Local action for Suffolk's wildlife

A step-by-step guide to

surveying habitats,

recording widlife and

taking action

Local Action for

Suffolk’s Wildlife

Suffolk Wildlife Trust

Brooke House, Ashbocking, Ipswich IP6 9JY

Tel: 01473 890089

info@suffolkwildlifetrust.org

suffolkwildlifetrust.org

A company limited by guarantee no 695346

Registered charity no 262777

This publication is based on Suffolk Wildlife Trust's 2004 Local Action Pack, produced with support from Natural England. The original text was by Rowbottom Parker, 24 The Green, Henham, Beccles, Suffolk NR34 8AJ. This updated version was published in 2015 with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The original publication was edited by Dorothy Casey and Tracey Housley. Original design and artwork by Clare Sheehan. 2015 edition created and edited by Kerry Stranix, Tracey Housley, Sara Holman, Angela Jones and Leonie Washington.

Front cover photo: Orange tip butterfly by Darin Smith

Grateful thanks also to all those who helped in the original production:To Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust for permission to use ideas from their ‘Putting Wildlife on the Map’To all the groups and individuals who have worked with Suffolk Wildlife Trust on this project and who were willing to share their experiences To Richard Rafe and Alison Collins at English Nature, Guy Ackers and Wilf Garford at Suffolk Coastal District Council and Martin Sanford at Suffolk Biological Records CentreTo proof readers Celia Rhodes, Anna Cordon, Simone Bullion, Louise Davey and Audrey Boyle To Christine Luxton, Steve Aylward, Clare Sheehan, Juliet Hawkins, Peter Lawson, John Harrold, Gary Mowert, T Whittaker, A Beaumont, Martin Smith, Jason Gillingham, Wenhaston Commons Group and Stanton Wildlife Action Group for use of photographsTo Richard Mabey for his valuable contribution and supportTo Bill Stevenson for the use of his wildlife drawings.

Finally, our warm thanks go to all those who contribute to the conservation projects which feature in this book and to all those who actively support Suffolk's wildlife in their local patch.

bey

3

Foreword

Foreword

It is the very first Suffolk wildlife record, and probably the most tantalising.During a local famine in 1555 the people on the coast between Aldeburgh andOrford supported themselves with the seeds of sea pea, which grew in abundance onthe dunes. "It had not been noticed by the inhabitants before" wrote C P Johnsonin 1862, "and its supposed sudden growth was very generally regarded by them asa miraculous interposition of Providence, though some attributed it to the wreck ofa vessel laden with peas on that coast during the previous year, an origin equallyimprobable, as the sea pea is nowhere cultivated for food." The sea pea is,miraculously, still there and more enthralling because of this teasing record. Whofirst wrote it down, you want desperately to know? Where? Why was there a famine?

There are days when autumn gales are driving the auks in close to shore, or when the oxlips are blooming in the boulder-clay woods, when recording is the last thing on your mind. This is a moment for celebration, you feel; don't let filling in a score-sheet ruin it. Yet I wonder if that is a false contrast, on a par with believing that learning the grammar of music may in some way spoil your sensuous enjoyment of it. As that 450-year-old account of the sea pea demonstrates, records can enhance our feelings for nature as well as our scientific understanding. They link nature and culture, past and present. They narrate the fragile but persistent continuity of life. They are, in their way, small poems of survival.

And the web they weave between natural and human life underlines the importance of local surveys. The sites and moments you are being invited to log in this project are the grassroots of wildlife's existence in our islands. The newts in the village pond, the cowslips in the churchyard, the barn owl returned to the riverside meadows - these, even more perhaps than the rare species of specialised reserves, are the wild things in our everyday lives, the indicators whose fortunes reflect how well we are forging a common ground with nature.

So do help with these local surveys, and enjoy the work. The results will help us know how our fellow creatures stand, and how we stand too. And wherever there is the chance - remember the sea pea and add those telling details: the weather, the local names, the little fragments of history, even, God preserve us, the course of the next Suffolk famine! In this way our generation's working documents, coloured by our lives and needs, become the next generation's fascinating archives. As the American nature poet Gary Snyder wrote:

This present moment That lives onTo becomeLong ago

Richard Mabey 2004

Richard Mabey

4

Local Action for Suffolk’s Wildlife

Preston St Mary Church

Action for local wildlife, led by local people has always been Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s great strength. Creating a Living Landscape for Suffolk is a 21st century approach to nature conservation, firmly grounded in our ethos of enabling people to take action for wildlife where they live.

This information in this ebook has been developed to help you:

undertake baseline ecological surveys of your site and submit species records use records to look at trends - are particular species increasing or getting rarer? identify wild areas and species that need help most

These ecological aims sit alongside community benefits. Local wildlife initiatives can bring communities together, broaden collective knowledge and inspire enthusiasm for the natural world.

Use these resources as a guide to get you started and at any point along the way you need extra support – do not hesitate to get in touch.

Con

tent

s

Introduction 6

10Getting started l Getting other people interested

11Collecting background data l Maps and previous survey information

12Meeting and making decisions l What do you want to achieve?l Which places or habitats or species do you want to look at?

13Planning your surveysl Who is going to do what?l Choosing the best time of yearl Health and safety

15Getting the things you need l People to helpl How to cope with grid references and help with wildlife identificationl Other resources and grants

18The surveys l Detailed planning l Habitat notes

32What to do with the results l Sharing your results with Suffolk Wildlife Trustl Sharing your results with the rest of the communityl Asking for further help with the next stage

33What next? l Ideas for further things to do

Resources 38

5

Page no

Contents

Intr

oduc

tion

Introduction

"The great successes in this village have been the planting of more than 2km of hedging and a good many trees, creating wildlife corridors for animals and birds." Michael Woods – Layham.

Tree planting Levington

6

Help where it's most needed

Human activities have dramatically altered the Suffolk landscape, especially over the last 50 years. But we still have some of the best wildlife and wild habitats in the country, and it isn't all in nature reserves. Plants and animals find footholds all around us: in gardens and hedges, village greens, local parks, woods and ponds.

Suffolk's wildlife certainly needs help; and to be most useful that help needs to be in the right place, at the right time. That's why Suffolk Wildlife Trust wants to help you discover the wildlife in your local area and give you ideas for genuinely useful local projects. We want to hear about what you find and what you decide to do and we can provide support and advice.

For wildlife, the whole really is much greater than the sum of the individual parts… so a village green, next to a churchyard, alongside a community orchard, linking into a species rich County Wildlife Site meadow has much greater value for wildlife than each site on its own.

For many years now, the Trust has talked about landscape scale conservation and our drive to restore, recreate and reconnect habitat into networks of rich, linked up countryside. But in terms of the on-the-ground delivery of these swathes of wildlife rich habitat in our towns, villages and countryside, for the Trust ‘thinking big’ starts with supporting very local micro-networks of habitat that underpin these landscape ambitions. The expertise of our conservation advisers in enabling people to take action for wildlife close to home means that change on a landscape scale is an achievable goal.

Discovering and recordingSuffolk's wildlifeIn many places in Suffolk there are wild treasures hidden away and not yet recorded. Many animals and plants lose their homes when habitats are destroyed by people who don't even know they are there. This information will help you find and record local wildlife species and habitats to help you make the best possible start for practical conservation projects - great or small.

Brown hare

Ro

ss D

ean

Intr

oduc

tion

Whenever you need advice with your project, contact us at Suffolk Wildlife Trust on 01473 890089.

The advice directory on our website has a wealth of information including habitat management advice and species information - suffolkwildlifetrust.org/advice

7

Living Landscapes

When Britain signed the International Convention on Biodiversity in 1992, the government made a commitment to support conservation through national Biodiversity Action Plans. At a local level, in Suffolk, conservation organisations and Local Authorities are working together to monitor the state of the county's biodiversity and to plan for its future conservation. These plans are called local Biodiversity Action Plans.

We know a lot about rare species and habitats but not nearly enough about common wildlife, some of which is getting rarer. Your records will become part of this giant data-gathering and planning process.

Countywide effort

We want to weave the conservation of local biodiversity in to the heart of communities throughout Suffolk. With an ambitious aim of action for wildlife in every parish in the county, our conservation advisers can work with you to create bridges of habitat and encourage broad support from local people.

Your decisions have long termeffects

The county has a growing human population. Every year there are more of us wanting to live, work and travel about in Suffolk. This means more pressure on wild places but it also means more hands and eyes and hearts which can decide to take action to help.

Why should we bother withlocal wild patches?

In the last few decades Suffolk's landscape has changed enormously. Intensive farming, forestry, commerce and house building has swallowed up vast areas of what was once wild countryside.

Although there are patches of good habitat scattered throughout the county, the wildlife-friendly corners of gardens, village greens and churchyards offer valuable refuges for wildlife. Many of our wild species, for example great crested newt, stag beetle, water vole and song thrush have all become much rarer. They all need very particular conditions to live in - and they now depend on us to help them survive.

Stag beetle

Bredfield Jubilee Meadow

SWT

8

Introduction

Grassland

The best grasslands for wildlife tend to be those with a long history of unchanging management. These include wet pastures and marshes as well as the remaining fragments of flower-rich meadows which are some of the county's most colourful habitats.

Large numbers of these grasslands have been lost to the plough and to development, but many parishes still have wildlife-rich grassy areas in churchyards, village greens and gardens and even along roadside verges. Rough grassland can also be useful to wildlife - providing food and cover for small mammalsand invertebrates; and some of it could be even richer in plants and other species if it was managed with wildlife in mind.

Ponds

There used to be more ponds per square mile in north Suffolk (and south Norfolk) than anywhere else in the whole country, but lack of use has meant that hundredshave disappeared. Ponds are fantastic places for wild animals and plants, home to some dramatic wildlife such as great crested newt, water vole, dragonflies, water-plantain and yellow iris.

New and restored ponds are quickly colonised and they are enormous fun to explore. They are also among our most vulnerable wild places: easily polluted, liable to silt up and get overgrown and therefore in regular need of human help.

Great crested newt

Habitats and species to concentrate on

These subjects for survey have been chosen because they are crucial habitats and groups of animals in Suffolk. The more we know about where they occur, the better we will be able to help look after them.

Woodland

Hundreds of woods are scattered across the county and Bramble

they are some of the richest wildlife habitats and the most popular places for people to go for a walk. But Suffolk is one of the UK's least wooded counties and has lost twice as much ancient woodland since 1930 as, for example, Norfolk. Newer woodlands and scrub areas can also be great for wildlife but they have been studied less.

Hedgerows

Hedges can be extraordinary treasure houses of wildlife and can form important routes for animals to move through an otherwise bare, arable landscape. They often contain historic features such as veteran pollarded trees.

In recent years a co-ordinated surveyof hedgerows, started in the Suffolk Coastal District area, has been taken up enthusiastically by many parishes across the county. Results indicate that species-rich and ancient hedgerows are spread, without any discernible pattern, among other less valuable but still important hedges. There isn't a parish in the county that doesn't have hedges, but in many places they need care to help them reach their true potential as rich wildlife habitats. S

Ayl

war

d

9

coast have what is left of the Sandlings. These heathy areas are rare jewels to be treasured.

Coast

Almost all of Suffolk's long, varied and beautiful coastline is important to wildlife and is a dynamic system constantly changing with the action of the sea. The intertidal mud of the estuaries gives food to migrating flocks of birds. Avocet and redshank frequently nest on the salt marshes and shingle beaches provide a toehold for nationally rare plants such as sea pea and yellow horned-poppy.

Intr

oduc

tion

"We designed our own hedgehog leaflet and logo which was posted to every resident in the village along with the Trust's promotional material." Linda Wilkins, Waldringfield Wildlife Group

Rivers and streams

Five main rivers and many smaller ones flow through the county. Historically their management concentrated on draining the land to increase food production. In the 1960s and 1970s powerful machinery was brought in to create straight, steep-sided channels and in the process destroyed the diverse features of riverbed and bank. In the early 1990s, a revolution in river management began to consider the needs of wildlife and conservation. Rivers and streams provide an excellent focus for enhancing the wildlife of your local area.

Gardens

In an intensively farmed landscape, gardens form real refuges for many species. In winter, the heads of teasels and thistles are shaken by flocks of goldfinches; in summer, robins, flycatchers and tits make use of nest boxes; frogs, toads and hedgehogs feast on slugs and bats hunt over garden ponds. Studying wildlife in the garden is an attractive option for many people and can involve those who can’t get to more remote places.

Heathland

Heathland is a real speciality of Suffolk and there are many fragments (and some large tracts) scattered in two regions of the county. Parishes in the north west corner have the remains of the Brecks and those in the strip inland from the

Robin

Citizen science surveys - such as Suffolk Wildlife Trust's hedgehog survey provide valuable information allowing conservation efforts for threatened species to be directed to where they are most needed.

Hedgehog

Getting startedG

etti

ng S

tart

edIf you want to maximise the impact you have - and if you want to share the work and double the fun, get a group of people to tackle the project together.

Tell people about the idea and invite them to get involved. Make it clear that they don't have to be expert at anything. If they have the time and the interest in helping they will learn as they go along. The group will need a wide variety of skills and knowledge, so don't turn anyone away.

Computer and photography skills are very valuable and so is knowledge of local history. The more people you have in the group, the more you can do.

Let people know about it through any means of communication you have, for example:

l Talk to your local Parish Council aboutthe project. This will let more people know about what you're planning. If you decide to tackle practical projects, or run events, you may need insurance. The Parish Council may be able to arrange this for you.

l Call an open meeting for everyonewho is interested and make it friendly.

l Publicise the idea in your communitynewspaper, through social media, your local school newsletter and village website.

l Ask if you can put up a poster in theshop/school/church/pub/village hall.

l Invite members of existing groups tojoin in.

l The local media are often eager for goodstories, they can help you reach a lot of people.

Common lizard

10

“Holly Brooks, 10 years old, told the survey coordinator where there were common lizards."Peter Ling, Felixstowe Ferry Sharing the work doubles the fun!

Collecting background data

Col

lect

ing

back

grou

nd dataYou will need to find out what

information already exists so that you can target your efforts most effectively. The clearest way to keep your information together is by putting it onto a map or maps. You will need to create a blank base map and make some copies for scribbling on.

Previous surveys

l Before you start collecting newinformation, find out if any surveys have been done in the past. Contact Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Suffolk Biological Records Centre and ask people in the village.

l If you live in an area covered by oneof Suffolk's countryside projects, contact them to see what records they have.

Old maps

l Old Ordnance Survey (OS) maps andEnclosure Award maps 1880 - 1915 can give you a lot of helpful information. Suffolk Record Offices hold copies of these and for a small fee they will supply you with a pack of information on your parish including a historic map.

l The OS also sells historic maps.

Aerial photos

Suffolk Wildlife Trust may be able to help with providing aerial photos for your group's working use (not for publication).

Current maps

l Your Local Authority may be able toprovide you with maps.

l Your local library may be able to printout A4 sized maps for you, centred on the feature you want to survey.

l OS Explorer maps at a scale of 1:25,000 are probably best. They show the relevant details you need such as rights of way, parish boundaries and field boundaries. The Ordnance Survey run a service (for which they charge) which prints tailor-made maps. There are details about this on their website:https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop/custom-made-maps.html?q=suffolk

l Photocopying shops have to charge afee to copy OS maps. This is to cover the cost of their licence.

Stickleback

"Most of the surveyors were justpeople who had a love of the area .... all were amateurs."Peter Ling, Felixstowe Ferry

The finished product. An information map for visitors to Kings Pightle nature reserve in Bildeston

11

S A

ylw

ard

Meeting and making decisions

Mee

ting

and

mak

ing

deci

sion

s Before you get too far, you need to get a clear idea of what your activities are going to focus on.

l Take along the ideas from this book and ask for other people's ideas and see what support there is.

l If you need to use a title for yourself try using "project co-ordinator", not "group leader".

l Work out what you, as a group, are most interested in and what's achievable. It's much better to aim for something small, which you can actually do, than aim for something big and not achieve it.

Examples of possible approaches

l Putting together a broad picture of theparish - mapping all the blocks of different land use and habitats in the parish.

l Surveying a specific habitat (eg thewoodlands, grasslands or ponds) throughout the parish or in a smaller area.

l Surveying a specific group or species(eg birds, butterflies, dormouse or water vole) throughout the parish or in a smaller area.

l Surveying all the habitats within onearea (eg the hedges, grassland and ponds on the village common or the rivers and hedges on a particular farm).

12

"Involving someone in the community who has a head start and some experience in galvanising the locals is a great help."David Cobbold, Belstead

At an open meeting,Wenhaston villagerscame up with a host of ideas for localbiodiversity action ontheir patch including ahedgerow survey,birdbox project, pondproject, walks andtalks.

Already actively managingimportant heathlands, they stressthe importance of the social sideof activities including providingcakes for volunteers - anotherway people can contribute. Theyalso hope to involve computerenthusiasts to help manage thedata they gather from surveys.

Wen

hast

on C

omm

ons

Gro

up

Wen

hast

on C

omm

ons

Gro

up

Plan

ning

you

r sur

veys

13

Planning your surveysOnce you have decided on the focus of your survey, more detailed planning can begin.

Timing it right

Here is a rough guide for the best times to survey each habitat.

You will need to plan more than one visit to an area during this time to see (or hear) different species. You may want to plan a follow-up survey in a year or two.

Sharing out the work

Once you have decided what you are surveying and where, it is best to divide into groups to tackle specific habitats, species or sites. You may like to have a practice run as a group before you split up so that everyone uses the same methods. Survey co-ordinators should note who is doing what and where and keep in touch to record progress.

Store and label maps and photographs carefully and make sure people know where they are kept.

Keeping on the right side

It is important to check out local public rights of way as many of the areas you wish to survey can be seen from roads and footpaths. You can use the 1:25,000 OS maps for this or ask the Parish Council or County Council if in doubt. However, if you need access to privately owned land you must get permission from the owner first - never enter land without permission. Please respect people's privacy around houses.

Spring Summer Autumn Winter

Woodland Yes Yes Yes (fungi, fruit and nuts)

Hedgerows Yes Yes Yes (fungi, fruit and nuts)

Grassland Yes Yes

Ponds/Rivers Yes (frogs and toads) Yes Yes (wildfowl)

Gardens Yes Yes Yes Yes (birds)

Heathland Yes Yes Yes

Coast Yes Yes Yes Yes

As the year progressed it becameapparent that this was a rich areaindeed and much more complex thanany of us had expected."Peter Ling, Felixstowe FerryCarrying out a survey

You can start planning your survey at any time. Almost all habitats are attractive and interesting all year round, but some things are best studied at particular times. You will also need to check when management work such as mowing is planned - you don't want to arrive at a churchyard to survey the wildflowers just after the grass has been cut.

Commonfrog

Plan

ning

you

r sur

veys

If you're visiting private land, when you ask the landowner's permission, ask also about any particular hazards they know about on the land (eg deep mud or overgrown and hard-to-see ditches).

Some surveys may require very slow walking and close attention to detail -others may be perfectly possible to do while walking the dog.

14

Staying safe

For health and safety reasons, and because two heads are better than one when identifying species, it is much better to work in groups or at least pairs. Safety is largely common sense, but the risks of a minor incident becoming more serious are increased if you are on your own.

There can be risks when you go out in the countryside but if you are prepared in advance they are much less of a problem.

Your group may like to carry out a risk assessment exercise as a way of raising everyone's safety awareness. A copy ofthe completed risk assessment can be given out with survey sheets.

"On our walk around the 'big field'on the way to Chelsworth, .... I see theriver in all its moods, the floods, andthe badger and rabbit holes."Monks Eleigh Wildlife Group

lDo your surveys in pairs

lTake a mobile phone and let people know where you'll be

lUse a risk assessment exercise as a way of raising everyone’s safety awareness

Get maps

Copy survey sheets

Get permission

Link with Parish

Council

Get pond dipping

gear, ID books and

keys

Survey - insects

Survey - especially

birds

Survey - especially

plants

Go to training

course on pond

wildlife

Collate results

Write short report

and get it into

local media

Send

res

ult

s to

SWT

an

d S

BR

C

Who Ponds in Well Field and Brick Field (the Brights' farm)

John

Sheila

Rose

Dave

Sue

Make sure someone takes on the task of keeping the records and to help make posters and reports. A short summary report at the end of the survey phase is incredibly useful. It can be just brief notes of what you did and what you found out and what you would like to do next. Having this ready makes it very easy to keep others informed - through local newsletters and the press. Organisations which give out grants very often require a short written report.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust's nature scrapbooks are a good way to share a summary of your survey results.

A good and simple way of spreading the work between people is to make a table, during a meeting, with names down one side and what each person is going to do. It also helps everyone to remember who is doing what.

Blue-tailed damselfly

a

a

a

a a a a

aaa

a a a a

aa

Get

ting

the

thin

gs y

ou n

eed

15

The first two numbers (if there are four intotal) or three (if there are six in total) arethe numbers that run left to right across amap and are called the Eastings. Theseare printed along the top and bottom ofthe map.

You can subdivide the intervals byjudgement to pinpoint a feature moreaccurately.

The l is at Easting 915.

Getting the things you need

l

Knowledge

What on earth is it? Among the group you will need some wildlife identification skills, but you really do not need to be an expert. You can learn as you go along. There may be wildlife experts in the village, willing to share their knowledge (if you don't know them or can't find them, Suffolk Wildlife Trust may be able to put you in touch with them).

You can also contact the Trust or visit our website or Facebook page for help with identification or to find out about the regular courses we run. We may be able to arrange a course specially for your parish, or at least tell you when the next course will be happening.

Websites like iSpot are very

useful for ID questions too.

Where on earth are we?To fill in a survey properly you will need to be able to read and write grid references. All grid references start with two letters, for example TM or TL. All published OS based maps are clearly marked with these. They are followed by either four or six numbers.

The essential ingredients of survey projects are people, knowledge, other resources and grants.

People

In section 2: 'Getting started' we gave ideas for inviting people to help, but it is worth asking again when the planning stage is complete. Some people may have been wary of getting involved in organising but are happy to take part. Parcelling up specific jobs or areas to be covered gives volunteers a clear view of what is expected of them and what they are committing themselves to do. Inviting people to a guided walk can be a good way to stimulate interest.

Existing volunteer groups in the villagemay be interested to help with specificevents or specific jobs. Local Scoutgroups may be looking for projects to getinvolved in, since the environment is aspecial focus for them.

Ask around to find out if there are anyyoung people working for their Duke ofEdinburgh Award. They are often lookingfor chances to help in the community,especially if the exercise is practical andfun.

Bumblebee

Everyone can get involved

TM 90 91 92 93

16

Get

ting

the

thin

gs y

ou n

eed

The next two (or three) numbersrepresent the numbers that run up thesides of a map, called the Northings.

The l is at Northing 255.

So .... the six-figure grid reference for thel is TM 915255.

The order is always the same: thenumbers along before the numbers up.(Remember - "along the hall then up thestairs").

Other resources and grants

Record sheets can be downloaded ready for the survey team, or you can enter your records directly into an online system. You are likely to need some other resources such as reference books and perhaps survey equipment. Some of this can be borrowed from Suffolk Wildlife Trust. You will also need some funds for maps and photocopies, hire of meeting places, refreshments and volunteer expenses.

If you decide to take on practical projects you will probably need tools, protective gloves and so on. The cost of these can quickly mount up.

Unless your Parish Council is able to cover the costs, you will probably want to apply for a grant. It is perfectly possible to apply for most grants in stages, so you do not need to think of everything in one go. Some sources of grants are given later. These change frequently so contact Suffolk Wildlife Trust for up-to-date advice.

To apply for a grant you will have to estimate the costs of some items such as:

l Maps, books, identification guides

l Clipboards, pens

l Photocopying

l Laminating (to protect photos,maps or identification guides)

l Hire of hall for meetings andexhibitions

Refreshments for meetingsand exhibitions

l Child care costs for volunteers withchildren

l Postage, phone calls

l Camera, batteries, printingof posters and photographs

l Production of an attractive, easy-to-read report.

“Be patient and tenacious and you will reap the rewards. When people start to see what’s happening, you’d be surprised at the number of people who want to be involved.” Alan Sawyer, Acton

TM 90 91 92 93

26

25

Carrying out a survey

Ladybird

l

Recordinginformation

17 Get

ting

the

thin

gs y

ou n

eed

"All volunteers work on their stomachs - making cakes for vols is another contribution. Have a Christmas dinner in the pub. We have Christmas work parties with bonfire food, mulled wine etc." Michael Gasper, Wenhaston

Parish pack from County Record Office £5 - £10

Maps: OS Landranger 1:50,000 (= 2cm to 1km) £5 - £10 each.

OS Explorer 1:25,000 (= 4cm to 1km) £8 - £10 each. The OS website also has digital resources and their paper maps include a mobile download

Photocopies of maps £1 per A3 sheet50p per A4 sheet

SWT training courses £10 - £40 per person + travel

Volunteer expenses, travel etc 40p per car mile or actual fares

Pond dipping nets £20 - £30 each

Trays £3 - £5 each

Hand lenses £5 - £20 each

Bat detectors £45 - £300 each

Insurance if not covered (eg by Parish Council), try TCV: http://courses.tcv.org.uk/pdfs/insurance/2015_Insurance_Guide.pdf

Costs vary. In the region of £150/year.

Wolfspider

Here are some examples of costs which might be useful:

Each grant-making organisation will supply guidance on applications. Read this thoroughly to check you and your project are eligible - this is the most common reason for grant applications failing. Follow the guidance carefully and don't assume that the grant-giving organisation knows what you are doing and why.

You may be asked to list the outputs or outcomes of your project. Outputs are things like the number of people involved as volunteers, or the number of awareness raising events. Outcomes may be raised awareness and better understanding of local wildlife, There may also be increased participation in conservation, contributing to the future local and county conservation effort.

We keep a funding opportunity factsheet on our website. But grant schemes are always changing. Always check before you apply that the funding stream is current.

“Getting funding for projects . . . focuses the mind and gives another sector something useful to contribute.” Michael Gasper, Wenhaston

The

surv

eys

The surveys

It is essential that the surveyors comply with any restrictions the landowner puts on access - avoiding no-go areas, nesting pheasants, crop spraying, harvesting etc.

l Write to thank landowners after thesurvey.

l Take photographs from fixed pointsor features you think may change, so that you can compare them over the seasons and from year to year.

l Think about publicising your

Dormouse

Brent geese

Summary of what to do

l Use aerial photographs to find andmark the location of your target places on your base map. (Remember - if you are looking for ponds they may not be visible from above if they are covered in green vegetation).

l Look at old maps to establish thehistory of the places you plan to survey.

l Focus initial field work on the longerestablished patches of habitat (especially woodland, hedges, ponds).

l Number the places you plan tosurvey on your base map and use the corresponding numbers on your record sheets.

l If you have decided on surveyinggardens, distribute an invitation to take part and a record sheet to every household.

l Ask permission from the landownersbefore visiting any private land. Ask their advice about the time/season of your visit and any particular things (positive or negative) you should look out for.

Use the survey forms to get you started and then go online to the SBRC recording system to submit your records: http://www.suffolkbrc.org.uk/SuffolkBRO

18

results locally. This could be through a SWT online nature scrapbook or on a village website orin a parish magazine. You could even set up a blog or use social media channels such as a Facebook page to share findings.

The Suffolk Biological RecordsCentre's online recording system lets you record as a group for a site. Records can then be downloaded and added to the above channels for the wider community to view.

The

surv

eys

19

Woodland

Suffolk is in one of the least wooded counties in the UK, but we have patches of woodland scattered all over the county and there is still plenty to discover.

As a wildlife habitat, woods can be wonderfully complex. They offer food and shelter at ground level, or among low growing plants, within shrubs and bushes

and among the branches of the tallest trees.

There are horizontal surfaces, vertical surfaces - and even upside

down surfaces. There are dense, impenetrable areas within many woodlands but also lighter, open areas in clearings and along paths and rides. Many butterflies, hoverflies, bees and dragonflies haunt the edges of rides and the volume and variety of a spring dawn chorus in the most wildlife-rich woodland is not equalled by any other habitat.

Even when left unmanaged, woodlands are not static systems. The growth and fall of leaves changes the amount of light reaching the woodland floor and gives an annual crop of nutrients to the organisms adapted to using it. Trees grow, mature and die - they may even fall over, leaving a sudden clearing for other plants to colonise.

There are several major types of woodland that it is possible, with a little practice, to identify.

Ancient semi-natural woodland

This is a term applied to sites that have been continuously wooded since the year 1600 AD, or earlier. They are made up of native trees that have usually grown up naturally on the site and have not been planted.

These ancient semi-natural woodlands tend to support the greatest diversity of wildlife as a result of their long history. Some plants are associated with ancient woodland because they are unable to grow in more open conditions and are very slow at colonising new areas. These include herb-Paris, oxlip, nettle-leaved bellflower and spurge-laurel. Such plants are known as 'indicator species'.

The presence of ancient woodland indicator species does not prove conclusively that a woodland is ancient, but it gives good evidence to support other clues to a woodland's history. On the other hand, the absence of these indicator species does not necessarily mean that the wood is not ancient. There are ancient woods in Suffolk with a low diversity of indicator plants. In some cases this is because the wood has at some time been cleared and planted with conifers, in others it can be because of the underlying soil type (there are several such sites in the Sandlings).

Oxlips

Ground flora in a coppiced woodland

S A

ylw

ard

Acorn

And

rew

Ben

nett

The

surv

eys

20

Locating ancient semi-natural woodland

In 1992 English Nature compiled an Ancient Woodland Inventory, which identifies all ancient woodlands over two hectares in size. In Suffolk it listed 440 woods. This inventory can still be found in the National Archives, Kew: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11525041 and may be a good place to start your hunt for the ancient woodlands in your area. However, remnants of ancient woodland under two hectares in area will not have been included in the study and may provide your group with an exciting find.

The local Natural England office holds maps for the ancient woodlands identified. Suffolk Wildlife Trust also holds information. Suffolk Biological Records Centre's website has a map of where the ancient woodlands are in Suffolk, which may get you started

Features which indicate woods may be ancientl Irregular boundaries that do not match

the surrounding field pattern.

l They are often on or near parishboundaries.

l They are sometimes next to commonsor in stream valleys.

l Names such as wood, grove, copse orcoppice.

l They may contain raised boundarybanks, ditches, overgrown coppice, pollarded trees and old kilns.

l A number of ancient woodlandindicator plants may grow there (see woodland record sheet).

Secondary woodland and scrub

Secondary woodlands are those which have grown up naturally on land that was previously unwooded. Some of them may date back hundreds of years. Although ancient woodlands tend to support a greater range of plants and animals, some secondary woodlands and areas of scrub are very rich in wildlife and can be important habitats, especially where they represent the only type of tree cover remaining in an area. Particularly useful to wildlife is the scrub, often associated with the edge of secondary woodland.

Features which indicate woods may be secondary l They may have straighter

boundaries.

l Their borders often conformto the surrounding field pattern and they may be well away from the parish boundary.

l Names such as covert, spinney,plantation, brake, common, field or warren.

l Look out for features which indicatethat the land was previously used for farming, for example internal field walls and remains of old fences or hedges.

Plantation

Plantations are woodlands that have been deliberately planted. They may be broadleaved, coniferous or mixed. Some, like the county's two largest blocks of plantation - Thetford Forest in the west and Aldewood Forest in the east - were planted for timber production, others were planted as wind breaks, as cover for game or for recreational use.

Bluebell Limeleaves

S A

ylw

ard

The

surv

eys

21

Coppicing involves cutting the tree just aboveground level to stimulate new growth, giving acrop of straight poles

Pollarding a tree keeps the new shoots above thelevel at which grazing animals can eat the newgrowth

Wet woodland

Wet, swampy woodland, known as "carr", grows up in the very waterlogged conditions along waterways and around old ponds and lakes. Alder and willow dominate, being the trees which can cope best with the wet soils.

What to look for

The structure of a woodland, as well as the species mix and age of the trees, are very significant in determining the value for wildlife. In a nutshell, the more varied the wood is in structure, the more wildlife species can live there.

Marshmarigold

Coppice or Pollard? Wooden poles were enormously useful in the past - for tool handles, building, fencing or firewood. Treeswere managed in a way which produced plenty of them.

When to survey

Spring is the best time to survey the flowers of the woodland floor, since most plants are shaded out in summer when the trees' leaves form a dense canopy. It is also a good time for hearing birdsong, which is the best way of identifying

woodland birds. However, trees and mammals can be studied later in the summer.

Autumn provides a good time to organise a 'nut hunt' in search of nutshells left behind by wood mouse, bank vole and dormouse. Suffolk Wildlife Trust can provide you with advice on identification of mammals from nutshell remains.

Be very careful if you want to explore - the mud can be very dangerous. The trees are held up by their roots, but humans can drop straight through and quickly find themselves upto their armpits in liquid mud.

"This year was our best yet with agood variety of flora and clouds ofbutterflies .... It's been a gradualprocess but our efforts are beginning to bear fruit," Sue Marszal, Kettlebaston

S A

ylw

ard

S A

ylw

ard

The

surv

eys

Concern over hedgerow loss has increased in recent years and regulations are now in place to protect hedgerows that are considered to be of historic, wildlife or landscape importance. More information on this can be found here on the Defra website: https://www.gov.uk/countryside-hedgerows-regulation-and-management

Surveying hedgerows

Hedgerows planted in the last 250 years will probably support just one or two species of tree or shrub. There are some exceptions because some very new hedgerows have been planted with a mixture of different species. In general, the more species-rich a hedge is, the better it is for wildlife. But the physical structure of a hedgerow is also an important factor. Birds need dense hedges for nesting and mammals and amphibians will only use hedges that provide plenty of cover at ground level.

The Suffolk Hedgerow Survey finished in 2012 and is a good source of information about hedgerows in the county. The report can be found here: http://www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/assets/Documents/District/Green-issues/Greenprint/SuffolkHedgerowSurvey1998-2012web.pdf

We made bird nest boxes at our craft/drop in club - it's good fun - gets DIY people involved." Michael Gasper, Wenhaston

22

Hedgerows

Hedgerows are one of Suffolk's most traditional landscape features. Every one of our hedges is linked to the history of agriculture and land ownership, going back to a time when farmers needed to mark boundaries between land holdings, particularly when keeping livestock.

Some hedgerows are remnants of ancient woodlands that have since been lost. Many others were established between 1750 and 1850 during the enclosure of large fields and commons.

Traditional agriculture led to a patchwork of these hedges, which, as well as being marks of ownership and providing stock-proof barriers, provide a vitally important habitat for wildflowers, birds, mammals, insects and other wildlife. They also act as corridors allowing wildlife to move between isolated and fragmented areas of woodland, grassland and wetland.

Many hedges contain very old pollarded trees - irreplaceable treasure houses of wildlife and history. In 2000, Suffolk County Council, with support from the Local Authorities, organised a county-wide Veteran Tree Survey, to get a clear picture of their condition and location.

Planting a new hedge

NIghtingale

Spindle

The

surv

eys

Newer hedgerows

l On maps, rectangular fields borderedby straight hedges are strongly indicative of the enclosure pattern of 1750-1850, when large tracts of open land (large arable fields or common land, greens, heaths, fens and marshes) were parcelled up into hedged fields. This pattern is dominant in Breckland, the chalk downland around Newmarket and in the north east corner of the county.

l Hedgerows planted at this time arenormally dominated by just one or two species.

When to survey

Autumn is a good time to identify species by berries and nuts and to look for fungi. Even if you are unable to identify all the hedgerow plants, you can still record very useful information about the structure of the hedge and the number of different plant species it supports.

Old maps, OS maps, aerial photographs, deeds and Enclosure Award maps can all be helpful in locating hedgerows in your area and finding out something of their history. There are several clues that can help you to distinguish between old and new hedgerows.

The Suffolk Hedgerow Survey

Before you start work. check what has already been done in your area through the Suffolk Hedgerow Survey. The hedgerow survey for your parish may have been done. You can find out here: http://www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/assets/Documents/District/Green-issues/Greenprint/SuffolkHedgerowSurvey1998-2012web.pdf

Ancient hedgerows

l On maps, old hedgerows often appear as wavy boundaries.

l They are sometimes associatedwith parish boundaries, green lanes, banks or ditches.

l Ancient hedgerows often support arich variety of tree and shrub species.

l Sometimes the base of an old hedgecontains ancient woodland indicator plants

l They may contain veteran pollardedtrees.

23

Blackthorn blossom

Many parishes, likeHorringer, have set up aWildlife Group as a result ofa Parish Audit or Plan whichrevealed a lot of interest inwildlife. At Shotley a surveygroup was set up and hassurveyed their localhedgerows.

Crabapple

The best time to survey hedgerows is inthe spring and summer when plantidentification is easiest. However, takegreat care not to disturb nesting birds.

J Har

rold

G M

ower

t

24

The

surv

eys

Grassland

Meadows and pastures exist largely because of human activity. Most were originally formed by woodland clearance or wetland drainage for farming. The types of plant that are found in grasslands depend on the way the sites have been cut or grazed.

During the last few decades, grasslands have been managed much more intensively for agriculture. Drainage, fertilisers, herbicides, ploughing and re-seeding with rye grass have all been used to 'improve' grasslands to make them more productive. 'Improved grasslands' support very few species of plants because of the vigorous and competitive grass species that are encouraged and they look much the same whatever the underlying soil type.

Agricultural improvement of grassland, along with other factors, has contributed to the loss of over 95% of flower-rich 'unimproved' meadows in Britain in the last 50 years. This bleak picture is mirrored in Suffolk. Only 1% of the county's area is now unimproved grassland.

Grassland types

The nature of unimproved grassland is determined broadly by the underlying soils. In Suffolk they are of three main types: neutral, chalk and acid. However, of course, the interaction of soil, water levels and management make the situation much more complicated.

Neutral grassland Neutral grasslands (not acid and not alkaline) can be found scattered in parishes all across the county on the clay soils. They typically consist of perennial grasses and wildflowers growing very close together with almost no bare ground.

These fertile fields on clay soils are attractive for agricultural improvement. Therefore very few examples now remain of the species-rich grassland, unploughed and untreated with chemicals, which thrives when the only management is grazing or mowing for hay. Where they do survive, they are among the most colourful habitats in the county. In places there may be as many as 40 different species of flowering plant in every four square metres. Typical wildflowers are common bird's-foot-trefoil, common knapweed, cowslip, oxeye daisy and green-winged orchid.

Rough grassland The most common kind of semi-natural

grassland in Suffolk is the familiar tall, tussocky grassland which grows on railway embankments,

roadside verges and neglectedmeadows. Typically there are very few species of

plants in it and it is dominated by false oat-grass.

In early summer, cow parsley is common and later, hogweed. Even

species-rich grassland will soon look like this if mowing or grazing stops. After a few years with no management, the tall rough grassland may revert to scrub. A mosaic of scrub and grassland can in fact be more valuable than rough grassland on its own.

Mickfield meadow

Oxeyedaisy

S A

ylw

ard

Pyramidal orchid

S A

ylw

ard

25

The

surv

eys

Wet meadow or marsh Areas of wet grassland that have not been treated with agricultural chemicals or drained, are a scarce and shrinking resource in Suffolk. Typical wildflowers associated with these wet pastures include

cuckooflower, ragged-Robin, yellow iris and marsh marigold. Even when

they have been reseeded and are no longer botanically

interesting. If the water level is high, they can still be vital

breeding grounds for redshank, snipe and lapwing and wintering

places for wigeon, teal and mallard.

Breck grassland The area between Bury St Edmunds and Thetford, known as the Brecks, lies on a very complex patchwork of sand overlying chalk. This has resulted in a mosaic of alternating acidic and chalk grassland. Intensive rabbit activity on some sites keeps the vegetation very short and allows annuals to flower and spread. Some of these plants such as shepherd’s cress and sand catchfly are nationally rare.

Chalk grassland This is a very scarce habitat in Suffolk, restricted to a few sites in the extreme west of the county, in the Gipping valley

and small patches in the Brecks. Under optimum conditions it can support a phenomenal diversity of plants. If you have some in your parish, look out for quaking-grass, crested hair-grass, dwarf thistle, yellow-wort and pyramidal orchid.

Acid grassland Acid grassland is generally species-poor and often occurs as a mosaic with other heathland habitats. As well as in the Brecks, it can be found in patches along the River Stour and along the coastal strip stretching from Ipswich to Lowestoft, known as the Sandlings.

Redshank

Unimproved grasslands tend to be:

l Varied green and brown in colour

l Quite variable in wetness andstructure, eg with tussocks and anthills

l Often associated with land that hasnot been intensively farmed or cultivated, eg wet places, steep hillsides, village greens and commons, churchyards, road verges and archaeological sites.

In contrast, improved grasslands are:

l Often brighter green and all onecolour

l Much more uniform in character

l Dominated by a limited number ofgrasses, in particular rye grass, and with few flowering plants. White clover and chickweed are commonly present.

How is yourgrassland beingmanaged?

The plants you find in a grassland will depend partly on the way it is being managed. Inappropriate management, for

example overgrazing, or no management at all, can lead to loss of some plant species. Therefore it is a good idea to record how the area is managed.

If the grassland is unimproved and species-rich it is important to keep it in that state. If it is neglected, but was unimproved and species-rich it would be good to try to reverse the neglect and restore it. If however it has turned into a mixture of rough grass and scrub then that may actually be better for wildlife.

Ragged-Robin

Pyramidal orchid

S A

ylw

ard

L es

ley

Wal

duck

26

One way of monitoring the changes in a grassland over time is to take photographs from the same point in successive years, to see if there is a change in the amount of scrub or perhaps the height of the vegetation. Aerial photographs can also be useful in showing historical changes in the structure of a grassland.

Where to survey

Focus your initial fieldwork on any areas of grassland that you think may be unimproved. It is worth carrying out a survey of your churchyard and any green lanes, commons and village greens in the parish, since they may have escaped ploughing and the effects of chemicals.

Your survey may bring to light some patches of grassland which could be much more diverse in plant life if the management was changed slightly. You

When to survey

Grasslands are best surveyed between May and July, depending on the types of plants that are there. Making two or three visits between spring and late summer is ideal, to take account of the different flowering times of grassland plants. It is important to do your survey before any cutting takes place, otherwise identification is very difficult!

Ponds, streams and rivers

Wetland habitats are vitally important for a whole range of wildlife. In addition to water-loving plants, there are many animal species which spend all or part of their life-cycle in water. Some predators such as heron, grass snake and Daubenton's bat, hunt either in or near water.

The vegetation surrounding a pond or stream is also very important. It gives vital cover to amphibians when they are hibernating and when they approach and leave the water for breeding.

The nature of a water body is influenced by the geology of underlying land and by human activities. Ponds can be natural or artificially created and there may be some in your area with an interesting history. Unfortunately, 75% of ponds in the British countryside have been lost in the last hundred years due to infilling, pollution, drainage and neglect.

Rivers and streams can form important wildlife corridors through both rural and urban areas. Other wetland habitats worth considering in your survey include dykes (ditches), canals, lakes and flooded gravel pits.

The

surv

eys

“ .... and we especially encouragechildren to come to Kiln Meadow to discover nature for themselves. Cubs and brownies are regular visitors.” Mary Feeney, Elmswell

A pond in the village of Clopton

Wildlife and habitat advice was given by Suffolk Wildlife Trust conservation advisers to help local residents maximise this habitat for wildlife and involve the community more widely. Highlighting key wildlife spots to the local community can help ensure it is cared for in the long-term.

Yellowiris

Bumblebee on thistle

may be able to make suggestions to the Local Authority or landowner regarding relevant grazing or cutting regimes. Please ask Suffolk Wildlife Trust if you want more advice.

27

The

surv

eys

Ponds

l The animal and plant life present in apond will depend on the depth, geology, surrounding habitat, degree of shading and whether or not the pond holds water all year round. Although shaded ponds and temporary ones, in general, support less wildlife, they are important for some specialised species.

l Old ponds may have accumulated acomplex plant and animal community during their existence. However, new ponds are quick to develop into a valuable habitat for amphibians and other wildlife.

l Look for historical evidence relatingto ponds in your area. In the past, most villages would have had ponds and some of these still exist, even if the villages have now expanded

into larger built-up areas. Consult the Suffolk Pond Survey (information from Natural England and Suffolk Wildlife Trust) to see where the ponds have been recorded in your parish. Check to see which still exist and which have disappeared.

l There are more than 850 moats in thecounty, the majority at least 700 years old. Most of them have been managed fairly consistently to keep them as open water.

l Ducks and fish can have a detrimentaleffect on other pondlife since they eat pond plants, frogspawn, tadpoles and insects and their droppings enrich the water.

l Ponds with vegetation in and aroundthem are likely to support more species than ponds which have large expanses of open water.

l Ponds surrounded by a 'buffer zone'of long vegetation are more attractive to wildlife than ponds bordered by concrete or closely-mown grass.

l Old fish ponds are associated withmedieval manors and are usually in aseries, sometimes along a stream.

l Some alien species of plants that havebeen introduced into the countrysidecreate serious problems in ponds and rivers and are difficult to eradicate. Underwater examples include: water fern, Canadian pondweed, parrot's feather and swamp stonecrop and, on the banks: Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed.

Streams and rivers

Streams and rivers are constantly changing as the water level falls and rises and the flow of water erodes the banks, altering the water's course over time.

They have a variety of habitats along their length including riffles (exposed gravel deposits), reedy fringes, muddy margins and steep banks. In the parts near to the sea they become tidal, muddy and slightly salty (brackish). Each of these areas is home to a different set of species. Sections of the river which have been left wild will be sinuous, the banks supporting a number of flowering plants. Sections which have been re-engineered or deep-dredged will tend to support fewer species and may be straighter and even reinforced with metal or concrete.

Water vole

Look out for signs of water vole and otter along river banks. For more information about these species visit our website.

Bogbean

B Le

wis

The

surv

eys

28

Songthrush

Where to survey

It is worth investigating as many ponds as you can. If a river or stream flows through your area, then try to walk along as much of it as possible. It is best to survey rivers and streams in manageable sections.

Different parts of a river or pond will be home to a different range of plants and animals. When surveying for underwater life, try sweeping a fine net through the different habitat types and tipping your catch into a white bowl filled with clean water from the pond or river. If you cannot identify all the plants and animals you find, then simply note down the number of species of each type (see pond record sheet). It is a good idea to take a measuring stick with you so that you can record the depth of the water.

When to survey

Some ponds and stretches of river dry out in the summer,so it is a good idea to make a visit during this time of year to record water levels. For wetland plants it is best to make two visits - early and late summer. Invertebrates also need two visits - early spring and summer. Amphibians are best spotted in the spring when adult frogs and toads are in the ponds and spawn or tadpoles are present. Frog spawn is laid in jelly-like clumps whilst toad spawn is wrapped around plants in strings. Newts may be present in a pond throughout the summer. They are best observed at night,when they swim just under the surface of the water.

Gardens

Gardens can be extremely valuable wildlife habitats providing vital food and shelter, not only in urban areas where there may be few other green spaces, but also in intensively arable areas where the countryside can be an unwelcoming place for wildlife. Winter food put out for birds in gardens helps to replace the food sources which have disappeared from the farmed landscape. Nest boxes supplement or replace the crevices and holes lost where old standing dead trees are no longer available.

Individual gardens may be small, but taken together they form a considerable area. Looked at from above, an area of mature gardens looks very much like open woodland. It is therefore no surprise that many birds, historically associated with woodlands, flourish in gardens.

Results from a Suffolk Wildlife Trust garden survey showed

that many Suffolk gardeners actively encourage wildlife into their garden by

providing log piles, nest boxes, nectar-rich plants for butterflies, bird feeders and compost heaps. Results also showed that it is not only the large gardens that are important for wildlife - great crested newt, song thrush and grass snake were recorded in some of the smallest gardens too.

Where to survey

All the gardens in the parish are part of the picture and it is a survey which almost everyone can take part in. It is easy for families to do together and people who can't get out and about can do a lot, even from indoors.

Only record what you can see or find outfrom the water's edge - never wade into ariver or pond unless you know that it isshallow and safe. The currents may bestrong or the silt deeper than it looks.Some ponds are very deep even near the edges.

Frog spawn

The

surv

eys

production and much was lost to housing developments and golf courses. Over 80% of both the Brecks and the Sandlings heaths was lost in just 50 years.

As a general rule, the number of different plant and animal species on heathland is low, but some of the ones who do live there are rare. A number of uncommon birds breed on heathland, including nightjar, woodlark, Dartford warbler and stone curlew. Other rare specialities of the Sandlings are silver-studded blue butterfly, ant-lion and adder.

Constant vigilance and active management of the remaining fragments is needed to prevent further loss, colonisation by trees or invasion by bracken.

When to survey

Many heathland plants are evergreen and visible at all times of the year and you can certainly find the bright shout of yellow gorse flowers all year round. But if you want to enjoy the purple of the heathers then make sure you survey them in late summer.

29

Already actively managing important heathlands, Wenhaston villagers stress the importance of the social side of activities including providing cakes for volunteers - another way people can contribute. They also hope to involve computer enthusiasts to help manage the data they gather from surveys.

Heathland

Lowland heaths (as found in Suffolk) are typically dominated by dwarf shrubs and heather. They are found on sandy, free-draining, nutrient-poor soils and are globally rare, in fact, confined to western Europe. In Suffolk there are two important regions of heath: the Sandlings along the coastal strip and the Brecks in the north west corner.

Heathland in Suffolk is an ancient landscape. It was on these light soils that Stone Age farmers first made clearings in the forest. They grew cereals here and kept pigs, sheep, goats, cattle and horses. When their crops had exhausted the thin soil, typical heathland plants took over. Grazing animals prevented the trees regenerating and the open landscape was maintained in the same way in many places up until modern times. Sheep and rabbits were the chief grazers from the Middle Ages. Rabbits were originally imported from Europe in the early 1100s, to be farmed in what were called warrens. Their feeding and burrowing helped maintain a habitat of sparse turf with extensive disturbed ground.

During the last century, the area of heathland in both the Brecks and the Sandlings shrank alarmingly. Sheep farming declined, large new forests were planted, rabbits were decimated by myxomatosis, new irrigation methods put vast areas of these dry acres into arable

Meadow brown

caterpilar

Dartford warbler

J G

airn

s

S N

ew

The

surv

eys

30

Sand dunes There is much more shingle than sand along the Suffolk coast, but there are small dune systems around Lowestoft, Walberswick, Minsmere and Sizewell. The dominant species responsible for the creation of most dunes in Suffolk is marram grass, whose growth is actually stimulated by being buried in sand. Other

dune specialists to look for include sea holly and sea bindweed.

Mud flats East Suffolk is dissected by five long, shallow, meandering estuaries, each with large areas of rich, intertidal mud, fringed by saltmarsh. Obvious advantages for animals living in the mud are the relatively sheltered conditions and the regular supply of nutrients from both the river and the sea. Big problems, though, are caused by the changes in salinity and water levels. There aren't many kinds of animals which have adapted to these difficult conditions, but the ones that do live there occur in staggeringly large numbers.

One obvious indicator of just how biologically productive this mud can be is the vast flocks of waders and wildfowl which spend every low-tide moment from September to April feasting on invertebrates. Britain feeds about 40% of the total population of overwintering waders in western Europe.

Coast and estuary

Around 50 of Suffolk's parishes have direct access to the coast or estuaries. In a global wildlife context, Suffolk’s vegetated shingle areas, brackish lagoons and estuaries are particularly important. In a national and regional context, however, virtually the entire Suffolk coastline has some kind of designation for wildlife conservation.

The mobile nature of the shingle and sand and the force of the sea and wind has created a constantly shifting coastline -which is by no means fixed today. Human activities too have created and destroyed coastal habitats: as early as 1169, sea walls were built around Orford Castle to reclaim saltmarsh and keep the sea out. But the majority of such walls were built in the 16th and 17th centuries. Estimates suggest that there used to be more than twice as much intertidal mud in Suffolk as there is today - 10,800 hectares of intertidal mud and saltmarsh which our ancestors enclosed with sea and river walls and turned into farmland.

Habitats

Shingle Above high tide, where the shingle is relatively stable, certain tough and highly specialised plants thrive. Salt, wind and spray and lack of water and nutrients, make life difficult, but once pioneer plants have established themselves, humus builds up and other plants can follow. Sea pea, sea kale and yellow horned-poppy are the principal pioneers with stonecrops, plovers and bur medick coming along behind. Breeding birds include little tern, black-backed and herring gulls and ringed plover. Suffolk has more than a fifth of all the vegetated shingle in Britain.

Sea pea

Oystercatcher

S A

ylw

ard

Sea-kale

31

In autumn and spring, migrating flocks of waders will pass through to refuel on their way north from or to their breeding grounds. Winter is when the flocks of wildfowl and waders are drawn to feed and roost on Suffolk's estuaries and coastal marshes.

Local (and visiting) birdwatchers will probably already know the best places to watch and count high tide roosts. Ask them to add their data to your survey.

Mobile species

Mobile species can be fun to survey and will add detail to the picture you build up of wildlife in your parish.

One good survey method for butterflies, dragonflies and birds is to work out a route for a walk and then do the same walk two or three times in the appropriate season, noting down the species and where you see them, as you go. It is a good idea to have one person collecting the data. They can keep a running list of all the species recorded.

There are many existing surveys you can take part in. Here are a few to get you started: Garden birds - RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch, butterflies - Butterfly Conservation's annual survey, dragonflies, contact the British Dragonfly Society. Suffolk Wildlife Trust is running a hedgehog, barn owl and reptile survey. Through Suffolk Biological Recording Online you can contribute to a stag beetle and swift survey.

SaltmarshesThese develop where the mudflats are high enough to become colonised by salt-tolerant plants which can cope with fairly frequent submersion in water. The pioneer plants here tend to be glasswort and sea aster. These trap silt, stabilise the surface and give a toehold for sea purslane and sea lavender. Saltmarshes are valuable habitats too for breeding birds. Redshank and avocet breed on them as do oystercatcher, black-headed gull, skylark and meadow pipit.

When to survey

Many of the tough coastal plants are visible all year round, but late spring and early summer are the best times to catch the flowering of plants on shingle. Sand dune plants tend to flower in high summer and saltmarsh plants in late summer and early autumn.

Spring and early summer is also a good time to look for breeding birds, but be very careful not to disturb them. In these open habitats you are visible from a great distance and most ground-nesting birds are very nervous. In the cold weather and short days of winter it is particularly important not to disturb the birds, so that they do not have to waste time and energy flying about.

The

surv

eys

"Birds became the main focus for many, but .... others looked out for things that walked, ran or slithered." David Cobbold, Belstead

Avocet

Remember that gathering data isn't as important as giving the birds the peace they need.

Be extremely careful when you gosurveying on saltmarshes. You can actuallysee a lot through binoculars withouthaving to explore very far. There are deepcreeks running through the saltmarshwhich aren't well shown on the maps.Make sure you do the surveying in pairsand that someone else knows where youare going and when you are due back. Gatekeeper

Wha

t to

do w

ith

the

resu

lts

of the group could give talks to local schools or clubs or lead guided walks, or make a video or audio-tape nature trail. Photo quizzes and natural treasure hunts are popular for local events.

Section 9 (‘What next?’) has lots of ideas to take your project further. If you need help and advice choosing appropriate projects or planning and carrying them out, contact Suffolk Wildlife Trust. We may be able to put you in touch with other groups who have tackled something similar.

32

Your findings are important, not only to your team and your community but to help build up a better picture of wildlife in the county.

Adding your results to an online recording system will ensure Suffolk Wildlife Trust and the local records centre can access them. Suffolk Biological Records Centre hold all records and share them nationally through NBN Gateway.

In this way your survey results will contribute to conservation locally and more widely, in Suffolk and the UK, by giving accurate information on which decisions and priorities can be based.

Wildlife surveys may take a year or two to complete depending on how much information you are collecting and what area you are planning to cover. It is worth sending your results in batches as you go along rather than waiting until the end.

When your survey is completed, you will have a lot more local knowledge and expertise than when you started. Sharing this with your community will help raise awareness and spread enthusiasm. You can do this by a one-off event or publication or by regular reports in the parish or community newspaper. The local press and radio may also be interested in featuring your survey, but be sensible about publicising news of any rare or protected species. If in doubt, consult Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Members

What to do with the results

Data protection: for verification purposes,surveyors' names and contact details mustbe included with records. Please makesure everyone agrees to this informationbeing stored before you start. Refer anyqueries to Suffolk Biological RecordsCentre.

Looking at grassland

"For some, the gardenwildlife survey was anintroduction to a fascinating world .... on our own doorstep."David Cobbold, Belstead

D R

icha

rdso

n

Four-spottedchaser

Wha

t nex

t?

l Make sure that the Parish Councilknows about any special trees in the village and monitor planning applications to check they don't threaten them.

l Collect seed from local trees and growthem on in a tree nursery to plant for the benefit of the community: for gardens, new developments, hedges or commemorative occasions.

l Volunteer to help with conservationtasks in local woods.

l Buy and promote charcoal, bean poles,pea sticks and firewood from local, sustainably-managed woods.

l Start a hedge management group toreplace lost stretches of hedge. Plant new stretches and improve old, gappy ones. Grants are available to help with the creation of new hedges and the restoration of existing ones. Contact Suffolk Wildlife Trust for more information.

l If there is an appropriate site, start acommunity woodland group to create a new woodland.

33

What next?Taking a closer look at your surroundings may be a springboard for future action. Many parishes in Suffolk have started with surveys and moved on to practical environmental improvements and events. Some have been able to use their data to make swift responses to developments which posed a threat to wildlife.

Suffolk Wildlife Trust's online advice directory has simple, easy-to-follow advice on how best to manage, restore and create various habitats for wildlife. These may inspire your group to tackle an area of your parish which could be made even better.

Get some more advice and go a stage further. Here are some ideas:

Practical action for trees, hedges orwoods

l Use survey results to produce a localtree trail leaflet or hold a tree-dressing event to celebrate local trees (coincide with Tree Dressing Day in December).

Tree planting in Levington

A piece of land which was once the village tip is now being improved for wildlife and the local community. We are very grateful to Geoff Sinclair(advisor working on behalf o f SWT) for his expert advice. Kit Bird, Chelsworth

Tawnyowl

R D

ean

34

Wha

t nex

t?Practical action for grassland andwildflowers

l Make a conservation plan for yourchurchyard, cemetery, common or village green and persuade your friends to help with the conservation work. Suffolk Wildlife Trust can advise.

l Encourage the sowing of appropriatewildflower meadow mixes in people's gardens.

l Look for opportunities to make newspecies-rich meadows - perhaps in the grounds of schools or village halls. Visit a local meadow nature reserve to find out what flourishes locally and use seed of local origin (Suffolk Wildlife Trust can advise).

l Attend a training course or contact thewarden of a local meadow nature reserve to find out how to maintain a meadow.

l Use wildflowers or plants that areuseful for insects and birds in amenity planting plans, even in hanging baskets and window boxes.

Practical action for ponds

l Form a pond group or become a pondwarden to oversee the restoration or maintenance of ponds and record pond wildlife each year.

l Look for opportunities to create newwildlife ponds - and encourage local gardeners, schools and businesses to do this.

Practical action for bats, birds andother beasts

l Remember that all animals depend on,and are an integral part of, habitats. To care for animals we must care for the whole habitat. You could be really adventurous and create a new neighbourhood park combining play areas and wildlife areas.

l Re-focus your project onspecies surveying and tackle a different group each year, perhaps something more unusual such as fungi or moths or lichens.

l Identify places where frogsor toads migrate across roads and register the site with the Suffolk Amphibian and Reptile Group.

l Encourage people to leave safe deadtrees standing so that bats and birds can use them as feeding, nesting and roosting sites.

Bug hotel in a wildlife garden

Pipistrellebat

L W

ashi

ngto

n

Shotley Heritage Park

Not only have this group, through the Parish Council, bought seven acres of woodland for wildlife, they have put up bird and bat boxes and created an outdoor classroom

A J

ones

35

Wha

t nex

t?

l Look out for places where bats roost. Contact Suffolk Wildlife Trust or English Nature so they can be protected as part of any planning decisions.

l Start a community bird feeding station in a local park.

l Make and put up bat and bird boxes around your area.

l Leave piles of dead wood for stag beetles and rough grass for slow-worms.

Action for celebration and raising awareness

l Encourage local children to join Wildlife Watch (contact Suffolk Wildlife Trust) or start a new local group.

l For your posters, use designs based on locally characteristic wildlife.

l Organise a photographic or art competition to celebrate local wildlife and exhibit the results. You could use the best examples for postcards, greetings cards, calendars or church kneeler designs.

l Hold unusual family activities such as fungus forays, dawn chorus and breakfast meetings, bat/moth and barbecue evenings, pond dipping or tree dressing events.

l Hold discussion evenings on environmental topics, perhaps with a guest speaker.

l Make and display a parish map in any medium.

l Celebrate local wildlife or landscapes in photographs or drawings and use them for an exhibition orbooklets.

l Produce a record of local wildlife and landscape in video, perhaps as a video nature trail for people who are unable to get out and about.

l Make a scrapbook or small display about what you did and what you found. Put it on show in the church, village hall or pub.

l Find out about national or international themed days/weeks.(There are lots and lots of themeg Tree Week and Environment Week). Try to find several, spaced out throughout the year, and organise events to coincide withthem.

l Run a parish-widesurvey of wildlifein gardens or opensome gardens forpeople to visit.

l Organise themed walks or cycle tours eg farming, ancient routes or hedges, trees, wildflowers, butterflies or birds.

Apple day at Beyton Old Orchard

Bird box building

T H

ousl

ey

Barn owl

Cowslip

L W

ashi

ngto

n

Wha

t nex

t?

36

"One pond has been created in an area where its location is vital for the breedinggreat crested newt, other ponds havingbeen filled in nearby." Rosie Norton, Sibton

l Hold an environmental treasure hunt or pub quiz.

l Have drama productions, indoors or outdoors, with a 'natural' theme.

l Write an environmental column for your community newspaper.

Practical action for access and health

l Make opportunities for people to experience the benefit of outdoor physical activity (a survey walk or a practical conservation task) on their mental and physical health.

l Form a rights of way group to keep an eye on local footpaths and act as a focus for improvements.

l Encourage footpath use by having

guided walks with a theme such as local history, wildflowers or

birds - or have fun with environmental treasure

hunts.

l Ensure that people in the village, especially newcomers, know about local footpath networks.

l Encourage recreational use of cycles by defining special routes, creating secure parking facilities or producing trail leaflets highlighting interesting features.

l Encourage people to grow food organically in their gardens or allotments.

l Start a community composting scheme.

Wildwatch Bungay record species in and around Bungay. With funding from Suffolk Wildlife Trust they have created a wildife reference library in a cafe for group members and the public.

Sparrowhawk

J Gillin

gham

The Bramford Open Spaces Group manage an area of water meadows alongside the River Gipping. The site is well known and used by the local community and the group have run a number of events with local schools and the community

"Wildwatch Bungay aims to take wildlife sighting one step further for those who are interested in recording and understanding more about all aspects of the wildlife, habitats and ecology in and around Bungay." Rose Titchiner, Bungay

water crow

foot web R Titchiner

Wha

t nex

t?

37

"Our residentsrecordedbutterflies andbeetles andanything withfour legs but thereare few details ofcommon insects." David CobboldBelstead

In 2013 the Friends of Fen Meadow in Woodbridge decided to find out more about the wildlife on site. They set up a number of specialist species surveys and began using iRecord to record the results.

Stowmarket Old Cemetary have made a commitment to managing their local cemetery for wildlife.

We met with community conservation adviser Leonie Washington and she gave advice about managing the allotment in a wildlife friendly way and creating habitats for the benefit of key species such as reptiles, amphibians, hedgehogs and pollinators.

Greyheron

Shield bug

"A heron drops inat all the gardenponds in turn to seeif they have beenrestocked since hislast visit."David Cobbold,Belstead

Pea

cock

but

terf

ly D

Sm

ith

S Bird

M M

arsh

all

Many parishes, like Horringer, have set up a WildlifeGroup as a result of a Parish Audit or Plan whichrevealed a lot of interest in wildlife. At Shotley asurvey group was set up and has surveyed theirlocal hedgerows and dormice.

"In November the recorders met tohave a celebratory drink at the pub totoast our success." Peter Ling, Felixstowe Ferry

SWT

Resources

Contact Suffolk Wildlife Trust 01473 890089 for advice and information on resources, equipment and training.

suffolkwildlifetrust.org is a good place to start.

Grant information

This changes frequently, so contact Suffolk Wildlife Trust for up-to-date advice

Suffolk Wildlife Trust The Wildlife Trusts Community Action Suffolk Suffolk County Council TCV

www.suffolkwildlifetrust.orgwww.wildlifetrusts.orgwww.communityactionsuffolk.org.ukwww.suffolkcc.gov.ukwww.tcv.org.uk

Heritage Lottery FundNational Lottery Awards for AllBig Lottery

www.hlf.org.ukwww.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk www.awardsforall.org.ukwww.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Books and keys

l Suffolk's Changing Countryside by Charles Beardall and Dorothy Casey (published by SuffolkWildlife Trust)

l The Field Studies Council's series of identification keys (to various groups and habitats) are verygood, easy to use and inexpensive: http://www.field-studies-council.org/publications/wildlife-packs.aspx

Resources

38

The Natural History Book Service has a comprehensive list of popular conservation reference books: https://www.nhbs.com/browse/subject/614

Suffolk Wildlife Trust's grant factsheet:

http://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/sites/default/files/funding_sources_for_community_groups_and_conservation_projects.pdf

Please note that the information on this factsheet is subject to change. Please check with the grant provider before beginning an application.

J Har

rold

Networking Natureis supported by

suffolkwildlifetrust.org

Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Brooke HouseAshbocking, Ipswich IP6 9JY01473 890089info@suffolkwildlifetrust.orgsuffolkwildlifetrust.org

Registered charity no 262777

Jaso

n G

airn

Wenhaston Commons Group