Relief. That’s the initial reaction as the training day snacks are revealed! Sure, there are grapes, sliced apple and even some mango, but it’s the chocolate chip shortbread biscuits that create a buoyant mood. And it’s that positivity that’s sweeping through the team on what is proving to be a sunny, April morning for ecological monitoring training at the Trust. Not only a chance to learn new skills but also a fantastic opportunity to keep an eye on how our projects are progressing, celebrate our successes, but also understand if a direction of change is required when it comes to conserving Yorkshire’s amazing wildlife. In conservation, monitoring is king.

Today’s subject is the great crested newt (GCN). A fantastic amphibian, and one of our native residents, unfairly scapegoated by politicians in the recent media who lack the appreciation that nature and development can go hand in hand. A creature that has suffered significantly over the last century through factors such as habitat fragmentation and the loss of wetland breeding habitats. 

To help combat this Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has partnered with Natural England on the national District Level Licencing Scheme – which aims to create, restore and monitor GCN breeding habitats and populations and ensure their longevity whilst at the same time supporting a better way to allow development projects to happen; sensitive and inclusive to wildlife. 

This year is the fourth year of survey and monitoring; done through environmental DNA (eDNA) water analysis which gives a 99.3% accurate determination of breeding presence in ponds. With the number of survey sites to be worked on increasing every year, this season has seen an amazing 67 ponds monitored across Yorkshire by the recently trained staff and a dedicated team of nature loving volunteers eager to learn more and do their bit. As an extra twist, this year also saw staff trained in other methods to monitor GCN populations – torchlight surveys, bottle trapping, sweep netting and egg searches – all of which must be carried out under licence. 

As we live in an era of a climate and nature emergency, it couldn’t be more apparent with over 13% of ponds surveyed dry, cracked and parched and as we leave a period of soaring temperatures and the lowest rainfall in 90 years – the crisis above could very much be seen in our beloved wetland habitats, demonstrating that the collective support life on our planet needs from humans is more apparent, important and required than ever.

With all surveys now complete it’s time to wait eagerly for the results from the lab – a large undertaking which we’ll find the result of in the autumn. With eggs being found in several ponds and newts seen in the hand there are many reasons to be hopeful and with opportunities increasing to extend nature into our lives, collectively a difference can be made. 

Are you a landholder interested in restoring neglected ponds (minimum 150m²)? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Email info@ywt.org.uk or visit this page.