Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership

A free guide to experiencing wildlife in North Tees is published this week by the Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership.   “North Tees Naturally” is a 36 page colour booklet that covers places to experience wildlife in the Tees Valley, north of the Tees.   The guide was funded by Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and Northumbrian Water Limited. It is packed with ideas of activities and wildlife to see a through the seasons. It brings together, for the first time, information on  what wildlife you can see on nature reserves and countryside sites with practical information on facilities, opening times and  detailed information detailing how to get their by bike and bus.
The free guide is available from local tourist information centres and libraries across the Tees Valley and from the Saltholme Wildlife Discovery Centre.
Download a copy here 

North Tees Naturally part1

North Tees Naturally part2

 Join The Big Sea Survey

The north-east region offers a rich array of landscape features which support a wealth of both marine and terrestrial biodiversity. The space and the breathtaking landscape beauty that we have in this region make our little corner of England particularly special. But we can take it all so for granted when it is right on our doorstep.

One of the jewels in our north-east crown is the stunning coastline that holds its splendour year round. Clinging to these rocky reefs, snuggled into crevices and cracks, is the most incredible range of life that wriggles, and squirms and squishes. Obscure blobs of coloured life that we may overlook, have fascinating life cycles and bizarre sex lives. While holidays abroad bring us effortlessly close with flashy fish replete with a rainbow of colour, our own coastal treasures yield up their secrets a little more hesitantly. But they are all the more valued for doing so. Sometimes it requires a little patience and a little prodding. It may involve braving our shores with an accompanying bracing wind that threatens to strip the skin from your cheeks. But what revelations and what rewards for your efforts!!
What’s it all about?
This coast, and the life that it supports, belongs to all of us. It is a fragile, and immeasurably beautiful habitat, which we need to learn more about if we are to protect it and plan for the changing environmental future ahead. The Big Sea Survey needs your help to produce an extensive baseline of the species living in our region. Spend some time getting to know the creatures that we otherwise ignore and trip (literally), over and find yourself quickly addicted. Discovering you know the name of one species of seaweed over another, getting a handle on how massively varied feeding behaviours and life cycles are of even the most homely snails, and it opens up a whole world that leaves you wanting to know more.

How do you find out more?
Well you could join the Big Sea Survey. Staff at Newcastle University’s Dove Marine Laboratory are facilitating anyone who wants to learn more about the animals and seaweeds along our coasts. And it’s free of charge! Joining the project means you will receive training in how to identify different species, and the know-how and field equipment to survey and record where and how much of is found along our shores. The project runs for three years and over that time you can get out and about collecting information and building up your own knowledge. Joining will not disrupt your lifestyle, as you can commit as much or as little time as you feel able to. The data that you collect will feed into datasets held by the University, by ERIC (the North East Environmental Records Information Centre), and also into national databases available for use by a wide range of coastal managers and professionals who need to understand more about life on our coasts.

We already have an enthusiastic band of Coastal Assistants, all trained up and recording away. Why not join them and contribute to helping conserve something that makes our little corner of England so special?
To find more, contact  Haether Sugden at  bigseasurvey@ncl.ac.uk, or ring 0191 222 3059  or write to: Big Sea Survey, Dove Marine Laboratory, School of Marine Science and Technology, Newcastle University, Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear, NE30 4PZ.

Flyer Big Sea

The 2010 Annual Gathering of the Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership was held on the 30 September 2010 at the Teesmouth Field Centre.   The event proved to be an uplifting and thought provoking day of presentations and discussions on biodiversity in the Tees Valley.

Here are links to the presentations
Collaborating to deliver biodiversity in the new policy landscape 
Richard Hall, Natural England PowerPoint Richard Hall 

Adapting to climate change in the Tees Valley
Leanne Wilson, Tees Valley Unlimited PowerPoint Leanne Wilson

An introduction to Darlington’s natural environment  
Phil Roxby, Darlington Council  ( sorry this is too large to upload)

Keeping the Green in Green Infrastructure
David Walton, Groundwork North East PowerPoint David Walton

Little Terns- a conservation dilemma
Geoff Barber, INCA PowerPoint Geoff Barber
 
Heritage Orchards of the Tees Valley – a hidden habitat
Helen Herring, Wildflower Ark PowerPoint Helen Herring  

The Cleveland Bird Atlas and wildlife conservation
Vic Fairbrother, Teesmouth Bird Club PowerPoint Vic Fairbrother text

 Bowesfield- a Tees Valley wetland creation project  PowerPoint Jeremy Garside
Jeremy Garside, Tees Valley Wildlife Trust
 
How the Heritage lottery can help you deliver for biodiversity and people
Ellie Moir, Heritage Lottery Fund PowerPoint Ellie Moir

The Saltholme story…. a year on?
Toby Collett, RSPB Toby Collett
 
Introducing the Tees Rivers Trust
Ben Lamb,  Tees Rivers Trust PowerPoint Ben Lamb 
 
 A window into the life of our Tees Valley mammals
Kenny Crooks, Tees Valley Wildlife Trust. Visit http://www.urbanwildplaces.co.uk/ for film fotage.

In response to the Defra consultation on the government draft circular “Biodiversity and Geological Conservation – “Statutory obligations and their impact within the planning system”, the Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership made a detailed response which can be downloaded Consultation on draft PPS TVBP response May 2010  

The consultation date has now passed but here is a link to the relevant Defra pages

Find out more about the Environment Agency’s Regional Habitat Creation Programme (RHCP) with this Information Note for Awareness RaisingRHCP_Awareness Summary_DRAFT_RM_May 10

 Orchards are a national biodiversity priority habitat so its great news that the Heritage Lottery Fund are supporting a new project ‘Traditional Orchards in the Lower Tees Valley’ through a grant of £41,000 to the Wildflower Ark at Nature’s World. The project will research orchards and fruit growing in the Lower Tees Valley, locate remaining orchards and remnant fruit trees and identify, where possible, the old varieties of fruit. A series of workshops on fruit tree pruning and management, fruit harvesting, storage and uses will be held in the orchards at Nature’s World. This will increase the skills within the local community and aid the restoration and management of local orchards.

Traditional orchards are a priority habitat in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. They are a semi-natural habitat providing food and shelter for a wide diversity of wildlife – lichens and mosses;  bees, beetles, moths and other invertebrates; birds and  mammals. As with so much of our wildlife habitat, traditional orchards are under threat across the whole of the uk and Natural England are promoting their wildlife benefits and conservation.
Traditional orchards were plentiful locally in the 19th century. Villages such as Egglescliffe, Norton, Newton Aycliffe, Thornaby were surrounded by fields of fruit trees.  Orchards were also present as part of the fruit and vegetable gardens of local halls, country houses and farms. Most of these have been lost now, though some of them,  not until  recently. Some smaller farm orchards are thought to remain.
If you  know of any old fruit trees or orchards, have information on the history of local orchards or are interested in any aspect of the project please contact Helen Herring at the Wildflower Ark, Nature’s World, Ladgate Lane, Acklam, TS5 7YN; tel: 01642 576611, email wildflowerark@hotmail.com.

 The Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership are undertaking a survey of ancient woodlands across the in the Tees Valley. The initiative will investigate the extent, nature and condition of the ancient woodland resource. The survey, which starts in April,  is funded by the Forestry Commission, Natural England and the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust.

The stimulus for the project came from the newly produced Tees Valley broadleaved woodland habitat action plan. The plan, prepared by the TVBP under the lead of Rachel Sparks of the Forestry Commission, sets out targets and action to restore and create woodlands.  However knowledge on the ecological condition of woodlands is sketchy. The information gained by the surveys will be invaluable in directing practical conservation improvements.

 As well as providing advice and guidance to owners and managers It will provide  better understanding of the characteristics, condition, management and ownership of the resource that will be used to stimulate sustainable management and provide information to the Forestry Commission, Natural England and other partners to enable the co-ordinated targeting of grants and other measures to the Ancient Woodlands in the Tees Valley that are assessed to be in unfavourable condition and identified as high priorities for support.
Objectives of the project are;

1. To survey the extent, nature and condition of the ancient woodland resource in the Tees Valley.

2. To provide a better understanding of the characteristics, condition, management and ownership of the resource that will be used to stimulate sustainable management and enable the development of meaningful woodland targets.

3.  To provide information to the Forestry Commission, Natural England and other partners to enable the co-ordinated targeting of grants and other measures to the Ancient Woodlands in the Tees Valley that are assessed to be in unfavourable condition and identified as high priorities for support.

4. To provide advice and guidance to owners and managers to support biodiversity targets.

5. To enable landowners to access funds to manage woodlands through EWGS by the provision of condition assessment information.

6. To provide the information to enable the Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership to apply for funding for the restoration of key woodlands through landfill tax funding.

7. To contribute to actions and reporting on the favourable management of Local sites (National Indicator 197).

For  more information email Sue Antrobus, Tees Valley Biodiversity Coordinator.

The Tees Valley Wildlife Trust is celebrating the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity by hosting a wildlife gardening event on Sunday 25th April at the Margrove Park Heritage Centre between 10 am and 4pm.

This free drop in informal event will provide an opportunity to find out how to improve your garden or allotment for wildlife The day his packed with demonstrations and hands on activities for all the family and include
Grow your own veg and herb demos
Pond advice surgery
Make willow supports
Planting a nectar garden for bees and butterflies
Hedgerow jam making and tasting
Information on feeding garden birds from the RSPB
Face painting and activities for children

Download an events flyer here

To find out more about the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity  visit

www.biodiversityislife.net

INCA and the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust are embarking on a project to conserve brownfield invertebrates in the Tees valley and help delivery of the Tees Valley Brownfields habitat action plan.

Brownfield sites are often rich in biodiversity and form an important refuge for wildlife. 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.   A summary of the project can be downloaded here.

Buglife, the national trust for invertebrates also has a new  National Brownfield Stepping Stones Project, for which the Tees Valley is a key area.  The national project is looking at the brownfield resource in different regions of the UK ( including the Tees Valley ,South Essex, Peterborough, Stoke-on-Trent and Cornwall). Many species (eg bumble bees, butterflies and reptiles) are becoming dependant/reliant on such sites. The project aim is to identify the most valuable brownfield sites in these regions and attempt to provide habitat linkages (stepping stones) between sites to allow the movement of species, particularly invertebrates. The work will entail scoping surveys, species and habitat surveys and habitat enhancement and management works. Along with working with planners and developers to ensure brownfield sites of conservation important are properly considered and mitigated for in the planning and development process.  Buglife is currently in the process of applying to the SITA Enriching Nature Fund for a grant to carry out work in the Tees Valley.

Three biodiversity projects in the Tees Valley have been awarded funding from SITA’s Enriching Nature Programme. These are a water vole project on Lustrum Beck in Stockton, the restoration of Whinney Banks Pond in Middlesbrough and a lowland meadow restoration scheme in East Cleveland.

All three projects focus on national priority BAP habitats and species and will make a significant contribution to the implementation of the Tees Valley Biodiversity Action Plan.

SITA Trust has now announced that they are offering a new three-year Enriching Nature Programme that will run from 2010 – 2012.

The Trust has committed £8m in new funds to this programme. There will be three funding rounds per year in each of the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. Applicants may request up to £120,000 for an individual project.

The fund is open to applications from not for profit organisations with projects that focus on conserving a species or habitat identified as a priority in the UK BAP process.

The Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership recognizes the  Enriching Nature Fund as having the potential for helping us to deliver our biodiversity targets in the Tees Valley.  To increase our success at obtaining funds from the programme in the Tees Valley free informal guidance and advice on applying for this funding is available from the partnership. For more information contact Sue Antrobus

For more information on Sita’s Enriching programme visit their website at www.sitatrust.org.uk