WIRRAL
BIODIVERSITY
ACTION PLAN
ACTION PLAN
|
WIRRAL
BIODIVERSITY
ACTION PLAN |
| Current Status | Current Factors causing loss or decline | Current Action | Key habitats | Objectives and Targets |
| Proposed Actions | Resources | Links to other Action Plans | Contact Points | References |
1.1 National
1.1.1 All sixteen species of bat resident in the UK are in decline. The most common, the Pipistrelle suffered population losses of up to 70% between 1978 and 1993 but it remains widespread with an estimated UK pre-breeding population of 2 million.
1.1.2 The Pipistrelle is a UK BAP Priority Species on account of the threat to its international status and its decline in the UK.
1.2 Local
1.2.1 Pipistrelles are widely distributed throughout the Wirral, and are the species most people come into contact with - they are the species most often found roosting in buildings and feeding in urban areas.
1.2.2 Brown Long-eared and Noctule Bats are less common but are also found throughout the Wirral, in the less built up areas.
1.2.3 Daubenton's Bats feed almost exclusively over water. Therefore their distribution is localised and has been recorded from Royden Park, Arrowe Park, Raby Mere, Dibbinsdale and Burton.
1.2.4 Whiskered/Brandt's and Natterer's Bats are rare locally. Whiskered has been located in Royden Park, Arrowe Park, Raby Mere, Dibbinsdale and Burton. Natterer's has only been found in Royden Park and Burton, and Brandt's (confirmed identification) in West Kirby.
1.2.5 Serotine and Barbastelle have been picked up on time - expansion bat detectors in Royden Park, by Peter Andrews, an expert in this field, but have not yet been confirmed by visual sightings. However, they should be included in the plan just in case.
1.2.6 No information exists about the size of or changes in local populations but it is believed these mirror national trends.
1.3 Legal
All bat species are listed on Appendix III of the Bern Convention, Annex IV of the EC Habitats Directive and Appendix II of the Bonn Convention, and are protected by the 1981 Wildlife & Countryside Act (as amended).
2. CURRENT
FACTORS CAUSING LOSS OR DECLINE
2.1 National
2.1.1 Reduction in insect prey due to intensification of farming practice.
2.1.2 Loss and fragmentation of suitable landscape diversity and habitat mosaics (pastures, woodlands, wetlands and hedgerows) have reduced feeding resources and severed connections between feeding habitats.
2.1.3 Loss of winter roost sites in old trees and buildings.
2.1.4 The fear and misunderstanding of bats leads some people to exclude them from buildings.
2.1.5 Loss of roost sites in buildings due to inappropriate timber treatments.
2.2 Local
As national.
3.1 National
3.1.1 The National Bat Colony Survey has monitored many summer roosts since 1978.
3.1.2 DETR is funding a National Bat Monitoring Programme which is carried out by the Bat Conservation Trust and volunteers.
3.1.3 Research into bat distribution and habitat preferences is being undertaken by JNCC and others.
3.1.4 Most timber-treatment companies take bat requirements into account.
3.2 Local
3.2.1 The Merseyside and West Lancashire Bat Group (MWLBG) actively surveys feeding areas and roost sites. Records are lodged with Liverpool Museum.
3.2.2 Some LAs undertake tree surveys on their own landholdings to establish use by bats.
3.2.3 MWLBG promotes bats and their conservation through regular public walks and lectures.
3.2.4 English Nature has contracted a consultant to act on its behalf to assist in ensuring public compliance with the Wildlife & Countryside Act.
3.2.5 MWLBG encourages and assists landowners in the siting of bat-boxes and the modification of other artificial structures, such as ice-houses, as bat hibernation sites.
3.2.6 Standard Planning Conditions have been developed and adopted by LAs to ensure that, where relevant, planning applicants must survey for the presence of bats and put forward acceptable mitigation measures.
3.2.7 Projects carried out under the auspices of the Mersey Forest will increase the amount of suitable habitat.
- Woodlands
- Hedgerows
- Pastures
- Urban grassland
- Open water
- Underground habitats
4.1 The habitats listed above list are mostly foraging habitats. Roosting and hibernating sites are equally crucial. However, these are either incorporated within the key habitats listed or are dependent on man-made features such as buildings. Proximity of roost and hibernation sites to feeding areas is essential.
4.2 From Section 1.2 can be seen the importance of the country parks, whose size and diverse habitats enable them to support the greatest range of species, Raby Mere, one of the largest water bodies, and the Burton Ice House, set in the grounds of Burton College, and used as a hibernation site.
5.1 National
5.1 Maintain the current local distribution of all bat species to ensure that healthy populations exist which are capable of expansion.
5.2 Expand the local distribution of, at least, the commoner species by 2015.
5.2 Local
As national.
6.1 Site safeguard
6.1.1 Seek designation of important feeding and roosting sites as non-statutory Wildlife Sites by 2006(SLBI; SBI; SNCV; SCWI). (Action: EAS; MWLBG; LAs) (Priority: High)
6.1.2 Map areas of importance for bats by 2005. (Action: MWLBG; EAS) (Priority: High)
6.1.3 Maintain or expand designated urban greenspace in Unitary Development Plans by 2006. (Action: LAs) (Priority: Medium)
6.2 Policy
6.2.1 Consider including policies to protect important bat habitats (foraging and roosting) in Unitary Development Plans. (Action: EAS; Las; EN; MWLBG) (Priority: Medium)
6.2.2 Consider targeting of Countryside Stewardship and other agri-environment schemes on important bat feeding areas. (Action: DEFRA; MWLBG) (Priority: Medium)
6.2.3 Expand local authority guidance to developers in respect of requirements of bats. (Action: EAS; LAs; MWLBG) (Priority: Low)
6.2.4 Instigate national policy changes that prevent the need to fight the same battles over and over again. Once a site has been designated as significant to bats, it should have some measure of protection that prevents endless appeals by different developers.
6.3 Land Management
6.3.1 Encourage landowners to retain old and dead trees suitable as bat roosts. (Action: MF; LAs; MWLBG; EAS) (Priority: High)
6.3.2 Promote creation and suitable management of linear features (such as hedgerows, streams, ditches, canals etc) to increase linkage between feeding sites. (Action: DEFRA; MWLBG; MF; EA) (Priority: High)
6.3.3 Promote suitable management of field margins to increase availability of insect prey. (Action: DEFRA; MWLBG) (Priority: Medium)
6.4 Species protection and management
6.4.1 Provision of artificial roost sites can be beneficial but should not be considered as an easy option to retaining suitable natural roost sites for breeding or hibernation. All bat roosts should be considered equally important and essential to the species survival. (Action: MF; LAs; MWLBG) (Priority: Medium)
6.5 Advice
6.5.1 Continue to operate Bat Advice Line (Action: EN) (Priority: High)
6.6 Future research and monitoring
6.6.1 Continue surveying and monitoring of sites used by bats in order to assess changes in local distribution and populations. (Action: MWLBG) (Priority: High)
6.6.2 Organise systematic survey of distribution for whole of Wirral. Unfortunately, MWLBG do not currently have the resources to tackle this. A budget to enable the group to train up a large team of volunteers to assist in survey work, and equip them with appropriate detectors etc would be needed to enable this to happen. (Action: MWLBG; EN; NMGM; LAs;) (Priority: High)
6.6.3 Monitor changes to habitats or farming practices that may have implications for bats. (Action: MWLBG; EAS) (Priority: Medium)
6.6.4 Establish database as part of Local Records Centre (Action: MWLBG; NMGM; EAS; CWT) (Priority: Low)
6.7 Communications and publicity
6.7.1 Ensure those whose actions may affect the survival of bats, including planning officers, the construction industry, forestry and arboricultural contractors and landowners, are aware of their legal obligations towards bats and how they may help to conserve them. (Action: LAs; MWLBG; EN) (Priority: High)
6.7.2 Raise public awareness of bats through programme of 'bat walks' and lectures. (Action: MWLBG; LAs) (Priority: Medium)
6.7.3 Educate children about bats so that by the time they've grown up into householders they don't automatically want to exclude bats. A part-time bat education officer could (working 1 day per week or per fortnight) visit all primary schools on the Wirral (106 schools in total) on a rolling basis, giving talks and leading bat-based activities. This relatively low-cost activity could have a significant long term impact, and also a current benefit, as these children would also encourage their parents to be more positive about bats when roosts are discovered in houses (see separate costing) (Priority: Medium/High)
Not calculated.
8. LINKS TO
OTHER ACTION PLANS
UK BAP - Pipistrelle SAP, Broadleaved and Wet Woodlands HAPs.
Wirral BAP Broadleaved Woodland HAP
8.1 Conflicts
None identified.
Merseyside & West Lancashire Bat Group 0151 478 4248
Bat Advice Line 01704 385735
Fiona Angwin - Wirral Bat Worker 0151 342 7708
English Nature 01942 820342