Action Update for 2006

All Bat Species Champion:
Bath & North East Somerset Council,

Threats to bat species are loss of traditional breeding and hibernation roosts and loss of foraging grounds and the use of toxic roof timber treatments and the conversion of roof spaces into living accommodation. Current action in Bath & North East Somerset included:

• The successful completion of the Batscape Project
• Training of volunteer bat wardens
• Guidance to landowners via Avon wildlife Trust, FWAG, Vincent Wildlife Trust and volunteers
• Survey & monitoring of Combe Down Mines SSSI /SAC
• Protection through Local Plan Policy and Development Control Process

Planned Action with lead agencies include:

• Development and implemention of local development policies to protect bat sites and foraging grounds
• Further survey and monitoring of bat populations by Bat Wardens
• Provide guidance and encouragement for favourable management of bat sites.

Dormouse Champion:
Bath & North East Somerset Council,
The Dormice on your Doorstep project is one year into its work in the Bath & North East Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council project areas. Over 1000 dormouse nesting tubes have been installed in woodland throughout Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire. It is hoped that these tubes will be used as summer nests by dormice and alert us to their presence. Children from High Littleton Primary School have learnt about dormice and planted a new hedge. Other schools have also been surveying for dormice and planting trees and shrubs. Hedge laying and tree planting is planned for the winter to gap up important hedgerows and bring them into favourable management. Green links are important as dormice will not cross open country and need green corridors to disperse to new breeding grounds.

Beefly - Villa cingulata (Meigen) Champion:
Bath & North East Somerset Council, Sue Murtagh

Building on the one record for Bath & North East Somerset, action during 2006 included a site survey and monitoring of the Tucking Mill, Avon Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve at Midford, Bath. Wessex Water plc commissioned a survey which recorded 343 different species including 20 records of Villa cingulata. This is encouraging news of a species which is under threat in our district.

Great Crested Newt Champion: Bath & North East Somerset Council, Miriam Woolnough

The Avon-wide Biodiversity Action Plan has successfully obtained an HLF grant for “Pondways” to survey ponds in the Avon area. It will concentrate on great crested newt clusters and will work with local landowners and local people to create well managed pond networks.

Watervole and White Clawed Crayfish Champion:
Bath & North East Somerset Council, Jane Briggs

The initial meeting in late September discussed the delivery of the action plans for watervoles and white clawed crayfish. In 2005, Avon Wildlife Trust surveyed the River Chew, Hollow Brook tributary and the Winford Brook for white clawed crayfish without positive results. However a more detailed survey using traps is planned. The Environment Agency is surveying watervoles throughout the SW region and this survey will provide useful base line data. It is planned to produce a leaflet for riparian owners and users to promote wild life friendly use and management of waterways.

Bath Asparagus Champion:
Cam Valley Wildlife Group

The Cam Valley Wildlife Group plan to co ordinate the pooling of records of Bath asparagus and new survey work. Bath asparagus walks which were organised for the summer helped to identify and promote the conservation of this local plant.

Species Rich Grasslands Champion:
Bath & North East Somerset Council,

Recent activity includes the designation of the grassland at Carrs Woodland, Bath as a Local Nature Reserve which included a degraded area of species rich grassland. This will be targeted for improvement. DEFRA Environmental Stewardship schemes may provide financial assistance to assist this work. The Avon Grassland Project includes two sites within the Bath & North East Somerset district. The project officer will encourage better management of grassland at Solsbury Hill and Horsecombe Vale, Bath.

Post Industrial Land Champion:
Cam Valley Wildlife Group

The Cam Valley Wildlife Group is planning to promote a map-based inventory of sites and review their conservation. It is also planned to identify industrial sites of special interest and to promote their ecological significance to decision makers.

Species Rich Hedgerows Champion;
Bath & North East Somerset Council

Additional funding from the Mendips Sustainability Fund in 2006 completed the Mendip parishes survey and produced themed maps for the Parishes. The Cotswold Sustainability Fund also allowed for the survey of some parishes within the Cotswold AONB during 2006/7. The maps which illustrated the hedgerow cover for each parish also recorded its wildlife and made recommendations on future hedgerow management to benefit local wildlife. Cotswold hedgerow maps can be viewed on the BRERC website.