Environmental Forum – Wednesday 17 March2010

Biodiversity Projects Officer’s Report

Hertfordshire Environmental Forum (HEF) Biodiversity Partnership Group (BPG)

Developing Hertfordshire’s Key Biodiversity Areas for Biodiversity Delivery

  • Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) for the county are identified in the Hertfordshire Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).
  • KBA represent the priority areas for protecting and conserving existing biodiversityand represent the highest concentrations of important habitats as well as offering the greatest potential for restoring and re-creating large areas of quality habitat.
  • KBA have recently been refined using the Hertfordshire Landscape Character Areas as defined boundaries of land and modified slightly to take into account the presence/absence of Wildlife Sites – see the map below which show each of the 28 KBA for the county.
  • Subsequently a desk top review of the distribution of important habitats and species within KBA has been completed by the Herts Biological Records Centre on behalf of the Biodiversity Partnership.
  • To take the KBA work forward it has been agreed to trail the development of a factsheet for each KBA which will include a map as well as details of the biodiversity, landscape, archaeological and historic interest.

Map of the Hertfordshire Key Biodiversity Areas

Biodiversity Delivery Framework

  • A new biodiversity delivery framework, to enhance the recovery of priority habitats and species in England, has been developed and can be viewed at:

Hertfordshire Environmental Forum (HEF)

  • Waste Aware has put in an application to HEF, for £8,000, for a Co-ordinator post. The Executive recommended that members accept the bid and HEF subsequently accepted the recommendation.
  • The Herts Birds Club, the lead partner for the Tree Sparrow Action Plan, has made a bid to HEF for the monitoring and conservation of the Tree Sparrow in Hertfordshire.
  • Tree Sparrows are a UK Red List species and a Priority Species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). They are also a priority for conservation action in the CountyBAP and are the subject of a Species Action Plan as they remain in a very critical state in Hertfordshire.
  • The Herts Birds Club has been leading on the Species Action Plan for the last 10 years and is now seeking funds to sustain the project for a further five years.
  • They key actions have been to provide and maintain nest boxes as well as undertaking supplementary feeding during the winter. This has been relatively successful with numbers increasing over the last few years to 27 nesting attempts and 79 young birds fledged in 2009.
  • The total fund required for the next five years is £2050.

Traditional Orchards

  • Traditional Orchards have been added to the list of Priority Habitats under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.
  • A Traditional Orchards Action Plan, for Hertfordshire, hasnow been developedby the Hertfordshire Orchard Initiative (HOI).
  • The Action Plan will be added to the Habitat and Species Action Plans already developed since the Hertfordshire Biodiversity Action Plan was produced in 1998.
  • The Action Plan follows the national format (which will make reporting on progress easier) and highlights the ambitions for Traditional Orchard habitat across Hertfordshire.
  • Once the Action Plan has been finalised it can be viewed at:

River Water-dropwort

  • The distribution of the River Water-dropwort was re-surveyed between September and November of 2009 and the report is now complete.
  • River Water-dropwort is a Biodiversity Action Plan Specieswhich is a nationally uncommon plant in the UK.
  • It is a submerged aquatic plant of lowland rivers which have a moderate flow.
  • It often lacks flowers but has bright green, submerged, leaves with narrow leaflets which are adapted to flowing water.
  • It was in Hertfordshire that the River Water-dropwort was first recognised as a distinct species.
  • Unsympathetic river management (which drastically alters the in-channel structure) is probably the main cause of decline today. Water quality is another important factor as is the cutting of aquatic weeds.

Bitterns

  • Booming bitterns have been heard at Amwell (owned by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust).
  • Funding form the Environment Agency has been secured for reedbed restoration at Amwell and Tewinbury.

Water Voles

  • There has been a threefold increase in the numbers of water voles along the River Chess since 2007, according to the results of the 2009 survey.
  • The population is estimated at 300 voles, 87% if its 2001 level before the population suffered a huge crash.
  • The increase has been attributed to improved habitat management and mink control by landowners.

Rickmansworth Festival

The Rickmansworth Festival for 2010 will take place on Saturday 15 May and Sunday 16 May. Anyone who wishes to have a free stand within the Environment Marquee is welcome to attend – please see me for a booking form.

Local Nature Reserves (LNRs)

  • Various projects have taken place at the LNRs:
  • We have made an application to be re-awarded the Green Flag Awards for the Aquadrome and Chorleywood House Estate.
  • We have also put in an application for a Green Flag Award for LeavesdenCountryPark.
  • The Green Flag Award scheme was launched in 1996 to recognise and reward the best green spaces in the country.
  • Green Flag awards also encourage others to achieve the same high environmental standards, creating a benchmark of excellence in green spaces.
  • At present there are around 1000 parks and green spaces flying a Green Flag.
  • The are eight categories upon which the Local Nature Reserves are assessed:
  • A welcoming place
  • Healthy safe and secure
  • Clean and well maintained
  • Sustainability
  • Conservation and heritage
  • Community Involvement
  • Marketing
  • Management
  • For more information go to:
  • There first Chorleywood Community Orchard Apple Day took place at Chorleywood House Estate on Saturday 17 October. Activities on offer included helping to crush apples and press juice, a competition to produce the longest apple peel and comparing the appearance and taste of unusual locally grown apples. Additional trees were also planted in December.
  • A well attended ‘Discovery Day’ took place at Oxhey Woods Local Nature Reserve on 18 October. Activities on offer ranged from a fungal foray led by the Watford Parish Conservation Volunteers and an archaeological walk led by John Morris to bird box building with the RSPB.
  • 18 February – Bug Hunt at LeavesdenCountryPark as part of Nature Week.
  • 18 March – NorthwoodCollege will be holding an annual orienteering event at Chorleywood House Estate for their Year 7 pupils.
  • 21 March – Sports Relief Event will take place at the Aquadrome. A sponsored run of one, three or six miles. All of the money raised is spent by Comic Relief to help transform the lives of poor and vulnerable people, both at home and across the world’s poorest countries. For more information, or to take part, go to:
  • 28 March – Paws for Peace. A sponsored dog walk around the Aquadrome in aid of the Peace Hospice. The walk will be 2 miles and registration starts at 10am. There will also be a best dressed dog competition. For more information contact Nicky Maxwell-Braithwaite on 01923 335365 or go to:
  • 8 April – Family Kick Sampling event at Croxley Common Moor. Families will be taking a dip in the River Gade at Croxley Common Moor to see what creatures can be uncovered. Pre-booking, through the TRDC Customer Service Centre, required. For more information go to:
  • 9 May – Guided Walk at The Withey Beds. As part of Rickmansworth Week a guided walk will be starting from the Batchworth Lock Centre at 2pm and following the Ebury Wayfor around 1.5 miles to the Watford Piscators. A tour of the lakes at the Watford Piscatorswill be followed by a walk around The Withey Beds Local Nature Reserve.
  • Volunteer Days: The Friends of Croxley Common Moor meet on the second Sunday of each month. The group is about to start their summer programme of tasks which include ragwort removal and a spring clean.
  • Regular volunteer days are held in Oxhey Woods by Watford Rural Conservation Volunteers as well as the Countryside Management Services (CMS).

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