SUSTAINABILITY

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AROUND THE REGIONS 7 Essex DIO SD Training East EWT staff and volunteers © EWT Friday Woods Three years ago, Friday Woods North Local Wildlife Site was a dense tangle of mature cherry laurel Prunus laurocerasus. Very little light made it through the evergreen canopy which suppressed ground flora and prevented natural regeneration of native trees. Essex Wildlife Trust (EW T ) has now been working in par tnership with the Defence Infrastruc ture Organisation for three years to clear areas of this invasive shrub from the ancient woodland. EW T staff and volunteers combined, last winter, with volunteers from the University of Essex Student Union V Team to cut and burn even more laurel than in previous years. Now in early summer the positive effects of this work can really be seen with some regeneration of native ground flora in the areas cleared. Unfortunately, more prolific is the regeneration of the cherry laurel on any untreated stumps and from the seed bank in the ground. This clearly demonstrates the need for follow-up herbicide treatment of the cut stumps and the carpet of seedlings. Hopefully, a supply of herbicide will be secured and treatment can commence. Fingringhoe Ranges Thanks to the new grazier on the marsh land who is using cattle and a new breed of sheep, called ‘Easy Care’, and the scrub management by Landmarc, has ensured that the borrowdykes remain clear and unshaded. A recent survey has shown that important aquatic invertebrates, such as the scarce emerald damselfly still flourish within the brackish waters. John More Local Wildlife Sites Offcer Essex Wildlife Trust Friday Woods North - before with ground flora shaded out by cherry laurel © EW T Friday Woods North - after removal of cherry laurel, restoring the natural light © EW T Scarce emerald damselfly on Fingringhoe marsh © Crown 80 Sanctuary 44 • 2015
AROUND THE REGIONS 8 Essex MDP Wethersfield Essex Bird Watching Society work party at Wethersfield © Ros Gourgey ‘Surveillance drones’ patrol at Wethersfield! ‘Tree bees’ Bombus hypnorum, a new species of bumblebee to the UK, unexpectedly chose some blue tit boxes as desirable residences around our HQ site. Once they take over a nest box, the female worker bees forage for pollen, while the male bees, or drones, hover around the nest keeping guard, justifying their name ‘surveillance drones’! Turtle Dove project update Wethersfield is a participating site in an exciting RSPB and Essex Birdwatching Society (EBwS) project to encourage, the nationally declining, turtle doves Streptopelia tur tur. Volunteer work parties, led by Sam Lee (RSPB) and Gerry Johnson (EBwS), worked hard to remove rank vegetation and rake shingle, before sowing a special arable seed mix including fumitory Fumaria offcinalis, now scarce in a region of intensive arable monoculture. Germination in spring 2015 was not great, but we see this as a long-term project. Let us hope the turtle doves appreciate our efforts and we hear their gentle purring in future. Our great crested newts benefit all wildlife A Defence Infrastructure Organisation project to remove a redundant underground fuel facility has benefitted wildlife. Surveys showed great crested newts were present so the new pond, part of the action plan approved by Natural England, had to be constructed before work could begin and is now a welcome drinking facility for all our wildlife in this very dry part of England. Dr Ken Adams, BSBI botanical recorder for Essex, discovered two colonies of Adder’s-tongue ferns Ophioglossum vulgatum which we protected during construction. Unfortunately replanting the pond was omitted from the project, but we have had welcome donations of native aquatic plants from friends and colleagues. Dragonflies and damselflies were soon spotted patrolling the new pond. Breeding bird survey Our breeding bird sur vey resumed in 2015, with our volunteer BTO licensed ringer, Ken Venus and trainee, Josh Staf ford, with over 190 0 birds ringed. 2015 sightings star ted well in early March with f lock s of approximately 10 00 migrant golden plover Pluvalis apricaria, on their way nor th. Swif ts, Apus apus, finally returned to nest in boxes erec ted on the gym five years ago. EBwS have donated t wo splendid owl boxes. Currently the barn owl is roosting alongside the box; not quite what we planned, but nature is always unpredic table. Grassland maintenance Areas of long grass, with mown paths to allow our police, army staf f and site residents to wander among the beautiful grasses, has been one of our goals but proved surprisingly controversial. Concerns about allergies, snakes and rubbish meant that the original designated area had to be mown. However, we found an alternative and it was gratif ying to see families enjoying the but ter f lies and orchids, and youngsters skipping along the cur v y paths. Thank s to ISS staf f, Mar tin and Tony, who helped us achieve this manageable landscape, which allows nature and site residents to co -exist. Finally, thank you to David King, who retires this year as Head of Establishment for his commitment and support to our conservation work, especially our Diamond Jubilee Wood. Ros Gourgey Sustainability Adviser MDP HQ Wethersfield Sanctuary 44 • 2015 81
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THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE SUSTAINABIL
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CONTENTS Foreword - his royal highn
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THE SANCTUARY AWARDS The Sanctuary
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THE SANCTUARY AWARDS INDIvIDUAL AcH
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THE SANCTUARY AWARDS eNerGy PrOjecT
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FEATURES Having a sustainable MOD e
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FEATURES SuStainable MOD tiMeline 1
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FEATURES linked to the militar y us
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FEATURES New sustainable wind power
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FEATURES A majestic black grouse ©
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FEATURES award for carrying out an
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FEATURES Bog mosses find a new home
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FEATURES DIO EOC magnetometer array
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FEATURES if ammunition gets into th
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FEATURES clustered at the edges. So
Page 31 and 32: FEATURES bumblebee team was able to
Page 33 and 34: FEATURES RAF Benson Allotments By p
Page 35 and 36: FEATURES use of all indiscriminate
Page 37 and 38: FEATURES Preservation strategies in
Page 39 and 40: FEATURES The ‘never a dull moment
Page 41 and 42: Tanks for the memories, removing re
Page 43 and 44: FEATURES Animal carvings from Torrs
Page 45 and 46: FEATURES Plant Detachment under Ran
Page 47 and 48: FEATURES Enhancing biodiversity to
Page 49 and 50: FEATURES A hen harrier chick, Holly
Page 51 and 52: FEATURES permanent exhibition by th
Page 53 and 54: FEATURES As the role of the car inc
Page 55 and 56: FEATURES MOD saves with the new TRI
Page 57 and 58: FEATURES colonised a new plot on pa
Page 59 and 60: FEATURES Lendlease worked with arch
Page 61 and 62: FEATURES 50 Years of the Royal Air
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Page 65 and 66: FEATURES Three years after Sir Pete
Page 67 and 68: FEATURES Fighting food waste at Min
Page 69 and 70: FEATURES by almost 10% and contribu
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Page 85 and 86: AROUND THE REGIONS Hampshire Instit
Page 87 and 88: AROUND THE REGIONS Kent and East Su
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Page 91 and 92: AROUND THE REGIONS 16 Northamptonsh
Page 93 and 94: AROUND THE REGIONS Wiltshire Boscom
Page 95 and 96: AROUND THE REGIONS Wiltshire MOD Co
Page 97 and 98: AROUND THE REGIONS 22 North Yorkshi
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Page 103 and 104: CONTACTS SubmiSSiONS If you would l
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SUSTAINABILITY

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