wildlife Trust website for details and booking > or contact Gen Broad gen.broad@suffolk.gov.uk, tel: 01473 264308.

Green Infrastructure: Interdisciplinary Design & Practical Delivery

10 July Birmingham Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management & Landscape Institute Speakers include: Tony Juniper (CIEEM Patron), Pam Warhurst CBE (previously Chair of the Forestry Commission and a member of the Natural England board) and Gary Grant CEnv FCIEEM (Independent ecologist).

Further information: www.cieem.net/giconference2013

National Association for AONBs annual conference

16-18 July 2013 University College, Ipswich The NAAONB conference will be hosted by the east of England protected landscapes. This year the theme is water and as well as co-hosting the event the Project will be facilitating two field trips in the area for delegates. The field trips will focus on the value of the river Stour to visitors and the importance of water to wildlife, landscape and the farmed environment.

To find out more >

Dragonfly & damselfly monitoring and surveying course

Tutor: Nick Mason 20 July Carlton Marshes, Burnt Lane, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft NR33 8HU Suffolk Wildlife Trust Wildlearning course Cost: £25 / £21.50 conc.

Spend a day on this species-rich reserve learning ID and survey techniques so that you will be able to contribute records of your sightings. Data is used to assess the impact of environmental factors on our dragonfly and damselfly populations.

Booking essential tel: 01473 890089 or book online www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org

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Recording ‘Taster Day’ with Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk Naturalists’ Society and Suffolk Ornithologists Group

4 August Carlton Marshes Cost: FREE Come and join us to find out about recording the various groups in Suffolk and to meet the people involved. We’ll be looking at moths, birds, dragonflies, plants, invertebrates and more.

Visit Suffolk Wildlife Trust website for details and booking > or contact Gen Broad gen.broad@suffolk.gov.uk, tel: 01473 264308.

Hedgehog ecology and management for practitioners

Wednesday 11th September, Reg Driver Visitor Centre, Christchurch Park, Ipswich IP24 2BX

Confor Woodland Show

12 / 13 September 2013, Longleat Estate The show is of interest to: forest growers and owners, farmers with woods, landowners, forestry professionals and contractors, timber buyers and processors, potential owners of woods, and anybody with an interest in the rural environment.

Visit website > Various wildlife events - Suffolk Wildlife Trust, National Trust , RSPB, Butterfly Conservation Suffolk Branch, Suffolk Moth Group, Suffolk Ornithologists Group, Suffolk Naturalists Society ************************

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Thank you to our readers for supporting this newsletter. All feedback and comments are welcome. ************************

SBP INFORMATION If you would like to share information on how your organisation is benefiting biodiversity in Suffolk, please send your article to Gen Broad, Suffolk Biodiversity Officer (tel: 01473 264308, Mobile: 078948 85337, email: gen.broad@suffolk.gov.uk ). Please note that Gen works part-time; usually Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Publication dates The newsletter is published in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

Deadline for Summer 2013 newsletter articles: Friday 26th July 2013.

SBP is a partnership comprised of conservation organisations, statutory bodies, local authorities, businesses, not-for-profit organisations and community groups working together throughout Suffolk to protect biodiversity. The UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan is delivered at a local level by members of the Partnership – for further information visit www.suffolkbiodiversity.org

Suffolk Biodiversity Partnership .

Babergh District Council, Center Parcs–Elveden, Environment Agency, Suffolk Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Essex & Suffolk Water, Forestry Commission, Forest Heath District Council, Ipswich Borough Council, Mid Suffolk District Council, National Trust, Natural England, RSPB, St. Edmundsbury Borough Council, Suffolk Biological Records Centre, Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk Coastal District Council, Suffolk County Council, Waveney District Council.

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