Agenda item

To receive an update on the work of the Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Project.

Annexes

Annex A – 2018 Winter SANG Survey results

Annex B – Automated People Counter Data

Annex C – Car Park Data survey and maps

The Board received a report providing an update on the work taking place as part of the SAMM project.  The report summarised the projects activities and achievements since the Board’s meeting on 8^th March 2019 and included updates on staffing, warden activity, visitor surveys, educational work and monitoring activities.

Bird Surveys

Surveys of bird territories showed that whilst nightjar numbers had risen since 2017 (366 in 2018 compared to 351 in 2017) the numbers of Woodlarks and Dartford Warblers recorded both showed a decline with woodlark numbers falling from 164 in 2017 to 112 in 2018 and Dartford Warblers falling from 556 in 2017 to 265 in 2018.

It was thought that there were a number of contributory factors to the decline in Woodlark numbers including the quality and availability of appropriate habitat, availability of food, disturbance of nests and the cold weather in February and March coinciding with the start of the birds’ breeding season.  The decline in Woodlark numbers was reflected nationally and the National Rare Birds Breeding Panel had reinstated the species on its list of rare birds.

The fall in Dartford Warbler numbers was attributed to the cold weather at the start of the year when the birds were at their most vulnerable. 

The SAMM project team was keen to carry out comparison work with other areas to ascertain whether the bird populations had reached the natural limits that the habitats available could support and whether there were other factors that could help boost numbers however this would require additional resources.

Staffing

Following the departure of the project’s senior warden in April, the SAMM project team had been restructured to better reflect people’s workloads and responsibilities.

The restructure would also enable the employment of a Data Officer who would assume responsibility for data collection, monitoring and reporting; work which was currently being done on a piecemeal basis by external consultants. 

Engagement Activities

Work to engage with dog walkers through the Heathland Hounds project continued to be positive with dog owner starting to promote the use of different SANGS amongst themselves and to other walkers that they met.

A new SANGS booklet listing the location of all the SANGs available in the Thames Basin Heaths area and the amenities available at each.  The booklet continued to gather positive feedback with many residents making a deliberate to visit as many of the SANGs as they could. 

After the success of the inaugural Heath Week in 2018, Heath Week 2019 had taken place between 28^th July and 3^rd August.  Over the course of a week, twenty six events involving eighteen partners had taken place across Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey.  The events aimed at raising public awareness of the heathlands diversity had included a variety of natural history walks and talks, arts and crafts, dog behaviour sessions, wild fire awareness and opportunities to meet the cattle and learn about conservation grazing.

To ensure that the aims and objectives of the SAMM project were communicated as effectively as possible, Natural England’s Behavioural Insights Team would be carrying out a controlled trial to research the most effective language and means to effect behaviour change and spread the project’s key messages.  The information gathered during this trial would then be used to determine how future messages and communications work would be framed to ensure that they had the maximum impact possible.

The Board noted the report and commended the enthusiasm of the SAMM Team and everyone involved in delivering the project on the ground.

RESOLVED that:

          i.        The restructure of the wardening resource and the recruitment of a project data warden be approved.

         ii.        The SPA visitor survey be published.

        iii.        SAMM project activity be noted.

       iv.        The outcomes of the SANG survey report be noted.

         v.        The outcomes of the people counter and car park transect surveys be noted.