Marsh Fritillary in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland improving understanding of the species, its needs and best practice survey approaches

Transcription

1 Marsh Fritillary in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland improving understanding of the species, its needs and best practice survey approaches Will Woodrow MCIEEM Clive Mellon MCIEEM

2 Main areas to be covered Status and Ecology Overview of Recent Work Best Practice Approaches What kind of survey? Finding webs Avoiding impact Protection, Legislation and recent findings in RoI Protection, Legislation, Licensing and recent findings in NI The future

3 Status and Ecology Only insect on EU Habitats Directive Annex II in RoI and NI Exists within, but largely outside, protected area network Foodplant devil s bit scabious Core flight season June Larval webs August to Oct Hibernation webs and dispersal of larvae Autumn to Spring Pupation late Spring (April) Population surveys best linked to larval webs Exist within metapopulations Dean Morley

4 Recent Work Population surveys and monitoring webs Rapid assessment at landscape level Habitat condition assessment Structured approach to national surveys in RoI and NI Records from Butterfly Monitoring Scheme Casual records / independent surveys

5 Best Practice Approaches What kind of survey? Finding a web Avoiding impact

6 What kind of survey? Population survey / monitoring Presence / absence Habitat condition assessment Rapid assessment Combines May Detailed Random be a site samples more habitat survey, focused within suitability requires: version a site, of assessment full recording: site Complete survey and coverage initial larval of entire web survey Survey area Density of of suitable of most DBS likely habitat features Zig within Slow, Sward zag cordon height DBS of area habitat style approach Not to Assessment Structured web necessarily survey vegetation densest areas of of habitat suitability DBS and Habitat Management mapping survey issues Experience important Some searches for webs in most Samples likely When at areas considering absence, consider web metapopulations locations: Requires As above, experienced plus surveyors Association with features

7 Finding webs Not as easy as you may think. Depends on: Timing within larval web season Weather Nature of habitat and vegetation Often associated with features: Banks / slopes Tussocks and hummocks

8 Avoiding impact Be aware and enter suitable habitat with care Survey slowly Think about where webs may be Don t pull webs apart in order to confirm whether it holds caterpillars! If you find a web, consider others may be nearby

9 Status in RoI Protected under Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive Qualifying interest on 14 SACs Exists on more Mainly in the wider countryside Article 17 report 2013: Overall assessment of conservation status - Inadequate Overall trend in conservation status - Declining

10 Recent findings in RoI Surveys : Results West of Ireland 2011 N and W Ireland 2012 S and E Ireland 2012 Burren 2012 Monaghan, Louth and Meath 2013 Cavan and Leitrim 2013 More information on distribution, and ecological requirements Road testing and amendments to habitat condition assessment Better understanding on what is needed for the future of the species

11 The position in Northern Ireland Protection Licensing Survey types and methodologies

12 Legislation and licensing in NI Protected under Wildlife (NI) Order 1985 (as amended) NIEA licence required Larval web surveys only Evidence of relevant field experience Report required

13 Development management NIEA Specific Requirements Habitat surveys Larval webs mapping scabious recording adults all suitable habitat late Aug/Sept

14 Site protection and management ASSIs and SACs Large-scale surveys wider countryside designated sites

15 Wider countryside survey 2012 Desk study Rapid field assessments 41 sites for systematic survey Zig-zag and core polygons Habitat assessment Other species (by-catch) 15 confirmed sites

16 ASSI Survey 2013/14 Same methodology but also adult searches 21 sites 1150ha Webs founds in 6 ASSIs

17 Adding value to surveys Other species Abia sericea Abia candens Narrow-bordered bee hawkmoth Picomerus bidens Galeruca tanaceti Lebia cruxminor Others

18 The future What we need to achieve Build on work to better understand the species Full understanding of population and distribution Protect existing colonies Protect wider network of suitable habitat What we need to do Studies Ecology of the species on sites and how to manage for them Vegetation structure Site management (incl. link to agricultural considerations) Ecology of metapopulations Limitations on re-colonisation (distance, influence of weather?) Action Designated feature status and management for the species within designated areas System to protect and enhance suitable areas in the wider countryside in a strategic way

19 Acknowledgements NPWS Brian Nelson NMNI Damian McFerran NPWS Regional staff NIEA staff Kyle Hunter Georgina Thurgate The survey teams RoI Dave Allen Maurice Hughes David McNicholas Lea Linke NI Dave Allen Maurice Hughes David McNicholas Anja Rosler Anna Hart Giles Knight

20 Questions?