Wildlife and Landscape Survey - Essay Example

?Discuss the stages in planning the monitoring of a moorland management plan drawing out the importance of each stage of the process. Monitoring of aMoorland Management Plan (A practical Moorland Management Plan depends on the land terrain and the structure of peat, which varies all across the world. This plan has been made keeping in view the Moorlands of UK) Background Efficiently managing Moorland through limited burning and grazing can create a variety of natural habitats crucial for nature conservation. It also provides perfect nesting and feeding for a range of native birds. All of this comes along with the availability of perfect grazing grounds for farm animals and domestic livestock. Introduction Well maintained moorlands can serve multiple purposes. Many economic and environmental benefits can be drawn out of them. They can serve as water catchments, an important element in the prevention of floods and as recreational sites. Monitoring Moorlands will need commitment from the farmers that own those lands. It would be better to get them to sign a contract as this will help us in managing the moors according to our objectives and return they will get nicely maintained moorland that can serve for their grazing animals. Plan of Action Cutting and Burning A technique called rotational burning will be used wherever the cutting method won’t be helpful. A tactic to use when choosing which method to apply to the land is; low dwarf heath shrub cover will not be used for rotational burning. This includes the area intense in bracken. Heath (Dry) The areas including dry heath vegetation will be rotationally burnt in proportion to the area they cover measured in number of hectares. An estimate basis, an area of 30 hectares will be rotationally burnt for a period of 20 years. This ratio actually depends on the nature of the contract with the owner of the land. For areas that are home for birds of prey or have rare vegetation will need a different plan of action, especially regarding the rotatory burning. Generally such circumstances call for prolonged burning rotation but a final decision will be made after examining those rare plants and animals. Blanket Bog This is the layer of vegetation that covers the peat deeper than normal vegetation layer. When burning this portion, special attention and care is required as carelessness can damage the useful peat. Moreover, we need the peat to maintain surface vegetation for proper plant growth. It makes sense in understanding that in many areas blanket bog itself is not burnt at all as there is no need to do so or in some cases for conserving nature or for the management of a wider portion of land. While in some areas, where heather still covers the peat it is still desirable to burn the area for conservation purposes. In short wherever burning is necessary, it must be made sure that no part of sensitive vegetation is destroyed or a delicate piece of land is damaged. Heath (Wet) Just like the dry heath, care must be taken while burning the area covered by wet heath, to make sure that this process may not damage any sensitive vegetation or delicate cover on the land or the peat itself. Generally a rotational burning period of 20 years is feasible with a maximum area of 30 hectares with annual burning of 30 hectares in a year on average. This arrangement can be varied depending on the specific needs of the land. Burning Precautions Generally there are some precautions that need to be taken when burning land for Moorland management. 1. Burning process can only be carried out in areas of land where the heather cover is 50% or more and heather itself is 30cm/Ft. or more height wise. And all of this must be consistent with the burning process agreed upon in the contract. (To measure the Heather height, place the measuring stick down into the plant and not stretching out the plant. The height of heather will vary depending upon altitude and the growth speed of moors. 2. It will be decided beforehand that what amount (proportion) of land will be burnt in the course of rotation burning before it over-matures (if it grows beyond the height of 40-45cm). This arrangement will be defined in the contract, if a longer rotation period is defined then the growth of heather can exceed 45cm. 3. The burning process must be carried out in such a way that on average 30 meters of area in width is burnt at a time. This scale must not exceed the width of 55 meters at any time. This width of burnt area can be interpreted in terms of hectares as a maximum of 2 hectares with each burn (This limit of burnt area must be strictly followed). For areas with deeper peat, this limit is reduced from 2 hectares. There are some exceptions however where an area of more than 2 hectares is burnt at a time. This is allowed when very large land masses need to be broken down that have consistent heather patterns. But in any case, an area scheduled to be burnt by more than 2 hectares must be strictly dealt with the local authorities. 4. In some cases. Catch-up burns are required for Moorlands that have not been maintained through burning in years. Just like the case with the mass burning of moorland (area of more than 2 hectares) needs to be discussed specifically as this will require custom arrangements. 5. The whole process of rotatory burning depends on favorable circumstances. Fast and cool burning is performed with skill to make sure that there is no damage to the overall environment. This type of burning only churns away the leaves and shrub canopy, leaving behind some part of the stem. The fire must not damage the peat by eating away the moss layer. Worst case scenarios include hot-slow burning which destroys the plants as well as the peat surface. Plants like cowberries and bilberry along with the peat surface are destroyed. In severe cases, it also causes erosion therefore recovery time for the moorland in such cases is considerable. 6. In this Moorland Management Program, all fires that will be accidental and cause the increase in count of rotational burning will be registered under the total rotatory burnt area in hectares. But fires of such nature including arson and accidental fire will be reviewed at the end to make sure that such incidents must not happen again. 7. Burning of Moorlands will be done only during the period from 1 October and 15 April. Due diligence and caution must be taken during dry weather. And when bird nesting is observed at a site where burning was supposed to happen, it will be halted at one and postponed as continuing the original scheduled burning will destroy the ecology and natural habitat. 8. Modern equipment to monitor the fire will be applied. Sprinklers and sprays will be available via trucks to make sure that fire remains under control at all times. Its temperature must be moderate for a cool fire and must never exceed the area scheduled for rotatory burning. Radio/cellular contact must be provided to all personnel monitoring the burning activity. 9. A maximum time limit for responding to our authorities of any accidental fire will be 7 days. Farmers and owners of those lands must report any accidental fires immediately. 10. Our management will work in constant coordination with the farmers to monitor the height of the heather. This process will also involve Arial photography. Such a coordinated work will enhance the precision of our assumptions and estimates. Land Other than for Rotational Burning There are certain land patches that will not be included in the regular rotational burning but controlled and infrequent burning may be necessary for such patches to prevent the heath to turn into woodland. Such occasions will be properly documented in the agreement so that there is no damage to environment and the land stays healthy. These land areas include: 1. ‘Sensitive areas’ include those passages that cannot withstand being burnt by fire. 2. Grasslands and wetlands are not to be burnt. 3. Other areas that will be strictly prohibited from burning. Sensitive Areas Some typical ‘sensitive areas’ include mires and flushes. These areas usually include springs, wet hollows, pools, and areas that are dense in bog mosses and pack areas that contain Sphagnum species, lichens, liverworts and other mosses. Burning of these kind of tranches and terrains will most likely defeat the purpose of preserving nature. But luckily these places are comparatively smaller as compared to other land masses. Eroded gullies and hag also come under the heading of sensitive areas. Those patches of lands that are over 600 meters high are also considered sensitive land as they support slow growing vegetation and delicate habitats. Areas that have native or rare trees in them and trees that are just adjacent to other enclosures for planting. The areas that are covered in scrub due to less frequent grazing need to be assessed regularly. This observation must be carried out with local experts to make decisions with surgical precisions. Those land areas that have soil depth of less than 5 cm or that are covered in scree or those patches that have exposed rocks. Areas that are banked by water will need special attention and will also be included in sensitive areas, these areas will be scaled according to the distance from the water bank and following rules will accompany the measurement: The purpose for encircling these areas as sensitive has to do with the preservation of well-structured cover. For protection of bankside areas that have erosion problems. And for the protection of those watercourses that have firm grip and provide the natural hydrological function of carrying away excess waters from the moor. Rotational burning extended up to brinks of these water shores will protect the bank as an un-burnt mass of land will form around the edges and will keep the earth from being carried away in excess. For those water courses that have an active grip will need special attention and will have custom agreements with the locals as these water channels are more likely to carry away waters and speed up the erosion process. In these cases, frequent burning will be required. This will be carried out in such a way that once the land is burnt, it will be given a resting period for a few years until the waters reach desired levels, at that point the burning process will be repeated. Proper Drainage Well managed drainage management is an integral part of Moorland maintenance. Therefore it would be very helpful if any additional drainage work through the moorlands will not be carried out. Field-craft is crucial to the recording of the presence of many secretive species. With reference to a particular species describe the field-craft techniques you would employ to survey it. Without direct observance of the species, what tracks and signs would you look for? Discuss how this data can be used. Overview (This field-craft has been based on observing the White Emerald in UK. Techniques may vary in other geographical areas) The field-craft described here is about observing the immature stages of a beautiful butterfly, known as White Emerald. Some of the basic things to keep in mind while going on such a journey to find this butterfly are; 1. Obvious as it may seem nonetheless important so; choose your wood wisely! For instance in Warwickshire, England it would be a better idea to choose Wolford in South East (Which is a private access passing through Warwickshire) which is frequented by our specimen. The goal is to choose that site where you can hardly miss your secretive species. 2. If it is at all possible to pick a year, it would be better to choose the one which has relatively warmer June. It has been shown through researches that a typical June temperature determines the population of White Emeralds in July. And in 2003 which saw a quite warm June very dense population of White Emeralds were observed. Even finding eggs and larvae was very easy. 3. After choosing year, choosing the right time bears the same importance. Visiting the site when White Emeralds have been flying for 2-3 weeks would result in better observation (usually this turns out to be the 2nd week of July). 4. Picking the right type of vehicle will also help in the hunt. For first timers, using a too shaded or a too wide ride isn’t such a good idea. A vehicle that has facility of viewing southward and has dappled shade would just serve the purpose. These kinds of vehicles have Speckled Wood population. 5. After getting perfect ride the next step is finding the plant that caterpillars use for food. For instance Lonicera Periclymenum would just do. It is also crucial to find the right type of plant/honeysuckle as drapes will be needed, like the honeysuckles that cling down the trees. Neglected areas hold these honeysuckles that trail from top down to the bottom of an oak tree but for bushes like Silver Birch or Hazel are perfect for the drapes. Some studies also suggest that White Emerald use blooms in some areas. But for first timers, it is better that they stick with the original plan as finding those blooms will require time and experience. Technically speaking, bloom of a honeysuckle is the clump mass that forms on the floor. 6. When searching for butterfly eggs, a handy advice is to ignore those lush green honeysuckles in full sun. They look very healthy and give an impression that they would be ideal for a nesting space but that is not the way butterflies think. It is very rare to find eggs on such drapes. On the other hand, honeysuckles facing north and south side of ride are more likely to be the home of White Emerald eggs. 7. Keeping a laptop and a magnifying glass really helps. Whenever something is ‘found’, it can be easily examined and probably verified through internet. First timers will find a lot of apparently useless items but eventually they will hit the bull’s eye. 8. Eggs can be examined by working around the leaf. Eggs are usually laid on the edge of the upper-side, so looking for leaves that feels little odd especially around the edges will do. Now the question is, what exactly to look for? Pale-whitish stuff on upper-side edges of the leaf of honeysuckle. This will appear as a yellowish spot or blemish. It will be symmetrical in shape and will be about the size of pin head. Starting from the bloom and working down the plant is better. Or starting from the knee height and working till shoulder height is also relatively comfortable (examining procedure mainly depends on the observer). Another expert advice is not to spend too much time on a single plant. On average, about tem minutes top are more than enough on one plant. Taking too long to examine one single plant can cause demotivation and it can hamper the process of moving forward and examining other plants. 9. Caterpillars can be examined almost the same way as the eggs. Choosing a ride facing south and only checking the honey suckles that form drapes in dappled sunlight will help in saving time finding the caterpillars. One difference from egg hunting is that while looking for caterpillars, the observant doesn’t necessarily need to look for caterpillars as its primary target, instead looking for damaged leaves will prove a good strategy in finding them. This feeding damage can be easily identified as it represents a clear path showing as if something has eaten into eat starting from the edge of the leaf (the spot for eggs). In such leaves, the mid rib of the leaf appears significantly as it is harder to chew for the caterpillar (magnifying glass at this point comes in very handy). Almost half the time when someone spots this kind of damage on the leaf will find the caterpillar on it. Here are few tables and records that can serve a good deal in making and recording the data of observer’s findings. Glossary E = Egg C = Caterpillar H = Height of the spot from the ground where caterpillar was located D = Distance from the tip of the drape to where the caterpillar is found Honeysuckles facing South (drapes exposed to the full sun) Blooms on Hazel None found Blooms on Oak None found Blooms on Silver Birch None found According to one study the reason behind choosing shadier areas to lay their eggs instead of lush green leaves in the full sun is; drapes in the full sun secrete a sticky fluid to protect themselves from herbivores. This fluid is indigestible for the larvae. So when they eat into the leaf, they also consume this fluid which makes the food indigestible for them and prevents nourishment and proper growth. Honeysuckles facing South (in dappled shades) Drape 1 on Silver Birch Number Stage Height Distance 1 E 135cm 3cm 2 E 135cm 5cm 3 C 91cm 49cm 4 C 75cm 5cm 5 E 154cm 30cm (Slater 2003) Drape 2 on Silver Birch Number Stage Height Distance 1 E 25cm 20cm 2 C 80cm 22cm 3 E 80cm 28cm 4 E 88cm 42cm 5 E 96cm 69cm 6 E Same Leaf Same Leaf 7 E Same Leaf Same Leaf 8 E Same Leaf Same Leaf 9 C 81cm 52cm 10 E 75cm 50cm 11 E 108cm 8cm (Slater 2003) Drape 5 on Silver Birch Number Stage Height Distance 1 C 89cm 20cm Drape 6 on Silver Birch Number Stage Height Distance 1 E 191cm 20cm 2 C 194cm 7cm 3 E 178cm 128cm (Slater 2003) Drape 9 on Hazel Number Stage Height Distance 1 C 119cm 19cm 2 E 119cm 4cm 3 E 122cm 17cm 4 E 157cm 2cm 5 C 170cm 30cm (Slater 2003) Drape 10 on Broad Leaf Swallow Number Stage Height Distance 1 E 169cm 26cm 2 E 205cm 43cm 3 C 154cm 18cm 4 C 180cm 6cm (Slater 2003) Most of these honeysuckles drapes stopped short from reaching the ground while few did trail all the way down to the ground. Only those parts of drapes were examined that came up to average human height. Stats based on findings of drapes in dappled sunshine Numbers of early stages found on 6 drapes that were located in dappled sunshine (facing south ride) 33 Biggest number for early stage specimen on one drape 15 Smallest number of early stage specimen on one drape 1 Average number of early stage specimen on one drape 5.5 Lowest (Height) early stage on a single drape 25cm Highest early stage on a single drape 205cm Average Height 122.8cm Closest (from the tip of drape) early stage found on one drape 0cm Furthest away from the tip of drape, for early stage 128cm Average distance from the tip of drape 29cm (Slater 2003) Honeysuckle drapes facing North under shade Drape Number 3 on a Broad Leafed Swallow Number Stage Height Distance 1 E 123cm 120cm (Slater 2003) Drape Number 4 on Hazel None found Drape Number 8 on Ash None Found Drape 11 on Silver Birch Number Stage Height Distance 1 C 82cm 8cm 2 E 83cm 10cm 3 C 125cm 130cm (Slater 2003) Drape 12 on Hazel None found Drape 15 on Silver Birch Number Stage Height Distance 1 C 90cm 0cm (Slater 2003) Stats result from 6 drapes observed located in Dappled Sunshine Number of early stage specimen found on 6 drapes in dappled sunshine (north facing ride side) 5 Largest number for early stages on one drape 3 Smallest number for early stage on one drape 0 Average number of early stage specimen on one drape 0.8cm Lowest height of early stage on a drape 82cm Highest point of early stage on a drape 125cm Average height of early stage on a drape 100.6cm Closest location of early stage from the tip of the drape 0cm Furthest location of early stage from the tip of the drape 130cm Average location of early stage from the tip of drape 53.6cm (Slater 2003) Conclusions From the findings of other experts like E Pollard (1979), which was conducted in Monks Wood Cambridgeshire, the average height of eggs from the level of ground was found to be 85cm. Another expert conducted his study in Hampshire-Wiltshire suburbs, his findings concluded an average height between the range of 140-160cm. Joy (1999) found out his mean height for the location of eggs to be 171cm when he performed field-craft in Wyre Forest and at Dudmatson his findings revealed an average height for eggs location to be 78.82cm. The findings in the tables given above show an average height of 122.8cm for south facing ride side and an average height of 100.6cm with a ride side facing north. These findings are well in line with the findings of other experts. In the above table observations for the location of eggs above the average human height is not included. Including those observations would probably give a more accurate or an average height closer to the mean height for eggs location of experts. There is also an inclination in the findings of different experts. For instance, Joy (1999) discovered more frequent findings for the ride side facing south whereas Fox discovered more eggs location on the ride side facing north. Works Cited M. J Slater, 2003. Field Craft Lesson 1: How to find White Admiral Eggs available at: http://www.warwickshire-butterflies.org.uk/downloads/Field-Craft-Lessons/Field-Craft-1-White-Admiral.pdf [Accessed on 11 July 2011] Moorland Association, 2011. Management Plan Template for Grouse Moor Estates/SSSI [Online] (Updated 11 July 2011) Available at: http://www.moorlandassociation.org/management_plan.asp [Accessed 11 July 2011] Read More