Wildlife Potential
Proposal from R Turner in consultation with Carl JonesAims:
- to keep the important species present
- to attract new species
- to involve the local community
- to enhance the amenity value of the area
- to offer learning opportunities
1: A SURVEY
Our first objective should be to find out the actual mix of living things in the area. This can be divided into listing the species present, and listing the distinct habitat types.
Species Lists
We propose to ask local volunteers to help compile these lists. Each volunteer would be given a template - the species we would expect to find, how they can be identified, where to look for them etc - and would then be asked to keep notes as they go round the valley. There would be separate lists for trees, other plants, reptiles & amphibians, insects, birds and mammals, though of course we would hope that the volunteers would contribute to more than one list at a time. I would keep the information on a computer database so that regular updates were constantly available.
It may well be that we would need expert help in setting up the templates and in listing and identifying the more obscure items. However, since our objectives are not primarily scientific, our lists would not necessarily need to be complete. The emphasis will be on important indicator species - those that tell us something special about the environment.
Habitat Lists
We would need to make a list of all the distinct habitat types before compiling the species lists, so that the information could be included in the templates.
2: ACTION TAKEN AS A RESULT OF THE SURVEY
Encouraging selected species:
What action is taken will depend on what species we wish to encourage into the area. Otters for example might be attracted by building artificial holts. Amphibious reptiles and water birds would be encouraged by making one or more ponds. Birds such as pied flycatchers and barn owls would be attracted by putting up nest boxes.
An essential follow up to the survey will be to decide, in consultation with experts, which species are to be encouraged and why. We may also need to look at the control of pest species. Possible reasons for undertaking such management are:
- Some species (otters, red kites, peregrines, butterflies, trees, flowers) inspire us by their grace and beauty
- Some local species are rare nationally and need conserving (e.g. pine marten)
- Some species are rare locally (e.g. morehens) although common elsewhere
- Some species are key indicators that a high level of biodiversity has been attained
- Some species (eg crows) have, as a result of human activity, become
so common locally that they are a serious threat to many less common
species.
Controlling human disturbance
Since one of our main objectives is likely to be to encourage more humans to visit the area, it will be very important to control access to minimize the disturbance to wildlife.
This control could take the form of:
- Free access areas - Some areas can be open to visitors at any time
- Limited access areas - Open at most times by arrangement
- Limited access periods - The spring is a critical time not just for nesting birds, but for many other species, and extra controls may be necessary at this time and possibly at other times as well.
- Visitor Centre - By making plenty of information available about how visitors can best enjoy the area, and by making the free access areas as attractive as possible, we can minimise harmful disturbance.
Llanwrda,
Carmarthenshire,
SA19 8DE.
Tel: 01558 650127.fax: 650465. Email: turner.maestwynog@care4free.net