Wild Life - Winter 2021

Wild Life Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

Winter 2021

Rivers of life Why reconnecting our rivers with the landscape is essential for wildlife and functioning ecosystems

60TH APPEAL

Staff, volunteers and members explain why our nature reserves are so important to them and why they must be protected for the future in our anniversary appeal

WINTER ON THE MARSHES

Discover Farlington Marshes –birding gem – this winter

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

SUNRISE ON THE ITCHEN: GUY EDWARDES / 2020VISION

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Welcome

Celebrating 60 years of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Wild Life is the membership magazine for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Email membership@hiwwt.org.uk Telephone 01489 774400 Address Beechcroft House, Vicarage Lane, Curdridge, Hampshire SO32 2DP Registered charity number 201081.

Company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales No. 676313.

Website www.hiwwt.org.uk

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Wild Life | Winter 2021

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Farlington Marshes Discover Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve this winter, a paradise for birdlife.

course, there are always things we can do better, and we promise to look at how we can continue to improve. Your opinions matter and you will see your ideas and suggestions informing our work throughout 2022 (p15).

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Wild news All the latest news from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

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Debbie Tann, Chief Executive Follow me on twitter @Debbie_Tann

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Focus on: What you said Last winter we asked for your views in our Members Survey. We update you with our findings and share your ideas.

16 Gardening upcycling

How to make the most of old and unused items to create space for nature in your garden.

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Silent streams We look at ways we can reconnect rivers with the landscape to ensure they are the vital homes wildlife needs them to be.

20 New homes wanted for crayfish

We discuss our latest project to help Britain’s only native freshwater crayfish, by creating ark sites to restore their populations.

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8 GRAHAM HOGGARTH

Get in touch

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is the leading nature conservation charity in the two counties. With your support, we strive to create a wilder future for our local area and make nature part of life, for everyone. l We manage over 60 nature reserves. l We are supported by 25,000 members and 1,500 volunteers.

We are part of a UK-wide network of 46 Wildlife Trusts; together we are the nation’s most active and influential nature conservation partnership protecting wildlife in every part of the UK.

Seasonal wildlife and places to experience it.

LINDA PITKIN / 2020VISION

our counties, our nature reserves are now some of the best remaining places for nature - providing essential space for wildlife to thrive. Over the past 60 years, our reserves have provided a vital refuge for our rarest and most vulnerable species and habitats.

We are proud to have supported many conservation successes on our nature reserves, including the return of breeding populations of avocet at Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve, which you can read about on p8.

We have been touched by the extraordinarily heart-warming messages from our staff, members and supporters about why you love our nature reserves. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated to the appeal. Our 64 nature reserves are at the heart of our ambitious plans for a Wilder Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and we couldn’t look after them without you. If you would like to give a gift to our nature reserves to celebrate 60 years of nature conservation and leave your own personal message, there is still time.

You can find out more on p28.

We were delighted that so many of you responded to our Members Survey.

It is wonderful to receive so many positive comments and hear that you love local nature as much as we do! Of

4 Your wild winter

ANDY ROTHWELL

elcome to our Winter Wild Life magazine. This edition highlights the wonders of water and explores our wetlands, saltmarshes, coastal landscapes, rivers and chalk streams. These special sites provide vital homes for nature in the winter months. Grey plovers, dunlins, blacktailed godwits and greenshank are just a few of the species that can be seen in flocks feeding on our nature reserves.

Hampshire’s iconic rivers and chalk streams are under threat from pollution, development and climate change, leaving our waterways and the wildlife they support struggling to cope. Our National Lottery funded Watercress and Winterbournes project has been doing amazing work with partners and local communities to protect, enhance and celebrate the chalk stream headwaters of the Test and Itchen Rivers and reduce the pressure on our wetlands and wildlife (p18).

In September, we launched our 60th Anniversary Appeal to celebrate our incredible nature reserves. Once again, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our incredible members and supporters who have given over £60,000 to support these special places. Making up just 2% of

JEREMY ROBBINS

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Contents

Wild Life Magazine Editor Abi Webber, Senior Marketing Officer Design Keely Docherty-Lee, keelydl@icloud.com Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is registered with the UK Fundraising Regulator. We aim to meet the highest standards in the way we fundraise.

You can change your contact preferences at any time by contacting Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust via email: membership@hiwwt.org.uk, telephone: 01489 774400, or write to us at: Beechcroft House, Vicarage Lane, Curdridge, Hampshire SO32 2DP. For more information on our privacy policy visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/privacy-notice

How to get involved with your local Wildlife Trust Volunteer Could you donate your Local groups Join one of our

skills and time to look after wildlife? Visit our website to find opportunities near you (please check for restrictions due to Covid-19).

Donate to an appeal

From purchasing land to protecting species, projects near you need your support.

Campaigning

You can play a vital role in raising awareness and lobbying on local and national issues.

network of local groups and help make a difference to nature where you live.

Events

Join us for an event or activity near you – all organised by knowledgeable staff and local groups.

Leave a legacy If you’ve had

a lifetime’s pleasure from nature, help ensure its future by leaving us a gift in your Will.

Team Wilder Stories from the businesses that are helping wildlife by being a part of Team Wilder, from practical action in the workplace to making a donation.

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Best places to see birds of prey The best places to see birds of prey in our two counties.

26 Saltmarshes

Clive Chatters celebrates Britain’s saltmarshes, an important habitats when it comes to helping combat climate change.

28 60th Anniversary Appeal

Our 60th Anniversary Appeal is raising funds for our nature reserves. We explain why these sites are so essential for wildlife and why we must protect such special places for the future.

30 My wild life

Our new Beaver Recovery Project Officer, Izzie Tween, tells us why beavers are so important and shares some of the exciting work she has coming up on the Island.

For more information visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/get-involved Wild Life | Winter 2021

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u o y k n a h T

port, we your sup to s k n a h T protect, n able to e e b e v ha oodland aintain w m d n a unties. create r two co u o in ts bitats/ habita g.uk/ha r .o t w www.hiw nd woodla

The best of the season’s wildlife and where to enjoy it.

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Beech woodlands As autumn draws in, the leaves of broadleaf trees turn brilliant shades of orange, brown and yellow and eventually fall to the woodland floor.

Later in the year, woodlands can seem bleak landscapes, with bare trunks and branches stark against the cold winter sky. Beech woodlands are some of the most striking of these habitats, as the smooth pale bark of the stately trees stands against the coppers and browns of the fallen leaves. Beech woods are important for wildlife, providing food, shelter and breeding habitat throughout the year. In winter, many creatures will be foraging for beechmast, the seeds of the beech tree. Nuthatches, bramblings and jays all make good use of this plentiful food source. Other species will be tucked away in the leaf litter, waiting it out until spring. The unique conditions provided by these woodlands also create a home for many rare species of lichen, fungi and invertebrates.

Sadly, these amazing habitats are particularly threatened by climate change. Beech trees are very susceptible to storms, droughts and flooding. By campaigning for strong action on climate change and investing in naturebased solutions that help tackle the climate crisis head-on, the Trust is protecting beech woodlands both inside and outside our nature reserves.

SEE THEM THIS WINTER Broughton Down Nature Reserve is fringed with beech and yew woodland; visit for a peaceful walk across the chalk downland site.

Look out for unusual fungi nestled amongst the ash and beech woodland at Chappetts Copse Nature Reserve.

Wild Life | Winter 2021

GUY EDWARDES / 2020VISION

Your wild winter

WINTER SPECTACLE

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YOUR WILD WINTER

SEE THIS

Groups of roe deer feeding together in woodlands and field edges.

carefully regulated. If their core temperature drops too low, they may die, while if it creeps up, their body will begin using more energy and they may not last the winter. The core temperature of an animal is even lower, and the heart rate is slower during hibernation.

Climate change is causing problems for wildlife that undergo Topor or hibernation. Fluctuating weather patterns mean cold snaps, which prevent many species from finding food, come later in spring when these animals would be looking to put on weight and recover from their sleep. Wet and mild weather can also delay the onset of torpor, causing them to expend more energy.

You can help wildlife in your garden by leaving log, stone and leaf piles undisturbed, which they can tuck themselves away inside for the winter.

Duck identification

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Male tufted duck suggests, dive underwater in search of food. Tufted ducks, goldeneyes and pochards are all diving ducks to look out for this winter.

Seasonal delights

Top tips

3 SPECIES TO SPOT Jelly ear These mushrooms have a velvety covering and wobble just like jelly if you touch them. The ‘ears’ often grow in clusters, usually from dead or dying elder trees.

Turkeytail

Herald of winter This species is said to grow on the first frost - look for them under conifer trees. The top of the cap is wet and sticky to the touch, and the deep brown colour can easily be missed amongst dead leaves.

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utumn is the time most associated with a diverse array of fungi appearing across all the different habitats in our landscapes. But some species wait until the depths of winter to emerge, popping up in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours throughout the season.

This group have some of the most fantastic and descriptive names in the animal kingdom! From stinkhorns and devil’s fingers to hotlips and lemon disco, the scientists behind the names were certainly inventive.

Some of our winter fungi have suitably festive names for the time of year and one that can provide beautiful displays in December and January is the turkeytail fungus. This fan-shaped bracket fungi

grows in tiers on dead wood in parks, gardens and woodland. It favours hardwood trees, such as oak and beech.

Turkeytails break down deadwood, so they are an essential part of the woodland ecosystem, recycling nutrients back to the environment.

Remember, if you come across fungi while out and about, do not pick them.

The visible fungus or mushroom is the fruiting body of the species. This is the part that produces spores and, therefore, the future generations of the fungi.

Picking mushrooms means they cannot reproduce, and some species are already very specialised and rare, so please leave them where they are. Piles of rotting leaves and wood can help provide new habitats for fungi locally.

Scarlet elf cup These pretty red or orange cups grow on decaying wood and leaf matter and provide a zing of colour in the winter landscape.

Other species of elf cup come in different colours, including green.

MARK ROBINSON

Many species of duck come to our shores for the winter, spending these months feeding on large lakes and wetlands. In some lights or from a distance these birds can look very similar, especially as they often sit on the water in large flocks. Males and females of the same species can also have different characteristics, making identification tricky. Key features to use to help on your waterfowl identification journey are the head markings, bill shape, and the presence of a crest on the back of their head. Their behaviour can also help narrow things down, as ducks can be split into dabblers or divers. Dabbling ducks can often be seen with bottoms aloft, feeding with their heads underwater. Mallards, teals and shoveler ducks are all dabblers and very common on wetlands in our two counties in winter. Diving ducks, as the name

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

HARRY HARMS

URBAN FIELDCRAFT

ROSS HODDINOTT / 2020VISION

ALEX FLAHIVE

CHRIS LAWRENCE

Dormouse

Some animals sleep out the worst of the weather over winter, entering a state of stasis called torpor. This state is similar to a long sleep, and animals use it to conserve energy. When in torpor, the creature will still occasionally forage for food, leaving its winter den. When in torpor, an animal’s body temperature, metabolic rate and heart rate all drop and their body will primarily be using the fat stores they built up over autumn to survive. Lots of species undergo torpor for periods in the winter, including amphibians and mammals, like the dormouse. Hibernation is like an even deeper sleep, and animals only very rarely wake during the winter if they are hibernating.

Queen bumblebees and some species of bats undergo true hibernation in Britain.

When animals are in a state of torpor, their body temperature is very

Empty and clean out bird boxes with hot water and a scrubbing brush.

CHRIS LAWRENCE

ANDY ROTHWELL

Sleeping through the cold

DO THIS

Wild Life | Winter 2021

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FOCUS ON FARLINGTON MARSHES

Focus on...

Farlington Marshes

ANDY BRITLAND

F

arlington Marshes Nature Reserve is a special place to visit in the winter months, as wading birds flock in to feed in the pools and mudflats. You might hear the pinging calls of bearded tits as they flit between the reeds, and the cries of gulls wheeling overhead. Some of the birds that breed here in summer will have departed for their wintering grounds, replaced by thousands of ducks, geese and waders.

This summer was one of the most successful years for breeding birds on the marshes, but it has taken a lot of hard work to get to this point. Reserve Officer, Chris Lycett, has worked at Farlington Marshes for five years. He explains why this nature reserve is such a vital home for

Bearded tit in the reeds at Farlington Marshes.

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wildlife and describes some of the efforts to preserve this special place.

Picky breeders It can be difficult to encourage wading birds to breed in a new location. These birds require specific conditions to tempt them into nesting on a site, and their needs often clash between species. They can also be disturbed throughout the season by people, dogs or predators. Juggling these different needs while also caring for a site that is attractive to the public and other wildlife can be a challenge, and there has been a degree of trial and error in the management of the Marshes.

There are around 80 hectares of coastal grazing marsh on the site which are particularly good for lapwing. Lapwing prefer the large open spaces of these fields, so they can see any potential predators approaching. Around 28 pairs nested there this summer, producing lots of fluffy, longlegged chicks, of which at least 27 fledged across the site. The grazing marsh is also a good place to look for snipe in winter.

Redshanks prefer a patchwork of long and short grass, so the team of staff and volunteers have cleared patches of scrub on the marsh, to make areas more suitable for these waders. Both species also need the sites to be wet in the breeding season.

Avocets have been making a gradual comeback in Britain, after disappearing during years of exploitation for the feather trade. They returned to Farlington Marshes three years ago, and this year nine chicks

Team work The Trust, together with the RSPB, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and Hampshire County Council, have formed a wader strategy group. The organisations use the group to share techniques they are applying to conserve waders. They also work on the bigger picture, linking all their sites together as part of a wader recovery network.

Already, Farlington Marshes is acting as a source that waders can spread from, moving to sites along the coast and further inland. The Trust hopes to work with farmers nearby to ensure farmland is managed sustainably, providing nesting sites for lapwings.

Farlington Marshes is a popular site for local people, as it is one of the biggest green spaces in Portsmouth. Most of the nature reserve is inaccessible and therefore protected from disturbance because the main footpath runs along the sea wall.

Black-tailed godwit visit in winter.

fledged. They nest close to water and need open, muddy areas to feed on. Their return was very exciting for both the team and regular visitors and is a sign of the success of conservation work to help avocets.

Another severe threat to breeding birds on this nature reserve is predation by foxes, corvids and birds of prey.

One of the methods we use to stop this predation is diversionary feeding.

Carrion and reptile food, such as chicks and rats, are placed away from breeding areas three or four times a week. The food diverts the predators’ attention away from the eggs and chicks of rarer species.

In 2020, during lockdown restrictions, the team could not carry out the feeding, and the breeding success of wading birds at Farlington Marshes was much lower.

Encouraging gulls to breed on the site could be another way to help wading birds. They will mob predators and act as a greater deterrent than the smaller waders.

Managing the Marshes There are various methods the team use to manage the nature reserve for wildlife.

Our conservation grazing herd help stop scrub and reed growth in the fields from April to November, with a summer high of 140 cattle on the site in June. The grazing marsh habitat which the cows maintain is also home to rare plants such as strawberry clover, orchids and spiny restharrow. An impressive 2,500 spikes of southern marsh and common spotted orchid flowered in the hay fields this year.

In future, as the climate becomes more unpredictable, maintaining water levels on the site is likely to become more of a

Ringed avocet chicks

challenge. The Trust is considering digging a series of ditches to keep water levels up in the summer, bringing water from the reedbed to the marshes. The soil from the ditches could be used to build small islets in the lagoons, providing nesting space for terns and gulls. 2021 was a year of extreme weather, the dry spring meant little vegetation grew, and late rains kept the pools and meadows wet throughout most of the summer. The team may also

CHRIS LYCET T

This coastal landscape, just a stone’s throw from the developments of Portsmouth and Cosham, may seem inhospitable, but the marshes are a wildlife paradise, and the habitats found here are especially important for wading birds.

TREVOR CODLIN

need to consider installing pumps across the nature reserve to move water in the driest years.

What you can see this winter Grey plovers, dunlins, black-tailed godwits and greenshank are just a few of the species that can be seen in flocks feeding in the pools at Farlington Marshes. Short-eared owls and marsh harriers may also be spotted, stalking the air above the marshes and reeds on the hunt for their next meal. It is thanks to your support that this harsh environment is flooded with wildlife - so make sure to pay Farlington Marshes a visit this winter.

Grazing herd at Farlington Marshes.

Wild Life | Winter 2021

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NEWS

WILD NEWS

Building a new vision for Tipner West

All the latest news from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

To encourage this, we’ve partnered with Hampshire Fare to champion local, sustainable seafood from wave to plate. Our joint campaign, Great Solent Seafood, aims to help us all enjoy fantastic food while reducing its impact on our waters. This autumn, we were delighted to sign up our first businesses as supporters of this project.

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ALL PHOTOS: TOBY ROXBURGH / 2020VISION

eafood can be a healthy and delicious source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, but some fishing methods are destructive and harm habitats and wildlife. Much of the seafood caught in our waters is shipped abroad due to a lack of local demand.

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Supporting suppliers who use more sustainable fishing methods, or championing their produce, is a great way to tackle some of these issues. Many fishermen, shops and restaurants in our area want to become more sustainable, and local demand would help make this economically viable.

Supporters can be from any part of the local seafood supply chain, and once they are signed up, they will be able to use our Great Solent Seafood logo to highlight their sustainable produce. We will also work with them to set attainable goals, provide guidance towards achieving those goals and promote their efforts through our campaign. If you are interested in becoming a supporter or know someone who might be, we would love to hear from you.

Keep your eyes peeled for more news about Great Solent Seafood in the coming months, including our cookery workshops and recipe competition, which will be kicking off in Spring 2022.

This campaign is part of our National Lottery Heritage Fund supported marine project, Secrets of the Solent, which is celebrating our seas through art, cuisine, citizen science, and more.

Council’s vision for the city over the next 15 years and asked for residents’ views on the ‘super-peninsula’ plans at Tipner West. Once again, you all rose to the occasion with a tidal wave of over 8,000 objections formally recorded in the consultation.

These signatures and responses helped change the minds of local councillors who are now joining us in opposing the plans. In October, Portsmouth’s Labour and Conservative councillors overwhelmingly voted to ‘pause and rethink’ plans for Tipner West, leaving the Liberal Democrat minority council lacking enough support for the superpeninsula.

While this pause is welcome, we need to see the council scrap these damaging plans for good. A crucial indication of our success will be whether the council does the right thing and removes the land reclamation plans from the next stage of the Local Plan (Reg 19) where the council will set in stone their intentions for Tipner West, consulting the public one last time before they submit it to the Secretary of State.

Over the next few months, we want to bring the community together to build an alternative vision for Tipner West, one that makes space for nature to thrive, whilst also reconnecting Portsmouth’s residents with the green spaces they want and need. If you would like to contribute to a vision for a wilder Tipner West please email us at: campaigns@ hiwwt.org.uk.

Pine martens return to the New Forest Pine martens have established a population in the New Forest, a team from the Trust, Forestry England, and specialist consultants Wild New Forest confirmed this summer. After habitat loss and persecution caused a drastic reduction in their numbers, pine martens were thought to only survive in the North of England, Scotland and Wales. They were once widespread in the UK. The team will monitor the population to get a better idea of how many live in the Forest and to see which areas they are using the most.

JOSHUA COPPING

Great Solent Seafood

A precious site for wildlife in Portsmouth remains under threat from inappropriate development, despite the many legal protections given to Tipner West’s lifegiving, muddy shores.

The ’super-peninsula’ proposals put forward by Portsmouth City Council would see 27 hectares of intertidal habitat concreted over in order to accommodate 3,500 new homes and a marine employment hub. These mudflats boast SSSI, SPA and Ramsar site designations in recognition of their importance to thousands of migratory birds, such as dark-bellied brent geese and dunlin as well as many fish and invertebrates. These are some of the highest legal safeguards that can be awarded and yet plans to destroy the area are being actively pursued by the council.

Not only would this development be disastrous for the wildlife and people of Portsmouth, but could set a precedent that would allow housing targets to trump nature anywhere. We and the RSPB believe this is one of the most significant threats to wildlife for a generation and we are working together to stop this proposal.

Earlier in the year an incredible 24,000 people said #DontGoThere to Portsmouth City Council, in a petition that helped supercharge the momentum of the campaign. This autumn, we faced another big hurdle - Portsmouth’s Draft Local Plan consultation (at the stage known as Reg 18), which outlined the

News in brief

Wight Nature Fund gifts nature reserves to the Trust The Trust has taken over the management of new nature reserves on the Isle of Wight.

After 31 years of looking after Alverstone Mead, Youngwoods Copse, Bretts Meadow and Benstead Marsh, the Wight Nature Fund has handed their management over to us as part of a succession plan.

We are grateful to have been trusted with these much-loved reserves and look forward to continuing to work with the Wight Nature Fund’s volunteers and partners to continue to protect these sites for future generations. We will be sharing more information about these fabulous new reserves over the coming months.

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NEWS

WILD NEWS A new Wilder Communities project for the Isle of Wight

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Wild Life | Winter 2021

exhibition. Our Open Chalk Streams events offered new ways to discover hidden and familiar places alike.

We’re also excited to be progressing various practical works, including habitat improvements on the Bourne Rivulet, channel enhancements on the Cheriton Stream, and a footpath restoration on the River Arle. Works like these bolster the health of the streams, enabling them to better cope with environmental pressures like pollution, flooding, and climate change.

Want to get involved? Learn more at www.hiwwt.org.uk/winterbournes

SIMON NEWMAN

Seven beautiful chalk streams continue to get some well-deserved care via the Watercress and Winterbournes Landscape Partnership Scheme. The Trust, Wessex Rivers Trust, and the scheme’s 14 other partners have been protecting these precious places with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and our incredible volunteers.

In recent months we restored several nationally important water meadow heritage structures near Whitchurch. In Laverstoke and Freefolk, we transformed a streamside green space with a bench, dipping platform, and accessible footpath. Cheriton, meanwhile, saw another round of wildflower planting – this time valerian, small scabious, and meadow crane’s-bill.

Our Education Programme is now active, teaching local schools and youth groups about the wonders of our chalk streams and the threats they face.

Several talented people received prizes in our photography competition, which has given rise to an ongoing roving

Wightlink Until 31 March, get 20% off your ferry trip across the Solent with our friends at Wightlink. Whether it’s to be at one with nature on the Isle of Wight or to catch up with friends and family on the mainland, do it for less. Visit wightlink. co.uk/hiwwt to book.

TONY KNIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY & MEDIA

EMMA HEALEY

Streamside with Watercress and Winterbournes

UPDATES FROM OUR PARTNERS

Thanks to support from Southern Co-op, October saw the launch of a Wilder Communities project on the Isle of Wight.

Building on the successes and lessons learnt from Wilder Portsmouth, our new Wilder Communities Project Officer, Kelly Wetherick (above), will support urban communities across the island to build self-sustaining initiatives to create more space for wildlife. These initiatives could be anything from greening community spaces or streets, to improving areas for pollinators, bats, swifts and hedgehogs, or setting up groups to tackle problems such as litter and household pollution.

We will also inspire and influence others, including local government and businesses, to take action for nature.

The project will start by focussing on Ventnor, Binstead, Freshwater, Pan and East Cowes, and we would love to hear from anyone living on the Isle of Wight who would like to be involved. Whether you’re an individual who would like guidance on what to do in your garden, an existing group that wants to take action to tackle the nature and climate emergencies, or a group of neighbours who want support to become a Wilder Street, contact us to get involved.

Email wilder@hiwwt.org.uk for more information.

British Empire Medal for Catherine Chatters We are proud to report that Catherine Chatters, our Project Officer for the New Forest Non-Native Plants Project, has been awarded a British Empire Medal for her services to biosecurity.

The Project aims to control the spread of invasive non-native invasive plants through raising awareness about the problems they cause and offering people advice and practical help to control them. The Project has tackled many species including Himalayan balsam and American skunk cabbage which have ‘jumped the garden fence’ and invaded the countryside.

On receiving the award Catherine Chatters said: “I feel very honoured to have been awarded the BEM for my work with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust’s New Forest Non-Native Plants Project.

However, the success of this project is a result of the hard work, enthusiasm and co-operation of many other people including our wonderful volunteers, landowners, professional contractors, my

colleagues at the Trust and staff from a wide range of organisations. I would therefore like the award to be regarded as recognition of everyone’s help and support for the Project.”

Sara Cadbury, who owns a section of the Lymington River where the project has worked to control invasive plants, said: “My meadows along the banks of the Lymington River were becoming seriously invaded by Himalayan balsam. If it had not been for the amazing efforts of Catherine Chatters, her colleague Jo Gore and their team of volunteers the problem would have become completely out of hand! I’m hugely grateful to them all”.

The New Forest Non-Native Plants Project is a partnership project hosted by the Trust and funded by the Environment Agency, The New Forest Higher Level Stewardship Scheme, Forestry England, the New Forest National Park Authority, the Test & Itchen Catchment Partnership, the New Forest Trust, Natural England and Lymington & Pennington Town Council.

Seaview Collection We are excited to share the fantastic new Seaview Collection cushions, from our friends and Corporate Members - XV Stripes. The island-based business was inspired by the Solent’s marine wildlife to create the cushions which each feature a selection of the fascinating species. The designs are all hand illustrated by the wonderfully talented Vicky Sanders and 10% of all profits from their Seaview Collection will be donated to the Trust.

Visit www.xvstripes.com

Wild Life | Winter 2021

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

WILD NEWS

FOCUS ON...

Members Survey results

Where there is a Will there are - tools for the job! than a full-size tractor.”

This kind of purchase wouldn’t be possible without funds from gifts in Wills – helping us buy the best tools for our vital conservation work. Find out more at www.hiwwt.org.uk/leave-gift-in-will.

Building with Nature development next to Fishlake Meadows gets thumbs up from planners The old World of Water site near Romsey has been granted planning permission to create a ‘nature campus’ with visitor, work and hospitality spaces and enhanced access to Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve. The Trust has worked along with the architects, impact investors, and development team, including landscape architects, drainage engineers, planning policy and highways specialists. Building with Nature has been the common thread connecting all

those involved, creating a shared vision and an exemplary design that will benefit people and nature.

The Trust has ensured that the proposals fully consider the species and habitats already present, so that the existing wildlife interest is protected and opportunities to enhance biodiversity are taken throughout. For example, with bat roosts and foraging activity recorded on site and the Mottisfont Bats Special Area for Conservation close by, the new buildings will feature bat roosts within the walls. Pollinator stepping stones will crisscross the car park. An artificial holt will provide a new home for otters on the River Test, and a new artificial sand martin and kingfisher bank will allow visitors to get amazing views of both species across the lake, whilst minimising disturbance. A new wetland will be created on the edge of the existing lake. Green roofs and living walls on the buildings and permeable paving throughout the car park will capture

You thought that this beautiful image of St Catherine’s Hill Nature Reserve in Winchester was the best way of promoting our work to new members.

ED MERRITT

Reserves Manager Chris Lycett tell us how this new bit of kit is helping out: “On the Solent sites, we mainly use it for woodland management, getting into the areas that are difficult or too wet for the trucks. The winch on the front has been life-changing for us with extracting timber, and the little tipper back has also been fantastic for firewood processing.

It has also been great for wader survey work as it does not disturb the birds, and you can drive in closer. We have primarily used it at Hookheath Meadows, Swanwick Lakes and St Clair’s Nature Reserves.

It has a lot less impact on the ground

CHRIS LYCETT

Each year, kind individuals leave gifts to local wildlife in their Wills. The Governance Team and Trustees take their responsibility for these funds very seriously. When people generously choose to leave a gift with no restrictions on how we might use it, we ensure the best possible value for wildlife.

Some of the funds will be held in reserve, creating a pot to help us to react to opportunities to buy new land, working towards our vision of doubling our landholding by 2030.

Some of the funds are released each year by the Trustees, allowing us to improve conditions for wildlife. The money can be used to purchase new bits of kit to help the reserve teams manage their sites. We also use some of the funds to help us carry out survey work – monitoring the health of wildlife across our two counties.

Last year one of the items purchased with these released funds was a small Kubota tractor for use by the Solent reserves team.

rainfall at source and help clean and manage the passage of water through the site, directing it to swales and rain gardens where it will naturally hydrate the landscape and reduce reliance on manual watering of landscaping features.

The plans also include a new boardwalk to connect to Fishlake Meadows with a stunning 3-storey viewing tower in the heart of the wetland. With an external design inspired by the standing deadwood and reeds found within the wetland, the hide will sit well in the landscape and will have the capacity to accommodate class groups of up to 30 children.

Due to its inspiring vision, this project has been awarded the Building with Nature Design Award (Excellent) - the first development in Hampshire to receive this accreditation.

To find out more about the plans please visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/worldwater-fishlake-meadows-nature-reserve

Y

ou may remember in our Winter 2020 edition of Wild Life we asked you to complete our Members Survey – thank you so much to those of you who did! Your responses, both positive and negative, have been insightful, and we wanted to update you with our findings, give you a bit more information, and reassure you that we are looking into areas that may need improvement!

90% of members who returned surveys told us that they became members to support their local wildlife, and believing in what the Trust does was the second most popular reason. Another top reason for joining was that people were keen volunteers or wanted to volunteer for the Trust. To date, we have over 1,300 amazing volunteers and, as things continue to go back to normal, there will be more opportunities to get involved, especially as our Team Wilder plans grow.

Over half of respondents said that they felt a sense of loyalty to the Trust – this is something we value highly, and we are so lucky to have such committed voices with us on nature’s side. We are so happy to have members who have been with us for over 59 years and are still

actively involved with our work!

Not everyone who responded follows us on social media, but those who do were most engaged with Facebook and our ‘Bringing Nature to You’ series on YouTube. 80% of respondents also receive and enjoy our monthly e-newsletter. Over lockdown, we reached over one million people via our social media platforms – if you want more information on our social channels, please see the links below.

Education and Reserves Officer videos and virtual reserve tours have also been very popular, and they are something we would like to continue doing.

“Loved Susan Simmond’s little films. I don’t only follow you for information and tips, but simply for beautiful photos and inspiring stories that lift my heart.”

You came up with loads of brilliant ideas for future topics you would like us to cover, including more information on rewilding, species identification, how to tackle pollution, local initiatives

facebook.com/HampshireandIsleofWightWildlifeTrust 14

Wild Life | Winter 2021

and more information about wildlife gardening for smaller areas such as balconies. You can read about how we are fighting pollution and many other problems in our rivers on page 18, and we will be covering more of these topics in 2022.

We were touched by how many people were interested in finding out more about leaving the Trust a gift in their Will. This is a truly powerful way of giving, and you can find out more about how we use the funds left to us in this way on page 14. If this is something you might consider, either now or in the future, you can find out more online at www.hiwwt.org.uk/leave-gift-in-will.

@hantsiwwildlife

@hantsiwwildlife Wild Life | Winter 2021

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Upcycle your garden

for wildlife

Wildlife gardening needn’t be expensive. There’s nothing more rewarding than upcycling old, broken or unused household items into wildlife habitats for the garden.

Use hessian bags to grow bee-friendly plants

Tin can bee hotels Fix an old tin can to a fence or wall and pack it with dried, hollow plant stems and canes from 1mm to 12mm in diameter, to attract a range of solitary bees and wasps.

Make sure the can overhangs the stems so they don’t get wet.

Many bee-friendly plants grow well in pots, and hessian bags make excellent alternatives that you can pack away in winter. Choose drought-tolerant catmint and lavender or Mediterranean herbs like oregano and mint.

Kate Bradbury is passionate about wildlifefriendly gardening and the author of Wildlife Gardening for Everyone and Everything in association with The Wildlife Trusts.

Get more wildlife gardening tips on our website www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions

ILLUSTRATION BY KATY FROST, PHOTO © SARAH CUTTLE

Upcycling is a fantastic way to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, while saving you money, too.

Who needs to buy expensive plant pots when there are old saucepans, wellington boots or even basins and toilets that can be used instead? Or how about making a pond from your old bath or kitchen sink?

There are no limits to what you can do with old, broken and unused items. Use your imagination to find creative ways to repurpose forgotten possessions in the loft or shed. What can you use to make a cosy bird box for a blue tit or a refugia for slow worms? Do you have enough old bits of wood to knock up a hedgehog or bat box?

Whatever you choose, make sure you use materials safely and effectively. Upcycled gardens look fun, quirky and unique. They can make fantastic wildlife habitats, too.

A teapot bird house An old teapot can make the perfect nest site for a robin or wren. Hang it with the spout facing down, in a sheltered site away from cats and other predators.

Plant tray bird bath Fill an old plant pot tray with water to make a bird bath. Stand it on old bricks to raise it from the ground or leave it low to provide water for hedgehogs. Add a stone to help insects escape if they get stuck.

Pallet herb garden An upturned pallet can add height to your garden. You can paint it a nice colour and simply wedge plants in their pots between the slats.

Grow plants in saucepans Drill holes in old saucepans and kitchen containers to make plant pots. They’re perfect for salad crops like lettuce and radish, plus herbs like chives and parsley.

Old sink pond A Belfast sink or old baby bath make attractive mini ponds, or you could sink a full-sized bath into the ground for a bigger pond. Pile up logs or stones to make sure wildlife can get in and out safely.

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RIVERS

RIVERS

H

Wild Life | Winter 2021

Kingfisher stop events happening in the first place.

Our rivers, which should be the life support system for our landscape and society are now struggling to cope with the legacy of development and modification of the floodplain. The failure to prevent ongoing pollution from multiple sources is compounding the impact of climate change and intense abstraction of water for drinking supply, industry and agriculture.

Finding solutions The scale and scope of these problems may seem overwhelming, but we already have the tools and knowledge to bring about desperately needed change. We need the government to commit to robust policies and regulations and appropriate funding

Working with others When it comes to freshwater habitats, collaborative working is crucial to largescale change. Engaging people with rivers and their wildlife ensures a clear and loud voice, calling for change and better protection of wetland habitats by politicians. The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that are intended to unite multiple organisations

Flowering water crowfoot

LAWRENCE BRODLEY

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RICHARD CORBETT

Otter

The perfect storm However, all is not well with our rivers.

A toxic web of issues has degraded these special habitats and is causing the wildlife that depends on them to gradually vanish – 13% of freshwater

and wetland species are threatened with extinction.

Take the River Test as an example.

Although it is designated as a SSSI, this river cannot cope with the mounting pressures being put upon it. Decades of poor decision-making by planners and failed regulation have led to the main channel being hemmed in on both sides by industrial developments and highways for long stretches. Polluting chemicals, fuel, and waste run off the land into the river, choking the life out of it. Water companies regularly abstract water from chalk streams and the discharge of sewage into them has become routine, adding another level of pollution into the mix.

Poor farming techniques upstream further increase nutrient levels as fertilisers and pesticides run off the fields and into the water. As if that was not enough, climate change has led to erratic weather patterns.

More droughts mean the groundwater cannot refill and channels are running dry, while an increase in flooding at other times of the year erodes banks and inundates wildlife homes.

On top of this, the regulatory bodies which are there to levy fines and regulate industries that harm our natural world are chronically underfunded, meaning they struggle to hold polluters to account, let alone deliver preventative measures to

JUSTIN KERCHER

Iconic habitats Chalk streams are a rare habitat, primarily found in England, with a few locations elsewhere in Western Europe.

They are fed from underground chalk aquifers, and it is this filtration that leads to the beautifully clear and pure water that runs in chalk streams and rivers. Some chalk streams are known as winterbournes, meaning some stretches run dry in the hotter months, while others flow year round. Stretches of these rivers in Hampshire are designated as a Special Area for Conservation (SAC) or Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), due to the unique wildlife found there and the rarity of the habitats themselves.

Our streams and rivers are real treasures for nature; salmon and trout use them to spawn, otters make their holts in the banks and water-crowfoot grows beneath the surface. When healthy, these habitats are not only a home for wildlife but are an important factor in flood prevention, climate regulation and water purification.

ampshire is known for its rivers. The iconic chalk streams that wind their way through much of the county are home to unique wildlife communities and create stunning landscapes. Water voles, kingfishers and banded demoiselles all flit and splash along the banks. Or they should do. There is also a dark side to the rivers in this country, as years of mistreatment and failure to adequately protect them has left not a single one of the rivers, lakes or streams in England as being classed ‘in good health’. After years of abuse, our river ecosystems are dying.

But there is still hope for these watery worlds due to the tireless efforts of those campaigning for a better future for our rivers, and those working on the ground to restore and re-link the river channels with their surroundings.

Aerial view of River Test

MARTIN ELLIS

Rivers of life

to help protect and restore our rivers. We must act quickly - further delay could push rivers over a tipping point beyond which they cannot recover.

One of the biggest challenges will be reconnecting rivers with a wilder, more naturally functioning landscape, allowing them to become resilient to future threats and recover from the wounds of the past. At many of our nature reserves we are doing this, re-joining the wetland nature network to allow floodplains, wet woodlands, and water meadows to rewet, helping to alleviate the problems brought about by fluctuating rainfall patterns. For example, at Winnall Moors and Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserves, we have focused on restoring the entire ecosystem, rather than preserving one or two species.

This large-scale, long-term approach can take time to show results, but we are seeing them now on these sites. Certain species, like the rare southern damselfly which needs water meadows and chalk streams, act as a barometer - their presence confirms conservation efforts on the rivers are working.

By creating a nature recovery network of joined-up, functional habitats, with rivers as the thread linking them all, we relieve some of the pressure on our wetlands and their wildlife.

in pursuit of a shared goal. The Trust is currently a lead partner in one such project, Watercress and Winterbournes, that focuses on the seven chalk stream headwaters of the Rivers Test and Itchen.

As well as protecting, enhancing, and celebrating these streams, the project also aims to lay the groundwork for continued progress after the project ends. Some initiatives that will be completed within its span include adding fish passes, installing sediment traps, and creating wildlife habitats. Others, like a new hatchery for nationally endangered white-clawed crayfish, will be launched and then continued by partner organisations.

Perhaps most important, however, are the activities centred around the project’s other partners: the people who live, work, and play along the headwaters. These communities have been integral to the project from its earliest days and will be central to its lasting legacy. The hope is that by inspiring these communities to act for their streams, and equipping them to do so, we can enable them to expand on our achievements. With our talks, walks, education programme, and small project grants, everyone has the chance to explore these magical waters.

Some community members are preparing to not only fight for their streams, but lead the charge. Our volunteers are being trained to remove invasive plants, monitor key species, repair built heritage, and manage key habitats.

Our community groups are developing long-term plans that identify their local priorities and find ways to address them.

These groups are being gradually guided towards independence, so that they can be a driving force for positive action and champion the chalk stream cause with confidence.

It’s important that we look to the future in this way because of what we know, and because of what we don’t. Some issues that currently affect our chalk streams will likely still do so: climate change, for example, or the emergence of historic pollutants from the aquifer. But the fate of these precious places is plagued by uncertainty; what legislation might be passed, what pressures could be added?

The healthier and more resilient we can make these streams now, the more likely they are to survive the future’s challenges – whatever they may be.

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CRAYFISH

CRAYFISH

Over to you

White-clawed crayfish

Now we are turning to you, our members, for help. If you are an interested landowner whose land includes bodies of water with ark site potential, or if you think you may know of such a site, please contact the Trust on Ben.Rushbrook@hiwwt.org.uk.

Finally, there is something we can all do to stop the spread of crayfish plague and other invasive species, helping to protect white-clawed crayfish.

Remember to ‘check, clean and dry’ before and after visiting our rivers, streams, lakes and ponds:

ALEXANDER MUSTARD / 2020VISION

New homes wanted for Hampshire crayfish The Trust is seeking to secure the long-term survival of native white-clawed crayfish in Hampshire by finding or creating new ‘ark’ sites. These sites will allow these endangered crustaceans to live free from the threat of non-native species and other pressures, and we think you might be able to help!

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A female white-clawed crayfish (with eggs).

BEN RUSHBROOK

become established and widespread in English waterways. Larger and more aggressive than their European relatives, signal crayfish have driven white-clawed crayfish out of much of their historic range. However, of even greater impact has been the fungal disease known as crayfish plague. Signal crayfish carry this disease and are largely immune to it themselves, but it will wipe out whiteclawed crayfish populations if the spores get into a water body where they are present. These spores can be carried by signal crayfish themselves or transferred on the boots, waders, wetsuits or fishing equipment of people visiting our rivers, streams, lakes and ponds.

DAVID KILBEY

T

he UK has just one native species of freshwater crayfish the white-clawed crayfish. Our native species typically spends its days hidden away in crevices and under rocks, coming out at night to forage for food. White-clawed crayfish eat a range of freshwater food, from plant matter to carrion and small invertebrates. Sadly, their population has declined by over 90% in Hampshire since the 1970s. This decline has been driven by a combination of habitat loss, pollution, insensitive river management and, crucially, the introduction and spread of non-native crayfish species. One in particular, the North American signal crayfish, has

Non-native signal crayfish are much larger than the native species.

After their eggs hatch, the females are returned to the wild, and their young are reared in the relative safety of captivity.

Once the juveniles are large enough, they are released into suitable parts of the river, upstream of their known populations.

Using this method, we have released more than 1,000 juvenile crayfish since 2014.

Our ecology team continues to monitor their numbers to ensure the crayfish populations remain healthy and to check that no non-native species are present.

Check your clothes, footwear and fishing equipment for live organisms, leaving them at the water body where you found them.

Above and bottom right: Juvenile crayfish release in the upper Itchen.

Creating arks Now, we are looking to establish ‘ark’ sites for white-clawed crayfish. Named after the biblical Noah’s Ark, these are isolated, self-contained sites that will include river headwaters, lakes and ponds. They will be able to support healthy, self-sustaining populations of crayfish with little need for ongoing management.

To meet the criteria of an ark site the waterbody must be free of any existing crayfish populations and have little or no recreational activity, such as water sports, dog swimming or stocking with fish for angling. Also, they must not dry up during the summer and should be no smaller than 0.1 hectare (1000m2) in size.

By far the most important criterion is the absence of and low risk of colonisation by non-native crayfish species. We are therefore aiming to position all our ark sites more than 2 kilometres away from anywhere a signal crayfish has been recorded. Finding suitable sites has proved difficult so far, due to the widespread distribution of signal crayfish in Hampshire.

After conducting a map-based study, we think that areas with most ark site potential are in the north of Hampshire, from the west of Andover across to Basingstoke, and in the east of the county, in the areas to the north and south of New Alresford.

Clean and wash mud and plant material off all equipment, footwear and clothing.

Dry all equipment and clothing - in direct sunlight if you can - as some micro-organisms can live for many days in damp conditions. Make sure you do not transfer water between sites. www.nonnativespecies.org/ checkcleandry

BEN RUSHBROOK

Boosting numbers In Hampshire, white-clawed crayfish are now only found in the headwaters of the River Itchen and on a tributary of the River Test. With the support and collaboration of key partners, the Vitacress Conservation Trust, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Sparsholt College and the Bristol Zoological Society, the Trust’s Southern Chalkstreams Project has been working to expand the range of the River Itchen population. This has been achieved by collecting female crayfish with clutches of eggs and taking them into a specialist hatchery at Bristol Zoo Gardens.

BEN RUSHB ROOK

A site on the Upper Itchen that currently supports white-clawed crayfish.

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TEAM WILDER

TEAM WILDER

TEAM

VIVID Homes

Creating a garden for the community

As well as making donations and taking practical action in the workplace, there are so many different ways that businesses can join Team Wilder and help us create a wilder future for both people and wildlife.

ANDY AME S

Southern Co-op

Putting sustainability at the heart of their business Southern Co-op is a long-term partner of the Trust. They put sustainability at the heart of everything they do and are committed to helping build a fairer society and a more sustainable world.

They have been an important partner in the introduction and rollout of our flagship Team Wilder programme, Wilder Portsmouth. We are now almost two years into our Wilder Portsmouth project and have seen fabulous progress from North End to South Parade Pier, with a wildlife haven at every junction. The project has been such a success that, with the continued support of Southern Co-op, we are rolling out a Team Wilder programme on the Isle of Wight. You can read about our new Wilder Wight Communities Officer

Volunteers at the lido.

for the Island on page 12.

Southern Co-op have also made great efforts to understand and enhance the biodiversity that lives on their estate. In 2013 the company engaged the Trust’s ecology services team, Arcadian, to create a biodiversity action plan for a newly acquired site, which will become The Oaks Crematorium in Havant. Each year following the creation of the plan, the Trust has undertaken a range of surveys at the crematorium including monitoring the fantastic wildflower meadow that Southern Co-op have created. Our surveys have shown that there are now more than 100 different botanical species present at The Oaks. The meadow is an excellent habitat for bees, grasshoppers

We have been working with Vivid Homes in Portsmouth to develop a wilder space for residents. The fountain located next to Hillsea Lido is being transformed into a glorious garden and outdoor space where local people can put their green fingers to work. This is a great example of a local business collaborating with us to create a wilder future within their local community.

Vitacress Farm Excellence

Sustainable farming for a wilder future

and butterflies and provides cover and foraging opportunities for small mammals.

Because of their incredible commitment to us, we were thrilled to award Southern Co-op the Wilder Business of the Year award for 2021.

We’ve partnered with Vitacress and LEAF to increase the sustainability of Vitacress’s farming techniques across leaf crop, protected growing and aquaculture.

Vitacress Farm Excellence (VFE) is a conservation farming scheme that will help Vitacress deliver more biodiversity as part of its wider environmental ambition to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2040.

The programme creates a longstanding commitment for Vitacress to reduce their

impact on the environment, demonstrate best practice and set ambitious new standards for the industry, providing the opportunity for their business to contribute to the recovery of wildlife in the broader landscape.

The Trust’s ecological consultancy, Arcadian Ecology, has been conducting surveys and working with the farm managers to develop tailored 10-year biodiversity management plans. By sustainably managing farmland

and enhancing or creating areas with benefits for wildlife, such as improving existing ponds or establishing wild bird seed plots and wildflower patches, nature has been given the chance to recover outside of specifically protected areas like nature reserves. These linked habitats form a nature recovery network, where species can move safely and freely in the landscape. www.hiwwt.org.uk/ vitacress-farm-excellence

Mullens Farm

Loungers Clothing

Feel good. Do good.

Back in August, we launched a new partnership with Hampshire-based company, Loungers Clothing. Inspired by our vision of a wilder future and, knowing that small actions can have a great impact on nature, business owners Karen and Deborah knew they wanted to be part of Team Wilder.

Together they have designed and created limited-edition lounge trousers in our brand colours, and have committed to making a donation to the Trust from every pair of Wilder Loungers sold. The Wilder Loungers are perfect for either cosying up to watch 22

Wild Life | Winter 2021

wildlife from your window or relaxing in after a day out in nature. And we think they’d make an ideal Christmas gift, too! www.loungersclothing.com

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6 places to see birds of prey

See the spectacle

for yourself

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3 4

6

5

1

F arlington Marshes, 1 Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Look out for kestrels and marsh harriers over this coastal nature reserve, where large numbers of migratory wildfowl gather on the water. Short-eared owls can be seen hunting over the Point Field and southern end of the main marsh.

Where: Portsmouth, PO6 1UN 2 Wheldrake Ings, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust In winter, huge flocks of ducks and wading birds visit the flooded fields, often attracting the attention of peregrine falcons. Other birds to look out for include merlins, buzzards, barn owls and sparrowhawks.

Where: Near York, YO19 6AX 3 Gors Maen Llwyd, North Wales Wildlife Trust Meaning ‘Bog of the Grey Stone’, Gors Maen Llwyd is named for one particularly large stone deposited by retreating ice sheets. This heather moorland is home to buzzards and kestrels, and you might also find a hen harrier, red kite, merlin or even goshawk.

Where: Nantglyn, LL16 5RN Lower Test Marshes, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust This coastal marsh is a green oasis in a busy suburban environment, and a great place to see marsh harrier and osprey. During the winter months, strategically placed viewing areas provide exceptional viewing points, from which you can also see great flocks of waders and wildfowl.

Where: Totton, SO40 3BR 4

SHORT-EARED OWL © DANNY GREEN/2020VISION

F

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rom a kestrel hovering above a roadside verge to a barn owl drifting over a grassy field, spotting a bird of prey is always a special experience. One of the best things about these feathered predators is that they can be seen almost anywhere – practically any patch of sky could hold a circling buzzard, and sparrowhawks often venture into gardens. But some birds of prey have to be sought out, and by visiting a nature reserve you can often see several species in action.

Winter is a great time to track down many of our birds of prey, with some roosting in large numbers, others attracted by gatherings of ducks, starlings or other small birds, and some even starting their courtship or territorial displays.

5 Hickling Broad, Norfolk Wildlife Trust Witness one of winter’s greatest wildlife spectacles as dozens of marsh harriers come in to roost in the reedbed at Stubbs Mill each evening. They are sometimes joined in the air by hen harriers, merlins and barn owls. The reserve is also home to roosting common cranes.

Where: Hickling, NR12 0BW 6 St Catherine’s Hill, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust A dramatic 220ft climb up St Catherine’s Hill’s wooden stairs reveals showstopping views of Winchester city, as well as the Itchen Valley floodplains, where kestrels and buzzards can be seen hunting. You might also find red kites circling overhead.

Where: Winchester, SO23 9PA

Did you spot any birds of prey?

Wild Life | Winter 2021

We’d love to know how your search went.

Please tweet us your best photos! @hantsiwwildlife

THE RESTLESS WORLD OF SALTMARSHES

Clive Chatters has worked for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust since the 1980s. He has written a celebration of Britain’s saltmarshes: Saltmarsh, No.5 in the British Wildlife Collection, published in 2017

by Bloomsbury.

Shaped by cattle Like most of our country’s habitats, the ecosystems of saltmarshes co-evolved with large wild mammals. Aurochs, the native wild cattle of Europe, were last known on our saltmarshes some three and a half thousand years ago, by which time domesticated cows were well established as their successors. The most diverse saltmarshes for birds, plants and invertebrates are those with a high structural diversity, which is created by extensive cattle grazing. To the eye, high structural diversity means a patchy landscape of flowery creek sides with lawns of shorter turf; it’s a tough world to live in, where few things thrive, but many survive. Such tensions are integral to biologically diverse places.

T

SALTMARSH FROM ABOVE © TERRY WHITTAKER/2020VISION

he Reverend Sabine BaringGould’s melodrama, Mehalah: a Story of the Salt Marshes, is a cautionary tale of estuarine life where the heroine’s fate is bound up in a maze of creeks and back channels. The novel celebrates the marshes, ‘A more desolate region can scarce be conceived, and yet it is not without beauty’. My childhood memories are those of Mahalah’s marshes, which surround Mersea Island, off the Essex coast. The reek of silty ooze never really leaves you, nor do the reflections on engulfing tides or the astonishing concentration of life in so superficially barren a place.

Saltmarsh habitats can be found wherever plants are soaked in brine.

As an island nation we tend to think of saltmarshes as coastal habitats, but that is not always the case — Worcestershire Wildlife Trust care for a saltmarsh near landlocked Droitwich Spa, where avocet chicks feed amongst the saline turf and pools. For all lovers of wildflowers, wherever you live, there will be a kerbside near to you where a suite of salty species has followed the spread of council gritters.

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Wild Life | Winter 2021

It is currently estimated there are some 48,250ha of saltmarsh in the United Kingdom — that’s just under 70,000 football pitches!

Before the advent of industrial farming our saltmarshes were some of the most important pastures in the rural economy.

Not only do tidal marshes get a twice-daily dose of silty fertility, but their saltiness also suppresses the disorders of livestock that abound in freshwater wetlands. For at least two thousand years, our ancestors tried to tame this wild abundance by building seawalls, so creating the vast brackish grazing marshes of our southern estuaries.

The Gwent and Somerset Levels of the Severn estuary retain some of our richest marshes, including those cared for by the Gwent Wildlife Trust that have recently been reprieved from a realignment of the M4 motorway. Unfortunately, the natural wealth of our saltmarshes is overlooked by some people who mistakenly regarded them as worthless places that are just waiting to be built on.

The very best marshes are where there is a gradient from hyper-saline brine pools, crystalising under the summer sun, to channels with full strength seawater that grade upstream to a point where the smallest pinch of salt is barely detectable. These complete transitions can be found around sea lochs and sheltered bays in the north-west, but

An ever-changing landscape Long experience shows us that manipulating saltmarshes comes at a cost. Saltmarshes are naturally dynamic; over generations they shift across the landscape with the ebb and flow of the tide.

As conservationists we have no status quo to conserve, we have to embrace change because we cannot stop it. Attempts to fix a saltmarsh to the spot, as a nature reserve, or somewhere that’s been built on, create long term liabilities, not only to maintain the sea walls but also to cope with the enhanced flood risk that this brings. We can delay responding to these natural processes, but each deferral means that when change comes, it is all the greater.

Saltmarshes are being lost at a rate of c.100ha a year, mostly to sea level rise.

Essex Wildlife Trust has led the way in realigning seawalls so that there are new marshes that meet the needs of today. We now have confidence that the wildlife of saltmarshes is eminently capable of moving into fresh sediments when the opportunity is offered. At the same time, the revived marsh becomes a nursery ground for the local fishery, a buffer against storm surges and the thick organic sediments sequester carbon at a rate that exceeds most tree plantings.

Once rejuvenated, healthy saltmarshes offer us a way to address the crisis of climate change.

Wildlife havens Saltmarshes, and particularly the abundant birdlife they support, inspired the establishment of the nature conservation movement

in Britain. It was the opportunity to acquire the marshes at Cley on the north Norfolk coast that led to the foundation of the first Wildlife Trust in 1926. The guaranteed seasonal spectacle of migrating birds has enthused our movement to protect some of our largest nature reserves, from the sheltered Montrose Basin in Angus to the Rockcliffe marshes where Cumbria’s Solway coast meets the borderlands of Scotland.

Flocks from all over the northern hemisphere head to winter on our sediment shores, brent geese from Siberia, oystercatchers from Norway, knot from the Arctic and teal from the Baltic. The great journeys taken by estuarine birds are worthwhile because here on the wet western limits of Europe they find a winter refuge, free from the deep freeze of their breeding grounds.

The Wildlife Trusts have a particular role to play in safeguarding the diversity and wonder of saltmarshes. For generations, local people have treasured what makes their patch special — be that the superdiversity of beetles in a brackish creek or a picotee strand of thrift along the tideline.

Collectively the Wildlife Trusts have taken responsibility for an astonishing assortment of habitats that we lump into the clumsy category of saltmarsh. Our nature reserves help us to appreciate the importance of local distinctiveness in this superficially desolate but unquestionably beautiful landscape.

There are 44 different plant communities recognised from British saltmarshes.

Saltmarsh is one of our ‘super hero’ habitats when it comes to helping combat climate change. Find out more about this habitat and others that need protecting and restoring to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to change: www.wildlifetrusts.org/emergency Wild Life | Winter 2021

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CATTLE, SALTMARSH FLATS, SEA THRIFT © CLIVE CHATTERS

Grazing cattle create diverse marshes.

they are exceptionally rare in the south where those coastal landscapes have become fragmented. One such site can be found upstream of Southampton Docks where the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust manage the Lower Test marshes. Surveys of the saltier parts of these marshes show their restless character, moving around the floodplain and migrating upstream as sea levels rise in response to climate change.

APPEAL

APPEAL

Help us celebrate 60 years of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust avocet at Farlington Marshes (page 8) or the reintroduction of marsh fritillary butterflies in north Hampshire. We are fortunate that our founding members had the foresight to protect these special places as, without them, wildlife would be in a far worse state.

This year we are celebrating our 60th Anniversary and, to mark the occasion, we’ve been asking our supporters to make a gift to local wildlife by supporting our

nature reserves. Your support will help us continue protecting our irreplaceable nature reserves as safe havens for wildlife.

We’ve encouraged everyone that has donated to tell us their favourite Trust nature reserve and why they love these special places. Thank you to everyone who has donated to the appeal so far to help support our nature reserves, and we have loved reading your wonderful stories and comments.

DARIN SMITH

“Warnborough Greens is a delight when the meadow flowers bloom.”

Mr & Mrs Needham

Avocet

“I saw my first kingfisher at St Clair’s Meadow.”

Andrea and Marina

CHRIS BUTTON

Seeing the change at Pamber Forest “When I first started at the Trust 30 years ago I would see perhaps five buzzards in an entire year. As practices have changed and persecution stopped, the buzzard has made a brilliant recovery. They are slow breeders, so their resurgence has been gradual but steady. Now five pairs of buzzards nest within Pamber Forest! And it looks like the red kite will be the next to follow this trend. After reintroductions to Britain in the 90s they are increasing and the first pair nested in Pamber in 2020.

It has been amazing to see this happen.”

Graham Dennis, Reserves Officer

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“I am lucky enough to have 3 reserves in walking distance of my home. Whilst it has year round appeal it is the churring of nightjars at dusk in Roydon Woods that does it for me.”

Brian Matthews

“I am extremely proud to have returned breeding wader numbers to historic levels. It has taken a lot of work to get the habitats at Farlington Marshes into the best condition for these birds – including avocet and lapwing – and to ensure they are able to fledge chicks on the marsh. It could never have happened without the dedicated efforts of staff and volunteers.”

Chris Lycett, Senior Reserves Officer

“Eaglehead & Bloodstone Copse is particularly special to me because I have known it since childhood. It is also one that I am proud to now be involved in managing. The ancient woodland and its flora are beautiful and the small piece of chalk grassland is simply stunning.”

Jamie Marsh, Senior Reserves Manager

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Noar Hill Nature Reserve

My wildlife highlight

A special place

Buzzard

Mike Lawn

MIKE READ

O

ur nature reserves are some of the best remaining places for wildlife, providing space for nature to thrive. Over the past 60 years, they have provided a vital refuge for our rarest and most vulnerable species and habitats. You will have read about many of the conservation success stories our nature reserves have supported on these pages, including the return of breeding populations of

“I’ve spent many happy hours here at Noar Hill amongst the flowers, insects and birds.”

Marsh fritillary

By making a gift to celebrate our nature reserves you are supporting local wildlife through the vital conservation of over

4,600

hectares of habitat across our two counties.

“Winnall Moors is my calm place of beauty where I have often been thrilled by unexpected sightings of wildlife.” Elizabeth

Donate now

If you haven’t donated yet, or if you’ve been inspired to donate again, there is still time. Head over to our website and show your support at www.hiwwt.org.uk/60th-anniversary-appeal or scan the QR code (right).

Alternatively, you can set up a Just Giving page and ask friends to make a donation in lieu of sending you a Christmas card this year. Visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/60th-anniversary-appeal

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OUR WILDLIFE CHAMPIONS

MY WILD LIFE Izzie doing research in Washington State.

Izzie Tween

was lucky enough to carry out my research on the Bamff estate in Perthshire, with the generous support of the Ramsay family, who have a real passion for rewilding and shared their enthusiasm with me. And I suppose the rest is history, as they say!

I was fortunate enough to be able to continue my work with beavers in the USA. I worked on the Methow Beaver Project in Washington State, on an International Exchange relocating beavers.

The beavers are encouraged to build their dams at their release sites where their industrious efforts can be put to good use storing water on the landscape and causing lower stream temperatures, which leads to excellent habitat for young Pacific salmon. I spent three seasons working on this project in Washington, during which I gained my Masters in Environmental Science at Washington State University.

I then took up a permanent position with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, where my role as Native Aquatics Technician encompassed not just beavers but also threatened and endangered species of fish, amphibians and molluscs. When my temporary student visa expired, I was delighted when the opportunity came up to use my experience to develop rewilding projects here in the UK!

Izzie joined the Trust this summer as our Beaver Recovery Project Officer. Izzie has been developing an engagement plan and working with the local communities and stakeholders on the Island to develop our plans to return beavers to the Eastern Yar. I got involved in conservation from an early age, as my dad works for Luton Borough Council as Senior Landscape & Ecology Officer. So, at the age of eight (as soon as I was old enough to be covered by the insurance!), I would volunteer with Luton and Dunstable Conservation Volunteers in the Chiltern Hills, helping to restore chalk grassland habitats and meadows of the River Lea. I did my Bachelors in Zoology at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, and while there I got the opportunity to go on a field course on Aquatic Ecology 30

Wild Life | Winter 2021

at Kindrogan Field Studies Centre, which I found really enjoyable and inspiring! Rivers are so beautiful, and I was already spending as much time as possible white-water kayaking, so the chance to study them seemed the perfect marriage of my research interests and passions! Beavers had recently been reintroduced in Scotland, but were quite under studied at the time, so I decided to do my undergraduate dissertation on the environmental impact of beaver reintroductions. Beavers had been absent from the UK for about 400 years, and they can change habitats dramatically - hence they are known as ‘ecosystem engineers’. I

Bella, the north American beaver.

As I start my role with the Trust, my first job will be to reacquaint myself with the local area! When I was growing up, I went on family holidays to the Isle of Wight, but my new role will involve becoming familiar with more than just my childhood

Beaver release in Washington State.

haunts of Blackgang Chine, Robin Hill and Alum Bay! From a practical point, I will be working on preparing the licence application for a beaver reintroduction to be approved by Natural England.

Just as important will be engaging with members of the community, reaching out to landowners and interested stakeholders and listening to opinions from the wider community. Beavers have an extensive impact on the environment, so making sure that a full consultation process is carried out before a release is fundamental to the success of the project. We hope to get local people on board by working with all stakeholders on plans for the longterm management of beavers, to allow the community and nature to co-exist. Public support through engagement with nature is rising, so I’m excited to see what we can achieve here on the Island in the next few years!

safe from predation, and they are also surrounded by a copse of woodland full of beavers’ favourite food - trees such as willow and alder. We anticipate beavers will thrive in this habitat, and the sites will benefit from the localised flooding that beaver dams would generate, leading to an increase in habitat complexity and biodiversity.

Cutting edge research from the University of Exeter, using the Devon Beaver Trial as a case study, has shown that beaver dams can retain water, slowing it down behind them and reducing the risk of flash flooding during storm events. We therefore hope to use beavers’ ingenuity to strategically flood our local wetland nature reserves, which will hold back water to the benefit of urban communities downstream.

The Eastern Yar is the perfect place for beavers to be reintroduced, as it provides the perfect combination of excellent quality habitat and a large proportion of the land alongside it is owned and managed for conservation. We are particularly excited about the potential of Newchurch Moors Nature Reserve, which lies in the Eastern Yar catchment.

The river flows right through this wetland, and there are some large pools of standing water on the site. These pools will provide the deep water needed for beavers to feel

“Public support through engagement with nature is rising, so I’m excited to see what we can achieve here on the Island in the next few years!”

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Give the gift of membership this winter If you are looking to treat the nature lover in your life, the gift of membership could be the perfect present. Whether they enjoy spring blossom, a profusion of beautiful butterflies and insects in summer, autumnal bird watching, or scanning for sea life in winter, there is so much to discover with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

The support from your gift helps us protect wildlife and wild places in our two counties while bringing your loved one a year of unforgettable memories.

Contact our membership team today on 01489 774408 or visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/shop Membership starts from just £3.50 a month.

The recipient of your membership gift will receive l a welcome pack l our reserves guide l our magazine, three times a year

Family members also receive junior membership which includes regular Wildlife Watch magazines

RED SQUIRREL: MARK HAMBLIN / 2020VISION

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