butterfly conservation: a summary. key facts established 1968 registered charity and limited co....
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Butterfly Conservation:A summary
Key facts• Established 1968
• Registered charity and Limited Co.
• Mission to save butterflies, moths and their habitats
• First President: Sir Peter Scott
• President: Sir David Attenborough
• 23,000 members (end March 14)
• 31 volunteer Branches around UK
• Over 60 staff in offices across UK
Why butterflies and moths
are important• Beautiful and popular
• Intrinsic value
• Widely used symbols in art, literature and advertising
• Indicators of a healthy environment
• Diverse group: 70 butterflies and 2,500 moths in UK
• Indicators of invertebrates that comprise 2/3 of known land species
• 3/4 are declining: 45% are threatened
• Butterflies are declining faster than other groups: e.g. birds and plants
Celebrity support
President:
Sir David Attenborough
Vice-presidents
Extensive volunteer network
31 Branches organise 2,200 events/yr
£ 10 milli
on /
year
Expert staff
Offices around the UK
Strong media presence
Evidence based conservation
• BC runs two world-leading recording schemes: butterflies + moths
• Over 25 million records
• Over 15,000 recorders
Butterflies:3 out of 4 species declining5 out of 60 species extinct24 species are threatened
Moths:70% widespread moths decliningOver 80 species are threatened
Butterflies for the New Millennium
Started 1993
> 8 million records
~ 10,000 recorders
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
600000
National Moth Recording Scheme
Started 2006
> 17 million records
> 5,000 recordersNBN Gateway
Live maps
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
0.00
200,000.00
400,000.00
600,000.00
800,000.00
1,000,000.00
1,200,000.00
NMRS No. Records per year
Decline of butterflies and moths
Over 2/3 of butterfly species in decline
Over 2/3 of common moths in decline
Species declining
1995-1999 2005-2009 Lost squares 1995-1999
49%69%
High Brown Fritillary
1995-1999 1995-1999 New squares 2005-2009
17%
Species spreading north
Peacock
Total numbers of moths
Source: Fox et al (2006) State of Britain’s Larger Moths. Butterfly Conservation.
Year
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
TR
IM a
nn
ua
l ind
ex
-0.4
-0.3
-0.2
-0.1
0.0
0.1
0.232% decline in total moth
numbers, 1968-2002
• 1,000 sites monitored per week
• ~ 1,500 recorders
UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Transects Other methods
No.
sit
es p
roducin
g a
n index
Butterflies as indicators
Generalists (26)
Specialists (25)
83%
54%
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012
Inde
x (1
976=
100)
United Kingdom
Habitat specialists (26)
Species of the wider countryside (24)
Wider countryside
sp.
Habitat specialist sp.
Effects of climate change
1995-1999 New squares 2005-2009
Action for Butterflies and moths
• 73 Landscape scale projects in UK
• Making a real difference for many species
Large Blue restoration programme
Extinct 1969
10,000 adults 2013
Action for Moths• Focus on 52 Priority Species
Dark-bordered Beauty
Dark Crimson Underwing
Landscape scale conservation
• 73 landscapes• Key areas for
threatened sp• Focus effort• Long term conservation
• Other smaller projects throughout UK
Marsh Fritillary
• Dorset: return to pre-1980 number of colonies
• Dartmoor: big increases within Two Moors project
• Argyll: 3,000 ha entered into agri-environment schemes
• Fermanagh: major new colonies being entered into schemes
• Cumbria: 4 colonies restored + 4 sites being prepared
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
• Wyre Forest: 49 clearings colonised
• New Forest: 10-fold increase in last 3 years
• South Shropshire Woods: Large increases at Haugh Wood and Ewyas Harold Common
• Morecambe Bay: 44 ha new clearings (rides, coppice etc)
• Tytherley Woods: 3 new sites colonised
• Argyll and Lochaber: advice on open woods
Landscapes for moths
Slender Scotch Burnet on Mull
Grey Carpet in Norfolk Brecks
Landscape report: lessons learnt
Launch by Biodiversity Minister, Richard Benyon, at House of Commons 2012
Farmland Butterfly Initiative
Focussed on:• 8 threatened sp• 3 key habitats• Maximising benefits of
Higher Level Stewardship Scheme
1) Structural variety in grassland sward
2) Summer nectar
3) ± Scrub (depending on species/habitat)
Big 3 features (for advisers and owners)
Phase 2: Wider countryside• Aimed at Generalist species/ordinary farmland• Will include measures for other insects• Workshop in December 2012• Packages recommended new Environmental Stewardship Scheme in England
Butterfly Conservation Reserves
• 35 sites in UK• 785 ha
Reserves for butterflies and mothsGreat success in conserving threatened species
Numbers of Pearl-bordered Fritillary on Eyarth Rocks BC Reserve compared to a neighbouring site and the UK as a whole
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Ab
un
da
nc
e in
de
x
Eyarth Rocks Reserve
Eyarth House (adjacent area)
UK Trend
BC acquires reserve
Teaching the next generation
• biggest count in the world
In 4 years (2010-13)• 94,000 taken part• 136,000 ID charts
downloaded• 270,000 visited website• 1.5 million butterflies
recorded• National media coverage• Trends on common species
The Future
2020 vision for Butterfly
Conservation
2020 vision: rationale
• Butterflies and moths are still declining at an alarming rate
• Declining faster than most other groups, so our task is both daunting and complex.
• Butterfly Conservation has to dramatically increase its capacity and influence over the next 10 years.
• The 2020 vision aims to show how we will achieve this ambitious goal.
Butterfly ConservationStrategy for Butterfly & Moth Conservation
• To improve the health and vigour of our environment• To contribute to the well-being and enjoyment of all• To maintain and build a legacy for future generations
Why?
Localised species Widespread species
Reversing declines Increasing numbersHalting extinctionsWhat?
Agric/mixed landscapes Built landscapesSpecial habitatsWhere?
When? 2020 Vision timetable…and beyond
With whom? Staff, Volunteers, Members, Supporters, Partners, Landowners, Public, Government, Funders
Landscape influence Encourage green spaceHabitat Management
Land management policy Parks and gardens Reserves
Brown-field site mgt
How?
Raise Landowner awareness… …raise Public awareness
Habitat restoration… …habitat creation
Close/frequent monitoring… knowledge, research …regular widespread monitoring
Respond to climate change impacts
Priorities
Needs, R
esources, and Gaps
2020 vision: increase capacity
Membership/supporters – target 100,000
Income – target £10 million
Best use of technology
Broaden our appeal
Develop our volunteer and Branch base
Develop staff capacity
Maintain our current successes and build on them
Membership
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 8,000
9,000
10,000
11,000
12,000
13,000
14,000
15,000
16,000
17,000
18,000
19,000
20,000
21,000
BC Membership 2001-13
Partnership working
The Bromley Trust
Building a European partnership
• Formed 2004• 38 organisations from 34 countries • European butterfly indicator• www.bc-europe.eu
European reports
0
50
100
150
1990 1995 2000 2005 2011
Europe
Butterfly Conservation Europe / Statistics Netherlands
Grassland butterfly Indicator
50% decline in 20 years
10% European butterflies threatened with extinction
