Countrycare exceeds Local Wildlife Site Targets

Two years ago Defra established the National Indicator 197 which seeks to improve the care of Local Wildlife Sites and raise biodiversity. There are over 1600 Local Wildlife Sites in Essex - superb woodlands, river banks, flower rich grassland and sections of the coast and together they form a very important reservoir for wildlife and great places for local people to visit.

Local Wildlife Sites (LoWS), previously known as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) or County Wildlife Sites (CoWS), support both locally and nationally threatened wildlife, and many sites will contain habitats and species that are priorities under the Essex or UK Biodiversity Action Plans (BAP), which set out strategies for the conservation of much of our most vulnerable wildlife. Together with statutory protected areas, LoWS represent the minimum habitat we need to protect in order to maintain the current levels of wildlife in Essex.

Local Wildlife Sites complement SSSIs and Nature Reserves by helping to maintain links between these sites. In recent years there has been a growing recognition of the importance of conserving such places, so that wildlife can survive in the wider countryside, outside of Nature Reserves. Local Wildlife Sites are protected within the local planning system. They are a 'material consideration' in the determination of planning applications, and this should ensure that there is a general presumption against development upon them.

Lead by the Essex Wildlife Trust, DEFRA’s initiative drew together many partners to work on this common target – local authorities, statutory bodies, voluntary organisations, private landowners and many volunteers. The purpose of the National Indicator 197 was to achieve 34% of all LoWS into “Positive Conservation Management” by March 2011. This involved surveying the site, writing a Management Prescription and organising working parties to carry out practical tasks.

In the Epping Forest District in 2009 there were 189 Local Wildlife Sites. This increased to 222 after an extensive survey by Essex Ecology Services, published January 2010.

Help came in the form of grants from the EWT and ECC and in manpower from Countrycare’s volunteer group, supplemented by the West Essex Ramblers and the occasional corporate team day. Countryside management tasks included: coppicing in woodlands, opening up green lanes, mowing meadows, planting trees and hedges, dredging streams and ponds, building bridges and boardwalks, all designed to increase habitat and wildlife potential and improve access.

Many of EFDC’s LoWS are privately owned. Some landowners and farmers were happy to work with Countrycare which led to improvements of several ancient woodlands and a site where fencing was erected to allow cattle grazing.

Essex now has 546 Local Wildlife Sites in Positive Conservation Management. Of which EFDC has 84. The Essex Partnership has reached the National Indicator 197 target, which is a fantastic success for all of the partners involved.

Additional information is under “Latest Projects” on this website or go to www.localwildlifesites.org.uk