Biodiversity Training Project News and events

Transcription

1 Biodiversity Training Project News and events newsletter 2 February 2009 The Biodiversity Training Project is a 5 year project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Field Studies Council. Our aims are to enhance, encourage and promote biological recording amongst volunteers in Shropshire and the wider region by the provision of training to volunteers, recording and community groups Welcome! Time flies and here we are half way through the Biodiversity Training Project!!! This has been another year full of biological recording training that so many people have been a part of. Rather than me drone on about The Project, I thought it might be more interesting for some of our participants and tutors to illustrate their involvement, so I am keeping my input to a minimum in this newsletter. We have a whole new programme of events for 2009 (see the inside back and back pages) and I hope these will be as interesting, fulfilling, and popular as the ones that we ran in 2007 and As in previous years we will be holding a launch event at Preston Montford in spring 2009, details of which you can find on page 5 of this newsletter. I would again like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to the Project so far and thank all the volunteers, attendees, tutors, and helpers who made 2008 such a successful year for us. If you would like further details about the Project, or to book on our events, then please get in touch. Pete Boardman Biodiversity Training Project Officer Photo : male Orange Tip at Preston Montford (Pete Boardman) Biodiversity Training Project, Field Studies Council Preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 1DX Tel: Fax: pete@field-studies-council.org

2 A passion for plants John Handley writes Hello, to all the friends I ve made over the last two years and welcome to everyone else! After three years of an Open University degree in Environmental Studies I felt that I desperately needed to obtain the field skills necessary to become a botanist. Attending a number of BTP botanical courses gave me the confidence to take part in Shropshire Botanical Society field meetings and further develop my skills. I became involved with my local branch of the Shropshire Wildlife Trust, and I was asked to provide biological records for a local site which allowed me to practice these skills in my own time. With additional support from the BTP I was able to attend a weekend course on Umbellifers at Preston Montford which endowed me the selfassurance to start an MSc in Biological Recording with Birmingham University and The Field Studies Council. The training provided by the BTP in conjunction with my own efforts in getting out and practicing has allowed me to work with confidence alongside national experts. I am greatly indebted to a number of people. Photo: Pete Boardman Attendees John Handley and Caroline Savage examine sedges at Colemere as part of Chris Walker s course aimed at improvers. Anne & Jim Shaw on recording Photo : Pete Boardman Anne and Jim Shaw on Chris Walker s Improvers rushes and sedges course at Colemere in June 2008 We retired two years ago having spent 45 intensive years in Industry and Public Health/Education, as well as bringing up two sons. Our intention was to spend more time pursuing our lifelong interest in natural history. We are concerned about the impact on the environment and bio-diversity from the changes occurring through Global warming and land use / developments. We recognise that data is essential to clearly identify the issues and impacts, and to enable an informed response to these processes. Retirement luckily coincided with the introduction of the Biodiversity Training Project arranged by the FSC and led by Pete Boardman. With our diverse interests in natural history we took the opportunity over the last two years to attend a large number of the courses offered through the training programme. The course leaders gave us a good insight into the range of recording currently in use, as well as excellent teaching and training on their specialist subjects and how to record. This opened doors to further participation. As a result we are now involved with weekly Moth recording (through the Garden Moth Scheme - over 3016 moths trapped in 2 years; 234 different species), surveying tetrads for the BTO and Shropshire Bird Atlas, and have submitted entomological, mammal, and botanical records to the appropriate recorders. Our increased knowledge and experience has also enabled us to participate more confidently in the development of the Environmental section of our Local Parish Plan. We are currently training on the use of MapMate recording software, hopefully to improve our ability to add our data records direct into a centralised recording process for Shropshire, and are also working on improving our botanical id skills in order to extend our involvement into survey work. Through the BTP training programme we have had so much enjoyment and personal fulfilment, and have met many enthusiastic, friendly and encouraging, like minded people, both professionals and amateur. 2

3 Fiona Gomersall on the Upper Clun Plant Group Fiona Gomersall demonstrating botanical recording methodology to volunteers on the Shropshire Wildlife Trust reserve at Llanymynech Rocks. Photo: Pete Boardman Photographs on Some of you may have heard of, or have an account with, the photo-storage site flickr. It is an online depository of millions of photos and photographers around the world. During 2008 the people behind flickr offered a number of charities, including the FSC, free flickr accounts to host photo storage for projects and charities. We now have a page on the flickr site go to and search for the Biodiversity Training Project. The other good thing about flickr is that you too can submit photos that you take on our events, or any other subjects related to Biodiversity and Biological Recording if you have an account (BT Yahoo internet users automatically get a free account, and anyone can get a limited storage free account). I have set up a group with that name where you can enter photos you have taken to this group. Alternatively if you have photos of our events that you would like to share, send me them and I will add them to the site was another successful year for The Upper Clun Community Wildlife Plant Group which is going from strength to strength thanks to help from the Biodiversity Training Project. The Project has provided the group with funds for training days on plant identification and recording. A number of the Clun recorders have received some training now for four years through this project and my own teaching and are becoming very experienced. The volunteers carried out a tremendous amount of work, covering extensive areas of land and submitting a great deal of good and very useful material. It was again wonderful to see so many local people taking part in the survey, 48 in total, 11 of whom were farmers and landowners. As well as searching for 24 target plants in woodland and grassland other interesting finds were made this year. Maiden Pink Dianthus deltoides, a wild carnation was found at a higher frequency in the tetrad where it was discovered last year and Beech fern Phegopteris connectilis, a rare fern was recorded in another tetrad along with Adder s tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, another uncommon fern. Southern Marsh Orchid Dactlorhiza praetermissa turned up in one of the more western tetrads. Fiona Gomersall Screen shot from our flickr page showing the 2008 event photos listed to early January

4 Some moth-ers do ave em A note from Bill Watkins, a volunteer and moth recorder at Alveley Country Park, near Bridgnorth In April 2008, with the help of Keith Dawes who already traps moths for the Garden Moth Scheme*, I built a Skinner type moth trap. The electrical fittings and actinic light-tube were kindly funded courtesy of The Biodiversity Training Project fund through Pete Boardman of the Field Studies Council. Since obtaining a moth trap I have derived a huge amount of pleasure and satisfaction from trapping, identifying and recording moths I had never seen before. To-date I have trapped 87 species in my garden and it has been a wonderful experience to identify them and to learn a little about them. Without the moth trap I had no idea there were so many species in such a small area. I have taken digital images of all the species I have trapped to help with future identification. The trap has enabled me to contribute a great many more species records than having to rely on casual sightings. I send my records regularly to the new Shropshire County Moth Recorder, Tony Jacques, who has been very helpful. Tony has helped me to identify moths which I was unsure of, from photographs. I hope I will be able to take part in the National Garden Moth Scheme in * Garden Moth Scheme (From left) Mike Sadler, John Scott, Bill Watkins and Keith Dawes of the Alveley Country Park moth recorders group and their trap built with funding from the Biodiversity Training Project Photo: Pete Boardman This is a voluntary scheme established in 2003 by Dave Grundy, a keen West Midlands moth trapper that was designed to see whether moths can be used as indicators to the health of our cities and countryside by monitoring moth species and numbers turning up at traps. During the period around 50 volunteers recorded moths in their gardens every Friday night through the spring and summer until the autumn in the West Midlands region. In 2007 the scheme was expanded to around 100 volunteer recorders nationally and it is still growing. If you fancy taking part in the scheme further information and recording sheets are available on their website at Biodiversity Training Project, Field Studies Council, Preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury, SY4 1DX pete@field-studies-council.org Telephone: Fax: Website: 4

5 What we have achieved so far Training events run so far? 107 (to the end of 2008), with a combination of public courses and bespoke courses organised with recording and community groups. Number of individual people who have attended a training day? 616, thanks to everyone who has attended one or more of our events!! 115 new people attended training during These figures do not include our annual launch events. Total number of individual training hours / days so far? 7632 hours or 1090 days in total. These figures are based upon a 7 hour day for a full day event or 3.5 hours for a half day event. Be a friend to our nectar garden Do you have a few hours to spare helping to develop and maintain the nectar garden at Preston Montford? In return we promise you all the cake you can eat!!!!!!!! If you fancy helping out please contact the Project Officer. Male thick-legged beetle on a buttercup at Ironbridge (Photo: Pete Boardman) Biodiversity Training Project 2 nd birthday bash!!! Preston Montford Field Centre Sunday 3 rd May am 4.00 pm A day of indoor and outdoor biodiversity workshops (lunch supplied let us know if you have any special dietary requirements) Places are free of charge but limited and need to be booked in advance. To book please contact the Project Officer Biodiversity Training Project, Field Studies Council, Preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury, SY4 1DX pete@field-studies-council.org Telephone: Fax: Website: 5

6 Shropshire Environmental Data Network (SEDN) and Mapmate Some of you may have read or heard about the progress of the Local Record Centre (LRC) in Shropshire as a virtual Local Record Centre (vlrc), indeed those of you at our 2008 launch may recall Alex Lockton s talk about how a vlrc might work. This is a partnership between Shropshire County Council, the Shropshire Wildlife Trust and many other partners within the Shropshire Biodiversity Network, County Recorders and individuals. As part of this process I have chaired meetings with key partners and the BTP has helped to arrange MapMate biological recording software training events and given away several copies of the software to key recorders. The idea of this is to encourage a flow of information crucially via County Recorders so that the resultant data is validated and verified. More free MapMate training is available including a session at our launch in April. If you would like know more about MapMate or are interested in the SEDN please get in touch. In the last newsletter I plugged my cranefly atlas of Shropshire. Since then the data has been entered into MapMate software and has also been added to the Natural Shropshire website ( Dicranomyia chorea SJ SO This map is an example of the distribution of a common cranefly species at tetrad level (2 km x 2 km). Kate Chesshire entering some of the Preston Montford biological records archive onto Mapmate recording software Photo: Pete Boardman 6

7 2009 events 01/04/09 (Wednesday) Craven Arms Volunteers for the Environment (CAVE) recording session at the Centre. 18/04/09 (Saturday) Introduction to woodland bryophytes with Martin Godfrey at Benthall Edge, Ironbridge. 05/05/09 (Tuesday) Monitoring the effects of deer on SSSI oak woodland with Fiona Gomersall at Clunton Coppice SWT Reserve near Clun. 06/05/09 (Wednesday) - Craven Arms Volunteers for the Environment (CAVE) recording session at the Centre. 09/05/08 (Saturday) Woodland plant identification with Mark Duffell at Beechfield Dingle near Worthen. 13/05/09 (Wednesday) Bird recording in woodland with John Tucker at Earl s Hill SWT Reserve. This event has an early morning start after which a free breakfast is included. 19/05/09 (Tuesday) Monitoring and plant identification in an ash woodland with Fiona Gomersall at Earl s Hill SWT Reserve. 23/05/09 (Saturday) Butterflies of the Wyre through the seasons with Mike Williams and Rosemary Winnall at the Wyre Forest Discovery Centre, Wyre Forest, south Shropshire. Event in partnership with Grow With Wyre, Butterfly Conservation and the Wyre Forest Study Group. 29/05/09 (Friday) Moth trapping evening with Godfrey Blunt at the Discovery Centre, Craven Arms. 03/06/09 (Wednesday) - Craven Arms Volunteers for the Environment (CAVE) recording session at the Centre. We will be joined by Kate Thorne to look at the botany of the Onny Meadows. 04/06/09 (Thursday) An introduction to botany and plant recording with Sarah Whild at The Gateway Arts and Education Centre, Shrewsbury. 09/06/09 (Tuesday) Beetles of woodland and adjacent habitats with Don Stenhouse at Preston Montford Field Centre, near Shrewsbury. 12/06/09 (Friday) Why farms can be invertebrate hotspots with Pete Boardman at Parkhall Farm near Market Drayton 16/06/09 (Tuesday) Beginners sedges and rushes with Chris Walker at Rue Wood SWT reserve near Wem 19/06/09 (Friday) Improvers sedges and rushes with Chris Walker at Colemere Country Park. 20/06/09 (Saturday) Butterflies of the Wyre through the seasons with Mike Williams and Rosemary Winnall at the Wyre Forest Discovery Centre, Wyre Forest, south Shropshire. Event in partnership with Grow With Wyre, Butterfly Conservation and the Wyre Forest Study Group. 20/06/09 (Saturday) Woodland hoverflies with Nigel Jones at Bury Ditches near Clun. 01/07/09 (Wednesday) - Craven Arms Volunteers for the Environment (CAVE) recording session at the Centre. 03/07/09 (Friday) More invertebrates at Fordhall Farm with Pete Boardman at Fordhall Farm, Market Drayton 04/07/09 (Saturday) Higher plants of Alveley Country Park with John Handley at Alveley Country Park 7

8 2009 events (continued) 07/07/09 (Tuesday) Improvers moth training with Dave Grundy at Alveley Country Park (places limited) event with Alveley Moth Group 11/07/09 (Saturday) Plants of bogs and pools with Kate Thorne at The Long Mynd. 18/07/09 (Saturday) Butterflies of the Wyre through the seasons with Mike Williams and Rosemary Winnall at the Wyre Forest Discovery Centre, Wyre Forest, south Shropshire. Event in partnership with Grow With Wyre, Butterfly Conservation and the Wyre Forest Study Group. 22/07/09 (Wednesday) Plants of river and flood plains with Kate Thorne at Holly Banks SWT Reserve 01/08/09 (Saturday) Beginners guide to ferns with Mark Duffell at Benthall Edge, Ironbridge 05/08/09 (Wednesday) - Craven Arms Volunteers for the Environment (CAVE) recording session at the Centre. 15/08/09 (Saturday) Using a flora with Clare O Reilly at Preston Montford Field Centre 02/09/09 (Wednesday) - Craven Arms Volunteers for the Environment (CAVE) recording session at the Discovery Centre, Craven Arms. 19/09/09 (Saturday) Woodland fungi with Neville Walters at Colemere Country Park, near Ellesmere. 17/10/09 (Saturday) Bryophytes of limestone grassland and woodland with Martin Godfrey at Llanymynech Rocks SWT Reserve. 20/10/09 (Tuesday) Arable weed identification on a South Shropshire organic farm with Fiona Gomersall at Bryn Mawr near Newcastle-upon-Clun. 21/11/09 (Saturday) Winter tree identification with Ruth Dawes at Acton Scott Historic Working Farm. All courses are free of charge and must be booked in advance with the Project Officer. Priority will always be given to volunteers, though professional attendees may attend subject to a fee if there are spare places (call the Project Officer for further details). Courses are subject to change at the discretion of the Project Officer and all bookings will be confirmed before the event by the Project Officer. Lesser Celandine at Preston Montford Rhagium bifasciatum on Fenn s Moss Grass identification at Melverley Farm Photo: Pete Boardman Photo: Pete Boardman Photo: Pete Boardman Biodiversity Training Project, Field Studies Council, Preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury, SY4 1DX pete@field-studies-council.org Telephone: Fax: Website: 8