At the Annual General Meeting of the Gloucestershire Naturalists’ Society, a team from Butterfly Conservation reported on monitoring of Lepidoptera at the newly-purchased reserve at Rough Bank (see separate report on the AGM below).    The link below gives details of a press release on butterfly recording in 2012 by Butterfly Conservation, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme:

http://butterfly-conservation.org/48-3680/2012-a-disaster-year-for-uk-butterflies.html

The full text of the press release is as follows:

2012: A Disaster Year For UK Butterflies

Washout 2012 was the worst year for UK butterflies on record with 52 out of the 56 species monitored suffering declines, a scientific study today revealed.

Some of our rarest species such as the fritillaries bore the brunt of the second wettest year on record and now face the real threat of extinction in some parts of the UK.

Last year’s relentless rain and cold created disastrous conditions for summer-species in particular as they struggled to find food, shelter and mating opportunities; butterfly abundance plummeted to a record low as a result and 13 species suffered their worst year on record.

The critically endangered High Brown Fritillary fell by 46%, the vulnerable Marsh Fritillary was down 71% and the endangered Heath Fritillary saw its population plummet by 50% in comparison to 2011.

Many of our most threatened butterflies were already in a state of long-term decline prior to the 2012 deluge. There are now real fears that these already struggling species could become extinct in some parts of the UK as a result of last year’s wet weather.

Hairstreaks did particularly badly last year – the Black Hairstreak, one of the UK’s rarest species, saw its population fall by 98%. The Green Hairstreak was down 68%, the White-letter Hairstreak fell by 72% and the Brown Hairstreak, slipped by 34%.

Many common species struggled. The Common Blue plummeted by 60%, the Brown Argus collapsed by 73% and the Large Skipper fell by 55%.

The widespread ‘Whites’  including Green-Veined White and the two ‘Cabbage Whites’, Large White and Small White saw their populations tumble by more than 50%. The Orange-tip fell by 34%.

The alarming slide of garden favourite the Small Tortoiseshell continued with its population slipping 37% from 2011 figures.

Data was gathered by the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) jointly led by Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH).

Only four species saw their populations increase. The grass-feeding Meadow Brown was up 21% and the Scotch Argus, which thrives in damp conditions, rose by 55%.

Dr Tom Brereton, Head of Monitoring at Butterfly Conservation, said: “2012 was a catastrophic year for almost all of our butterflies, halting progress made through our conservation efforts in recent years.  Butterflies have proved before that given favourable conditions and the availability of suitable habitat they can recover, but with numbers in almost three-quarters of UK species at a historically low ebb any tangible recovery will be more difficult than ever.”

UKBMS has run since 1976 and involves thousands of volunteers collecting data every week throughout the summer from more than 1,000 sites across the UK.

CEH butterfly ecologist Dr Marc Botham said: “Despite the horrific weather in 2012 over 1,500 dedicated volunteers still managed to collect data from over a thousand sites across the UK. Their amazing efforts enable us to assess the impacts of wet summers on butterfly diversity.”

The UKBMS is operated by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Butterfly Conservation and funded by a multi-agency consortium including the Countryside Council for Wales, Defra, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Forestry Commission, Natural England, the Natural Environment Research Council and Scottish Natural Heritage. The UKBMS is indebted to all volunteers who contribute data to the scheme.

Butterfly Conservation is the largest charity of its type in the world. Our aim is the conservation of butterflies, moths and their habitats. We run conservation programmes for more than 100 threatened species and manage over 30 nature reserves. www.butterfly-conservation.org

The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) is the UK’s Centre of excellence for integrated research in the land and freshwater ecosystems and their interaction with the atmosphere. CEH is part of the Natural Environment Research council, employs more than 450 people at four major sites in England, Scotland and Wales, hosts over 150Phd students and has an overall budget of about £35m. CEH tackles complex environmental challenges to deliver practicable solutions so that future generations can benefit from a rich and healthy environment. www.ceh.ac.uk You can follow the latest developments in CEH research via http://www.ceh.ac.uk/rss.xml

The March 2013 issue of GNS News is now available, with articles including a consideration of the ecological consequences of the proposed Cinderford Northern Quarter development, the Red-Data fungus Stephanospora caroticolor, discovery of the harvestman Opilio canestrinii in Gloucestershire, a study of Hobbies, and (cover story) Willow Tits in the Forest of Dean.

The field meeting at the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust reserve at Coombe Hill Meadows on Sunday 24 March will go ahead.  Meet at the car park by The Wharf at 10.00 a.m.  Following recent rain, water levels are rising in the River Severn, so water levels on the meadows are likely to be rising too.  Wellingtons or waterproof shoes are therefore absolutley essential.  Times of rising water level are often of special interest, not only for wildlife, but from a hydrological point of view: which ditches fill first, which fields flood first, how does the water affect wilfdlife – both flora and fauna.

See you there

Mike Smart

The GNS Field Meeting, at Upham Meadow on the Avon near Twyning, planned on Sunday 24 February is to go ahead (unlike the January meeting at Lower Lode, which had to be cancelled because of flooding).  The flooding along the Avon has subsided, so that the meadow is accessible, though still very wet underfoot,

so wellingtons or waterproof footwear are essential.

To get there from Twyning (beyond Tewkesbury, in the extreme north of the county), take the left turning on the green just past the school towards Strensham, then turn down the second right turn, along the road to the Cotswold Grange Country Park at SO 908371.  The leader will be waiting by the turning to the Park from 9.45 a.m.  Park by the chicken sheds just past Sandacre Farm.  A couple of hours walk around the meadows and along the Avon over the river from Bredon.

This is one of the largest meadows in England, of great botanical, ornithological interest, and a fascinating survival of old farming techniques.  The visit is at an unusual time, right at the beginning of the spring, to give guidance for later visits at prime bird and flower time.

Dear Members

This issue of GNS NEWS gives a good deal of prominence to the Forest of Dean, one of the richest and most interesting parts of our county in terms of biological diversity and nature conservation. We have articles on recording, and articles on conservation issues.  Furthermore GNS is involved (with many other bodies) in an exciting application to the Heritage Lottery Fund which, is approved, should generate considerable funding (several million pounds) for conservation of the natural and cultural heritage of the area, and for developing training and demonstration in this field in the area.

I am writing just after the meeting of the Planning Committee of the Forest of Dean District Council on 13 February, which approved plans for the Cinderford Northern Quarter: these plans involve construction of homes and provision of jobs in the Cinderford area, but the work will pose grave threats to the wildlife of the area (notably to newts, moths, bats and dormice); the high conservation values are well known and documented, but do not appear to have been given adequate consideration in the planning process.  The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has been closely involved with putting forward the case for wildlife, and details about the issue are available on their website; as they note, it is still open to the public (and to you as GNS members) to write to the minister concerned (Secretary of State Eric Pickles), asking him to “call in” the plans for further review.  Even if the plans are put into execution, it is by no means clear how the necessary “mitigation” or wildlife compensation measures can be carried out in time: the plans speak of work beginning next autumn, but before work can begin, alternative bat roosts have to be built and adopted by the bats – a process which would normally take years, even if the bats adopt the new roost sties.  Future issues of GNS NEWS (and the GNS website) will of course bring you details of developments.

May I also draw your attention to the forthcoming GNS Annual General Meeting, to be held this year on Cirencester, where we have a very active GNS branch, which has not hosted the AGM for at least ten years.  So, a welcome return.  There will also be a Special General Meeting (as agreed at the 2012 AGM, and mentioned in the Minutes distributed with the summer 2012 issue of GNS NEWS); your Executive Committee has reluctantly come to the conclusion that an increase in subscriptions has become necessary:  GNS subscription levels have not changed for about twenty years, and it is simply not realistic, nor good financial practice, to allow financial reserves, which have been built up over the years through generous bequests from former members, to dwindle away.  I hope that members will support the Committee on this issue: as I have said many times, GNS provides wonderful value: the meetings, the opportunity to contribute to recording of wildlife in the county, the quarterly newsletter (GNS NEWS), the annual “Gloucestershire Naturalist” and Bird Report; so an increase in subscriptions after twenty years is, in the Committee’s opinion, fully justified.

Finally, some sad news: Mrs Mary Palfrey, who had been one of the most active botanists in the county, and had recently stepped down from the Executive Committee, died on 10 February.  A full obituary will appear in the next GNS NEWS.  We shall greatly miss her expertise, and even more her friendly presence at meetings, and devotion to conservation in the county.  Perhaps I may also draw your attention to another recent death at the age of 89 of Professor Geoffrey Matthews, for long years the head of research at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and a major figure in international wetland conservation.

Looking forward to seeing you at the AGM at Watermoor Hall, Cirencester on Friday 22 March,

Yours sincerely

Mike Smart

Hon Chairman

The Gloucestershire Naturalists’ Society has been following closely the issue of the planning application for building of new houses and a spine road through the Cinderford Northern Quarter, which will affect the Cinderford Linear Park and nearby wildlife sites.  There have been regular articles in GNS NEWS, and many GNS members and recorders have submitted records of wildlife to illustrate the values of the site.  The initial planning application was approved last week, and a press release was issued on 13 February by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust; the text of the press release is given below.  GNS members may wish to write to the Secretary State to support the request that the application be “called in” (i.e. reviewed).

Mike Smart

Hon Chairman

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust      

MEDIA RELEASE

FEBRUARY 13 2013

RARE AND PROTECTED WILDLIFE AT SERIOUS RISK IF WORK ON NORTHERN QUARTER STARTS THIS AUTUMN – WILDLIFE TRUST

There won’t be time to preserve and protect rare and precious wildlife before work starts on the massive redevelopment of Cinderford’s Northern Quarter, warns the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

 The Northern Quarter plans have now been approved by Forest of Dean District Council, just two months after the site was declared a Key Wildlife Site by ecological experts.

The developers say they want to start work this autumn, but Dr Colin Studholme from the Wildlife Trust warns there simply won’t be time to carry out the statutory work the developers must do before the building starts, in order to preserve the site’s rare and protected species of newt, moths, bat, dormice and other wildlife.

“The Government’s own ecologists recognised the extreme importance of the site in terms of rare species – but the measures they recommend to protect and preserve them would take up to five years to complete, and that has to happen before building starts.

“The Northern Quarter’s new spine road will involve demolishing buildings which are home to protected rare bats. Before the buildings can be demolished, replacement bat roosts have to be built; the bats have to move in and they have to start breeding. The developers appear not to be aware of their statutory duty otherwise they would not be talking about starting work this autumn,” added Dr Studholme.

“We remain deeply opposed to the development and will be writing to the Secretary of State Eric Pickles to request that his department “calls-in” the application.  We would urge anyone else who opposes this scheme to do the same.”

Dr Studholme said the Trust was not opposed to some development of the site, understanding the need for jobs and housing in Cinderford, but recent claims y some councillors that wildlife would adapt or go back from where it came from, were “ill-informed and not helpful.”

“For this scheme to have been sustainable for wildlife, the applicant should have had full knowledge of the wildlife they were dealing when this whole planning process started 15 years ago. They are now trying to shoehorn wildlife into a scheme which was long-conceived but only latterly considered the environmental issues.”

The development will have significant negative impacts on local wildlife, he said.  A panel of experts from local authorities, Natural England and top ecologists unanimously agreed last November that the Northern Quarter site was significant enough to be a Key Wildlife Site.

Very sad that a lovely lady has gone (see Mike Smart’s post yesterday).  Always cheerful, hard working, telling you straight how things are, demon driver, good naturalist.  Here she it at Ketford Bank in March 2009 when the GNS executive committee visited the site.