WILDthings Projects - Key Themes

When the WILDthings partnership was created in 2000 a set of seven key themes were identified to help guide the work of the partnership. These were:
However since the priority species and habitats list has been drawn up with their associated action plans, most of the theme groups do not often meet any more because their actions have been incorporated into the relevant species and habitats plans. There is still scope however for the groups to reactivate if a specific need arises.

Species and Habitats
This working group was instrumental in creating the long and short list of priority species. The meetings were attended by English Nature, the Environment Agency, Cam Valley Wildlife Group, the county ecologist, Avon Wildlife Trust, the Hawk & Owl Trust and BRERC. The group still has a role in evaluating the lists on a regular basis.

Monitoring Change
This has been built into the action plans of the individual species and habitat action plans.

Council Owned Land
The Council Owned Land group meet twice a year. Representatives are invited from the Planning Services, Parks Department, Road and Traffic Safety, Property Services, Cemeteries, and Youth Services. The three year WILDspaces! project focusing on Local Nature Reserves had its roots in this theme group as does the roadside nature reserves and managing cemeteries for biodiversity. The key project currently is the Green Flag scheme which is focusing on 7 council owned sites.

Tracking Wildlife
There is not currently a group to oversee this action plan. However work continues with BRERC and the county ecologist to make sure that we have up to date survey data for the area.

Communication
Bath & North East Somerset Council implements the communication action plan through hosting and organising regular meetings, producing a newsletter and managing this website. There are also events to promote the WILDthings partnership.

Farming
The Farming group was active and spawned the Batscapes project. The group was made up of Landowners, local farmers, the county ecologist, representatives from FWAG (Farming & Wildlife Advice Group) and the Duchy of Cornwall and these representatives formed the steering group for Batscapes. The group also has links with Dormice in your Doorstep. With the ending of the Batscapes project the group is not active but there is scope for other projects in the future.

Education
Many local wildlife organisations and groups contribute to education. There is an informal group where representatives meet occasionally to share ideas and information. Between 2003 and 2004 the education group oversaw a project called Youthweb which targeted teenagers and created opportunities for them to be engaged with biodiversity.

Manor Road Update

Over 50 species of plant were recently identified in the newly planted flower meadow at Manor Road Community Woodland in Keynsham. Undeterred by the torrential rain, the Friends of Manor Road Community Woodland and Bath & North East Somerset Council's Countryside Management Officer carried out the survey of the meadow which was sown in 2005.

Meadow at Manor Rd LNR

Species found included musk mallow, common knapweed, ladies bedstraw, birds foot trefoil and bladder campion. For anyone wishing to visit, Manor Road Community Woodland is located between Saltford and Keynsham. There are several access points off Manor Road. For more information please contact Miriam Woolnough, Countryside Management Officer at Bath & North East Somerset Council: (01225) 477612.