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Sheffield & Rotherham

Kingfisher

Issue 83 Winter 2013 Protecting Wildlife for the Future

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The Wildlife Trust for Sheffield and RotherhamVictoria Hall, 37 Stafford Road, Sheffield S2 2SFTel: 0114 2634335 Fax: 2634345mail@wildsheffield.comwww.wildsheffield.com

VolunteersWorking to make Sheffield a better place for people and wildlife takes money, time and goodwill. We are totally dependent on our members, funders, partners, and volunteers. A big thank you to all our volunteers who have helped us out over the last few months:

Enoch Attison, Nicholas Baker, Liesel Bott, Stuart Bown, Kate Bradshaw, Dean Brookes, Kat Budd, Chelsea Caton, Nick Clark, Ann Clegg, Ian Deans, Rebecca Dorey, Simon Doxford, Timothy Draper, Jordan Edwards, Layne Firth, Sarah Givans, Alexis Gotts, Philippa Gullett, Fran Halsall, Dave Higgins, Lucy Holmes, Simon Joy, Lizzie Joyce, Sandra Kelsey, Tom Knight, Victoria Lacy, Dawn Laming, Clare Mahony, Jonathan McConnell-Smith, Callum McPhearson, Amy Nathan, Jo Oldcorn, Michelle O’Neill, Meurig Palin, Dennis Patton, Becky Pereira, Oliver Pescott, John Reed, Martin Rooney, Annie Russell, Ayeesha Saleem, Jack Simmons, Rachel Stevenson, Helen Taylour, Chris Turk, Be Wiggs, Brendon Wittram, Ann Woolhouse, Daniel Wostenholme, …and thanks, most importantly, to all our members.

Trustees Anne Ashe – Chair Philip Warren – Vice Chair Roderick Lees – Treasurer Ann Clegg David Bird Neil McIvor Richard Pethen Alice Puritz Peter Quinn Margaret Spencer Patrick Vaughan Tony Whiting Greg Whitmore

Corporate membersBarnsley & Rotherham Chamber of CommerceBluetreeAmey Hallam HighwaysEon UKNew Habits ltd.Northend Creative Print SolutionsPJ TasteSheffield Chamber of CommerceTata SteelThe Little Nature Shop

Front cover photo: ©rob.barker@talktalk.netSheffield Wildlife Trust is registered as charity no. 700 638; company no. 2287 928. Kingfisher is edited by Laura Boyles, designed by Tim Mackey and printed by J W Northend Ltd on recycled paper.

NEWS

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Take action for birds of prey 4Moss Valley facelift 4Wild at Heart 4All go at Greno Woods 5Sheffield half marathon 5Circle of Fire 6Scrumping – Fruit-full Schools 6Foxholes appeal 6Fruity fun 7AGM news 7

Events 8-9Woodland Discovery Centre 10Frogs at Sunnybank 10

Skills for Wildlfe trip 11Campaign for Wildlife Fund 12-13Badgers and bovine TB 14-15

Quirky facts and photos back page

CEo’s commentCan’t see the wood for the trees?Autumn is my favourite time of year. That might seem a little strange – dark nights, changing the clocks, winter coming – but the changing colours of the leaves are amazing. This is the time when you really notice trees in the landscape and how

different our streets and countryside look as the leaves begin to fall. Of course, some of you may be cursing how many leaves you need to clear up but remember how uplifting it was to see the first signs of spring as the new leaves came out?

But our trees and woodlands are under increasing pressure. There are important ancient woodland sites that are under threat (see our Campaigning for Wildlife Fund article on pages 12-13 for more details) and then there are the ‘everyday trees’ – those that we walk past, only half noticing as they go about cleaning our air, soaking up water and supporting a whole ecosystem.

The maintenance and management of our street and verge trees is really important in such a dense urban area. Amey now have this responsibility as part of the Streets Ahead programme. As they work through their tree maintenance and replacement programme, I would

really urge you to check on their website and find out when Amey plans to come to your local area. If there are special native trees or habitats that you are concerned about then please let them or us know so they are aware.

I hope you get the time to enjoy the autumn - why not visit Wyming Brook or Greno Woods this weekend?

As always, thank you for your ongoing support. Liz Ballard, CEO

Editor’s commentWelcome to the 83rd issue of Kingfisher. It’s bursting with news and information about local wildlife and environmental issues, including our winter events (page 8-9), a summary of our AGM (page 4), our position on the badger cull (pages 14-25), and our new campaigning fund (page 12-13). As ever, we’ve included various ways for our members to get involved and take action for wildlife.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Kingfisher. If you have any comments or suggestions for future issues, you are welcome to write to the editor at the Trust’s postal address, or via email: website@wildsheffield.com, with ‘Kingfisher’ in the subject line.

For further information on every aspect of the Trust, visit our website, wildsheffield.com.

As ever, we value your support and feedbackLaura Boyles, Editor

NEWS

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Take action for birds of preyIllegal persecution of birds of prey has not gone away. A new online petition on the government website calls for a system of operating licences for upland grouse shoots and an accreditation scheme or licencing system for all gamekeepers. Offences against birds of prey would result in licences for shoots, gamekeepers and guns being revoked for a number of years, or even being withdrawn for life upon repetition of an offence. You can find the petition online here: epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/46473

The Veolia Environmental Trust has awarded a grant of £10,650 towards significant access and habitat improvements to Moss Valley woodlands.

Included in the access improvements are two flights of steps that are needed to negotiate very steep and slippery banks down to the streams, and some post and rail fencing around the beautiful Dowey Lumb, preventing unauthorised access in a bid to help conserve the area. Local farmers Brian and Christine Haydock helped the Trust’s land management team get materials to the site, making the work of the team far easier. Funding will also go towards fencing along the boundary at Coal Pit Wood to deter motorbikes, improvements to the permissive bridleway, and the installation of wooden signs at the entrances to the woodlands.

Holly clearance and coppicing are some of the habitat improvements that have also been funded by the Veolia Environmental Trust. While holly is an important part of the woodland, in some places it has become so tall and dense that there

is little opportunity for tree seeds to establish, so areas are being cleared to make light and space for saplings to develop and for existing trees to thrive. The wood pasture will see the transplanting of oak saplings and removal of scrub, building on the hard work of the Wildlife Trust, Moss Valley Wildlife Group and the Three Valleys Project (Derbyshire County Council) who have all fought to reclaim this beautiful area from the destructive effects of bracken.

Be Wild at Heart – whatever your age Wild at Heart is a new project, funded for five years by the Big Lottery Fund, working specifically with people aged 50 and over.

Jan Flamank, the recently appointed co-ordinator for the project, is enthusiastic about the next five years: “This is a fantastic opportunity to work with older adults, many of whom are already knowledgeable about wildlife, gardening and their local green spaces. We want to work with people aged 50 – 105, and I have been meeting with numerous groups and organisations, hearing about people’s skills and interests in the natural world, and planning the first activities.”

As the project develops, it will offer a wide range of groups, activities and events for older adults, all with nature at their heart. Jan is also keen to attract volunteers to the project. Whatever your interest in wildlife, she would love to hear from you.

Contact Jan for more information on 0114 2634335, or email: j.flamank@wildsheffield.com

Moss Valley Woodland gets a facelift

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As many of you already know - the Greno Woods project has been awarded a Heritage Lottery grant of £277,400. So we have now bought the final 26 hectares of the woods and a new project team has been recruited to lead an exciting programme of activities and events over the next two years.

Fiona Spiers, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for Yorkshire and the Humber said, “Greno Woods is a special place well loved by the local community. We are delighted that with this grant, the Trust will be able to offer opportunities for even more people to get involved in learning about and protecting these ancient woodlands for future generations.”

Work to protect and enhance the woods has already begun: so far, we have completed two rounds of felling and thinning works – removing areas of conifer and promoting native broad leaf species, to open the canopy and help improve ground flora. Other improvements for wildlife include fencing off the heathland in the centre of the woods, with the aim of grazing livestock which will help reduce the encroachment of bracken and birch. The rides and paths have also been improved to provide woodland edges where wildlife can thrive.

The Trust’s land management team have also worked with Ride Sheffield to improve the bike tracks. And most recently, in partnership with Natural England, Sheffield City

Council, Grenoside Conservation Society and biketrack.org, they have completed a 3km bridleway loop. This gives horse riders a full circuit through the woods, improving access for them and all users including walkers and cyclists.

Newly appointed project manager, Chris Doar, will be managing a programme of further works to gradually restore the woodland. And community wildlife ranger, Sarah Sidgwick will be delivering a wide range of exciting events and interpretation materials to help visitors learn more about what makes this ancient woodland so special.

Up and coming activities will include:

A detailed archaeological survey •of the woods with opportunities for volunteers to get involved. An inspirational education •programme, including public events, youth work projects and engagement with local schools.An informal training programme •with a range of short courses in woodland heritage skills delivered in partnership with the Working Woodlands Trust.A mobile phone app will be •developed to support a self-guided walk around the woods,

with an interactive map enabling families to enjoy an informative walk without a guide.An exciting partnership with •Weston Park Museum to create a new interactive installation to be hosted in the natural science gallery and entitled ‘Natural Connections’. It will feature Greno Woods, its wildlife, ecology and conservation management.

For more information on these and other events planned, please see the events page or our website. If you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer – either taking part in the archaeological survey of the woods or in practical conservation tasks then please contact Chris or Sarah on 0114 263 4335 or email nature.reserves@wildsheffield.com.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Greno Woods project we have set up a local ‘Reserve Advisory Group’ with the Grenoside Conservation Society. Wildlife Trust members and local people are invited to come along to find out more about future plans for management of the woodland.

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The 2013 Sheffield half marathon raised £2581 for the Trust and we would like to extend a huge thanks to all the runners and volunteers who worked so hard on our behalf.

Now let’s see if we can raise even more in 2014. Sheffield Half Marathon 2014 is taking place on Sunday 6 April 2014, at the Don Valley Bowl, next door to Don Valley Stadium, which has been the home of the event for the last 21 years. We are one of the 10 official charities supported by the SIG Insulation Sheffield half marathon - one of Sheffield’s biggest participation sporting events.

Take action: Whether you fancy doing it for fitness or for fun, please consider running for us in either the 13 mile half marathon or the 3k fun run. Just log onto the Sheffield half marathon website at www.sheffieldmarathon.com or contact Jo Walker here at the Trust on 0114 263 4335 / mail@wildsheffield.com to request an entry form or let us know that you are running for us. We also always need volunteers to help on marathon day.

All go at Greno Woods!

Sheffield half marathon 2014

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The Fruit Full Schools project highlights to children and young people the abundance of local free fruit available in their local community/area.

We’ve been working with five secondary schools in Sheffield as part of this project: Seven Hills School (Sheffield), Notre Dame School (Sheffield) Kirk Hallam cps (Ilkeston), All Hallows School (Macclesfield) and Hemsworth School (nr Wakefield)

To celebrate this free fruit we’re running a national scrumping competition!! Pupils and their families collect free fruit from local trees and bring it to school to be

weighed and recorded on a national database.

Most schools are running this scrumping competition as part of their harvest festival celebrations so the fruit collected can be distributed to local organisations and made into crumbles, jams and chutneys.

For more information please contact Helen Scothorne on 01114 2634335 or h.scothorne@wildsheffield.com or visit www.fruitfullschools.org/reasons

More than 150 residents from the Upperthorpe community came together for ‘Crumble Fest’ on Saturday 28 September.

The fruity event was organised by the Friends of Philadelphia Gardens, Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust and Sheffield City Council, as part of the Big Lottery funded Living with Nature programme.

Philadelphia Gardens Park covers approximately three hectares, and Living with Nature aims to transform it into a space that appeals to all, from young explorers to keen gardeners and exercise enthusiasts. The local community has already developed a vegetable garden on site, and design plans for the area have been drawn up by the Living with Nature co-ordinators in consultation with Upperthorpe residents.

On the day of the Crumble Fest, residents met in the soon to be ‘Crumble Garden’, feasted on blackberry and apple crumble, and pressed their own apple juice with fruit from the vegetable garden. Children made decorations with leaves, bark and pine cones and enjoyed playing on bouncy castles. Local organisations including Abundance and Upperthorpe Cafe supported the event.

Cllr Harry Harpham, Cabinet Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, said of the event, “This event has demonstrated just how much Sheffield people value being a part of their local community. The Living with Nature programme is very important; in just two years over 5,500 tenants and residents across Sheffield have had their say about the development of outdoor spaces in their community.”

Pressing apples, from left – Simon Fagg, Living with Nature Co-ordinator for Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust; Katie Bradshaw, Living with Nature Co-ordinator for Sheffield Council; and Fay Kenworthy, Chair of the Friends of Philadelphia Gardens group.

Ash Bailey, Living with Nature team, and local child, creating art from nature

In the last issue of Kingfisher we asked for your help to restore an area of woodland and heath at Foxholes Plantation. The Trust recently took aå long lease on this land which lies directly between two of our existing reserves, Wyming Brook and Fox Hagg.

Foxholes was formerly plantation woodland which has not been

effectively managed for many years. We have applied to the Landfill Communities Fund for funding to restore the site to upland oak woodland, of particular benefit to woodland bird species such as wood warbler, spotted flycatcher, pied flycatcher and willow tit. In order to access landfill funding, we first have to secure a proportion of the money, usually around 10%. In the case of our bid for Foxholes, this

was approximately £2,000.Your response to our appeal was

magnificent!! To date we have received over £4,500 in donations. The fact that we exceeded our target means we will be able deliver additional habitat restoration work at this beautiful nature reserve.

The result of the landfill bid is imminent, but in the meantime, we would like to say a huge THANK YOU to all those who contributed.

Fruity fun in Philadelphia gardensScrump-tious

Great news:Foxholes plantation appeal

Inside the Circle of Fire: A Sheffield Sound MapVisit the Sheffield Millennium Gallery for an evocative sound journey through Sheffield, beginning with the curlew cries of a dawn chorus on our Blacka Moor nature reserve.

Sheffield-born Chris Watson is a sound recordist, working all over the globe and winning a BAFTA in 2012 for his soundtrack on David Attenborough’s Frozen Planet series. Recorded over the past 18 months at locations from the edge of the Peak District to the heart of the city, this sound map gives a whole new perspective on Sheffield.

‘The ear-splitting crash of Forgemasters’ furnaces and the human roar of Bramhall Lane and Hillsbrough Saturday afternoons are set in almost operatic tension with the curlew calls of the surrounding Peaks, conjuring an affectionate portrait of a city that the 19th century writer John Ruskin called “a dirty picture in a golden frame.”’

The Guardian

Until Sunday 23 February 2014

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Buzzing news from the AgM We had a very informative talk by our guest speaker at the AGM on 26 September. Charles Austin, a local bee expert and keeper, told us about the life-cycle of the bee and how the hive works. Afterwards, the audience of over 70 members and visitors met staff and looked at displays of the Trust’s work whilst enjoying a buffet provided by local company PJ Taste. Then the business of the AGM took place. This year, two of our trustees, Penny Simpson and Colette Harvey, had decided to stand down and we would like to thank them both for their years of hard work and dedication and wish them all the best for the future. Following our request in Kingfisher, we had several members enquire about becoming a trustee. As a result, we now have two new trustees, Neil McIvor and Alice Puritz, who were elected on the night. Anne Ashe, Richard Pethen and Pete Quinn were also re-elected.

Next year’s AGM will take place on Thursday 25 September 2014.

Take action: We are always looking for new people to join the Board: If you would like to know more, please contact jo.walker@wildsheffield.com

Woodland managementCarr House Meadows nature reserveWednesday 12 February, 10am–3pmLend a hand at beautiful Carr House Meadows on this practical work day, and help to thin out the dense conifer plantation. Felling and processing the trees with bowsaws and loppers will allow some light and a little more life into the understorey. Tools, gloves, tea and biscuits provided. Meet at the car park on Carr House Lane, approximate postcode S35 0DX.

Reserve advisory group meetingsThroughout January and February, a number of our Reserve Advisory Groups (RAGs) will be meeting. RAGs are open to any members of the public who are interested in what’s going on at their local nature reserve, and are a great way to find out about events and other ways to get involved. Our winter RAG meetings take place at the following venues:

Crabtree Ponds – Monday 13 •January, 6–7.30pm. St James’s Church, Scott Road, Burngreave, S4 7BG. Sunnybank – Thursday 23 January, •6–7.30pm. Broomhall Centre, Broomspring Lane, S10 2FD.

Wyming Brook/Fox Hagg – Thursday •6 February, 7–9pm. St. Luke’s Church, Blackbrook Road, Lodge Moor, S10 4LQ. Carr House Meadows – Thursday 13 •February, 7–9pm. Wharncliffe Side Community Centre, Brightholmlee Lane, S35 0DD.

Events and activities at Greno WoodsThanks to funding from Heritage Lottery Fund, we will be delivering a programme of exciting events at Greno Woods over the next two years. We’re still busy sorting out details, but make sure to check the website and e-newsletter every month to see what we’ve got planned. Events will include:

guided walks, •sessions for children and young •people,practical work days,•short training course in wildlife •ecology and identification, volunteer training in aspects of •surveying the site, taster sessions in woodland heritage •skills.

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Conservation work daysRegular volunteer days take place on several of our nature reserves, both during the week and on weekends. Tasks can include footpath improvement, walling and fencing, or habitat and vegetation management, such as bracken pulling, birch bashing, and rhododendron control. All volunteer days start at 10am and finish at 3pm; come along for the whole day or join us for an hour or two in the morning. Tools and gloves are provided (as are tea and biscuits on weekends!) Please wear warm, waterproof clothing, and sturdy footwear. If you are able to join us for the whole day, please also bring a packed lunch and drinking water.

Regular mid-week workdays are at:Wyming Brook/Fox Hagg – first •Tuesday of the month.Centenary Riverside – second •Monday of the month.Blackburn Meadows – second •Thursday of the month.Blacka Moor – third Thursday of the •month.Greno Woods – fourth Friday of the •month.

Weekend workdays are at:Blacka Moor – first Saturday of the •month.Wyming Brook/Fox Hagg – third •Sunday of every OTHER month (January, March).

Crabtree Ponds maintenance daysFirst Monday of the month, 9.30am–12 noonIf you can’t make it out for a whole day on one of our more far-flung reserves, why not try something a little closer to town? Regular maintenance days at Crabtree Ponds in Burngreave have been started up by members of the Reserve Advisory Group, in a fantastic effort to keep this small green space in

tip-top condition for people and wildlife. Join us for a morning of maintenance, with tools, gloves, tea and biscuits supplied. Meet on the reserve just off Crabtree Close, S5 7BJ.

Winter tree Id walkWyming Brook nature reserveSaturday 30 November, 10am–12 noonHow well do you know your barks? Clued up on your tree silhouettes? Join the Wildlife Trust for a morning walk with our ecologists, and discover all the tricks to identifying trees in winter. We’ll be taking a leisurely walk around the reserve with a break for hot drinks and winter warming cakes.

Please wear warm clothes and suitable footwear. Booking essential. Suggested minimum donation £2 for members and £4 for non-members.

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Wildlife on your doorstepThe Wildlife Trust for Sheffield and Rotherham runs a whole host of events across the area, aimed at helping everyone get the most out of their local environment. Please be aware that you may need to book in advance for our most popular events, and there may be a suggested minimum donation which will help us cover the cost of running the event.

Please wear suitable clothing and footwear, bearing in mind that weather is •unpredictable, especially on the larger nature reserves inside the Peak District.Please make sure your children are accompanied by an adult, as we are not able •to take responsibility for them at events.Many nature reserves have uneven or steep terrain, and may not be suitable for •wheelchair or pushchair users. Please check beforehand.

Most events can be reached by public transport and are arranged around bus •times. For public transport information call Travel Line on 01709 515151.Photographs may be taken by Trust staff at events and used for publicity •purposes. Please speak to a member of staff if you are unhappy about having your photo taken.To see the location of meeting points given by grid reference, see www.•gridreferencefinder.com.

For further information, or to book your place on certain events, please contact our reserves team: nature.reserves@wildsheffield.com, 0114 263 4335.

There are plenty more events in the pipeline, so visit www.wildsheffield.com/whats-on so you don’t miss out!

Funders brighten up a soggy day on Centenary On 6 September, the Trust hosted a guided walk round Centenary Riverside Wetland Nature Park for funders who had contributed to the latest round of work on the site.

Thanks to Outokumpu Stainless and environmental funding body Mondegreen, together with contributions from local companies AESSeal, ASD Lighting and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, the Trust has been able to widen and improve access on the site for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The funding also enabled the Trust to enhance and improve the wildflower meadow on the flood defence bank and to sow a whole new wildflower meadow on top of the bank close to the entrance to the reserve. There was even a little bit of money left over to fund removal of some invasive species which had crept into the site, Himalayan balsam and giant hogweed.

Sadly, after a week of glorious sunshine, the weather on the day of the event was wet and grey, and the one flash of blue was provided by a kingfisher who entertained the group with his agility. Centenary Riverside is an important part of the flood alleviation system for the centre of Rotherham, designed to absorb excess rainwater and release it gradually into the river system to ameliorate flooding, and at one point it seemed the assembled guests might witness a demonstration of the system; happily, however, the flooding held off and the Community Wildlife Ranger, Hannah, was able to show off the full site.

Thanks again to the generosity of these funders who made the improvements to Centenary Riverside possible. ©

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ARTICLES

Our education team, Lorna Fisher and Isabel Shephard, have been working together with Sheffield City Council’s woodlands team to develop a high quality education service at the award winning JG Graves Woodland Discovery Centre in Ecclesall Woods, a showcase for sustainable architecture, woodland crafts, outdoor education and play.

Inspiring children and families at the Jg graves Woodland discovery CentreThe Centre is sited in the heart of the beautiful ancient woodland. Rich in biodiversity and archaeological features, it is an ideal location for an environmental education experience. This site provides us with a base to welcome schools and offers superb facilities to visitors.

Summer has been busy with a programme of wild family days. Children of all ages have joined together to learn bush craft skills, hear myths and legends of the woodlands and seek the creatures that lurk beneath the waters of the Limb Brook.

Over 1500 school pupils from across Sheffield and Rotherham have visited our education team at the Woodland Discovery Centre since September 2012, learning about the importance of woodland conservation and heritage. Children and teachers have enjoyed taking part in den building activities, ‘what’s good about wood’, sensory trails, stream dipping, Forest School and the more unusual ‘woodland heroes’ request’.

Environmental education across

Sheffield and RotherhamWe continue to provide environmental education across Sheffield and Rotherham in school grounds, local parks, green spaces and nature reserves. It is important to us and the woodlands team that all children can access green spaces city wide. And with our recent success with the Grenoside Woodlands HLF project, we will be expanding our woodlands education service to the north of the city too.

Training teachers, students, volunteers and play workers in Forest SchoolIn partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund, Access to Nature project and Sheffield Hallam University, 73 adults have completed Forest School level 1 and 2 training, receiving an OCN accreditation. This will help spread the word about the importance of learning outside the classroom, a key objective of our service.

We are continually striving to improve our service and are currently applying for the Learning Outside the Classroom quality badge to, see the website for more information http://lotcqualitybadge.org.uk/.

We always want to know what you think is important in our education service, please contact Lorna Fisher our Education Officer with your views.

Come and visitYou can find the Woodland Discovery Centre just off Abbey Lane, in the heart of Ecclesall Woods. We are open Tuesday to Saturday 10am–3pm.

Hope to see you there soonLorna Fisher, Education Officer

The Woodland Discovery Centre in Ecclesall Woods – a place for inspiring and educating

Lots to croak about on Sunnybank nature reserveThis year’s frog rescue event at Sunnybank nature reserve saw the largest number of volunteers yet, with 65 people – including toddlers and tiny babies in slings – joining in the fun job of rescuing frogs from the grass before the annual meadow cut. Frogs of all sizes were hopped after and caught before being popped in the pond, safely out of the way of the mowing machinery. As well as a chance to have a look at our amphibian friends close up, volunteers had a wander around the reserve, many cups of tea were drunk, and the biscuits went in a blink of an eye. Not to ‘ribbit’ on too much but we would like to say a massive thank you to all the people who helped out.

The annual meadow cut ensures the continued biodiversity of Sunnybank’s meadow, which is managed as a traditional hay meadow, allowing the vegetation to grow to maturity, flower and seed. An annual hay cut is undertaken in September and the cuttings are removed to prevent the build-up of nutrients in the soil. The removal of some of the more aggressive species allows more sensitive species to thrive, including, yarrow, vetch, bedstraw - which in turn attract a variety of butterflies, hoverflies and birds.

Skills for Wildlife residential trip to Gibraltar Point

In order from left to right; Ben, Sarah (supervisor), James C, James R, Charlotte, Toby (supervisor), Joe, Elysha, Chloe, Tasha, Isobel, Bethany, Chris (supervisor), Stephan, Daniel.

In January 2011 the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a partnership of Sheffield, Derbyshire and

Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts a grant to run traineeships for young people, called the Skills for Wildlife project. Young people join us for a year long traineeship and gain practical experience and knowledge about working in the charitable environmental sector.

In June, our current Skills for Wildlife trainees went on a three day residential trip to Gibraltar Point near Skegness.

Here is their tale…“We woke up to a drizzly start and an 8.30

breakfast. The first task of the day was sea-buckthorn brashing so we all had to wear gloves,

boots and waterproofs. Sea-buckthorn is not invasive but can spread quickly and if not

managed properly it would take over the salt marsh, a very important feature of the reserve. It was hard work but with everybody pitching in we managed to clear the set amount of buckthorn relatively quickly.

After lunch it was time to improve our survey skills so we headed to the beach armed with nets, trays and quadrats to conduct a shore search survey and take part in some sea dipping. Unfortunately there had been such a

high tide there wasn’t much of a shore line for us to search, so after going over the

methodology we ditched the quadrats and moved onto sea dipping – where we found a lot

of sea life and were delighted to be watched by five friendly seals.

In the evening, we went for a bat walk but because of the wet weather there were no insects and so no bats so we had a night walk on the beach instead. The next day, we discovered a ‘new species’ of seaweed which was actually pine debris, a washed up jelly fish, a few mermaid’s purses and dog-whelk egg cases.

We can honestly say that we all had a wonderful time and a lot of fun. We learnt a lot of new skills from our trip which we are sure will come in handy in the

future. All the staff at the Gibraltar point national nature reserve made our visit a great experience”.

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At the Wildlife Trust for Sheffield and Rotherham, we have a great record for protecting and enhancing the nature reserves we own and

manage, and for raising awareness about the plight of local wildlife and the threats to our wonderful countryside and urban green spaces. But sometimes we struggle to challenge all the proposed developments which we believe may cause harm to wildlife.

One current proposal is to build a new motorway service area off junction 35 of the M1 in the middle of Smithy Wood, an ancient woodland and a designated local wildlife site in Sheffield’s green belt.

Ancient woodlands are special and irreplaceable – once lost they are lost forever.

Another proposal is the High Speed Train link (HS2) from Birmingham to Leeds. The current preferred route also threatens Smithy Wood (the western side left by the motorway service area development) and ancient woodland at Hesley and Hesley Tip plus nine other local wildlife sites in Sheffield and

Rotherham. This proposes a serious threat to our network for nature, with 345 hectares of local wildlife sites and 46 hectares of ancient woodland, potentially lost along the proposed route.

We are not convinced that there are compelling enough arguments for either of these proposals. We believe that the principles of sustainable development - including the need for efficient and sustainable transport systems - must not be achieved at the expense of the natural environment.

If you agree with us, please contribute to our Campaigning for Wildlife Fund. We desperately need more resources to pay for the professional expertise and time needed to scrutinise planning applications and proposed developments, to lodge objections and campaign against further damage to our valuable natural heritage.

Campaigning for Wildlife Fund - help us stand up for local wildlife!

Campaigning for Wildlife FundPlease complete this form and return it to: Campaigning for Wildlife Fund, The Wildlife Trust for Sheffield and Rotherham, Victoria Hall, 37 Stafford Road, Sheffield, S2 2SF

Name___________________________________________________________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Postcode______________________Phone number_____________________________________

Email address____________________________________________________________________

(we would like to send you e-newsletters to update you on the progress of the appeal)

I would like to make a donation. Amount enclosed: £ ____________________________ (Please make cheques payable to “Sheffield Wildlife Trust”).Data Protection: The Wildlife Trust for Sheffield and Rotherham respects your privacy and will not pass on your personal data to any third parties. Occasionally we will contact you with information about our projects and how you can help. You may opt-out of certain communications by contacting the membership department at anytime.

Your tax can benefit wildlife at no extra cost to you. The Gift Aid scheme allows us to reclaim tax from the Inland Revenue meaning your donations are worth even more. Currently we receive 25p for every £1 you donate.

I would like all donations I’ve made to Sheffield Wildlife Trust in the last four years and all future donations to Sheffield Wildlife Trust to be treated as Gift Aid until I notify you otherwise.

I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give on or after 6 April 2008.

You can cancel this declaration at any time by notifying us. If your circumstances change and you no longer pay tax/capital gains on your income equal to the amount that you donate to all charities/CASCs please cancel your declaration. If you pay Income Tax at the higher rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self Assessment tax return or ask HMRC to adjust your tax code. Please notify us if you change your name or address. If you are unsure whether your donations qualify for Gift Aid please see the information on the HMRC website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/

Signature________________________________________

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Smithy Wood map

What are we doing to get a better deal for wildlife?In the Smithy Woods case we are asking the developers to consider alternative locations for the service area. We are also working with the developers to improve the mitigation proposals, in case the development is approved.

For HS2 we will continue to highlight our concerns locally and nationally about the potential impacts on ancient woodland and other local wildlife sites.

What you can do - take action!

Look out for the motorway service 1. area planning application on Sheffield City Councils website https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/planning-and-city-development.html (expected before the end of the year) and respond to the planning application – check our website for more information on the application and support our position statement if you can. If you want to know more or can help us in any way please call us on 0114 263 4335. The Phase 2 consultation for HS2 2. is open until 31 Jan 2014, giving you a chance to make your views known. www.hs2.org.uk/developing-hs2/consultations/phase-two If you have any concerns or 3. questions about the proposals or consultation, do contact us via 0114 2634335 or mail@wildsheffield.com

What you can do - make a donation to our campaigning fundYou can donate online at http://www.wildsheffield.com/how-you-can-help/donate-or-raise-funds or by sending a cheque payable to Sheffield Wildlife Trust. If you are a taxpayer please complete the donation form below so that we may claim gift aid on your donation worth an additional 25p for every £1 you donate.

Please take action and help us to get the best deal for wildlife.

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Pilot badger culls extending with no scientific justificationNatural England today announced it will be extending the badger cull in Gloucestershire. The Wildlife Trusts believe that the granting of extensions to licences to cull is simply not justifiable.

With extensions now granted in both Somerset and Gloucestershire, the Wildlife Trusts believe this failure to meet required targets should lead the government to abandon its culling policy.

The pilot badger culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire have failed to meet the key test of ‘effectiveness’. In both areas, the removal of at least 70% of the estimated badger population in the six-week licence period has not been achieved. It is possible for the bovine TB problem to have been made worse, due to the ‘perturbation effect’. In the six weeks of the pilot cull in Gloucestershire, 708 badgers were killed, representing just over 30% of the estimated local badger population of 2,350. The government’s pilot culls had aimed to remove at least 70% of the population. Estimates of the badger population in each pilot area have been significantly reduced twice and still the pilot culls have failed to meet the conditions set out in Defra’s guidance to Natural England. The original population estimate in Gloucestershire was 3,644 in autumn 2012.

The Wildlife Trusts’ Head of Living Landscape, Paul Wilkinson, added: “Defra’s badger cull policy remains a distraction from tackling this devastating disease. The pilot culls have clearly proven that the necessary criteria cannot be met; there has been a failure to cull the target numbers of badgers and a failure to do so within the set timeframe. These failures, combined with huge uncertainties over the badger population’s true size in the cull zones, carry very real implications for remaining badger populations. They also run the risk of further spreading the disease from disrupted social groups of badgers, known as the perturbation effect. The granting of extensions to licences to cull by Natural England is simply not justifiable. Defra set out its strategy for a six week period; it has been a complete failure and the cull should be pulled. We are reiterating our calls for the Government to focus efforts on badger and cattle vaccination, stricter cattle movement controls and improved biosecurity.”

The Wildlife Trusts strongly oppose the pilot badger culls and any proposals for rolling out culls beyond this year. This scale of culling of a native mammal, which is a valuable part of the ecosystem, is simply not justified by the small potential reduction in bovine TB incidence in cattle.

What’s happening locallyHere at the Wildlife Trust for Sheffield and Rotherham we are keeping a close eye on the badger culling situation in other areas of the country. Defra are working on a draft strategic plan for the eradication of bovine TB. This sees Sheffield and Rotherham identified as a low risk area because currently there are very few cases of bovine TB found in cattle in Yorkshire. Low risk means that, at the moment, there are no plans to roll out culling in this area. However, just over the border, north Derbyshire is identified as a mixture of ‘high risk’ and ‘edge area’. These areas are considered by Defra to have a ‘wildlife reservoir’ of the disease that they believe results in a higher incidence of bovine TB in cattle. The preferred Defra strategy in the high risk area (which stretches from Cornwall through to north Derbyshire down) includes a wider roll-out of culling – subject to successful pilot culls. As Defra reviews the pilots and considers whether it will use other methods of culling, we are working with our neighbouring Trust at Derbyshire to plan for an intensive badger vaccination deployment programme should culling be rolled out to our border. We really hope this will not be the case but we want to be ready to act fast and deploy the badger vaccine locally if we need to – as an alternative to culling. We will send out a ‘call to action’ through our members and social media should a campaign be needed. In the meantime we will wait to see what the conclusion of the pilot culls are. Just a reminder, as if it needed to be said! - Wildlife Trusts will not allow badger culling on any of their land.

If any local farmers would like to contact us about this issue and badgers on their land then please do.

Badgers and bovine TB

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Welcome to The Back Page. Here you’ll find lots of interesting snippets about wildlife round your way, including contributions from members and staff. Pop on your slippers, grab a cup of tea, find a comfy chair, and enjoy.

We would love to have your suggestions and contributions to The Back Page.

Send your photos, wild recipes, wildlife facts, short writings about your favourite reserve or plant or animal, quizzes, questions, etc. to website@wildsheffield.com, or to SWT HQ, 37 Stafford Road, Sheffield, S2 2SF care of Laura Boyles.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Members’ photosThe photos this issue were hand delivered by Mick Dobson, a long-time supporter of the Trust. They’re of an amazing flock of sparrows in his garden that keep him well entertained with their antics. Thank you for sharing them with us, Mick!

©Mick Dobson

The BackPage

Beat the winter blues

No need to be blue this winter, there are plenty of fun activities

that you can do around the reserves or in your gardens. With

the lovely warm weather of summer seeming like a distant

memory, wrap up warm and make the most of what the

outdoors and all our nature reserves have to offer at this time of

year. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Visit one of our nature reserves and take in the beautiful

winter scenery, it’s amazing how the landscape changes with

a covering of snow or a dusting of ice. Grab a camera and

see what sights you can capture. Then post your photos on

our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TheWildlifeTrust.

SheffieldandRotherham, and it might be published in

our next edition of Kingfisher.

The BackPage

Protecting Wildlife for the Future

©Mark Piercewright. Crabtree Ponds in the snow

Marvel at the wonders of the mushroom world and see if you can spot stinkhorns, jelly ear, candle snuff, and dead man’s fingers around the reserves. Don’t forget to post your pics on Facebook!

©Paul Hobson

Put on your wellies and go for a walk at one of our woodland nature reserves - perhaps Greno Woods or Wyming Brook. The beautiful orange, yellow and red autumn leaves on the woodland floor are just waiting for you to run through and jump in. Collect various shapes, sizes and colours of leaves along with twigs and branches and have a go at making your own wild picture.

Did you know hedgehog numbers have reduced by a third since the millennium? Have a go at building a hedgehog house or even just put a pile of sticks and leaves in a sheltered spot of your garden to create a welcoming environment for a hedgehog. Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust have some great instructions for making hedgehog habitats: www.lincstrust.org.uk/factsheets/hedgehog.php

©Tom Aspinall