Winter Wild Life Magazine 2019

Wild Life Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

Winter 2019

Winter wildfowl

The best places to spot wetland birds and other winter wildlife

NATURE’S SOLUTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Why nature is our greatest ally in the fight against global warming.

EXPLORE THE EASTERN YAR RIVER VALLEY Discover the best of the Isle of Wight’s wildlife.

Hampshire & DANNY GREEN / 2020VISION Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust 1 Cover.indd 7

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Welcome

Building solutions for nature A heart-felt thank you to everyone who has helped shape our strategic plan over the past year. It has been an incredibly rewarding process to spend time discussing some of the huge challenges we face with people who so passionately care about the future of our wildlife. You have come forward with ideas, enthusiasm and offers of help and I am very grateful to have you with us. Our new plan, Wilder 2030, was launched at our AGM and Conference in October - you can read more about this on page 10.

Wilder 2030 is our response to the nature emergency and it sets out our priorities for action. There is no time to lose if we are to tackle the biodiversity crisis and climate emergency - and the Trust is well placed to help deliver solutions, with your help.

In the coming months and years we will focus on securing more space for nature - acquiring land, engaging farmers and working with the planning system. Our strategy calls for a third of land and sea to be made wilder, and for pressure on the environment to be reduced everywhere else. We will offer innovative and effective nature-based solutions and we will harness investment from public bodies and the private sector to plough into nature’s recovery.

Whilst I’m hugely encouraged by the swell of concern for the environment over recent months, the evidence shows that there remains a significant gap between awareness and action. Our plan calls for 1 in 4 people to take action for nature - this is the number we need for the tide to really turn, for environmentalism to become normalised.

So we will give our attention to helping people connect with nature and be part of Team Wilder, supporting individuals and communities to lead in their own fields through their everyday actions and choices.

People can also play their part by pushing for ambitious new laws for nature. We are still campaigning hard for an Environment Act with the Nature Recovery Network at its heart. We cannot let up the pressure and, as ever, we will need your help to stand up for wildlife. Thank you for being part of the movement.

DAVE KILBEY

Debbie Tann, Chief Executive Follow me on twitter @Debbie_Tann

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Wild Life is the membership magazine for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Email feedback@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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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. ● We manage over 50 nature reserves. ● 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.

Wild Life Magazine Editor Alice Ashcroft, 01489 774400 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

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Guy EDwARDES / 2020VISION

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Contents

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4 Your wild winter

Seasonal wildlife and the best places to experience it.

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ROSS HODDINOTT / 2020VISION

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Explore the Eastern Yar Valley Discover this special river valley and step into a watery world of sensational songsters and silent hunters.

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

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Wilder Solent How our Wilder Solent campaign is building a bright future for our local waters.

16 Helping wildlife through winter

Kate Bradbury reveals how we can provide safe habitats for overwintering wildlife in our gardens.

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Nature’s solution to climate change How our local wild places are playing their part in the race against climate change.

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Six places to see winter wildfowl The best places to see wildfowl locally and further afield.

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Building connections to nature How we can build lifelong connections with the natural world and support nature’s recovery.

IAN CAMERON-REID

30 My wild life

Mark, a farmer from west Hampshire, tells us how he has enhanced his family farm by working with nature.

6 ways to get involved with your local Wildlife Trust Volunteer

Could you donate your skills and time to look after wildlife? Visit our website to find exciting opportunities near you.

Donate to an appeal

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

Campaigning

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

Local groups

Join one of our local groups and help make a difference to nature where you live.

Events

Join us for a walk, talk or activity near you. Our events are organised by knowledgeable and enthusiastic 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.

For more information visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/get-involved Wild Life | Winter 2019

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

LINDA PITKIN / 2020VISION

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T h a n k y ou

Thanks to your su pport, we are able to create habi tat for brown trout across our tw o counties.

Find out more ab out how your support is he lping local wildlife. www.hiwwt.org.u k

WINTER SPECTACLE

Brown trout spawning A fierce predator of small fish and flying insects, the brown trout is widespread in our rivers. Female brown trout (hens) lay their eggs between November and January in shallow, gravelly areas known as ‘redds’ – keep your eyes peeled as you walk alongside a river, and you may spot a broody brown trout digging herself a nest.

SEE THEM THIS WINTER  Winnall Moors Nature Reserve The River Itchen is internationally important for its chalk stream habitats.

Brown trout thrive in the clear water, and can be seen spawning in the shallows at Winnall Moors.  Lower Test Nature Reserve Brown trout can be spotted in the River Test, which flows through this stunning wetland nature reserve.  The River Yar We have been working with the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary to improve a tributary of the River Yar which flows through their land, providing passes for brown trout under bridges and over weirs.

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YOUR WILD WINTER

Redwings and Fieldfares Just as swallows are a sure sign of summer, redwings and fieldfares herald the onset of winter. They fly nearly 850 miles to escape the icy blizzards of Scandinavia, leaving their chilly homeland every year for the milder climes of the UK. Pamber Forest nature reserve, near Basingstoke, is the perfect place to spot these winter visitors flitting through the trees.

AMY LEWIS

Redwing

URBAN FIELDCRAFT

Mallards The much-loved mallard is our most familiar duck, found across town and country. Feeding ducks is a popular pastime and, for many, a first introduction to the UK’s wonderful wildlife.

Ducks are out and about all year round, so if you are looking for a simple, fun wildlife experience to share with the family, mallards may be just the ticket!

How to

MARK HAMBLIN / 2020VISION

SPOT A MALLARD  Two peas in a pond! Mallards love peas and

Female mallard

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sweetcorn. Take a bag of defrosted frozen peas to your local pond and see who waddles over to investigate.  Wander around a wetland Mallards thrive in wetland habitats. Visit a wetland near you and it is highly likely that you will see them foraging at the water’s edge.

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SEE THIS

DO THIS

Look out for starling murmurations, one of nature’s most mesmerising spectacles.

Practise your wildlife tracking skills - winter is the best time to spot footprints in mud and snow.

GUY EDWARDES / 2020VISION

AMY LEWIS

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Winter flying moths Male winter moth

3 SPECIES TO SPOT Moths’ antennae are very sensitive to smell, and are used to detect food sources and mating partners.

Pale November moth These ghostly harbingers of winter thrive in mature beech woodlands, which is no surprise when you consider that the larvae feed exclusively on beech trees.

Some moths have hidden hearing organs on their thorax at the base of their wings.

December moth December moths have brown-grey wings with creamy white, wavy markings. They are mainly found in woodlands and hedgerows.

When bats are away, winter moths will play.

Some moths, however, are at their peak of activity, and can be seen on the wing during winter. Eschewing warm summer nights means that they avoid being snapped up by hungry bats, giving them an advantage over their summertime cousins.

Visit our website www.hiwwt.org.uk

GARRY BARLOW

GARRY BARLOW

When we think of flying insects, balmy summer evenings FEMALE and hot days in WINTER MOTH the sun usually The female winter spring to mind. moth will climb up a However, the tree trunk and exude chill of winter pheromones to brings a unique attract a mate. set of intrepid invertebrates, and moths are no exception.

Winter is a tough time for the vast majority of the UK’s moths, and many survive the cold by avoiding it altogether.

Some species spend the winter as caterpillars, which lie dormant until the spring, while others bide their time as pupae, sheltering under the soil. Some species will lay their eggs in one year for them to hatch in the next, when food is plentiful, and others enter a state of diapause, which is similar to hibernation.

LEZ ROUND

GARRY BARLOW

Moths’ wings are coated with thousands of delicate scales, each individually coloured to make up the patterns on their wings.

Top tips

Winter moth The winter moth is able to cope with freezing temperatures. Male and female winter moths look very different – the females have short, stubby wings and can’t actually fly!

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Explore the Eastern Yar Valley IAN PRATT

Parsonage Farm

The Eastern Yar River Valley hosts a growing network of nature reserves just waiting to be explored. Discover them this winter and experience the best of the Isle of Wight’s wildlife.

Sandown Meadows Nature Reserve Follow the Yar River Trail towards Alverstone until you reach Sandown Meadows, and step into a watery world of sensational songsters and silent hunters.

Sandown Meadows was bought by the Trust in 2012 with help from a kind gift in the Will of Isle of Wight resident Cathleen

Cooper. This nature reserve is one of a number of beautiful, undisturbed habitats within the valley. The site – approximately 18 hectares – hosts wet meadows, reedbeds, scrub and ditches, as well as part of the River Yar itself. These habitats provide homes for vulnerable species like water vole, as well as Cetti’s warbler, kingfisher, reed warbler, sedge warbler and reed bunting.

Sandown Meadows is also an important wintering site for lapwing, teal, common snipe and shoveler. Visit at dusk and you may be treated to the ghostly sight of a barn owl soaring over the grass, hunting soundlessly for mice and voles.

Lapwing

DARIN SMITH

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DAVID TIPLING / 2020VISION

Sedge warbler

On the south east coast of the Isle of Wight, nestled between the chalk hills to the north and the sandstone to the south, is the valley of the Eastern Yar River.

The river flows over some of the deepest peat beds in southern England, and certain stretches are renowned for their impressive biodiversity.

Two of our nature reserves are situated in this special river valley, and much of the adjoining land is managed for wildlife.

They create a flourishing network for nature that stretches from Bembridge Harbour to Newchurch and beyond. Our reserves, Sandown Meadows and Morton Marsh, are two essential pieces in this growing puzzle of wildlife havens, and together they create a strip of unbroken habitat on the Island.

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OUR BEST WINTER RESERVES

Kingfishers

Visit Sandown Meadows and Morton Marsh

RICHARD JACOBS

IAN PRATT

Morton Marsh Nature Reserve To the east of Sandown Meadows sits Morton Marsh, an adjoining nature reserve of equal significance and splendour.

Thanks to support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we acquired Morton Marsh near Adgestone in 2016.

This purchase added a further 10 hectares to Sandown Meadows, and marked an important step in our mission to create connected habitats on the Isle of Wight.

Southern marsh orchid, black sedge, marsh skullcap and the rare slender tufted sedge flourish in the nutrient-rich soil, and a variety of wetland and farmland bird species also thrive on the site. Cetti’s, reed and sedge warblers can be seen alongside wildfowl, and marsh harriers are often spotted hunting along the river valley.

Barn owls and short-eared owls also soar over the marsh, while water voles scurry amid the reeds.

Morton Marsh has enormous value for wildlife, and we have ambitious restoration plans to ensure this special site reaches its full potential. So far, we have installed wetland scrapes at the western end of the site and used the excavated soil to create an embankment to the north east. Once this has settled it will be landscaped to provide habitat for invertebrates, and will also host nesting tubes for kingfisher and sand martin. A new viewing platform has also been installed to offer elevated views of the newly created wetland area.

The eerie screaming that comes from the river channels is the call of the water rail, a wetland bird that skulks through the vegetation in search of small fish and invertebrates. nature-based economy where biodiversity, recreation, tourism and natural flood management go hand in hand. With appropriate care and attention, the stretch of land between Newchurch and St Helens could boast nationally important assemblages of birds, including new introductions such as sea eagle and stork.

Parts of the valley could be shaped by wildlife itself, such as the native beaver with its powerful ability to create new habitats, improve water quality and mitigate flood risk.

We want to take our first big step towards making this vision a reality. We have a fantastic opportunity to purchase two special pieces of land on the southern slopes of the Eastern Yar, both with huge potential to be improved for wildlife.

Parsonage Farm and Hill Heath form a rich tapestry of habitats, from ancient woodland and river to grazed pasture and marshland. A generous gift in the Will of long-standing member and Island resident Gwendolen Bunce has contributed to the purchase price, but there is still time to make a donation before the end of November to help us complete the purchase. Can you help us?

Donate online or call us on 01489 774408. www.hiwwt.org.uk/iowland

TOP WILDLIFE TO SPOT Keep your eyes peeled for the bright blue and orange flash of a kingfisher diving into the river for fish, or the silent heron poised at the water’s edge. Birds such as coots and moorhens pick their way through the long grass in the reeds around the ditches.

Listen carefully, and you may hear the telltale ‘plop’ of a water vole hopping into the river as it makes a quick getaway.

Water vole

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TOM MARSHALL

A wilder vision for Eastern Yar Valley The Eastern Yar Valley offers the perfect opportunity to develop an exemplary

DID YOU KNOW

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Location: Sandown, Isle of Wight, PO36 9PS OS Map Reference: SZ 590852 How to get there: The nearest train station is Sandown. Exit the station from the north and turn right onto Perowne Way. 100 metres after passing Central Way on your left, follow the road to the left towards Fairway Holiday Park, then turn left onto the Yar Valley Trail towards Alverstone.

The nearest bus stop is Sandown high street. Walk up the high street, and then turn right onto St John’s Road. After 100 meters, turn onto Station Avenue. Cross over the Broadway and continue onto Station Avenue for 200 meters. Then, turn left onto Simeon’s Path, which crosses the railway line after 150 meters. From there, follow the directions above.

To get from Sandown Meadows to Morton Marsh, take footpath 38 to cross over the River Yar, then take the footpath to your left to join footpath 42.

Please email feedback@hiwwt.org.uk for disabled access information.

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WILD NEWS

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

Wilder 2030 Our new 10 year plan to create a wilder Hampshire and Isle of Wight - Wilder 2030 - got off to a great start with our AGM and Conference at the end of October. More than 300 people gathered in Winchester to hear from those leading the way towards a wilder future, and to join discussions on topics such as rewilding, people power, and the many routes to nature’s recovery.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to such a fantastic and inspiring day - our guest speakers and panellists Sir Charlie Burrell, Philip Lymbery, Dagan James, Tiffany Francis-

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Baker, Lea Barbett, Natalie Harris, Jenni Jones, pupils from St Albans Primary School, pupils from Portsmouth High School and Gemma Lacey from Southern Co-op - and of course the many members, donors, partners and friends who took part in the discussions. Thanks also to Hilliers Nurseries for bringing our vision to life by wilding the stage!

We were delighted to receive unanimously positive feedback from those who attended. Here are some comments from people who joined us on the day...

“Such a positive plan. Now is the time to join together for nature - cooperation, not competition in conservation. As our pupils say, “For everyone of every age”.

J.Newman, teacher from St Alban’s Primary School, Havant who, with her students, presented their Pollinator Promise project at the Conference.

“It was a brilliant day! I was really encouraged by the Trust’s passion to work with farmers. We must stop criticising each other and work together instead. Now is the time to act.”

Megan Lock, Country Land and Business Association.

“Loving HIWWT’s new, inspiring, more ambitious, urgent & dynamic approach to reversing the decline in biodiversity & changing behaviours. Join Team Wilder!”

309

The number of people who attended our conference and showed their support for Wilder 2030

OUR PLAN ■ In the next ten years we must create a much wilder Hampshire and Isle of Wight. We want nature’s recovery to be at the forefront of tackling the climate crisis, broken ecosystems to be restored and missing wildlife to return.

We want people to benefit from a healthy natural environment.

■ We need more people on nature’s side and more space for wildlife to thrive. This means that we need 1 in 4 people to take action for nature’s recovery, at least a third of land and sea to be where wildlife is recovering, and the pressure on nature reduced everywhere else.

■ We will focus our efforts on these interconnected goals and deliver two flagship programmes: Team Wilder and Wilder Land and Sea

Tim Sykes, Environment Agency.

“We’re proud to be supporting this important plan to respond to the nature emergency and see ourselves as a key part of Team Wilder.” Alison Barnes, New Forest National Park Authority.

Visit our website and read more about our plan for a wilder future. www.hiwwt.org.uk/Wilder-Hampshire-Wight

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News

Together

we’re stronger Here are some of the ways your membership has been helping to protect your local wildlife DAVE KILBEY

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regional

Bird numbers soar at Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve Survey results from the summer are in, and we are delighted to have seen bird numbers soar at Farlington Marshes.

Careful management of the site, combined with creative thinking and innovative conservation solutions have seen lapwing, redshank and avocet numbers reach the highest they have been in 20 years. We also had two pairs of oystercatcher nest successfully on site; an

exciting first for this nature reserve.

The tern raft proved its worth by providing three pairs of common terns with a safe place to nest. While this may not sound like many, each pair produced two chicks, which is a huge success in terms of productivity. We plan to install four more tern rafts at Farlington Marshes this winter and have high hopes that the colony will grow exponentially.

regional

CATHERINE CHATTERS

Students report success in the balsam battle Our New Forest Non-Native Plants Project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, aims to help landowners stop the spread of invasive non-native plants. To assess the project’s effectiveness, students from Southampton University have been monitoring ten sample sites over the past four years. Their findings show that the work by our volunteers to control Himalayan balsam by hand-pulling has been particularly effective and, as a result, native wildflowers such as marsh marigold, opposite-leaved golden saxifrage and marsh valerian are now able to thrive in areas that were once dense ‘forests’ of balsam. This success is all thanks to our dedicated volunteers who regularly give their time to pull up Himalayan balsam in the New Forest, often in very wet and muddy conditions! We are also very grateful to the ten students who did the baseline survey in 2015 and undertook the monitoring in subsequent years.

The number of Marine Champions and Ambassadors recruited since October 2018.

2,500

The number of people who responded to our discussion paper and helped to shape our strategy for a wilder future.

Thank

you!

842,218

The number of hours given by our volunteers in the last financial year: equivalent to 6,888 days.

25,748

The members and friends of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust who make our work possible.

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WILD NEWS REGIONAL

TERRY WHITTAKER / 2020VISION

The eagles have landed

REGIONAL

State of nature report State of Nature, a project involving more than twenty wildlife charities working together. This important report provides the evidence base that underpins our local and national advocacy, as we push for changes in policy and practice. A better understanding of the state of nature in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight is needed, however, and we are keen to work in partnership with local charities, public bodies and citizen scientists to bring together the data in order to help inform and focus our efforts over the coming years.

MIKE READ / WWW.MIKEREAD.CO.UK

The UK’s most comprehensive study of species and habitat trends has been updated for 2019 and shows that nature continues to decline. The report reveals that one in seven species in the UK are now at risk of extinction and the speed of change is increasing – with 53% of species showing ‘strong changes’ over the short-term, compared to 33% over the long-term. This suggests that the drivers of decline - including climate change, intensive agriculture and pollution, must be tackled now, before these shifts spiral out of control.

This is the third edition of the

Following the release of six sea eagle chicks on the Isle of Wight, it has been fascinating to follow reports on how the birds are faring. Sadly one has died, but the other five have explored their new surroundings in very different ways, with some staying put and getting to know the Island, while others have taken a whistlestop tour of the mainland. Culver, the most adventurous of the bunch, flew all the way to Essex before making his way back to the Island in early September, and since then he has left the Island again.

Forestry England are keen to hear from anyone who might have spotted Culver, so do get in touch with them if you think you might have seen him. For local children, the eagles provide a shifting baseline that represents a new, richer norm. The birds will enable a new generation to grow up in an environment in which co-existing with large, charismatic wildlife is normal, and we hope that the sight of these magnificent birds soaring over the Isle of Wight will inspire more people to strive for a wilder future. Find out more by visiting www.hiwwt.org.uk/blog/sea-eagles

REGIONAL

National Farmers Weekly Awards

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have nature’s recovery alongside food production firmly on the farming agenda.

Being awarded this prestigious title shows that the industry knows this, and that we all need to work together to meet the many environmental challenges we are up against.”

By empowering individuals to support nature’s recovery beyond the borders of our nature reserves, Alison is paving the way towards a wilder future for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

FARMERS WEEKLY

The Trust’s Principal Farm Advisor, Alison Cross, has won the title of Arable Farm Advisor of the Year in the 2019 Farmers Weekly Awards. Alison’s success is an encouraging sign of the growing awareness around farming’s role in addressing environmental challenges, and a great accolade for her and the Trust.

Alison said: “I’m thrilled to have won this award, it is such an honour. I work with some great farmers and I don’t think there has ever been a more important time to Wild Life | Winter 2019

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RACHEL SCOPES

NEWS

Did you know...

4,661 hectares in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight are managed by the Trust – that’s 11,517 acres of land in our two counties being managed for wildlife.

NATIONAL

Saving sand dunes

A pioneering project is stepping in to save Europe’s most threatened habitat, sand dunes.

Home to rare plants and animals, including fen orchids and sand lizards, sand dunes have declined dramatically in the last century. The ambitious Dynamic Dunescapes project aims to reverse these declines, working with local people to bring life back to our dunes.

This partnership project was made possible by £4m funding from The National Lottery. www.wildlifetrusts.org/saving-sand-dunes

REGIONAL

TOM HIBBERT

Action for insects Wildlife Trusts across the UK are campaigning for ‘Action for Insects’ to reverse the dramatic decline in these vital invertebrates. In November, we published a new report written by Professor Dave Goulson, which reveals the plight of insects and points to the changes that need to take place. Over the coming months, Wildlife Trusts will be asking individuals, communities and organisations to pledge to take Action for Insects. We will be providing tools and advice to help people reduce pesticide use and create more insect-friendly spaces in their homes, gardens, workplaces, communities, farms and public spaces.

And we will ensure that policy makers know the importance of putting the Nature Recovery Network at the heart of the Environment Bill to restore ecosystems and rebuild wildlife abundance. You can find out more and join the campaign by visiting www.hiwwt.org.uk/action-for-insects

LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS Discover how Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is working for you.

1 Great Solent Seafood Fish and shellfish are both tasty and healthy, but the methods used to catch them can have a serious impact on our marine environment.

Moreover, most fishermen in our area export their catch due to a lack of local demand. We are pleased to announce a partnership with Hampshire Fare, which will see us team up to promote local sustainable seafood and the people bringing it to our plates. Look out for news, recipes, and more in the coming months.

2 Sheep thrills at Barton Meadows Nature Reserve 41 lucky sheep have joined the reserves team at Barton Meadows, where they will help to create a flourishing haven for wildlife. The lambs were put on the meadows following the hay cut in July as part of a conservation technique called ‘aftermath grazing’; allowing livestock to graze the land prevents excess nutrients building up in the soil, which stops aggressive plants outcompeting more delicate species.

3 Improved accessibility at Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve

We have improved accessibility at Fishlake Meadows to make it easier for visitors to enjoy the reserve’s rich wildlife without disturbing the sensitive habitats. The barge canal footpath has been widened and resurfaced, so people can more easily experience this unique wildlife haven even in the muddy winter months.

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WILD NEWS

News in brief

NATIONAL

25 years of support This November, The National Lottery celebrates its 25th birthday and we look back on a quarter of a century of support for wildlife and wild places across the UK. Since the first draw in 1994, The National Lottery has raised over £40 billion for good causes – including more than 800 Wildlife Trust projects. This vital funding has enabled Wildlife Trusts to save thousands of hectares of land, protect rare and vulnerable wildlife and bring people of all generations closer to nature, from helping barn owls in Northern Ireland to restoring wild landscapes in Scotland.

Learn more about the work that The National Lottery has supported at www.wildlifetrusts.org/25-year-lottery

CPRE awards Our Woodland Apprentice scheme and New Forest Non-Native Plants Project were both finalists in CPRE Hampshire’s 13th annual Countryside Awards.

The awards celebrate a beautiful, diverse and living countryside that everyone can value and enjoy, and we were delighted to see these two special initiatives recognised for their contributions to the local area.

NATIONAL

Stephanie Hilborne OBE has stepped down as Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts. Steph has led The Wildlife Trust movement, championing its beliefs and vision, for the last 15 years.

Under Steph’s leadership, The Wildlife Trusts have been at the forefront of marine conservation, successfully campaigning for the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, led on landscape-scale conservation and published ground-breaking research on the benefits of nature for health and wellbeing.

Speaking about her departure, Steph said, “I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to be so central to this amazing movement of dedicated people who care so passionately about wildlife and future generations.

I wish all my friends in the movement well as they go from strength to strength.”

We wish Steph all the best in her new role as CEO of Women in Sport. www.wildlifetrusts.org/ceo-steps-down

JASON ALLEN PHOTOGRAPHY

End of an era as CEO steps down

New Local Group on the Isle of Wight We are setting up an Isle of Wight Local Supporters Group! Once the group is up and running, we will be in a position to organise more walks, talks, and other events for local people on the Island.

For information and to get involved, please contact Gary and David on Isleofwightwildlife@gmail.com

REGIONAL

LINDA PITKIN / 2020VISION

Watercress and Winterbournes After two years of development, we are excited to be submitting our final funding application for our landscape partnership scheme, Watercress and Winterbournes. This innovative scheme sees the Wildlife Trust team up with 14 partner organisations to enhance and celebrate seven local chalk streams. The generosity of the National Lottery Heritage Fund has allowed us to forge relationships with communities and build our understanding of the pressures on these special ecosystems. We are now applying for full funding - if successful we will have five years to deliver more than 25 projects focused on habitat improvement, species monitoring, education, heritage, and more.

We look forward to sharing news of the outcome next spring.

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Secrets of the Solent revealed at Blue Reef Aquarium We have installed a series of interpretation boards at Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth as part of our marine project, Secrets of the Solent. In the Solent Seas zone we are showcasing some of the fascinating species and special features of our waters, as well as sharing how you can help to protect their future. Then when you head into the Tropical Treasures zone look out for details on the amazing local relatives of animals found in distant seas.

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WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

FOCUS ON...

Wilder Solent

PETE JOHNSTONE

Your support makes projects like this one possible.

pressure from human activity. Our coastal habitats are being damaged and many amazing species are in danger of disappearing altogether. Nature is at a tipping point, and if we want to stop further decline then we must act now.

With our everyday actions having an enormous impact on the sea, we all have the power to make a difference if we work together. So why not join us in fighting for a Wilder Solent, and help build a bright future for our marine wildlife?

Think you can’t do much for our marine environment?

Think again!

Clean green Cleaning our homes helps to keep us healthy, but the products we use to do it are a cause of marine pollution.

You could switch standard household cleaning products, which often contain toxic ingredients like chlorine bleach and ammonia, for kinder alternatives. No brand is perfect, but popular choices like Method, Ecover, and Bio-D are still an improvement.

Serve seafood Seafood can be a healthy and delicious source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, but some fishing methods have a negative impact on habitats and wildlife.

Much of the seafood caught in our waters is also shipped abroad due to a lack of local demand.

Supporting suppliers who are using more sustainable fishing methods, or championing such produce, is a great way to tackle these issues. Many fisherman, shops, and restaurants in our area want to move in this direction, and local demand would help to make doing so economically viable.

Tackle plastic Many plastic items still cannot be recycled, and after entering the sea often remain there for decades. Check to see if your local shop has deli counters, and if they allow you to bring your own containers. Many supermarkets will now put meat, fish, cheese and other products in clean tupperware that can be sealed.

You can also reduce your plastic use by taking a packed lunch instead of buying one in plastic packaging. This can be a cheaper and healthier option in addition to being kinder on the environment.

Find out more about how you can help our local marine environment at www.hiwwt.org.uk/WilderSolent Wild Life | Winter 2019

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ALEXANDER MUSTARD

Think you can’t do much for our marine environment? Think again! Our Wilder Solent campaign is building a bright future for our waters, but we need your help to do it. By taking action at home, at work, on the shore, or on the waves, you’ll give our marine wildlife a chance to thrive.

With miles of stunning coastline, a shallow strait, and easy access to the seas beyond, our two counties share a wonderful marine environment.

As well as being vital to our health and wellbeing, our waters bring fun, employment, and inspiration to thousands of people each day, and are central to our region’s identity.

Unfortunately our marine wildlife is struggling to cope with increasing

Thank you

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How you can

help wildlife this winter

Bird box Birds may use these to roost communally on very cold nights. Fill them with dry leaves or similar material to make them warmer.

From log and leaf piles to open compost heaps and towers of terracotta pots by the side of the shed, Kate Bradbury reveals how we can provide safe habitats for overwintering wildlife in our gardens.

Long and tufty grass Caterpillars and other insects hunker down in the thatch.

Some caterpillars may emerge on mild days to eat the grass, so try to leave it uncut until mid-spring.

Log pile Insects hide beneath the logs, while amphibians and small mammals, such as these wood mice, shelter in gaps.

Fill them with autumn leaves to make them more snug.

Compost heap A large, open heap will attract insects including bumblebees and amphibians, such as this smooth newt. It may even lure mammals such as hedgehogs. Try to leave it undisturbed until April.

Pond Frogs (particularly males) overwinter at the bottom of ponds so they can be the first to mate in spring. Float a ball on the surface to stop it freezing over.

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Seedheads Seedheads provide shelter for ladybirds and other insects in winter, and offer a natural source of food for birds, so leave them standing until spring.

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ILLUSTRATION: HANNAH BAILEY, PHOTO: SARAH CUTTLE

GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE With the notable exception of birds, most garden wildlife lies dormant over winter, with only a few species, such as hedgehogs, truly hibernating. The rest spend winter in various states of ‘torpor’ – not fully shutting down their bodies as true hibernating animals do. That’s why, on sunny days, you may spot frogs swimming at the bottom of your pond, or bats flying on mild evenings. Even true hibernating animals have a break from all that sleeping – hedgehogs wake up and move nest sites at least once during the cold months.

But on the whole, much of our wildlife isn’t seen from around November to March. Where does it go? Insects might crawl into seedheads or wedge themselves beneath bark for winter. A pile of leaf litter might shelter anything from caterpillars, beetles, centipedes and woodlice to larger species, such as amphibians and mammals. Others hide

deep down in the thatch of long or tufty grass, bury themselves in the soil, or shuffle into the still-warm grass clippings and food waste in the compost heap.

Wildlife is very vulnerable at this time. Disturbing mammals can cause them to waste energy that they can’t easily replenish, while insects can be exposed to fungal infections if they get damp. Providing winter refuges (called hibernacula) will help wildlife overwinter – but not disturbing these habitats once you’ve created them is imperative to their survival.

Spare a thought for birds, too, which have to battle it out in winter, instead of hibernating. Growing berrying plants, feeding them and creating cosy roosts can help them in winter, too.

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

Gardens of all sizes are an essential part of a Nature Recovery Network. For more tips visit www.wildlifetrusts.org/gardening

Shed Adult butterflies may sneak into your shed or outhouse to overwinter on the walls, where they resemble leaves. Make sure there’s a gap so they can leave in spring.

Bird feeders Birds need as many calories as they can find during the short winter days to give them the energy they need to survive each night. Provide energy-rich suet products, peanuts and sunflower hearts. You can even buy window-mounted feeders if you don’t have a garden.

Garden borders

Soil

Lots of insects like to shelter among fallen plant stems, particularly hollow stems. Try not to cut back or tidy the border until spring – leave it to rot down naturally, instead.

A wide range of species overwinter in the soil, from slow worms to moth pupae and bumblebees.

Try to resist digging the soil until mid-spring when they’ll be awake.

Magazine Wild Name Life |Winter | Winter 2019 2019

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Nature’s solution to climate change

BY LINE FOR WORDS OR PHOTOS

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How our nature reserves and local wild places are playing their part in the race against climate change.

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ea levels are rising, glaciers are melting, extreme weather events are altering seasonal norms and wildlife is struggling to keep pace. While future generations will be the worst affected, climate change is not a dystopian film plotline. It is happening right now, and the earth’s vital signs are showing a worrying pattern of decline.

In 2015, the Paris Climate Agreement set a goal of keeping global temperatures from increasing further than 2°C. Since then the mercury has continued to rise. Evidence suggests that it is now too late to limit excessive warming through the reduction of emissions alone, and that nature has a vital role to play.

When living systems like peat bogs, forests and floodplains are allowed to recover they absorb carbon from the atmosphere, bringing global temperatures down. There is growing agreement that natural climate solutions such as these must be incorporated as part of a global effort to avert climate breakdown.

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are home to large swathes of land with great potential as carbon stores, and we need your help to maintain and enhance our local natural climate solutions.

Left: Our woodlands can be part of a wider solution thanks to the way they draw carbon dioxide from the air.

MARK HAMBLIN / 2020VISION

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Woodlands

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CLIVE CHATTERS

rees are the silent saviours of so many species. Birds, mammals and insects alike find shelter in their boughs, and so does the basis of all life on earth – carbon. Trees draw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it, turning the captured carbon into building blocks for their roots, trunks and branches. Trees also cool the air with moisture and shade, and could reduce temperatures by up to 4% in urban areas.

Trees are highly effective carbon banks, and the beauty is that they are self-generating, cost very little, and in many cases they don’t even need to be planted. Allowing trees to regenerate naturally from scrub often results in forests which are more resilient against drought and disease. Research suggests that this approach would store around 400 tonnes of carbon per square kilometre every year, If you are a landowner or if you have a garden large enough, could you plant a tree and add to a global as well as providing network of carbon stores? Oak trees are particularly improved flood effective at storing carbon, and they will provide protection. valuable habitat for birds and invertebrates. If you Since the 1930s over half find a sapling in your garden which has established of Hampshire’s ancient naturally, you could leave it to grow instead of pulling woodland has been it up. We are always happy to advise on putting the destroyed, but there is right tree in the right place. considerable scope across If you are unable to accommodate a tree, you could both counties to expand help look after woodlands in your local area. The Trust existing woodlands, has lots of volunteering opportunities available, and or create new ones by so do other conservation organisations including the allowing scrub to develop Woodland Trust and the Conservation Volunteers. into woodland habitats.

BRIAN SHORTER

How you can help

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Grasslands

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Since the 1930s, over half of Hampshire’s ancient woodland has been lost. We need to reverse this trend.

The species-rich grassland at St Catherine’s Hill.

ED MERRITT

rass is something we see every day, but few of us realise that grasslands are highly effective carbon traps. Grasslands store carbon dioxide in the soil, and they are particularly effective when the ground is rich in plant diversity. The more diverse the plant-life, the more abundant the mycorrhizae – microscopic networks of fungi that nourish roots and help ‘glue’ soil clusters together. Working in combination with roots, soil fauna and detritus, mycorrhizae not only stabilise soil, they help it store lots of carbon.

A number of our nature reserves comprise of species-rich grassland, including St Catherine’s Hill in Winchester and Arreton Down on the Isle of Wight. Not only are these reserves contributing to a wider network of carbon dioxide absorbing grasslands, they provide habitat for invertebrates and other wildlife. At Barton Meadows in Winchester we have reverted arable fields (which are net carbon emitters) to wildflower meadows (which are net absorbers), and are noticing increased soil invertebrate populations as well as a surge in pollinating insects. Combined, these nature reserves cover over 97 hectares of land, capable of locking away around 11,000 tonnes of carbon.

Floodplains are areas of grassland adjacent to rivers where flooding may occur, and they are hugely valuable as carbon traps. Winnall Moors, which covers around 160 acres, could offset one person’s share in nearly 1,000 return flights from Southampton to Newcastle each year! Moreover, floodplains store significant amounts of water; the Rivers Test and Itchen were once connected to their floodplains, the loss of which contributed to the serious floods of 2014.

Floodplains are capable of retaining up to five times more water throughout the year compared to improved grasslands, which are managed to increase productivity (usually through ploughing or herbicide use). Creating joined-up networks of healthy floodplain meadows across the landscape could mitigate soil erosion and pollution, and prevent serious flooding in the future.

How you can help Do not pave over your garden lawn or replace it with plastic grass and decking. Let it grow a little wilder with wildflowers – not only will your garden be a more pleasant place to spend a sunny day, but you will be contributing to a network of healthy green spaces in which carbon can be absorbed and wildlife can thrive.

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Peatlands

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IAN CAMERON-REID

eatlands are spectacular wild places, home to birds, insects and unusual plants that are not found anywhere else. The UK’s peatlands store around 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon, and we get 70% of our drinking water from peatland river catchments. In peatlands there is less oxygen to bond with the carbon, so the two elements cannot easily combine and escape as carbon dioxide.

Sadly, more than 94% of the UK’s lowland peat bogs have been destroyed or damaged, and a wealth of wildlife has disappeared along with them. This vital habitat isn’t easily replaced: peat takes thousands of years to form because the dead plant material that it is composed of decays and compresses very slowly and under specific conditions.

In order to perform all of its essential functions, peat must be wet, so the degradation of our river systems and wetland habitats has terrible implications for this valuable natural resource.

Dry peat is easily eroded, which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are home to nationally important peat beds, some of which sit within the boundaries Peat has been a major ingredient of the of our nature reserves. The Eastern Yar compost used in gardening for many years.

River Valley, for example, contains some This peat has been dug out of wild places, of the deepest peat deposits in southern damaging some of the last remaining England. We are working in partnership peatlands in the UK. But peat-free compost is with the Down to the Coast project there available and if everyone used it our peatlands to restore floodplain habitats, improving would be safe from this damaging practice. them for wildlife and enhancing their peat-building capacity.

How you can help

IAN CAMERON-REID

Farlington Marshes nature reserve offers vital sanctuary for sea birds, but needs to be protected.

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Seagrass beds & salt marshes

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Lymington Reed Beds is a thriving local carbon store.

eagrass beds are home to many remarkable species, and they are also one of nature’s most effective carbon sinks. Seagrass roots are embedded in the seabed, and form dense mats in the sediment. If a seagrass bed remains undisturbed, it can trap vast amounts of carbon for hundreds of years. This is partly because carbon sinks store most of their carbon within plants and algae, which release some of their trapped carbon when they die and decompose. Decomposition happens more slowly under the sediment, so once carbon is trapped it can stay that way for longer.

Salt marshes are also highly effective at sequestering carbon. When marshland plants die they are buried in the mud, rather than decomposing and releasing carbon into the atmosphere.

Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes nature reserve on the New Forest coast is a fantastic local example of a thriving salt marsh, and is home to a wealth of different bird species including dunlin, black-tailed godwit and grey plover.

Sadly, this precious habitat is eroding at a terrific rate due to sea level rise. To mitigate this, the Trust and its partners are exploring possible ways to allow saltmarshes to adapt. Securing new low-lying land adjacent to sites like Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes would prolong their lifespan and create additional habitat, and we are always on the lookout for opportunities to purchase suitable sites.

POLLY WHYTE

If a seagrass bed remains undisturbed, it can trap carbon for hundreds of years.

How you can help Sailing is hugely popular across our region, and for many is a way to connect with our marine environment. But it is important to be careful with how and where you anchor, as dragging can damage seagrass beds. The Royal Yachting Association has great advice on how to anchor and moor responsibly: www.rya.org.uk

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6 places to see Winter wildfowl

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s the temperature drops, our wetlands fill with wildfowl escaping the harsher winters of their breeding grounds. It’s a sensational spectacle as swans, geese and ducks descend on our lakes and reservoirs in loud, colourful groups. The air fills with the joyous whistling of wigeon and teal, while groups of elegant grey gadwall rub shoulders with green-headed mallard, beautiful pintail and bizarre-billed shoveler.

Diving ducks like pochard and tufted duck are joined by goldeneye – the males a glorious glowing white as they bob to the surface between feeding dives.

If you love coastal birdlife, help us ensure that our favourite winter visitors keep coming back year after year. Our friends at Bird Aware Solent offer lots of helpful guidance and advice on how to enjoy winter wildfowl sensitively.

Visit their website to find out more: www.solent.birdaware.org/home

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See the spectacle

for yourself

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1 3

1 Farlington Marshes Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Spot wintering brent geese, or look for wigeon, teal and avocet on the lakes at high tide.

Where: Portsmouth, PO6 1UN 2 East Chevington Northumberland Wildlife Trust Just a short walk from the beach, the wintering ducks on these two lakes are sometimes joined by seagoing species like the lovely long-tailed duck.

Where: Near Red Row, NE61 5BX 3 Sandown Meadows Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust One of the Isle of Wight’s best wetlands, attracting large numbers of wintering ducks including teal and shoveler. Common snipe can also be spotted in the wet meadows.

Where: Sandown, PO36 9PS 4 Rutland Water Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust Around 30,000 wildfowl can spend the winter at Rutland Water, often including several smew – one of our rarest and most beautiful winter ducks.

Where: Oakham, LE15 8BT

GADWALL BY GUY EDWARDES/2020VISION

5 Testwood Lakes Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust See a host of winter wildfowl on the lakes, including great white egret, teal, wigeon and shoveler.

Where: Totton, SO40 3YD 6 Catcott, Somerset Wildlife Trust In winter the flooded fields host wigeon, teal and pintail – a definite contender for the UK’s most elegant duck.

Where: Burtle, TA7 8NQ

Did you see one?

We’d love to know how your wildfowl search went.

Please tweet us your best photos of ducks, geese and swans from your day out @HantsIWWildlife

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Building lifelong connections to nature By line for words or photos

Becky O’Melia, Engagement Manager, explains how we can build lifelong connections with the natural world and help tip the balance in favour of nature’s recovery.

ROSS HODDINOTT / 2020VISION

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A strong and long-lasting connection with nature benefits both our physical health and our mental wellbeing.

o one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced. – Sir David Attenborough You have probably read this quote a thousand times, but Sir David does have a point. We know that a strong connection with nature benefits our health and influences our behaviour, so it is very troubling that the average child in the UK spends less time outside than a maximum security prisoner. With wildlife in freefall and mental illnesses like depression at an all-time high, we must find a way to strengthen our relationship to the natural world.

Each and every personal connection with nature is another stepping stone towards a wilder future, and research has shown that a bond forged in childhood will likely last a lifetime.

If we are to rebuild damaged habitats and ecosystems, we must reach out to the young, and do so with care.

Eco-anxiety, a psychological disorder brought on by worrying about the environmental crisis facing the planet, is on the rise, and particularly prevalent in young people. Research reported in David Sobel’s book, Beyond Eco-phobia, details how children can effectively switch off from nature when faced with large problems which are seemingly beyond their control, sometimes becoming hopeless and overwhelmed. Throwing frightening facts and figures at children too young to process them can cause irreparable damage, so we are taking a different approach backed up by years of scientific research.

Drawing on the work of David Sobel, we will continue to provide children and young people with enjoyable nature experiences specifically tailored to their age group. The activities we offer for children aged seven and under will be about developing empathy with the natural world, and having fun in nature. Between seven and 11, activities will focus on exploring nature at home, in school and in their wider community.

For adolescents aged 12 and above, we will focus on social action, giving young people the tools to understand the ecological challenges we face while ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge to help tackle them.

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nature connections

the five pathways to a connection with nature

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ecent research by Ryan Lumber suggests that there are five key pathways which can be used to build strong connections with the natural world; we will be using these alongside David Sobel’s findings to strengthen our education and engagement work. By combining new and exciting science with the experience of our dedicated staff, we hope that our work with young people will be one of the catalysts that tips the balance in favour of nature’s recovery.

emotion

Enabling people to feel the joy and wonder of nature, and experience the calm that time spent in the outdoors can bring, is a key part of our new strategy. We will build on emotional connections through creative outdoor activities which encourage people to express their thoughts and feelings.

Compassion

By line for words or photos

Our activities will offer tangible ways that people can continue their connection with nature beyond the time they have spent with us. We will encourage people to take small actions for nature at home, be that creating a hedgehog home in their garden, or reducing their carbon footprint.

TOM MARSHALL

senses

We will create opportunities for people to experience nature using all the senses. Through engagement tools such as art installations, we will encourage people to fully embrace the sights and sounds of nature.

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nature connections

Meaning

Nature is an endless source of inspiration for poetry, art and literature, and we will create activities which inspire young people to think about what nature means to them.

liAnnE DE mEllO

Beauty

Knowledge in action

Our activities will give people the chance to find beauty in nature. This could be admiring wide, sweeping landscapes, or appreciating the smallest of species. We will encourage children to look closely at their pond dipping finds before naming them with an ID chart. What shapes, patterns and colours make each species unique?

We will use Lumber’s five pathways to guide young people through the first steps towards a lifelong connection with the natural world.

Once the connection is established, we can help them build the knowledge and skills they need to take action for nature.

As part of this new approach, we are creating more opportunities for people to be champions for wildlife where they live.

Wilder Portsmouth

Thanks to support from Southern Co-op, we have been able to launch an exciting new project: Wilder Portsmouth. Our aim is to empower individuals and communities to build a joined-up network for nature across the city, and equip them with the skills they need to maintain it.

Wilder Communities Officer, Andy Ames, has already joined forces with local decision makers, including Portsmouth City Council. Andy is also working with local communities to build spaces for nature on their doorsteps. This could be adding a green roof to the top of a bin store, putting up a swift box, or creating a bee hotel in the back garden; every small action will help to build a wildlife corridor across the city. We are currently developing our first Wild Street, and Andy is working closely with residents to support them in creating space for wildlife where they live.

Marine Cha mpions

REX WAYGOOD

With support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, our project Secrets of the Solent is inspiring people across our two counties to value and take action for local marine life. Since the project began in 2018, we have rallied an 80-strong team of Marine Champions dedicated volunteers who support the Solent through engaging with their local communities.

Find out more about our Marine Champions and the different roles available on our website: www.hiwwt.org.uk/Secrets-of-the-Solent/ Marine-Champions

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MY WILD LIFE

Mark Lovell

Mark and his father Graham run a small family farm in west Hampshire.

In 2016 they joined the Wallop Brook Farmers Group, a local collective of 19 farmers who are working together to enhance their land for wildlife.

Mark tells us about the wildlife he has discovered and how farming plays an essential role in nature’s recovery.

GRETTA LOVELL

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OUR WILDLIFE CHAMPIONS

of time and effort collecting muck from neighbouring farms. It has been tough at times to implement some of these small changes, but it has been a joy to discover rare species on our farm. Some of them are of national importance, and it feels great to help them out.

I first heard about the Wallop Brook Farmers Group through a friend and fellow farmer. He phoned up one day and invited me, along with some other neighbouring farmers, for a pint at the pub. We talked about the farmers group and I thought it sounded good. I love it when local people get together for the good of the community, and in this case, for nature. Not long after that first meetup we approached Alison Cross, a farm advisor from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, and asked her to advise and look after the group. Since then we have worked closely with Alison to improve our land for wildlife.

Farming is about working in partnership with the natural world, and I believe that everything has a purpose and a place. When nature starts to struggle it is generally not too long before we run into trouble on the farm. For example, we had a couple of headlands (patches of land at the top and bottom ends of our fields) that weren’t yielding many crops. The land wouldn’t drain well and always took a long time to dry out, making cultivation, seed planting and other operations difficult. We started growing some cover crops in the autumn such as kale, turnips and mustard to improve the structure of the soil. Cover crops have deep roots which aerate the soil, allowing air, water and nutrients into the earth. We plough them in just before sowing the next crop, and we’ve noticed that the worms are back, the soil is aerated and our problems with the headlands are a thing of the past.

One of our first objectives was to do some surveys and find out how wildlife was faring on our farm. It turns out that many of the plants I thought were weeds are actually wildflowers, and I was amazed to learn that some are endangered and of national significance. I had no idea what birds we had, other than all those little brown ones. It turns out that some of the little brown birds are corn bunting which, to give Dad his credit, he had been telling me for years! We have been able to make some changes to help them. We now plant additional seeds in some strips of barley to make a really thick crop which the corn buntings love, and we leave most of our stubbles over winter. In doing this, we provide food and shelter for the birds.

Being part of the group has changed how I look at the farm. That weedy corner is actually a rich and diverse habitat, and all those post-harvest weeds are doing a great job mopping up available nutrients and keeping them for the next crop, as well as providing food for the worms. By making just a few small changes we can really help our environment. We are now leaving bigger field corners, which we cultivate and then leave untouched so arable flora can grow. We continue to spread farmyard manure on our ground so we can keep our soil nutrient-rich: Dad spends a lot

“As a group we are able to make our own decisions and work in a way that fits with our landscape and farming.”

As a group we are able to make our own decisions and work in a way that fits with our landscape and farming. We know our farms, our soils, our hedges, and we are best placed to achieve positive outcomes for the wildlife on our land.

My advice to other farmers who are keen to help wildlife is to start by finding out what species and habitats you have on your land. Get in touch with your local Wildlife Trust and invite them to come and do some surveys. See what they find and what they are excited about. They are

Corn bunting

DAVID TIPLING / 2020VISION

Nature never fails to amaze and inspire me. The glimpse of a barn owl at dusk, the first swallows arriving in the spring, the smell of honeysuckle, the joy of picking and eating blackberries straight from the hedge… the list is endless.

always so thankful to find farmers willing to show them their patch, and you can’t fail to be inspired by their enthusiasm.

Then you can use your knowledge and experience of your own farm to make a few small changes to really benefit what you have. Talk to your neighbours about what little gems that you have found, swap ideas, knowledge and perhaps some seeds.

In the future, I hope to see more small farms really getting to know their little patch of God’s creation and getting excited about the tiny detail. I’d like to see more average farmers trying to do their bit for the environment. If we can work together, and open our minds to a slightly different way of looking at things, we will be able to feed a growing world population in a more sustainable way that works with nature, and we will see our land and wildlife flourish.

The Wallop Brook Farmers Group is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and is part of the Rural Development Programme for England.

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Love wildlife?

Give the gift of membership Whether they love long woodland walks, searching the sky for birds or marvelling at marine life, treat your nearest and dearest to a year of discovery with the Wildlife Trust.

Free calendar with every gift of membership

Their membership gift will include: ● A welcome pack to open on Christmas Day ● A guide to our nature reserves ● Our regular magazine and What’s On guide Family members also receive junior membership with a Wildlife Watch magazine and activities for children to enjoy. We will also include our 2020 Wildlife Calendar (left) for orders made on or prior to the 16 December 2019.

Get your gift of membership for a loved one now at www.hiwwt.org.uk/shop If you want to buy a calendar for your own home we also have these available to purchase separately from our online shop at the link above.

MARK HAMBLIN / 2020VISION

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