Wild Life - Summer 2024

Wild Life Wildlife wonders in the summer sun

Connecting land for nature

Find out how creating a mosaic of habitats allows nature to thrive

Beautiful butterf lies

Discover the best locations for spotting these delicate insects

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

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Creating space for nature

Our environment and wild places face many challenges. The most recent State of Nature report highlights that wildlife is declining at an alarming rate, and that the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth.

The reasons for the decline are clear: from habitat loss, climate change and pollution – but we also know the solutions to these challenges. This includes restoring nature at scale, and in this summer edition of Wild Life, we examine the importance of restoring and connecting land for nature.

Turn to page 18 to find out how our Wilder 2030 strategy sets out our ambitious but achievable priorities, including how we are creating more space for nature across our two counties, and in particular in the Eastern Yar Valley.

According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), the definition of ecological connectivity is the unimpeded movement of species and the flow of natural processes that sustain life on Earth. Put simply, connectivity is the ability of plants or animals to move through a landscape.

Turn to page 22 to discover how wildlife corridors are helping red squirrels move through the landscape, and connecting the local population between two nature reserves on the Isle of Wight. We also examine habitats which are benefiting from landscape scale restoration, enabling species to recover.

Butterflies are very good indicators of the health and state of biodiversity in the UK. Their short life cycles mean they react quickly to environmental changes. They also require healthy single sites through to networks of connected landscapes. Over 40 butterfly species can be found across our counties, each adapted to specific environmental conditions. They

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

Editor Helen Skelton-Smith

Designer Keely Docherty-Lee

Registered charity number 201081. Company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales No. 676313. Website hiwwt.org.uk

● We manage 67 nature reserves.

● We are supported by over 28,000 members and friends, and 1,500 volunteers.

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.

Cover image Stoat © Shutterstock

can be found living across a wide range of habitats, from woodlands and dunes to grasslands and meadows.

Chalk downland is one of the rarest habitats in the country. Traditionally, it would have been grazed by wild rabbits and sheep that ate the scrub and longer grasses, thus creating a habitat supporting a remarkable array of plants and insects, including butterflies. Turn to page 8 to discover how St Catherine’s Hill, and its ancient chalk downland, provides the ideal habitat for butterflies. Whilst on page 26, discover six of the finest nature reserves to visit this summer to see butterflies.

We know that conservation actions deliver results for nature, and given the opportunity wildlife will recover. Your help is vital in helping us to redress the balance and continue our vital conservation work. Thank you for being a member - it really does mean the world to us.

Helen Skelton-Smith, Editor Email: webmarketing@hiwwt.org.uk

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Wild Life is the membership magazine for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

WILD SEASON

4 Your wild summer

The best of this season’s nature, including marvellous mayflies.

8 Reserves spotlight

Take a closer look at St Catherine’s Hill Nature Reserve.

10 Wild news

A round-up of the latest Trust news, successes and updates.

16 Team Wilder

Success of the Trust’s first Wilder Schools Conference, and inspirational teachers helping bring nature to school children.

FEATURES

18 Connecting land for nature

Addressing the importance of connectivity for wildlife, including our Wilder strategy, on the Isle of Wight.

22 Restoring habitats

From hedgerows and seagrass to wetlands and rewilding, we examine how our work is helping nature’s recovery.

REGULARS

14 A word from our CEO

A column from Debbie Tann MBE, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Chief Executive.

17 Photo club

Celebrating our two counties through our favourite staff photos.

26 Brilliant bu erflies

Discover six places to see butterflies.

28 Wildlife gardening

The secrets of peat-free compost.

30 My wild life

Ben Pickup, Reserves Officer (Lower Test Valley), talks about how growing up near Farlington Marshes inspired his love for nature and helped shape his career.

Your wild summer

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

The common or ‘green drake’ mayfly can be found around freshwater wetlands, from fast-flowing rivers to still lakes, where the larvae spend their lives underwater, feeding on algae and plants.

JON HAWKINS - SURREY HILLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Marvellous mayflies

There are 51 species of mayflies, which are also known as ‘up-winged flies’. They start their lives as eggs, which the females attach to stones on the stream bed. The speed of their development is dictated by the water’s temperature but is usually complete in about 30 days. Adulthood for mayflies is unique, since unlike other insects they have two adult forms: the dull-coloured ‘dun’ and the clear-winged ‘spinner’ that follows. Some adults retain their three tails, while others keep only two. Their wings are held upright, butterfly-style, above their bodies.

In summer, the adults hatch – sometimes simultaneously and in their hundreds. They have very short lives (just hours in some cases), during which they display and breed. Many species do not feed as adults as their sole purpose is to reproduce, dying once they have mated. The name ‘mayfly’ is misleading as many mayflies can be seen all year round.

Invertebrates including riverflies (riverflies comprise of three insect groups: mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies) may be small, but they’re mighty when it comes to spotting problems on chalk streams. As a major food source for fish, birds and mammals, their presence – or absence – directly impacts other wildlife populations. Moreover, because of their key role in these ecosystems, invertebrates act as ‘canaries in the coal mine’ for the health of the habitat at large.

Riverflies spend prolonged periods in the water, and don’t roam far from their place of origin. They are especially sensitive to environmental pressures, with specific sensitivities varying between species. These traits make riverflies invaluable for detecting problems that may be missed by spot water sampling. The disappearance of a certain species can warn of harmful pesticides, algae-feeding fertilisers, low flow, or excess sediment.

Turn to page 11 to discover more about how the health of chalk streams are monitored.

SEE THEM THIS SUMMER

 Winnall Moors Nature Reserve

This reserve is a picturesque nature reserve in the centre of Winchester. The River Itchen flows through the length of the reserve and is a vital habitat for riverflies. The river also provides water for wet grassland, reedbeds, wet woodland and streams.

 Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve

Nestled in the heart of the Avon Valley, Blashford Lakes offers a tranquil setting for observing mayflies. The reserve’s pristine waters are a haven for these delicate insects, creating a perfect backdrop for a summertime wildlife adventure.

Red admirals on the rise

Butterfly transect surveys are an important method of robustly measuring changes in butterfly populations. During 2023, Pollard transects took place across the Trust’s reserves. Named after Dr Ernie Pollard, who helped design and pilot the methodology, the transect method involves recording butterfly species on weekly walks between April and September.

The transect data forms the core of the UKBMS (UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme) and helps give a national picture on the changes in butterfly populations across the country.

The Trust’s 2023 butterfly Pollard transects recorded over 37,000 individuals across 32 sites. Several species were found in different locations including the red admiral, which was seen at 27 reserves. This species also saw a 578% long term average increase against the previous best count, which was in 2007.

The 2023 Big Butterfly Count also revealed a huge surge in red admiral sightings across the country. 170,000 sightings were submitted, which was an impressive increase of 400% on the same period from the previous year.

Butterfly Conservation, who organise the count, believe that climate change is the driver behind this long-term increase. Each spring, and continuing through the summer, red admirals migrate north where females lay eggs. Consequently, there is an emergence of fresh butterflies from July onwards.

However, in recent years, scientists are seeing an indication that numbers have increased, and that the species is now also overwintering in the UK, particularly in the South of England. With temperatures increasing, the red admiral’s need to return to its southerly winter habitat is reducing, which means that it is possible that a greater number of the species may start spending the winter in the UK.

Most red admirals are migrants to the UK from North Africa and continental Europe, arriving in spring and laying eggs that hatch from July onwards. But some adults manage to survive the winter by hibernating here. Adults may be seen flying on warm days throughout the year, although they are most common in the summer and early autumn. The caterpillars feed on common nettles.

The red admiral belongs to the Nymphalidae – the largest butterfly family in terms of species and often in wing size too. Nymphalids are known as ‘brush-footed’ butterflies due to the brush-like hairs on two small forelegs, which they curl up whilst standing on the other four legs.

Glow-worms in summer

Not actually a worm at all, the glow-worm is a small beetle of meadows, grassland and hedgerows. Glow-worms live for up to three years as predatory larvae, living under rocks and hidden deep in grassy tussocks where they mainly feed on snails. Once they’ve matured, they emerge as adults who are active for just a few weeks during the summer. The adults don’t feed, but instead put all their energy into mating.

Early summer is the best time to go on a glow-worm hunt. Choose a still, warm evening with a crescent moon (glow-worms are less likely to glow with a full moon).

They are at their most numerous on calcareous grasslands where there are plenty of small snail species for them to feed on. Try visiting one of the Trust’s grassland nature reserves after dark, and see what you can find.

GUY EDWARDES / 2020VISION

BRILLIANT BEETLES

HEAR THIS

Listen out for the ‘chiff chaff chiff chaff’ song of the appropriately named chiffchaff. It can be heard in woodland, scrub, parks and gardens.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Stoat or weasel?

SMELL THIS

The scent from honeysuckle is strongest at night, and moths can detect it up to a quarter of a mile away.

Unlike weasels, stoats have a black tip at the end of their tail.

The weasel is the UK’s smallest carnivore. It belongs to a group of animals known as mustelids, which means it has a long body and short legs and is related to otters and stoats.

The weasel is so small and agile that it fits into the burrows of its small rodent prey (it likes to eat voles and mice, as well as small birds), enabling this small mammal to hunt day or night and in any season; it can even hunt in the snow.

The stoat is also a small predator, with a long, low-slung body that makes it particularly well suited to also hunting small rodents and rabbits. It can easily kill an adult rabbit, which is much larger than itself, with a bite to the base of the skull.

In the winter, stoats living in colder climes may turn almost completely white, with just a black tip to the tail. This is known as ‘ermine’ and the fur is extra dense to help them keep warm. Stoats in warmer parts of the UK may not change colour at all, or may take on a ‘patchy’ appearance.

See them this summer

The stoat is active by day and night, and is easiest to spot in open habitats, such as sand dunes, grassland and heathland. They mate in summer, but delay implantation of the fertilised egg until the spring of the following year. They have one litter of six to 12 kits a year.

The weasel lives in lots of different habitats including woodland, grassland, and moorland. Their young are called kits, and they can have up to two litters a year with three to six kits per litter.

The stoat has an orangey-brown back, a creamy white throat and belly, and a blacktipped tail. It is larger than the similar weasel, and has a longer tail. Whereas the weasel has a russet-brown back, and its tail doesn’t have a black tip like the stoat. However, it does have a creamy white throat and belly like the stoat.

A big difference between the two species is how they move. The stoat has a distinctive bounding gait, arching its back as it moves; weasels do not bound, but run close to the ground with a straight back.

Kingfisher

Surprisingly tricky to spot, the kingfisher spends most of its time sitting quietly on a perch. It can be surprising how small a kingfisher is when first seen: only slightly bigger than a house sparrow.

Common green shieldbug

A recent beneficiary of climate change, the common green shieldbug was once restricted to Southern England. It is now common across much of England and Wales, and spreading further northwards.

Adder

The adder is a relatively small, stocky snake that prefers woodland, heathland and moorland habitats. It hunts lizards and small mammals, as well as ground-nesting birds, such as skylark and meadow pipit.

ALAN PRICE SIMON KING

RICHARD STEEL / 2020VISION

Discover St Catherine’s Hill

St Catherine’s Hill is a remnant of ancient chalk downland which is part of a chalk ridge that forms the South Downs, and part of the National Park. Its 47 hectares includes a flower-rich grassland which is home to stunning wildflowers, plus over 25 different species of butterflies.

A rare habitat

Chalk grassland is the site’s priority habitat and one of the reasons for its Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) designation. This precious habitat now only covers 4% of the South Downs National Park. This reflects the national picture: since the 1940s over 80% has been lost.

Chalk grassland is incredibly special. It has been likened to the rainforests for their bio abundance and diversity, and is home to a remarkable array of plants and animals. For example, nearly a third of all UK butterfly species can be found on chalk grassland.

During the 2023 butterfly transect survey for St Catherine’s Hill, an impressive 32 species and 6,144 butterflies were recorded, including 914 chalkhill blues.

According to the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS), St Catherine’s Hill Nature Reserve is one of the top six sites in Hampshire for the chalkhill blue. The species is found

on both the hill and the remains of the ancient Dongas trackways. These parallel hollows were created by the herding of thousands of animals with carts, and taking them to market in medieval times. The deep hollows are named after a technical term for eroded gullies. Sheep currently graze the site (to encourage wildlife to flourish), and can frequently be found in the trackways.

The M3 motorway has sadly severed the site, but it is reassuring that the Dongas remains a stronghold for the chalkhill blue according to the most recent survey. As its name suggests, the chalkhill blue is restricted to chalk and limestone grassland where its foodplant horseshoe vetch grows. Turn to page 6 to read more about how butterfly transect surveys are conducted.

Vital habitat for breeding birds

The reserve’s scrub thickets are important for breeding birds including the yellowhammer. This classic farmland bird has declined nationally by more than 50% over the past 25 years, mostly due to intensive farming and the loss of hedgerows. The reserve is important for their local population.

Traditionally, the grassland would have been grazed by wild rabbits and sheep which ate the scrub and longer grasses. Today, rabbits can still be found in abundance and conservation grazing continues to take place with cattle and sheep.

Several species of warblers visit each summer. The chiffchaff is typically the first to arrive (as early as February) whilst the shy garden warbler arrives in April. It is most likely to be heard rather than seen in the dense shrubs as they forage for insects. In April, the whitethroat arrives back from Sub-Saharan Africa. The blackcap was once just a summer visitor, but can now be seen all year-round as winter migrants from north-east Europe appear from September onwards.

Summer species

In the summer months, the flower-rich chalk comes alive with an abundance of colourful wildflowers and butterflies. Pyramidal and common spotted orchids, along with the odd greater butterfly orchid can be seen from the new path which follows the cycle track. This area is also a hot spot for the bee orchid. Plentiful brown argus, small blue, meadow brown and small heath butterflies can be seen during the warm weather.

The summer highlight for Bea Walecki, Reserve Officer (Central), is the Devil’sbit scabious: “There is a really good

Right: The male chalkhill blue butterfly can be found flying just above the vegetation, searching for females, from July to September.

population of this species and during July and August there is a sea of purple. The whole hilltop is covered which is quite interesting as it’s mainly found on marshy wet areas but as it is such a good seeder, and we have the right kind of germination habitat, it does really well. It is a native plant and a really good pollinator, so it is fantastic to have it on site”.

Enjoy a scenic walk

St Catherine’s Hill is a fabulous place to enjoy a summer walk. A dramatic 220ft

climb up the reserve’s wooden stairs reveals showstopping views of Winchester city, as well as the Itchen Valley floodplains and the downland it nestles in. At the summit are the earthworks of an Iron Age fort, (which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument), buried ruins of a Norman chapel and a copse of beech trees which provide welcome shade from the summer sun. Whilst on the way down explore the ‘mizmaze’, one of only eight remaining English turf mazes, and which is formed by grooves cut into the

chalky ground (as opposed to raised earth).

When visiting St Catherine’s Hill please follow the tracks. There is also a circular walk around the site. Enter via the gate on Itchen Way into St Catherine’s Hill. Head up the Northern steps to climb the hill and follow the chalk path along the hill’s perimeter. Go over the hilltop and find the mizmaze on the other side of the circle of trees. Walk down the hill on the opposite side and find the car park and café at the bottom.

Thank you to our volunteer groups

In progress - restoration on the northern face started last winter.

The vision for a connected ecological network

The Trust received funding from National Highways, through the Network for Nature programme, to undertake an ambitious project across two Southern Water owned sites to restore chalk grassland on the northern face of St Catherine’s Hill, (which has been subject to much human intervention) and improve land management at Morestead Road Wastewater Treatment Works for the benefit of wildlife.

The Trust’s vision is to create a more robust and connected ecological network: through creating a haven for wildlife at the western gateway to the South Downs National Park and enhancing the biodiversity interest and connectivity of the Morestead Road site.

Firstly, a feasibility study was undertaken to investigate the ecological and geological constraints, methods, quantity and cost of delivering the project; this also included a Duke of Burgundy butterfly assessment which identified that the site would be suitable as a stepping stone to enable Duke of Burgundy to move within the landscape.

To enable the restoration of the chalk grassland, the vegetation was first cut back (under ecological supervision) to dissuade reptiles from the area before hibernation; followed by removal of the

which is quite interesting as it’s mainly found o

nettle rhizome layer by diggers to reduce nettle re-growth in preparation for seeding. These arisings were used to infill some of the old pits in the south of the site.

Thank you to all the volunteers who contributed over 80 hours of their time to plant over 750 hedge whips (a mix of hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel and elder) and 120kg of chalk grassland seed, comprising a mix of flowers and grasses from local donor sites, including cowslip which is the larval foodplant of Duke of Burgundy.

New stock proof fencing, corral and gates have also been installed to allow conservation grazing and continued management at both St Catherine’s Hill and Morestead Road.

Whilst the site has no public access, it can be viewed through the fencing on the north side of St Catherine’s Hill; giving fantastic views across the site and over the downs.

The work doesn’t stop here though, as vegetation management of the site will continue. This will primarily be through grazing including sheep purchased through the project and manual methods to control scrub and nettle growth. Monitoring will also be undertaken to see how the site develops for both plants and animals.

Thank you to the Volunteer reserve work parties, along with Corporate Volunteer Days, who provide invaluable help on our reserves. Practical conservation tasks at St Catherine’s Hill include infrastructure projects, clearing scrub, and maintenance of the mizmaze. Find out how to volunteer on the Trust website: www.hiwwt.org. uk/volunteering-opportunities

SARAH JACKSON

SARAH JACKSON

WILD NEWS

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

A hoppy ending

During February, the Swanwick Lakes Education and Engagement Team rescued 170 toads and seven frogs on their perilous journeys back to their breeding grounds.

During breeding season, the intrepid amphibians try to migrate back to the bodies of water where they originally spawned so they can mate and lay eggs.

Did you know?

Common toads tend to breed in larger, deeper ponds than common frogs. Toad tadpoles contain toxins that make them unpleasant for predators to eat, allowing them to survive in deep ponds containing fish, which would eat the tadpoles of frogs. Adult toads also contain these toxins, stored in their skin glands.

But their journeys can be full of difficult obstacles, with manmade structures like fences proving impossible to pass through.

The Swanwick team carefully collected struggling toads and frogs, including mating pairs, from along a security fence line, and released them safely onto the other side so they could continue their migration and spawn the next generation.

Gemma Paul, Centre Assistant, helped with the rescue and said: “Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve helps to protect, maintain and monitor the vital freshwater and woodland habitats that these wonderful amphibians and a variety of other wildlife need to survive. Swanwick Lakes has five species of amphibians on site, including three species of newt. These species are a vital food source for other wildlife including herons, grass snakes, badgers and dragonfly and damselflies.”

It is estimated that 20 tonnes of toads

e common toad has olive-brown, warty skin, copper eyes and short back legs. It walks rather than hops, and lays its spawn in long strings around aquatic plants, with two rows of eggs per string.

are killed on the UK’s roads every year. If more than 1,000 toads are known to hop across a road in a particular spot, it is dubbed a ‘toad crossing’.

Frogs are considered an indicator species as they are very sensitive to changes in their environment and their permeable skin makes them especially vulnerable to pollutants. Monitoring populations of indicator species can be an important way to pick up on early warning signs of environmental changes or damage to natural habitats and ecosystems.

IN A NUTSHELL

■ There are only four native species of frog in the UK, of which two are toads. Toads have shorter legs, broader noses and drier, bumpier skin, and they produce bufotoxin via their skin to defend themselves from predators.

■ Toad populations in the UK have been steadily declining due to habitat loss, pollution and climate change. They are listed as a biodiversity priority species under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act (2006).

■ Frogs are both predators and prey, which makes them an important part of the food chain. They provide a vital source of food for several species, as well as helping to control populations of others.

Volunteers critical to monitoring chalk streams

Issues in the upper reaches of Hampshire’s chalk streams can cause further problems downstream. This is why the Watercress and Winterbournes Landscape Partnership Scheme, in which the Trust is a partner, focuses on the headwaters of the Rivers Test and Itchen. As part of the scheme, nine headwater sites are monitored using the SmartRivers water quality assessment.

In the most recent results, all nine sites showed stress from excess sediment, which can be caused by bank erosion or soil washing into the stream. Sediment smothers the stream bed, limiting the insect population and suffocating the eggs of brown trout and grayling.

Eight of the sites had elevated levels of phosphate, which can come from fertilisers, livestock manure, and sewage

pollution. Phosphate boosts the growth of algae, which form large “blooms” in the water. The resulting loss of oxygen and sunlight can harm many chalk stream species.

Seven of the sites also showed signs of ‘organic loading’. In river ecosystems, various plants, fungi, and bacteria digest dead organic matter for energy. If these organisms aren’t present, or there is a lot of matter – from wastewater discharges and livestock farms, for example – it can affect animals that have a low tolerance for such environments.

This monitoring is made possible by the scheme’s wonderful volunteers, whose dedication is vital in helping to protect Hampshire’s precious chalk streams. To get involved in the scheme, email winterbournes@hiwwt.org.uk

The Watercress and Winterbournes Landscape Partnership Scheme is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

News in brief

Romsey Relay success

During May, 20 members of Trust staff and partners took on the Romsey Relay Marathon to raise money for the Trust.

Split into two teams of 10, each person ran 2.6 miles (4.2km) to complete the distance of a marathon as a team.

The runners made it around the course setting fantastic times. Otter Nonsense finished in 26th place out of 149 teams, completing the course in 3 hours and 20 minutes. Fowl Play placed 36th and finished in 3 hours and 23 minutes.

Together, the teams raised an incredible £2,500 for the Trust.

Fundraising activities provide a vital source of income to help the Trust carry out its work. There are many ways you can have fun, whilst raising funds for local nature.

Find out more on the Trust website: www.hiwwt.org.uk/fundraisewildlife

Below: The two Trust teams after completing the Romsey Relay.

Celebrate the hidden wonders of nature

Do you have a favourite flower or tree in your neighbourhood? Perhaps a bird or insect that fills your heart. Give them the spotlight they deserve!

Southampton residents are invited to showcase local wildlife and shout about the ordinary nature that makes the city

extraordinary. Throughout summer, the Trust’s Neighbourhood Nature Trail will display artwork taken by residents on local notice boards and buildings, with the aim to transform the city into an outdoor gallery. Find out more: www.hiwwt.org.uk/wilder-Southampton

Volunteers carrying out invertebrate sampling on the Upper Test at Whitchurch Silk Mill.

The Rewilding Network plays a critical role in helping kick start natural processes to help wildlife bounce back.

First anniversary of Rewilding Network

Over 40 landowners and members of the Rewilding Network came together in April to celebrate the first anniversary of the Trust’s Rewilding Network.

Landowners and members of the network spent the day at Ewhurst Park, sharing ideas and discussing the role of

rewilding in supporting nature’s recovery and how the creation of space for nature through rewilding is a vital part of securing a better future for biodiversity, as well as how this can work concurrently with producing food.

The aim of the network is to raise the standard of rewilding through engaging

Saving our seagrass sites

An incredible 40,000 Zostera marina seagrass seeds were successfully planted during low spring tides in April. The deployments were carried out using the Dispenser Injection Seeding method. Half were planted at Seaview, on the Isle of Wight, as part of the Solent Seagrass Restoration Project and the remaining 20,000 were planted at Calshot as part of the Solent Seascape Project.

The Trust also completed the first seagrass surveys of 2024 across the Hampshire and Isle of Wight coastline, recording positive signs of growth of Nanozostera noltei and Zostera marina at existing seagrass meadow sites.

with local landowners, encouraging positive action for wildlife and ultimately contributing to the Trust’s goal so that at least 5% of our landscapes are rewilded as part of our 30% nature recovery goal.

Seed planting, collection and seagrass surveys are only made possible with the help of Solent Seagrass Champion volunteers

ELENYA LENDON

ELLIE PARKER

Right: Seagrass survey training with volunteers.

The results are in for Farlington Marshes

Earlier this year, the Environment Agency conducted a Farlington Marshes Project Survey. This questionnaire was designed to gather information about how people use the marshes and why the site is important to them.

Over 3,500 people took part. Results clearly show that the reserve is a much-

loved reserve, and well used resource for enjoying nature and viewing wildlife. The top activity for visitors to do is watching birds and wildlife, which 65% of visitors do in the morning.

As highlighted in the winter 2023 edition of Wild Life, Farlington Marshes faces an uncertain future. The marshes

The Trust hopes that the results of the questionnaire have helped open discussions about the challenges that the site faces and highlights the importance of the reserve. Thank you to everyone who took part in the questionnaire.

are currently defended by a sea wall approximately 3.5km long, which is also a popular public footpath. Recent studies have found that parts of the defence are deteriorating. This, coupled with the challenge of rising sea levels due to climate change, creates an uncertain future for Farlington Marshes.

The Trust, working alongside Portsmouth City Council and The Environment Agency, are investigating options for a sustainable solution to flood risk management at the site.

More info: www.hiwwt.org.uk/ farlington-future

Hook Common and Bartley Heath under threat

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight boast many wildlife havens, including the Trust’s 67 nature reserves and over 140 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). However, many are an oasis in a nature-depleted landscape.

One of the greatest threats to the ecological network is inappropriate development. The Trust challenges damaging proposals that jeopardise

protected sites, nature reserves or set harmful precedents.

For instance, a proposed large commercial logistics and warehouse development on Lodge Farm in Hook could worsen existing severance from the M3 and over industrialisation. Prior to this fragmentation, the landscape had a history of being rich in wildlife and nearby Hook Common was on the Rothschild List. This development would threaten species and hinder restoration efforts, further damaging the landscape’s integrity, inhibiting any future efforts of landscape restoration. The Trust is collaborating with local groups to oppose the application.

● To read the Trust’s guide to responding to planning applications, recent responses to strategic planning consultations and the Trust’s full approach to planning, visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/get-involved/ campaign/wilder-planning

To raise any concerns about the most damaging development proposals, please email campaigns@hiwwt.org.uk

What can you do?

The more voices speaking up for nature, the be er. To help protect wildlife in Hook Common and Bartley Heath, and the wider landscape, please object on ecological grounds to the application. The application can be found by searching for the planning application reference number 23/02242/PREAPP in Hart District Council’s planning portal. When writing an objection, it is useful to refer to the planning guide and the Trust’s response on the Trust website. If your local council is Hart District, you can go one step further and email your local councillor.

Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve

KATE GARNHAM

A word from our CEO

In May I had the great privilege of hosting SEEING IS BELIEVING

– the Wildlife Trusts’ annual fieldbased conference for CEOs, Chairs and senior staff from right across the federation. For me, this was something of a career highlight – the chance to showcase the incredible strides we’ve made in recent years towards the recovery and restoration of nature.

The purpose of these events is to showcase and inspire, discuss challenges and solutions, and above all to raise our collective ambition to do more to tackle the nature crisis faster and more effectively as 2030 gets ever closer.

Approximately 80 people joined us over four days from across the UK, including special guests Liz Bonnin, Megan McCubbin, Chris Packham and several key partner organisations. We covered a wide range of topics, in particular highlighting the connections between land and sea – and how our work to restore wildlife cannot be decoupled from other issues like food production, jobs and economy, pollution, and our health.

Starting at the University of Portsmouth we learned about hidden marine pollution and some of the toxic chemicals found in the Solent, as well as the aspirations of the Solent Seascape Partnership, and our ambitious seagrass restoration project.

“Thank you, Debbie, Jamie and your amazing team. For the hard work you do. For your generosity and for how your team welcomed us all. For your ability to communicate and make it accessible. It was also an incredible piece of curation - this is what scale nature restoration - in a world of climate change and pollution and in balance with food / farming / society and the economy looks like. Just brilliant.”

On the Isle of Wight, we looked at the role nature-based solutions can play in funding nature recovery, as well as tackling pollution. At Wilder Little Duxmore and Wilder Nunwell we demonstrated how incredibly fast wildlife is already bouncing back. A tour of Nunwell Home Farm showed how mob grazing and other regenerative farming techniques are vital for building soil carbon whilst supporting biodiversity across the farm. A walk through the Eastern Yar valley illustrated the dysfunctional nature of the catchment, and highlighted the role that beavers could play in tackling some of these issues, such as reducing flooding and improving biodiversity. With our partners, we looked at different examples of nature-based businesses and showed how this is vital to the future of the Island’s economy as well as its wildlife.

Finally, on the New Forest coast we discussed our emerging ‘Forest to Foreshore’ vision, where we hope to bring forward a major nature recovery programme to link land along the Lymington valley coast, safeguarding and boosting coastal wetlands as well as creating an unbroken corridor through the Forest to the sea.

We ended the tour with a moving and inspiring talk by Chris Packham, challenging us all to be even bolder and braver for nature before it’s too late. This buoyed us up for the RESTORE NATURE NOW march which I was delighted to attend alongside colleagues, volunteers, members and supporters of the Trust. We joined record numbers of people walking through London to demand urgent action from the new Government to put nature into recovery.

Above: President, Megan McCubbin and Vice President, Chris Packham joined Debbie Tann MBE, CEO, and Hannah Terrey, Director of Advocacy & Engagement, at a creative banner workshop in advance of the Restore Nature Now march.

We are almost halfway through our Wilder 2030 strategy and I am so proud of what we have achieved so far. However, it’s clear we need to redouble our efforts to get more people on nature’s side and create more space for nature to thrive if we are to reverse nature’s decline in the next five years.

I hope I will see you at the Trust’s AGM on 19 October where I’ll be presenting our key achievements thus far as well as answering your questions on future plans and priorities.

Debbie Tann MBE, Chief Executive X @Debbie_Tann

Find out more: www.hiwwt.org.uk/seeing-believing-2024

GARNHAM

Left to right: Jamie Marsh Director of Nature Recovery, Wilder Wight, Solent & Seas, Francesca Cooper and Hollie Fallick Nunwell Home Farm, Debbie Tann MBE, CEO, plus Liz Bonnin President at The Wildlife Trusts, and Craig Bennett CEO at The Wildlife Trusts, at Wilder Nunwell during the Seeing is Believing Conference.

James Alexander MBE, Suffolk Wildlife Trust Chair, speaking after the Seeing is Believing conference

KATE GARNHAM

AGM 2024

Notice of the 63rd Annual General Meeting of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

Saturday 19 October 2024

10am - 1pm

Ashburton Hall, Elizabeth II Court, The Castle, Winchester, SO23 8UJ (entrance via Sussex Street SO23 8TG)

Dear Members,

I am delighted to invite you to join us in person for our 2024 AGM on Saturday 19 October. Our agenda starts at 10am and finishes at 1pm with complimentary refreshments served during the break.

As well as the formal AGM business, the meeting will include:

l Presentations from the Trust’s CEO, Debbie Tann MBE, and other staff, outlining our progress towards our Wilder 2030 goals as we approach the halfway point of the strategy and sharing highlights of the core work we do to protect and restore wildlife across our nature reserves.

l A Q&A session with myself and the speakers.

l The chance to meet other Trust members and supporters, as well as trustees and staff.

I do hope as many of you as possible can join us. It’s a great way to learn first-hand about the Trust’s work and how your membership benefits our local wildlife.

We look forward to seeing you there.

If you’re unable to attend the AGM, we would encourage you to participate by requesting and casting a postal proxy vote on the formal business.

David Jordan OBE, Chairman

Questions about the AGM?

Email us at agm@hiwwt.org.uk or call 01489 774400

Agenda

Welcome by the Trust’s Chief Executive Annual General Meeting

1. Opening address by the Trust’s President

2. Apologies for absence

3. Minutes of the 62nd Annual General Meeting

4. Report of the Trust’s Chairman on the year 2023–2024

5. Report of the Trust’s Honorary Treasurer on the year 2023–2024 and approval of Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

6. Elections to Council*

7. Appointment of Auditors – Saffery Champness being eligible offer themselves for re-appointment

Tea and coffee break

Presentations by the Trust’s Chief Executive and staff Question & Answer session

* Details of the candidates standing for Trustee election and re-election can be viewed on our website at hiwwt.org.uk/agm This information can also be requested from the Trust’s office via email agm@hiwwt.org.uk or telephone 01489 774400.

If you would like to a end the AGM

We would be delighted if you can join us in Winchester on Saturday 19 October. To register to attend, please book your place online now by visiting hiwwt.org.uk/agm

Places are limited and must be booked in advance by Sunday 13 October. If the meeting becomes fully booked before this date, we will close the bookings earlier. The AGM business papers will be available on arrival. They will also be available to view online and download from Wednesday 25 September, via hiwwt.org.uk/agm

If you are unable to a end the AGM

You are very welcome to participate by voting on the formal AGM business via postal proxy vote. If you would like to register for a proxy vote, please visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/agm or call us on 01489 774400 or email us at agm@hiwwt.org.uk and provide your name and address (including postcode). The deadline for requesting a proxy vote is Tuesday 17 September

We will record the AGM so you can catch up on the proceedings after the meeting. We will post edited highlights on our website in November at www.hiwwt.org.uk/agm

TEAM

Welcome to Team Wilder, in this edition we share the success of the Trust’s first Wilder Schools Conference.

The Trust recently held the first ever Wilder Schools Conference. Wilder school leaders came together at Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve for a day of learning, and sharing expertise and skills with the Trust’s Education team.

Wilder school leaders from Hampshire schools shared their passion and expertise on a variety of outdoor topics, including creating a forest school area and wildlife habitats.

Focus group workshops examined how nature can be the solution to the environmental issues, as well as how nature can equip children to be good citizens.

Activity workshops were held by the Trust’s Education team where teachers also shared their knowledge. The sessions included pond dipping and helpful tips and advice on pond creation. Restoration and maintenance advice was also provided. Planting and propagation help was given by the head gardener from

Wicor Primary School. A plant workshop also showcased how to use recycled materials including how to make paper seed holders.

Wellbeing sessions in the woods also took place, which demonstrated the importance of how outdoor spaces at schools can be used for staff, as well as for children.

Children and young people learn best when they are happy and healthy, therefore learning in and through nature helps promote happiness and good health, and improved attainment will follow.

The Wilder Schools programme is

Did you know?

All of the Trust’s Outdoor Education Centres have been awarded the LOtC Quality Badge. This is the only national award that recognises learning and safety for learning outside the classroom providers, endorsed by the Department of Education.

designed to help build outdoor learning into a school’s way of teaching that can enrich the delivery of the curriculum and lead to deepened understanding and mastery. Through learning about and in natural spaces local to them, children and young people will develop a stronger understanding of the world and their place in it.

Hannah, a teacher from Bevois Town Primary School, showcased activities which are used with children, to teachers at the conference, and said:

“In the city, lots of our families have very small spaces and don’t have a garden or even a balcony, and have very limited opportunities to actually leave the city. At our school, we are passionate about giving our children practical hands-on experiences of being outdoors, but we are very conscious that if we don’t give them those opportunities, like we did growing up with daisy chains or blowing a dandelion, they don’t know what these things are. They aren’t going to get them from elsewhere.”

“When you take those classroom walls away children are able to access learning more easily, they’re happier, it’s amazing.”

Our favourite staff photos

Celebrating our two counties through photography.

All four Exmoor ponies at Wilder Little Duxmore

Grizzled skipper butterfly at Hook Common and Bartley Heath Nature Reserve

Taken by Tom Hilder, Reserve Officer (Hook)

Hobby foraging over Arreton Down Nature Reserve Taken by Carmen Perry, Senior Ecologist.

Taken by Kayleigh Ghiot, Assistant Reserves Officer, Isle of Wight.

An emerging black-tailed skimmer dragonfly Taken by Martin de Retuerto, Director of Nature Recovery, Hants.

Sea state calm Taken by Tim Ferrero, Senior Specialist, Marine Conservation.

Amid the seagrass, during flat calm sea conditions, at Calshot in May this year.

Bigger, be er and more joined up

WORDS JAMIE MARSH Director of Nature Recovery, Wilder Wight, Solent & Seas

Jamie has worked at the Trust for over 17 years and oversees the Isle of Wight, Marine and Solent programmes, and believes it is a great privilege to be leading on the Trust’s Wilder Wight vision.

Arreton Down Nature Reserve on the Isle of Wight.

The Island was awarded Biosphere Reserve status by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 2019. It is a recognition of the unique combination of nature, people and places; where communities and the environment work together in an increasingly sustainable way.

Despite our best conservation efforts over the past 60 years, wildlife is still in rapid decline. This is not to say that our work has been ineffective, but it has not solved the bigger challenges facing our local environment.

Over the past 10 years, State of Nature reports have highlighted the devastating declines. These hard-hitting reports were the catalyst for driving a new era of conservation management and our Wilder 2030 strategy was born. An ambitious 10-year plan to redress the balance, restore nature at scale and connect people with their local environment. But how do we do this? Creating connectivity will be one of the key methods going forward. In its simplest form this is about connecting land for nature, but it also applies to people. If people are passionate about the environment, they will be empowered to push for positive change. To restore nature, and adapt to the climate, we must all reconnect.

It is easy to think of wildlife as being highly mobile. The species we are most familiar with, birds, mammals, bees, and butterflies, are mobile, moving through gardens and the countryside. However, not all wildlife has the ability to move so freely, many species are restricted or limited in their capacity to move. Plants are of course a notable example, some spread through seed, others vegetatively through their root system, or plant fragments. We often see the fluffy seed heads of species and associate these with good dispersal, but research has shown that the majority of viable seed falls in close proximity to the plant. The less viable seed is lighter, blown by the wind and lost to the environment. Viable seed then needs the right conditions to germinate, the right soils, and the right micro habitat. It may need to interact with fungi, mycorrhiza or other organisms, the list goes on.

What went wrong?

The factors causing the catastrophic declines of our biodiversity are varied. They include habitat fragmentation, intensive land use, climate change, pollution, and invasive non-native species. This has been sobering for many organisations working hard to conserve nature and begs the question: what has gone wrong?

For many years the main approach of conservation bodies has been to look after nature reserves and areas of land that are designated or protected for a specific habitat(s) or species. Whilst this approach has been successful it has not solved the wider biodiversity crisis. Intensive use of land, urbanisation, pollution, climate change and more, are all having a major impact and resulting in less suitable spaces for nature. In order to address this, we need to adapt and respond to these threats and embrace new ways to protect, enhance and restore our local environments.

As Lawton’s Making Space for Nature report put it: More, bigger, better and joined.

Looking beyond our reserves

To give nature a chance we need to be bolder and look beyond our reserves to facilitate nature’s recovery. Our reserves are essential in this process. These highly important sites for nature, species and habitats will provide the source of wildlife from where expansion can take place. But they need space and opportunity to expand. One of the key targets of Wilder 2030 is creating more space for nature and a key priority is connecting up areas of land to create landscape scale restoration. It is ambitious but achievable and we have demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach.

Dragonfly and damselfly species have increased in the Eastern Yar Valley, including the scarce chaser.

Connecting landscapes in the Eastern Yar Valley

A great example of this is the Eastern Yar Valley on the Isle of Wight. Over the past 12 years we have developed a network of connected nature reserves covering over 300 acres and over 4.5km of river channel. Ten separate sites have been acquired thanks to the support of partners, members, supporters, major donors and legators. We have created a connected landscape of wetland habitats, but we are not done yet - more land is in the process of being acquired. Think of it as a giant jigsaw and we are filling in the missing pieces. But we can’t restore nature alone, we must

Did you know?

Newchurch Moors has been recognised as a Priority Site of National Importance for dragonflies and damselflies by the British Dragonfly Society. It is a nationally important breeding site for scarce chaser dragonfly. 2023 also saw a Norfolk hawker recorded on site, the first record for the Isle of Wight. Thanks to our local volunteer and surveyor, James Gloyn, for all of his great survey work.

influence policy makers and work with partners, landowners and communities to implement natures recovery. In the Eastern Yar this is happening.

Our neighbour to the east and covering over 1,000 acres is the RSPB’s Brading Marshes. This means that the bulk of the lower catchment from Bembridge Harbour to Newchurch is in conservation management, delivering landscape scale restoration. Over 1,300 acres of land is connected and there for wildlife to utilise and we are seeing it happen before our eyes. Sympathetic management is helping species to return and thrive. The return of the otter since 2020 has been a significant highlight as has the increase in dragonfly and damselfly species, notably the scarce chaser. Water voles declining at an alarming rate nationally are faring well within the catchment as are some of our iconic wetland bird species such as kingfisher, lapwing and marsh harrier. However, there is still much to be done to restore this land and improve the surrounding connectivity.

Keystone species

By building a presence we generate influence and as seen in the Eastern Yar this creates opportunities. This includes facilitating others to help nature by influencing land management, providing

PHILIP

support and guidance but also more ambitious restorative programmes, the return of missing species. Certain species can have a pivotal role in manipulating the environment to the benefit of a huge range of other species. Often referred to as keystone species, these include wolves, bears and the beaver. Regarded as one of nature’s great eco engineers, the beaver can transform wetland systems into thriving ecosystems supporting a wide range of

Below: Regarded as one of nature’s great eco engineers, the beaver can transform wetland systems into thriving ecosystems supporting a wide range of other species

other species. Beavers offer a natural solution to some of the challenges we find within our riparian catchments and the Eastern Yar is a fine example. Heavily modified and adapted into essentially a large land drain, the river suffers from a range of issues and loss of connectivity with the adjoining and supporting habitats. Regarded as poor to moderate quality, wildlife has suffered. The activity of beavers boosts biodiversity but also provides a range of ecosystem services for people, including flood alleviation and water quality improvements. They could be a vital tool in improving the functionality of the wetland systems in a sustainable way that we would struggle to achieve.

The Trust has a strong track record of working to bring back missing species, including otter to their former haunts in Hampshire.

As our understanding of our natural environment grows it becomes clearer how interlinked it all is. As we expand our estate, instigate rewilding projects and restore missing species, wildlife will recover. Simultaneously we must look to reduce the impacts from intensive land management, nutrient and pesticide pollution, soil erosion, sewage discharges and other pollutants. Connectivity is much more than just joining up land and creating a landscape, it is so much deeper and intrinsic to our local environment. What we do on land directly impacts our waterways, our ditches, streams, rivers, ground water and aquifers. Consequently, this impacts our coastlines and marine habitats. It is all linked and connected. Understanding this is integral to the health of our environment going forward. As we develop a more connected landscape, we must also connect people. We all need to play our part in nature’s recovery.

Thank you for your gi s and donations

The Trust has only been able to achieve this landscape connectivity thanks to the generosity of members and supporters. It is gifts in Wills, alongside donations to appeals that raised the funds required to make these important land purchases. A gift made in the Will of Cathleen Cooper, in 2010, combined with a public appeal, helped secure Sandown Meadows. Similarly, the purchase of Newchurch Moors in 2019 was funded by a public appeal and a gift in the Will of Gwendolen Bunce and in 2021, the Alverstone Mead complex was handed over to the Trust by the Wight Nature Fund, along with a gift in the Will of Joan Barnes. It is thanks to everyone who donated to these appeals, and those incredible individuals who chose to leave a gift in their Will, that these landscapes are now protected and managed for the wildlife that calls them home.

STRONG ISLAND MEDIA

Newchurch Moors Nature Reserve

Connecting habitats to give species a lifeline

Hedges, along Eastern Yar nature reserves, provide red squirrels with safe wildlife corridors so they can move freely between wild spaces.

WORDS KATE GARNHAM Senior Communications Officer

Kate is passionate about wildlife, and finds pure joy in venturing outside, exploring the great outdoors and learning about the wonderful wildlife in our local wild spaces.

As well as protecting the fragments of wildlife-rich habitat that we have left, it is vital to urgently restore ecosystems on a larger scale More than half of our species are in decline and 15% are threatened with extinction, while just one in seven assessed habitats which are important for wildlife were found to be in good condition. In addition to our traditional nature conservation activities, we must now think bigger and bolder to create joined-up landscapes which protect our precious wildlife. Through our experience of delivering innovative and ambitious habitat restoration and connectivity projects, we have seen species bounce back and we know nature can recover. We just need to give it a chance.

Wildlife corridor success

The Isle of Wight is fortunate to have a thriving population of red squirrels. Along our Eastern Yar nature reserves, especially between Newchurch Moors and Alverstone Mead, we have implemented hedge laying into our reserve management to help the East Wight population of red squirrels.

Hedgelaying creates a natural stock-proof boundary and prolongs the life of the hedge. When the hedge regenerates it creates dense bushy structures, creating more habitat for birds and small mammals as it provides food and ideal nesting habitats for them. Crucially these hedges also serve as wildlife corridors, enabling red squirrels and other animals to move safely between wild spaces, reducing the risk of vehicle collisions and predation.

Hedgelaying also enhances resilience within the landscape by being able to capture carbon as well as helping with climate adaptation, offering a natural solution to some of the issues we are now seeing on a regular basis such as when flood and drought events occur, benefitting not only wildlife but people too.

Space in urban areas

Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve provides an oasis within a hugely urban area. This former intensively managed farmland has naturally reverted to wetland habitat and is now one of the finest wetland habitats in Hampshire. It is a fantastic example of how working with the planning system can provide an opportunity to protect an important wildlife site.

Seagrass stores carbon and offers shelter to wildlife.

This site is home to more than 170 species of bird including osprey, cuckoo and bittern – a species that is thriving. The shy and retiring bittern is a master of blending in and can be very difficult to spot in its reedbed home. Bitterns are classified as amber on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern. But sites like Fishlake Meadows prove that when species are given space and when the right habitat is created for them, they will return.

Making space for adders

The adder is the UK’s only venomous snake. Adders like to bask in warm sunshine, and so tend to be restricted to open habitats where sunshine is easily accessible, such as in woodland glades, heathlands and moorlands.

However, the loss, fragmentation and degradation of these habitats, as well as direct persecution, has led to a decline of adders across the country. Although adder numbers are improving at sites like Hook Common and Bartley Heath, this species needs bigger connected landscapes to recover.

Turn to page 13 to find out how to object to a proposed large commercial development on Lodge Farm in Hook which threatens the further fragmentation in this area.

Restoring missing species

Pushed to the brink by hunting, habitat destruction and pesticides, otters almost disappeared from rivers and waterways in England and were virtually extinct in the south east by the end of the 1970s.

Otters may now be back in Hampshire, but they still have their challenges. They need to be able to travel and move across the county but their habitat is constantly being squeezed. Man made infrastructure, and in particular roads, present huge challenges to wildlife including the otter. For example, hard engineered, central reservations on motorways create barriers for these species resulting in wildlife fatalities.

Areas like the Lymington Valley, with a connected landscape from Forest to Foreshore, provide otters the space they need to thrive and as a result has seen

Did you know?

Over a million ponds have been lost from the UK countryside in the last century, threatening frog, toad, and newt populations. Restoring ponds and reintroducing species like beavers can help these amphibians recover. Beaver ponds offer warm, well-oxygenated water, creating ideal breeding habitats that enhance the development and growth rates of frog and toad larvae.

breeding success and expansion of this local population.

After huge efforts to improve conditions for otters in our local wetlands, these elusive animals have recolonised most river catchments in Hampshire and are now successfully breeding.

And there is more good news. By working closely with landowners and river managers, offering advice and delivering river restoration work, we have been able to create space for otters on a landscape scale.

A habitat under threat

The Solent has lost over 90% of its seagrass meadows. Seagrass meadows in the Solent support rich biodiversity, including amazing species such as

JON HAWKINS

Adder

stalked jellyfish, cuttlefish, pipefish and seahorses. Seagrass meadows act as nurseries for important fish species and are a major food resource for overwintering brent geese.

Seagrasses are incredibly important allies in the fight against climate change. They absorb carbon dioxide from the surrounding seawater and their long leaves slow the flow of water, which encourages settlement of carbon-rich sediment down into the seabed where it is then buried and locked away. This amazing plant also improves our water quality, and protects our shores from coastal erosion by slowing wave energy with their leaves and by stabilising soft

Left: The bittern is thriving in the wetland habitat at Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve.

seabed sediments with their roots.

However, seagrass is under significant pressure from disease, physical disturbance from dragging anchors and chain mooring, and pollution. The Trust is working to protect and restore seagrass meadows by monitoring, surveying, and planting sustainably collected seagrass seeds as well as carrying out community outreach work to educate local people. Our goal is to restore seagrass habitats to historic levels, creating a wilder Solent for both people and wildlife.

Nature’s revival at scale

Wilder Little Duxmore and Wilder Nunwell, our two rewilding sites on the Isle of Wight, provide large areas of space for landscape nature recovery. These sanctuary sites for wildlife have seen significant success, proving that wildlife recovers when given space.

An impressive 75 species of birds have been recorded across two rewilding sites on the Isle of Wight, including corn bunting, hen harriers and skylark.

Sites like these are an attempt to reset and restore, to reverse species declines and to help nature flourish on a large scale and also help to mitigate against climate change effects. By balancing human and wildlife needs, rewilding can foster nature-based economies, reconnect people with wild nature, and provide essential ecological functions. These sites still need management. However, we allow nature to lead and our role at the Trust is to try and mimic natural processes (such as implementing grazing from rare livestock breeds including Exmoor ponies and Belted Galloway cows). As a result, these sites are hugely diverse providing great habitat for plants, insects, mammals, birds and reptiles.

People can play a part

Our nature reserves are not the only places needing space for wildlife; homes, streets, and communities are equally important. In urban areas, community actions like pollinator patches, wilder streets, and wildflower verges are creating small, connected spaces for vital pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Initiatives like The Greening Campaign contribute to wilder communities, showing that collective action can make a significant difference. We’re delighted to see more people taking action for nature across our two counties. Team Wilder is creating a momentum of people taking action for nature helping tip the balance back in nature’s favour.

Completing the missing jigsaw pieces

To achieve our vision of a living landscape, where wildlife is flourishing and recovering, we need to think bigger and longer-term and build on the foundations we have created over the past six decades. Your support as a member has never been so important.

Connectivity of wild spaces is key to nature’s recovery where wildlife is returning, damaged ecosystems are being restored, and everyone benefits from a healthier, more resilient, natural environment. It’s time to fill in the missing jigsaw pieces to put nature into recovery.

Left: Small, connected spaces in urban areas are for vital pollinators such as bees.

TIM STENTON

brilliant bu erf lies 6 places to see

British butterflies are a delightful and integral part of the country’s natural heritage, showcasing a vibrant array of colours and patterns that add charm to gardens, meadows, and woodlands. There are 59 UK butterfly species. Among the most beloved are the striking peacock butterfly, known for its eye-catching eye spots, and the elegant swallowtail, with its distinctive tails and large wingspan.

Butterfly habitats are vital ecosystems that provide the necessary resources for butterflies to thrive, including food, breeding sites, and shelter. The diversity of habitats, from coastal dunes to ancient woodlands, supports a variety of butterfly species, each adapted to specific environmental conditions.

These habitats are diverse, ranging from woodlands and forest edges, which offer a variety of nectar sources and host plants, to grasslands and meadows rich in wildflowers that support numerous butterfly species. Heathlands, with their unique vegetation, cater to specialised butterflies, while wetlands and fens provide essential environments for species dependent on wetland plants. Even urban gardens and hedgerows serve as important refuges and corridors, offering nectar and breeding grounds amid developed landscapes.

Butterflies are attracted to a variety of flowering plants that provide ample nectar, which is their primary food source.

Some flowers that are particularly effective at attracting and supporting these beautiful insects include buddleia, lavender, marjoram, echinacea, verbena and goldenrod.

Marsh fritillary

Here are six of the best Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust nature reserves for discovering bu erflies.

1 Pamber Forest and Upper Inhams

Copse Nature Reserve

This reserve is renowned for its ancient woodland, diverse flora and abundant wildlife. A variety of butterfly species and dragonflies thrive in the rich habitats, and in particular gather along the streams in summer. Spot purple emperor, white admiral, speckled wood, red admiral and brimstone.

Where: RG26 3EQ

2 Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve

Fishlake Meadows is an incredible wetland reserve in the southern Test Valley, which boasts a mix of floodplain habitats rarely seen in chalk river valleys. This thriving wetland ecosystem provides a sanctuary for a wide array of wildlife, including several butterfly species. An impressive variety of plants, including help agrimony, are popular with butterflies like peacock and red admiral. The butterflies, along with bees, are also drawn to purple loosestrife. Look out for large white, red admiral and small white. Follow surfaced paths to viewing-platforms in the centre of the reserve to observe the wildlife on the water.

Where: SO51 7AB

3 Arreton Down Nature Reserve

This reserve on the Isle of Wight is celebrated for its chalk grassland, which supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna, including several rare butterfly species. Arreton Down comes to life in summer when tens of thousands of chalkhill blue butterfly are on the wing, skylark and yellowhammer are in song and flora is in bloom. In spring and summer, enjoy the impressive array of butterflies on the wing including the adonis blue, brown argus and dingy skipper.

Where: PO30 3AA

4 Noar Hill Nature Reserve

Noar Hill is a renowned chalk grassland and former medieval quarry site that has become a haven for wildlife, particularly butterflies. This reserve boasts a remarkable variety of flora, including rare orchids, which provide an ideal habitat for many butterfly species. Among its most notable residents are the brown hairstreak, meadow brown and small blue which thrive in this carefully maintained environment. The combination of diverse plant life and careful conservation

practices makes Noar Hill a vital sanctuary for these and other butterfly species, offering a unique and vibrant ecosystem for nature lovers to explore. Where: GU34 3LW

5 Broughton Down Nature Reserve

Fringed with beech and yew woodlands, this reserve attracts an impressive variety of wildlife and the views are truly breathtaking. Broughton Down is the perfect destination for a tranquil walk worlds away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The 25 hectares of chalk downland offers spectacular views, and this springy, flower rich turf attracts a plethora of butterflies, including the chalkhill and adonis blue, dark green fritillary and rare silver spotted skipper. Where: SO20 8DA

6 Hook Common and Bartley Heath Nature Reserve

The expanse of open heathland and woodland at this reserve supports a range of fascinating wildlife, including basking reptiles and an abundance of native species. An impressive moth population including the rare marsh grass veneer and white-barred knot-horn can also be found in this area which is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). In the woodland, look out for different butterflies including silver-washed fritillary, white admiral and purple hairstreak. Where: RG27 9HD

Did you spot any bu erflies?

Butterflies are best spotted on a sunny, calm day; warm air raises the thermal temperature threshold for flight. Find out more on when butterfly species are on the wing: www.wildlifetrusts.org/ ldl e de t r t s tter es

We’d love to know how your search went. Please send us your best photos by emailing e r et t r or tweeting us @HantsIWWildlife

Left: Red admiral butterfly on a very fitting perch at Winnall Moors Nature Reserve.

Romsey

Lyndhurst L Havant Southampton

Basingstoke Petersfield

Yarmouth

Sandown

Farnborough

Ringwood

Secrets of success with peat-free compost

Selecting plants is one of the most exciting parts of gardening, but compost choice can determine a great deal of success in the garden.

When selecting a compost, the most important thing is to look for a peat-free label. Taking peat out of the ground destroys important habitats and releases large amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere, so gardening peat-free is an easy way to take positive action for wildlife and climate. If you can’t find peat-free stated on the bag, then the chances are the product contains peat. Something marked as organic or environmentally-friendly doesn’t necessarily mean it’s peat-free.

Peat-free mixes contain more microbes, many of which are beneficial for your plants but can change how the compost performs the longer they are le in the bag. To get the best from your compost, we recommend using it in the growing season you bought it or within a year of the manufacture date. If you are using smaller amounts of specialist mixes,

such as ericaceous compost for acid-loving plants, you could share with a friend or local gardening group to save on cost.

Not every peat-free mix will be a perfect fit for every gardener, so try a couple of different types to find one that suits your plants and growing environment. Peat-free compost has come a long way, with a wide range for every need and plant type available. All peat-free mixes are different, so you might also need to adjust watering and feeding a li le. As a general rule, peat-free may need to be watered li le and o en compared to peat.

Ge ing to know what you need from your compost and which products give healthy, longlasting plants can unlock a whole new world of gardening success for anyone, even if you don’t have the greenest fingers!

Claire Thorpe is the peat-free campaign manager for the RHS, and is passionate about helping people garden sustainably.

Meadows

A wildflower patch full of native annuals like ox-eye daisy won’t need any compost at all, as these plants prefer low nutrient soils, so you can sow directly into bare ground.

Veg

Soil improvers and manures, which contain lots of organic ma er, can add nutrients without the need for lots of fertiliser.

Seeds

Seed and cu ing compost is specially mixed to suit these young plants, being much finer and containing less slow-release feed than multipurpose compost. The fine texture is especially important for small seeds like foxglove.

Trees and hedges

As well as being brilliant for wildlife, trees and hedge plants o en come bare root (not in a pot), so you can plant in the ground, just adding some mulch. Home compost or leaf mould are easy mulches to make yourself.

As well as in compost, peat can be found in bedding plants and potted house plants. Help us raise awareness of ‘hidden peat’ by becoming a peat inspector: www.wildlifetrusts.org/ban-sale-peat

Peat-free compost is prone to a dry top so check with your finger to see if there is moisture lower down in the container and aim to keep compost just moist, stopping watering before it runs out the bo om.

Specialist plants

Look for products labelled as working for plant groups that need specific soil conditions (e.g. carnivorous sundews or ericaceous cranberries), as multipurpose compost won’t provide the conditions they need to grow well.

Pond plants

Use special aquatic mixes to fill pond basket planters, these are formulated to ensure nutrient release is slower, stopping leaching into the pond which can cause algal growth.

Houseplants

One of the biggest killers of houseplants is overwatering. Mixing houseplant-specific compost with grit or fine bark will help stop root rot by improving drainage.

MY WILD LIFE

Ben Pickup

Ben Pickup, Reserves Officer (Lower Test Valley) spent his childhood exploring the Portsmouth coastline and surrounding area. Here, Ben talks about how spending time in nature and his early interest in birding inspired his career path into conservation.

I grew up just down the road from Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve I was always going down there and being around the coastal environment was pretty incredible, especially as you have so much rare wildlife that people just walk past and don’t realise is there. For example, the over wintering waders come from all over the world, specifically to Portsmouth and Langstone harbour. This is one of the things that I love – the area is a little gem.

I was always turning over every stone in the garden, relentlessly chasing butterflies with nets and trying to identify birds. One of my earliest memories is going down to Farlington as a child. A Reserve Officer let me use his telescope and pointed out my first bearded tit. I still think about who that person was and how they took the time to show me my first ever bearded tit.

When I was at college I did a lot of volunteering at Queen Elizabeth

Country Park, completing practical management and reptile surveys. Reptiles have always fascinated me: I grew up watching Steve Irwin and had Crocodile Hunter on loop. Getting up close to adders was awesome, especially considering how rare they are now. After completing my Ecology and Conservation degree at Lancaster University, I volunteered at Farlington. During my first visit I was out in Point Field and shorteared owls came out: they were flying over my head whilst I was eating my lunch. It was a proper pinch yourself sort of moment.

After studying various species for so long, I really appreciate it now when I see them. Especially, when you realise how far some have travelled to get here. Brent geese are amazing. They fly all the way over here from Siberia. To have a flock of them at Farlington is quite magical. There’s nothing better than to be in the middle of a marsh surrounded by thousands of brent geese - it’s quite simply captivating.

After completing my Masters at the University of Leeds, I joined the Trust in a Trainee role at Farlington. This gave me lots of practical skills, and I was able to progress to Assistant Reserves Officer and Reserves Officer. In my current role, I now manage Lower Test and Testwood

Lakes Nature Reserves. I particularly love these vast wetland habitats. Being out in the Lower Test early in the morning, when it’s just so quiet, with the dawn chorus and all the warblers is just incredible. It feels very wild which I just love.

My key roles and responsibilities include managing everything that happens on the ground. This includes all of the practical work so the habitats are in the best possible condition that they can be, for all the species that we are trying to conserve. A lot of this is big practical tasks, and I am fortunate that I work with committed, highly trained volunteers that work alongside Trust staff to carry out these tasks. I am also involved in a lot of

wetland bird surveys. In the summer, we do botanical surveys for rapid condition assessment as well as breeding bird surveys. All of this helps to inform our management.

Some of the most fulfilling aspects of my work involves seeing the results of everyday work. For example, a lot of scrub management and tree work takes place in the winter at Farlington. This prepares the site for breeding waders in the spring. Likewise, come the autumn, we work on all the grassland getting it ready for the over wintering birds. There are some long days slogging away but seeing all the wigeon and pintail using it in the winter, because it’s nice and short, makes it all worth it.

“ ere’s nothing be er than to be in the middle of a marsh surrounded by thousands of brent geese - it’s quite simply captivating.”

Left: Running the London Marathon for the Trust was probably the most painful, but equally the most rewarding thing, I’ve ever done.

One of my biggest challenges is adapting to climate change. For example, Testwood Lakes is located right next to the River Blackwater. Unfortunately, this year the river burst its bank and flooded the scrapes along with the lapwing nests. These climate impacts are going to happen more frequently, so we need to adapt to this. In the immediate future, we will most likely extend the shingle beds. Potentially, we could look to raise the scrapes entirely, but this would be a big and expensive project. Climate change for a lot of people is in the future. Whereas I see it every day and it’s really quite scary.

Breeding waders, including redshank, at Testwood will be affected by the areas of grassland that will eventually become salt marsh. We expect this habitat will shift further northwards, so we need to think ahead about how we manage this. In the winter, a lot of wildfowl - including an internationally important amount of widgeon - love the short grassland too. This habitat is increasingly being encroached by reedbeds, so we need to cut this back and help create as big an area as possible for the widgeon.

Another challenge for the future is to help expand the population of lapwings and breeding waders at Testwood into the wider Test Valley. Especially given all the challenges we have had this year; it has highlighted how important it is, to not just have isolated pockets. The areas of floodplain, meadow and grazing habitat have a lot of potential for wading birds. It will take a lot of work but I’m hopeful that we will be able to help the birds spread across the valley.

The more you know, and the more you realise about how much abundance and diversity used to be about, the more you realise how much is missing. That’s what I love about the Trust’s conservation work. We really are doing our bit to try to get that back.

Ben (right) helping to plant seagrass seed pods.

You are amazing, and we want you to know how lucky local wildlife is to have your support.

Your membership and continued generosity is protecting and enhancing wild places across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, and our local seas. You are among the 1 in 4 encouraging more people to be on nature’s side, creating more space for wildlife to thrive.

From the busy white-tailed bumblebee to the secretive short-snouted seahorse, your support is being seen far and wide. Over 65 Wildlife Trust Nature Reserves covering 4,883 hectares are being managed for wildlife, with the help of your membership. That’s just brilliant and you should feel proud.

Dedicated and committed members like you have supported the work of the Trust for over 60 years, and we look forward to working with you in the future. By 2030, we must see nature recovering, wildlife returning, and ecosystems restored. Together, we can create a wilder future.