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Otter Project Underway - April 2010 |
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The SITA trust funded Otter Project is now underway. The project aims to address some of the current threats faced by these mammals, including habitat loss, disturbance of breeding sites, death by road traffic accident and the lack of suitable safe refuges. The project will be developed by Project Officer Karen Devenney, who was previously Water Vole Officer at Durham Wildlife Trust.
For more information click HERE.
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New Information Officer for DBDS - November 2009 |
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DBDS has a new Information Officer, Paul Hannaby, who replaces Lucy Campbell.
Paul has plenty of data management and mapping experience, and has worked in a wide range of roles in conservation in the North East. He will be working part-time maintaining the data and supporting volunteers whose work is crucial to the effective running of the data service.
Paul can be contacted on 0191 5843112 or you can email paulhannaby@durhambiodiversity.org.uk
Lucy has left the Partnership to take a postgraduate degree.
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Veteran Tree Project Up and Running - November 2009 |
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Veteran Tree Officer Jesse Meredith is now in post and the project is up and running.
The Durham Veteran Trees Project will help to co-ordinate recordings of veteran tress across County Durham, Sunderland, Darlington, South Tyneside and Gateshead . Mapping these amazing trees is one step towards acknowledging their importance and making sure they are cared for in years to come.
The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund with support from Gateshead Council, Sunderland City Council, South Tyneside Council, Darlington Borough Council and Nothumbrian Water.
For more details about the project click HERE.
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New BAP Officer Takes Up The Challenge - October 2009 |
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The new BAP Implementation Officer, Shonah Dobson, has joined the Parnership in a temporary post while Helen Ryde is on maternity leave.
Shonah will be working on supporting and developing current and new projects and working with local authorities, conservation organisations, businesses and individuals to protect, conserve and enhance the most vulnerable or important wildlife in the Durham area.
The work of the Durham Biodiversity Partnership is based on the nationally-respected Durham Biodiversity Action Plan which sets out actions for work to protect our most important wildlife habitats and most vulnerable species. The plan area includes Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Darlington and County Durham.
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Nature Festival Celebrates 10 Years of Action for Wildlife - August 2009
A special partnership set up to protect and encourage a wealth of wildlife across Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland celebrated 10 years of successful action at a free Nature Festival last Friday (August 21) at Saltwell Park, Gateshead.
Durham Biodiversity Partnership has spent a decade protecting and promoting local wildlife through the implementation of biodiversity action plans. The first plan was published in January 1999 with a revised plan launched in July 2007. There are now 49 action plans conserving 98 priority habitat and species.
The event featured a host of attractions, with lots of entertainment for children including face painting, willow weaving, making insect homes and bird seed cakes, wireworks activities and birds of prey. One of the highlights of the festival was the creation of a giant puppet representing Mother Nature. Click HERE for the full story.
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The North East Signs Up to stop Balloon Releases - August 2009
Durham Biodiversity Partnership and the Marine Conservation Society are working with a number of landowners in the North East to bring an end to balloon releases in the region.
Balloon releases are often used as a method of fund raising for charities, schools and local groups and it is acknowledged that they can play an important part in raising money for these bodies. However there is a widespread environmental impact of balloon releases. The Marine Conservation Society encourages the use of balloons for fun and publicity without their being released, through their 'Don't Let Go!' campaign.
Click HERE for the full story.
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Durham Biodiversity Partnership - 10 Year Anniversary Awards - August 2009
Seventeen awards recognising achievements for biodiversity were presented by Durham Biodiversity Partnership at a special ceremony held at Saltwell Park , Gateshead on Friday 21 August. The '10 Year Anniversary Awards' were given out as part of a day of celebrations to honour a decade of action for wildlife. The awards highlighted just some of the many projects and achievements that have taken place over the last decade and were presented by Dr Phil Gates, Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Durham University.
Click HERE for the full story.
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Nature Festival helps Durham Biodiversity Partnership celebrate 10 years of action for biodiversity - August 2009
Durham Biodiversity Action Plan (DBAP) is celebrating a very special birthday this year, with 2009 marking 10 years since the launch of the first set of action plans. The DBAP is a series of work-plans which set out actions for species and habitats in Darlington, Durham , Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland that are considered to be under threat locally, nationally or internationally.
To celebrate the achievements of the last 10 years, a celebration event will be held at Saltwell Park on Friday 21 st August. There will be a whole host of fun, wildlife themed activities, tips on how you can help wildlife at home and information on how you can get involved in wildlife conservation. There will also be the chance to meet Mother Nature, help decorate her dress and join her procession around Saltwell Park . For further event details contact Helen Ryde on 0191 5843112.
Click HERE to download a poster.
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Heritage Lottery Fund to safeguard the future
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Durham 's Veteran Trees - May 2009
A two-year project which aims to conserve the heritage of veteran trees in the Durham Biodiversity Action Plan area has today secured £44,400 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Durham Veteran Trees Project will secure the long term future of some of the oldest and most valued features of our landscapes, by encouraging local communities to record trees and participate in their conservation.
This grant will allow Durham Biodiversity Partnership to record the existence of ancient, veteran and significant trees, organise recording and training events, work with schools to develop educational resource packs, encourage landowners to recognise their veteran trees and manage them in a positive way and set up a Durham Veteran Tree Group for local volunteers. A publication detailing notable trees in the area will also be produced, highlighting a series of self-guided walks to selected trees in the area that people can visit.
For more information click HERE
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Brown Hare Survey - March 2009
During 2002-2004 an initial Brown Hare Survey was carried out across the Durham Biodiversity Action Plan area. Five years on we want to establish how the local brown hare population has changed since this time. This evidence base will be used to target project work to help conserve and boost brown hare numbers in the area.
We are asking you to tell us where and when you see a brown hare across Darlington, County Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland during 2009. This will help us to compile a profile of this species and enable us to enhance the region's biodiversity and safeguard the environment for the future.
Please complete the survey form to tell us where you have seen a brown hare.
To take part in the Survey and for more information click HERE
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DBDS One Year On - February 2009
Durham Biodiversity Data Service (DBDS) was launched in February 2008. The first year has been a tremendous success, with a lot of hard work by Officers of Durham Biodiversity Partnership, Durham Wildlife Trust and our team of biodiversity volunteers who have put in an average of 20 volunteer days per month to help manage and digitise datasets.
We conducted over 160 data searches for the private sector and established GIS services for several of our Local Authority Partners. New data providers have entered into data sharing agreements and DBDS has provided digitised, mapped and verified datasets in return.
Historic datasets such as Tom Dunn's lifetime of work as a moth recorder are in the process of being digitised by our team. Bat roost records have been digitised and analysis is underway to show how bat distribution is affected by habitats such a woodland and water. We have provided datasets to Natural England for their habitat audit and for the proposed Limestone Landscapes intiative.
Priority BAP habitat mapping has been a focus of our work, and young graduate volunteers have gained valuable experience using our Geographical Information System in the process, providing them with an additional skill to help launch their careers in Conservation.
The service has raised extra income for the Partnership to use for new survey work. Funding will go towards extending the Ancient Woodland Inventory in 2009.
DBDS staff would like to thank everyone involved in establishing the service for contributing to such as successful first year.
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New Forestry Grant Schemes in the North East - January 2009
Three new regionally focussed Woodland Improvement Grants are available in the North East. These are designed to reverse woodland bird decline, encourage communities to become involved with woodlands and assist with the management of Ancient Woodlands.
Ancient Woodland Management
The North East of England has approximately 6,000 ha of Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) and 4,000 ha of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS), the majority of which lack formal management regimes.
Woodland that is managed tends to have higher biodiversity interest than woodland that is not managed. Research has demonstrated that higher levels of biodiversity benefits are realised when management is targeted at larger woodlands or where there is a higher density of woodland.
This grant is targeted at those ASNW in unfavourable condition to bring them into favourable condition. At present this grant is not available for PAWS sites; further work is being developed with the Woodland Trust for these sites.
Reversing Woodland Bird Decline
This has been launched by the Forestry Commission in partnership with the RSPB. Landowners and managers are being encouraged to improve woodland habitat for 14 vulnerable species, including Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher and Marsh Tit.
The UK 's woodland bird population has fallen by 20 per cent in the last 25 years and it is thought that much of the decline is due to changes in the structure of our woodlands, such as the age and diversity of tree species, and long-term undermanagement.
To try to reserve this decline, the grants available can fund activities such as preserving dead trees, coppicing, controlling grazing levels and creating glades and scrubby areas favoured by many species.
To be eligible for a grant a woodland must be within a target area for the chosen species see: www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/projects/targeting
Community Involvement
Spending time in woodlands can have a very positive health benefits including on people's physical, mental and social well being.
Woodland creation and/or management can be a focal point for community activity, building greater community cohesion and can provide opportunities for the acquisition of new skills and personal development.
This grant will provide the support required to encourage more communities to become actively involved with woodland creation or management and offer existing groups further assistance.
This grant will contribute to the costs of work associated with community use or involvement within woodlands or on sites where new woodlands are being created.
For further information on any of these grants or to apply for a grant visit http://www.forestry.gov.uk/northeastengland
Grant applications must be received by 28 February 2009 for payment in the next financial year.
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