Maintenance is key!

Where were we?

We have started to complete our biannual maintenance around planting sites in Hull from year 2 of the Northern Forest Project. Throughout May we went to North Bransholme where 4100 trees were planted. We estimated about 75% of the trees were still alive and establishing themselves. The dry weather in April could have put too much stress on the young trees which resulted in some of them perishing. We maintained Walter Simpson playing fields situated in West Hull where 1800 trees were planted, again we estimated another 75% had survived.

Poppy flourishing at Rossington colliery

Towards the end of May, beginning of June I had the chance to go to another location outside my office region and assisted TCV York on 3 occasions where I could also catch up with fellow Wildskills trainee Eva. I assisted with tree maintenance on the formidable Rossington colliery site where 16,700 trees were planted in the end of 2020/2021. The team had to cease planting due to the dry weather we had in April as the conditions were not favorable. The survival rate at this site was brilliant and will hopefully continue to grow with the prospects of it becoming a country park, similarly to a nearby site of Brodsworth Community Woodland where I have been recently leading groups in fence removal. The fences have now done their job of protecting the now mature trees from any herbivory pressures and the material can be recycled for other projects.

What were we conserving?

A lot of people believe that once a tree is planted then that is all you must do but that is wrong. The young saplings depend on maintenance in removing any vegetation such as weeds and grasses around and even inside the tubes. By removing the unwanted vegetation, the trees have a better survival rate as they are not competing for natural resources such as light and water and will become more established. The wet weather we experienced in monsoon May meant the seeds from the topsoil at Rossington colliery had geminated and grew so fast. You could not even see the trees and you could have been right next to a spiral and cane- that is how tall the grass was. For example, an Oak tree is a slow growing species, also known as a K selected species as they have an extended longevity and later maturity. Dandelions which are one species which competes with the trees is considered an R selected species as they mature early, have short lifespans, and produce many offspring.

Why is this conservation important?

Meadow Pipit eggs at Rossington colliery

As discussed in my previous blog, trees can provide us with utilities such as Oxygen, timber and flood prevention but can also provide a home for wildlife and biodiversity is another factor vital out existence and without it would disturb our ecosystems. Throughout the past month I have been going to site to maintain trees planted in previous years of the Northern Forest, it has opened my eyes to how much the trees have had an impact on the environment in a short time. I have come across species I haven’t seen before such a Skylarks (Alauda arvensis) at Rossington. This species was nesting amongst the meadow flowers and trees, so we had to be careful where we were placing our feet but were visually in in the sky and singing. Their song is high pitched reaching 460 syllables. I have started to improve my meadow flower ID which I have not had the opportunity to do before and have started taking out a flower ID booklet while I’m out of task. At Brodsworth community woodland Birds-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) was abundant. They are identified by their vibrant cluster of yellow flowers and have seed pods that resemble birds feet -hence the name.

Roe deer Fawn in North Hull

What I’ve found is that planting trees allows long, species rich grass to thrive, compared to mown grasslands, fundamentally accommodating species we would not see especially in an urban setting as it is believed you have to travel to the countryside to see wildlife. From the smallest of insects such as the Froghopper, who creates bubble formations known as Cuckoo spit on long grass blades to protect its young at Brodsworth or the amazing encounter I had in North Hull when we saw a Roe deer fawn (Capreolus capreolus) nestled amongst the long grass and several species of ground nesting birds such as Meadow pipits (Anthus paratensis) and Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) eggs and brooding females when maintaining the trees.

Birds-foot trefoil at Brodsworth Community Woodland

Other important announcements

I started my Wildskills traineeship back in February which I am thoroughly enjoying giving me vital skills such as leadership training, project planning, biodiversity ID, knowledge about the natural world and transferable skills to get into the practical conservation sector. A job advert was advertised to replace Jack who is currently the Tree and Woodland Creation Project Officer at the Hull TCV as he is off back to university. I applied and got shortlisted along with two other applicants. The practical conservation sector is so competitive as it is smaller in relation to other sectors, but I gave it my all at the interview. I was over the moon to be offered the permanent job and have now moved up the career ladder which I am so proud of as I've remained dedicated to what I believe in my heart as the most rewarding sector. I am starting my new role on the 14^th June.

The 3rd year into the Northern Forest Project

Where were we?

We have been completing our 3^rd year of tree planting apart of the Northern Forest Project amongst playing fields in Hull and the East Riding region in developing the communities’ green spaces. We planted at 5 sites varying in sizes and location which were approved by Hull City Council to be suitable to plant upon for the 3^rd year of the project. We planted at Riley playing field, Kempton road, St Johns’s, Endike and Henry cooper; totaling to 11,500 trees.

Planting with volunteers at Endike playing fields

What were we conserving?

The Northern Forest Project has been running since 2018 and is forecast to last 25 years till 2042; where varying districts across the North will collaborate and plant 50 million trees within them 25 years. The proposed forest will run the whole width of England using the M62 as its backbone from Liverpool in the west to us on the coastline of the East Riding of Yorkshire. This area has roughly 8% of tree coverage within urban settings and along the outer margins of the larger cities, while East riding has even less than that average due to having limited margins on the outskirts of towns and cities. The forest scheme is led by the Woodland Trust and consists of four community forests divided up within the region: the Mersey Forest, Manchester's City of Trees, the White Rose Forest and HEYwoods within the East riding district. The initial planting which is underway is predominantly close to the cities with the aim to increase the tree coverage in some of these areas to 20% as some have as little as 8%.

This year TCV have released the figures of trees planted across the region which highlighted 65% of the charities planting was done by TCV Hull alongside with TCV York who were planting at Rossington Quarry near Doncaster. TCV Hull planted solely 42% of that total to contribute towards the Northern Forest-so a great triumph for my team. I helped plant a mixture of 13 different species which are mostly native broadleaf such as European Alder (Alnus glutinosa), Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) and Red Oak (Quercus rubra).

Planting with volunteers at Riley playing fields

What I’ve been actively apart of

I have been a part of the Northern Forest project the past 2 years as a volunteer, but this year was the first year I have been employed by TCV which allowed me to get more involved in understanding the background to the logistics and organizational contacts in planning, coordinating and undertaking the tree planting. I have furthered my tree ID and Latin name recognition since planting in Northern Lincolnshire by being exposed to new species such as Downy birch (Betula pubescens) as this species was not planted in North Lincolnshire as the soil conditions were not right as they were too dry. In Hull however, the soil is wetter. I identify Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) having large 5 lobed leaves which do not have a rough spiky feel when touching the leaves compared to Sweet Chestnut. Scot’s pine (Pinus sylvestris) was another species which I identified. The ID of Scots Pine is easier than others as they are evergreen coniferous trees. The Scots pine is not a species naturally found in this area as typically would be further North towards Scotland. However, as we are planting in an urban area as it is done for its visual appeal.

St Johns tree planting

Community engagement

It feels rewarding to give back to the community and to allow woodlands to grow for future generations. This month while planting in Hull I have been boosting the social media presence for the TCV Hull office and as a result have had more volunteers become interested to join our ever growing team which included Students from the Hull Zoo Soc from the University of Hull and Hull litter pickers who wanted to contribute to the Northern Forest. I am also designing a poster to increase the number of our volunteers further, especially from the neighboring community where the office is based.

However, one downside I have found when planting in urban areas is the anti-social behavior from minor individuals at some sites who do not approve of us altering the environment for the better, they do this by vandalizing the trees which fundamentally affects our efforts in planning and workload and for future planting  in them areas. I think this is possibly is due to the lack of knowledge of the benefits trees can provide, along with improving the ecology and community wellbeing. Despite of this, I believe in the great work I am doing to be apart and to be making a difference for the future and furthering my career in practical conservation.

Why is this conservation important?

The trees planted apart of the Northern Forest project are a mix of mainly native broad leaf trees. At the end of the 25 years the forest will provide a leisure resource to improve people’s wellbeing, improve biodiversity and connectivity, reduce flood risks caused by climate change pressures of increased rainfall. The forest will provide a utility of improving air and water quality as well as provide a sustainable timber and biomass for industry.

Planting trees can provide a utility to tackle present pressures the world is facing such as climate change which is altering natural cycles and making them more adverse. Trees fundamentally help to fight the climate crisis. The UK has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050. A young woodland can absorb 400+ tonnes of Carbon in the tree itself, roots, and soil. Woods and urban planting can help in reducing climate change. Currently only 13% of the UK is covered by trees, compared with an EU average of 37%. Trees can lower the atmospheric temperature as trees can act as natural evaporative cooling system.

Trees also purify the air, absorbing the Carbon dioxide and producing Oxygen. Other pollutant gases such as Nitrogen oxides, Ammonia and Sulphur dioxide are absorbed. Globally, forests can absorb and store as much as 30% of the carbon emissions from human activities. Because of deforestation the act of burning or clearing the trees results in releasing the stored carbon back into the atmosphere.

In the UK, flood protection is estimated to be £6.5 billion. Trees are a natural resource to prevent flooding by directly intercepting rainfall by slowing the rainfall onto the ground as the canopy will act a natural barrier. Raindrops on leaves will evaporate back into the atmosphere. Tree roots improve infiltration by 153% compared to unplanted lawns and will act as a natural sink. This will as a result promote higher soil infiltration and reduce runoff into urban drainage.  

The UK is ecologically damaged, 13% of the native species have been lost since 1970 and will only get worse if things go on unchanged. In the UK one third of all wildlife has declined which means 1 in 10 woodland species are at risk of going extinct. British native woodlands support 1 fifth of the UK’s Priority species for conservation. For example, the English Oak (Quercus robur) can support 2,300 species of which 326 species are solely dependent on their survival. As a result, species biodiversity is key to humanity’s survival on this planet. Fundamentally we depend on ecosystem services for healthy ecosystems and to support agricultural systems which rely on the biodiversity of UK pollinators. For a species so small, without pollinators we would not have crops to harvest.  Biodiversity can also supplement our lives for leisure purposes and that natural areas are good for our mental and physical wellbeing.

Henry Cooper in North Hull

Nature's natural corridor

Where were we?

Pedunculate oak on Burringham hill in Scunthorpe

2,225 trees planted on site I and J

We were working on two large distinct sites in Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire that were connected by the Ironstone and Ridgeway walkway linking parks and greenspaces from North to South through Scunthorpe. We were planting 21,000 trees across ‘Hempdykes’ adjacent to Ferry road through to Doncaster road, and around Burringham hill area which extended from Hardy road to West Common Lane. These sites held similar features of having small areas of existing woodland and scrub coverage and on behalf of the local council and trees provided by ‘Trees for Climate’, TCV contributed to developing a wildlife corridor through Scunthorpe, fundamentally contributing to targets for the Northern Forest Project. North Lincolnshire council have planned to plant 172,000 trees in the next 5 years to improve greenspaces and create 25 acres of woodland. To develop local areas to where I live is quite rewarding as I feel I am developing the green spaces for the great cause. 

Biodiversity

2,725 trees planted at site B and C at Hempdyke

Across the area we planted 12 species of trees and 7 species of shrub to create a diversity woodland. These species included (image above) Throughout planting I developed my skills in tree identification by the coloration of the buds and bark and the shape of the leaves for example I learnt that Rowan has darker bark and black buds compared to hazel that has lighter bark and medium sized green buds and Field maple having bark that appears to have vein like indentations that run down the length of the stem and light-colored dots on the bark. Trees we did not plant were Dutch elm disease which can be spread by Bark beetles which was accidently imported and has devastated the native Elm in the UK. However, we did plant a species of elm, specifically Wych elm which has resistance to this disease which allows it to be involved in the planting program. Similarly, European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) cannot be planted in the UK because of ‘Ash dieback’ which can be identified by a dark brittle band on the bark which can result in the whole tree collapsing. Compared to reading a book on tree ID, to physically plant the trees has developed my ID skills of native broadleaf and I would more confident now in identifying a species compared to at the start when I started this project.  

What were we conserving?

Wildlife corridors are created to link habitats together to allow wildlife to disperse and have connected movement between historic and new sites, otherwise wildlife would be isolated to one area due to habitat fragmentation. Wildlife corridors usually are linear and can vary in size and type to provide connectivity. With ever growing human populations and expansion of urban areas and infrastructure, these wildlife corridors can be many forms such as rivers, woodland, hedgerows and man-made ‘green bridges’ which are more predominant in biodiversity hotspots.

Planting on Hardy road next to Westcliff Primary School

Why is this conservation important?

Forestry research indicates that from 31^st March 2020 there is an estimated 3.21 million hectares which represents 13% of the total land coverage in the UK, 10% in England, 15% in Wales, 19% in Scotland. Connectivity fundamentally provides species the ability to freely immigrate which as a result can assist in supporting a genetically diverse and genetic flow for meta populations. Freedom to travel though connected wildlife corridors allow species to avoid predation and movement away from possible catastrophic events such as wildfires or oil spills into a waterway that could wipe out a population if they were restricted to one habitat. Alongside this, global pressures of climate change trends, require connectivity for species to immigrate away from areas which are no longer suitable such as migrating birds which are migrating further North.

In the UK, Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are 1 of 6 deer which travel long distance across the UK and cover a large extent of occurrence and are commonly seen amongst urban environments. Linear fragmentation and degraded woodland highlighted an impairment in gene flow compared to intact connected woodland. In the future genetic methods may constitute a useful tool to identify the state to prioritize action plans for maintaining functional wildlife corridors across landscapes. On the other hand, a mammal which benefits tremendously from intact woodland is the Hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). A rare and vulnerable species to extinction this species is a priority species on the Biodiversity Action Plan and under the Wildlife and Countryside act 1981. The Hazel dormouse has continued to decline in population numbers for over 100 years with 72% of the population declining 25 years ago.

Planting on site G and H on Hempdykes

More information 

North Lincolnshire Council | Ambitious plans revealed to create 25 acres of urban woodland in Scunthorpe (northlincs.gov.uk)

North Lincolnshire Council | Tree planting scheme continues to grow (northlincs.gov.uk)

The Northern Forest: Planting 50 Million Trees | The Woodland Trust

Wildlife corridors – Woodlands.co.uk

Benefits of Conserving Wildlife Corridors (biologydiscussion.com)

Burkart, S., Gugerli, F., Senn, J., Kuehn, R. & Bolliger, J. (2016). Evaluating the functionality of expert-assessed wildlife corridors with genetic data from roe deer. Basic and Applied Ecology, 17(1): 52-60.

Dondina, O., Kataoka, L., Orioli, V. & Bani, L. (2016). How to manage hedgerows as effective ecological corridors for mammals: A two-species approach. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 231: 283-290.

Crooks, K. and Sanjayan, M., 2006. Connectivity conservation: maintaining connections for nature. Cambridge University Press, pp.1-20.--- Connectivity conservation: maintaining connections for nature (Chapter 1) - Connectivity Conservation (cambridge.org)

 Woodland Statistics - Forest Research

Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) - Woodland Trust

It's all about them reeds

Where were we?

We were working on a water treatment site owned by Severn Trent Water in Blyth, Southeast of Northumberland, and Northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne. The site was next to Blyth port and adjacent to the River Blyth near the mouth of the Estuary leading to the coast. The water treatment site historically was a coal mining site where it was easily transported through the ‘busiest port in England’ at Blyth in 1961, where it shipped 6 million tonnes of coal. To make use of a site that had lagoon like ponds, Severn Trent now use this site to provide an amenity in providing clean drinking water for the town of Blyth and neighboring coastal villages.

On the Severn Trent site there were 6 lagoons varying in size and depth. The largest lagoon was situated at the back of the site nearest the mouth of the Estuary where it undergoes a cycle of planting and removal of reeds every couple of years, acting as a natural way to filtrate wastewater better than mechanical treatment. The reeds are removed to remove the substrate that is highly contaminated with contaminants such as iron and Phosphates and then replanted.

Smaller end of the lagoon to plant

Numerous species for large scale plantation

What were we conserving?

Several TCV teams across Scotland and the North planted 10+ native species of reeds including (Phragmites australis) the Common reed. The Common reed is commonly the dominant species that can cover 60% of wetlands, can grow to 2-4 metres tall and has an extensive root system. Smaller species of reed such as the Yellow Iris (Iris pseudocorus), Sea such (Juncus maritimus) and Cordgrass (Spartina maritima) have been planted on the outer perimeter to allow pollinating insects access especially to the intricate flowering Iris’s and to create gradual land to water transition.

Across the UK there is currently 5,000 hectares of reedbed in the UK at 900 sites which are fundamentally restricted and smaller compared to other habitats such as woodlands where there are efforts in creating connectivity. Since 1945, 40% of reed beds have been lost and 90% since Roman times and are continuing to dramatically decline and becoming scarce.

Cell grown reed plugs

Yellow Iris

Why is this conservation important?

Reedbeds have declined in the UK due to destruction for development and drainage of wetlands. Our usage of dried reeds for traditional thatched cottage roofs has declined as there is limited demand for this raw material nowadays. Reedbeds require wetland habitat to thrive due to the moisture and substrate composition so it is not surprising that correspondingly wetlands are also declining across the UK.

50cmx50cm reed plantation format 

Large scale reed planting projects provide habitat for many species such as the rare Eurasian bittern (Botaurus stellaris) is habitat specific and will only breed and nest in thick reed vegetation known also as a habitat specialist. In 1885 the Bitten was extinct in the UK after persecution and habitat loss but some individuals returned to Norfolk in 1900. The population since has yoyoed from 80 breeding males in the 1950s down to 11 males in 1997. Currently there are only a small population in Norfolk and Lancashire and some fragmented individuals at Barton Upon Humber at Far Ings Nature Reserve. Reed beds are fundamentally the lifeline to breeding for the Bittern and without planting ad improving wetlands and reed beds this species will go extinct again from the UK.

Another species which is dependent on reedbeds is the Water vole (Arvicola amphibibius) and again has been drastically affected by decline in habitat and environmental availability and quality. Without reed beds acting as a

refuge the Water vole is being predated on by the American mink (Neovison vison). Predation rate declined tremendously where voles could be further in the middle of a water channel. Consequently, reedbeds are now being a focus in connecting vole populations and providing stability across England and Wales.

How to get involved?

This was a residential project that only TCV received an accepted proposal for in partnership with Severn Trent water. There are TCV teams offering weekly tasks for volunteers throughout the UK; encouraging everyone to get outside and have a go and feel apart of the team. Currently Covid-19 is limiting volunteer availability but with the road map set out and with social distancing in place, restrictions are being eased. Have a look for your local TCV office and opportunities like this residential may come up in the future. Being a volunteer for TCV is very rewarding.

More Information

Blyth Town Council - History

Reedbed | Sussex Wildlife Trust

Why wetlands | WWT

Phragmites australis (common reed) (cabi.org)

The RSPB: News: Wetland loss threatens wildlife and people,

Bringing Reedbeds To Life Conservation Project - The RSPB

Bittern Population Trends - The RSPB

Puglisi, L. and Bretagnolle, V., 2005. Breeding Biology of the Great Bittern. Waterbirds, 28(3), pp.392-398.

Carter, S. and Bright, P., 2003. Reedbeds as refuges for water voles (Arvicola terrestris) from predation by introduced mink (Mustela vison). Biological Conservation, 111(3), pp.371-376.

Life on camera

Where were we?

The North York Moors covers 552² miles, that was established in 1952 by the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1941. Home to the one of the largest Heather moorlands in the UK, alongside cultivated land providing timber, peat and hydrological services. 22% of the North York Moors is covered by woodland, predominantly in the North of the region consisting of a high density of ancient and veteran trees. These established woodlands of varying age from new growth to decaying dead trees can support and array of iconic British wildlife such as Red Grouse, Short-eared Owls and the regionally rare Pine Martin. The whole region is managed by North York Moors National Park Authority supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

What were we conserving?

Camera traps are non-invasive methods of 24/7 monitoring of important sites of interest along with the species that would inhabit the area. Cameras are set up at knee height, secured to fixed vegetation. Triggered by a combination of a change in heat and movement; capturing either photos or videos by infrared flash, that doesn’t frighten the animals. Naturespy is a non-profitable, social enterprise providing camera trap footage to fund future research and conservation. Regionally since 2017 through the Yorkshire Pine Martin Support Programme, 1 male Pine Martin has been identified amongst the fragmented woodland, predominately seen along the edges of its known range in the Cropton forests. In small groups, 20 second video footage were analysed and recorded of what, where and when species triggered the camera. 

Camera trap design (Rankin,2019)

Why is this conservation important?

Camera traps are beneficial in highlighting broad-spectrum biodiversity surveys, identifying species which may be either known or unknown to be within the habitat. As in the case of the 1 male Pine Martin in the Dalby forest, capturing footage of elusive species in expanding their range from main populations in Scotland which would otherwise not be known to be in the area. Camera traps have been found to be 31% more effective than other detection methods, recording 91% more species as result of being non-invasive, encouraging species to perform natural behaviours, without being interrupted by human presence. Studying behaviours will increase species understanding such as reproductive/courtship and dispersal behaviour, furthermore, highlighting any management impacts and future conservation. Species such as the Red fox (figure 1) and European badger (figure 2) can be identified by their diagnostic features and recorded through GPS, creating a record of areas of interest to support populations. A limitation of camera trapping is that in-situ footage can be impacted by 50% theft and 42% decreased sensor performance, along with increased productivity of cheaper recreational units that may be used for other purposes such as hunting. Camera traps can create unmistakable evidence however, by being paired with other surveys such as DNA analysis and track counts as in the case of studying population dynamics of Pine Martins in North Yorkshire. 

 

Field notebook species identification (Rankin,2019) 

How to get involved

Targeting communities through citizen science allows everyone with different practical preference and skills to get involved. MammalsWeb collaborates footage throughout the UK; volunteers are needed to identify wildlife captured on film, with an added benefit of staying indoors allowing any age to participate and feel achievement in supporting wildlife. NatureSpy encourages people who are able-bodied, with a desire to get outdoors to assist in setting up camera traps, such opportunities are recorded from time to time so keep an eye out if you’re interested. NatureSpy relies on donations to carry out monitoring an to collaborate in projects worldwide. All efforts from funding can be seen by published success articles.

More information

• Caravaggi, A., Banks, P., Burton, A., Finlay, C., Haswell, P., Hayward, M., Rowcliffe, M. and Wood, M. (2017). A review of camera trapping for conservation behaviour research. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 3(3), pp.109-122.

• Glover‐Kapfer, P., Soto‐Navarro, C. and Wearn, O. (2019). Camera‐trapping version 3.0: current constraints and future priorities for development. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 5(3), pp.209-223.

• Newey, S., Davidson, P., Nazir, S., Fairhurst, G., Verdicchio, F., Irvine, R. and van der Wal, R. (2015). Limitations of recreational camera traps for wildlife management and conservation research: A practitioner’s perspective. Ambio, 44(S4), pp.624-635.

• Wearn, O. and Glover-Kapfer, P. (2019). Snap happy: camera traps are an effective sampling tool when compared with alternative methods. Royal Society Open Science, 6(3), p.181748.

Heathland Haven

Where were we?

Skipwith Common is a recognized SSSI National Nature Reserve since 1957 located in Selby near York, containing 270 hectares of mixed woodland and lowland heathland,making it a recognized site with European importance of being one of the most northerly hemisphere locations having a mixture of dry and wet heath. Skipwith Common is privately owned by the Esrick Estate, overseen by Natural England, full of biodiversity ranging from aquatic plants to ground nesting birds like the Nightjar and Stone curlew, heritage from WWII RAF base and archaeology from the Bronze and Iron age.  

What were we conserving?

We were conserving evergreen species on the heathland near the main entrance of the reserve; Cross Leaf Heath (Erica tetralix), Common heather (Calluna vulgaris) and Bell heather (Erica cinereal), by either removing or cutting near the base of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Silver birch (Betula pendula) that were growing in the same habitat. Both species of tree are fast growing seed dispersers that would take over the entire heathland if not maintained by manual labour or conservation grazing. Subsequently, both species of vegetation would compete for resources such as light and water altering the ecology of the dry and wet heathland. Within the environment, age diversity on the heathland was encouraged to create richness for a variety of in/vertebrates, this is why we did not cut the evergreen as it is beneficial to an abundance of species.  

Practically getting involved on the heathland (Rankin,2019)

Species identification (Rankin,2019)

Why is this conservation important?

Maintaining heathland brings biodiversity to all tropic levels creating a mosaic of habitats; containing grasses, flowers, bare ground and boggy margins all within a small area compared to complete structural habitats such as woodland. 143 species are directly linked to heathland; 8% reptiles and 21% mammals. Heathland is under threat due to the lack or inappropriate management, evidently with only 16% left throughout the UK since 1800, 20% of all known heathland globally. In the past 40 years heathland conservation has been re-recognized as being an ecologically valuable service for humans; by storing carbon minimizing climate change effects and natural hydrology barriers reducing flood risks as well as provisioning services such as peat, coal and game. Due to ever changing social and economic pressures, habitat loss being the major factor due to agriculture herbicides, fragmentation, inappropriate grazing, infrastructural development, encroachment by invasive species and disease. Positively heathland can be restored by a regime of burning which depletes the nutrients in the soil allowing heath to thrive in low soil acidification and cutting to create age diverse vegetation, however this practice is less effective. Skipwith Common is an advocate for conservation grazing consisting of 270 Hebridean sheep, Longhorn cattle and 7 Oxmoor ponies. A limiation to grazing it that it is not effective at depleting soil nutrients, more so the recycling of the heath.

How to get involved?

Volunteers who would like to be outdoors on this diverse landscape can practically get involved on a Tuesday and Thursday by contacting the site warden, in which to gain practical skills and knowledge of management of an important ecosystem. Planned events are directed at all age ranges as seen on the Events bulletin, allowing children, the elderly or with disabilities, to get involved if they wish with casual litter picks on designated accessible paths, educational talks and social events. Skipwith Common is a minimalistic site with no toilets, café and is exposed; so, remember to wrap up warm. Being outdoors has mental health benefits; be encouraged to get out and see the great outdoors by having a look at Natural England for other National Nature Reserves.

More information

• Cordingley, J. (2012). Ecosystem service provision in dynamic heath landscapes. Bournemouth University, pp.20-24.
• Diaz, A., Green, I. and Evans, D. (2011). Heathland Restoration Techniques: Ecological Consequences for Plant-Soil and Plant-Animal Interactions. ISRN Ecology, 2011, pp.1-8.
• Fagúndez, J. (2012). Heathlands confronting global change: drivers of biodiversity loss from past to future scenarios. Annals of Botany, 111(2), pp.151-172.
• Gimingham, C. (1985). Age-Related Interactions between Calluna vulgaris and Phytophagous Insects. Oikos, 44(1), p.12.
•  Price, E. (2002). Lowland Grassland and Heathland Habitats. London: Department of Environment and Geography Sciences in Manchester Metropolitan University, pp.7-39
• Webb, N. (2008). The traditional management of European heathlands. Journal of Applied Ecology, 35(6), pp.987-990.

Bottleneck for marine plastic

Where was we?

Spurn point is a 327-hectare nature reserve owned by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, packed full of diverse ecology consisting of grassland, salt marshes, mudflats and coastline as well its nostalgic natural history. The site is located South of Kilnsea at Spurn head (TA 419 149) at the very Southerly end of the Yorkshire Nature Triangle, bringing its benefits of acting as a bottleneck for rare and native migratory birds reaching records of 400 different species in May 2019.

What were we conserving?

Spurn point receives relentless quantities of marine litter due to the longshore drift along the East coast and Humber estuary creating its iconic 4-mile narrow tidal coastline. As part of a Waste of Waves initiative rangers complete daily litter picks on sections of the beach every day due to being heavily protected for wading birds and marine mammals. We got stuck in by scouring the coastline collecting a variety of litter from plastic bottles to discarded fishing line and nets into bags, that were later processed and categorised into litter type as future data for the Marine Conservation Society to highlight trends around the UK.

Litter picking along the coast of Spurn

Why is this conservation important?

Marine plastic has been documented to have been in the environment the past 50 years, reaching records of 300 million metric tonnes in 2013 with no sight of the problem reducing in the years to come. Originating as land based, working its way down water courses to marine habitats where plastic makes up 70% of all debris. Marine plastic fundamentally alters marine ecological functions and community structure of fisheries and charismatic mammals such as turtles and whales through ingestion and entanglement, meanwhile impacting human health via ingestion as well as human well-being recreational activities such as diving, also being a large contributor to climate change. Plastic has travelled up the food chain via microplastics, reaching parts of the world which otherwise would be inaccessible highlighting how vast this problem is on a regional to international scale.

To tackle the wave of plastic, conservation actions have had to tackle all boundaries for sustainability such as education to the public, emphasizing on recycling and single use plastics and discarding litter responsibly. Conservation groups such as the Marine Conservation Society and Living Seas have tackled reducing fishing litter from local fishermen with the introduction of designated areas for waste drop off, along with education to the general public and school children through public talks and media. UK Government have implemented legislation through the Convention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Material 1972 enforcement to control marine pollution and Zero avoidable waste by 2050 involving a deposit- return scheme for plastic bottles, while almost all major retailers have combat food packaging standards by pledging to the UK Plastic Pact in April 2018 with the introduction of carrier bag charges which have meant 40% fewer plastic bags being found on beaches and 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging through altering single use plastic.

How to get involved?

You don’t have to have any past experience or expertise to join a beach clean; its open to anyone! All you would need to do is wrap up warm and bring the whole family, everything else is provided. Joining a beach clean is simple; look on The Wildlife Trust or Marine Conservation Society website, searching for ‘Beach cleans’ where all the information of location, date and times listed of upcoming gatherings will take place. Practically contributing to enhancing the environment by removing litter will make you feel accomplished.

More information

• Beaumont, N., Aanesen, M., Austen, M., Börger, T., Clark, J., Cole, M., Hooper, T., Lindeque, P., Pascoe, C. and Wyles, K. (2019). Global ecological, social and economic impacts of marine plastic. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 142, pp.189-195.
• Chen, C. (2012). Regulation and Management of Marine Litter. Marine Anthropogenic Litter, pp.395-428.
• Derraik, J. (2002). The pollution of the marine environment by plastic debris: a review. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 44(9), pp.842-852.
• Dixon-Hardy, D. and Curran, B. (2009). Types of packaging waste from secondary sources (supermarkets) – The situation in the UK. Waste Management, 29(3), pp.1198-1207.
• Law, K. (2017). Plastics in the Marine Environment. Annual Review of Marine Science, 9(1), pp.205-229
• Löhr, A., Savelli, H., Beunen, R., Kalz, M., Ragas, A. and Van Belleghem, F. (2017). Solutions for global marine litter pollution. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 28, pp.90-99.
• Sheavly, S. and Register, K. (2007). Marine Debris & Plastics: Environmental Concerns, Sources, Impacts and Solutions. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 15(4), pp.301-305.
• Youtube.com. (2018). YouTube. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA9O9YUbQew [Accessed 5 Nov. 2019].
• Marine Conservation Society
• Spurn Point Nature Reserve