Wild Warwickshire Summer 2023

The member magazine for Warwickshire Wildlife Trust | Summer 2023 WaWrwildickshire WILDLIFE GARDENING Get inspiration from our brand new wildlife garden, as seen at BBC Gardeners’ World Live! SUMMER PROJECT UPDATES Progressing with pace SUMMER SUGGESTIONS Tips to help wildlife this season Summer vibes We’re radiating positivity and optimism this summer – find out more inside

Welcome 14 To the summer edition of your member magazine In early May, the However, the Lords were given some extra Government rowed back on verbal assurances, including: their plans to ditch all l the Environment Act setting the context for Retained EU Law by the the REUL powers end of the year. The l recognition that the process should have due Department for regard to the Environmental Principles Policy Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has statement responsibility for most of this law meaning that l a commitment to public consultation on all REUL the legal bedrock for the environment, wildlife protection, air and water quality, food safety, The uncertainty created by the Government chemicals and pesticides pollution, animal over Retained EU Law has caused huge welfare and the control of invasive species was problems for business, as well as organisations all at risk. working to protect nature. Ministers must This is a significant win for the stop seeing environmental law as a burden. #DefendNature campaign, launched in Environmental law helps stop more sewage September, which also saw a retreat from the entering our rivers and ensures food is safe to expansion of fracking and investment zones eat. Given the urgent need to address the nature proposed in Wellesbourne, south Coventry and and climate crisis they should be strengthening Arden quietly dropped. protections, not ripping them apart. So a huge thank you to everyone who responded and helped Defend Nature. However Our concerns remain that the refusal to we will not congratulate the Government for offer proper parliamentary scrutiny will make not doing something it should never have even it easier for future governments to weaken thought about in the first place. environmental protection, water quality There is still reason to be concerned. The standards and other EU derived protections. House of Lords have now had the final debate on the Bill and despite their best efforts and So we will be continuing as a movement with some robust debate, the Government rejected the #DefendNature campaign and ask you to the two amendments on the interlinked issues continue your support by emailing, writing to of strengthening parliamentary scrutiny and and sending a postcard to your MP. Find all you preventing the regression of environmental need to #DefendNature here; protection. Please keep in touch for ways you can help to carry on Defending Nature! Ed Green, Chief Executive Snipe Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Get in touch Cover: Ox-eye daisies by Wild Warwickshire is the membership Warwickshire Wildlife Trust is the leading Wild Warwickshire Magazine Team Guy Edwardes/ magazine for Warwickshire Wildlife Trust local charity dedicated to conserving, 2020VISION protecting and enhancing your local wildlife. Editor Jo Hudson & Lindsay Butler Email [email protected] We manage over 60 nature reserves in Wild Warwickshire magazine was printed by Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull. We Design Sally Gregory, Seacourt Printers on 100% recycled materials at a Telephone 024 7630 2912 are supported by over 27,000 members and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Design Studio factory powered by 100% renewables, using zero over 600 volunteers. water and chemicals, and generating zero landfill. Address Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, Seacourt is a Net Positive printer that makes a Brandon Lane, Coventry, CV3 3GW facebook.com/WarwickshireWT/ positive contribution to the environment and society. Website warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk twitter.com/wkwt Warwickshire Wildlife Trust is a company instagram.com/warwickshirewt/ limited by guarantee. Registered in England, number 00585247. Registered charity, number 209200. VAT Number 670318740. 2 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

INSIDE... FERGUS GILL/2020VISION 4 W ildlife Gardening with BBC Gardeners’ World Live 6 A summer of sunshine and wildlife 8 S ustainable farming 10 H ow can you help wildlife this season 11 Youth committee one year on 12 Restoring Corley Moor 16 G et away from it all at Whitacre Heath 18 Annual report 2022 24 Your wildlife images 27 Health and wellbeing – what do you do? 28 Getting the Blythe ready for summer 29 S uccess and setbacks in Solihull 30 Species reintroduction 32 #TeamWilder in action 34 Monitoring the Sherbourne Valley #TeamWilder – Become part of the movement. Find out how you can do more to help wildlife in your area. Visit our #TeamWilder pages and see how you, your family, friends and neighbours can take action for nature. warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/teamwilder Warwickshire Wildlife Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 3 Trust thanks the players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

LANDSCAPE RECOVERY Wildlife gardening and an amazing opportunity for Parkridge! How a small competition led to a national show and a permanent new installation I n 2022 Warwickshire Wildlife The garden featured at BBC to make a difference to wildlife in their Trust, alongside Birmingham Gardeners’ World Live, at the NEC in area and to be part of the solution. and Black Country Wildlife Birmingham, from 15th – 18th June. Trust, joined forces with the She says, “I am personally very Landscape Show to launch a wildlife bUyrbVainckOyaLsiisnc–odlensigned concerned about our loss of garden competition. The competition biodiversity and implications. The UK became bigger than anyone imagined The relocation of the garden will allow has lost almost half its biodiversity, on when BBC Gardeners’ World Live thousands of visitors to be inspired to which we are dependent, and is registered their interest in the take action for nature in their own shamefully in the worst 10% of competition and asked if they could gardens, or any space they have countries globally. But I am also showcase one of the winning gardens available, be that a patio, a pot or a heartened by the idea that at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at window box. The garden was approximately 87% of British homes the NEC in June, to help spread the designed by Vicky Lincoln. have gardens, equalling around 23 word about the importance of wildlife million outdoor spaces, and all these friendly gardening. Vicky has been gardening in some homes can provide a big part of the capacity since she was a child and has solution to restoring our biodiversity and To add longevity to the project, the recently started her own professional wildlife, we just adapt our gardens to garden has now been permanently company. She has an interest in share them and live well with wildlife.” relocated to the Parkridge Nature ecological issues and wellbeing and is Reserve with the aim of providing keen to show how design can make a Her advice for others wanting to help wildlife gardening inspiration to all who positive contribution to managing wildlife in their gardens, window boxes visit the site. or outside spaces is to pick one small sustainability issues locally. thing you can easily do and just do it! This garden will She entered the be a welcome addition competition to help In her own garden, Vicky encourages to Parkridge where it people to think about wildlife in a variety of ways, such as will provide inspiration what they can do in leaving fallen leaves on the flower for all our visitors to their garden spaces beds, providing water sources for make their patch more birds, mammals and insects, leaving the seedheads on flowers until the wildlife friendly.’ following spring and by not using artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Karl Curtis, Director of Nature Reserves The showcase garden is designed to create a haven for wildlife from the ground up and uses recycled or reclaimed materials. The centre of the design is based on an unfurling fern, symbolising new beginnings and features a quiet zone, intended to give wildlife some undisturbed space. A rowan 4 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

LANDSCAPE RECOVERY tree acts as a central feature, providing Vicky Lincoln shade during summer months. The garden also features a brushwood and Silver merit award winner log pile, creating important habitat for insects and pollinators. A small wildlife pond provides essential water and interest with aquatic plants, whilst a range of shrubs offer continual interest from inside and outside, and of course, essential winter shelter. Vertical climbing plants on the fences such as honeysuckle and hydrangea, provide food and shelter, and ‘hedgehog holes’ in the bottom of the fences ensure small mammals can travel through. Vicky states, “I’m inspired by the opportunity that every household has to increase and restore biodiversity in thXexUxxK, and contribute to creating safe “The garden is designed to create a haven for wildlife from the ground up and uses recycled or reclaimed materials. ” corridors that wildlife can move something going on, like VICKY LINCOLN through in urban areas.” watching a mini-drama unfolding. Wildlife isn’t scary, #TeamWilder action page to find out Vicky would like people to think it’s a fun and essential part of how you can help small mammals, about the concept of wildlife corridors our gardens.” pollinators, birds and much more. And and linking spaces together, so wildlife don’t forget to tell us about the actions can travel through gardens and local If you’ve been inspired by you’ve been taking by emailing spaces. She also says it’s important for this story or by visiting the garden at [email protected] people to understand that having the Parkridge Centre and would like to wildlife visit and use our gardens learn more about how you can help makes them so much more nature and wildlife in your own space, interesting! She says, “there’s always there’s so much you can do! Visit our We’d love you to come and visit the Urban Oasis garden at our Parkridge Centre. You can find out more about where it’s located here: warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/ gardeners-world-live Find out more about the actions you can take in your own space here. Urban oasis VICKY LINCOLN www.warwickshirewildlife trust.org.uk/individualaction Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 5

MARGARET HOLLAND NATURE RESERVES A summer of sunshine and wildlife Your guide on what to see and where this season Kingfisher 6 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

NATURE RESERVES “As you walk, you’ll likely be joined by butterflies including dark green fritillary, small blue and dingy skipper. ” Brown VAUGHN MATTHEWS include common blue and green argus hairstreak. Otter ANDY ROUSE2020VISION Take a look Set aside at least half a day to enjoy at our reserves this P olesworth locals will no the Welcombe Hills with their large summer to see what doubt be familiar with the areas of grassland, pockets of wildlife you can see! gently flowing river Anker woodland and an orchard set across a and its wildlife. Visit Abbey series of rolling hills with extensive Green Park this summer to watch the views of the countryside beyond. Look spectacle of colourful dragonflies and out for the mix of native and more damselflies set over the backdrop of exotic tree species including several the river and grassland. You could even trees which are very ancient indeed. spot an otter swimming amongst the Birds are plentiful, with great spotted lily pads and reeds if you’re lucky! woodpecker, sparrowhawk, little owl, treecreeper and finches enjoying the Those with an appetite for walking woodland. will enjoy Ashlawn Cutting in Rugby, which is ideal for taking in a variety of Visit Bishop’s Hill, not only for habitats and their summer visitors. wonderful views from the top of the From ponds and channels alive with hill but for the world beneath your amphibians to carefully managed feet, which includes a wealth of grassland areas brimming with beautiful plants including autumn botanical interest. This nature reserve gentian, greater butterfly orchid, was restored from a railway cutting, kidney vetch and wild basil. meaning a variety of plants grow on its clay soils, banks of grassland, and Deans Green provides a tranquil scrub. Butterflies seen at the reserve experience for those close to Henley- in-Arden or Redditch. Comprised of two meadows, mature hedgerows, and a small area of woodland with evidence of ridge and furrow, the reserve is a lovely place to see wildflowers including saw-wort, meadow vetchling and the late flowering devil’s-bit scabious. Enjoy the burgundy flowerheads of great burnet which also cover the grassland in summer, attracting many grassland butterflies and insects. Finally, Brandon Marsh remains a vibrant and exciting place to visit whatever the season. In summer the restored quarry pools are alive with leaping fish, dragonflies and darting kingfishers. Throughout spring and early summer the meadow hosts a great number of butterflies including small heath, brown argus, and painted lady. Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 7

FARMING AND NATURE RECOVERY Warwickshire’s sustainable farming groups By working with farmers across the county, we can build a resilient landscape whilst maintaining essential food production. F armland can have an whilst helping farmers to restore health, water quality and carbon extraordinary diversity of habitats and adapt their practices to storage. habitats, with mosaics of produce healthy and nutritious food in hedgerows, meadows, a thriving natural environment. Our first group, The Arden Farm crops, ponds, scrub, woodlands, and Wildlife Network (AFWN), has grown waterways that provide homes for a Working closely in partnership with to include over 50 members and has huge range of species. Sadly, enduring Warwickshire Rural Hub and local developed to cover over 12,700 pressures from political and economic facilitators we have supported the hectares in the past five years. The factors on farming systems have development of three farmers’ groups Leam and Upper Avon Sustainable resulted in intensification of farming that cover the entirety of Warwickshire, Farming Group (LUASFG) and the practices and a loss of these vital Coventry and Solihull. South Warwickshire Sustainable habitats and their associated species. Farming Group (SWSFG) were Farm clusters are groups of farmers founded last year and so far have 22 Working with farmers to promote and landowners who come together and 27 members respectively, sustainable food production can play a to learn, share experiences and covering over 11,000 hectares key role in driving nature’s recovery. knowledge, and collaborate on between them. With over 70% of Warwickshire landscape scale projects that deliver under agricultural management, for nature. farming is an integral part of the county’s history and culture. We are Every farmer in the area has the working hard to honour this heritage opportunity to join a cluster and learn and celebrate our beautiful landscape, about wildlife, habitat management and surveying, as well as sustainable farming techniques to improve soil PETER BOWMAN Summer flowering cover crop Find out how we’re working with farmers 8 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 and landowners at www.warwickshire wildlifetrust.org.uk/ farmers-and- landowners

FARMING AND NATURE RECOVERY AFWN Whittington Lodge farm SALLY EADON AFWN Whittington Lodge farm SALLY EADON Large areas of land across the county Other training events have covered: The farm clusters give the are now being managed in a more n Rainwater harvesting, which helps opportunity for collaboration on environmentally-friendly way. to separate clean and dirty water and projects to encourage changes on a prevent farmyard pollutants from landscape scale. Over the years, The Prince’s Countryside Fund has entering the water systems. members of the Arden group have funded SWSFG for a year and the LUASFG is supported by Severn “It is helping us create the farm we want to Rivers Trust. leave to future generations of our family.” Training events are held each month and are based on topics requested by n Cover crops, which keep soils collaborated on planting hedgerows, the farmers, including habitat and covered over winter, improving soil erecting barn owl and tree sparrow wildlife surveys, wildflower meadows, health and preventing erosion. boxes and creating and restoring soil health, butterflies, and farmland n Establishing flower-rich margins wildflower meadows. With the birds. Empowered with this which help pollinators and act as creation of the two new groups this knowledge, farmers can then survey natural pest control. collective effort will continue, and their own land to build up a picture of n The benefits of herbal leys which plans are being developed for future wildlife and habitats and manage their improve soil structure and naturally projects to enable more habitat land accordingly. They can also see increase nitrogen in soils, reducing restoration. the progress they are making through the need for artificial fertilisers. continued monitoring. Nicky (an Recent years have seen new AFWN member) said: SALLY EADON challenges for the farming sector, with payments for producing food “It’s been invaluable and life ending and clouds of uncertainty over changing having access and advice to new agri-environment schemes. grants, free trees, wildflower seed, Many farmers remain underpaid for and expert advice – it is helping us their produce and need additional create the farm we want to leave to income to support their businesses. future generations of our family.” New Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) are Farm sunset being released that incentivise farmers to care for the environment but navigating all the options can be difficult. The groups are helping farmers to transition through this period and our Agricultural Advisor, Sally Eadon, along with the group facilitators is available for one to one advice on accessing schemes and choosing options that benefit both the farm business and wildlife. We hope the groups will continue to grow for years to come. Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 9

ACTION FOR NATURE Can you help wildlife this season? You don’t need a big space to make a big difference! A s our summers become Birds Building a nest box is one of the most increasingly warm and the rewarding things you can do for wildlife. heat lingers into autumn, Although the garden bird breeding season is helping wildlife is more nearly over, with most birds having their last important than ever. Whether you have a clutch of eggs in late July or early August, it’s large garden, balcony, or no outdoor space not too early to put up a nest box which can at all, there are lots of ways you can help be scoped out by keen birds for next year. You wildlife through the summer and beyond. can make a nest box from leftover wood or even creatively upcycled items. Watching the process from start to finish, which begins with birds investigating your nest box, to hearing the tiny chicks within and finally seeing them fledge is a truly wonderful experience. SHUTTERSTOCK Bluetit BOB COYLE Oceans We all know how important it is to wear suncream throughout the summer. But did you know that many lotions contain a chemical Find even more ideas at which can be highly toxic to marine warwickshirewildlife wildlife? If you’re looking to make trust.org.uk/actions a sustainable swap on your beach trips this year, consider seeking out Make safe choices in the sun an ‘ocean-safe’ product which still Minibeasts Believe it or not, an average boasts the same vital sun protection. garden accommodates more than 2,000 different species of insect! By providing People One of the simplest things the right habitats we can greatly increase the number of beneficial insects in our Ladybird you can do to help wildlife is to gardens, which can even help keep pests inspire others. You might have off other plants. One way to increase the comfort of your patch for insects is to heard about our ambition to get build a bug hotel using old wooden pallets, dead wood, or broken pots, stones, and 1 in 4 people acting for wildlife tiles. Make a basic frame using old wood, and throughout add layers of tiles, dry across Warwickshire, Coventry leaves, loose bark, and hollow stems (such as bamboo canes). Together these items and Solihull. Could you inspire your can provide a home for beetles, solitary bees, amphibians, centipedes and more! JON HAWKINS SURREY HILLS PHOTOGRAPHY friends, colleagues or neighbours to help wildlife in their homes? Add your wildlife actions to our #TeamWilder map and Put up a bird box EVIE & TOM PHOTOGRAPHY see all the ways people are taking action for nature at warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/teamwilder 10 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

YOUTH COMMITTEE Our Youth Committee: One Year On El Hackett, Communications Ambassador for Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s Youth Committee, reflects on the success of the Youth Committee’s first year. W arwickshire Wildlife each other, share our concerns and Trust’s Youth aspirations for a better world, and Committee is a group take steps to empower others to of six young adults, make a difference too.” aged 18-35, who are united in their passion for nature, the environment We have collaborated with local and conservation. Formed in July groups including Butterfly 2022, the committee came about as Conservation Warwickshire, the Trust sought to create a better Warwickshire Bat Group, the bridge between itself and the young Sherbourne Valley Project and people of its communities. Since Coventry City Council. Through these then, we have been working tirelessly partnerships we have covered topics toward our vision of inspiring and ranging from butterflies, moths and empowering other young adults to bats, to environmental law, ecology take action for nature. and rewilding. “It has been really encouraging to meet and We have also taken part in global work with other like-minded young adults,” events and national campaigns such as Extinction Rebellion’s The Big One, In January we started to run a free 18–35 year old volunteers from Coventry’s City Nature Challenge and programme of events on topics across Warwickshire, Coventry and #30DaysWild. One particularly relating to ecology, conservation and Solihull. To ensure the accessibility memorable event was last October’s community action. Our attendees are of our events, they are always public Big Wild Walk, where the Youth the Wilder Ambassadors, who are an transport friendly and take place Committee ranked in the top 10 ever-growing community of engaged during evenings or weekends. teams nationally, walking 110km and raising over £300 for Warwickshire Lily Walwyn, Campaigns Wildlife Trust. Ambassador for the Youth Committee, said, “It has been really In the near future, the Youth encouraging to meet and work with Committee positions will open up to a other like-minded young adults, to new intake of young adults. Lily says, have the opportunity to learn from “I really hope the next Youth Committee can build on the foundations we have created, grow our community of Wilder Ambassadors, and continue to break down the barriers that can hinder young adults from being active and engaged in taking care of nature.” If you are interested in our work and would like to sign-up as a Wilder Ambassador, contact youth. [email protected]. You can also follow along on the journey at @wkwtyouthcommittee @wkwtyouthcommittee @wkwtyouthcom Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 11

LANDSCAPE RECOVERY Restoring the Moor How changes to water, trees and grasses are re-shaping Corley Moor Common H idden along the ancient overnight and put up in a different Waterways around the moor collect Forest of Arden fringe, in patch the next day. But as time in wet scrub and rush grassland, the small village of Corley passed, the moor, like so many other currently carpeted with lady’s smock Moor lies one of the few places in the country, was left behind flowers. The water then filters remaining commons in Warwickshire. as farming intensified and mixed through the soil, braiding through the This forgotten farming relic is currently farming on small holdings became a tussocky vegetation, and flows down playing host to a rich mosaic of thing of the past. One by one the hand-dug gullies into the expanding habitats; species-rich grassland, commoners stopped grazing the woodland. This is the area we have woodland and wet scrub. But this is just the moor’s current form. “Waterways around the moor collect in wet scrub and rush grassland, currently Speaking to locals in the village and carpeted with lady’s smock flowers. ” the ‘commoners’ who worked on the moor, their memories paint a different moor. As the grazing stopped, the been focussing on restoring. picture - one of a large area of grass grew, the scrub developed, and To retain as much of this ancient grassland with abundant gorse and within a lifetime trees took hold. This heather, open with views of the staggered retreat of the commoners pasture as we can, we have removed windmill and local pubs, now grazing the moor has resulted in a some young aspen. The ground around interrupted by a young woodland. diverse spectrum of habitats moving these small trees was covered by Some remember the commoners in, which we see today. grasses and herbs, relics of the grazing their part of the moor with a previous pastureland. Behind this few cattle penned in with temporary fencing, taken in with the cattle XCoxxrlxexyxMx oor JAKE MCALISTER 12 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

LANDSCAPE RECOVERY JAKE MCALISTER JAKE MCALISTER Volunteers aspen felling metre-thick wall of young aspen trees on the moor Common toad grows an older layer of woodland. before the haylage being given to a local Here, thicker trunks of aspen, ash and slowly flowing farmer. Regrowth of the grass in oak stretch to be as tall and straight as downstream. particular was very strong and by April possible, chasing the sun and casting a This newly this year we returned to undertake deep shade, leaving larger areas of created woodland another cut, further reducing the bare ground below. Some targeted pond mosaic will, as it becomes fertility and opening it up to new removal has taken place here, retaining established, support a huge range of emerging seedlings. larger trees with a more diverse species including the common toad. growth structure and thinning the Corley Moor Common is one site straighter, more uniform trees around After decades without grazing on the within a larger project area the River them. This will allow more light to moor, the thatch within the remaining & Catchment Restoration team have reach the woodland floor, aiding grassland has been building up and been working in. Reconnecting the growth of ground plants and rotting into the soil, increasing its Fillongley involves the creation and benefitting a wider array of species. fertility. Although this may sound restoration of wildflower meadows harmless and even beneficial, the truth and ponds, connected by a network of Replicating beaver habits is this increased fertility benefits broad hedgerows and is funded by National leaved, quick growing perennial Highways as part of a national As well as grazing rights, some of the grasses and herbs that dominate and Network for Nature campaign. commoners had a right to collect fallen outcompete a number of wildflowers Additional funding has been provided trees and branches to use for that have evolved to cope and survive by the Environment Agency to firewood. This meant that deadwood, in more nutrient-poor environments continue some Natural Flood which is essential for invertebrates, (such as a natural pasture grazed by Management works in the Upper fungi and soil in a woodland, has large herds of herbivories, the same Bourne Catchment, some of which almost always been absent here. Now, behaviour that the commoners and has been used at Corley Moor. thankfully, most of the commoners no their livestock had been replicating so longer require firewood and we have well for so long). Whilst the grassland been able the leave as much as within the moor is still incredibly possible on the woodland floor. biodiverse, recent surveys are showing some areas are reducing in diversity. Within some of the dips and hollows To reverse this, last summer the of the woodland, ponds have been meadows were cut and baled, with excavated and large leaky dams have been installed to replicate the iconic habitat-tailoring behaviours of the European beaver. In times of prolonged heavy rain, water is retained Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 13

RESERVE UPDATE Get away from it all at Whitacre Heath Nature Reserve In a corner of the River Tame Valley, our Whitacre Heath reserve provides a boost for biodiversity. To find out more W hitacre Heath is FERGUS GILL2020VISION about Whitacre a real gem. The Heath, scan the code reserve has been a Site of Special Snipe in long grass Scientific Interest (SSSI) since 1989 to recognise its importance 14 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 for breeding wetland birds. In 2020, a survey by Warwickshire Flora Group found 164 plant species and eight Warwickshire notable species. These included oval sedge, spiked sedge, bog stitchwort and opposite-leaved golden saxifrage. There are typically thought to be 40 – 50 breeding bird species on site and over 140 species recorded. Warblers are numerous in summer and include reed and sedge warblers, with some acting as hosts for cuckoos. The site was traditionally important for snipe, redshank and lapwings which still occur in small numbers. There are 17 species of dragonflies and damselflies, and a specialist survey in 2000 found a staggering 1,145 species of invertebrates. The site has an interesting past. It was low-lying farmland until 1957 before sand and gravel extraction changed the landscape. Post quarrying, the low-lying areas were filled with waste rubble and Pulverised Fly Ash (PFA) from the (now demolished) Hams Hall Power station, just on the other side of the River Tame. The PFA is light grey and like pumice and can still be found on the site. The site could be divided into three compartments with the

RESERVE UPDATE northern compartment consisting of Whitacre Heath Wet grassEDDIE ASBERY floodplain grassland with scattered We had grazed with some scrub and pools. The central area is success over the years in the surveys to monitor success. wet willow scrub with a patchy canopy southern end of the reserve, but we This is fantastic news for the site and and silver birch in the drier parts. The needed additional funding to really get south consists of three floodplain our fencing and water supply sorted out we are so excited these projects are meadows with wetland areas holding so we could extend the grazing across happening. The fencing work in the water through the winter and into the the site. south has already begun and the spring. In the south of the site you northern fencing will be done in late really feel like you are getting away summer or early autumn to take from it all and surrounded by a wildlife advantage of dry ground conditions. friendly landscape. Volunteers will be pleased to note the fencing work will be done Management in the past has centred by contractors – driving fence posts around keeping the site as a patchwork through the PFA is extremely of scrub, woodland, wetlands and hard work! grassland. Our woodland management, which involves coppicing and Volunteer work parties are so maintaining the patchy canopy, has important at Whitacre Heath as they meant that willow tits have been able to do most of the habitat management remain here, despite a dramatic decline work, guided by our management plan of over 90% nationally. for the site. We have corporate team days too. Grassland management, Grazing by cattle is our preferred way balsam pulling, scrub bashing, path to manage the grasslands. Their improvements and fence maintenance are all tasks done by our hard-working “There are 17 species of dragonflies and volunteers. damselflies, and a specialist survey in 2000 found a staggering 1,145 species of invertebrates.” We have several other challenges to tackle on the reserve. For example, constant munching keeps the area In January 2023 we secured a grant litter is deposited on site when the open and less likely to be taken over by from Severn Trent Water’s Boost for River Tame floods and removal is an scrub. Without grazing, areas of the Nature programme. This package on-going task. Invasive Himalayan reserve would become willow and means we can bring in contractors to balsam is abundant and we have hawthorn scrub within a few years and fence the southern and northern several sessions each year to keep on the wet meadow botanical and bird sections to allow cattle grazing. We top of this. Previously the Tame Valley interest would be reduced. Cattle will will also be able to improve Wetland Scheme introduced a eat a wider range of material than infrastructure, including water supply biological control on this species which sheep or horses and create a mixture of and handling facilities. The project has successfully hampered it, so it long and short vegetation. Their hooves includes the installation of four owl tends to grow in and amongst the create very little disturbance and their boxes for our resident tawny and barn other species at the site not at the tongues pull the plants, creating great owls. Specialist equipment will also expense of them. conditions for seed germination. help us to complete wetland bird Do go and visit the site. It’s right up EDDIE ASBERY in North Warwickshire in the heart of the Tame Valley Wetlands. There is a Whitacre Heath fencing members’ car park, circular walks and hides for you to use, and remember your insect repellent and wellies! Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 15

MEMBERSHIP Everything we do is thanks to you! Your summer update from our Membership Team We’d love to hear your stories! Your Membership cards may be enclosed Since 1970 when the Trust was founded, To continue we’ve had support from our fantastic reducing our members who have helped make the Trust carbon footprint what it is today. We now have over 27,000 and reduce members and would love to hear from you. postage costs, Tell us what inspired you to join, volunteer, campaign or about any we have enclosed special wildlife encounters you’ve had. We’d love to feature your your monthly stories in future magazines, on our website and our social media direct debit to help inspire people to join our wildlife family. Email me at membership [email protected] I look forward to hearing from you! renewal cards. Donna Hook If you pay for Membership Services Manager your membership by monthly direct debit and your renewal is due in September, October, November, December, January or Turn your inbox wild! February your cards will be enclosed. The date on your current card may overlap so please start using the card enclosed and Have you signed up to Nature News, recycle your current one. your fortnightly e-newsletter? You can stay up-to-date with all the work If your cards are not included, please contact the happening within the Trust, wildlife membership team on 024 7630 8972 or email events and activities taking place [email protected] within Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull and updates on the wildlife If you pay via direct debit annually, you will receive your card in your area and more. If you’d like to sign up – you can do by post within the month it’s due. so here: www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/e-news. You can also email the membership team to get signed up: Can you do more for nature by [email protected] using Gift Aid? 86% of our members have increased their membership subscriptions by 25% to try and do more to help our wildlife. If you are a UK taxpayer, you could boost your membership subscription by 25p for every £1 you donate by signing up to use Gift Aid. It’s so simple to do and won’t cost you anything extra. Gift Aid is reclaimed by the Trust from the tax you pay. If you are a UK taxpayer and have not already signed a Gift Aid declaration, please email the membership team at membership@ wkwt.org.uk or call us on 02476 308972 and we can send you a Gift Aid declaration form. Thanks for helping us to make a difference! 16 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

LEGACIES Brought together by nature When Anne chose the seat next to Bill on a bird watching society coach trip, she had no idea they would end up happily married for 40 years. But that’s exactly what happened. B ill, a successful executive at VAUGHN MATTHEWS of birds and trees, inspiring in them a love just as they did. The General Post Office, met of nature. Anne, who in later life became Bill and Anne are sadly no longer Anne, an energetic PE teacher, partially sighted, still managed to enjoy through their shared love of nature through her love of bird song and with us; their story was kindly shared the outdoors. Bill was passionate about could identify any bird by their call. by their daughter Rose. Warwickshire wildlife and taught his children the names Wildlife Trust would like to thank Anne Together they travelled the world, and Bill for choosing to support the Trust, Daffodils but always came back to Warwickshire. both as members for over 40 years and Happiest when heading out with a pair for the gift left in their will. Their legacy of binoculars and a packed lunch. Anne will live on for future generations to enjoy, and Bill particularly loved Brandon Marsh, just as they wanted. spending birthdays and anniversaries at the reserve, exploring minibeast habitats If you are interested with their grandchildren, or simply enjoying the bluebells. Daffodils were also one of in leaving a gift in Anne’s favourites. your will to When thinking about writing their will, Anne and Bill wanted to give back to Warwickshire charities that had played an important part in their life. They chose to leave a gift to Wildlife Trust and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust in gratitude for the years of happy memories, so would like to receive other people could connect with nature our ‘A gift to nature’ booklet, then please visit www. warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/will or email our friendly team at legacies@ wkwt.org.uk ROSE Anne and Bill Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 17

IMPACT REPORT Our Year for Nature and People Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Impact Report 2022 Nature’s recovery. Find out more about our Sounds good, sounds easy, 2030 strategy here! certainly it’s never been warwickshire more necessary in the face of a climate and ecological wildlifetrust.org.uk/ emergency becoming more Strategy serious with each passing year. In response your Wildlife Trust has bold goals and ambitions to bring wildlife back and mobilise communities across Warwickshire, Coventry, and Solihull to take meaningful action for wildlife where you live, work or play. Together with a record number of members, volunteers, and supporters of all types we are energised and determined in our progress towards a wilder future and to grow the ranks of people standing by our side demanding better for the natural world. This report takes you through what we have done in 2022. Of course, redefining our relationship with nature is not going to be easy. It will be achieved in steps, whether that’s through growing our own estate of nature reserves so there are more recovery hubs for wildlife and special places for people to appreciate biodiversity on their doorstep, or through partnerships with others across much larger areas, influencing land use at scale. Or perhaps by asking communities what is important to them and exploring ways in which we can help more people take more action for wildlife. Or by being a voice through which the opinion of those on nature’s side can be heard more clearly. And of course, we’ll need help. Helping hands and minds. Help with campaigning, fundraising, surveying, and volunteering. This report gives a brief overview of the help from thousands of supporters and says a massive thank you to everyone who in 2022 took us closer to a wilder Warwickshire, Coventry, and Solihull. Ed Green, Chief Executive 18 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

Our Strategic Goals IMPACT REPORT Goal Goal More space for nature – we will work for More people on nature’s side – we 30% of land in recovery, protected and will help 1 in 4 people in Warwickshire, connected for nature by 2030. Coventry and Solihull take action for wildlife. Our Strategic Transformations 1 2 3 4 5 Aligning our Working effectively Inspiring community Undergoing a Delivering a step- charitable and as a part of the and mobilising thorough digital change in the scale commercial interests distributed TWT organisations transformation network and diversity of funding Our Enabling Priorities 1 2 3 4 5 Getting our own Communicating so Developing clear Investing in high- Speaking with house in order that people hear and and consistent skilled staff and a bold and confident evidence-based change their volunteers voice behaviour policies Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 19

IMPACT REPORT Goal More space for nature Success will be when nature is in recovery with abundant, diverse wildlife and natural processes creating wilder landscapes where people and wildlife thrive. Restoring the abundance of nature staff have now accessed EVs through cluster groups now have 97 members in our woodlands 24 ha of our a new salary sacrifice scheme. Carbon across the Leam and Upper Avon 450-ha woodland portfolio was in emissions for the group (i.e., Charity, Sustainable Farming Group, the South active management through thinning Middlemarch and Wildlife Fundraising Warwickshire Sustainable Farming and coppicing, helping regenerate Central Ltd) have reduced by 21% Group, and the Arden Wildlife Farm woodland and create a diverse from our 2019 baseline, as a result of Wildlife Network. structure and age range, opening the investing in and delivering on our canopy and allowing light to reach the carbon reduction plan. Delivering programmes of work woodland floor. We also created a web Buying the right land in the right that will support nature’s recovery hub that explains our woodland places We investigated opportunities Our application to the National Lottery management work, showcasing case to acquire more than 1,122 ha of land Heritage Fund was successful for the studies, blogs and vlogs. across ten sites with offers for three ‘Sherbourne Valley Project’, enabling Our visitor centres are supporting sites submitted: Fir Tree Farm, us to start a multi-million pound project nature’s recovery We ran a range of Warmington, Sheep Field, Brandon that will connect local people in engagement events from mindfulness Lane and Bascote Road, Bishops Coventry with the Sherbourne, and wellbeing to flora and fauna Itchington. These totalled 127 ha and inspiring them to care for the river and identification, all inspiring people to had a cumulative bid value of £3.8 improve its surrounding area for appreciate and care for the natural million. Two were unsuccessful, wildlife - the largest single project in world. These included events run with negotiations with Tarmac on the the Trust’s history. the RSPB, and a collaboration event extension of Brandon Marsh continue. with local environmental groups aimed Guiding landowners in acting for at helping the public document nature wildlife We appointed our first sightings. Agricultural Land Adviser to provide Reducing our carbon footprint We advice to farmers, such as helping installed eight electric vehicle (EV) them to apply for countryside chargers across Brandon Marsh and stewardship schemes that support Hams Hall as part of the Carbon them making more space for nature on Reduction Action Plan and 8% of Trust their farms. Our Warwickshire farm Helping wildlife by influencing policy at all levels We joined the national multi-organisation response to proposals by the government to expand fracking, create new investment zones free from all environmental regulations and introduce the Retained EU Law Bill, threatening thousands of laws which protect wildlife. The campaign mobilised widespread support across the country. More fracking was abandoned in 2022 and investment zones (including those proposed for Wellesbourne, south Coventry and Arden) were dropped later. 20 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

IMPACT REPORT Goal More people on nature’s side A growing movement of individuals standing up for nature are changing the mindsets and behaviours of the majority. That is what success will look like. Embedding ‘Five Ways to Natural people living within an urban area, who Guilds Level 2 qualifications in Work- Wellbeing’ in our work The National highlighted barriers to volunteering. Based Environmental Conservation and Lottery Community Fund and Identifying barriers stopping people were awarded their diplomas as part of Warwickshire County Council’s Covid acting for nature Supported by the the Love Your River Cole project. Resilience Fund helped us deliver National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Empowering people to influence bushcraft courses, outdoor yoga, Nextdoor Nature project is working with their own networks and wellbeing walks, social birding and the Attleborough community in communities The Trust’s new youth allotment gardening in partnership with Nuneaton, understanding what matters committee set out their vision to Coventry and Warwickshire Mind, to them in their area, so we can better ‘inspire and empower young adults to supporting more than 600 people to understand how to support people take action for nature and amplify their improve their mental and physical taking meaningful action for nature. voices on the environmental issues that wellbeing through nature. Facilitating action for wildlife on matter to them’ and successfully Inspiring a lifelong love of nature other people’s land Our #TeamWilder organised their first public engagement through learning Children in Need grants scheme, funded through City of event. funded weekly sessions at Yorkswood Culture, supported grassroots Working in partnership with others Primary to help facilitate learning in the organisations to make space for nature to achieve shared goals We delivered outdoors. After several years the in their area of the city, enabling the projects through the Coventry City of school’s staff are now ready to go development of pollinator friendly Culture Programme, ranging from the outdoors without us so their children nature areas with bug hotels, bird Coventry Creature Count, a citizen can continue to reap the benefits of feeders at Wild Earth’s nature zone and science programme encouraging outdoor learning. We also created a the renovation of a forest school area at people to record species on their nature webinar hub, showcasing over Bishops Ullathorne school. doorstep, through to ‘Our Wilder 30 hours of educational recordings and Giving people the skills required to Family’ drone show, which was viewed videos on our website. act for wildlife Six trainees all by 27,000 people in War Memorial Park Making nature accessible for successfully completed their City and and thousands more online. everyone With funding from Warwickshire County Council’s Reducing the Impact of Covid-19 fund, we delivered a programme of wild wellbeing taster sessions in partnership with EQUiP (the Equality and Inclusion Partnership) to find out more about barriers that minority ethnic communities in Warwickshire face to accessing green space. Diversifying our volunteer opportunities 2022 saw an incredible 628 registered volunteers supporting the Trust, with volunteering on our reserves returned to pre-pandemic levels. Over the course of 2022 we registered 187 new volunteers. We are reviewing opportunities for young people, public transport users and Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 21

IMPACT REPORT Supporting the strategy – transformations and priorities Transformations Delivering a step-change in the EMnivddirloenmmaercnhtal scale and diversity of funding Working effectively as a part of Membership at the Trust grew to With a growing team and record- the Wildlife Trust movement We 26,500 members (compared to breaking sales exceeding 2021, worked collaboratively with Wildlife 25,400 members at the end of 2021) the Trust’s natural environment Trusts across the River Severn Basin to and individual giving to the Nature consultancy, Middlemarch, share best practice and exchange Recovery Fund appeal reached delivered yet another impressive knowledge on river related delivery. £120,000. Thank you to all our year in 2022. We’re continuing to engage members, and those who have A key highlight is the Stratford organisations like Severn Trent, the supported the appeal, which is Riverside Scheme, a Environment Agency, and Water our springboard for being able to transformative initiative that will Resources West at a strategic level to react quickly to opportunities to achieve remarkable success in try and foster cross-county project purchase land. creating a sustainable habitat delivery. along the riverfront. Through Inspiring community and Enabling Priorities prioritising habitat creation and mobilising organisations We wildlife conservation, the project created a new #TeamWilder website Get our own house in order is revitalising the area, enhancing hub to inspire and support people to We adopted the refreshed and biodiversity, and fostering act for nature. The hub includes a updated Wildlife Trust logo and sustainable ecosystems. It will range of resources, tips and branding. A successful digital roll out serve as a model for future information for individuals, community was completed in May 2022, with environmental initiatives while groups, schools, and businesses to planning taking place for a phased roll showcasing the benefits of support nature’s recovery. out across physical assets by 2025. sustainable growth. Undergoing a thorough digital Driven by its passion to protect transformation We appointed to a Communicate so that people hear the natural environment and newly created role of Data & GIS and change their behaviour We reverse the UK’s decline in Officer in 2022, to ensure that all our helped our supporters living in South biodiversity, Middlemarch will decision making is based on strong Warwickshire comment on the Local continue to develop and deliver data. This allowed us to start Plan consultation, leading to a greater innovative solutions to support the developing mapping and reporting level of personalised response from target of protecting at least 30% that measures the impact of the local people giving a voice to nature. of our lands, rivers, lakes, and Trust supporting community action wetlands by 2030. Visit: in green spaces. Invest in our staff and volunteers www.middlemarch.eco. Volunteer ‘Share and Explore’ events invited feedback on how the Trust is doing and encouraged people to share their ideas about volunteering at the Trust. We also carried out our annual volunteer survey online for the first time, making it easier for people to complete. Speak with a bold confident voice encouraging the public to stand up and We stood up to the Government’s #DefendNature. We also supported deregulation agenda, calling on two of our Young Adult Ambassadors, members to lobby their MPs and who delivered a 60,000-strong petition attend local climate change rallies in to Downing Street calling for more Stratford and Leamington. The Trust ambitious nature targets. had a platform at both rallies, 22 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

IMPACT REPORT Funders and finances Thank you to our funders Charitable Income £4,203,210 We know how vitally important nature is and how Expenditure motivated people feel to defend it, protect it and to £4,427,018 support its recovery. That motivation has driven an incredible number of funders to support our work in 2022 and we thank them all for being on nature’s side. l National Lottery Heritage Fund Trading (Middlemarch Environmental) l National Lottery Community Fund l Brandon’s Natural Way Income l Children in Need £6,073,146 l People’s Postcode Lottery l European Social Fund Expenditure l Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation £5,595,146 l Mayor of Leamington Spa l National Trust Total l Severn Trent Water l Siemens Income l Solihull District Soroptimists £10,276,356 l Shakespeare Birthplace Trust l The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust Expenditure l Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust £10,022,164 l Margaret and Idris Charitable Trust l Rural Payments Agency l The family of Clem Hindmarch l Citizen Housing l Environment Agency l European Social Fund l Highways England l Orbit Housing l Severn Trent l Coventry City Council l Leamington Spa Town Council l North Warwickshire Borough Council l Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council l Rugby Borough Council l Stratford District Council l Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council l Warwickshire County Council l Warwick District Council Legacies The Trust was notified of a total of £229,000 in legacy income in 2022. We are extremely grateful to the following people who left a gift to help ensure that nature is put into recovery: l Peter William Holmes Our collective finances l Anne & Bill Adams l Lorna Alice Watson Our full annual accounts can be viewed at l Miss Betty Browning www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/reports. l Michael John Welch l Pauline Marianne Whitehead l Stella Jarman l Maurice Arthur Arnold Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 23

IMAGE GALLERY YourWildlife ImagesEnjoy the latest photos sent in by our supporters! T here is beauty to be found Next time you’re visiting one of our Geese by Carrie Wyatt in nature every day across nature reserves, take a moment to Warwickshire, Coventry pause and notice the wildlife around Goldfinches and Solihull, and many of you. If you’d like to share your photos by Jason our supporters are inspired by our please get in touch by emailing Lewis fantastic wild spaces. [email protected] We’re thrilled that so many talented Please always be respectful of our photographers, with diverse precious wildlife and habitats when backgrounds and experiences, choose taking photos. to share their wildlife images with us. Bee fly approaching cuckoo flower by Andy Brough Muntjac by Daz72pix Blue tit by Ducklings by (Twitter) Mike Woods Jason Lewis Broad-bodied chaser Goosanders by by Nick Wood Richard Morris 24 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

IMAGE GALLERY If you have wildlife photos or videos that you’d like to share you can email them to [email protected] or tag us on social media! Facebook.com/WarwickshireWT/ Twitter.com/wkwt Instagram.com/warwickshirewt Speckled wood by Nuthatch by Swallow by Carrie Wyatt Mike Woods Carrie Wyatt Hen harrier by Reed bunting by Dave Goldsmith Andy Brough Hampton Wood by Stitchwort and bluebells Tanya Blackburn by Andy Brough Green-veined white Roe deer by Small yellow underwing by Nick Wood Nick Wood by Nick Wood Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 25

EDUCATION Outside Education Encouraging outdoor activities at a young age creates connections that last I ’m one of those annoying amazed children looking at the newt YEoduuncagtiaotnBOrafnficdeornKMataiersh people who has managed to they just caught from the pond, bag their dream job: working seeing its bright underbelly and tiny dens for our animal puppets. with the education team at webbed feet. The children are always We’ve had Nature Tots grow and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. In my role so gentle with how they move both leave to start school with a massive I enable children, young people and bugs and pond creatures. It’s amazing interest in wildlife, with families their families to go outside and learn all how quickly they forget that they’re emailing us to show us what they’ve about the nature on our doorstep. scared of spiders when closely done for wildlife at home. counting its legs in a bug jar. Most children who visit us come Increasingly, we are supporting along on a school trip. We learn Not only do we have school aged schools to embed more outdoor anything from identifying birds on our children visit, but we also have the learning – inspiring, supporting and reserve to thinking about how we can Nature Tots toddler group at both empowering teachers to take lessons take action for nature. We take troops Brandon Marsh and Parkridge. It’s outside the classroom, from science and maths to art and creative writing. “There’s nothing better than seeing amazed children looking at the newt they just caught We also run after school clubs, from the pond seeing its bright underbelly encouraging schools to get out of the and webbed feet” classroom and utilise the outdoors, and inspiring pupils to make a change of children outside to build dens in our wonderful to watch visiting children for nature. Our team attend Cubs, woods, we get them looking under grow in front of my eyes. When they Scouts, Rainbows and Brownies to logs for bugs and even dipping nets in first join Nature Tots they can be help them complete badges and our pond to see what’s lurking there unsteady on their feet and unsure of encourage them to explore the – sparking that interest and their muddy hands. But after a few outdoors. connection with nature. weeks they get stuck in, exploring our stick strewn woods and making teeny And we don’t take a break during There’s nothing better than seeing the school holidays. We always have something on, from toddler sessions Pond investigating to getting outdoors at Brandon Marsh or Parkridge and seeing what’s in our pond and building dens. You can find out more and book on to our education events at www. warwickshire wildlifetrust.org. uk/events 26 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

HEALTH & WELLBEING Health and wellbeing Team – what do you do? Read the article below to find out more about our amazing Health and Wellbeing Team. W e often get asked the Wood art new group called Social Gardeners, an question – what does to let nature into their daily life to help allotment site, one-off nature walks your team actually do? their recovery, but we also work with and coming soon – a Woodwork for When you read a job people who just feel they need a bit of Wellbeing group. There are many ways title it doesn’t often tell you much a boost and some time outside! people can get involved. about a person’s day-to-day role, so when people read ‘Health and We do this by running a range of Many of these opportunities would Wellbeing Manager’ or ‘Health and activities that help all communities, not be possible without our wonderful Wellbeing Officer’ working for a needs and abilities. These include: an partners at Coventry and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, they may well wonder – eight-week Bushcraft for Wellbeing Mind, who see firsthand how a little what DO you actually do? course, a six-week Five Ways to time in nature can go a long way. And Wellbeing course, a wonderful walking of course, we couldn’t do it without We provide welcoming, supportive group called Social Birders, a brilliant our supportive and incredibly opportunities for people to spend knowledgeable staff and a growing time outside as a group, exploring team of volunteers! nature. We take them on a journey to connect with nature in new and The Health and Wellbeing team different ways, highlighting how meet some of the most interesting, nature can help us all to feel well. resilient, creative and inspiring people. We watch their relationship with Typically, we support people who nature grow and change and see might be less connected with green them begin to look after and cherish spaces to explore how nature makes nature in new ways. Those them feel, how it can help their relationships continue long after our wellbeing and in turn, how they can courses end. It’s a total pleasure to be help to look after nature too. We a part of. support people who are struggling with their wellbeing to find new ways You can find out more about what we do, when and where, by emailing Anna Wright, Health and Wellbeing Manager at [email protected] ALL IMAGES ANNA WRIGHT Bushcraft skills BushcWraifltdiWn aarcwtiiocnkshire | Summer 2023 27

LANDSCAPE RECOVERY River Blythe is ready for the summer Our Tame Valley Wetlands team have been hard at work on the river Blythe. T hroughout a very busy Lapwing MARK HAMBLIN2020VISION Local fishing clubs are providing winter season we incredibly useful data regarding fish have planted over two water in-land and are very attractive species and overall habitat condition kilometres of hedgerow. to wildlife. This adds a further six through time. Records from groups With the help of the Tame Force hectares of watery habitat for species such as these are fantastic sources of volunteers and corporate groups such as lapwing and oystercatcher. information, going back many years from across the county, we have and often showing interesting trends created new hedgerows and filled in Our partnerships with local in species abundance, which help gaps of hedges that had deteriorated landowners and community groups guide us when planning habitat over time. The new and improved improvements. hedgerows will provide crucial habitats for birds, invertebrates and As we settle into the breeding small mammals, and will act as a season and give wildlife some space, key corridor connecting the wider we will be busy surveying the river landscape to the river. Blythe and its connected habitats to find further areas to be restored. This But that’s not all that has been will include ponds, small tributaries going on. We have converted 30 and even more hedgerows. Our plan hectares of land into a species-rich is not only to restore areas along the grass and wildflower meadow, Blythe itself but also to strengthen the river’s connections to the “Our plan is not only to restore areas along the surrounding landscape. Landscape- wide and cross-habitat connection will Blythe itself but also to strengthen the river’s enable wildlife populations to expand and thrive. connections to the surrounding landscape.” One species for which habitat providing a huge food source for – a vital part of this project – are connectivity is vital is the willow tit. invertebrates and helping to bring thriving. We are continuing to work A previously highlighted species at back our once cherished wildflowers. alongside landowners to deliver Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, the willow We have also finished the creation of habitat improvements that support tit is still part of our project work. seven wetland scrapes – shallow the river ecosystem whilst being Following habitat improvements as depressions which seasonally hold mindful of agricultural requirements. part of our 2021-22 project ‘On A Tree by a River’, we are continuing to survey Willow tit NICK MARTIN willow tit populations to aid our understanding of where this species is spreading. So far, we are confident there are willow tits at Ladywalk Nature Reserve, situated where the River Blythe joins the Tame. By creating suitable feeding and breeding habitats along the Blythe, we hope these birds will utilise this corridor to spread south and expand their populations into further areas. We will be conducting surveys throughout the year to track our progress, and following such a huge amount of activity in the first six months of the project we are excited to see which species will be found in these newly created and restored habitats. 28 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

LANDSCAPE RECOVERY Success and setbacks Bringing wildlife back to Brueton Park It’s been a year since our SIMON WATTS wildlife-focused ground works began at Brueton Park and, Brueton Park aerial view Brueton Park work in progress SIMON WATTS since then, the project team high, stopping the plug plants from sights and sounds up close, but some has seen a mix of huge successes establishing. We followed up on this space and protection is needed for and some minor setbacks. section in spring 2023 by planting wildlife to flourish. native plants that have bigger roots The mosaic of new ponds across and leaves. This will ensure the plants This summer, keep an eye out for Brueton Park have filled and have can hold fast and bring a much- dragonflies like the broad bodied settled in well over the last year. We needed soft edge to the lake. chaser. These insects start to display have seen frog spawn in one pool, their aerial prowess as the weather which is always a heartening site in Some of the ponds will be fenced gets warmer. Mating occurs on the the cold early days of spring. off over the spring and summer to wing, often taking less than a minute, prevent disturbance from over-eager after which the female will find a The Alderbrook has been given the pets and people. We located the suitable spot to lay her eggs. She freedom to breathe again after being ponds close to footpaths and hovers over the water, dipping the tip released from its concrete prison, and boardwalks so people can enjoy the of her abdomen in and dropping her is creating shallow gravel pools and eggs on vegetation below the scouring deeper pools as a river surface. The handsome frosted blue naturally does. Grey wagtails and males will dart back and forth, kingfishers are seen regularly by the patrolling the skies to protect the best sixth form college, showing egg-laying spots in the hope of invertebrates and fish are making this attracting females. stretch of river their home once more. With more funding, we hope to do There’s plenty to see in Brueton some bank lowering along a small park this summer, and this project will section to bring back the lush flower- help bring more wildlife into our public rich edges that lowland rivers like this parks and create a resilient landscape should naturally display. for people and nature to share and thrive in. The wildlife-friendly banks on the lake have seen mixed results, with some growing into glorious swathes of nectar rich flowers and shelter for all types of animals. Some of the bays have put on little growth and this is due to the water levels being too Brueton Park work in progress SIMON WATTS Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 29

REINTRODUCTION Long time no see! Species reintroduction – welcoming back old friends A t the heart of our new Dormice are back in town! strategy is the ambition to bring our wildlife back. In Warwickshire over the last few regeneration of trees from their It’s no longer enough to decades, we have been working seeds. This meant the woodlands conserve what we have left, we need at a landscape scale to help had trees of a very similar age to drastically tip the balance and put improve the woodlands for and very little species like nature into recovery. wildlife. Delicately undertaking bramble and hazel which were management that helps to shaded out by the mature trees. But how do we actually bring improve the age, structure and wildlife back? Our approach is species variety within the We worked with experts from threefold. woodland. This creates lots of Warwickshire Mammal Group, different areas so species with the People’s Trust for Endangered 1 We will support people to take different habitat needs can Species (PTES) and the action for wildlife and make benefit. Alongside this we’ve Zoological Society of London space for nature, through advice, been supporting people to take (ZSL) to carefully plan and deliver guidance and empowerment. action themselves. We’re working two reintroductions of hazel with farmers and local dormice in 2017 & 2018. Since 2 We will take practical action for communities to plant hedges to then we’ve been working with the wildlife ourselves. Leading from improve connectivity between Warwickshire Mammal Group the front to demonstrate how species woodlands, and supporting the and volunteers to monitor the can recover if wildlife habitats are management of other woodlands successful breeding of the managed in the right way. within the landscape. dormice. In parallel we are continuing to undertake sensitive 3 We will reintroduce species The results of these efforts woodland management and which have become locally have led to the woodlands being increasing habitat connectivity extinct where the science says it’s in the best condition for the through hedgerow planting and the right thing to do. reintroduction of hazel dormice. woodland creation. Whilst once common to our To put it another way; the right locality, hazel dormice had You can find out more solution in the right place, and become extinct due to the decline about the hazel dormouse often a combination of all three. in active woodland management. reintroduction project here: This lack of management led to www.warwickshire Let’s take a whistle stop tour an absence of structural diversity wildlifetrust.org.uk/ of the UK, to learn more about and not enough natural dormouse-conservation species reintroduction and what’s happening where. AMY LEWIS 30 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

REINTRODUCTION Beavering away in Derbyshire If you want to find out more about Derbyshire’s beaver project, you can take a look at their In Derbyshire, at the Willington Wetland Reserve, the website here: www.derbyshire wildlifetrust.org.uk/ team have been working on reintroducing beavers into a about/projects/all-about-beavers We wish them the special enclosure. These will be the first beavers in the best of luck and look forward to seeing what the area for 800 years. The project will look into the feasibility beavers do next! of releasing these mammals into the wild, in Derbyshire, in the future and also aims to reintroduce an entire ecosystem that has been lost for years. Beavers are a special species and are known as nature’s eco-system engineers. They make changes to their habitats which create diverse wetlands for other species to thrive, such as water voles, otters and water shrews. They coppice trees which, when they grow back, creates a variety in age and size of tree, making more space for a wider range of wildlife. They are doing the job a reserves team would normally do, but far better! They are also great fans of Himalayan balsam, which is an invasive species that spreads and can become troublesome for our native wildflowers. Beavers are herbivores so, contrary to popular belief, they don’t eat fish. Their dams and habitats can reduce flood risk and can also help improve the water quality. GEMMA DAY NICK UPTON/CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST Bison at Blean As we have mentioned previously in this and many articles before, lack of woodland management is one of the eight biggest drivers of species decline in the UK. Kent Wildlife Trust, along with Wildwood Trust and funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery are working on a Bison reintroduction project to demonstrate how European bison can provide a sustainable solution to woodland management. Bison have the ability to restore the natural biodiversity of a landscape by grazing, dust bathing, eating bark and felling trees, creating a range of habitats for a wide variety of species. The presence of the bison, alongside Exmoor ponies and Iron-Age pigs, will transform the woods into a lush, thriving biodiverse environment once more and will allow their team to step back and let the bison do the work. Should you want to read more about the bison reintroduction programme, you can take a look at their website here: www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/projects/ wilder-blean Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 31

#TEAMWILDER #TeamWilder in action Whether it’s individual or community action – we all have a part to play. T eamWilder is about Individual action empowering and enabling people to take action for Kayleigh Brookes, Dunsmore Living Landscape Project Officer nature and the climate, resulting in better decision making for Kayleigh doesn’t have access to a lots you can do, and why not tell your the environment at both the local level garden, but nonetheless was inspired neighbours about it too, like Jo and across the four nations of the UK. to do something to help wildlife in Hudson, our Marketing and It is about being a part of restoring whatever way she could. Communications Manager did. nature locally yet seeing the impacts at a global scale, on land and at sea. “I really hope more people can do “At the front of my drive is a strip things like this wherever they live. I of grass. The council recently As an existing member or volunteer, don’t even have a proper balcony, completed a planting scheme called you are already part of the just a rail, and I wanted to do Wildlife Ways, which saw millions of #TeamWilder movement. You are part everything I could to help wildlife, so wildflowers planted across the of a group of people who share the I investigated options that didn’t borough. This made me think, same concerns and are working as a involve needing an outdoor space. wouldn’t it be great if that little bit of collective to get your voice heard and Hanging planters are great as they grass was more than that? So, I better decisions made. hook over railings, and planting native sowed some wildflower seeds and flowers helps pollinators. chatted to my neighbour, who asked Over the coming years we need to I’ve now got two bird feeders as well me to do his patch too! We’re now grow this movement. We already have which also hang on the railings, and looking forward to welcoming the a few of great examples which will have had blue tits, robins and pollinators to our road this summer show you some of the ways you can sparrows visiting!” and inspiring other neighbours to do take action for nature, both individually the same.” and collectively. If you have a small space there’s Bee and wildflowers JON HAWKINS 32 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

#TEAMWILDER Influencing policy Community action Earlier in the year, the South Warwickshire Local Plan was put out to At a community level there are lots of consultation. The planning team here at the Trust sifted through the opportunities to bring about change for nature, large and complicated document to pick out the key environmental as Amanda did in Harbury: questions for local people, and produced a simplified response for people to use, including key laws and planning references to help give “I contacted the Parish Council when I their responses more weight. This information was posted online and realised work to renovate a former pub, now emailed to our members, encouraging people to consider the plan and being converted to a home would mean the supporting their responses should they wish to make one. swifts who have nested here for decades would no longer have access to the eaves. By reaching out to neighbours, friends and family, attending local meetings and interest groups, contacting elected officials and She gave a presentation to the Harbury expressing your views, you can play an important role in making Parish council meeting to outline her concerns. #TeamWilder happen. They supported the initiative and agreed to fund part of it too. She then set about gauging Blue tit on feeder local interest. GILLIAN DAY GILLIAN DAY “I put up posters around the village, AMANDA RANDALLproduced a leaflet and contacted certain JON HAWKINS properties that appeared in the RSPB’s SwiftMapper website, that may have potential for nest sites. I also wrote a monthly article for the local parish magazine to keep the project in the public eye and continued to engage residents with the initiative. I then found a local carpenter who offered to make swift boxes at a reduced cost. Harbury Parish Council agreed to fund 30 boxes and an additional 10 were made for ‘Bishops Itchington Men’s Shed’. Several Harbury residents also agreed to purchase their own boxes. In total, at least 50 boxes have now been installed.” I also talked to the owners of the former pub, who were keen to ensure the swifts would not lose their former homes completely. They received guidance from an ecologist as part of their planning proposal and were given two swift boxes which have been installed close to the original nest sites . We are all looking forward to the return of swifts to Harbury.” If you’ve Swift box installation 33 been inspired by the stories above, want to Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 take action or share your stories with us visit: www.warwickshire wildlifetrust.org.uk/ teamwilder

LANDSCAPE RECOVERY Monitoring the Sherbourne Valley How local people can play a part in observing and enhancing the river Sherbourne. T he Sherbourne Valley with an established presence online “Monitoring enables us to get a Project is a £3million and in the local community. Restoration baseline of the state of the river, be scheme being delivered work is being undertaken by staff and that through direct records of water with Warwickshire Wildlife by our incredible volunteers. quality and species data or through Trust as the main partner. It has a full indications of river health such as team of staff who are dedicated to A key part of the project is monitoring habitat assessments. We can then restoring Coventry’s river Sherbourne and surveying. The data acquired is use the baselines to target areas for and reconnecting local communities to essential for carrying out restoration improvement and implement the the river and its wildlife. The project is work, and for evaluating progress. most appropriate restoration a few months into its delivery phase, Chloe Rose, River Restoration Officer techniques. We re-do surveys for the project, said: BEN COOK To find out more about the Sherbourne project, visit: Riverfly Survey 34 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023

LANDSCAPE RECOVERY Types of monitoring and recording Coundon Wedge River fly monitoring iNaturalist recording riverfly training This type of monitoring hugely helps Many of our monitoring days are in assessing the ecological state of focused around use of the following the work to measure the the river. Certain invertebrates are iNaturalist app. This app is a great impact we’ve had which helps us very sensitive to pollution and can social network for naturalists that learn from the process and replicate be used as effective early indicators helps identify plants and animals projects across the catchment. We of pollution events. By monitoring and submits recordings to scientific are carrying out a variety of surveys invertebrate species, we can archives. There are many experts to across multiple sites and the help of identify a pollution event and enable connect with through the app who a rapid response before the problem can help with confirming “Monitoring enables us becomes irreversible or affects identifications. From time to time to get a baseline of the more species. Besides pollution, we host training sessions where we state of the river.” this method of monitoring also show people how to use the app to provides a great biodiversity count record wildlife. volunteers is absolutely vital in and can indicate good or poor achieving the maximum benefit for ecosystem health. Currently, most Outfall safari the river through this project.” of our river fly monitoring days take Outfall safaris empower local people place at Coundon Wedge with the to monitor and improve water An important way the project is Allesley & Coundon Wedge quality. By simply looking at the engaging with community-driven Conservation Society, or at river, you may notice changes or monitoring is through its events. At Charterhouse and Lake View Park pollution. Reporting these the end of April, The Sherbourne with our teams of volunteers. On observations means they can then Valley Project took part in the river fly monitoring days we also use be actioned by Severn Trent, so international City Nature Challenge. fixed point photos to show the flow local people’s actions can have a This was an international competition level of the river, and we use the direct impact for change. to record as many species as possible data acquired to form maps of our over a set weekend; an abundance of current sites. General recording records was contributed in Coventry. This could be reporting bird Monitoring events come in many Plant life days sightings, presence and absence forms, and the local community can We record the plant life of the river surveys, a simple walking transect get involved in several ways. Sherbourne and the Sherbourne or encouraging group recording. Valley through the National Plant These can be done on a site-by-site If you’d like to get involved in Monitoring Scheme. The visits basis, focusing on specific species monitoring the impact of this involve recording plant ‘indicator such as water voles, great crested project, take a look at our social media species’ in 0.5m2 plots. We use the newts, shrews or butterflies. and website, or email sherbourne@ Plant Portal for online quadrat wkwt.org.uk to enquire about recording, which means that we are MoRPh upcoming events. not limited to spatial scales, plot This is a field survey that types, or species lists. This allows characterises the physical structure us to use easier methods designed of a river channel and its margins, at for more urbanised plant recording, a scale that complements biological allowing entry level data to be surveys. We do these before and acquired and for anyone to give it a after restoration works and measure go! We have identification booklets riverbank height and sediment from the National Plant Monitoring types. Performing these river Scheme, and several free online condition assessments is key not resources to help us out. We only for geographical data but also currently do this recording twice a for measuring biodiversity. We are year for each of our sites, but we do looking to train small groups of five plots at each site so there are individuals in these surveys so they plenty of opportunities to join in. can be performed independently. Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023 35

EDUCATION forEVevEeNrTySone this summer and autumn We’ve got a range of events planned this coming season to help you get outdoors, engage with nature and have a wild time! Evening Bat Walks Wilder wellbeing Big Wild Walk Look out for our ever-popular bat Nature can be wonderful for our Look out for our half-term event walks this August and September! mental health, giving us a peaceful this October, where we ask you to Taking place in the late evening, our space to relax and unwind. We have help us tackle the nature and bat talks are a great chance to learn wellbeing sessions across the county climate emergency by challenging more about these elusive mammals for you to join. Why not try: yourself to fundraising walk. It’s a before heading out onto the nature n Wilder Wellbeing for Parents perfect way to get active, discover reserve to see and hear them. and Carers in Rugby wild places, make memories, and Fun for the whole family An afternoon of relaxed activities and raise money for a great cause! Family Pond Dipping at chatting with other parents. Parkridge and Brandon Marsh n Social Gardening at Brandon Marsh Find out what is living in our ponds Aimed at improving your wellbeing and lakes during these fun family with some light gardening in a small sessions. group. Wildlife Watch for ages 2+ n Social Birding at Little ones can join in with woodland Brandon Marsh treasure hunts, bug hunting, and learn Visit some of the bird about night-time wildlife! hides on the nature Wildlife Watch for ages 4+ reserve to see Perfect for slightly older what you children to try pond can spot! dipping, den building, and wildlife games. Discover all our SHUTTERSTOCK activities and book your place at warwickshire wildlifetrust.org.uk/ events 36 Wild Warwickshire | Summer 2023