Knepp Wildland Project Annual biodiversity report and monitoring update 2011

Introduction to the report

Ecological monitoring continued in 2011 in accordance with the Monitoring Strategy (Greenaway, 2007). This comprised the annual repeats of the breeding bird, butterfly and fixed-point photography surveys. Ragwort levels were also monitored for the third year running. The long-awaited re-naturalisation of the Knepp stretch of the River Adur finally commenced in September 2011. This is causing considerable disruption in the short term, but once completed, will benefit wildlife and enhance the landscape. The ecological information has, as always, been augmented in 2011 by both voluntary surveys and casual observations.

Surveyor

The survey was undertaken by Theresa Greenaway November 2011.

click here to read the 2011 report

Knepp Castle Estate Bird Survey

 2010

Introduction

A repeat survey of the breeding bird communities present within two areas of the Knepp Castle Estate was carried out in spring/early summer 2011 following similar surveys in 2005 and 2007 – 10. As in previous years, the survey was designed to: 

Identify the bird species breeding on site and to estimate the number of territories of each, so providing 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. 

Highlight the conservation status of the bird species utilising the site.

Surveyor

The survey was undertaken by Paul James who also carried out the surveys in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011

Species recorded

A total of 56 species was recorded in 2011 (see Appendices 1 - 3), slightly down compared with the 60 species recorded in 2010 and 61 species in 2009. Just one ‘new’ species was noted in 2011 (snipe) bringing the total since 2005 to 78 (see Appendix 4 in report).

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 2011 North South transect

• Green List species map 2011 East West transect

• Red and Amber Bird Map 2011 North South

• Red and Amber Bird Map 2011 East West

Timed Butterfly Transect Surveys of the Knepp Estate 

July 2005 - 2011  

Introduction

Butterflies have been the subject of annual monitoring surveys in July for a total of seven years (2005-11 inclusive) 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. These surveys have recorded 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

• If you would like to see the spreadsheet data

Fixed Point Photography Survey of the Knepp Estate

July 2005 - 2011  

Introduction

Annual series of photographs have been taken over seven 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

News from Knepp

A yearly update for the friends of the Knepp Wildland Project

2011

Author

Written by Jason Emrich 2011.

for the main report in PDF 0.9 MB click above

A paper published for a Ted Green Lecture at Sheffield Hallam

2011  

Author

Written by Theresa Greenaway November 2011.

for the main report in PDF 1.5MB click above

A strategy for clean water pond creation at the Knepp Castle Estate

Draft

Nov 2011  

Introduction

The Million Ponds project seeks to reverse a century of loss and decline in Britain’s ponds, so that once again we have a million ponds in the British countryside. The primary aim of the project is to bring clean water back to many landscapes, creating vital new wildlife habitats.

Author

Written by Dr Pascale Nicolet November 2011.

for the main report in PDF 0.6MB click above

Knepp News Letter Biodiversity Report

Jan 2011  

Introduction

The response of flora and fauna to low-intensity grazing is a major part of the Wildland Project. In 2010, ecological monitoring continued with the annual repeats of the breeding bird, butterfly and fixed-point photography surveys. In addition, eight belt transects, initially surveyed in 2005, were re-surveyed, the first repeat of a major vegetation survey. The re-survey followed the methodology implemented in 2005, such that vascular plant species were recorded in 15 continuous quadrats along transects sited across the Estate, according to when arable ceased. The objective is to monitor changes to both vegetation structure and composition over time as the Wildland Project proceeds. The full survey report is available on the Knepp Castle website.

Author

Written by Theresa Greenaway November 2011.

for the main report in word click above

Landscape-scale conservation: evaluating the benefits for people and wildlife

Exert

Biodiversity conservation at a landscape-scale is now widely advocated to provide a more dynamic landscape, with greater resilience to environmental change and enhanced provision of ecosystem services. This research explored whether such approaches can offer net benefits for people and wildlife in relation to site-based approaches. To do this, contrasting scenarios, were mapped, and valued, for six case study sites which were subject to existing, or planned, schemes for landscape-scale conservation.

Author

Researchers from Bournemouth University and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology compared the benefits for wildlife and people produced by two approaches to conservation: the increasingly popular integrated landscape-scale conservation, and the more traditional approach, focussing on management in separate sites. 

Hodder, KH; Douglas S; Newton, AC; Bullock, JM; Scholefield, P.; Vaughan, R. Cantarello, E; Beer, S; Birch, J.

for a leaflet in PDF 5MB click above

for main PDF 2.79MB report click here

Knepp Ragwort Monitoring

2011  

Introduction 

Ragwort Senecio jacobaea is toxic to livestock and its proliferation in formerly arable fields in Knepp has caused concern among some neighbours and adjacent landowners. A Ragwort Strategy for Knepp was produced in 20091, in compliance with which a strip of a minimum of 50m meters around the southern block boundary will be topped annually in July. In addition, ragwort will be monitored annually in 16 fields across the New Barn / Brookhouse area. This part of the Estate has been selected as much of it is arable reversion and it also is bordered by those who have expressed concern about the ragwort. The southern block was fenced in spring 2009.

Author

Written by Patrick Toe and Theresa Greenaway Oct 2011.

for the main report in PDF 2MB click above

Annual Herd Inspection

Feb 2012  

Introduction 

Park Herd The cows were in a good condition considering they should be at their leanest at this time of year. The body condition scoring varied between 3 and 3½ on a scale 1-5. This good condition can be explained by the fact that the bull, Drako, had been non-fertile for most of the breeding season......

Author

Written by Maarten Boers MRCVS, The Livestock Partnership

for the main report in word click above