Knepp Wildland Project Annual biodiversity report and monitoring update 2009

Extract from report

"There are now six years of baseline data and repeat surveys. This represents a lot of survey effort and considerable funding. We are all impatient to see clear, positive effects arising from the wildland initiative. Where are they? Well, six years is no time at all with respect to biodiversity and ecological changes. Populations of many ‘desirable’ species of birds, butterflies and wild flowers started from a very low level, in Knepp and the wider countryside. It will take rather longer than six years before significant increases are seen."

Surveyor

The survey was undertaken by Theresa Greenaway November 2009.

for the main report in MS word click above

Knepp Castle Estate Bird Survey

 2009

Introduction

A repeat survey of the breeding bird communities present within two areas of the Knepp Castle Estate was carried out in spring 2009 following similar surveys in 2005, 2007 and 2008.  Its purpose was to provide a comparison with the results of the previous surveys in relation to the conversion of the estate from intensive arable to a near-natural grazing system.

Surveyor

The survey was undertaken by Paul James who also carried out the surveys in 2005, 2007 and 2008.

Species recorded

A total of 59 species was recorded in 2009 (see Appendix 1), a very similar figure to the 57 species recorded in 2008. ‘New’ species recorded in 2009 were grey partridge, hobby, redwing and lesser redpoll bringing the total since 2005 to 70.  The number of territories of each species recorded along transects A and B are shown in Appendix 2

for the main report in MS word click above

If you would like to see the following transects referred to in the above report please click on the following pdf documents below:

• Green list species map 2009 North South transect

• Green List species map 2009 East West transect

• Red and Amber Bird Map 2009 North South

• Red and Amber Bird Map 2009 East West

Timed Butterfly Transect Surveys of the Knepp Estate 

July 2005 - 2009  

Introduction

Butterflies have been the subject of annual monitoring surveys in July on the Knepp Estate by the Sussex Wildlife Trust, as part of the overall monitoring programme to assess the effects of the naturalistic grazing regime that is being instituted there. The five surveys run to date, in conjunction with fixed point photo monitoring, have detected a total of 24 different species, whereas previous recording by Butterfly Conservation (BC) Sussex branch lepidopterists during 1995-2004 had registered 26 species (mostly the same ones).

Surveyor

The survey was undertaken by Rich Howorth Sussex Wildlife Trust - West Weald Landscape Project, SxWT

for the main report in pdf click above

If you would like to see the following transects and spreadsheet reports please click on the following pdf documents below:

• Butterfly survey map transect

Fixed Point Photography Survey of the Knepp Estate

July 2005 - 2009  

Introduction

Annual series of photographs have been taken over five survey years in July on the Knepp Estate to enable visual comparison and detection of significant changes in the site’s structure and composition over time. Such an approach is extensively used as a general technique to monitor gross ecological changes in protected areas worldwide, its value increasing with repeated application over time (as for all long-term monitoring studies). Given that substantial changes in habitat composition might be expected from the introduction of the extensive semi-naturalistic grazing regime, this simple method should provide an adequate photographic record of the site’s evolution.

Surveyor

The survey was undertaken by Rich Howorth Sussex Wildlife Trust - West Weald Landscape Project, SxWT

for the main report in pdf click above

If you would like to see the following report please click on the following MS word documents below:

• photographic register of Knepp Estate

Knepp Castle Wildland Project

Bats 2009

By 

Frank Greenaway

Habitat changes have been driven by large herbivores since the inception of the Wildland Project in 2001. An additional 350ha in the southwest of Knepp was fenced in spring 2009. The 2km stretch of the River Adur that crosses Knepp is to be restored to its natural course.

Baseline bat surveys in 2003 and 2005 showed considerable bat interest, enhanced by the discovery that female barbastelles were commuting from the nursery roost in The Mens, Petworth to forage over Knepp. 10 species had been recorded, some of which were possibly breeding on the Estate. A survey was needed to locate nursery roosts in and adjacent to the river restoration site.

Click for the main report in PDF

for the Knepp Estates "Bat Hand Book" showing the policies that the Estate carries out when Bats are either present or suspected to be present Click Here