Boost for Tees Valley brownfield invertebrates
An INCA (Industry and Nature Conservation Association) led project that seeks to restore and create habitats to conserve key invertebrates species that are associated with Tees Valley Brownfield Sites, has been given the green light by Entrust (the regulating body for landfill tax).
The two year project, funded by landfill tax will focus on brownfield habitats on land owned by environmentally aware local industries at BP Cats and Lucite and two Wildlife Trust Nature Reserves, Maze Park and Gravel Hole. Ecologists from INCA have started a programme of invertebrate surveys and monitoring (July 2009) ahead of the planned habitat enhancement work.
Brownfield sites are often rich in biodiversity and form an important refuge for wildlife in what can be an otherwise heavily urbanised industrial landscape. They are now included in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) as the priority habitat titled ‘Open mosaic habitats on previously developed land’. In the Tees Valley, many brownfield sites contain areas which develop a semi-natural habitat supporting a diverse flora and fauna. Such sites have regional importance for many Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species, including invertebrates.
Robert Woods from INCA says “Invertebrates are very sensitive to changes in their environment and are therefore good indicators of the health and quality of their environment. Brownfield invertebrates are highly vulnerable due to habitat loss. INCA is in the unique position of working with a number of organisations who own brownfield land of a good environmental quality”
The grant will allow restoration work that will include managing grassland by cutting vegetation to create a varied sward structure. This will provide a mosaic of different habitat, supporting a wide range of invertebrate species. Habitat creation will be achieved by mechanical stripping of the top layer of soil in parts of each of the four locations and creating ‘scrapes’ which will be allowed to revegetate and colonise naturally. The ‘spoil’ from this activity will be recycled on site to create raised or undulating areas alongside the scrapes, which will provide a varied aspect and structure. Early successional habitats such as this, including patches of bare ground, are so important for many invertebrates. These actions will create habitat which will support viable populations of many specialised invertebrate species.
The proposal also includes an element of field survey work in 2009 and 2010, as it is important to understand the nature of the species which are present to ensure that planned physical work at the end of 2010 is consistent with that required for conservation of the specialised species found. It is our intention also that we fine tune our management proposals depending upon what we find during site ecolological survey work. Field survey also establishes a baseline against which any changes can be measured in the 2011 season which follows the restoration and enhancement work.
Tees Valley Biodiversity Coordinator Sue Antrobus says “ Learning from this brownfield invertebrate project could act as a pilot for work with other industrial land owners in the Tees Valley, thereby presenting exciting possibilities for the future conservation of brownfield sites, contributing to our Tees Valley Brownfields Habitat Action Plan.
INCA are the plan lead for the Tees Valley Brownfields Habitat Action Plan.
Link to Inca website
Link to brownfields action plan page