Targetting Species
Why are we targetting species?
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Why are we targetting species?
In the autumn of 2000, Butterfly Conservation launched the Thames Region REGIONAL ACTION PLAN (compiled by Dr. S.A. Clarke with assistance from Dr. N. Bourn).
The Thames Region covers Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire
The Regional Action Plan (RAP) sets out the main conservation priorities for all butterflies and High Priority moths in the Thames Region
In January 2001, the Branch Committee formed a Conservation Committee
The Conservation Committee would initially address three issues
-
Rare Species - to identify butterfly
species whose status in Hertfordshire or Middlesex is either
uncertain or declining. The Herts Moth Group is targetting
specific High Priority moths
-
Reserves - to discuss issues relating to
our reserve at Millhoppers and any considerations should the
Branch acquire another reserve
-
County-wide Group - to look at wider
conservation issues across Hertfordshire and Middlesex
The main committee would continue to deal with the actual running of the branch and would remain responsible for approving any major expenditure relating to conservation.
Regional Action Plan Priority Species
by Andrew Wood
At the Conservation Committee meeting in September 2001, the Conservation Committee agreed to build on the success of the branch surveys of Grizzled Skipper (led by C. Shepperson) and Purple Emperor (led by Liz Goodyear and Andrew Middleton). To do this a number of other species were identified, whose status in Hertfordshire or Middlesex is either uncertain or declining.
Some of the species have long been restricted or rare in our area, others are known to be in decline.
Each species will have a co-ordinator who will be responsible for collecting data and advising willing volunteers of what to look for (we need to consider eggs, larvae, pupae and habitats) as well as adults. They will also try to ensure that all likely sites are visited at appropriate times to try to draw up a good picture of the status of these butterflies in our area. We hope that the data collected will help us to understand the reasons for the status of these insects and if good sites are found enable us to open dialogue with land owners to try to ensure that areas are conserved or developed to help the butterflies found there.
The existing surveys mentioned above have uncovered new sites and raised the profile of these butterflies and we hope that the same can happen for the new list of species. To help recorders we will be issuing an information sheet with co-ordinators names and notes on each species, its habitats and known sites
So we
are asking all members and observers to continue to particularly
look out for the following speciesTarget Species
