Wetland
Breeding waders in the Avon Valley Wet scrapes are important for wader foraging. Three four-week-old lapwing chicks, two adult lapwing and an adult redshank can be seen on this scrape. Š Lizzie Grayshon/GWCT
BACKGROUND Over the past 25 years, the GWCT has documented a 70% decline in numbers of breeding lapwing and an 83% decline in breeding redshank in the Avon Valley. Our monitoring has provided evidence that the lapwing decline is driven by poor breeding success. The EU LIFE+ Waders for Real project was launched in 2014 with the aim of halting these declines and reversing them. Our approach is to create strategic hotspots of optimum habitat with reduced predation pressure, where the birds are able to fledge sufficient chicks to increase recruitment to the population in subsequent years.
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The Avon Valley is typical of lowland river valleys where breeding waders were once numerous and are currently a conservation priority, but where reducing the impacts of predators is constrained by the landscape and multiple land ownership. The Waders for Real project comprises a local farmer-led initiative involving the private sector (farmers and landowners), conservation charities (GWCT, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust), educational establishments (Sparsholt College) and the public sector (Natural England, Environment Agency) in an attempt to find workable options for wader recovery. Our approach is to put into practice the three principles applied in wild game management, namely: (1) ensuring appropriate nesting habitat; (2) creating broodrearing habitat; and (3) reducing predation pressure. Habitat assessments, monitoring data and tracking data from radio-tagged lapwing chicks have allowed us to plan habitat improvements more effectively.
Habitat work We understand that low breeding success of lapwing is partially caused by unfavourable habitat. Our hotpot sites are focused on areas already holding important numbers of breeding waders and have each received habitat management improvements, monitoring and advice targeted at increasing productivity and breeding densities. We have removed 1,260 metres of old fence lines and 6,015 metres of scrub along ditch lines to create groups of fields with more open boundaries. We have re-profiled 3,890 metres of ditches and added 1,690 metres of new ditches along with 10,540m² of scrapes. These shallow depressions of exposed soil retain water and provide a rich source of invertebrates on which wader chicks feed, along with soft mud to make feeding by probing easier (see Review of 2016, pp 22-23).
Working with land managers Many of the farmers involved in the project have modified grazing and cutting regimes to help us maintain a short, damp sward perfect for lapwing, with scattered tussocks
www.gwct.org.uk
03/05/2019 14:27:33
