Arent Welsh Birds Brilliant

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Arent Welsh Birds Brilliant!

• Introducing AWBB a major new RSPB Cymru
  project
• Dr David Trotman

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. . .More specifically, AWBB is

• Conservation-led.
• In partnership. . .
• Communities, landowners, farmers and RSPB Cymru
  together. . .
• Making a difference. . .in the Objective One
  area.

House Sparrow
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Reserves habitats management
19 covering 20,000 hectares
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Chough recovery

• Widespread declines. . .
• 75 of population. . .
• 19 Key Areas
• Habitat management, monitoring and advisory.

Chough
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Black Grouse recovery

• Population decline. . .
• Extinct by 2015!
• Recovery work. . . good relationship. . .
  species ecology and habitat needs and a project
  officer. . .

Black Grouse
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Volunteer Farmer Alliance (VFA)

• VFA strengthen links
• Free survey
• Map advisory pack
• Positive action

• Working together for farmland birds

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Farmland bird declines

• Anglocentric. . .arable systems of SE England
• Welsh farmland is very different e.g. Curlew
• Welsh farmland birds birds of the farmed
  landscape
• Declines of between 50 and 95 in Wales!

Curlew
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Lapwing

• Distribution
• 1,700 pairs from 7,500 pairs in 1987.
• Conservation
• 3-year recovery project.
• AWBB priority.

Lapwing
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Grey Partridge

• Distribution
• Declined since 1968-72 now 200-500 pairs
• Conservation
• Agriculture loss of hedgerows. . . and insect
  food. . .

Grey Partridge
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Yellowhammer

• Distribution
• 30 decline
• Conservation
• Small dispersal distances so. . .nest sites
  insect food and seeds/grain all year. . .

Yellowhammer
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Tree Sparrow

• Distribution
• Disappeared. . . 90UK-wide!
• Conservation
• Nest sites and food close together. . .
• Needs. . .nest holes in mature trees / nest
  boxes. . .

Tree Sparrow
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Bullfinch

• Distribution
• 30 decline. . .
• Conservation
• More research on Welsh declines and requirements
  . . .

Bullfinch
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In Partnership. . .
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. . .with leading organisations

• Total funds of 2.1m
• 1.1m - Wales European Funding Office (under the
  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
  Fund)
• 300,000 - Forestry Commission Wales (FCW)
• 106,000 - Countryside Council for Wales (CCW)
• 100,000 - Enfys Green Spaces Sustainable
  Communities (Wales Council for Voluntary
  Action/New Opportunities Fund) and
• 500,000 - RSPB Cymru. . .

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Objective One 7 key AWBB areas
50km (30-mile) diameter sphere, centred on

• Anglesey
• Ruthin (Denbighshire)
• Lleyn Peninsula
• Mawddach (Dolgellau)
• Ynys Hir (Aberystwyth)
• Fishguard (Pembrokeshire)
• Swansea/Gower.

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AWBB - works at 3 levels

• 1. National - Mobile Sensory Unit
• (Awareness Profile with Lifelong Learning)
• 2. Regional Showing tourists visitors birds
• (Awareness Knowledge Profile with Lifelong
  Learning Conservation)
• 3. Local - conservation and communities
• (Understanding, Skills Action Conservation
  Lifelong Learning)

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Arent Welsh Birds Brilliant - Staffing Structure
Steering Group RSPB/FCW/CCW
Conservation Officer/ Project Champion Reg Thorpe
Head of Profile Team Sian Howell
Head of Lifelong Learning Claire Fowler
Project Manager Stephen Bladwell
Project Administrator Ian Spindley
Community Links Coordinator Gili Armson
Farmland Birds Advisory Officer Dave Lamacraft
Snr Showing People Birds Officer - Rebecca Clews
Community Project Officers
Showing People Birds Officer Cathie Hasler
Volunteer Farmer Alliance Project Debbie Scott
Anglesey Gwen Thomas
Lleyn
Showing People Birds Officer Lesley Cowhig
Chough Officer Adrienne Stratford
Dolgellau Jan Baylis
Aberystwyth - Lesley Cowhig
Black Grouse Officer Patrick Lindley
Mobile Sensory Unit TBC (2004)
Ruthin Liz Scott
Field Officer Chris Mellenchip
Swansea Richard Facey
Administration support for all of above
Pembrokeshire Angela Hair
Contract Workers
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Specific targets
Over 3 years, AWBB will produce

• 500 local conservation projects (e.g. Bird Aid)
• 110 land management projects (e.g. Chough)
• 4,340 hectares of habitat in favourable
  condition
• 30km of new/restored boundary feature (hedges)
• 3.5km of new access (e.g. footpaths)
• 300,000 people who have seen birds regionally
• 21,000 people who have met the RSPB locally
• Around 1,000 people recruited as volunteers

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Application Process

• 2002
• June RSPB Team meets (mtg/1month)
• July Meet Partners FCW, CCW, Enfys (mtg ½
  month)
• Aug Proformas FCCMP (Response)
• Sept Resubmit FFCMP (Passed)
• Sept Applications FCW, CCW, Enfys
• Oct/Nov Proforma To Local Authorities
• Dec Full Application WEFO
• 2003
• Jan/Feb/March Dialogue WEFO
• Partner
  Applications Succeed
• April WEFO Application Accepted
• May Submission RASP
• June RASP Recommend WEFO Grant Award

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Desired achievements

• Knowledge levels raised
• Local events established
• Community action groups developed
• Local projects to benefit conservation
• Stronger local regional partnerships developed
• Bird populations enhanced
• Jobs created/sustained

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KEY POINTS

• Constant Communication All Groups, Levels
• Dialogue. In Person/Involvement. Language
• Meeting Aims Pressing Buttons WEFO Targets
• EAGGF P5, M7
• Ha habitat management
• Km boundaries, accers
• Jobs creating, sustaining
• Sustainability Farms, Tourism, Local
• Cross cutting IT, Eq Ops, Soc Inc
• Exit Strategy

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AWBBTHANK YOUDIOLCH YN FAWR