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SANCTUARY Around the regions Surrey Ash Ranges found growing inconspicuously in a ditch. It has since been confirmed as the rare subspecies P. rotundifolia subsp. rotundifolia by Dr Fred Rumsey of the Natural History Museum. This is the third record of the species in Surrey and the first ever record of this subspecies. How it got to Ash Ranges is a mystery, but its tiny dust-like seeds can be blown a long way. Heather in flower on Ash Ranges © James Adler One of the most heavily used live firing areas in the Defence Training Estate South East; Ash Ranges is an area of 1,437ha in Northwest Surrey. A complex of ranges fire into a 978ha Range Danger Area (RDA). The surrounding area is utilised for infantry tactical training and doubles as a buffer zone between the RDA and residential areas. Owned and safeguarded by the MOD for 150 years, Ash Ranges is the largest lowland heathland area in Surrey, and is recognised as being of international nature conservation importance. The site is protected as a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation. Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) took on the conservation management in 2007. A Higher Level Stewardship agreement has allowed SWT to carry out largescale conservation works. This has including the introduction of cattle grazing to the RDA. The site holds important populations of the internationally protected bird species; nightjar, woodlark and dartford warbler; all six native UK reptiles and a host of rare invertebrates including the heath tiger beetle and silver-studded blue butterfly. Amongst the rare plants on site are slender cotton grass (in its only UK location outside the New Forest), marsh clubmoss and white beak-sedge. In 2014 a small colony of round-leaved wintergreen Pyrola rotundifolia was Round-leaved wintergreen © Linda Pitkin Coral necklace Illecebrum verticillatum was found on the edges of a muddy pool in 2015. This tiny plant is even rarer than Pyrola and has not been recorded in Surrey since 1932. With its nearest stronghold in the New Forest, coral necklace has been slowly expanding its range in recent years, including on MOD land where it is thought to be spread by vehicles. The only member of its family, the aptly-named plant is small and ground-hugging with ropes of tiny, delicate, tooth-shaped white flowers. Jo Saunders Grazing Officer Surrey Wildlife Trust 82 SANCTUARY 45 2016
Wiltshire Imber Conservation Group Penny Lee has organised plant walks along with various projects including growing and planting hundreds of cowslip plugs to help encourage the population of duke of burgundy Hamearis lucina butterfly. ICG scrub management team, led by Andy Palmer, continue to support DIO, Natural England and the Wiltshire Butterfly Conservation by clearing low level scrub on ecological hot-spots, often with a species focus. The duke of burgundy Hamearis lucina has benefitted from the planting of cowslip plugs © Marc Arbuckle Imber Conservation Group’s (ICG) ability to collect awards continues. This year Neil Skelton, Custodian of St Giles’ Church Imber, was recognised for his services to the preservation and conservation of this Grade I listed building, he was presented with the British Empire Medal by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire after a short service at Imber Church. It was a joyous occasion and a fitting reward for the effort he’s put into the restoration of the church. Since the last article, the previous ICG chairman Mike Jelf has retired after a long and very successful period. He is still involved with the conservation group and very much involved with organising fund raising events such as the Army Benevolent Fund historical and natural history tour which raised £1,000 for this deserving charity. Other events arranged by the ICG were the Butterfly Conservation Trust (Wiltshire Branch) field outing, an entomological day with guests from the Natural History Museum and other taxa experts hoping for a chance to spot the rare shrill carder bumblebee. Unfortunately, this along with the three moth nights were hampered by inclement weather but we still managed to record interesting species such as the dusky cockroach (one of the three endemic rare species in the UK), a long-winged conehead grasshopper, the scarce fungus weevil and a western beefly. Andrew Bray organised a successful bioblitz earlier in the summer and his monthly walks looking at flora and fauna continue to be popular. In addition there is now a monthly BeeWalk led by Jenny Elvin and supported by Marc Arbuckle, that surveys a small area for bees across from the Water Tower near Tilshead. Species found include red-tailed mason bee Osmia bicolor and the spined mason bee Osmia spinulosa. Neil Skelton is presented with his BEM © Mike Jelf The ornithological group also supports the RSPB’s stone curlew project and hen harrier monitoring, while the task of the Raptor and Owl Group never ceases; all of which is recognised as being of national importance. Records continue to be submitted to the BTO, Butterfly Conservation, Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Recording Centre, county recorders and of course DIO. To see the Training Area in June and July is a delight. It’s a riot of colour with many butterflies, day-flying moths and other insects enjoying the bounty on offer. Andrew Bray Chairman Imber Conservation Group SANCTUARY 45 2016 83
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THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE SUSTAINABIL
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Contents Sanctuary Awards 2 The San
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INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER
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SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT AWARD WINNER
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT AWARD WINNER
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also the best in the UK and possibl
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An archer’s wristguard and shaft
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of which is devolved across four UK
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the Commitments on the ground, give
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place. In addition, the scheme shou
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deer and aurochs (wild cattle). The
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One of the ephemeral pools supporti
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MOD and Ulster Wildlife A partnersh
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Forget it! This plant is a curse th
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Castlemartin choughs are in a safe
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The new ‘state of the art’ head
Page 33 and 34: In 2001, the Royal Navy requested t
Page 35 and 36: within the population, indicating n
Page 37 and 38: though still not insignificant part
Page 39 and 40: the Plain that was taking place as
Page 41 and 42: A goshawk nest with four healthy ch
Page 43 and 44: grave goods (including 24 amber and
Page 45 and 46: The bus now displays the artwork an
Page 47 and 48: Armoured Support for Grassland Mana
Page 49 and 50: to have no impact on predation, a f
Page 51 and 52: Releasing red squirrels in the Ball
Page 53 and 54: Impatiens glandulifera from the riv
Page 55 and 56: Abseiling into the mouth of Ogof Go
Page 57 and 58: The original sandbag revetment of t
Page 59 and 60: Whittington Ranges reinstated after
Page 61 and 62: MOD is experienced with managing Ha
Page 63 and 64: MOD hitting favourable targets on S
Page 65 and 66: Merville Barracks Energy Consortium
Page 67 and 68: A whinchat nest © Andrew Bray popu
Page 69 and 70: Secondments Developing staff and wo
Page 71 and 72: Ascension Island study area and loc
Page 73 and 74: System (SUDs) ponds have both pollu
Page 75 and 76: Delivering social value across the
Page 77 and 78: Around the regions with the conserv
Page 79 and 80: Date Description of event 10 April
Page 81 and 82: Merseyside Altcar Training Camp Sef
Page 83: Lancashire Holcombe Moor Training A
Page 87 and 88: Kent and East Sussex DIO SD Trainin
Page 89 and 90: West Sussex Thorney Island Each yea
Page 91 and 92: Derrick Johnson, of the Essex Bee K
Page 93 and 94: North Yorkshire Catterick Training
Page 95 and 96: Anglesey, Wales RAF Valley the proc
Page 97 and 98: Northern Ireland Ballykinler and Ma
Page 99 and 100: Pembrokeshire Castlemartin Range a
Page 101 and 102: 2017 Sanctuary Awards Nomination Pr
Page 103: Contacts SUBMISSIONS If you would l
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SUSTAINABILITY

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