News from Suffolk Wildlife Trust May 2015

SuffolkWildlife

Living Landscapes Living Gardens Living Seas

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Suffolk Wildlife is published bySuffolk Wildlife Trust, Brooke House,Ashbocking IP6 9JY01473 890089  info@suffolkwildlifetrust.orgwww.suffolkwildlifetrust.orgSWT cENTRES Bradfield Woods 01449 737996carlton Marshes 01502 564250Foxburrow Farm 01394 380113Knettishall Heath 07717 156601Lackford Lakes 01284 728706Redgrave & Lopham Fen 01379 688333EDITOR Matt GawDESIGN & ARTWORK Clare SheehanADVERTISING Today Magazines,Framlingham 01728 622030PRINTING Five Castles Press, Ipswich

PATRON Lord TollemachePRESIDENT Lord Blakenham VIcE PRESIDENTS David Barker MBE, Lord Deben,Bernard Tickner, Peter WilsonTRUSTEES Ian Brown (Chairman), Nigel Farthing(Vice Chairman), Robin Drayton (Treasurer), James Robinson (Hon Secretary), John Cousins,Dawn Girling, Denise Goldsmith, Pip Goodwin, Fred Goymour, Peter Holborn, Simon Roberts

Suffolk Wildlife Trust is one of a national networkof Wildlife Trusts dedicated to safeguarding thefuture of wildlife for the benefit of all

Suffolk Wildlife Trust is a registered charity no262777 and a company limited by guarantee no695346

YOUR MAGAZINE SUFFOLK WILDLIFE TRUST

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MAY 2015

On thecoverBrown hares PhotoshotHoldings Ltd/Alamy

News from Suffolk Wildlife Trust May 2015SuffolkWildlife

Living Landscapes Living Gardens Living Seas

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Ancient woodlandsThirty years ago I was inspired to volunteer atBradfield Woods by Oliver Rackham’s book,Ancient Woodlands. Its combination of history andecology was, until then, almost unknown. Herevealed that to understand woodlands you had tolook beyond the trees – the ‘underwood’, orcoppice, would tell you much more about itshistory than the, usually planted, oaks.

Bradfield Woods was a particular favourite ofhis research because, once owned by the Abbey atBury St Edmunds, it has an unrivalled source ofdocumentary evidence going back to 1252. It

wasn't just ancient documents that Oliver discovered – the woods also revealedhuge ash coppice stools thought to be a thousand years old even if individualstems had been cut back every twenty years or so.

When in the late 1960s plans were drawn up to clear Bradfield Woods foragriculture, Oliver joined the heroic efforts of local people to save the woods.Monks Park could not be saved – this sixty acres of Bradfield Woods wasbulldozed – but his meticulous research highlighted the national importance ofBradfield Woods and that its destruction would be an act of vandalism akin tolevelling a medieval church.

He was successful and never again was an ancient woodland cleared foragriculture. Oliver had created a new understanding of the irreplaceability ofancient woodlands that led to their better protection.

This rare ability to combine scholarship and writing also led to a newappreciation of the English landscape. To many the landscape alongside theA140 appears relatively uninspiring but Oliver’s History of the Countrysidereveals that this former Roman road cuts across fields dating back to the IronAge. Two thousand years later, many of these boundaries survive and, for thosewho care to look, the evidence of Suffolk’s ancient countryside is all around us.

He was as inspiring in real life as he was in print. Walking in his companywas like having an ancient text translated.

He was not just about protecting the continuity of precious places. Oliverbelieved in nature and challenged the assumption that trees must be planted.His approach inspired the Trust’s purchase of land alongside Arger Fen and hewas thrilled when hundreds of thousands of young trees sprung up of theirown accord.

When we met last year at Bradfield Woods, Oliver was far from gloomydespite concerns about ash die-back – he was as curious and questioning asever. His death leaves a huge gap as his clarity and scholarship are neededtoday more than ever. His books remain as masterpieces that transformed ourunderstanding of trees, woodlands and the wider landscape. And thanks tohim Bradfield Woods lives on not just in his books but as a woodland burstingwith life.

Julian RoughtonChief executive

Welcome

YOUR MEMBERSHIP

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Julian Roughton

Walking around awoodland withhim was likehaving an ancienttext translated

The Trust benefits from the mostincredible support, with manymembers’ commitmentstretching over decades. Pleasekeep in touch so we can ensureyou get the most out of yourmembership.

We can tailor your membershipto suit your family. If yourchildren are aged betwen 6-14they’d enjoy our Wildlife Watchmagazine. Likewise do let usknow if your children have growntoo old for the magazine.

Samantha GrangeOur MembershipManager would loveto hear from you.Please call on 01473 890089

CONSERVATION NEWS

Return of the Polecat

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After a 100 year absence polecats arenow back in Suffolk. This small mustelid,once widespread throughout England,Scotland and Wales, declined significantlyin number due to persecution in the 19thcentury, until populations were restrictedto Wales. But since the 1950s, polecatshave been slowly increasing in range, withnew populations also being formed byreintroductions (although not in Suffolk).

Then in 2006, a road casualty at RedLodge in west Suffolk was confirmed as atrue polecat and the stage was set fortheir revival.

Dr Simone Bullion, senior conservationofficer at the Trust, explains: “During thelast eight years there have been very fewnew records, but in 2014 there was a

sudden spate of observations ofpolecat-type animals.

“These started in the south of thecounty, in Assington, Leavenheath andWiston and were confirmed to be truepolecats by the Vincent Wildlife Trust,which is coordinating the NationalPolecat Survey. It is believed theseanimals originate from a population inNorth Essex.”

She adds: “Subsequently, there havebeen additional sightings further afieldin Long Melford and also Bardwell andLopham in the north of the county,indicating that colonisation may betaking place on multiple fronts.”

It can be difficult to tell a polecatfrom a polecat-ferret (a hybrid with the

domesticated ferret). A true polecathas narrow, pale cheek patches thatcontrast strongly with the dark facialmask. The dark fur on this face shouldreach the end of the nose. There shouldbe no pale throat patch or scatteredwhite guard hairs on the body.

Suffolk is not situated in a ‘polecatpurity zone’, which means that due tointerbreeding our polecats will becarrying quite a few of the polecat-ferret genes and therefore also some oftheir coat characteristics.

However, these wild polecat-ferrethybrids are functionally behaving aspolecats and will be making an importantcontribution to the overall recovery ofthe polecat in the East of England.

Polecat-ferrethybrid

But our project hasn’t finished andwe still need your help in continuing torecord hedgehog sightings throughout2015. By gathering information each year from our towns, villages and countryside we can begin to look for trends in their behaviour.

Following the successful launch of oursurvey in 2014, more than 8,000hedgehog sightings have been loggedon our recording website.

The data shows clearly thatSuffolk’s urban centres in Ipswich, BurySt Edmunds and Felixstowe areimportant refuges for a species thathas suffered a dramatic decline overthe last ten years.

If you see a polecat or polecat-ferretthen please report this to the VincentWildlife Trust usingenquiries@vwt.org.uk or phone 01531 636441.

Taking a photograph or recording thecoat characteristics will also beimportant for confirmation.

Please also let us know of your sightingas we are monitoring the records as ameans of charting the recovery in Suffolk.

Keep logging your hogs

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It’s useful if you can record a sightingon the first date that you see theanimal. If you then continue to seehedgehogs regularly throughout thesummer months there is no need tolog each sighting. It may be useful tocreate a new record for any unusualbehaviour – or to add an additionalrecord at the end of the season –making a note that this was a regularsighting. Go tosuffolkwildlifetrust.org/hedgehogsand follow the simple instructions toadd your sighting.

As last year, we are asking forcurrent live and dead sightings,(including droppings), instances whereyou used to see hedgehogs, but nolonger do (please do not repeat this

type of sighting if you have alreadysubmitted it) and we also still need tohear about locations where hedgehogshave been absent for some time.

You can tell us about these by adding a negative sighting

(option three on the website). Fromthe website you can look at all thesightings that have been logged nearto where you live.

This may encourage you and yourneighbours to help extend their rangeby creating gaps underneath fencesand leaving food out. Hedgehogfriendly gardening advice is availableon our website – small changes reallycan make all the difference for ourancient prickly friends.

Recording tips

Our project hasn’t finishedand we still need your helpto record hedgehogsightings throughout 2015

Visit our website or call01473 890089to log your hog!

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that time. Amongst other issues, theseincluded impacts on protected species suchas bats and reptiles; impacts on SizewellMarshes SSSI and impacts on nearbyEuropean designated sites such as theSandlings Special Protection Area (SPA)and the Minsmere to Walberswick Heathsand Marshes SPA and Special Area ofConservation (SAC).

It is expected that EDF Energy will holdanother public consultation showing moredetailed plans for the development. We willcontinue to engage in the planning processas we believe that our expertise and localknowledge can help influence the outcomeand secure the best long term future forSuffolk’s wildlife.

CONSERVATION NEWS

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Move to protectbreeding waders

Hopeful of influencing Sizewell C decision

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Sizewell B

EDF Energy is proposing to build a newnuclear power station, Sizewell C, to thenorth of the existing Sizewell B station. Theappropriateness of their proposal will beexamined through the Nationally SignificantInfrastructure Project (NSIP) process.

This involves stages of public consultationand an examination, which will be carried outby a panel of inspectors appointed by thePlanning Inspectorate (PINs). The final decisionwill be made by the Secretary of State for

Energy and Climate Change.In February 2013 we

responded to EDF Energy’sStage 1 consultation, setting

out the concerns we had with theproposals being made at

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Redshank

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He adds: “The new fence will give thebirds in the low lying areas of grazingmarsh at the back of the reserve moreprotection from ground predators. Thiswill allow them to settle on their nestsand incubate their eggs to full term,which is about three to four weeks.Young lapwing can’t fly until they areabout five to six weeks old and for thefirst 20 days need parents to protectthem and teach them life skills. Theprotective fence will allow this to happenunimpeded.”

The Executive Director of The VeoliaEnvironmental Trust, Paul Taylor, adds, “Itis great to hear that this important projectis getting underway. Although our grantis financing a simple solution, it willhopefully have a positive impact on birdpopulations by letting adults and fledglingsfeed and thrive in a safer environment.”

ver a mile long fencedesigned to improve thebreeding success of birdslike lapwing and redshank,has been erected at SuffolkWildlife Trust’s Trimley

Marshes nature reserve near Felixstowe. The 1.5metre high fence, funded by a

grant of £21,836 awarded by The VeoliaEnvironmental Trust through the LandfillCommunities Fund, will protect breedingwading birds from disturbance andimprove the number of resultingfledglings during the nesting season.

Wintering geese, including Brent andgreylags, will also benefit as the fencingwill allow them to graze the marsheswithout disturbance. This will help themmaximise calories and survive the harshwinter conditions.

Sites manager Andrew Excell hasbeen recordingmammal movementsacross the marshes forthe last two years usingfootprint checks, dungrecording and wildlifetrap cameras. “Thesemethods have clearlyflagged up thefrequency of site use byfoxes and badgers,

which is preventing birds from settling,”he says.

“At the moment we achieve optimalwater levels for breeding waders, whichis great; we were seeing breedingdisplays but weren’t seeing the expectednumber of fledglings.”

Justin Smith from Ipswich continues toraise funds for the Trust having just runhis first ever London marathon. He says:

“I want to inspire people about thenatural world so they value it and takeaction to protect and restore it. Bysupporting me your sponsorship will godirectly towards giving young people afirst chance to experience wildlife throughthe Trust’s diverse learning program.”

Michael Strand, developmentmanager at the Trust, adds:“Opportunities like these remind othersthat our work can be supported in aplethora of ways and we are delightedJustin chose Suffolk Wildlife Trust.”

Please show your support in recognitionof Justin’s monumental effort by donatingwhat you can atvirginmoneygiving.com/JaySmith1975

The Veolia Environmental Trust’s grant willalso fund four tern rafts, which will besituated in the scrapes and used by nesting ternslater on in the year.

O Work inprogress: thenew fence atTrimley Marshes

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Andrew ExcellSouth East Suffolksites manager

A marathon effort

Campaigning againstraptor persecution

Thank youWe are grateful to the families of thefollowing friends of the Trust who haverecently remembered us in their Willor through an In Memoriam donation

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CONSERVATION NEWS

NICK IL

LOTT

John LongstaffeSusie MellorMargaret MinnsDavid NashJim StevensLeslie Ward

Jean carlisleSharon carterYvonne catchpoleVictor DyerSylvia HollisDave Hunting

monthly cycle and anything that benefitswildlife will be considered. We will sharethe winning ideas on our website andsocial media. Existing projects can apply ifthey have future plans for the money andwe’d really like to hearfrom new groups whoare who are looking totake that first step.

If you are part of a project to improvegreen space or raise awareness of issuesfacing the natural world where you live youcould be in with a chance of winning £250.Our community challenge, funded by theHeritage Lottery Fund, launched in Marchand we’re looking for creative andinnovative ideas to fund.

We plan to award two prizes on a bi-

A coalition of Suffolkornithological organisations haslaunched the Campaign AgainstRaptor Persecution in the wakeof recent incidents in the county.

The announcement followsthe shooting of a youngperegrine falcon in Long Melfordand the trapping and killing ofan owl in Fakenham Magna.

In addition, the RSPB’s latestBirdcrime report, which covers2013, revealed that theorganisation’s InvestigationsUnit received reports of 69incidents of wild bird crimeoccurring in the eastern region.

Wanted: rare species!

community challenge

£250up for grabs for innovativecommunitywildlife projects

One way in which the Trust reachesout and inspires new people aboutSuffolk’s wildlife is through its ongoingtalks programme.

We are currently seeking people tojoin our volunteer speaker team topresent the work of the Trust togroups, clubs and associations atcommunity venues around Suffolk.

Might this volunteer role be foryou? It requires individuals with a goodknowledge of the Trust and an ongoinginterest in the full range of our work.

There is a minimum requirement togive three talks each year withrequests for speakers focused mainlyduring the evenings betweenSeptember and May.

Ian Brown, Trust chairman andvolunteer speaker says: “I get anenormous amount of pleasure insharing the successes of the Trust withother people. Wildlife seems to have anuncanny way of connecting andreconnecting people with somethingwhich they inherently value.”

He adds: “Driving home, no matterhow critical I may be of my ownperformance that evening, I have a realsense some of those newly fledgedlisteners will be visiting a reserve,booking on a course or attending oneof our events in the very near future.”

To find out more information contactmichael.strand@suffolkwildlifetrust.orgon 01473 890089

If you have witnessed or suspecta bird of prey has been illegallykilled, call Suffolk police on 101

Peregrine falcon

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They havecaptivatedwalkers andlovers of theoutside forgenerations.But following

decades of decline, spottingan orchid has become moreof a challenge. Steve Aylwardlooks at where to go andwhat to look out for in thequest for this evocativeflower

years and where agricultural‘improvement’ has been limited.

Orchids in Suffolk Around 22 species of orchid can befound in Suffolk (excluding hybrids)although not all might occur in any oneyear, and of these, 16 species can befound on Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserves.At least eight species of orchid havebecome extinct in Suffolk since 1900,most of which were associated with fens,wet heaths and chalk grassland; habitatsthat have been particularly hard hit byland use change.

Prior to 1900, orchids would havebeen widespread and frequentlyabundant in the wider countryside.Meadows and marshes would have heldlarge populations of species like green-winged and southern marsh orchids

rchids have always held acertain fascination withplant lovers, whether it istheir rarity, flamboyance orsimply the intrinsic beautyof their flowers. This allure

can even lead to orchid ‘twitching’ byenthusiasts when rare species appearand ‘pilgrimages’ are made to see certainflowers that might occur in just one ortwo special places.

For conservationists, orchids are auseful indicator of ancient woodland orunimproved grassland and marsh, andtypically where you find orchids, you willfind an abundance of other wild flowers,many of which are likely to beuncommon or rare in the widercountryside. They can usefully indicateplaces of historic continuity where landuse has remained unchanged for many

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SUFFOLK’S ORCHIDS

The great orchid pilgrimage

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respectively, which would flower by thethousand, while woods and hedgerowswould have been dotted with early purpleand twayblade orchids. Common spotted,pyramidal and bee orchids would similarlybe found in good numbers on anysuitable patch of grass or verge. For pastgenerations, orchids would have been aneveryday part of the spring and summercolour of the countryside and most likely,hardly considered special at all.

A sad declineThe last 80 years or so have been toughfor orchids and all the surviving Suffolkspecies, have seen both declines in overallpopulation and a contraction in range.Some species such as the man orchidhave been pushed to the brink ofextinction, while other once commonspecies like the southern marsh orchid areno longer a ubiquitous plant of almostevery piece of marsh or wet grassland.The spectacle of a field ‘stuffed’ full oforchids is now so rare that it has to besought out – typically on a nature reserve.

Our growing deer population is havinga huge impact on woodland orchidsbrowsing the highly palatable flowersresulting in declining numbers of plants.

Inappropriately timed and oftenunnecessary mowing of road verges issimilarly reducing populations of even themore common species like the pyramidalorchid. However, it is not all doom andgloom. Habitat restoration at Redgrave &Lopham Fen, for example, has led to thereturn of marsh fragrant orchid andelsewhere efforts are being made toreintroduce fen orchid to Suffolk.

When to see orchidsThe ‘orchid season’ usually starts in Aprilwith the appropriately named earlypurple orchid being the first to flower.This orchid of ancient woods, hedge-banks and occasionally old meadows iseasily identified before it even flowers byits purple spotted rosettes of leaves. It isquickly followed in early May by thegreen-winged orchid, one of the fewspecies that in a good year can put on amost impressive ‘mass flowering’ showwhen hundreds of plants bloom insuitable grassland habitats.

Most woodland orchids typicallyflower quite early and most are over bymid to late June, by which time themarsh-orchids are just at their peak.Amongst the last orchids to flower arethe pyramidal orchid, which favourschalky calcareous grassland and marshfragrant orchid, a rare valley fen plant thatflowers in late June through to July.

SUFFOLK’S ORCHIDS

While somebrightly colouredorchids are almostimpossible to miss,others such as thebirds nest orchidand twayblade areoften extremelydifficult to find Marsh

helleborine

Birds-nestorchid

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BELOW: Marshfragrant orchid

Winks Meadow

ABOVE:Southernmarsh orchidLEFT: Green-winged orchid 

IdentificationIdentifying orchids can occasionally bequite challenging as some species freelyhybridise, typically where two or moreparent plants grow together. The mostcommon hybrids are those between thevarious types of marsh orchid andcommon spotted orchid, the resultinghybrids exhibiting characteristics of eachparent to varying degrees.

In addition, some exhibit ‘hybridvigour’ producing large robust plants,typically much larger than the pure formof either parent. Another interesting quirkof some orchids is the ability to producealbino forms. These are most commonlyseen in early purple and green-wingedorchids where the normally pink or purpleflowers are devoid of pigment andconsequently are pure white, except forthe green veins in the green-wingedorchid flowers.

While some brightly coloured orchidsare almost impossible to miss, otherssuch as the birds-nest orchid andtwayblade are often extremely difficult tofind. The birds-nest orchid is a rather drabcolourless plant of deep woodland shade.It is entirely saprophytic, gaining nutrientsfrom soil fungi and therefore has no needto produce much chlorophyll, while itsscented flowers attract small flies forpollination. Twayblade orchids are entirely

green in colour, including theflowers, and therefore picking outthe flower spikes amongst othervegetation can be a challenge.However, once found, look closelyas the flowers are quite beautiful.

Whatever it is about orchids,they add a certain something toany spring or summer visit to thecountryside. The thrill of finding,and even better, being able toidentify the different species oforchid is hugely rewarding – so whynot give it a go this year and see howmany species you can find. n

Whatever it is aboutorchids, they add acertain something toany spring or summervisit to the countryside

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For directions and more informationabout these reserves, visit our websitesuffolkwildlifetrust.org

Martins’ MeadowsA glorious succession of orchids starting with early purpleand followed by twayblade, green-winged and pyramidal,with the occasional common spotted and bee orchid forgood measure.

Reydon WoodEarly purple and twayblade orchids again start off the year.Look carefully to be rewarded with birds-nest orchidalongside the nature trail, while in June, the woodland ridesare full of common spotted orchids.

Market Weston FenStar of the show is the rare pale form of early marsh orchidbut also look out for southern marsh orchids and later in thesummer, marsh helleborine and marsh fragrant orchid.

Winks MeadowA stunning display of green-winged orchids in May but alsohome to common spotted, bee, twayblade and pyramidalorchids as well as the highly elusive frog orchid.

carlton MarshesIn a good year there can be impressive numbers of southernmarsh orchids. Also look out for common spotted orchidsand hybrids with southern marsh orchids.

Top five orchid reserves

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OULTON MARSHESTURF PONDS

involves restoring damaged or neglectedhabitat and recreating wetland lost toarable farming. The richly vegetateddykes and extensive areas of grazingmarsh are well known to be the habitat ofimportant species of plants, birds anddragonflies.

However, since initial surveys whenacquiring the first parcels of land, littlespecialist work has been done on theaquatic invertebrate fauna of the reserve.Since that time the site has grownconsiderably in size and much habitatrestoration has been done by BroadsWarden Matt Gooch and his team.

So, with the experimental recreation

ne of three Suffolk WildlifeTrust reserves that togetherform the Suffolk Broads,Oulton Marshes lies acrossOulton Broad from CarltonMarshes. Castle Marshes,

two miles away down the Waveney Valley,completes this north east Suffolk trio ofunique wetland habitats. A short distancefrom Lowestoft seafront and part of theBroads National Park, these reserves are areal treat to visit in any season.

Vision for the futureThe Trust’s 30 year vision for this area ofwide open skies, dykes and wet marshes

OThe ongoingproject atOultonMarshes aimsto restorehabitatsdamaged by

modern practices. Adrianchalkley investigates thereserve’s turf ponds todiscover rare species havealready moved in

Greatdivingbeetle

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of four turf ponds it was again time to seewhat lay below the water surface.

What is a turf pond?Fens are of course water-logged areas ofland dominated by reeds, rushes andsedge with a complicated system of plantand animal communities. They weremanaged in a variety of ways in the past,one of which resulted in thecreation of turf ponds.

These were shallow, handdug pools in many wayssimilar to the scrapes we seeto attract wildfowl. Dug out inVictorian times to provide

peat for fuel or to improve the quality ofthe reed and sedge harvest, once left torecolonise, turf ponds proved a richsource of diverse vegetation. In theBroads today the most species-rich areastend to be found where turf ponds wereonce dug.

So in late autumn 2011 four turf pondswere excavated in Rists Marsh, a fen

Turf ponds at Oulton marshes have significantly increasedthe range of habitats at the reserve

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compartment at the southern end of thereserve. Rather than hand digging, atracked excavator was used to createponds of differing shapes and sizes butvery shallow compared to the dykesdividing the marsh. Not only did the fenplants quickly re-establish and soften theedges of the new ponds but long buriedseeds and other propagules in the newlyexposed bed sprang to life allowingsubmerged plants to colonise.

During the spring and summer of2012 the new ponds presented largeopen, sunny areas of water with growingamounts of underwater habitat.

Surveying the pondsA very brief and simple survey inSeptember 2012 revealed a surprisingtotal of 63 aquatic invertebrate species,one of which was a Red Data Book, fourwere Notable and nine were listed asLocal in status. This early result wasencouraging, but did the ponds simplybecome populated by creatures alreadyliving in the dykes or had they developeda more unique invertebrate community?

During 2013 and 2014, with fundingfrom the SITA Trust, a more comprehensivesurvey of the reserve was carried out. Twenty-one different areas across the sitewere sampled, comprising existing dykesand pools, together with the original fourand six new turf ponds dug in 2013.

There are 178aquatic speciesacross Oulton

Marshes 

What liesbeneath

SIMON BOOTH

SIMON BOOTHOulton kept surprising,

with two more unusualspecies appearing duringthe last couple of hoursof my last visit

A new turfpondestablishesvery quickly

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A standardised sampling method wasused so that this work may be repeated infuture years.

As a result of the survey the numberof aquatic species across Oulton Marsheswas found to have risen to 178, of which33 were only found in the turf ponds –indicating how the range of habitats atthe reserve has been increased. I havepicked out a few of the more interestingspecies below.

A first for Suffolk Firstly the small diving beetle Hydaticustransversalis has never been recorded inSuffolk before. Too rare to have acquireda common name it was frequently foundacross the marshes. Another pair of tiny,crawling beetles were only found in theturf ponds; named Haliplus obliquus and H variegatus both are infrequently foundin Suffolk.

This is because of their specialisedfood source, the algae-like stoneworts,which were the first plants to colonise thenew ponds. Another tiny invertebrate newto the county list is the caddis fly Agrayleasexmaculata, the larvae of which againonly occurs in the turf ponds.

The insects above were probablyattracted by new open water withsuitable plant life but other creatures canarrive in a different way altogether.

For most of the year water fleas areall female, producing offspring that arefemale clones. But when conditionsdeteriorate males appear and mate withfemales, which then produce restingeggs. These eggs can remain viable in thebottom mud for centuries – only hatchingagain when conditions are right.

In the new turf ponds at Oulton severalspecies were found, including Daphniacurvirostris, only its fourth record in Suffolk,together with the more common giantcrawling waterflea, Eurycercus lamellatus.Elsewhere on the reserve the predatorygiant eyed waterflea, Polyphemuspediculus is common, though only twoother sites are known in Suffolk.

High conservation valueOf course the invertebrates above are buta small selection of those found and manyof the others are also rare and unusual.

With a standardised survey statisticalformulae called metrics can be applied,such as the Community Conservation Index

OULTON MARSHESTURF PONDS

developed by the Environment Agency. This showed that when the Trust

acquired Oulton Marshes, the aquaticinvertebrate community was only ratedmoderate in terms of conservation value.By 2014 all of the 21 sample sitesexceeded moderate, most were rated asof high conservation value and eight(including three turf ponds) rated veryhigh, a value on a par with sites of SpecialScientific Interest. In fact Oulton has nowbeen made a flagship site by theFreshwater Habitats Trust.

And Oulton kept on surprising. Duringthe last couple of hours of my last visittwo more unusual species appeared. Thefirst was a rare waterflea, Ceriodaphnia

Dug out in Victorian times to providepeat for fuel or to improve the qualityof the reed and sedge harvest, onceleft to recolonise, turf ponds proved a rich source of diverse vegetation

setosa in the main Soke Dyke, which runsbelow the river path. Not only is this thefirst time it has been recorded in Suffolk,this is only the fourth site in the whole of the UK where it has been found since the first record in 1930.

Then, whilst looking at the last turfpond to be surveyed, an unusually largepondskater caught my eye. Pondskatersare fast, hide easily and are hard to catchbut, confident I knew what it was, fifteenminutes later and wet from muchsplashing about a specimen of Aquariuspaludumwas in my net! What attracted itto an Oulton turf pond and where are therest of this normally gregarious speciesfound at only two other county sites?

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More to come from OutlonThere are undoubtedly more species to be found at Oulton in the future. What isundeniable is the improvement in habitat

quality since establishing the reserve and the success of re-creating turf

ponds to enlarge the variety of habitat onthe reserve. These ponds are successional habitats and will gradually merge back

into the fen. Further work will be needed to monitor this and indicate

whether a regime of digging new pondsin rotation is needed to maintain thisinvertebrate diversity. But if you arevisiting the Lowestoft area then OultonMarshes are well worth a visit. n

Oulton Marshes

1 Water beetle Hydaticus transversalisTwo species of Hydaticus occur in theBritish Isles and both are found togetherat Oulton Marshes. Hydaticus transversalisis the smaller at 12.5 mm and is a specialistspecies requiring rich fen in lowland pondsand drainage ditches, especially in moreexposed sites. As such Oulton, especiallywith habitat extension and improvement,fits its ecological requirements.

2 PondskaterAquarius paludumThis is larger than all other Suffolkpondskaters and has two distinctivepointed processes at the end of theabdomen. Although it seems to be spreadingsomewhat in southern Britain, our firstcounty record was only in 2010 with asecond colony found in Thurston in 2012.

3 Micro caddis Agraylea sexmaculataWhilst most caddis fly larvae make tubelike cases from sticks, stones and plantpieces Agraylea sexmaculata, named fora characteristic pattern of spots on thethorax, is an exception. A member of agroup of micro caddis called thehydroptilidae the larva has never beforebeen recorded in Suffolk, but then it isonly 4mm long! There is one record ofthe adult, from Hollesley in 2013.

4 The saucer bug Ilyocoris cimicoidesAlthough this bug is common acrossSuffolk I have never seen so many as Ihave at Oulton. All the dykes and turfponds have an enormous population,perhaps an indication of the abundantinvertebrate life they hold. A carnivorousbug, their mouthparts are adapted topierce and suck body fluids from theirprey, which are other invertebrates or fishof a similar size or smaller.

5 The giant eyed waterflea Polyphemus pediculusThis waterflea has only been recordedthree times in Suffolk and, as its nameimplies, has a single very large eye. It isextremely predatory and can move fasterthan most waterfleas with powerfulswimming legs. Only 2mm in size it isnamed after Polyphemus, the man eatinggiant of Greek mythology who trappedOdysseus and his men on their wayhome from Troy.

Five of the best

Pondskatersare fast, hideeasily and arehard to catch

Adrian Chalkley is County Recorder forfreshwater invertebrates with SuffolkNaturalists’ Society and runs the CladoceraInterest Group. Email: aquatics@sns.org.ukwww.cladocera.org.uk

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Helping totern backthe tide

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Rising sea levels and coastal erosionhas seen a dramatic decline in thenumber of little terns. Susan Rendell-Read of the Little Tern Recovery Projectexplains how wardens, volunteers andlandowners all have a role to play inprotecting these graceful birds

LITTLE TERNS

SUFFOLK WILDLIFE 17

ur Suffolk beaches are fantastic.They are special places wherewe can enjoy open landscapes,sheltered dunes, cliff top viewsor scrunch along miles ofshingle. As the weather warms

up lots of us head to the coast, and our wildlifeis no different.

Each spring the little terns (the smallesttern species breeding in the UK) return fromAfrica to nest along our beaches. Nestingstarts soon after they arrive in mid April andlasts throughout the summer. In August, oncenesting is over for the year, they then fly southto Africa once more.

Little terns return to the same nesting siteseach year. The sea close to these beachesoffers a good supply of small fish for them tofeed to their chicks. If you have visited thecoast in early summer you may have seen theirgraceful frames hovering above the sea edge,before they plunge dive and catch a fish.

Falling numbersSadly their numbers are declining. In 2000there were 148 nests across seven differentcoastal sites in Suffolk, but by 2013 there wereonly three sites where nesting was known tohave been attempted and only one of thesesites was successful. Declines have also beenwitnessed in other areas of the UK, with onlyone colony remaining along the Lincolnshirecoast. Without help this could be the fate ofSuffolk’s little terns.

With natural erosion and a rising sea level,many of Suffolk’s beaches are becomingnarrower – often due to a process called‘coastal squeeze’. This is reducing the spacealong our coastline and means that there arefew quiet places for little terns to nest withoutbeing disturbed by people.

Active protectionLast year we were able to take a big stepforward in recovering the population of littleterns by employing three wardens to monitortheir breeding attempts along Suffolk’sbeaches. The wardens also ensure the birdsare protected from disturbance and they tookevery opportunity to talk to beach users aboutsome of the challenges the little terns face andhow to help them.

Last summer’s work was very successful.Sixteen breeding pairs were recorded nestingat three sites, resulting in 18 chicks successfullybeing raised. With three wardens beingemployed again this summer, protection canbe built up in the hope that further successesmay be possible across more sites.

As Andrew Excell, South Suffolk CoastalSites Manager, explains: “The little tern

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If you support little terns and theprotection work on Suffolk beaches, youcan help by keeping your distance fromfenced areas and following requests givenon local signs. If dogs are kept on leadsnear colonies the little terns are less likelyto fly off their nests leaving eggs or chicks.

How you can help

If you havevisited the coastin early summeryou may haveseen theirgraceful frameshovering abovethe sea edge,before theyplunge dive andcatch a fish

wardens make a real difference by talking toorganisations and landowners who can helpdirectly with their protection. The wardens andvolunteers not only monitor the colonies andmaintain the fencing to manage disturbancefrom people and predators but they also speakto visitors about the importance of protectingthe little terns. By building on this proactivehelp on the ground, and by increasing publicawareness, we can significantly help ourSuffolk little terns.”

National projectThis step up in actions is possible as part of anational Little Tern Recovery Project, which is50% funded by the European Union LIFE+grant. In Suffolk a collaboration of organisations(including Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Natural England,Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, National Trustand RSPB) work in partnership to help resourcethe local project with staff time and money.

Part of the future for little terns in Suffolkrelies on us finding solutions and adaptationsto coastal change; this means recognising andworking with local coastal processes. At DingleMarshes coastal shingle is being allowed torollback naturally following the diversion ofthe Dunwich River, whilst at Kessingland thebeach areas are actually growing. In the future,offshore ridges like the Deben Knolls atFelixstowe may provide safer breeding areas.

The Suffolk little tern wardens have a hugejob to help reverse the decline in little terns,but they are not alone as they are part of anetwork of wardens working around thecoastline of the UK to protect the remainingcolonies. Through this network, experiencesand knowledge can be shared quickly, and weare all then better placed to help save our littleterns in the longer term. n

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With beautifulcolours anddisgustingeating habitsone of thecounty’s mosticonic

butterflies is back from thedead. Liz Goodyear andAndrew Middleton track downthe purple emperor

Thesecretiveemperor

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By the 21stcentury it wasconsideredlong extinct

he purple emperor is probablythe country’s most iconic butelusive butterfly.

The male, when the wingscatch the sunlight, displays anamazing iridescent purple and

historically it was the butterfly collector'sultimate goal for the cabinet.

Thankfully, nowadays many peopleare just hopeful of seeing, and maybephotographing, a male purple emperor asit flits to the ground in the search for salt.

The decline of the purple emperorAbout 150 years ago the purple emperorwas found in a few Suffolk woods, butgradually during the 20th centurynumbers declined. By the 21st century itwas considered long extinct, despite theoccasional report, which was most oftendismissed either as a misidentification orthe result of a person releasing a captivebred individual.

However, in 1999 in Hertfordshire, wefound that purple emperors were notextinct – they did exist on our patch. It'shard to believe, but the internet was stillin its infancy, photographers used film

SUFFOLK WILDLIFE 19

Tand mobile phones with digital cameraswere a fantasy.

News of a purple emperor being seencould move very slowly, or evendisappear altogether – Liz heard ofAndrew's sighting several months afterthe event – and she's on the committeeof her local branch of ButterflyConservation.

Slowly, more people had email,butterfly sightings websites werelaunched and the change in recording

Purple emperors in Suffolk

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Bradfield WoodsNorthfield WoodBonny Wood

had begun. Our project started at theright time, when we also accepted thatchanges in the climate were having abeneficial effect on some butterflyspecies, such as the woodland dwellingsilver-washed fritillary.

Boost to butterfliesFavourable changes in woodlandmanagement, where there has beenactive encouragement to return tobroadleaved trees as opposed to conifer,helped the butterfly’s larval foodplantsallow to prosper and the continuedpresence of some mature oak in ourwoodland landscape has also beenimportant.

All in all, these factors appear to havebenefitted the species with a naturalincrease in numbers. The butterfly wentfrom being in the landscape butundetectable, to numbers where arandom sighting was becomingincreasingly more likely and with theability to transmit almost instantly thenews, with the obligatory photoconfirming the fact the identity wascorrect. M

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might be the ride leading from the carpark to the wood-yard where many dogsare exercised on a daily basis and wherethere has been a recent sighting.

Late morning we start looking upwardsin case a female should fly over in hersearch for a nice sallow for egg-laying.

But we also need to leave the woodand be watching any potential assemblyareas for males as 1pm approaches. Wewill sit some distance from the woodedge – it needs be 300 or 400m away –ideally along a public footpath or roadverge, sitting on our collapsible chairs wecarry around, with our elbows on the armrests to steady our binoculars so we canconstantly scan the woodland canopy forthis large iconic butterfly.

Occasionally it lets slip and chases apigeon or other bird, occasionally we justglimpse something fast and large glidearound a tree-top and we might have to

wait another 30 minutes before its trueidentity can be confirmed. This is notrecording for the impatient; it is time-consuming and involves total concentration.There is no time for idle chatter ordistraction, but when you find an emperorin a new landscape it's fantastic.

Get involvedIn Suffolk, many woods are fairly flat, asare Bradfield Woods where theidentification of a potential assembly areais proving quite difficult. Bonny Woodmay be a bit easier, with slightly moredefined highpoints, but no luck yetdespite sightings within the wood.

Northfield Wood, which is aWoodland Trust reserve near Stowmarket,is proving even harder as it also sallow-rich but almost totally flat and the highpoints are hard to view from outside thewood. In other situations, the woods areprivate and we have no access. In

Established populationsOver the last 15 years we have confirmedthat there is now an establishedpopulation across Hertfordshire andwithin suitable habitat in Middlesex. Oursearch extended in 2012 to Essex (thanksto some funding from the Essex WildlifeTrust) and in 2013 we started looking forsuitable habitat in Suffolk, ie sallow-richwoodland, mature oaks and ash, andideally a nice prominent high point that iseasily visible.

It is a very slow process involving agreat deal of groundwork, but in 2013 weconfirmed that purple emperor waspresent naturally in Suffolk, although stillat very low density levels. Our ownrecords have been supplemented withreports from other individuals includingMike Rae and Julian Dowding. What waseven more exciting was that these tworecorders saw emperors whilst visitingSuffolk Wildlife Trust reserves – BradfieldWoods and Bonny Wood.

Why Bradfield and Bonny Wood?So what made these woods so userfriendly for the purple emperor? Simply,their sallows (salix) have been allowed toprosper. Sallow, or pussy willow, can beoverlooked, but in spring it bursts into lifewith silvery catkins and yellow flowers a-buzz with bees and butterflies.

Wide sheltered rides and clearingswith nectar-rich sallows, brambles andother diverse plants, will benefit a host ofinsects and other creatures such as song-birds and dormice, and are something tobe aimed for by all woodland managers.

When surveying for purple emperors,we follow its activities as described in theaccompanying sidebar, starting bylooking for grounded males in themorning.

In Bradfield Woods, a suitable place

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Favourable changes in woodland managementand the presence of mature oak in ourwoodland landscape has been important

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PURPLE EMPEROR

addition we are still working on thecomparative timing of the Suffolk purpleemperor flight period in relation to otherareas of the country – when is it exactly?

We hope readers will be enthused togo out this summer to the Suffolk woodsand look for this butterfly. There havebeen reports from the Halesworth area aswell, and it is interesting to note thatnearly all the recent sightings have beenin areas where they were last reported inthe 1940s. n

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The purpleemperor isprobably thecountry’s mosticonic but elusivebutterfly. Youmay be luckyenough to seeone as it flits tothe ground in thesearch for salt

SUFFOLK WILDLIFE 21

The male, when thewings catch thesunlight, displays anamazing iridescentpurple

Unsavoury habits, reproduction andspotting an emperor

The purple emperor is aspecies of quite revoltinghabits and for reproductionpurposes the newly emergedmale, in late June or early July,takes salts from the groundand at worst, from deadanimals or animal excrement.

Whether it favours ‘dog'smuck’ over ‘pee’, includinghuman; is uncertain, but it is allto be enjoyed mostly in themornings, between 10 and noon.

Females, which are a littlelarger and rather brown, willalso occasionally visit theground, but this tends to be inthe afternoon during a spell ofhot, dry weather when theyare looking for moisture.

Towards the middle of theday, the male starts to makeits way towards a high point inthe wooded landscape,reaching what is referred to asan assembly area, where thefighting and territorial activitykicks off around 1pm.

Historically, assemblyareas were called ‘mastertrees’, but such single treesare quite rare and it is moreoften a cluster of prominentoak and/or ash trees at thehighest point in the woodland.

The unmated female, inthe meantime, also makes herway to this assembly area

where the males are alreadyon the lookout. The male isexceptional at detecting anapproaching female, maybehelped by the use ofpheromones and will zoom offfrom his lookout to interceptthe female, who will lead himaway for the necessary.

Sometime after mating anddispersing from the assemblyarea, the female will in turn layher eggs across the woodland

landscape over a period ofseveral days. This egg-layingactivity usually occursbetween noon and 2pm, whenthe female can sometimes beseen swooping down from asap-feeding tree such as alarge oak and 'striking' into asallow to start ovipositing.

Meanwhile, the males arestill at their look-out point andif there are several malespresent, they will fight andclash for dominance, withfantastic mid-air dualssometimes spinning high intothe sky. One male willeventually admit defeat andretreat to a secondary point,but often returning later formore acrobatics. This oftenhappens well out of sight ofthe average butterfly recorderand can go on unseen highabove the woodland canopy.

Have you seen a purple emperor in Suffolk?Whether it was 60 minutes ago or 60 years,we would like to know about it. Email detailsof your sighting toinfo@suffolkwildlifetrust.org

For reproduction purposes,the male takes salts from deadanimals or animal excrement

For anyone wishing to learn more aboutpurple emperor habitat, habitats andsurveying, along with silver-washed fritillaryand white admiral, we will be leading sometraining events for the Trust this spring andsummer. Hope to see you there. Check thedates of wildlearning courses on ourwebsite suffolkwildlifetrust.org

It is wonderful whensomething big andpositive happens. TonyJuniper’s new bookWhat Nature Does forBritain (p24) tellsuplifting stories of real

progress in our relationship with thenatural world.

Alongside the new Natural CapitalCommittee report it is a powerful call toinvest in our ecosystems. ProfessorDieter Helm (who led the Committee’swork) is also closely connected with hisown Wildlife Trust. He understands thepure joy of wildlife and is a greatpromoter of our vision of LivingLandscapes and Living Seas. He knowsyou can’t trade in species but that youcan invest in ecosystems. He and wewant those who measure successfinancially to stop depleting the nation’snatural capital because it erodes theability of future generations to earn theirliving, as well as removing their chanceto experience the joy and health benefitsnature brings.

Now you can make a difference,because elected politicians really dolisten to their mailbags. Please write toyour elected representatives orcandidates to call for a proper UKnetwork of protected areas at sea. Andask for a Nature & Wellbeing Act forEngland. You may not benefit from thisAct directly if you live outside Englandbut we need progressive policies fornature and people across the UK, aswildlife knows no borders.

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UK NEWS

UK NEWS FrOM arOUNd THE WILdLIFE TrUSTS

stephanie hilborne obeChief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts

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avonPlanning permissionhas been granted fora new nature reservein Bristol’s AvonGorge. Bennett’sPatch and White’sPaddock have had amake-over this winterready for the launch.wtru.st/newavon

derbyshIreA Community Day ofAction had a terrificturn out. Buxtonschoolchildren andresidents got stuck into help enhancewetland habitats andhay meadows.wtru.st/buxton-community

devonAfter spendingmonths working tosecure a future forDevon’s beavers, theTrust has beengranted a five yearlicence from NaturalEngland to monitortheir impact. wtru.st/beaversback

essexA new visitor centre isunder construction atthe Trust’sIngrebourne Valley.Helping connectpeople with the park’sheritage, the centrewill open late thisyear. wtru.st/Ingrebourne

sUffoLkExperts from Kew’sMillennium Seed Bankhave collected treeseeds from the Trust’sBradfield Woodsreserve as part of anational project toprotect the UK’strees. wtru.st/kewcollection

allowingnature’s return

It’s called My Wild Life, it featureshundreds of people across the UK –and it’s The Wildlife Trusts’ newestcampaign. Its purpose: to spread themessage that nature matters.

We want to hear what naturemeans to you, so that we can shareyour stories with the world. Visitmywildlife.org.uk and add your voiceto those already there. From thewild peat bogs soaking up carbon,to the green places in our cities thatgive people a chance to fall in lovewith nature – we want to show whatnature means to people.

“Nature matters. We are part ofit and depend on it for everythingincluding our happiness,” saysStephanie Hilborne, The WildlifeTrusts CEO. “This campaign is aboutpeople and wild places that matterto them. We want everyone toexperience the natural world”.

Tell us why naturematters to you

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rare upland savedin CumbriaA spectacular 216ha upland betweenKeswick and Penrith will be restored forwildlife and opened to visitors, thanks to a£1.6m Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

Eycott Hill is unusual for its extensivemire system, which supports rare plants andmany species of bird. Historic managementhas, however, removed much of the wildlifefrom the remainder of the site. The Trust willbring back a mosaic of grasslands,woodland, scrub and heath through practicalrestoration, natural regeneration andmanaged grazing. More at wtru.st/eycotthill

eycott hill: beautiful now,even better in the future,thanks to CumbriaWildlife Trust

n Use#MyWildLife

n share whatwildlife means to youat mywildlife.org.ukn Make nature partof your life – seeour top ten

ideas

SUFFOLK WILDLIFE 23

UK NEWS FrOM arOUNd THE WILdLIFE TrUSTS

Pyramidalorchid

kenTA new 415m roadsidenature reserve hasbeen designated inBoxley, Maidstone. Itwill supportpyramidal orchid,grass vetchling, andthe striking lizardorchid. wtru.st/roadsidenature

LanCsTwo Kemp’s Ridleyturtles, whichnormally live in theGulf of Mexico,washed ashore inLancs and Cumbria.One survived andshould eventually beflown back to the US.wtru.st/lostturtles

LeICs & rUT96 volunteers andsupporters walked,cycled and kayaked2,000 miles in a dayto raise £4,500. Themoney will pay for anew volunteertraining centre atRutland Water. wtru.st/wildlivesappeal

LondonVolunteers havehelped restore thelargest wildlife pondin Croydon. It ishoped that greatcrested newts willreturn to BramleyBank reserve as aresult. wtru.st/croydonpond

norfoLkA new pond-dippingplatform will allowchildren to exploreunderwater wildlifeat the Trust’s CleyMarshes, thanks tofunding andvolunteers fromHSBC. wtru.st/cleyplatform

12 Completed 2013

28 Completed 2014

What’s at the bottom of a scottish Loch?This wonderful picture of a fireworks anemone was a winner in the British Society ofUnderwater Photographers DIVER print competition, sponsored by The Wildlife Trusts. The nationally rare invertebrate was captured by diver Kirsty Andrews in Loch Duich, aScottish sea loch. See all the winners in the Gallery at wildlifetrusts.org/bsoup

skomer: Wales’first marine reserveLast december the seas around skomerIsland off Pembrokeshire became Wales’first Marine Conservation Zone. Thedesignation gives more protection toskomer’s many marine species,including grey seals andpink sea fans.

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new meadowsfrom oldThe Coronation Meadows initiative, set up in 2013 byPrince Charles to celebrate the Queen’s 60thanniversary, has created 180ha (444 acres) of newwildflower grassland on 40 sites. More will come thisyear, using local seed from existing meadows.Eventually there will be a new meadow in every county.

Wildflower meadows are the UK’s most threatened wildlife habitat: 97% have been lost since the 1930s, and they are still disappearing through development and neglect. The initiative is a partnership between The Wildlife Trusts, Plantlife, and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Thanks to Biffa Award and all our funders.

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LIVING LANDSCAPES

What nature does for Britain

uring the recent period ofeconomic austerity themeasures needed to sustainthe health of the naturalworld have come underattack. Presented as barriers

to growth and competiveness, pro-naturepolicies have been rolled back andbudgets drastically cut. It is amanifestation of how in economic andpolitical circles the idea that nature mustbe sacrificed as an inevitable price forprogress has become deeply ingrained.

Could it be, however, that this narrativeof people versus nature is quite wrong?Instead of being hostile to our interests,could investment in the conservation andrecovery of the natural world be at theheart of a strategy to promote national

health, wealth and security? An increasingbody of evidence suggests that this isindeed the case, and far from beingobstructive to Britain’s interests, healthyecology is essential for achieving a robustand resilient economy.

This is certainly the conclusion Ireached during the course of writing WhatNature does for Britain. From the peatbogs and woodlands that help to secureour water supply, to the insects and soilsthat produce most of the food we eat, andfrom the capture of carbon in saltmarshesto the avoidance of psychological illnessthrough being in wildlife-richenvironments, it seems that at almostevery turn nature and wildlife are playingvital practical roles.

There is perhaps no more fundamental

necessity for our wellbeing than freshwater. While, for most of us, the closest weget to knowing where it comes from isturning a tap, it is of course in the endrecycled and replenished by nature. Up onDartmoor, an area that was for centuriesregarded as a wasteland, I got an idea ofhow this works. The thick blanket bogsthat clothe the high hills there hold andsteadily release clean water that is toppedup by frequent heavy rain. Degraded bogsdo that work far less effectively, however,and as bogs have been damaged by fireand excessive grazing pressure so the costof supplying clean water has gone up.

South-West Water decided to dosomething about this and invested in therestoration of the bogs. Not only does themodest expense of bog recovery improve

hUMan heaLThResearch shows that living near naturalareas substantially reduces the risk ofmany major diseases, improves mentalhealth, reduces crime and promotessocial cohesion.

WaTerNature is the ultimate water utility.Healthy upland bogs, grasslands andwoodlands release heavy rainfallslowly, reducing floods. They cleanthe water too, reducing bills.

CarbonBlanket bogs in Scotland, Wales and north west Englandlock up atmospheric carbon as peat for thousands of years.Yet many have been damaged or destroyed.

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environmentalcampaigner Tony Juniper,counterbalances theclaim made by somepoliticians that we can’tafford to protect nature

SUFFOLK WILDLIFE 25

What nature does for Britain

water security at a lower cost thanengineered alternatives, it also helps toreduce flood risk, aids the recovery ofwildlife and creates better recreationalopportunities.

The same can be said aboutpioneering work being undertaken byMontgomeryshire Wildlife Trust on theCambrian Mountains of mid-Wales as partof the Pumlumon Project. Restoration ofblanket bogs, the creation of more naturalstreamsides and changes to farmingpractices are all helping to slow down therun off in the headwaters ofGreat Britain’s longest river –the Severn. By improvingenvironmental qualityupstream it is hoped thatdownstream flooding will

diminish. This, and other projects workingwith similar logic, are increasingly shownto deliver results, and often at a lower costthan expensive engineered defences. Aswe experience the more extreme weatherconditions that accompany climatechange, investments in nature will makemore and more economic sense.

However, such interventions deliver alot more than just reducing flood risk. Inrelation to water supply there is a range ofco-benefits that come with this moreintegrated approach, including for

conservation. For example: theimprovement of habitats will hopefullyassist in reversing the fortunes ofotherwise declining populations ofbreeding dunlin and golden plover.

Then there is our food. When it comesto temperate produce, some threequarters of what we consume is grownhere in the UK. Our soils are key tocontinuing to do this, and so are thepopulations of wild pollinators and pestpredators that assist with food production.All these elements of our naturalenvironment have been subject to seriousdamage in recent decades, with hugecosts coming as a result.

For example, the estimated annualcost of soil damage to the UK is between£900million and £1.4billion. This includes

oCeanCenturies of over-exploitation have cut our seas’ ability to provide food and absorb carbon.Marine Protected Areas could reverse that trend, increase species and expand tourism too.

food ProdUCTIonFarming contributes about £2bn to UK plc andabout half a million jobs. But loss of organicmatter, chemical inputs, compaction anderosion threaten the viability of our heritage.

The idea that nature mustbe sacrificed for progresshas become deeplyingrained

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26 SUFFOLK WILDLIFE

the effects of soils clogging up rivers andin the process increasing flood risk, and ofcourse raises questions about our longer-term ability to produce as much food aswe do now. The same thing can be saidabout the loss of pollinators, whichprovide crop production services worth anestimated £430million per year. Thenthere is the half a million tonnes of foodwe get annually from the seas aroundBritain. Improving the health of marineenvironments would not only secure thefuture nutrition from that source butincrease it, while in the process deliveringgains for nature conservation.

Then there is the job of reducingcarbon dioxide emissions. Later on thisyear countries will hopefully agree a newinternational plan to cut the pollutioncausing climate change. In addition toenergy and transport, a major area ofopportunity for doing this is theconservation and restoration of differentecosystems. For the UK, the biggest singlestore of ecosystem carbon is in ourpeatlands, including the blanket bogs thatsprawl over the uplands of the north andwestern UK.

Many of these ecosystems are in astate of progressive degradation, emittingmillions of tonnes of carbon dioxide in theprocess. Caused by (among other things)burning and excessive grazing pressure, itis not only our wildlife that is being lost,but huge economic value as carbonstorage capacity is removed. We have alsolost carbon storage capability through theloss of woodlands, dunes and saltmarshes.There is good reason to see multiplebenefits in not only conserving whatremains, but also in an ambitiousprogramme of restoration.

On top of all this are the healthbenefits we gain through contact with

nature. Many studies confirm a strong linkbetween access to natural areas andwellbeing – and with psychological healthin particular. By expanding access towildlife-rich natural areas we can expectpositive impacts for our collective healthat the same time as helping to reducepressure on our strained health services.People enjoying nature and wildlife is, ofcourse, also the basis of a multi-billionpound tourism industry that employsmany people in some of the remotest andmost economically stressed parts of the UK.

That nature is a fundamentallyimportant asset with multiple social andeconomic values (as well as intrinsic ones)is not in doubt. Knowing what we know, itis time to break with history. Instead ofseeing a choice between healthy ecology

and people’s interests, we should invest inthe growth of nature as a major plank ofour future health, wealth and security. Oneway to do this would be via a new Act ofParliament for Nature and Wellbeing.Based on the inspirational aim of ensuringthe recovery of nature in a generation, thenew legislation would (among otherthings) lay out plans to rebuild ecologicalnetworks, reverse the decline ofthreatened species and enable morepeople to have access to natural places.

Such a new law could mark a turningpoint; the moment at which the relentlessand centuries-long decline of nature in ourislands is halted and reversed. Consideringwhat nature does for Britain, and will needto continue doing, it would be a momentcelebrated with pride by futuregenerations.

Before any of this can happen though,we need to win the argument that lookingafter nature is not an impediment to ournational interest, but is rather an essentialprerequisite for it. n

WhaT naTUre doesfor brITaInTony’s new book looks at how ourenvironment provides the things we needmost – soil,water, food,health, energy –and concludesthat oureconomic systemis workingagainst our ownbest interests. Hissolution is towork with nature,rather thanagainst it.

a huge body of research shows thatlocal access to semi-natural areas

improves physical and mental health

It is time to breakwith history andinvest in nature forour health, wealthand securityThere is a strong

link betweenaccess to naturalareas and wellbeing

reader offerSigned copies of Tony’s book are available at£7.99 inc p&p. Call 020 7841 6300 or emailali.nadal@profilebooks .com and quote‘WTNATURE’ Valid while stocks last or until 31 July 2015

MATTHEW ROBERTS

Natural statisticsTony Juniper’s new book explains how re-aligning our economy with the restoration of naturewould improve physical and mental health, boost business and save taxpayers’ money

Greener CITIes

£45bnEstimated cost to NHS of obesity by 2050............................................................................................................

£77bnCost to NHS of mental illness in 2008Worldwide research shows that both problems reduce if people have nearby access to nature

bees MaTTer

£60m............................................................................................................

120 50Direct employees Million litres a year............................................................................................................

Thatchers Cider – a business that dependsentirely on pollinating insects

Turnover

JoIned-UP ThInkInG?

£4bnNet saving to taxpayersover 15 years if farmsubsidies were linked to measures that improved water quality............................................................

£1.8bnEstimated cost of replacing insect pollination in the UK.Pollinators are declining due to farming pressures

“Soils should be regarded asstrategic national asset,not just something peoplegrow their crops in today.”Baroness Sue Miller, ParliamentaryAgroecology Group..............................................................................................

“Fixing water problems at source really is a win-win. The farmers who manage the land benefit but so does wider society. It helpswildlife and fish stocks torecover and our customersbenefit through cheaperwater.”Dylan Bright, South West Water

hIdden benefITs

2,576Tonnes/ha of stored carbon in remaining English fenland............................................................................................................

39,000Full-time jobs due to nature-based tourism in Scotland............................................................................................................

17bnLitres of water per day taken from UK ecosystems............................................................................................................

93%Of people agree that local green space is important............................................................................................................

£89m

Benefits to theForest’s local

economy so far

£231m

Estimatedreturn on

investment by 2100

£427m

Set-up cost of theForest, 1991-2010

The naTIonaL foresTbetter environment,bigger economy

sUsTaInabLe v UnsUsTaInabLe In LyMe bayvalues of marine businesses in Lyme bay off dorset in 2007

£13mSea angling

£3.5mCharter boats

and diving

£1.8mScallop

dredging

LOW IMPACT HIGHLY DESTRUCTIVE

SUFFOLK WILDLIFE 27

28 SUFFOLK WILDLIFE

GREAT DAYS OUT

Forgotten railwaysonce the steam and smoke has gone, old railway lines and the land that surrounds them becomewonderful corridors for wildlife. They’re not bad for people either. here are ten of the best

hadleigh railway WalkSuffolk Wildlife Trust

Now a Babergh District Council local naturereserve, this gentle two mile walk from the oldrailway station in Raydon to the outskirts ofHadleigh, is well known by plant lovers. Ancientwoodland species like dog's mercury andprimrose, mark the cutting through the oak,ash and hazel coppice of Raydon Great Wood.Pyramidal orchid, quaking grass and restharroware found on the chalky cutting banks in themiddle section of the walk. Opened in 1847 theline was closed to passenger traffic in 1932,with a goods service running until the 1960s.Where is it? Woodlands Road, Raydon. Park atthe old station. Grid TM 060404.

narborough railway LineNorfolk Wildlife Trust

Part of the King’s Lynn-Dereham line that wasclosed in the 1960s, this disused railwayembankment is a rare habitat for Norfolk: chalkgrassland, with pyramidal and early purpleorchids, marsh helleborine and autumn gentian.It is one of the county’s best sites forbutterflies, with at least 30 species, includinggrizzled skipper, grayling and orange tip. Withsweeping views, bogs, heather-clad heaths andwalks along ancient drove-ways, this naturereserve has an atmosphere of real wildness.Where is it? About 2.5 miles S of Narboroughon Chalk Lane. Post code PE32 1SR.Grid TF 750118.

sydenham hill WoodLondon Wildlife Trust

Since taking over in 1982 the Trust hasrepeatedly defended this wildlife-rich area fromdevelopment. Bats roost in the tunnel and thewood is a great place to see woodpeckers, rareinsects and fungi. With the adjacent DulwichWood, the reserve forms the largest remainingtract of the old Great North Wood. There aremany Victorian garden relic trees too.Where is it? Crescent Wood Road, SouthwarkSE26 6LS. Grid TQ 344725.

bathekin reservoirNorthumberland Wildlife Trust

The reservoir’s castellated viaduct along thetop of Kielder Water is a great place to look outfor ospreys and otters. Kielder Water is thelargest man-made lake in Northern Europe.Winter visitors include pochard, tufted duck,goldeneye, goosander, mallard and teal. Inspring, merlin and hen harrier arrive. Theshallow margins also offer valuable spawninggrounds for the common frog and smoothnewt. Grazing with Exmoor ponies on some ofthe more important wetland flushes helps tomaintain the diversity of species.Where is it? Butteryhaugh Bridge (parkingnearby). Grid NY 631927.

halwill JunctionDevon Wildlife Trust

An old station which closed in 1966, and wasbought by the Trust in 1990. The railway is nowa cycle path connecting Halwill Junction toCookworthy Forest, while the reserve is hometo badger, green woodpecker and raggedrobin. Abundant voles and mice provide goodhunting for barn owls. Visit in spring for carpetsof violets or in autumn for mosses and ferns.Where is it? Halwill Junction. Park in the parishhall by the pub. OS Exp 112. Grid SS 443003.

Irthlingborough Lakes & MeadowsWildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northants

The ghost of the old railway runs through whatis now a superb reserve of flooded gravel pits,willow scrub and grazing marsh. Its pathwayand hedgerows are home to many species ofsmall birds including warblers and tits in thespring and summer, and redwing in the winter.The foundations of Irthlingborough station canbe found just beyond the reserve boundary atneighbouring Stanwick Lakes.Where is it? On the edge of Irthlingborough,Northants. Grid SP 953699.

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narborough railway Line innorfolk: a wonderful place tobe at dawn this summer

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beforeyou goRemember to bringdecent footwear andsome binoculars tospot the birds andinsects. For publictransport options tothe reserves visit thelocal Trust websitevia wildlifetrusts.org

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FIND MORE SITES LIKETHESE ATWILdLIfeTrUsTs.orG/forGoTTenraILWays

ashlawn CuttingWarwickshire Wildlife Trust

A steep-sided cutting on the edge of Rugby,Ashlawn Cutting has more than 20 species ofbutterfly, including the brown argus andmarbled white. The hawthorn scrub supports alarge population of birds, and the pondsprovide views of dragonflies, amphibians andperhaps a grass snake. There’s also a splendidcollection of flowering plants.Where is it? About 0.5 miles from the centre.Post code CV22 5JX, Grid SP 516732.

dyffryn, Llynfi, Porthcawl railwayThe Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales

This reserve’s fascinating history makes a greattrail for visitors to discover and enjoy. Therailway dates back to 1825, when it transportedhorse-drawn coal. Steam only arrived in 1861.Today, part of the route goes through Parc Slipreserve, a former mine which is now a mix ofwetland, woodland and meadows. It is a superbplace for families to discover nature in a safeenvironment. There are many species ofbutterflies and birds, and excellent facilitiesincluding cycle and wheelchair paths, freeparking and a visitor centre.Where is it? Fountain Road, Tondu CF32 0EHRing 01656 724100 or 01656 726993 weekends.

smardale Gill nnrCumbria Wildlife Trust

This 40ha reserve includes a 3.5-mile section ofline which once ran from Tebay to Darlington.Start at the northern end to follow the old linethrough woodland that’s brimming with plants,trees and birdlife. You can see red squirrelshere, and a carpet of bluebells and primroses inspring. The wide, surfaced path is suitable forpushchairs and eventually leads to SmardaleGill Viaduct, where common lizards shelterbetween the huge slabs of sandstone.Where is it? Near Kirkby Stephen. Park in theSmardale Hall car park. Grid NY 727070.

Potteric CarrYorkshire Wildlife Trust

Once an even bigger wetland, this 200hareserve was formed by a century of railwayworks and coal mining. Today it is a superb sitefor birds (more than 230 recorded species),dragonflies and butterflies. A recent majorextension has resulted in booming bitterns.Plants include greater and lesser spearwort,water soldier, water violet and southern marshorchid. Great crested and palmate newts are insome of the pools, and toads are common. Where is it? Mallard Way, Doncaster, DN4 8DB.Grid SE 589007.

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Matt Gaw talks to someof the young peoplewho have been inspiredby their work andexperiences with theWildlife Trust

sorreL LyaLL, 16volunteer and birdwatcherNottinghamshire Wildlife Trust

“I just want toopen people’s eyes”

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30 SUFFOLK WILDLIFE

PEOPLE & WILDLIFE

I’m a very keen birdwatcher and I dowildlife photography and art as well. Igo birdwatching with my grandparentsall over Britain – Norfolk, Scotland,Lancashire, Devon – lots of differentplaces! I had an amazing encounterhere at the Attenborough Reserve afew years ago with bitterns andwater rails out on the ice – I’ll neverforget that. I really enjoy simplewildlife encounters, even just withcommon birds and animals.

I try and promote awareness ofwildlife at school. I have a displayboard and I run a club. I also help atWildlife Watch, working with youngchildren in my area. We go to thewoods or a park and show them thewildlife, and help them engage withthe natural world.

My aim is just to open people’seyes to what is out there. Even inNottingham, we have peregrines. I’veseen them from school.

The general decline of manyspecies is very worrying but it’s alsothat there’s a disconnect betweenpeople and nature. The fact that it’snot normal to be a birdwatcher orshow an interest in wildlife is a realproblem and needs addressing.

I’m hopeful for the future though.There are lots of young people inBritain interested in wildlife and we’regoing to get more people interestedand preserve the natural world.Wildlife will be very important in mycareer path. It’s what I love, and thechance to turn a hobby into a career.I’m really looking forward to that.

sorrel atnottinghamshire

Wildlife Trust’sattenborough

reserve. visit herblog on http://

sorrellyallwildlife.weebly.com

“I just want toopen people’s eyes”

kITTy dry, 16Lackford Lakes volunteer & young Warden Suffolk Wildlife Trust

I first got involved with the Trustwhen I was about five years old andstarted going along to the sessionsfor four to seven-year-olds. Iremember absolutely loving themand I think it’s safe to say I attendednearly every activity day until I was12. Then I was asked if I wanted tobecome a volunteer and I have doneeverything from helping with thechildren’s days, to be being behindthe welcome desk and even helpingout with birthday parties.

I am also part of the youngwardens, which means I can help tomaintain the reserve not just bymaking sure the reserve is kept innice condition, and I have to admit, Ilove the coppicing – it feels like anopportunity to give back to the placethat has given me so many greatmemories in my childhood.

Working with the Trust is anamazing thing to do. You will makeamazing friends, help conservewildlife and make unforgettablememories.

SUFFOLK WILDLIFE 31

young WardensTuesday 26th May 10.30am-12.30pmyoung Wardens – survey skills Have a go at mapping & wildlife ID skillsLocation: Knettishall Heath Cost: Free. Donations welcome

Please book Age: 11-15 year oldsContact: 07717 156601

Sunday14th June 2pm-4pmyoung Wardens – clues to conservation Finding & identifying flints & otherconservation toolsLocation: Knettishall Heath Cost: Free. Donations welcome

Please book Age: 11-15 year oldsContact: 07717 156601

Sunday 5th July 2pm-4pmyoung WardensPractical conservation activitiesLocation: Knettishall Heath Cost: Free. Donations welcome.

Please book Age: 11-15 year oldsContact: 07717 156601

Sunday 2nd august 2pm-4pmyoung Wardens – rediscovering reptilesMaintaining & recording reptile hotspotsLocation: Knettishall Heath Cost: Free. Donations welcome

Please book Age 11-15 year oldsContact: 07717 156601

Working withthe Trust isan amazingthing to do.You will makeamazingfriends, helpconservewildlife andmakeunforgettablememories

For further information and to book samantha.gay@suffolkwildlifetrust.org

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Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Brooke HouseAshbocking, Ipswich IP6 9JY01473 890089info@suffolkwildlifetrust.orgsuffolkwildlifetrust.org

In all, over the last decade,we have added 260acres of land at Carlton &Oulton Marshes, graduallypiecing together the

intricate patchwork of wetland habitatsthat now make this such a fabulous placeto enjoy wildlife. But what has becomeclear across much of the Broads is thatwhilst our conservation efforts havefocused on the wetland habitats, the driervalley sides have all but disappeared.

Buying the 20 acres of higher landoverlooking the marshes will enable us to

Mention the Suffolk Broads and the chances are your mind conjures up waterylandscapes and big skies. Our latest addition to Carlton Marshes certainly has thebig skies but will never be wet – and that is exactly why we wanted to buy it.

recreate some of the dry grassland thathas been lost and most importantly torestore the gradient of habitats from thedry valley side down to the wet marshland.Nature loves these mixed-up edges wherehabitats meet and merge into one another.

As so often happens, the opportunityto buy this land came at short notice andthere was no time to look for grantfunding. Fortunately, our approach ofkeeping legacy gifts for significantprojects like land purchase, meant we hadfunds set aside and so could respondquickly enough to secure the deal.

Carlton & Oulton Marshes

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We are grateful to ourgenerous supporters whoremembered the Trust intheir Will and whose giftswe dedicated to this landpurchase:Marjorie BristowCharlotte CadeDoreen ChidleyStephanie GlennAlexander LuggWilliam McAvilleyMargaret Whitmore

Thank you

suffolkwildlifetrust.org

Common lizard