Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Ruth Shelton, Natural England, on the work of the Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) Project Team since the Board’s last meeting.

Ruth Shelton, Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) Project Manager, Natural England, gave a presentation in respect of the work taking place as part of the SAMM project.  The presentation summarised the project team’s activities since the Board’s last meeting on 18^th November 2021 and included updates on staffing, warden activity, educational work and monitoring activity.

It was reported that since the Board’s last meeting, a further three areas of Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space (SANGS) had been added to the Thames Basin Heath area taking the total number of SANGS in the area to 77.

It was noted that six seasonal wardens had been successfully recruited and all were now trained and working across the SAMM area.  The recruitment process had been a challenging one and in an effort to ensure that these difficulties were reduced in future years work experience placements and job shadowing opportunities had been developed.  Links with local colleges offering conservation courses were also being developed further to raise awareness of the Special Protection Area (SPA) and the SAMM project amongst students.

The Board was informed that ahead of her imminent retirement Sarah Bunce, Communications Officer, had indicated that she would in May 2023 like to change from full time work to part time work.  The role was considered to be a key one within the SAMM Team and the Board’s opinion on recruiting an additional communications officer was sought.  If approved the additional role would not only enable a smooth handover of responsibilities but also, on an interim basis, provide additional resource that would enable the SAMM Team’s work to be communicated more widely.  It was agreed that consideration would be given to the request on the receipt of a fully costed report.

It was reported that with a number of the SAMM project team employed on a part time basis there was sufficient funding in the agreed funding budget to cover the cost of employing an additional year round warden on a full time basis without the need for any additional funding.  It was agreed that the recruitment of an additional year round warden should be progressed.  

Between December 2021 and March 2022 in person visitor surveys were completed at all 75 SANGS that were open at that time.  In total 262 survey sessions were completed with 836 people being counted across all sites.  A QR based SANGS survey initiated at 46 SANGS in December 2020 continued to run albeit with much lower response rates than previously observed.

The majority, over 70%, of those surveyed indicated that their main reason for visiting the area was dog walking with most stating that their visit lasted between 30 minutes and one hour.  39% of those surveyed said that they visited SANGS one to three times a week and over 60% stated that the proximity of a SANG was the main driver for choosing one SANG over another.

To improve the robustness of visitor number data, agreement was sought for the installation of six additional visitor counters at locations across the TBH area which were currently not monitored.  Subject to approval of the funding it was hoped that satellite counters, which would enable visitor numbers to be monitored in real time, could be installed at six additional locations, at a cost of £15,021.60 plus an annual service charge.  It was noted that where visitor numbers were currently monitored a physical visit had to be made to the monitor’s location so that the data collected could be physically downloaded, a process that took up a significant amount of time.   Furthermore, a number of the visitor monitors currently in use were reaching the end of their expected lifespan and would need to be replaced in the near future.  It was suggested that a trial of the new satellite monitors could provide useful information as to the benefits of rolling satellite monitors out across the TBH area.  It was agreed that consideration would be given to the approval of funding for the installation of six new satellite monitors on the receipt of a fully costed report which included the costs of the standard monitors.

It was accepted that completing SANG visitor surveys in the summer would give a more accurate picture of their use; however it was acknowledged that this was dependent on having sufficient resources available to capture good quality data.

The Board was informed that the current providers of the bird monitoring surveys had indicated they would be withdrawing from the market sometime within the next five years and it was be necessary to go out to tender for a new provider.  It was considered an opportune time to revisit the current data collection model, which was reliant on volunteers who did not always survey consistently.  Consequently, whilst general year on year trends in bird numbers could be shown the data was insufficiently robust to enable a full statistical analysis to be carried out, something that was considered vital to demonstrating the success or otherwise of eth SAMM project.  A number of potential options for the future delivery of the bird surveys and a full analysis of these would be brought to the Board’s next meeting.

The SAMM Team’s primary focus continued to be education and engagement and the number of hours wardened and the number of interactions per hour had now returned to pre-Covid levels.  Regular events and pop up sessions were now taking place with team members participating in 33 pop up sessions and 49 events between November 2021 and May 2022.  Following reports of large numbers of out of control dogs at Sheets Heath near Brookwood staff had worked in partnership with the local police force to deliver a number of site visits to raise awareness of nesting birds and responsible dog ownership.  The education offer continued to be developed and approximately 220 schools within 5km of the SPA had been contacted directly and offered the opportunity to participate in free heathland themed activities including visits to the heathland. 

The Team would again be participating in Heath Week.  To date 27 heathland related activities had been scheduled to take place between 25^th and 31^st July 2022 and more were being added each week.

It was noted that although the Board had agreed, at its meeting in November 2020, that tariffs were to be increased annually in line with inflation there had been some confusion over these were being applied.  It was agreed that officers would be asked to confirm by email that this increase was being applied.

It was questioned whether there was a blueprint for the creation of an ideal SANG which set out requirements for factors including size, location, habitats, amenities and distance from SANG

RESOLVED that:

1. The contents of the report on SAMM project activity be noted.
2. An additional year round warden be employed.
3. A report detailing the implications of employing an additional interim Communications Officer be circulated by email for approval by 15 July 2022.
4. A report detailing the implications of the installation of six additional satellite visitor counters on a trial basis be circulated for approval by 15^th July 2022.
5. Officers to be asked to confirm that annual tariff increases in line with inflation were being applied.
6. A report setting out the options for future bird surveys to be brought to the Board’s next meeting.