NOVEMBER 2017 Wild Tees

Welcome CONTENTS:www.te e s wi ldl i f e.org 42017 CARDTrust Notes... COMPETITION Dear reader, 6ONE PLANET PIONEERS Welcome to issue 21 of Wild Tees. 7STUDENTOne area of conservation work which attracts little in the way of supportor funds is the routine monitoring of commonplace creatures, especially PLACEMENTSunattractive insects. So, it was great to learn recently, that some Germanentomologists had been doing just that for 25 years. In a fairly straight- 8VOLUNTEERforward experiment, they had set up traps for flying insects on 87 sites SPOTLIGHTacross North Rhine-Westphalia and every year they had simply weighedthe contents. 10WILD DAYS OUT 12CLEVELAND BATThe shocking outcome from this study was the stark decline in flyinginsects that the German scientist have revealed. In 1989, their average GROUPtrap collected some 3.5 pounds of insects between May and October.By 2014, the contents of the same traps weighed an average of just 10.6 14UK NEWS:ounces. SOIL-THE STUFF OFThe German countryside and farming are fairly similar to our own and LIFEit is reasonable to assume that the decline in insects is happening hereand in many other parts of the world, too. When, for instance, did you 18UK NEWS:last have to scrub insects from the windscreen and headlights of your carafter driving through the countryside? AN ACT FOR NATUREFlying insects are the vital foodstuff of a number of bird species and 20NORTH EAST PHOTOpronounced declines in these have already been noticed. Swifts, for COMPETITIONinstance, have been in trouble, as are cuckoos whose main food iscaterpillars. And what will happen to bats, which need to eat some 2000 22SAFEGUARDINGflying insects each night in order to survive? OUR BEAUTIFULFlying insects may not be a large part of the human diet, but they play COASTLINEan important role in food production as pollinators. It has been estimatedthat pollinating insects are important to a third of globalcrop production.Conservation action has never been more important,so thank you for your continued support for the WildlifeTrust. Jeremy Garside, Chief ExecutiveWILD TEES is published by: Tel: 01287 636382Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, Margrove Heritage E-mail: [email protected], Margrove Park, Boosbeck, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, TS12 3BZ. Registered charity number: 511068

: Protecting Wildlife for the Future Content design & editing: ...and don't forget to visit our D. van den Toorn website. Join in and tell us Images: what you think. Photography as credited. All THE ISSUE at a glance... uncredited photos permitted for use p.04 by Tees Valley Wildlife Trust. Printed by: EvoPrint & Design Ltd.0 Front cover: Robin2 Photo: Card competition winner 2017, Peter Evans Back cover: Reaasons to Join the Trust4 All editorial and advertising enquiries to the Card competition Tees Valley Wildlife Trust at the above address. p.128 The views expressed by the contributors to this magazine are not necessarily those of the0 editor or the Council of the Wildlife Trust. © Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, 2017.2 Contributors: Natural World UK / Steve Ashton [People Get to know your bat calls and Wildlife Manager, TVWT] / Jenny Hagan p.22 [Development Manager, TVWT] / Sarah Barry [Bat Officer, TVWT] / Rachel Murtagh [Tees Help save our beautiful coastline Valley Nature Partnership Officer, TVWT] / Jacky Watson [Education Officer, TVWT] / Sue Antrobus [Tees Valley Wild Green Places Manager, TVWT] / Kate Bartram [East Cleveland Heritage Officer, TVWT] / Mat Dove-Jones [Volunteer Officer, TVWT]

CCoarmdpetition!In June we announced the opening of a competition for all our budding wildlife artists and photographers out there, with the reward of seeing their images on a set of cards to be sold by the Trust, as well as featured in our magazine and on posters and flyers, etc., across the Tees Valley. Thank you to everyone who entered! Many congratulations to the winning entry (above left) by Peter Evans from Guisbrough, which is a lovely photograph of a robin taken in his own garden and is featured on our front cover! Our second prize winner (above right) was submitted by Emma Price from Hartlepool, who is also one of our River Tees Rediscovered volunteers. Her beautiful watercolour painting of goldfinches on teasels was inspired by a scene at our own Maze Park nature reserve in Middlesbrough. A set of cards featuring these images (and the runner up images on the page opposite) will be on sale from November and will be available throughout 2018. If you would like to purchase a set they will be available at events in the run up to Christmas (please check our events page on the website for more information) or you can just pop in and see us at Margrove Heritage Centre – please contact Jen Hagan or Jody Brown on 01287 636 382 / [email protected] and we will put a set aside for you4 WILD TEES - ISSUE 20

‘Autumn H I G H LY C O M M E N D E D E N T R I E S Bramble’ in watercolour by Jean Devasagayam from Saltburn. ‘Leven’ photograph by Graeme Price from Thornaby. ‘Damselfly’ photograph by Simon Leahy from Stockton-on- Tees. ‘Hoggys’ photograph of natural artwork by the Friends of Errington Woods in Redcar. ‘Tortoiseshell at Cattersty Gill’ photograph by Ruby Barry from Marske. ‘Jay’ photograph by Peter Evans from Guisborough. ‘Winter Scene’ photograph by Si Crabtree from Yarm. ‘Bluebells at Clarkson’s Woods’ photograph by Audrey Barnes from Saltburn.WWW.TEESWILDLIFE.ORG 5

Apprentices (left toright): Ben McGill,Sam Hutchinson, LiamHolland, Michael Carter By Becky StanleyOne APlCaHnIeEtVPEiMonENeTeSrAteam of four ‘One Planet Pioneer’ apprentices have on practical skills, but has also given them been working full time with staff a chance to assist with outdoor education for local school groups and at communityat Tees Valley Wildlife Trust for the past events; something they all agree has raisedtwelve months. As their apprenticeship their self-confidence and developed theiris now drawing to a close, they are communication skills.busy contacting potential employersand preparing for entry into work. They Personally, I’ve watched our team ofhave achieved a great deal over the apprentices overcome challenges and growyear and now have skills that they cantake to any prospective employer. Theyhave completed qualifications in brush- “I really enjoyed the practical side of the job includingcutter operation, herbicide application, cutting down trees with an axe and sawing them up. Ifirst aid and manual handling. Their final also loved learning drystone walling, blacksmithing andachievement will be a Level 2 City and woodwork”. Sam HutchinsonGuilds in Environmental Conservation,along with an award in Business for theEnvironment and Land Based Sector. in self-confidence. I continue to admire their“My inspiration to work in the environment started motivation and commitment to being involvedwhen I joined the Talent Match programme - after thatI haven’t looked back. The practical skills I’ve learnt with wildlife conservation and would like toare very useful and now I’m fully confident to do see them all use their achievements to moveenvironmental management work for the Wildlife Trust on into employment or further training.or a new employer”. Liam Holland The ‘Our Bright Future - One Planet Pioneer’ project will continue with Big LotteryThey have also gained practical experience funding until 2021, providing training inin managing green spaces in and around environmental conservation for young peopleMiddlesbrough, learning how to fell trees, aged 14-21 who live in Middlesbrough. If youcoppicing, planting, footpath work and would like further information on training orwildflower grassland management. The volunteering for this project, please get inapprenticeship has not been focused solely touch with Becky: [email protected] WILD TEES - ISSUE 21

STUDENT PLACEMENTPUTS HIS NAME ON THE MAP By Rachel MurtaghEvery summer the Wildlife Trust Each area has a map and a correspondinggives young students the opportunity statement alongside it. To produce both requiresto volunteer on specific projects, giving lots of research into what wildlife resourcesthem valuable work experience and the are in these areas (or could be) and then mapTrust an injection of youthful energy and it all! Fortunately, Josh brought with him someenthusiasm. Projects range from helping experience with GIS (a computer mapping tool)with summer events and activities, and and an enthusiasm for nature conservation.practical conservation work to researchand development. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Tees Valley Wildlife Trust and found it very relevant to my studies, allowingThis summer the Tees Valley Nature Partnership, me to apply knowledge learnt at university into awhich is administered from the Wildlife Trust, real working environment. I have gained an in-depthhad the support of Josh Fawcett, a Geography look into the workings of a Wildlife Trust, which hasundergraduate from University College London. inspired me to delve into the possibilities of a careerJosh had the chance to put his time and energy relating to nature conservation. The experience that Iin to developing the Biodiversity Opportunity gained has proved invaluable.”Area (BOA) mapping project. His diligence has enabled us to map andWhat is this project, I hear you cry? Well, the describe BOA’s within the ‘East Cleveland’ andimportance of creating larger and better- ‘Middlesbrough Beck Valleys’ landscape areas.connected areas of natural habitat is now These areas should be completed this yearrecognised as essential for maintaining with Teesmouth and the River Tees Corridorbiodiversity and enabling wildlife to adapt to to follow. For further information please goclimate change. Many organisations, including to our Nature Partnership website: www.the Wildlife Trust, are now promoting the teesvalleynaturepartnership.org.uk/resources/creation of ecological networks and the use of natural-networks-opportunity-maps/landscape-scale approaches to conservation. Our thanks to Josh for all his hard work; we hopeIn the Tees Valley, we have identified five to attract another undergraduate volunteer nextbroad areas of landscape type and within these summer of such high calibre! If you would likea number of Biodiversity Opportunity Areas further information on our summer placements(BOA’s). These BOA’s comprise the key places please contact us at: [email protected] potential biodiversity enhancement withinthe five larger areas of landscape type. This Above: Our student placement, Josh, with mapping from his researchis where targeted maintenance, restoration, project. Map behind: Central Farmland BOA Darlington to Stockton.creation, mitigation and offsetting measuresshould be adopted to enhance biodiversityand, in turn, help to deliver a wide range of‘ecosystem services’. Collectively the BOA’sform a strategic network, representing asignificant environmental asset for the TeesValley. WWW.TEESWILDLIFE.ORG 7

Volunteer SpotlightBy Sarah Barry, Kate Bartram & Mat Dove-JonesWe have many volunteers that give up their time, effort, energy and share their knowledge andskills with us here at Tees Valley WildlifeTrust. Volunteers are totally invaluable tothe Trust and to each and every projectthat they dedicate their time to. However,it is not so often we find a volunteer thatis willing and able to share their time andenergy across many different projects, butthat is just what Diana Irvine does.Di first got involved with the Tees Valley had a lot more to offer and it wasn’t longWildlife Trust through the Life Skills Project, before she found her way onto Sarah’slead by Mathew Dove-Jones, our Volunteer Batscape project.Officer. Throughout the whole programme,Diana showed her enthusiasm for the work Before her time at Tees Valley Wildlifethe Trust does and her eagerness to learn Trust, Di had no experience using acousticnew skills. She was very keen on the fitness software. Sarah was running one final bataspect too, after having some niggles with data analysis workshop at the beginning ofminor injuries in the past. She completed the the year and Di jumped at the chance to learnprogramme with aplomb and achieved her this new skill. The very day after Di had beenJohn Muir Explorer Award, by helping create on the workshop, she got cracking with dataand complete a recycled wildlife garden at analysis and took to it in no time.the Trust’s offices. It is not only the process of looking at the dataMat said, “I am so pleased Diana has and being able to determine which species ofcontinued to volunteer as she is such an bat is in the file, but it is just as important toasset to the Trust. She would be an asset be able to record this information correctlyto any organisation due to her upbeat, can and accurately. We use software that isdo attitude and ability to learn new skills free to download, but is not as user friendlyquickly”. as the more expensive software out there. The data has to be saved and then recordedAfter completing Mat’s project, Di expressed correctly, so all the information from thean enthusiasm to continue her voluntary data can be easily analysed and manipulatedwork for the Trust. Initially Di came into the to get it in a format suitable for the Northoffices here at Margrove Heritage Centre East Environmental Records Informationand helped out with general administration Centre (which they enter onto maps that canwork, typing up evaluation forms, helping be used for various research and applicationto prepare educational materials for school objectives, such as informing potentialvisits, sorting out filing systems, etc. But Di conservation management plans).8 WILD TEES - ISSUE 21

Di’s perseverance and persistence with the asset for any project manager.time consuming data management, gettingthe bat data spreadsheet up to scratch, has Unfortunately, our long-term and dedicatedbeen an absolute saviour to the project and gardening volunteer, Arthur Agar, has nothas allowed our Bat Officer to look at the been in good health lately (we wish himdata simply and be able to make it digestible well), so had to stop coming to the Margrovefor a wider audience at the Bat Conservation Heritage Centre. However, Di has steppedTrust conference (among other events). in here too. Keeping on top of the seemingly never-ending task of tending to the wildlifeAlthough Di started her volunteer work on garden. She also helps out with potting upthe East Cleveland Batscape project right at plug plants for various events, to improvethe very end of its term, it was at this critical our own wildlife garden here at the Heritagetime that Sarah needed her help tying up Centre and, of course, on our nature reserves.loose ends and dealing with the massiveamount of data that had amassed throughout One thing about Di is that she spots somethingthe project. Diana has played an integral part that needs doing and just cracks on with it!to the overall success of this entire project, She regularly helps out on any other projectsdespite only joining in the later stages. Di like the mosaics for Roseworth Library, asalso helped out with the public engagement part of the Wild Green Places project and hasof the project, assisting at the final East even tackled the Herculean task of bringingCleveland Batscape Event. some order to our workspace after we had work done to update our heating system.The East Cleveland Batscape project mayhave now finished, but the Cleveland Bat The variety of tasks Di has got stuck in withGroup has been set up (see page 7) and so highlights that there is a wide range of thingsdata analysis and collation is still ongoing. you can do as a volunteer with the WildlifeAt the time of writing this article Di verified Trust, whether you’re a hands-on, green-a large number of bat files of Nathusius fingered sort of person or not. We hope topipistrelle in the Cleveland area. With only recognise more of our amazing volunteers ina handful of records existing previously, this subsequent issues of this magazine, but fordata is highly valuable, not only within the the meantime, thank you Di and thank you tobat world, but in conservation in general. all our volunteers!Di’s experience with acoustic softwarehas been put to further good use on our‘Where the Wild Things Were’ project, leadby Kate Bartram. This project has recordedfifty interviews with older members of theEast Cleveland Community on their outdoorchildhoods and experiences with nature. Dihas been helping to edit the recordings readyfor release on the project website later thisyear. Her administrative and database skillswill be invaluable for this project as well.Ever keen to try something new, Di helpedwith small mammal surveying over thesummer by setting and checking Longworthsmall mammal traps (a live trap for researchpurposes). A positive attitude, is a great WWW.TEESWILDLIFE.ORG 9

BeingOVER doesn’t mean you‘W50ild Days Out’can’t have some By Jen HaganIn March 2017, the Tees Valley Wildlife this Tees Valley Wildlife Trust has started a Trust started working with Ageing Better simple project funded by Middlesbrough and Middlesbrough to try and benefit from Stockton Mind, through their ‘Ageing Betterthe unique attitudes, skills and experience Middlesbrough’ programme, which wasthat come with a volunteer demographic looking for innovative projects that askedaged 50 or over. While there is increasing questions and learned from local people,awareness of the need to stay active to make things better for them. Our oneafter 50, research has shown that positive year project, called ‘Wild Days Out’, offerschoices made at fifty can make a significant volunteering taster sessions, but to attractdifference to health and wellbeing in the people who might not ordinarily seek outfollowing years. volunteering as a way of tackling loneliness, we also designed one-off events that involveWhile there are an increasing number volunteering but are more about getting toof volunteering opportunities out there, know new places, meet new people andenvironmentalcharitiesliketheWildlifeTrusts learn new things, as well as sharing ideas.are finding many perceptions, stereotypes We are also offering lunch and transport soand real-life barriers that are stopping people that the events are accessible to everyone.aged 50 or over from taking part. To remedy10 WILD TEES - ISSUE 21

As you might expect, the events trial activitiesthat help our environment and wildlife, butwe have been looking at ways to apply thisthat people might not expect. So, as well ascoppicing a secluded woodland in Yarm andcollecting wildflower seeds on the banksof the River Tees, we have also been litterpicking with Middlesbrough Football Club.Learning is central to this new project and So far, these new approaches have alsowe hope from what attendees tell us they helped us attract more female volunteers,want and need, we will be able to design people with limited mobility and those whonew volunteering roles that people can take have never volunteered before.part in beyond the project. We have learned,so far, that we need to offer more flexible Please check our events webpage for detailsopportunities, as well as activities that don’t on upcoming ‘Wild Days Out’ or contactneed a lot of strength or stamina, include Project Officer, Amy Carrick, on 01287some training but don’t necessarily need to 636382 or by e-mail: [email protected] lead by a member of staff and that can be org.more social. We are putting this knowledgeinto developing new volunteering roles for Ageing Better Middlesbrough is supported2018. by Big Lottery Fund using National Lottery funding and aims to tackle loneliness andIn developing these opportunities, this social isolation in people aged 50 and over.particular age group will help us to Anyone can become a member for freebecome more sustainable and spread our to discover the wide range of activities,environment and community messages to events, groups and opportunities, thata wider audience; for example, combining Middlesbrough has to offer. Find out morewhat seems like a mundane task such as at www.ageingbettermiddlesbrough.org.uklitter picking, with a high profile sports event or call 01642 257034.that will help us raise awareness of wasteand pollution. WWW.TEESWILDLIFE.ORG 11

Come and Bat for Our Team By Sarah BarryThe East Cleveland Batscape Project had worked to increase people’s skill and interest in the area’s bats through a variety of activities and training. A planned legacy of the project was to establish a local bat group with the knowledge, skillsand confidence to deliver long term conservation for bats. The Cleveland Bat Group(CBG) has now been launched to cover the South Tees area and to work alongside thewell-established Durham, North and East Yorkshire Bat Groups.Following on from the huge success of the any more people that are interested.East Cleveland Batscape project, now is theperfect time to continue building on local The Cleveland Bat Group are also planning oninterest in bats in general and to maintain running a bat handling workshop towards thethe specific interest of volunteers that have end of winter. One of the most experiencedcontributed their time to undertaking bat bat carers in the country, who deliverssurveys and bat data analysis. training sessions at the Bat Conservation Trust conferences, will be undertaking thisNow that volunteers are trained we can workshop. Bat care is a specialist, but hugelycontinue with surveying the areas of interest rewarding task. The closest bat carers to thethat were flagged by the previous project, Cleveland area are Hartlepool, Darlingtonand analysing the data from these areas. and York. One of the main aims of the groupSince the Batscape project ended, the is to train people locally to undertake batCleveland Bat Group has continued to survey care within our area. This will be a slowScaling Dam and areas of Loftus. Surveys process, but it is a skill that is desperatelyhave also been undertaken of the old iron needed locally as there are always bats thatstone mining areas of East Cleveland with need rescuing.help from the ‘Our Industrial Heartland’project (an ongoing Heritage Lottery funded The new Cleveland Bat Group is affiliatedproject). to the National Bat Conservation Trust (BCT). This is pretty invaluable to the group.Many more Nathusius pipistrelle records BCT have experience dealing with overhave been made, constantly adding to the 90 different bat groups of the UK so theirvery few Cleveland records of this rare advice is massively appreciated. Affiliationmigratory bat, which is fantastic news and also means we are able to use a lot of theirhighlights the importance of this area for educational materials for public engagement.all bat species, not just the common ones. They also provide an exhaustive list andHowever, there are never enough people access to a huge library of bat literature tothat are skilled and dedicated enough help with training on bat survey techniques,to undertake surveys and data analysis data analysis, conservation of bats and batthroughout the whole of the Cleveland area, care.so we will be delivering bat detector anddata analysis workshops over the winter for Any help you can offer with the running12 WILD TEES - ISSUE 21

THE MAIN AIMS OF BAT GROUPS:To deliver public engagement events (bat talks and walks) to encourage the conservation of bats in the local area. To provide local bat carers who rescue and rehabilitate sick or injured bats, before releasing them back into the wild.Provide volunteers who can undertake roost surveys of properties in the local area where a person may have concerns of bats roosting on their propertyProvide information and advice on bats in the local area to any interested persons or local organisations. To continue to provide its members with training opportunities that contribute to bat conservation.of the CBG would be hugely appreciated. The website for the new bat group is theOr, if you would simply like to be added to original address for the East Clevelandthe mailing list to keep up to date with any Batscape project: www.clevelandbats.org.events the group is running, please e-mail: uk - however, this is a work in progress [email protected] 1 the moment, so please bear with us! About Cleveland Bat Group Cleveland How bats... 01287 636382 GrBoautp [email protected] to help Bats play an important role www.clevelandbats.org.uk 21/10/2017 11:40 commercially and environmentally. a bat... Around the world they control crop Tees Valley Wildlife Trust is a registered Who are we? pests, pollinate over 500 plants charity No. 511068 The Cleveland Bat Group is a voluntary organisation set up with funding (including cocoa, banana’s and The Bat Conservation Trust supports from the Heritage Lottery Fund to raise awareness and conserve the 9 species avocado) and disperse seeds. over 100 local bat groups and 6000 of bat in Cleveland members and works with volunteers, We have 18 bat species in the UK, all scientists, industry and government What do we do? of which eat insects. both locally and nationally on a • Undertake studies of bats in our area, including the monitoring range of projects. Their work focuses of known key areas There are only 2 vampire bats in on discovering more about bats and • Provide training to survey for bats, and for the care of the world known to drink the blood how they use the landscape, taking injured bats of mammals (livestock). They live in action to protect bats and enhance • Care for, rehabilitate and release orphan and injured bats Central and South America. the landscapes on which they • Deal with bat problems, being a liaison between the public rely, inspiring people about bats and and Natural England In the UK, bat populations have their environment, engaging them in declined considerably over the last their conservation. How can you get century. Bats are fully protected under involved? British law. Bat Helpline • Help out with any public bat walks, talks, or public They make up one fifth of all 0345 1300 228 engagement activities mammal species around the world, • Learn how to survey for bats so you can survey your local area one third of UK mammal species. (charged at local call rate) by borrowing bat detectors • Become a bat carer. Train to handle bats and care for them forLeaflet V3.indd 1 [email protected] release back into the wild www.bats.org.uk • Be a bat ambulance driver. Picking up injured bats and dropping them off with carers What do I do if I find a bat? If the bat is on the ground, on an outside wall, or in an exposed area where it may be vulnerable, especially during the day, is likely to need help. You should avoid handling the bat, but if it is necessary WEAR GLOVES due to the small risk of a type of rabies. Call the Bat Helpline 0345 1300 228 for further advice. If you find a bat at a time when the Helpline is closed, please follow these instructions to contain the bat until the helpline is open. 1 2Contain the bat: Put a tea towel 4 Keep the a) Like a spider, by or soft cloth in the bat indoors placing a box (shoe box for the bat somewhere quiet and dark. box size) on top of it and to hide in. Only a bat that has been confirmed as fit sliding a piece of card and healthy by a bat rehabilitator should 3underneath. Small holes Put in a small, be released, and never shallow container during the day. should be punched e.g. a plastic milk in the box lid. b) Alternatively, cover bottle top with a few the bat with a cloth/ drops of water (not tea towel and carefully enough for the bat to scoop it up and place it drown in). Make sure in the box. Do not handle the water is topped the bat with bare hands. up regularly. Images courtesy of the Bat Conservation Trust and Tom Marshall The Cleveland Bat Group was set up with the Tees Valley 13 Wildlife Trust and Bat Conservation Trust 01287 636382 [email protected] www.clevelandbats.org.uk WWW.TEESWILDLIFE.ORGTees Valley Wildlife Trust is a registered charity No. 511068 Bat Helpline 0345 1300 228 (charged at local call rate) [email protected] www.bats.org.uk

ERICA OLSEN/FLPA. WORM: DAVID CHAPMANLIVING LANDSCAPES Caroline Corsie is Agronomist and Farm Manager at Worcestershire Wildlife TrustThe stuffof life Unsustainable farming practices are pushing our soils to the edge. Agronomist Caroline Corsie explains why we need to save this precious resource14 WILD TEES - ISSUE 21

It may not look like much, but soil trying to change. Increased carbon ingredients blended together in a is one of the most important emissions, increased flood risk and complex recipe. Minerals come from substances on earth. reduced water quality are having an bedrock beneath the surface The quality of soil underpins impact on homes and businesses, breaking down, creating soils fromsociety – how we grow food, how not to mention the thousands of below. Organic matter from plantswater is stored and moved through species of plants and animals in the and animals decays on the planet’sthe landscape, and how carbon is UK that rely on rich, healthy soils. surface, feeding soils from above.locked up. It’s the foundation of life About half of soil is made up of air.on earth and we all depend on Soil is made from lots of The space this creates provideshealthy soils to survive. Civilisations paths for water, roots and crucialhave risen and fallen because of the Some arable habitats for wildlife.quality of their soils, so we need to land couldshow our mud a little respect! fail within a Pull up a handful of soil, and you’ll generation notice it feels cool and wet. Most soil That’s something that’s been creatures need this liquid to live inmissing in recent decades. And and move through, and so thrive insomething The Wildlife Trusts are this dark, damp environment. And Earthworms are soil engineers What farmers can do now Farmland soil is crying out for some care Wildlife Trusts work with thousands of farmers each year. The best farmers work hard to look after their soils, working with our microscopic allies, bacteria and fungi. Good soil management on arable farms really helps to increase soil organic matter and reduce soil compaction and erosion. This includes: ■ Planting ‘catch-cover’ crops to keep the soil covered up ■ Replacing artificial fertilisers with natural organic matter (poo!) ■ Ploughing less often or stopping tillage altogether WWW.TEESWILDLIFE.ORG 15

LIVING LANDSCAPESthere are a lot of them: at least aquarter of the Earth’s biodiversitycan be found in the soil. These lifeforms – from fungi to earthworms –form intricate networks beneath ourfeet, and so play their part in keepingsoils healthy. Interplays betweenorganisms form a complex web These Wildflower field margins ZOE STEVENS intricate reduce soil loss, and create RUPERT PAULnetworks are habitat and nectar sources fertilisers to grow crops, along withwhat keep high levels of pesticides. Nutrientssoils healthy becoming unprofitable within a aren’t being fed back into soils, and generation due to the loss of soil this (alongside regular tillage) iswhich fertilises our crops and plants. organic carbon. damaging soil structure. This in But across the UK, and indeed the turn can’t support bacteria, fungi Modern agricultural systems are and invertebrates – theworld, the quality of our soils is exhausting our lowland soils, powerhouse supporting otherdeclining. Healthy soils are stripping them of their organic wildlife up the food chain.fundamental to our society, and matter and natural nutrients. Someestimates put the cost of soil farmers are totally reliant on In the uplands, soils are su eringdegradation in the UK as high as £1.4 from compaction. When livestockbillion per year. Some of our most numbers are too high, or pressuresproductive arable land is at risk of from feet and tra c too continual, soils become hard. The groundDown and dirty – what you can do can’t absorb rainfall, so water pours o the hillsides. As well as causingOur top three ways to flooding downstream, the runohelp soil in your garden gets into water supplies, literallyand beyond. More at muddying the waters and takingwildlifetrusts.org/soil with it vital nutrients needed to keep the soil healthy.1. Start composting Lilla, aged five, discovers a slow worm in the garden compost heap Our soils are also releasing their Buy or build two or carbon stores. Peatlands are one of more bins, so you can our most important and fill one while the endangered habitats, covering 12% other ‘cooks’. Kitchen of the UK. Not only do they and garden waste, support unique wildlife, but the brown cardboard – it formation of peat by sphagnumall breaks down in the end, mosses captures and storesreducing landfill and creating carbon, removing greenhousehabitat for insects, amphibians and gases from the atmosphere. In thereptiles, too! last 10,000 years, UK peatlands have locked up around 5.5 billion2. Go peat free tonnes of carbon. And yet, 80% of our peatlands are in a poorBuying compost for your flower beds or containers? Make condition because they’ve beensure to buy peat-free, and let your garden centre know drained of water or damaged bywhy it’s important. extraction over several centuries.3. Lose the chemicals We have a huge job to undertake in restoring our soils, for peopleAvoid slug pellets, pesticides and other chemicals. Instead, and wildlife. Luckily, there’s plentyencourage natural predators and ensure your garden has we can all do to reverse thislots of variety when it comes to plants and grasses. downward trend.16 WILD TEES - ISSUE 21

We can have healthy soil once more The era of soil loss has to end. Here are three projects that show another way WLoowrceersStemristheirFearm, JAN DINSDALE MPuomntlguommoenrPysrhojiercet, WENDY CARTERA 150-acre (60 ha) arable farm Spreading dung on pasture as part of Like many upland areas, Pumlumon managed by Worcestershire Wildlife Cornwall’s Pass the Poo project holds vast reserves of peat and this Trust, Lower Smite is restoring soil land could absorb and store huge MONTGOMERYSHIRE WT health as a first step to helping all PCaorsnswthaellPoo Project, amounts of carbon. Unfortunately, in its farmland wildlife recover. The the 1950s/60s, much of it was drained plan is to double soil organic matter Cornwall Wildlife Trust is pioneering a and degraded in an unsuccessful on all the arable land, and re- way to protect soil to benefit farmers, attempt to improve grazing. establish a mix of crops and wildlife and the wider environment. For livestock. Half the land is organic, many centuries, mixed farms produced Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust has grazed by the neighbour’s sheep dung from livestock and ploughed it undertaken a monumental project to and horses. Some non-organic land back into their cropping soils. restore the landscape. The project grows winter wheat and spring area holds 347 square miles of key barley for a neighbour’s dairy. There Today, many farmers focus on either habitats including blanket bog. On are no insecticides or slug pellets. crops or livestock, with crop farmers one holding alone they have blocked At least 10% of all fields are tending to buy artificial fertiliser to 6.8 miles of ditches, restored 260 managed for wildlife with flower- spread on the soil. This leaves the soil acres (105ha) of peat bog and rich mixes, woodland, grass margins without enough organic matter, so it’s safeguarded 82,500 tonnes of carbon. and plants for wild pollinators. poor at holding onto nutrients and As the bogs become wet again, water, and prone to washing away. mosses start to grow, absorbing Spreading compost on fields builds Livestock farms produce more dung carbon and locking it away as new up soil fertility and stores carbon that they need, which takes up valuable peat. At the same time, existing peat space and risks polluting streams and is protected from further erosion. rivers. To solve this, farm advisers at Cornwall Wildlife Trust are helping share Blocking the drainage ditches dung across the county, moving it to allows the mosses to regrow where it is most needed and improving soil for crops. Farmers are already reporting an increasing crop yield!SHUTTERSTOCK/DAN HILLIARD evobSeauoofTnniifllhidmAmlfienseaiiatrttlufelthtleqspieerlrtn,iamehtupoicyeaaovlpt,ataaiseottnnpnchrntrthdrrodssooteeeracrbumeeecenagesabesdrtihdlsroswiefebotuhenstineehlcloirgneoerin. s WWW.TEESWILDLIFE.ORG 17

PEOPLE & WILDLIFE An act for nature The Wildlife Trusts are calling for an Environment Act: an ambitious piece of framework legislation that would give our wildlife a unique opportunity to recoverAMWELL RESERVE/MATTHEW ROBERTS I magine taking a train journey Everything We have a chance to act now, through the countryside in 25 we value together, and give wildlife a real years’ time. From the window, derives chance to recover. If we’re ambitious you see red kites gliding across from nature enough, we really could be the first beautiful farmland and woods. Bees generation to leave the environment are buzzing in the vibrant field dolphins, vast shoals of tuna – in a better state than we inherited it. margins and thriving hedgerows. they’re a regular occurrence now. A wildlife-rich world is important You whizz past a vast wetland When you arrive in the bustling for its own sake, but we also know it teeming with egrets, herons and, city, the air you breathe is just as is the foundation of our society and although you don’t see them, water clean as it is in the countryside. economy. Ultimately everything we voles. There are no stories about Above the urban hubbub, eat and drink; the air we breathe; flooding in the news – the recent blackbirds, robins and dunnocks our fuel, clothes and shelter derives heavy rainfall has been locked into are singing loudly. You stroll over a from the natural world. So does the landscape, caught upstream. river: earlier this morning, an otter everything we value: our health, swam beneath this bridge, a fat wellbeing and possessions. Last week, when you went to brown trout in its mouth. In a park the seaside on holiday, the beach across the street, schoolchildren are Yet, we have taken it for granted; was pristine: no plastic bottles, having a lesson in the shade of the mined the natural world mercilessly. rockpools full of life. Seabirds were trees. They look happy and focused. Isn’t it time for us to enter a new era fishing just o shore. The fish’n’chip in our relationship with nature? shop was doing a roaring trade This doesn’t have to be a dream. selling local catch – since the seas Acts of Parliament are an have been recovering, both people expression of what a nation values. and wildlife have benefited. Whales, Acts have ushered in healthcare and education for all, and made us18 WILD TEES - ISSUE 21

Stephanie What would itHilborne OBE is look like?Chief Executiveof The Wildlife An Environment Act to:Trusts ■ Set ambitious, measurable, long term aims for nature’s recoveryCould there be a ■ Establish the key environmental principles that should guide lot more nature decisions at every level including the principle of access to nature in our lives by 2040?What you Restore nature Set limitscan doIf you think there should ■ Make sure vital wildlife ■ Control emissions and be more nature in sites are protected on discharges of pollutantslives, write to your all our land and at sea ■ Minimise use of natural MP and ■ Set plans for expanding resources like water andlet them know: all the and joining up habitats sanddetails are on ■ Map out where new ■ Restore the health of ourwildlifetrusts.org/ habitats should be soils in hills and floodplainsenvironmentact established So that: So that there is: ■ Air and water is clean ■ A greater diversity and and our soils high quality abundance of wildlife ■ Future generations can everywhere grow food ■ More wildlife-rich ■ Heavy rainfall causes less woods, meadows & flooding wetlands ■ More thriving seagrass beds and reefs at seasafer in the workplace. The 1949 Achieved withNational Parks and Access to theCountryside Act and its successors ■ Highly e ective regulatorshave protected some vital rich ■ Serious investment from both private and public sectorswildlife sites. But we know this is ■ Financial incentives for environmental benefitsnot enough, and soon we won’t ■ Evidence-based, tailored advice and guidancehave the safety net of the EU courtseither. Checked by The UK and each country within ■ Airtight accountability and transparencyit needs visionary legislation ■ Regular monitoring of progress towards targetsthat explicitly aims for nature’s ■ Appropriate penaltiesrecovery on land and at sea. Only ■ Access to environmental justice through the courtsGovernments can ensure there isa long-term framework that puts WWW.TEESWILDLIFE.ORG 19nature back into our landscapes,townscapes and society. We all deserve a world-classenvironment: clean air, clear water,a stable climate, healthy seas andthriving wildlife in the places welove. So do future generations. If weall make enough noise, and explainthis is what we want, it can happen.

Local photographers shine in north east competition By Steve Ashton Over 1500 photographs were entered in this year’s North East Wildlife Photography Competition and as usual the judges had a really tough time sorting out the winners. Now in its fifth year, the three north east Wildlife Trusts (Northumberland, Durham and Tees Valley), the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN), Great North Museum: Hancock and Alan Hewitt Photography, joined forces once again to run the competition.20 WILD TEES - ISSUE 21

Nestlé Fawdon, which has supported the at Saltholme. He said ”I found the dragonflycompetition since its launch continued to be the sunning itself in a sheltered area of vegetation.main sponsor. As with previous years, an array To get close enough to take the shot requiredof wonderful prizes were on offer including a a stealthy approach, which is best done early£250 voucher from London Camera Exchange in the day whilst the temperature is still cool(which has an outlet in Newcastle), binoculars, and the dragonflies aren't so active and on thephotography workshops, wildlife watching wing. I used a 100mm macro lens on a Canontrips, birdwatching workshops and photography 5D camera.” He continued, “Although I haveequipment. photographed bears and otters in Canada and the big five in Africa, I don't think people realiseThe overall winner of the competition and how much wildlife is on their doorsteps herewinner of the ‘Nature in Close-up’ category in the UK; and all within easy reach on localwas Marcus Kidd from Billingham, with a nature reserves. As long as you keep your eyessuperb macro picture of a migrant hawker and ears open, there's always something to photograph.” Marcus wins £250 cash and a tour with Serenity Farne Islands boat tours. Pippa Maddison from Marske-by-the-Sea also had to have an early start to take her picture, ‘Little Gull at Saltburn’, which won the ‘Wildlife in the Landscape’ category. She says, ”I had been taking shots of a small group of little gulls and sanderlings on the shore before I realised they would look better in flight. The light would be behind them, showing through their wings and with the backdrop of Huntcliff in the golden haze of a misty dawn. I quickly set up the composition I wanted and waited. Luckily the birds took flight”. Pippa, who is also a Tees Valley Wildlife Trust volunteer, continued... “My interests with regards to photography are landscapes and wildlife. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where so much fantastic landscape is so near to me. I spend a lot of time at the coast and on the moors, but there are more places I'll be exploring now, especially as volunteering for the Trust has introduced me to Portrack Marsh and Bowesfield nature reserves; both places I hadn't been to before and both great locations for wildlife photography. I'm finding wildlife photography much more challenging, but it's endlessly fascinating”. Pippa wins a pair of binoculars donated by Opticron and a workshop with Northern Experience Wildlife Tours. Our local winners: Left - ‘Little Gull We would like to thank everyone involved in at Saltburn’ by Pippa Maddison and organising the competition and the sponsors for right - ‘Migrant Hawker’ by Marcus Kidd. providing the prizes. You can see all the winningCongratulations to all the winners and thank pictures on Tees Valley Wildlife Trust website www.teeswildlife.org. you to all who took part. WWW.TEESWILDLIFE.ORG 21

If you go down to the beach today… By Jacky Watsonthere’s somuch to see!Did you know that our coast golden sand, rock pools to explore, beautiful receives huge numbers of important wild dunes and shimmering mudflats. No international visitors? Each winter wonder we’re all down on the shore as Teesside is the destination of choice for often as we can be, filling our pockets with many coastal and wading birds escaping shells, playing with the kids, running, fishing, the cold winters of the far north and each surfing and walking the dog. spring, terns fly all the way from Africa to breed here on our beaches and lakes. Our recreational activities, however, have the potential to affect the life chances Birds come in such numbers that we are of visiting birds. As our towns grow, the considered to support internationally number of people using the beaches grows, important populations of, for example, too. Although we are mostly just enjoying breeding little tern, passage sandwich tern, the same traditional seaside activities as wintering knot and redshank. previous generations, there are simply more of us doing it; the result is repeated As a result, the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Birds Directive and is also a European Marine Site.Everybody loves the beachOf course, if you go down to the beach todayyou will have plenty of human company, too.Teesside has a wonderful coastline: miles of22 WILD TEES - ISSUE 21

disturbance to birds when they are feeding and roosting.Due to industry and population growth, the birds have feweroptions to move to quieter areas: more than 90% of the intertidalhabitats that they need were lost to land reclamation between1860 and 1980. As a result of these combined factors, somebirds are under serious threat. That is why the Tees ValleyWildlife Trust has created new wading bird habitat furtherinland, near the Tees at Bowesfield, Stockton. Unfortunately,not all birds are able to adapt by moving upriver. Little terns,for instance, continue to nest on beaches where they arethreatened by disturbance, predation and storm surges.Sharing our beaches with birdsTees Valley Wildlife Trust has a new two-year project that aimsto involve local people and visitors in taking practical steps toimprove habitat for coastal and wading birds, with an emphasison reducing disturbance. The Coastal and Wading Birds Projectis part of River Tees Rediscovered and funded by the HeritageLottery Fund.We found that people are mostly keen to help when they getto know more about the birds on the coast and their incrediblejourneys. We can all do this by, for example, diverting our walk(especially with dogs) a little further up the beach, particularlywhen we see a group of birds that are not gulls.Could your dog or dog-walking group be ‘Ambassadogs’ andhelp us promote an easy-to-follow code of conduct? The projectoffers many other ways to get involved - you could come ona ‘Birding for Beginners’ walk, join in on a beach clean toremove plastic waste pollution, help us to carry out surveys tosee where and how birds are disturbed, bring your communitygroup or students for a personally-designed study visit to thebeach or bring the family to one of our fun summer events atSeaton Carew or Redcar.For more information about the project, guidedvisits, events and volunteering, please ring me,Jacky Watson, on: 01287 636382 or by e-mail:[email protected] WWW.TEESWILDLIFE.ORG 23