WIRRAL
BIODIVERSITY
ACTION PLAN
ACTION PLAN
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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 The Great Crested Newt is still widespread in Britain but has suffered a decline since the 1940s with an estimated colony loss of 2% over five years in the 1980's. Britain probably contains the largest population in Europe. Approximately 3000 colonies have been identified including an estimate of 18,000 individual Great Crested Newts for the whole of Britain.
1.1.2 The Great Crested Newt is listed on Annex IIa and IVa of the EU Habitats and Species Directive, Appendix II of the Berne Convention and Schedules 5 and 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals as Lower Risk : conservation dependent.
1.2 Local
1.2.1 Although present across the whole of North West England, there is currently no population estimate for Wirral.
1.2.2 Between 1995 and 1998, the Pond Life Project undertook a survey of 1000 ponds in the Northwest. The Pondlife survey suggested that there has been an alarming decline in the number of ponds in the Borough: based on aerial photos, 1354 sites were identified in Wirral in 1969. By 1992/3 the number of sites had fallen to 872. In 1986-7, Janathon Daws undertook extensive survey of ponds in North and West Wirral for all amphibians. Wirral Wildlife has a rolling survey of SBI ponds.
1.3 Legal
1.3.1 The Great Crested Newt is one of the most protected species in the British countryside. Legislation protects it against killing, injuring, sale, and also prohibits disturbance (including handling) and damage to both its terrestrial and aquatic habitats.
1.3.2 A recent review of the licensing procedure under the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994, now requires any loss of habitat for development to be licensed by the Secretary of State for the Environment.
2. CURRENT
FACTORS CAUSING LOSS OR DECLINE
2.1 National
2.2 Local
2.2.1 Loss or decline in quality of ponds. Drainage and in-filling resulting from development, farming and waste disposal activities leads to pond loss. If existing ponds are neglected or not managed properly, they eventually become choked with plants and silt. This succession of open water to dry land is a natural process, but does not favour newts unless new ponds are created.
2.2.2 Loss of terrestrial habitat for newts around ponds. Areas of grassland, scrub and woodland within 250 metres are important for shelter, food and hibernation sites. The decline in quality of land around ponds has been a major contributor to the loss of newts. It is important that this land is not overgrazed or too intensively managed.
2.2.3 Introduction of fish / wildfowl / vegetation into ponds either deliberately or by accident. Great Crested Newt larvae are more susceptible to predation by fish than other newts because they hunt in open water, making themselves easy prey. Great Crested Newts and fish are so incompatible that even the introduction of sticklebacks can destroy a colony.
2.2.4 Pollution from common sources can lead to ponds becoming unsuitable for newts. For example fertiliser drainage from fields can cause algae blooms, some agricultural chemicals may be directly toxic to newts, acidification of pools from run-off and air pollution disadvantages the Great Crested Newt which shows a preference for base-rich, hard water. Use of granular fertiliser on land surrounding ponds can be directly toxic to newts coming into contact with granules.
2.2.5 Habitat fragmentation - Great Crested Newts are very reliant upon 'pond ways' - clusters of ponds which allow movement within a particular area. The factors described above may reduce the number of ponds and hence the movements of newts and result in the extinction of a population even where some suitable ponds still exist.
2.2.6 Great Crested Newts are susceptible to road kills and being trapped in gully pots etc. where roads pass close to breeding ponds.
3.1 National
3.1.1 JNCC have published a 5-year framework for amphibian and reptile conservation in the UK, in collaboration with the statutory nature conservation agencies and voluntary bodies.
3.1.2 CCW, EN and SNH support a post within the NGOs to develop local amphibian and reptile groups, support surveys and conservation initiatives. EN have published a symposium on Great Crested Newts, and some leaflets have also been produced.
3.1.3 Froglife have recently published a Great Crested newt handbook.
3.2 Local
3.2.1 Between 1995 and 1998, the Pond Life Project undertook a survey of 1000 ponds in the Northwest.
3.2.2 In Cheshire, Great Crested Newt records have been collected in a piecemeal manner, often in response to development proposals. Records are held by various organisations, and are largely uncoordinated. Wirral Wildlife have some records, as do EN. However, Jonathan Guest is now collecting records for an amphibian atlas of Cheshire, in conjunction with rECOrd.
The last full survey of GCN sites in Wirral was carried out in 1992 by The Lancashire Trust for Nature Conservation as part of a wider exercise covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Lancashire.
3.2.3 Many of the known GCN ponds and pond clusters are designated as SBIs in the UDP and therefore afforded a measure of protection from activities which require planning permission through Policy NC5. In addition, Policy NC7 indicates that development which would have an adverse effect on wildlife species protected by law will not be permitted unless the Local Planning Authority is satisfied that the protection of the species can be secured through the use of planning conditions and/or planning obligations. English Nature and Cheshire Wildlife Trust are consulted on any plannning applications where harm to GCNs might result. However there remains a lack of up-to-date strategic information on GCNs in the Borough.
5.1 National
5.1 Develop incentives for appropriate management and site re-creation e.g. neglected farm ponds. Assuming a loss rate of 2% of ponds per year, a corresponding programme of new pond creation is needed in addition to preventing existing site loss.
5.2 Where feasible, restore populations to unoccupied sites, creating new ponds and managing habitat as necessary.
5.3 Maintain the range, distribution and viability of existing Great Crested Newt populations.
5.4 Prevent further habitat fragmentation and increase available habitats through linking appropriate sites where opportunities arise.
5.2 Local 
As national.
6.1 Site safeguard
6.1.1 Map important areas for GCN in Wirral. Produce distribution maps for use by Local Authorities, police, EN, other statutory agencies and NGOs, plus information on legal implications. (Action: LA/EN)
6.1.2 Identify all existing breeding sites and assess the population status, through field survey of sites used by Great Crested Newts, especially for breeding. (Action: LA/EN)
6.1.3 Consider designation of further important areas for Great Crested Newt as non-statutory wildlife sites. (Action: LA).
6.1.4 Prevent further fragmentation of populations by identifying land serving as corridors linking ponds and other GCN habitats and safeguarding it through the UDP. (Action: LA)
6.1.5 Create new ponds to supplement those which are vegetating. (Action: ?)
6.1.6 Ensure favorable habitat management of known Great Crested Newt sites. Restore ponds (Action: ?)
6.1.7 Re-establish / establish new populations by natural re-colonisation or by translocation. (Action: ?)
6.2 Policy
6.2.1 Ensure that all ponds known to hold viable populations of GCN are designated as Sites of Biological Importance and that the relevant protection policies in the UDP are adhered to.(pp24 DETR Policy Guidance Note: PPG9). (Action: EN, LA)
6.2.2 Enforcement and interpretation of legislation - where laws are breached with respect to Great Crested Newts. Training of law enforcement agencies. (Action: EN/Police)
6.3 Land Management
6.3.1 Promote uptake of appropriate agri-environment schemes. Pond creation may offer new habitat where it occurs adjacent to known Great Crested Newt colonies i.e. within 400m. (Action DEFRA; FWAG)
6.3.2 Promote correct use of herbicides and fungicides. (Action: DEFRA,FWAG)
6.4 Species protection and management
None proposed
6.5 Advice
6.4.1 Promote existing guidance for LAs, developers, land managers etc on legal obligations for the species, local management and translocation techniques. (Action: EN/EA/DEFRA)
6.4.2 Promote training of professional and volunteer surveyors and those involved in the management and conservation of the Great Crested Newt. (Action:LA/DEFRA)
6.6 Future research and monitoring
6.5.1 Conduct local surveys to establish current population status and trends, and to enable dissemination of information. (Action: ?)
6.6.2 Collate return data and establish database as part of Local Records Centre and rECOrd. Data would also contribute to the National Recording Scheme. (Action ?)
6.6.3 Identify important existing breeding sites, and sites with potential for supporting Great Crested Newts. (Action: ?)
6.6.4 Support research into Great Crested Newt ecology, particularly regarding effects of translocations and the success of purpose-built habitat creation schemes e.g. development mitigation schemes. (Action EN)
6.7 Communications and publicity
6.7.1 Encourage the submission of records. (Action: All)
6.7.2 Promote pond creation and appropriate management.
6.7.3 Use plan to highlight the impact on biodiversity of modern agricultural practices and the loss of landscape features important for wildlife. Use as flagship species for ponds HAP. (Action: All).
7.1 National
Not calculated.
7.2 Local
Not calculated.
8. LINKS TO
OTHER ACTION PLANS
UK BAP Great Created Newt SAP.
Wirral BAP Ponds HAP, Water vole SAP.
Cheshire region BAP Great Crested Newt SAP, Ponds HAP, Water Vole SAP
8.1 Conflicts
None identified.
Julian Whitehurst, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Telephone: 01270 610 180.
Great Crested Newt Conservation Co-ordinator, Froglife, Mansion House, 27-28 Market Place, Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 8AY, Telephone. 01986 873733.
Great crested newt Species Action Plan Steering Group (1998) UK great crested newt Triturus cristatus Species Action Plan Work Programme 1998-2002. Version 1.1. Unpublished report.
Langton, TES, Beckett, CL and Foster, JP (2001) Great Crested Newt Conservation Handbook. Froglife, Halesworth.
Froglife Advice Sheet 11 Surveying for (great crested) newt conservation.
English Nature (2001) Great crested newt mitigation guidelines. English Nature, Peterbrough.