Giving LIFE to waders

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fl edged young per pair per annum are needed to maintain a stable lapwing population

Lizzie Grayshon reflects on the success of the LIFE Waders for Real project for recovering waders, understanding predators and working together

The lapwing is one of the nation’s favourite birds, with its distinctive crest, flight pattern and ‘peewit’ call heralding the arrival of spring. Only a generation ago, large flocks of lapwing were a familiar sight across the country, but the population has fallen by 80% since 1960 in England and Wales. Lapwings remain in decline and on the UK’s red list of endangered species. Over the last five years you may have read about the LIFE Waders for Real project and the exciting work the project team and land managers have been doing in the Avon Valley. The project came to an end at the beginning of 2020, which gives us an opportunity to reflect on the successes for waders, conservation and policy from the project. Wader recovery Since the project began, the numbers of lapwing started to rise. There were 61 pairs on the study area in 2015 rising to 105 in 2019. But the greatest achievement has been improving breeding success, which is critical to reversing declines. To remain stable, a local population needs to fledge an average of 0.7 chicks per pair each year. Prior to the project, annual lapwing productivity had dropped as low as 0.4 fledged chicks per pair. In 2019, after just five years, the figure was 0.96.

Over the course of the project, the average annual figure for the hotspots where habitat and predator management were focused, went from 0.51 to 0.75 fledged chicks per pair. Redshank numbers have also increased dramatically from 19 to 35 pairs, and “There were 61 pairs initial signs of snipe returning to breed on the study area in have been observed. Waders for Real has demonstrated how, given the 2015 rising to 105 in right kind of funding, advice and 2019. But the greatest encouragement, and by working with conservation experts, farmers achievement has been can boost biodiversity in the wider improving breeding working countryside. success, which is critical Understanding and to reversing declines” limiting predation The foundation of most successful conservation projects is providing enough good-quality habitat, but this alone is not always sufficient. In the Avon Valley, despite the creation of plenty of suitable habitat, predation of lapwing nests and chicks was too high to maintain a stable number of breeding pairs. Temporary electricfencing around nests proved successful at improving hatching success. The lethal control of foxes, crows and American mink carried out by gamekeepers and riverkeepers on some of the Avon Valley sites reduced predation pressure further and further increased breeding success in these areas. The best approach Lizzie Grayshon, Waders for Real Ecologist

(Top) Large fl ocks of lapwing used to be a familiar sight across the country, but the population has fallen by 80% since 1960 in England and Wales. They remain in decline and on the UK’s red list of endangered species.

depends on the resources available and intended area, but a thorough understanding of the predators responsible, their densities and movements around breeding waders can improve the success of lethal and non-lethal management options aimed at wader recovery. Over the course of the Waders for Real project, GWCT predation scientist Mike Short, caught 37 foxes and fitted them with GPS collars to understand their lives on the river meadows. This research has filled important knowledge gaps and provides a much better understanding of the density, movement and diet of foxes in river valleys.

Collaboration and community Building trust and a feeling of co-operation between everyone involved, from estate owners to tenant farmers, gamekeepers and riverkeepers, ecologists and the local community was a crucial objective. To achieve long-lasting wader recovery, we needed the experience and knowledge from all of these groups. Regular meetings allowed farmers and wildlife managers to discuss the challenges faced and gave them the opportunity to share their valuable experience. This was very much a two-way street, with land managers able to gain advice and support from our ecologists on topics from effective predator control to AES derogations, and our ecologists were able to gain important insights from the people who see their land and birds every day. In total, 64 land managers were involved in the project and continue to work towards wader recovery. Over 429 students were involved in educational activities, along with 31 undergraduate or masters students who conducted their projects as part of the Waders for Real programme. Over 40 networking events, involving more than 50 conservation projects/organisations and Government conservation agencies, were organised.

2020 and the future Although LIFE funding ceased at the end of 2019, the project will benefit waders for years to come and the GWCT is committed to building on its success by securing funding for further wader projects in the Avon Valley. In 2020, funding was gained for a new project investigating the spatial ecology of redshank to start in 2021. The land managers engaged in the Waders for Real Project were keen to make their Farmer Cluster official and made a successful application to the Natural England Facilitation Fund.

A TEAM EFFORT

The LIFE Waders for Real successes could not have been achieved without the passion of the valley landowners, farmers and keepers for the waders, their desire to halt and reverse the declines and their willingness to work collaboratively. The project benefited from a great GWCT team, valuable assistance from Clive Bealey, undergraduate, masters and PhD students, and advice from Natural England, Environment Agency, RSPB and Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. The LIFE Waders for Real project was co-funded by the EU LIFE programme and the GWCT.

Regular meetings allowed farmers and wildlife managers to discuss the challenges faced and gave them the opportunity to share their valuable experience. Find out more at gwct.org.uk/wadersforreal.

PROJECT ACHIEVEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . 40

FARMERS, GAMEKEEPERS AND LANDOWNERS WERE INVOLVED . . . . . . . . . .

61

LAPWING PAIRS IN THE STUDY AREA IN 2015 . . . . . . . . . . 105

LAPWING PAIRS IN THE STUDY AREA IN 2019 . . . . . . . . . . 84%

INCREASE IN REDSHANK NUMBERS BETWEEN 2015 AND 2019 . . . . . . . . . .

37

FOXES FITTED WITH GPS TRACKING COLLARS . . . . . . . . . . 80

CAMERA TRAPS USED ON HOTSPOTS EACH YEAR . . . . . . . . . .

1.3KM

OF FENCING REMOVED . . . . . . 31