Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership

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

 Over 16,000 hedge saplings and 164 trees will be planted to create seven new hedgerows across the Tees Valley this autumn. The project coordinated by the Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership will create see over 3km of hedgerow planted by volunteer groups.

The sites for the new hedgerows range from rural landscapes to urban green spaces.   From gapping up an ancient hedge at Butts Lane in Hartlepool to community allotments in Middlesbrough, these hedges are being created to boost local wildlife.

The grant from the Tree Council, funded by Stella Artois, are also funding wildlife hedgerows at Fairy Del lin Coulby Newham, community allotments in Middlesbrough run by Middlesbrough Environment City, Coatham Marsh near Redcar and Seaton Common and west cemetery in Hartlepool.

The hedge saplings and trees have been carefully selected from a local tree nursery, Butterwick Trees to reflect the natural heritage of the Tees Valley.  Quick growing  hawthorn will form the backbone of most of the hedges with  blackthorn and wild roses.  For the allotment sites crab apple and pear are also been planted to provide a natural harvest for both wildlife and people.  Salt tolerant species will be planted in the hedge at Seaton Common which is subject to coastal northern sea winds.

Teams of volunteers planting the hedgerow over the coming months include  the  Tees Valley Wildlife Trust’s midweek team, Hartlepool Countryside  Warden volunteers, students from  East Durham College – Houghall Campus, the Friends of Fairy Dell and green teams from employees at Lucite in Billingham  and allotment holders in Middlesbrough.

This autumn the Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership, with support from the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust and the EYE Project,  ran a series of wildlife workshops.  Two workshops, “Autumnal plant identification” and “Birds for Beginners” were held at Margrove Heritage Centre near Guisborough.

Both activities were fully booked with places snapped up by people wishing to learn more about species identification skills and meet like minded people.  The events also provided information on how to get involved with local, regional and national wildlife recording schemes.

 Due to popular demand a programme is being planned for 2010. More information will be available in Spring 2010. If you would like to be on the mailing list contact the Tees Valley Biodiversity Coordinator, Sue Antrobus

The Teesmouth Bird Club is carrying out a survey of rookeries in the Tees Valley during 2010. They are inviting their members and members of the general public to take part and they anticipating will provide valuable insight into the current numbers and distribution in the Tees Valley.

Rooks generally nest in colonies containing tens or even hundreds of nests. Rookeries are usually located in tall trees within easy reach of foraging areas on arable farmland or permanent, preferably damp, grassland,

For more information download  the Teesmouth Bird Club Rookery survey here

National charity, Plantlife, have just published an informative and user-friendly guide on invasive aquatic plants called “What’s in your pot?”

Aimed at the domestic gardener and fish pond keeper, the free booklet explains what the problem is, a guide to invasive species and how to recognise them, a selection of recommended plants and simple advice on how gardeners should dispose of unwanted pond plants. The guide can be downloaded here. Plantlife are sending the Tees Valley pondscape a box of these booklets which they are distributing to local garden centres and gardening clubs.

Download What’s in your pot?
If you would like more information on the Tees Valley pondscape Project visit our Pondscape pages

The Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership held their 2009 Annual Gathering on 9th September at the Teesmouth Field Centre, followed by a tour of Saltholme RSPB Reserve by Assistant Reserves Manager Toby Collett.

The meeting was kindly sponsored by the Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit.

Below is the programme of the day and copies of PowerPoint presentations of some the speakers.

Programme

I love NI197

Jeremy Garside – Tees Valley Wildlife Trust

Securing a future for the lost meadows of eastern Cleveland
Helen Herring -  Wildflower Ark

From EYE to ERIC – Working towards a regional biological records centre
Naomi Hewitt  – EYE Project

Biodiversity – from regional policy to local delivery
Malcolm Steele – Joint Strategy Unit

Newts and recycling – An example of a risk management project in Redcar and Cleveland
Jo Fearey – Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council

Urban cowslips – a successful example of urban meadow creation  in Albert Park, Middlesbrough
Francine Marshall – Middlesbrough Council

Tees Valley Pondscape – following a summer of pond survey, pond creation and management sites are planned for this winter
Rachel Jackson – Tees Valley Wildlife Trust

The Annual report (2008-9) of the Tees Valley Biodiversity Partnership provides a handy summary of the work of the partnership over the past year. As well as an introduction to the Tees Valley Biodiversity Action Plan and the role of the partnership it covers progress on updating the local habitat and species action plans, the “biodiversity” duty for public and local authorities and Local Sites review.

The publication can be downloaded here or paper copies can be requested by contacted the Tees Valley Biodiversity Coordinator

TVBP annual report 2008-9