| Tayside
Biodiversity - Information - Guides - A Guide to Incorporating
Biodiversity into Local Services |
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INTRODUCTION
What is ‘Biodiversity’?
Biodiversity encompasses the whole variety of life - from trees, flowering
plants, birds and butterflies to mosses, lichens and even bacteria. Biodiversity
also refers to the wide range of habitats these animals and plants depend
upon. It is not just about rare and threatened species but embraces all life
from the commonplace to the greatly endangered. It also includes humankind
- biodiversity is, after all, also about people.
Biodiversity contributes to our quality of life and enriches it – the
UK government has recognised the importance of the environment by including
populations of wild birds as one of its indicators of the quality of life.
Much of Scotland’s economy depends directly, or indirectly on our natural
resources which supply the raw materials for our clothing, food, drink, fuel,
buildings and roads. Tourism based on wildlife is one of Scotland’s major
income-earners and environment-based jobs include farming, fishing and services
providing water, energy and building materials. |
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Safeguarding
our Biodiversity
The UK government signed the International Convention on Biological Diversity
at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. There are now UK Biodiversity Action Plans in
place for the conservation and promotion of 391 of the rarest species and 45
of the most threatened habitats in Britain. Those that occur in Scotland are
overseen by the Scottish Biodiversity Forum with the help of the Local Biodiversity
Partnerships, of which Tayside is just one. In 2002 the first tranche of the
Tayside Local Biodiversity Action Plan (TLBAP) was published; a further tranche
of Habitat and Species Action Plans will follow in due course.
Work on the ground already includes a wide-ranging series of
pilot projects to
conserve and enhance Tayside’s Barn Owl, Red Squirrel and Swift populations,
providing wildlife areas in hospital grounds, pond restoration projects, and
reviewing the management of public open spaces to promote wildlife. More projects
are underway and many more are planned.
ABOUT THIS GUIDE This document provides
ideas to promote biodiversity within Local Authorities and in
Community Planning through Community
Planning Partnerships. It is not prescriptive and should
not be seen as a ‘must do’ list of work; rather
it highlights what is possible and provides a springboard
for future initiatives and good ideas.
Many Local Service
providers/agencies have projects planned or already under
way that protect and enhance biodiversity.
We are in a fortunate position within Tayside to be able
to share good practice between the three local authorities
of Angus Council, Dundee City Council and Perth and Kinross
Council, as well as the Community Planning Partnerships.
A wide range of Services is highlighted, together with suggestions
on how working practices may be altered to encourage enhancement
for biodiversity.
Local Services and the Tayside Local Biodiversity
Action Plan
The key to delivering real improvements in biodiversity
lies in the step between being merely aware of it and beginning
to actively champion it. This can be achieved by treating
biodiversity as an integral part of the service delivery.
Why
are Local Service providers/agencies so important to the biodiversity
process? The target audience of the Tayside
Local Biodiversity Action Plan has been identified as comprising
three broad groups:
land managers and landowners;
- policy makers and policy implementers;
- the wider community e.g. schools, businesses and consumers.
Clearly, Local Service providers/agencies represent or have
contact with a significant element of each target audience.
As key partners, Local Authorities have the potential to be
providers, advisors, enablers and regulators for biodiversity.
Through participation and consensus building Local Authorities
can ensure biodiversity action is supported by the wider community
- and importantly - fully involves them. Biodiversity does not
recognise boundaries and can best be conserved and enhanced by
co-ordination and cross-boundary liaison. As Local Service providers/agencies
go about delivering services to local people they will find many
opportunities to deliver action for wildlife in a host of innovative
ways.
Participation by Local Service providers/agencies in the biodiversity
process may also help obtain funds from a variety of sources,
including HLF and Fresh Futures, by illustrating how they are
directly contributing towards national biodiversity targets.
The maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity
is vital if we are to achieve the overall aim of sustainable
development
ensuring that present and future generations benefit from environmental
quality and economic benefits. The co-ordination of activity
at the regional level is essential to achieve this. It is important
not to just protect the best or rarest of what we have, but we
should also enhance its general status – a step strongly
endorsed in the proposed Strategy for Scotland’s Biodiversity.
Every Action Counts
With implementation of the 1st Tranche of
the Tayside Local Biodiversity Action Plan now underway, it will
be important to
report on progress, not just to local level, but to fully integrate
our findings into the UK Biodiversity Action Plan reporting mechanism.
The Tayside Biodiversity Partnership will co-ordinate reports
on an annual basis to monitor achievements and to identify any
constraints.
How to Use this Guide
The actions detailed in the following pages
have been grouped under headings suitable for most Local Service
providers/agencies
in the Tayside area. There may be occasions when different local
authority departments do not match the listings and cross-referencing
of other sections is advised. Each action is assigned a tick
box so that departments can quickly check that they are contributing
to the biodiversity process.
The Tayside Biodiversity Co-ordinator
will be in touch with all three Local Authorities every twelve
months to gather information
about their involvement in biodiversity. In the meantime, however,
please let the Co-ordinator know of your successes - or use the
contacts at the end of this document for further information.
INCORPORATING BIODIVERSITY
INTO LOCAL SERVICE DELIVERY
Architectural Services and Building Design
Incorporate
into building designs specific wildlife-friendly features such
as barn owl windows and ledges, swift nest boxes
in roof spaces or outbuildings, and bat bricks.
Be aware of the
possible presence of bats in all buildings (new or old) to be
refurbished or re-developed. Bats, their maternity
or hibernation roosts, whether or not they are present at the
time, are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Current advice is that bats should not be handled and where bats
are present the local SNH Area Office contacted before commencing
any works.
Specify materials whenever possible that do
not impact negatively on biodiversity. Try to use timber that
is Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC) approved and consider the re-use of materials if
appropriate.
Conserve existing features of the site and landscaping
that are important for wildlife during the redevelopment of buildings.
If conservation is not possible replace with other designed features
nearby.
Consider the use of a ‘green roof’ or a roof garden – as
well as benefiting a variety of wildlife (especially birds and
invertebrates) these features can also improve the appearance
of roofs.
Community Education
Bring biodiversity into community education on both a formal
and informal basis; highlight its importance through community
centres and offer community groups opportunities to access wildlife
and the countryside through lectures, talks, events and day-trips.
Promote evening and recreational classes with strong biodiversity
elements by linking with the wide range of expertise available
within local specialist groups such as the Dundee Naturalists,
and the Perthshire Natural Science Society.
Link into existing
schemes and run well-supported, broad-based countryside volunteers'
schemes such as provided by the National
Trust for Scotland, the Countryside Ranger Services, and the
British Trust for Nature Conservation. These can act as a conduit
by which information about biodiversity can enter local communities.
Encourage
participation in the Tayside Local Patch Project and other surveys
for squirrels, swifts,
barn owls, or slow worms,
etc. The Local Patch Project is a general survey to help people
of all ages discover the wildlife on their doorstep and to informally
adopt a ‘local patch’ be it their own garden, a local
park, roadside verge, a cycle path or golf course.
Community Safety
Contribute to property security on both residential
and business premises by planting `barrier hedges' featuring
spiky plants
such as hawthorn, berberis and blackthorn. They can be of substantial
benefit to the local wildlife.
Ensure appropriate staff are aware
of relevant legislation pertaining to biodiversity by facilitating
liaison between the Local Authorities
and the local police on Wildlife and Countryside Law – contact
the Tayside Wildlife and Environment Officer – tel. 01738
892650 or 07808 899113. This should allow for more effective
protection of vulnerable or protected species such as badgers,
otters, bats or birds of prey.
Countryside Management
Undertake accurate biological recording
and the regular monitoring of species and habitats.
Participate
in records exchange of fauna and flora so that a wider understanding
of biodiversity can be obtained.
Incorporate the relevant TLBAP
Habitat Action Plan and Species Action Plan objectives and targets
into site management plans
where appropriate.
Provide advice on the creation, enhancement
and restoration of wildlife habitats throughout all areas of
operation.
Publicise the importance of biodiversity through interpretation
and environmental education, including guided walks and countryside
events.
Assist in the designation of more Local Nature Reserves.
Liaise
with the appropriate Departments, including the Countryside Ranger
Service, Urban Rangers and Access Officers, to ensure
that the Public Rights of Way network is managed in a way that
helps to raise awareness of, and protects biodiversity - for
example footpath mowing regimes, hedge maintenance, and (where
safe to do so) retention of standing dead wood.
Advise appropriately
on pest control issues where they relate to wildlife, e.g. Grey
Squirrel control as part of the Red Squirrel
Conservation Programme.
Ensure when assisting in the development
of further local, coastal and glens path networks biodiversity
issues are taken into account.
Ensure that biodiversity issues
are given due consideration during implementation of the Access
to the Countryside elements
of the Land Reform Act.
Crematoria and Cemeteries
Develop specific wildlife areas within
crematorium grounds and cemeteries as 'contemplative zones' for
visitors. Consider erecting
a variety of nestboxes to encourage wildlife to use these areas.
A mosaic of less frequently cut grass will encourage butterflies
and moths, including some of the rarer species.
Explore the opportunity
to plant 'commemorative' native trees and shrubs in Gardens of
Remembrance, etc. Develop cemeteries
with appropriate natural areas to create a peaceful space for
both people and wildlife. Include berry-bearing trees such as
holly, rowan and crab apple; use native hedge plants and yew
in plantings. Underplant appropriate plant species in new woodland
areas and encourage the original ground flora in more established
woodland.
Use nectar-rich flowers and scented herbs in window
boxes, hanging baskets and pots where appropriate to encourage
invertebrates
and birds.
Leave untouched boundary walls, buildings and older
gravestones as far as possible as they can all be important for
lichens and
mosses.
Raise awareness of any changes in management practice
by ensuring appropriate interpretation is made available and,
where feasible,
involve the local community in simple surveys and plans for habitat
enhancement.
Consider setting up a Green Graveyard Initiative
and work in partnership with the local community. Liaise, where
appropriate,
with the national organisation ‘Eco-congregation’ (www.encams.org/ecocongregation).
Explore
the feasibility of woodland burial schemes.
Education
Incorporate awareness and conservation of biodiversity
into lesson plans and the National Curriculum across as many
subject
areas as possible, using appropriate published guidance for support.
Encourage
schools and colleges to enhance their grounds to promote a wide
variety of wildlife, together with facilities for outdoor
classrooms through SNH’s school grounds grants and Grounds
for Learning.
Encourage careers teachers and the careers advice
service to promote placements for students within conservation
and environmental
organisations.
Consider linking with ‘healthy eating’ and ‘local
food’ initiatives where appropriate – or encourage
simple ‘Square Foot Gardening’ projects – details
on www.schoolsorganic.net.
Promote the participations of all age groups in the Tayside Local
Patch Project (“Discover the Wildlife on Your Doorstep”)
and other appropriate surveys by encouraging the adoption of
a ‘local patch’ such as the school grounds, nearby
park, footpath or community woodland.
Promote the creation/management
of wildlife areas in the local community through partnerships
between schools, businesses and
local agencies, with particular emphasis on business parks and
industrial estates.
Encourage educational links with the Tayside
Police Wildlife Liaison Officers (PWLOs); a variety of interactive
wildlife crime
projects are available for primary school pupils.
Encourage participation
in National Backyard Biodiversity Day (especially involving pupils
aged 9-14, their teachers, families
and club leaders). Details on www.biodiversityday.org.
Utilise
good quality countryside facilities as learning resources/locations
for days out and study visits.
Environmental Health
Run regular environmental awareness raising
campaigns for schools and community groups regarding litter and
animal welfare in relation
to biodiversity.
Protect honey and masonry bees from pest control
and advise the public accordingly. Honey bees should be destroyed
only where
there is a direct public safety risk. Masonry bees, which constitute
no risk to the public, should not be destroyed.
Do not destroy ‘garden’ ants
outside buildings.
Guard against the use of control methods for
house mice or brown rats which might affect birds of prey or
other non-target species
(such as domestic pets). Suitable assessment methods should be
in place and properly applied prior to the implementation of
any treatments.
Remove all loose bait and rodent bodies at the
end of the treatment period where poisoned baits are utilised
(with all appropriate
safeguards in place).
Avoid control measures wherever possible
against rodents in gardens and outbuildings that may involve
Wood mice Apodemus
sylvaticus as these are not pests.
Use biodegradable non-persistent
treatments to minimise transmission effects to wildlife when
controlling public health pests (fleas,
bedbugs, cockroaches etc).
Housing
Use sustainably sourced materials wherever possible in
maintenance and construction - such as timber that is Forest
Stewardship
Council (FSC) approved and solvent-free or low-solvent paints.
Consider the re-use of materials if appropriate.
Incorporate a
specific housing policy for swallows, swifts and house martins
to ensure contractors working on buildings do not
disturb or remove current nests – and if possible encourage
property managers to install artificial nest-boxes as appropriate.
Such a cost-effective initiative will raise awareness, especially
where well-known buildings are targeted.
Legal Services
Ensure appropriate staff are aware of legislation
relevant to the biodiversity of the area and the Local Authority,
especially
the basic elements of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and
all updates, as this relates to species protection in the area.
Facilitate
the drawing up of appropriate, enforceable countryside bylaws
in order to protect and promote the importance of biodiversity
on the land.
Ensure that appropriate comments regarding the effectiveness
of any new legislation relating to biodiversity are relayed to
Government during the consultation phase for such legislation.
Leisure
Promote a healthy lifestyle by encouraging the use of
cyclepaths, bridlepaths and footpaths. Walks suitable for the
family, together
with pastimes such as watching wildlife and photography, can
improve health, enjoyment of the local environment and engender
a greater understanding of wildlife. Check the Paths to Health
website: www.pathsforall.org.uk
Consider opportunities for biodiversity
enhancement in the maintenance of paths, tracks and the perimeters
of sports or playing fields
as they act as valuable wildlife corridors.
Promote the enhancement
of golf courses to benefit wildlife by involving both greenkeepers
and golf club members in understanding
the environmental value of their course.
Create, protect and manage
cyclepaths and footpaths with biodiversity in mind – retaining an appropriate area of short verge
sward will encourage walkers and runners to alternate between
the hard and soft surfaces. An adjoining area of taller grasses
and attractive wild flowers will also encourage butterflies,
bumble bees and hoverflies. 98 per cent of all natural flower-rich
meadows have been lost in the past 50 years and a major contribution
can be made by encouraging such ‘grassland strips’.
Manage
the boundaries adjoining paths to improve the surrounding environment
for walker and cyclist alike, i.e. where appropriate,
under-hedge planting of primroses, ramsons and ragged robin will
also greatly assist wildlife, as will the planting of berry-bearing
native trees - for example rowan, holly and crab apple. Scented
climbing plants such as honeysuckle rambling over fences and
walls will enhance the walkers’ and cyclists’ experience.
Promote
volunteering for practical wildlife conservation work to aid
social inclusion and to improve both physical and mental
health. The BTCV's `Green Gym' initiative offers the opportunity
to improve physical fitness by involvement in practical conservation
activities.
Encourage participation – individually or in groups -
in appropriate environmental award schemes to focus attention
on the exploration and care of a wild place – be it a local
pond, sand dune or glen. One such non-competitive scheme open
to everyone is the John Muir Award: www.johnmuiraward.org
Contribute
to a healthy lifestyle by encouraging the development and retention
of allotments to provide an opportunity to grow
local food.
Encourage gardening with wildlife in mind – at home, in
the community, on allotments and in school grounds. Further information
from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds:
www.RSPB.org.uk; Scottish Wildlife Trust: www.swt.org.uk; National
Trust for Scotland: www.nts.org.uk; Henry Doubleday Research
Association: www.hdra.co.uk
Raise awareness of the damage that
can be created by planting non-native plants outwith gardens
and public parks, and the increasing
illegal sale of wild plants. Commercial gatherers dig up flowers
such as bluebells and snowdrops and collect mosses on a large
scale for the garden trade. Further information is available
from Plantlife: www.plantlife.org.uk
Promote local people’s involvement in setting up and maintaining
community gardens and community orchards featuring the local
heritage varieties of fruit and vegetables. Promote local distinctiveness
and a pride of place by encouraging the wider community to get
involved in environmental projects and surveys to discover ‘the
wildlife on their doorstep’.
Raise awareness of the impact
of litter and fly-tipping on biodiversity by encouraging personal
responsibility for disposal of litter.
Libraries and Museums
Ensure that general biodiversity information
is accessible to as wide a range of client groups as possible,
including those
without direct access to the written word e.g. through 'talking
newspapers'.
Act as information centres/contact points for details
about biodiversity within the region. Each library could have
a section
of the public notice board set aside for biodiversity contacts
and wildlife groups.
Ensure copies of the Tayside Local Biodiversity
Action Plan are readily available in both ringbinder and CD format
for people
to consult, and make information available through council media
and the Internet. Hold a selection of appropriate leaflets together
with the TLBAP introductory booklets and Local Patch Project
leaflets.
Support the collation and reporting of flora and fauna
records.
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Parks and
Grounds Maintenance
Use linear features and 'wildlife corridors' to connect areas of semi-natural
vegetation to minimise fragmentation of habitats, for example plant hedgerows
and retain unmown strips of grass. Retain mature tree-lines or plant up gaps
with native tree species to assist yellowhammers, birds of prey and bats.
Reduce the area of strimming around trees and shrubs In appropriate
areas and allow a block of rough grassland to develop around
patch planted trees, thus
reducing costs and creating important ‘biodiversity banks’ for invertebrates.
Reduce the area of short sward amenity grassland in all areas whilst retaining
suitable play and recreation provision, setting some of this aside to create
'biodiversity banks'.
Identify areas of species-rich grassland and adopt appropriate management regimes
e.g. hay cropping requires a single cut late in the season with cuttings removed.
Develop 'Pocket
Wildlife Areas' on urban greenspace by using less intensive
mowing regimes and planting
native shrubs and trees, as well as heritage fruit varieties
where appropriate. Glades within plantings should be kept open
to encourage wild flowers, insects and birds - more wildlife
is supported at the edge of plantings
when there is a variety of ages and heights. Where possible,
involve the local community
to raise awareness of the benefits in changing to a less intensive
management.
Use more perennials in formal flowerbeds, reducing the need for replacing bedding
plants according to season and thereby reducing costs and minimising resources,
including water.
Use only biodegradable systemic herbicides wherever possible; ideally applied
by spot treatment methods.
Utilise walls and fences for growing a wide variety of climbing plants which
will provide shelter and a food source for invertebrates, birds and bats.
Use habitat piles (e.g. small, discrete piles of logs, dead wood or prunings
from woody plants) in appropriate locations to encourage fungi, mosses and invertebrates,
as well as common toads and hedgehogs.
Consider the use of specific flowers rich in pollen and nectar that will attract
a variety of butterflies and moths.
Use native, local provenance species of shrubs, trees and plants whenever possible.
Retain trees where possible - even the old, neglected or dead ones - as these
are particularly valuable to wildlife. Standing dead wood should be left in situ
if safe to do so.
Chip wood prunings in order to produce mulch for establishing and maintaining
low maintenance perennial beds, etc.
Restore ponds and watercourses in late autumn or winter when animals are not
breeding. It is usually best to clear only half a pond or one side of a bank
at a time, replacing the aquatic plants as soon as possible. Any new plantings
should only be of native species found in the local area.
Replace the usage of all peat products with peat-free alternatives and specify
peat-free composts for site landscape planting as peat extraction is seriously
damaging important wildlife habitats; the UK has lost 96% of its peat bogs in
just 50 years.
Avoid the use of limestone pavement or any of its derivatives
in horticultural operations. Limestone Pavement is a key habitat
in the UK Biodiversity Action
Plan; only 3,000 ha. remain in Britain – a small proportion is within Tayside.
Demonstrate to both the local community and visitors to the region
through appropriate initiatives how horticultural practices can
improve or enhance the area’s
biodiversity and what is being done for biodiversity locally.
Planning and Development
Utilise the Tayside Local Biodiversity Action Plan in assessing all relevant
planning applications.
Ensure Development Plans take full cognisance of biodiversity issues.
Ensure the adequate protection of local, national and internationally important
wildlife sites.
Encourage wildlife enhancement and appropriate habitat creation when considering
projects and in processing planning applications - including the retention and
enhancement of existing features such as wildlife corridors, tree-lines, mature
trees, footpaths and grass swards.
Use Tree Preservation Orders (TPO’s) where appropriate
to protect trees
of high wildlife value.
Ensure that biodiversity issues are given due consideration in any Environmental
Impact Assessments.
Ensure that all mineral site restoration schemes accommodate wildlife through
significant, appropriate habitat creation programmes.
Encourage the creation of wildlife-friendly green space within the context of
major development or redevelopment; where appropriate incorporate appropriate
biodiversity features into all landscaping for such schemes.
Consider biodiversity as a suitable end-use for brownfield sites where appropriate,
especially if this assists in achieving the objectives of strategic projects
such as Community Woodlands.
Encourage, where appropriate and feasible, repointing in lime mortar so as not
to exclude masonry bees when renovating buildings (including listed buildings).
Also, where possible, retention of lime-loving plants such as ferns, liverworts
and mosses should be considered.
Maximise the biodiversity benefits when considering implementation of SUDS (Sustainable
Urban Drainage Systems), swales or soakaways, water flow technology and willow-
and reed-beds. Consideration should be given to any existing water vole populations
through the stabilisation of water levels where possible, creation of suitable
bank profiles and habitat corridors.
Maximise opportunities for habitat creation through design and development of
all schemes, including the re-creation of natural landforms and features such
as river and burn meanders. Make sure that all future storm water overflows have
incorporated into their design appropriate functioning oil-traps.
Resource Management
Set up composting schemes using locally collected biodegradable materials and
manage this to produce an effective by-product that can be used in horticultural
work.
Contact the Waste Action Line: 0800 389 5270 or visit www.sepa.org.uk for further
information on how to conserve natural resources through reducing, reusing and
recycling waste.
Roads and Transport
Ensure, as far as is possible, that all necessary works are undertaken without
a negative effect upon biodiversity. Where Environmental Impact Assessments are
not required, endeavour to undertake an ecological survey prior to the determination
of road alignment or re-alignment schemes. This is especially important where
works are to be undertaken adjacent to sensitive sites or habitats such as Sites
of Special Scientific Interest, Wildlife Sites or key habitats identified in
the TLBAP.
Ensure that bridges and culverts wherever possible are designed at the initial
stage or re-designed when reconstructed to accommodate the safe passage of species
such as badger and otter where there is a known presence of the species.
Give consideration wherever possible to the design of bridges and culverts to
allow features such as bird and bat boxes.
Ensure that all works to bridges and culverts take into consideration the possible
presence of bats which are protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside
Act (1981, as amended).
Ensure, as far as is possible, that road drainage schemes do not discharge into
wetland sites or on to sensitive habitats that could be damaged by petrochemical
run-off. Where appropriate, work with the relevant authority to consider removal
of any which currently do, unless specifically designed for the purpose e.g.
balancing ponds.
Minimise salt loading of roads, especially by-roads to reduce salt spray effects
(notwithstanding the public safety aspects) - particular attention should be
paid to areas near wetlands and semi-natural grasslands.
Be aware of the potential presence of water voles in urban waterways and along
ditches. These animals are close to extinction, there being only 2% of the original
population left in the UK. They are protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife
and Countryside Act (1981, as amended). Design appropriate protection for all
populations of water voles (as well as other vulnerable species) when drainage
and similar works are to be undertaken.
Protect roadside trees from root damage—where the service providers/agency
has responsibility— during any roadworks or work on utilities’ pipes
and cables. If trees have to be lost to such works ensure that they are replaced
as quickly as possible using native and berry-bearing trees where appropriate.
Protect townscape trees from drought after nearby work by the use of porous,
replacement road and paving surfaces, allowing rain water to reach the roots.
Timetable maintenance work where possible - especially verge, grass sward and
hedge trimming operations that might disturb nesting birds - to avoid the breeding
season (which takes place between March and July).
Reduce the frequency of grass-cutting on roadside verges. Mow suitable safety
margins and all sight lines; otherwise allow the development of a rough grassland
network to develop along all major road corridors. This favours wild flowers,
small mammals and birds of prey and acts as a network along which many species,
especially invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles can disperse. Consider scalloping
edges or show definite defined areas to demonstrate that the area is being managed
for wildlife rather than abandoned. Raise awareness of this change of management
to the local community, contractors and local tourist boards.
Liaise with the relevant agencies to take control measures if advised of serious
infestations of ragwort (an injurious weed covered by the 1959 Weeds Act) on
roadside verges or land managed or owned by the Local Service provider/ agency.
Use local provenance wildflower mixes as low maintenance alternatives on poor
soil and manage these under a once a year cut/hay crop regime.
Use nursery grown native trees and shrubs from UK-stock, preferably of local
provenance. This will contribute towards the preservation of local landscape
character and genetic biodiversity, at the same time as possibly improving tree
and shrub survival rates and contributing towards the rural economy.
Undertake appropriate roadside hedge management work in late winter to avoid
nest destruction and to maintain winter food supplies such as hawthorn berries
for birds. All management should be carried out with a view to prolonging the
life of the hedge as a wildlife resource; a cut once every two years is usually
sufficient. Seek advice as to which roadside hedges to flail or which hedge bottoms,
if any, to spray and ensure that staff and contractors are sufficiently trained.
Ensure that the local community is kept informed of the benefits to wildlife.
Encourage the height of roadside hedges to be increased to at least 2m, where
safe and appropriate to do so, particularly if barn owls are known in the area.
This will help prevent road kills when the birds can swoop over lower hedges
into the path of vehicles.
Retain mature hedgerows and hedgerow trees where appropriate and plant new or
additional hedgerow trees to safeguard future tree-lines. Since the 1950s the
UK has lost 190,000 miles of its hedgerows.
Consider the installation of appropriate wildlife warning signs in areas where
road kill may be negatively impacting on important species programmes e.g. red
squirrels, otters and common toads.
Social Services
Take client groups to well run countryside facilities to allow a wider enjoyment
and appreciation of biodiversity.
Involve volunteers in making, siting and maintaining a variety of nestboxes and
bird feeding stations to contribute to the various biodiversity projects being
undertaken throughout Tayside.
Help residents, visitors and staff in sheltered housing, nursing
homes, hostels
and hospitals – as well as visitors and staff at medical centres and clinics
- appreciate their surroundings by improving the immediate environs both for
their benefit and the benefit of wildlife. Where appropriate encourage the setting
up of bird feeding stations and provision of identification materials (posters,
books and binoculars).
Trading Standards & Licensing
Develop links with the local Police Wildlife and Environment Officer – tel.
01738 892650 or 07808 899113. Information is available through the Partnership
for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW): www.ukcites.gov.uk on wild birds and
the law; amphibians and freshwater pearl mussels; badgers; other wild mammals;
poaching of game, deer and salmon; wild plants and the law.
Ensure biodiversity issues are taken into account when liaising
with Local Service providers/agencies and the public regarding
`green' legislation – i.e.
to reduce the effect on wildlife by minimising the use of pesticides and substances
prepared or used for the control of pests or for protection against pests, and
poisons (including use of drain cleaners, weedkillers, pond cleaners and mould
removers). |
“Biodiversity
isn’t something to be found in the far blue yonder -
it starts on your own doorstep”
From Magnus Magnusson’s Foreword to the
Tayside Local Biodiversity Action Plan |
| FURTHER READING
Additional information, including extra
website contacts, is given in Appendix 3 of the TLBAP
Biodiversity: The Wider Perspective
• Biodiversity Challenge Group. Biodiversity Counts – Delivering
a Better Quality of Life. 2001
•
NPPG14 Natural Heritage. January 1999
•
PAN 60 (Planning for Natural Heritage). August 2000
•
Scottish Biodiversity Group. Action for Scotland’s Biodiversity.
ISBN 1-84268-010-2. 2000
•
Scottish Biodiversity Group. A Flying Start – Local Biodiversity
Action In Scotland. ISBN 0-7559-0183-5. 2001
•
Scottish Executive. Biodiversity Matters! Towards a Strategy
for Scotland’s Biodiversity (Strategy Proposals). Paper
2003/5. ISBN 0-7559-2319-7. 2003
• Scottish Executive. Scotland’s
Biodiversity Resource and Trends. Paper 2003/4 (Towards a Strategy
for Scotland’s Biodiversity). ISBN 0-7559-2320-0. 2003
• Scottish Executive. Developing Candidate Indicators of the State of Scotland’s
Biodiversity. Paper 2003/6 (Towards a Strategy for Scotland’s Biodiversity).
ISBN 0-7559-2321-9. 2003.
•
Scottish Executive. Cost Effective Landscape: Learning from
Nature (Landscape Design and Management Policy). 1998
•
Scottish Executive.Trunk Road Biodiversity Action Plan. ISBN
0-7480 8938-1. 1999.
Species Information
• Barn Owl Trust. Barn Owls on Site: A Guide for Developers and Planners.
ISBN 0-9525578-0-0. 1995
•
Dewar, S.M, and Shawyer, C.R. Boxes, Baskets and Platforms:
Artificial Nest Sites for Owls and Other Birds of Prey. Hawk
and Owl Trust. ISBN 0-9503187-6-0. 1996
•
English Nature. The Conservation of Wild Mushrooms (and The
Wild Mushroom Pickers Code of Conduct). ISBN 1-85716-420-2.
1998
•
Environment Agency. Otters and River Habitat Management,
2nd Ed. Environment Agency, Bristol. 1999
•
Fauna and Flora Preservation Society. Bats in Houses. 1988
•
Fauna and Flora Preservation Society. Toads on Roads (Road
Warning Signs and Amphibian Tunnels). ISBN 0947902-015
•
Froglife. Great Crested Newt Conservation Handbook. ISBN
095211-0644. 2001
•
Froglife. The Herpetofauna Workers Guide: A Directory of
Information and Resources for the Conservation of Amphibians
and Reptiles in the UK. ISBN 0-9521106-36
•
Hawk and Owl Trust. Building for Barn Owls (designs on owl
windows and lofts) and Planning for Barn Owls: Advice for
local authorities and developers. Leaflets 1996
•
JNCC. Habitat Management for Bats: A Guide to Land Managers,
Landowners and their Advisors. ISBN 186107-5286. 2001
•
RSPB. A Management Guide to Birds of Scottish Farmland. 1996
•
RSPB. Wild Birds and the Law: A Plain Guide to Bird Protection
Today. 1998
•
SNH. Badgers and Development. ISBN 1-85397-1375. 2001
•
SNH. Natural Heritage and the Law—Bats. 2003
•
SNH. Otters and Development. ISBN 1-85397-255X
•
Southern Uplands Partnership. Woodlands for Red Squirrels.
Booklet
•
Strachan, R. Water Vole Conservation Handbook. Wildlife Conservation
Research Unit, Oxford. 1998
•
The Stationery Office. Design Manual for Roads and Bridges – Good
Roads Guide: Nature Conservation Management in Relation to
Bats. ISBN 011552130-5. 1999
• The Stationery Office. Wildlife Crime: A Guide to Wildlife Law Enforcement
in the UK. ISBN 0117533173
Practical Guides and Best Practice
• English Nature on behalf of FACT (Forum for the Application of Conservation
Techniques). The Practical Solutions Handbook, 2nd Ed: Equipment, Techniques
and Ideas for Wildlife Management. ISBN 18516575-6. 2001
•
English Nature, Quarry Products Association and Silica & Moulding
Sands Association. Biodiversity and Minerals – Extracting
the Benefits for Wildlife. Entec UK Ltd. ISBN 0-9535400-0-6.
1999
•
Emery, M. Promoting Nature in Cities and Towns, A Practical
Guide. Ecological Parks Trust/Croom Helm Ltd. ISBN 0-7099-0970-5.
1986
•
Gilbert, O., Anderson, P. Habitat Creation and /Repair. Oxford
University Press
•
SNH. Community Gardens: Places for People and Wildlife. ISBN
1-85397-104-9. 2001
•
Scottish Golf Course Wildlife Group. Nature Conservation and
Golf Course Development: Best Practice Advice. 2000
Water and Wetland
• CIRIA/SUDS Scottish Working Party. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems:
design manual for Scotland and N. Ireland. SIBN 0-86017-52-19. 2000
•
Pond Conservation Trust. The Pond Book – a Guide to the
Management and Creation of Ponds. ISBN 0-9537971-0-4. 1999
•
RSPB, ITE, EN. The Wet Grassland Guide: Managing Floodplain
and Coastal Wet Grassland for Wildlife. RSPB Sandy. 1997
•
SEPA Habitat Enhancement Initiative. Ponds, Pools and Lochans.
ISBN 1-901322-16-5. 2000
•
SEPA Habitat Enhancement Initiative. Watercourses in the Community.
ISBN 1-901322-15-7. 2000
Woodland, Trees and Hedges
• English Nature. Guide to the Care of Ancient Trees. Veteran Trees Initiative.
ISBN 185716-252-8. 1999.
•
English Nature. Trees and Hedges in Churchyards. Living Churchyard
Project. Leaflet
•
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group. The Good Hedge Guide.
Bayer plc, Agricultural Division
•
Forest Enterprise. Life in the Deadwood: A Guide to Managing
Deadwood. 2002
•
Forestry Commission. Forest and Water Guidelines. 1993.
•
MacKenzie N Restoring and Managing Riparian Woodlands. Scottish
Native Woods. ISBN 0-9529283-2-9. 2000.
•
Reforesting Scotland. Community Woodland Information Pack.
2002
•
Scottish Executive. Scotland’s Native Trees and Shrubs:
A Designer’s Guide to their Selection Procurement and
use in Road Landscape. ISBN 0-7559-1017-6 2002 |
| Acknowledgements
This Guide has been researched and compiled
by Catherine Lloyd, the Biodiversity Co-ordinator on behalf
of the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership. It has been funded
by SITA Environment Trust, Angus Council, Dundee City Council
and Perth & Kinross Council.
With thanks to Bruce Reekie for his input and Lynda Shorthouse for designing
the document. Thanks also to members of the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership
for their contribution and professional advice.
Photo Credits
Perth & Kinross Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Environment
Protection Agency, Alan Ross
Front Cover photograph—Simon Broad
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched
to everything else in the Universe”
John Muir (1834-1914)
FURTHER INFORMATION
Tayside Local Biodiversity Action Plan
Ring-binder versions of the Local Biodiversity Action Plan are available in
most Local Authority Departments, as well as all libraries and museums in Tayside.
Alternatively, CD-ROM copies of the Action Plan and an introductory booklet
are available from the Tayside Biodiversity Co-ordinator.
The Action Plan can be viewed on www.pkc.gov.uk or www.pkc.gov.uk until such
time as the Partnership has its own website.
CONTACT
Tayside Biodiversity Partnership (TBP)
Catherine Lloyd
Tayside Biodiversity Co-ordinator
c/o Environment Services, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street,
Perth, PH1 5GD
Tel: (01738) 476481
Fax: (01738) 476410
Email: tayside.biodiversity@ukf.net
“ When we try to pick out anything by itself,
we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe”
John Muir (1834-1914) |
|
