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Biodiversity audits are taking place across the country - from small scale sites to entire counties. They provide an ecological baseline, pulling together all existing records of habitats and species to gain an understanding of distribution. This then allows us to build on this; identifying where gaps in our knowledge are, where our strengths are and where our priorities should be. This might include identifying which habitats are most widespread in our area, where they are fragmented and so could be a focus of restoration, which areas we need to conserve the most as they are important corridors for wildlife and where we think species might be present but there are no records so we may need to focus our survey work.

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BASELINE STUDY

Initially, we have the funding to employ an ecological consultancy to pull together a baseline of existing information for us and initiate some further surveys. The initial baseline will compile existing information from a range of sources including the Somerset Environmental Record Centre, Natural England and Environment Agency data, JNCC data and Ordnance survey maps. We have also kindly been allowed access to some satellite survey technology supplied by Exeter University. The study will also look at local and national strategies and policies which may apply to our parish such as Buglifes’ B-Lines and the Somerset Pollinator Action Plan.

The consultancy will also carry out some "ground truthing" to ensure the compiled information is accurate and fill in some of the gaps. This will also include a lighting survey of the Parish, as artificial light can act as a huge barrier to the movement of wildlife and can cause problems with breeding and foraging.

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Several surveys took place this this year; bat walks, checking of bat roosts in homes and barns and a water vole/otter survey - these were led by the consultancy for the first year with volunteers getting involved, but will hopefully lead to annual surveys involving more people and more species which we, as a Parish, will take on. We already have the local plant recording group, general wildlife recording group and practical conservation group – the records generated from these volunteers will also be fed into the general database for the Parish.

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We have also set up a "Library Of Things" with the following equipment available to anyone that wishes to use it:

• Bat detector - to leave out in your garden to record bat calls over a period of time

• Trail camera - motion sensitive and infra red camera to catch glimpses of species which may visit your garden

• Mammal footprint tubes – great for identifying hedgehogs (comes with footprint guide)

• Moth trap – trap with blacklight bulb which traps moths overnight to be identified and released in the morning (comes with a moth ID guide)

• Reptile tins – corrugated metal that slow worms, lizards and grass snakes love to bask beneath (comes with a reptile ID guide)

• Bottle traps – a licensed surveyor will help you to set these out in your pond to see which newt species you might have

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THE FUTURE

Data collection will be an ongoing process and the more people that get involved, the better the picture we will have of our Parish and the amazing animals and plants that live here with us. This will help guide future plans such as planting, surveying, engaging landowners, appropriate development and help us focus conservation efforts. We hope to get as many people involved and engaged as possible of all backgrounds and ages – lets be proud of this beautiful and diverse Parish we live in!

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GET INVOLVED

 

If you would like to get involved in the biodiversity audit, or have comments on the draft document downloadable on this page, email Greener.LB.Biodiversity@gmail.com

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Hannah Montag