August - Village Voices

Contributed
The next stage was long, detailed and essential – the preparation by Gwyn of a Biodiversity
Action Plan (BAP.) As he says: Many wildlife species, or their habitats, are endangered and
need help. Threatened wildlife are called BAP species, and if you have them on your land,
you must take steps to pr otect and conserve them. The native black poplar tr ee is a BAP
species, and so is our barn owl that we often see hunting across the prison at dusk, and also
the lizards that live here. Pat and Gwyn have identified about 80 acres of land at Hollesley
Bay that could be managed for wildlife, and are sufficiently advanced to possibly attract
BAP species not present at the moment. This includes a wide range of wildlife that is more
common. We have written the plan, and we will now make it happen , says Gwyn.
There is lots of grassland at the prison, but only a portion will be turned over to nature. We
chat in the middle of a meadow, and as a cold breeze off the sea slices through us, sudden
shouts and a blast on the ref’s whistle signal a cracking goal in a nearby soccer match. It’s
Prison v Army, and I hope we are winning.
There are going to be thr ee wildlife ponds in this meadow , Pat says. At the moment, the
three ponds are just outlines in yellow paint in the grass meadow. Eventually, they will teem
with aquatic life, which may include the common toad, great crested newt and grass snake.
All three are BAP species. Nearby, the turf has been stripped to reveal the sandy subsoil,
where poppies and other native wild flowers will be encouraged to grow in this new habitat
created especially for the purpose. Hundreds of native tree saplings have recently been
planted at one end of the meadow. Decades from now, they will form woodland – one of
the most important wildlife habitats that exists.
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Water is vital to wildlife:shallow ponds teem with life.
August 2011 page 5