Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Press Archive - Winter / Spring 2009

January 1st
Grazing project

Exciting sitings that staff (& some members/vols) have had at Ripon Loop & Staveley over the past few days, including woodcock, gooseander and lots of indicators for otters, that, we have personally seen at Ripon Loop.
Progress is being made with the preparation work for the new grazing project at Ripon Loop, the ground work is almost finished and has included provision of some very heavy duty livestock fencing (due to fact that the site is frequently subjected to severe flooding by the River Ure) and the building by staff and contractors of a cattle handling area, this should better facilitate the reintroduction of cattle grazing to the site by a sympathetic grazier's cattle (hopefully eventually we will have Highland cattle or another attractive minority breed on the site).  Since the Trust has controlled the site, it has been grazed by a farmer's sheep, the sheep have unfortunately had little or no impact on the very invasive Himalayan Balsam plant which is rapidly colonising the whole site, the farmer has previously been reluctant to put cattle on the site since they apparantly escape in summer by fording the shallow river, something that sheep will not do, most sheep breeds hate water!  Now we will be able to have cattle grazing the site and we know from previous experience, most notably at Upper Dunsforth Carrs that the prescence of cattle severely supresses the growth of Himalayan Balsam.

Peter Christopherson.

January 16th
Marine Reserves Now

Representatives with a key interest in marine conservation gathered together to show their support for the long awaited Marine and Coastal Access Bill. Hugh Bayley (Labour MP for York) and Caroline Duffy (Miss Earth 2008) were among those showing their support.

The Bill, which was announced in the Queens speech at the State Opening of Parliament last month, is currently being discussed by parliament. The aims of the Bill include:
1.    Providing better recreational access to the coast by creating a path around Britain’s coastline.
2.    Making it possible to designate Marine Conservation Zones where marine life can be protected from damaging activities.
3.    Improving the enforcement of nature conservation laws and licensing.
4.    Setting up a Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to help achieve these objectives.

Overfishing in the seas around Britain has meant that the fish stocks have been reduced to around 10 per cent of what they were 100 years ago. It is widely known that the ‘fish and chips’ favourite cod was on the verge of being lost in the North Sea in 2001 but other fish species including common skate and angel fish are also declining rapidly. Fish when caught are also much smaller than those caught 100 years ago as they are now caught much younger, before they have had a chance to fully grow.

Marine reserves, which provide protection for the marine life contained within them, have been shown to help the number of fish to increase in the reserves as well as the seas surrounding them and also allows the fish to grow to a larger size. Marine reserves have already had great success in other countries including New Zealand and we now desperately need a system of hgihly protected marine reserves in the UK to repeat this success. In Yorkshire we are lucky enough to have access to a magnificent coastline which has a combination of beaches, rocky coves and towering cliffs. It offers opportunities to see many different kinds of wildlife including puffins, grey seals and several forms of whale. This new bill should give members of the public greater access to enjoy these areas and help to make sure we don’t lose any of these amazing species.

We need your help to ensure that these new laws will provide a brighter future for our marine habitats. You can help with the marine campaign by simply discovering your local marine life or supporting the national campaign – Save Our Seas (SOS). By signing up to the SOS campaign you can help us gain support from local MPs for the Bill. More information about the campaign can be found at www.saveourseas.wild-net.org

Kirsten Smith, Marine Advocacy Officer for Yorkshire Wildlife trust commented:

“The Wildlife Trusts have been campaigning for a Marine Bill for over ten years. We are now closer than ever before to getting one. At the moment less than 0.001% of our seas are highly protected from damaging activities. The Marine Bill will provide us with the legislation to allow us to designate Marine Conservation Zones which will protect our unique marine wildlife. Help show your support for your local marine wildlife and get the Bill turned from myth into reality!”

January 27th
Carr House Farm - Open day

Carr house farm, Side Oven Bakery at Foston on the Wolds teamed up with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to undertake an open day, allowing people to  undertake guided walks around the farm with Trust staff Jon Traill and Tony Martin. Despite the weather it was a great event.

Forty people came along to the monring walk and received good views of barn owl, roe deer, mixed flocks of finches feeding on overwintered stubbles and unharvested grain crop.The afternoon walk had another 60 people come and discover the farm and had the pleasure of seeing the barn owl still hunting. Roe deer made a second appearance and a wide variety of finches, sparrows and buntings (reed and corn) were seen on the arable farmland.

Throughout the day seven new members were recruited to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and we received a donation of £70. Tim and Caroline, Carr House farm landowners were also very please with the events of the day and sold out of all their organic home made bread and cakes baked on the farm. This event was enjoyed by all and we received some very posiitve feedback from the public.. Events such as this show how local businesses can get invovled and work with the Trust to help boost their own business and udnertake conservation work on their land.

Thanks to all who atteneded this event and made it a great succes.

February 2nd
Exhibition 'flotsum'

'Flotsam' is an exhibition of artwork using reclaimed, recycled and rediscovered materials including driftwood, seaglass, vintage textiles and jewels. Artists and makers Glyn Bollington, Chloe Williams, Liam Woodgates, Eve Thompson, Victoria McGarry, Gemma Nemer, Nyria Richards and Jenny Birchall make things of beauty and wonder out of unwanted objects and forgotten treasures.
 
'Flotsam' will also showcase the work of artist Martin Waters who found his raw materials by literally picking up litter dropped on Spurn Point beach, Humberside. Martin has used old rubber gloves, dummies and plastic cutlery to create disarmingly attractive 'collections' of the things we so carelessly discard.
 
Exhibition runs Saturday February 21st - Sunday March 22nd 2009  en Thursdays - Sundays 11am - 5pm at the Calre White Gallery, Barnsley.
 
For more information please visit: www.clarewhitegallery.co.uk

February 2nd
Tenth Anniversary of Red Kites in Yorkshire

2009 sees the tenth anniversary of the programme to reintroduce Red Kites into Yorkshire. Their graceful flight together with their size and distinctive long forked tails make them instantly recognisable in our Yorkshire countryside.

Between 1999 and 2003 a partnership involving Natural England, the RSPB, Harewood Estate and Yorkshire Water released a total of 69 young Red Kites into the county. They were sourced from The Chilterns, where a similar and extremely successful release programme had begun ten years earlier. In December 1999 they were joined by an untagged Red Kite of unknown origin, effectively increasing the total to 70.

The birds were released at Harewood Estate to the north of Leeds. Although Harewood remains their breeding stronghold, they are spreading increasingly widely through the Yorkshire countryside. In 2001 a satellite breeding population became established in the Yorkshire Wolds; when two kites from the 1999 release at Harewood bred successfully – increasing to seven successful pairs raising twelve young by 2008. Nigel Puckrin, who co-ordinates records of kites in East Yorkshire said ‘People in this region are very pleased to have the unexpected bonus of a Red Kites settling here and breeding so successfully’. 

Yorkshire Red Kite Co-ordinator Doug Simpson said: “Overall, in 2008, 58 successfully breeding pairs produced a total of 115 young, bringing the total number of young known to have been raised in Yorkshire since the programme began to 430. This is undoubtedly an under-estimate. It is highly likely that with so much suitable habitat available in the county, a number of pairs have bred undetected.”

“The reintroduction process has not been without its problems. At least 14 kites are known to have died through feeding on poisoned baits; these are illegally placed in the open countryside – no doubt in attempts to control foxes or crows. Disturbance at breeding sites is also an unwelcome form of interference for which severe penalties can be imposed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.”

In 2009 the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has added its support to the Yorkshire Red Kites. Communications Officer Jess Bersey said: “Adding our support to existing partners will ensure continuity in the monitoring process, this being a vital element in determining the progress of the developing population.”

Essential to the success of the Yorkshire release programme has been the excellent
co-operation received from the ever increasing number of landowners who have Red Kites breeding on their land. Yorkshire Red Kites looks forward to establishing similar good relations in more areas as the birds increase their geographical range.

As the birds spread further away from the Harewood release site, the monitoring process becomes increasingly dependent on reports of sightings in new areas. Yorkshire Red Kites has a new website at www.yorkshireredkites.net where sightings of birds can be reported.

February 9th
Restoration plans create high quality habitats for Wildlife!

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is currently undertaking an exciting new project looking at the opportunities for creating new wildlife habitats across the Yorkshire and Humber region.
 
Working on behalf of the Yorkshire and Humber Biodiversity Forum (YHBF), the Trust will be mapping all the current and potential mineral extraction sites across the region, for example sand and gravel pits, clay pits, soft rock and hard rock quarries. They will then look at local factors such as nearby existing habitats, geology and soil type to decide how these sites can be restored, to re-create significant areas of high quality wildlife habitats.

Two case studies will be undertaken which will demonstrate the best methods to restore sites once mineral extraction has finished. Two in-depth habitat mapping projects will also be completed to show how site restoration can best serve wildlife on a landscape scale.

Conservation Officer Nabil Abbas said: “This research will identify the opportunities for re-creating significant areas of high quality habitat across the region”. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust will be working with local planning authorities and mineral companies to agree targets for habitat restoration. The findings of the project will be presented at a one day workshop at the end of March, bringing together local authority officers and representatives from the mineral industry. This project has been funded by Natural England through Defra’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.

February 9th
Winter work at Barlow Common

Members of the North Yorkshire County Council supported employment scheme undertook a Wildlife Wealth work day at Barlow Common Local Nature Reserve (LNR).

Officers from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust joined forces with the rangers from Barlow Common LNR to teach the group, all of which had varying disabilities, some practical reserve management skills whilst also having some fun in the countryside.

After a couple of snowball fights and a morning of hard work the group sat down to a buffet. Here they were joined by Councillor Anthony Jude Thurlow who commended their efforts. Wildlife Wealth Project Officer Steve Meays said: “This project is run by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Its principal aim is to involve as many people as possible in their local environment, particularly members of the community who have never been offered the chance before.”

Barlow Common was declared a Local Nature Reserve by Selby District Council in March 2002. Countryside Officer Rachel Stanhope said: “In addition to practical work days there is lots to see and do here, we have nature trails to follow and leaflets on some of the animals and plants you may see during your visit!” The reserve also runs a very popular WATCH group, a club for children aged 8 -14, aimed at teaching members all about their natural environment in a fun and exciting way.

February 24th
Norton wins UK Wildlife Watch Group of the Year 2008!

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Norton Wildlife Watch Group has been announced as ‘UK Watch Group of the Year 2008’ and awarded the Golden Wellie trophy at the Yorkshire Watch Day Out at Potteric Carr nature reserve.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust supports a number of Watch groups throughout Yorkshire. Norton Wildlife Watch is based in Norton-upon-Derwent and was established in 1988. In 2008 members aged between 6 and 15 undertook a range of activities such as advocating environmental issues to local groups and helping to protect harvest mice and rare insects beside the River Derwent.  They are the only group in the world to have attended all eight of the United Nations Tunza International Children's Conferences on the Environment since the first in 1995. Members share a clear dedication to local wildlife and environmental conservation and have adopted the strapline: making a local difference with a global impact.  Activities are promoted through three films made and directed by members.

The award judges said: “We were all really inspired by the group’s work. We commend them for combining advocacy with environmental monitoring and conservation work, whilst having plenty of fun. The sense of pride and achievement shines through with young people’s own ideas and commitment evidently vital to the group.”

Watch groups are run by volunteers within local communities throughout the UK. Their aim is to develop young people’s passion for wildlife and the environment, by helping them to engage with the outdoors and letting them discover how they can help to protect it.

To receive the award, entrants had to make a submission illustrating their activities in 2008. Wolds Wildlife Watch Group also entered and was highly commended.

People and Wildlife Manager for The Wildlife Trusts and award judge Helen Freeston, said: “The judges enjoy looking at the year books. This year’s high level of entries was both inspiring and challenging. Watch is essentially not a competitive activity and so separating groups is never easy. Each has its own strengths and character. We were pleased to make commendations alongside the awards”.

“All the winning groups offered a chance for adults and children alike to enjoy and celebrate nature and to explore and learn about the places close to where they live and play. The Watch leaders making these groups happen are amongst our most treasured volunteers.”

If you would like to find out about how to get involved with a Wildlife Watch Group in your local area please see our website www.ywt.org.uk.

March 3rd
Habitats for Wildlife at Kirklees and Wakefield

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has been very busy this winter creating habitat for wildlife including ponds and scrapes near Ossett where we have been working for 2 years on land owned by Kerry Foods.

As well as creating ponds and scrapes and standing deadwood, volunteers have been building bird boxes and helping control invasive plants including Himalayan balsam. The work is funded by SITA Trusts’ Enriching Nature programme and used local contractors as well as volunteers from Kirklees Friends of the Environment group.

This work is part of the Trusts wider River Calder Biodiversity project that is working at a number of sites across 3 districts along the river Calder over 2 years. You can see examples of some of the work we have been doing on the website.

March 6th
The Lowland Adder Project

Call for volunteers! Join the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Natural England, for an Adder ID survey and training day on Hatfield Moor near Doncaster at 10.30am on 24th March, meet at Boston Bay car park. This is also an opportunity to become part of the Trusts adder survey team for Yorkshire, and contribute to important biological databases for nature conservation.

Or... you can join the Lowland adder project for their Spring Equinox Adder Adventure at Allerthorpe Common from 9am -12pm on 20th March. Sam Jarrah Moon (Adder Conservation Officer) and John Newton (adder expert/Herpetologist) will be giving an introduction to adders and their habitat, after a long winter of hibernation. Get an insight into this secretive and often misunderstood animal.

Both of these unusual events will have you correctly identifying adders and finding out more about the valuable work the Yorkshire wildlife Trust is undertaking, to protect this iconic British species, which is currently on a national decline. Children are welcome to attend and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Funded by the SITA Trust, the Lowland Adder project is mainly focused on habitat enhancement at key adder sites throughout the county. Adders are an indicator species, which means that if a habitat is suitable for them, it is suitable for an array of other species which also live in wet and dry habitats.
If you would like to take part in either of these events/confirm a place, please contact Conservation Officer Sam Jarrah-Moon on 01904 659570 or e-mail her at sam.jarrah-moon@ywt.org.uk.