The group is now in its third year and still going strong!
Conserving the Wood White butterfly in the South Shropshire Woods
Butterfly Conservation has recently been successful in a bid to SITA Trust for £93K to undertake a project on the Wood White butterfly in South Shropshire. This application was submitted as part of the match funding requirement for the Midlands Fritillary Project which is currently ongoing and funded by Countdown 2010 and the Tubney Charitable Trust.
The aim of this project is to maintain and increase populations of the Wood White, a UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Species, through a programme of conservation management in a network of six ecologically-linked, lowland, mixed woodland sites in South Shropshire, a nationally important area for this butterfly. For more details please check the article in the latest BAP Newsletter HERE.
New Midlands Fritillary Project
Butterfly Conservation started a new project called the ‘Midlands Fritillary Project’ in the West Midlands Region earlier this year thanks to funding from Countdown 2010 and the Tubney Charitable Trust. The project aims to direct effort on practical conservation measures to improve habitat for five fritillary species on 168 individual sites in nine areas of the West Midlands region and the Forest of Dean over the next 3 years. In addition to the focus on the High Brown Fritillary, Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, the work will benefit a further 11 UK BAP Priority Species of butterfly and moth, and two other fritillaries, the Dark Green Fritillary and Silver-washed Fritillary.
For more details click HERE
Events in 2007 & 2008
Four events were held during the autumn 2007 with another 3 taking place before the end of March 2008. We recently held a very successful work day at a Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary site in the Stiperstones area. As the work involved cutting and dragging gorse (uphill!) so we were very pleased to see a tractor (see below) arrive on site for the last few loads. However, the effect of the work was clear to see with additional habitat for this butterfly immediately created.
The welcome relief of the tractor Marsh violets now in sun
Photos by Jenny Joy
Haycop work day
We also joined Adrian Miles for a work day at the Haycop in Broseley in November. The Hay Cop used to be a good site for Dingy Skipper and Common Blue but it is has been deteriorating since cattle grazing ceased and the bramble took over. As Adrian appears to have now motivated most of Broseley to become involved in the restoration of this site in one way or another, the Shropshire Group were only too pleased to contribute by holding a work party there. It also gave Stephen Lewis a chance to practice his brush cutting skills somewhere other than Prees Heath!
The bramble and trees start to disappear Stephen enjoying the challenge
Photos by Jenny Joy
The Shropshire Butterfly Group has also recently held two indoor meetings. The annual group meeting was again held at the Preston Montford Field Centre and a very successful event with a Telford sub-group meeting being held at the Green Wood Centre in Coalbrookdale.
White-letter Hairstreak training day
In early January 2008 Rob Thorne led a field trip to show us how to find White-letter Hairstreak eggs. Much to my amazement we were successful in every location searched and I think we all went away determined to have a go in our local area.
Can you see White-letter hairstreak eggs? Volunteers learning how to search
Thanks to all Shropshire Butterfly Group members have started to make the Shropshire Butterfly Group work by carrying out targeted survey work and attending events. Thanks also to the Field Studies Council for allowing use to have use of their room for our annual meeting.