Herts and Middlesex
A better future for wildlife Strategic Plan 2011-2016
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
Welwyn Viaduct over River Mimram
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Contents 5 Foreword 7 Vision, mission and values 11 Bigger, better, more joined up 13 Jewels in the crown 14 Inspiring people about the natural world 15 Action for wildlife and the environment 16 Challenges and opportunities 19 How will we achieve our vision? 21 Indicators
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
We care for nature reserves and encourage people to enjoy and value the natural world around them Reed planting at Broadwater Lake Nature Reserve
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Foreword
Jane Durney Chief Executive
Mike Master Chair
Our natural environment faces ever increasing threats. Since its formation in 1964, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust has been working to protect nature by caring for nature reserves and encouraging people to enjoy and value the natural world in their local area. This plan sets out the Trust’s strategic direction for the next five years. It provides a framework for delivering programmes that support our vision, mission and aim. Key performance measures will be agreed and revised each year, along with a three year business plan, annual budgets and income targets. We will revisit this strategy every two years and revise it where necessary. We have developed this plan against a backdrop of a global recession and public sector funding cuts in the UK. We do not yet know the extent of the impact of these. However, there is increasing understanding of the role of the natural environment in mitigating and adapting to climate change, as well as the links between a healthy and biodiverse natural environment and human health and wellbeing, so we are optimistic about ongoing support for our work.
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
Damselfly
Goldeneye Brown hare
Black knapweed
Our vision is of an environment rich in wildlife for everyone 6
Vision, mission and values Our Vision: Across the UK the Wildlife Trusts share a vision for a Living Landscape and Living Seas, an environment rich in wildlife for everyone. Our Mission: To protect wildlife, restore biodiversity and to connect people with the natural world in Hertfordshire and Middlesex. Our Aim: To be recognised as the most active and influential local wildlife champion. Our Values: We want to be:
● Influential, offering leadership in wildlife conservation ● Authoritative, operating with integrity, scientific soundness, reliability, professionalism and independence
Our Objectives: Strategic 1 To work with partners to restore resilient ecological networks by creating a rich and accessible Living Landscape throughout Hertfordshire and Middlesex 2 To create and enhance nature reserves 3 To inspire people about the natural world 4 To encourage individual action for wildlife and the environment Operational 5 To increase our influence 6 To raise our profile 7 To grow our resources 8 To cooperate effectively throughout the movement 9 To develop and maintain the highest levels of governance and management
● Active, delivery-focussed ● Inspiring, fully committed and enthusiastic about what we do
● Engaging, valuing and encouraging the contribution of
Our objectives are set within the overarching objectives common to Wildlife Trusts throughout the UK – creating A Living Landscape and Living Seas.
others and welcoming a partnership approach
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
Reeds at Amwell Nature Reserve
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“Look deep into Nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein Protecting Wildlife for the Future
Hexton Chalk Pit Nature Reserve
A living landscape provides enough natural space for wildlife and people to thrive 10
Bigger, better, more joined up Objective: To work with partners to restore resilient ecological networks by creating a rich and accessible Living Landscape throughout Hertfordshire and Middlesex
and woodlands across south Hertfordshire. We will lead on implementing the London Thames and Tributaries Integrated Biodiversity Delivery Area in Hertfordshire.
Our vision of a Living Landscape focuses on making wildlife habitats across Hertfordshire and Middlesex bigger, better and more joined up and re-engaging people with the landscapes where they live. We have identified 28 areas for action with high concentrations of habitats and species that broadly match to Key Biodiversity Areas in the Hertfordshire Biodiversity Action Plan. These provide some of the greatest potential for working on a larger scale, joining up fragments of habitats and creating, restoring and managing larger landscape-scale conservation schemes. Using these areas and the land between as a starting point, we will look at the wider potential for ecological connectivity through the county and take an active role in the highest priority areas to contribute towards a Living Landscape.
● In partnership with others, we will publish a Practical Living Landscape Strategy for Hertfordshire, which will seek to join up existing identified areas, identify priorities for landscape-scale conservation across Hertfordshire and set out how this will be delivered. We will collaborate where these schemes cross county boundaries. ● We will develop an advocacy plan for Living Landscape schemes to gain wider recognition of these areas in strategic plans, by the public and landowners. We will seek greater protection of these areas through land management and through the planning system. We will take part in forums and partnerships to support this.
● We will increase our knowledge and understanding ● We are already committed to four high priority project areas within our Living Landscape approach: the Stort and Lee valleys in collaboration with Essex Wildlife Trust, the Colne Valley in collaboration with London Wildlife Trust,
of these areas. This will be achieved through our work to improve the conservation of Wildlife Sites and through developing our relationships with other partners.
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
Broadwater Lake Nature Reserve
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Jewels in the crown Objective: To create and enhance nature reserves Our nature reserves are key sites of ecological and geological importance in Hertfordshire and Middlesex. They provide protection for rare and threatened habitats and species. They are places where people can enjoy and learn about wildlife and the natural world. Our reserve management objectives are to maximise the ecological, educational and visitor potential of each of our reserves.
● We will develop a Nature Reserve Development and Management Strategy that incorporates common standards for management of our reserves.
● Reserve management plans and monitoring programmes will be completed for all reserves which currently do not have them. We will ensure all our SSSI-designated sites are in favourable condition and other reserves are in positive conservation management.
● We will review our plans in the context of a changing climate to ensure that adaptation measures are incorporated in our plans. We will also ensure that we are not working towards objectives that cannot be achieved, given projected climate change and its impact on water levels and temperatures.
● Our Nature Reserves Acquisition Strategy aims to acquire sites that have the greatest value for wildlife, people and for the Trust, that can play a role in the creation of a Living Landscape, and that have high ecological value or scope for creating high quality habitat. We have acquired several larger nature reserves in the past five years. We plan for this trend to continue, particularly in identified Living Landscape scheme areas. ● We will review provision for access and interpretation at all reserves and consider investment in visitor facilities where appropriate.
● We will review all reserves that do not meet biodiversity or access to nature objectives.
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
Inspiring people about the natural world Through our Go Wild events programme, training programmes and community projects, we have had contact with over 10,500 people during 2010-2011. Our nature reserves provide opportunities for people to get closer to wildlife; Amwell Nature Reserve now has over 100,000 visits per year. Our Connecting People with the Stort Valley project has shown us the value of engaging local people with our Living Landscape schemes. Our Living Landscape vision places great importance on opportunities for people to learn about and engage with local wildlife sites.
● We aim to engage with the local community in each of our Living Landscape areas, where possible through dedicated community engagement posts
● We will develop programmes to introduce new and diverse audiences to our work and to inspire the next generation to be interested in the natural world ● We will make more of what we’ve got; highlighting walks and activities at our nature reserves. We will focus on making these more accessible, improving interpretation and developing visitor facilities where appropriate ● We aim to communicate the role of the natural environment in providing a healthy and sustainable future
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Action for wildlife and the environment Ultimately the future of wildlife locally is in the hands of the people of Hertfordshire and Middlesex. Individual decisions and actions affect people and wildlife. Gardens can make a crucial contribution to providing habitats for plants and wildlife. We will promote community and individual action for the protection of wildlife and habitats across the two counties and foster sustainable living.
● We will provide opportunities for people to take practical action for wildlife through volunteering with the Trust ● We will provide examples of how people can take action elsewhere through gardening for wildlife and adopting green spaces
● We will encourage owners and managers of land to practice conservation management
● We will engage our members and others to lobby for wildlife protection where it makes sense to do so
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
Challenges and opportunities We live in a time of change:
● social change with an ageing population partly offset by young professionals and families moving to Hertfordshire
● politicians encouraging us to do more volunteering and get more involved in our communities
● economic change with the recession leading to less certainty around funding and a need for greater stewardship of our financial resources
● increasing competition between uses of land for food, energy crops, housing as well as nature
● environmental impacts due to climate change affecting rainfall, water levels and temperatures, putting pressure on some of our key habitats and species
Harvest mouse
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We see these challenges as an opportunity to show the importance of our work in creating havens for wildlife, linking to wider audiences and working with a range of partners.
Increasing competition for land use has implications for wildlife
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
Dedicated volunteers brave the elements at Cassiobury Park Local Nature Reserve 18
How will we achieve our vision? ● By increasing our influence • Being recognised and respected as a champion for local wildlife through engaging with members, land owners, strategic forums, decision makers and the planning process
● By cooperating effectively throughout the movement ■ • Playing a full role at a regional and national level within the Wildlife Trust movement ■ • Sharing best practice and experience
● By developing and maintaining the highest levels of ● By raising our profile • Delivering an effective communications programme, incorporating digital and social media and monitoring its success ■ • Anniversary programme to celebrate RSWT’s 100th birthday in 2012 and HMWT’s 50th birthday in 2014
● By growing our resources • Developing a larger, diversified funding base ■ • Retaining and growing our membership ■ • Developing and supporting our volunteers ■ • Securing funding to deliver projects
governance and management ■ • Improving management systems, particularly project management and management information ■ • Developing a three year rolling business plan, reviewed and revised annually to reflect the latest economic assumptions ■ • Improving our sustainability performance – minimising, monitoring and mitigating the impacts of our activities ■ • Ensuring accommodation meets our needs
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
Indicators With a turnover of £1.5 million in 2010-2011, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is building from a firm foundation.
● Our membership remains a significant strength, bringing both resources and influence. Over the past decade our membership has increased by 90% to 12,094 households at 31 March 2011 and membership income has risen by almost 130%. Membership – households and people – 2001 to 2010
Nearly 80% of our income comes from our supporters
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● Having secure ownership and long term leasing allows us to invest with confidence in our reserves network, improving habitats for wildlife and people.
Tenure 2010 vs. 2001 (Nature reserve status): 2001
2010
KEY: ■ Owned ■ Leased ■ Managed
● Our income and expenditure has also evolved over the past ten years. In 2009-2010, 77% of our income came from membership, donations and legacy gifts – reinforcing the importance of our members and supporters – allowing us to invest more than ever in our conservation work.
Financials – trend in income and expenditure 2010 vs. 2001 Income 2001-02
Income 2009-10
KEY (income): ■ Membership subscriptions ■ Grants ■ Donations and gifts (2001-02 includes grants)
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Expenditure 2001-02
Legacies Trading subsidiary income Fees and contracts Fundraising activities Investments & other income
Expenditure 2009-10 KEY (expenditure): ■ Conservation and nature reserves ■ Fundraising and publicity costs ■ Governance costs ■ Trading subsidiary expenses
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
“Nothing exists for itself alone, but only in relation to other forms of life.” – Charles Darwin
Photo credits: front cover: Dave Kilbey; 2-3: istock/Chris Hepburn; 4: HMWT/Rob Hopkins; 6: Black knapweed and goldeneye ducks, Dave Kilbey; Damselfly, David Chamberlain; Brown hare, Damian Waters; 8-9: HMWT/Tim Hill; 10: HMWT/Paul Thrush; 12: HMWT/Tim Hill; 14-15: Nature Picture Library; 16: Nature Picture Library; 17: istockphoto/stocknshares; 18: HMWT/Rob Hopkins; 20: istockphoto/Anatoliy Samara; 22-23: Amy Lewis; 24: HMWT/Tim Hill
Red admiral
Protecting Wildlife for the Future
LOCAL STRENGTH NATIONAL VOICE Herts and Middlesex
Creating A Living Landscape – rich in wildlife for everyone Registered address:
Grebe House, St Michael’s Street, St Albans, AL3 4SN 01727 858901 info@hmwt.org www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk Registered in England: 816710 Registered Charity: 239863 05/11 Designed by Wildcat Design (wildcat1@ntlworld.com)
This document is also available in a printed version. If you would like to receive a printed copy of this plan please request one at the above address.
front cover: Southern marsh orchids back cover: Broadwater Lake Nature Reserve