Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust Newsletter December 2015
Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust
Chief Executive’s Update S Sarah Mason
Pic ~ Liz zie Wilbe rfo rce
I hope that Christmas was happy and healthy for you all! Here on Scilly it was wet, windy and mild with violets flowering and even the odd agapanthus (not a wild species, I know, but very iconic to Scilly). Our flower farmers battled to keep up with their narcissi; the mild weather has meant that they have been flowering much more quickly than usual. Sadly, just before Christmas we were forced to lock the bird hides at Lower Moors due to the actions of a selfish few who refused to take their litter home. Less than a week later and the lock was forced to gain access. This criminal damage has been reported to the police and we hope that the matter will be resolved swiftly so that responsible users of the bird hides can continue to do so.
Pic ~ Ed M a rs
ha ll
Also just before Christmas, we received a lovely surprise in the mail; a cheque for £2,500 from The John Young Charitable Trust as a donation towards our work across the islands. Everyone involved with the Trust would like to thank this organisation for their generous gift which will be allocated to bracken clearance and path cutting in 2016. Our main focus for the coming couple of months is our work to protect and encourage breeding seabirds on the uninhabited islands. Our Ranger team have a packed programme of work to control the rat population and to make some improvements to the habitats for breeding seabirds. Landing on the uninhabited islands by dingy is tricky during the summer months, but in winter the risk is much higher, especially with equipment such as brush-cutters and chainsaws. We have our fingers crossed for calm weather so that this vital work can be carried out. All of the uninhabited islands of Scilly, from Samson to Great Arthur, are designated as SSSI’s and St Helen’s in particular, is incredibly important for its population of breeding Manx shearwater. And finally, it’s always great to hear from our members; please do get in touch via e-mail, social media or letter. With all good wishes for a peaceful and healthy 2016
Sarah Mason, Chief Executive
www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk
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Ranger Team Update te
Before & After.... The past couple of months have been busy with lots of big pieces of work taking place, many with initial, drastic looking results. As this has happened we have focussed on bulking up our before and after photo libraries for work as it is completed by the Rangers. We have taken some immediate before and after images and the plan is to keep a record of the differences in the areas being managed; thus showing the positive long-term results of what may currently seem like drastic actions.
Bryher The Ranger Team spent much of October on Bryher completing selective scrub, gorse comprosma and pittosporum clearance in specific areas around Timmy’s, Watch and Samson Hill. We have put together a selection of before and after shots of this work so that you can see the difference
Comprosma removed ~ There’s a view! (Well there would be if it wasn’t foggy!)
Pics ~ Nik ki B a nf ie ld
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Bryher continued....
Comprosma and pittosporum are non-native, fast growing trees which take over if left unchecked; the result of this is smaller vegetation dying out and not growing underneath due to lack of light. (This can be seen in the Watch Hill images where, following removal of some Comprosma, the ground has been left bare.) The trees were originally introduced to the Island’s for use in hedges by farmers and have spread quickly and easily due to our many birds and mild climate. The removal of areas of these trees will allow some of our smaller plant species to re-establish and in turn create a varied habitat for the Islands’ wildlife - it also means that residents and visitors will get to see views that have slowly vanished over the past 20 years or so!
It may take some time for the smaller plant species to return but now that the land is being managed they no longer have to compete with the bigger shrubs and trees for space and light.
Pics ~ Nikki Banfield
Pic ~ Da rre
n M a son
Pic ~ Nik ki
Ba nf ie ld
Well keep you updated with pictures to show how things are progressing!
St Mary’s, Lower Moors The Ranger Team have also spent a lot of time at Lower Moors over the past few weeks. In September they erected the bird screen at Shooters Pool; this is a great benefit to our resident and non-resident bird enthusiasts! Then earlier in December the Rangers went on to build a raised walkway from the main path to the bird screen; making it easier, and less muddy, to access the bird screen. We’ve had some really positive feedback from this piece of work and trust that it’ll be well received and used over the coming months. - Page 3 -
St Mary’s, Lower Moors... In addition to the bird screen at Lower Moors the Ranger Team have also started on a programme of rotational management of the reedbeds and coppicing of the goat willow. This work has been on quite a large scale (in Scilly terms), as the reed beds and the goat willow have been left to go wild over the past 40 to 50 years, with very little management taking place during this time. Consequently, as there has been a long period of inactivity, the results can look quite drastic; as time moves on and the programme of work continues into maintenance then the long term benefits to the reedbeds, willow copses and associated wildlife will start to show. To find out more regarding the history of our reedbeds and why they are so important read the article on our website.
Pic ~ Ni kki Ba nf iel d
www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk/blog/isles-scilly-wildlife-trust/2015/11/11/reedbeds
Di
St Mary’s, Higher Moors
ow? n k u o y d
uld ou co k y o g ellic ars a 60 ye g Porth H chen r e v Just o ps passin ouse kit h hi see s the farm le? a V from t Holy a w o wind
In the elm a past 60 ye nd ar grown goat willo s the w hav that m e Holy uch be tween Vale Hellic and k Porth longer that you can n see th o e sea!
Similar work has also been taking place at Higher Moors and a programme of rotational management of the reedbeds and coppicing of the goat willow has begun in ernest here too. Recently large sections have been cut in and around Porth Hellick Pool and the benefits are already starting to show! Where some of the goat willow has been removed what was bare ground underneath the trees now has new shoots coming through!
Ke ep ou r wetla nd s wet
Pics ~ Nik ki Ba
nf ie ld
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Interpretation Not only have the Ranger Team been chopping and sawing and fixing and building and clearing but they’ve also been digging! Interpretation panels have now been fixed to their posts at Higher & Lower Moors giving walkers some information regarding the area that they are walking through. These panels include pictures regarding the wildlife which can be seen at various points throughout the year as well as where to find out more about the work that the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust carries out.
About Your Membership Just a gentle reminder that with effect from 1st October 2015 membership subscriptions changed. We would be very grateful if members would upgrade to the new rates as soon as possible by going into their bank and amending their standing order.
For every £1 we spend, 98p goes directly to nature conservation on th e Isles of Scilly.
Please remember, that to keep administrative costs as low as possible, we do not send out renewal letters. If you can’t remember when your membership is up for renewal and would like to know then please do not hesitate to give us a call!
we upport n s r u o With y r more tha fte d look a y’s lan l l i c S f 60% o
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Other news
Community archaeology © Pic ~ Da rr en M a so n
The Community Archaology Group’s work has been hampered by weather a bit recently; winter is here! In October our Ranger Team cleared some of the larger scrub, gorse and bracken from around Works Carn, Samson Hill on Bryher; the CAG then carried out a fantastic finer clearance of the entrance grave. The results were amazing; take a look!
After
Before
anfi el d © Pic ~ Nik ki B
It doesn’t look like the same place does it? It’s so lovely to be able to see what was underneath all of that greenery! The planned finer clearance at Toll’s Hill was delayed due to weather but went ahead on the second attempt in December. The CAG tackled the oval structure just below the hilltop, which is described in the scheduling entry as a prehistoric hut. Noone is really sure how this conclusion has been arrived at and why it wasn’t part of the Civil War complex of batteries, platforms, etc.
No finds seem to have been recorded and it is in a very exposed position for a hut. If anyone has any information or suggestions, please let the CAG know!
After
Pic ~ K at h a
ri n e Sa wy e r
Before For more information about the work that CAG are doing check out their FaceBook Page : www.facebook.com/groups/473127096149620/
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Ja clyn sett in g u
Seabird Recovery Project
p ba it st at io n on
Shi a nt s
Shiant Isles Recovery Project This Autumn Project Supervisor Paul St Pierre and Project Manager Jaclyn Pearson visited the Shiant Isles in the Outer Hebrides. These islands have their own Recovery Project too. They are similar in size to St Agnes and Gugh but are uninhabited and their high cliffs set different challenges.
Thanks are due to RSPB’s Phil, Charlie, Robin and Tom for their hospitality. It was also great to exchange advice on these operations. Watch videos of the trip here:
Pics ~ Pro vi d ed
T he Shia nt s Tea m
Paul and Jaclyn helped set up part of the baiting grid and it was great to see the team members of Wildlife Management International and catch up with Biz Bell ahead of her return to Scilly.
by Ja clyn Pea rs
on
http://ios-seabirds.org.uk/index.php?cID=529
Not knowing much at all about the Shiant Isles I had a quick look at their website. All I can say is “Wow!”, there is no electricity, running water, telephone or loo in “The House” (yes just one house!) Boating to the Island is approximately £500 return and you need to take all of your provisions with you, including fuel for the fire. In terms of safety the website says “Before you go, you will need to absolve Tom Nicolson in writing from any responsibility for anything that happens to any of your party.” They sound amazing and fascinating; take a look for yourself!
roj e ct P y r e v e co o re ce ive R d r i b ea ceBoo k t ! S e h t Fo llow itt e r a n d Fa n t h e i r wo rk o n Tw r u pd at e s o re g u l a
http://www.shiantisles.net/index.html
@seabirdrecovery Isles of Scilly Seabird Recovery
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AONB Outstanding News!
M a rs h a ll
George Osborne’s autumn statement, included details of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) budget over the course of this parliament which is where a large proportion of AONB funding comes from, announcing that “funding for National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty will [also] be protected”
Pic ~ Ed
For more information regarding this check out the news piece on our website! www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk/news/2015/12/01/outstanding-news
Bis h op R o T he Cita
ck
The he Wildlife Trusts T Undersea Art Award
Pic ~ Tim Alsop
Applications for the Undersea Art Awards are now open! The Wildlife Trusts and the Society of Wildlife Artists fund an Undersea Art Award which pays for an established artist to learn to dive and then to work underwater off the UK coast, recording the wildlife of the sea. For details regarding this exciting opportunity follow the link below; application deadline is Friday 26th February 2016. www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk/news/2015/11/20/undersea-artaward-applications-2016-award-are-now-open
Keep in touch We’d love to hear your feedback about this newsletter or on any topic: 01720 422153
@ScillyWildlife
www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk
enquiries@ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, Trenoweth, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0NS
Registered charity number 1097807 Registered company number 04726698
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