A bird table is a great way to provide supplementary food sources to local bird species, especially during harsh winter months, and offers a delightful window into the lives of our local birdlife. This added food source can have significant positive impacts on the overall health, condition, and breeding success of bird populations in the UK, but with this support comes the responsibility of ensuring a clean and healthy feeding environment. Feeders can quickly become breeding grounds for harmful bacteria, encouraging the spread of diseases such as avian trichomoniasis and avian influenza, so it is important to understand how to keep them clean.
In this blog, we detail how to clean and maintain garden bird tables and feeders throughout the year, and highlight the importance of good hygiene for bird conservation in the UK.
Maintaining good bird table hygiene to mitigate the spread of disease is of growing importance. British birds are under significant pressure from habitat loss, land use change and increasing urbanisation across the country – and conditions like avian trichomoniasis, a contagious disease partly responsible for widespread declines of Greenfinches in the UK, can be easily spread through contaminated food dropped by infected birds. Proper bird table hygiene can not only mitigate the spread of disease, but can also minimise the attraction of pest species like mice and rats, which pose a risk to human health through the transmission of zoonotic diseases.
Disease prevention extends beyond simple cleaning – positioning bird tables away from perching or roosting areas minimizes contamination from falling debris or excess faeces, andprioritizing designs that attract smaller songbirds can also reduce the concentration of larger, messier species like pigeons. Replacing older tables, which typically have a lifespan of around five years, also ensures that damaged or difficult-to-clean surfaces don’t become persistent reservoirs for pathogens.
Daily maintenance is essential to prevent the accumulation of harmful bacteria and mould:
Dispose of any uneaten food on bird tables– seed mixes and mealworms in particular should be disposed of after 24 hours
Check over the suet balls or birdseed in your feeder to ensure that it is safe to eat
Thoroughly sweep the table surface or wipe over the feeder pegs to remove debris, droppings and loose food
Monthly
A monthly deep-clean is important to prevent disease transmission in your garden, especially during wetter, colder months:
Disassemble any removable parts for a separate, more thorough cleaning
Scrub each part with a stiff brush and a solution of soapy water or diluted bleach to eliminate harmful bacterial or fungal growth, ensuring that any cracks and crevices are thoroughly cleaned
Rinse all components with clean water to remove any residual cleaning agents
Allow the parts to air dry completely in the sun before reassembling and refilling with food
End of season
At the end of the season, a comprehensive ‘full service’ of your bird table or feeder should be undertaken:
Thoroughly inspect the table or feeder for damages and repairs – whether this be splintered wood,cracks and splits,or loose screws. Repair or replace as needed
Consider repainting or treating table wood with a wildlife-friendly, non-toxic wood preservative or paint to safeguard against weathering and decay
Ensuring your bird feeder is in a good state of repair minimises the risk of injury by garden birds and ensures that the table can be easily cleaned to minimise any bacterial or fungal growth.
Well-maintained bird tables and feeders can directly impact the health and well-being of our local avian populations. By implementing a routine of daily, monthly, and end-of-season cleaning, you can minimise the risk of disease transmission and provide a safe feeding environment for local birds.
For further reading on how to care for local birds in your garden, click here.
Invasive ferret populations are now under control on Rathlin Island. A five-year, £4.5 million project was launched in 2021 to remove the species from Rathlin after conservationists raised concerns about their impact on resident ground-nesting bird populations, including puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars. The impact of ferrets includes predation on eggs and chicks, as well as adult birds, with one ferret having killed 27 adults in only a few days. The team behind this project deployed traps to capture the predators and have successfully controlled their numbers, whilst attempts to reduce brown rat populations have been ongoing since September last year.
Diminishing sea-grass beds in Thailand are driving Dugong population decline. The alarming increase in emaciated dugong deaths along Thailand’s Andaman coast prompted scientists to investigate the reasons behind their decreasing populations. Last year’s losses were more than double the annual average recorded between 2019 and 2022, and research has revealed that at least 40% of these deaths were likely due to starvation as a result of seagrass die-off; the species primary food-source. As a result of this, Dugongs need to venture into deeper waters to find food, where they can be killed by boat strikes and fishing bycatch. Marine Ecologist Petch Manopawitr stated that if mortality rates continue, Dugong are likely to be extinct in just a few years.
Butterfly Conservation have renewed the lease on a vital nature reserve on the South Downs. Magdalen Hill Down, owned by The Church of England, has been managed by Butterfly Conservation for three decades, during which they have transformed it from scrub and farmland into one of Hampshire’s richest chalk grasslands. It is now one of the top ten sites in the country for butterflies and is home to over 30 different species, including the Adonis Blue, Green Hairstreak and crimson Cinnabar. Official figures released last week revealed that 2024 was one of the worst years on record for UK butterfly populations, so it is as vital as ever to provide these habitats. The renewed agreement with the Church Commissioners collates two previous leases and allows Butterfly Conservation to continue its conservation work across the 46-hectare site.
Environment
Northern Ireland’s richest nature sites require urgent action. The Office for Environmental Protection has revealed that thelaws put in place to identify and manage protected sites in Northern Ireland is falling short. As a result, the condition of these priority conservation sites is deteriorating, with the number of sites in ‘favourable condition’ having declined from 61.7% in 2008 to just 51.5% in 2024. The report concluded that improving the protection and preservation of nature requires better implementation of existing laws for priority conservation sites, as the legal framework itself is not the primary issue.
A recent report by the British Ecological Society has evaluated the impacts of regenerative agriculture. The study determined that while regenerative practices can enhance soil health and biodiversity, these practices alone are unlikely to be sufficient. Instead, the research indicates that they are most effective when integrated within a comprehensive system that prioritizes minimizing soil disturbance and bare soil, increasing farm diversity, incorporating livestock, and utilising nature-based methods in place of synthetic inputs. Although the report’s authors emphasise that a whole-system approach yields the most significant benefits, they also encourage farmers to adopt even a few of these practices.
Over 125,000 wildflowers have been sown across Cumbria in two years thanks to Cumbria Wildlife Trust. With the help of thousands of volunteers, they have also restored 159 acres of grasslands, eight acres of hay meadows, and planted 16,000 plants in a variety of sites around Kendal and Milnthorpe. It is hoped that the restoration of these rich habitats will support a wealth of pollinating insects and increase the areas biodiversity.
Conservationists raise concerns about the proposed budget cuts for the Darwin Plus fund. The UK’s Overseas Territories are home to over 32,216 native species, which represents 90% of all British biodiversity, including the rare Wilkins’ Bunting and endangered St Helena Plover. Many of the conservation projects undertaken across these sites have only been possible due to the government’s Darwin Plus scheme, which commits £10 million annually to support a host of critical conservation projects in these territories. The UK government is set to decide on the future of this vital funding as part of their summer Spending Review, and leading UK charities are urgently highlighting that any cuts to Darwin Plus would have catastrophic effects on the future of the flora and fauna found in these unique habitats.
Over the last 6 months, NHBS has had the opportunity to work alongside Devon’s Living Churchyard Project by donating a number of bat and bird boxes to be installed in a range of churches across Devon to support local wildlife. This initiative aims to manage churchyards while also encouraging wildlife, biodiversity and promoting sustainable management practices.
We recently spoke with David Curry, former Voluntary Environmental Advisor at the Living Churchyard Project, about his role, the importance of preserving these habitats and more.
Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you first became interested in biodiversity, particularly within churchyards?
I began my career working as Keeper of Natural History at Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery, and later St. Albans museums in Hertfordshire. I am now retired, having worked mainly in local government for 50 years, where I first worked in heritage departments and planning.
My main role in planning was as an enabler – working with community groups in developing and managing wildlife sites – these ranged from changing derelict chalk stream cress beds into chalk wetlands, to planning and establishing community orchards ranging in size from 1ha to 72ha.
I’m an old-fashioned naturalist, today it’s called biodiversity.
In 1986 the Living Churchyard Project was set up by the Arthur Rank Centre to encourage the use of churchyards as a community environmental resource and to raise environmental awareness. I took an active interest in the project and began to visit and record churchyards in my area. I then lead the Devon Living Churchyards Project in a voluntary capacity for the Church of England’s Diocese of Exeter, while working in partnership with the national charity Caring for God’s Acre project.
18 leaves etc. Danson Park by Brian Toward, via flickr.
What does the role of a voluntary Environmental Advisor entail?
September 2023 saw the publication of the 4th State of Nature (SON) Report.
The report provides the most comprehensive overview ever of species trends across the UK, laying bare the stark fact that nature is still seriously declining across a country that is already one of the most nature-depleted in the world.
The data shows that since 1970, UK species have declined by about 19% on average, and nearly 1 in 6 species (16.1%) are now threatened with extinction. This is a timely reminder, if we needed it, that the nature crisis isn’t restricted to far-off places like the Amazon or Great Barrier Reef – it is right here, on our doorstep. We are losing familiar wildlife that we cherish including the Hazel Dormouse and Skylark.
SON goes beyond the bare statistics to assess the evidence behind these differences, it also identifies the actions that are needed to recover nature. To quote the report; “We have never had a better understanding of the State of Nature and what is needed to fix it.”
Exeter Diocese
The Diocese of Exeter is part of the Church of England and covers the whole of Devon. There are over 600 churches in the diocese, many of them rural, and there are over 2,000ha of glebelands (areas of land owned by the Church of England) which are used as a source of income through rents etc.
Opportunities
So, what are the issues that that needed to be addressed? And what are the opportunities to address them?
Evidence from the State of Nature report, and elsewhere, points to four big on-the-ground changes that we can take to accelerate nature recovery:
Improve the quality of our protected sites on land and at sea. These places have been chosen because they are special for nature, and wildlife should be thriving within them, yet too many are currently in poor condition.
Create more, bigger and messier places for wildlife. Our wildlife needs more space, and we know that many species can benefit from habitats that are quick to create such as ponds, scrubby habitats and un-trimmed hedgerows.
Reducing pollution on land (notably pesticides and excess fertilisers) and reducing the pressure on marine environments. This means more wildlife-friendly farming, forestry and fisheries.
Targeted species recovery action. This can be very effective when applied to a high proportion of a species’ population, and is also key to bringing back lost species.
Churchyards and their unique habitats provide a recipe for recovery in that they can be used to create more, bigger and messier places for wildlife. But also, the local communities must have the chance to be part of these changes. Establishing a Nature Recovery Network of ‘honeypot’ churches has been key. A pilot scheme working with the South Devon National Landscapes Life on the Edge project and Buglife has surveyed churches along the South Devon B Line from Wembury near Plymouth to Brixham (2023/2024). From the data collected, we will be able to provide churchyard management action plans to improve the biodiversity of each site, creating ‘honeypot’ churches.
In Conclusion
The picture of ongoing nature loss painted by the SON report is stark. This isn’t just sad – nature loss undermines our economy, food systems and health and wellbeing. So, we owe it to nature, and ourselves, to make sure that it is the last State of Nature report to chart continuing decline. Churchyards, in particular the Living Churchyards project, can make a positive contribution towards nature recovery in Devon and ensure that the next SON report can document the start of nature bouncing back.
“Nature’s recovery in Devon is not something we can achieve alone. It needs the support of individuals, communities, businesses and schools.” Devon Wildlife Trust
Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) by Peter O’Connor, via flickr.
Why do you think creating new habitats, and restoring old ones, is important for these spaces, and which species are you hoping to attract to the area with the installation of our habitat boxes?
Encouraging a diversity of species on a site is important. Installing the NHBS habitat boxes will provide both shelter and protection to various species such as bats, swifts, and bees.
Why do you think these vital areas of biodiversity are so often overlooked, and how do you think we can work to improve their future preservation?
Mention churchyards to anyone and they will usually shrug their shoulders.
A churchyard is many things to many people;
A pleasant, reflective place for the congregation and visitors
An environment in keeping with the function of burial and the scattering of cremated remains
A respected and cared for part of our environment
No one mentions its potential as a sanctuary for wildlife. That’s the problem. People will walk past a church cemetery without giving a thought to looking inside, after all it’s a cemetery containing graves and memorials for the dead.
Raising awareness about the wildlife in the churchyard or the peace and tranquillity takes priority. We need to make the entrance more welcoming with appropriate signage.
‘People protect what they love’ – Jacque Yves Cousteau. This quote encapsulates the basic human instinct that drives us to safeguard and preserve the things that hold a special place in our hearts. Whether it be our loved ones, our communities or nature. At its core, this quote highlights the importance of connectiveness. Our modern culture has disconnected us from nature, and as ambassadors for nature we need to reconnect people, encourage people to understand and love nature and to be motivated to protect it.
Nature can also trigger positive emotions, reduce stress, increase prosocial behaviour, and improve health and wellness.
Hart’s-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) by Peter O’Connor, via flickr.
What are the most interesting species that you’ve found in some of the churchyards you’ve visit?
Gosh, how long is a piece of string? Because churchyards have been oases in space and time, largely immune from activities beyond their walls, they have become sanctuaries for a wide range of species. Churchyards provide a mosaic of habitats, from meadowland to woodland edge, dense hedges, short and long grass cover and a variety of ‘cliff’ and rock habitats in the form of the church wall and gravestones. They can harbour a startling number (often many hundreds) of species and no doubt conceal rare and interesting creatures and plants. The range of rock types on headstones are of special value to lichens and other lowly plants, some of which may be very rare.
Old cob boundary walls maybe especially interesting, offering hole nesting species including many species of solitary bees with places to lay eggs. These in turn attract the inevitable parasites, some of which are often over-looked but impressively sci-fi in appearance. Part of the peregrine falcon ‘come back’ after they dwindled to near extinction was fuelled by the nest site opportunities of church buildings – they are now a regular site perched on bell towers. Likewise, the shocking decline of swifts is now being reversed thanks to the installation of nest boxes in bell towers.
Love Your Burial Ground Week, celebrated every June, is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of churchyards and celebrate their natural diversity. How can the local community get involved?
Saturday 7th June to Sunday the 15th June 2025.
Love Your Burial Ground Week is a celebratory week which has been running for many years. Caring for God’s Acre has been encouraging all who help to look after churchyards, chapel yards and cemeteries to celebrate these fantastic places in the lovely month of June – in any way you choose.
We’ve seen history talks, picnics, bat walks, storytelling, volunteering work parties and even abseiling teddy bears!
Churches Count on Nature 2025 runs at the same time as Love Your Burial Ground Week, and focuses on the brilliant wildlife to be found in churchyards and chapel yards. It is a joint initiative promoted by Caring for God’s Acre, the Church of England, the Church in Wales and A Rocha UK.
In the months leading up to June we shall be working with Caring for God’s Acre to encourage church communities throughout Devon to take part in this exciting event. There is a wealth of information on how you can open your churchyard to visitors provided by Caring for Gods Acre.
A new exclusion zone has been established along the Anglesey coastline to protect vulnerable wildlife. The RSPB have been granted permission to safeguard the area, which serves as vital breeding ground for Choughs, and key habitat for Peregrine Falcons, rare British plants and lichens. The exclusion zone will remain in place until 15th September to minimise harm from recreational activities in the area, such as coasteering.
Kentish Glory Moth (rotated) by Michael Taylor via Flickr
The UK is set to introduce a Natural History GCSE, one of the first new GCSEs in a decade. Confirmed by the Education Minister on the 21st of March, the curriculum will cover both local and global environment, from local wildlife and habitat to global climate challenges and sustainability. Intended to foster an understanding and protection of nature, the new GCSE will be delivered nationwide, with a revised criteria to provide fieldwork opportunities to young people. The government will consult on the curriculum this year, ensuring relevance for both urban and rural students.
Glass eels will no longer be exported to Russia from British estuaries after a UK government ban. Defra refused a request to send millions of glass eels to a restocking project in Kaliningrad, ending a trade that saw roughly three million eels exported last year. The species, red-listed and down 95% since the 1980s, was previously shipped via a conservation loophole from the UK. Conservationists argue these eels should instead be used to replenish depleted English and Welsh rivers.
Labour has announced plans to ban deep-peat burning in England, in order to protect vital habitats, reduce carbon emissions, and safeguard wildlife. These plans target the practice of burning vegetation, which is often utilised to create habitat suitable for grouse hunting. Labour’s plans seek to tighten the existing legislation introduced by the previous Conservative government, expanding protected areas by 146,000 hectares. UK peatland is estimated to store 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon alone – intentional burning of peatland vegetation releases stored carbon and can harm wildlife residing in this habitat.
Brazil’s ‘Poison Bill’ has loosened restrictions on agrochemicals that are hazardous to human health and the environment. A dramatic surge in pesticide use has been observed within the Amazon – specifically, the use of mancozeb has increased by a staggering 5,600%, and atrazine by 575% in just over a decade, despite their bans in the EU. Experts warn that these relaxed controls will severely impact the Amazon’s biodiversity, posing heightened risks to Indigenous peoples, riverside communities, and small farmers exposed to these harmful substances.
The Climate Change Committee establish its seventh Carbon Budget, the limits of which will be agreed to this year with the aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The latest budget allocated for 2038-2042 should be set at 535 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent – including domestic, aviation and shipping emissions – which the government hopes will save individual households £700 in energy bills due to increased energy security. This budget highlights that the government’s economic goals can be achieved whilst also taking action against climate change, benefitting the UK as a whole.
Last week, the UK Government introduced the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. The Bill aims to fast-track the planning and construction process, removing hurdles to boost economic growth and energy security while delivering environmental commitments. This significant change to the planning system encompasses a number of key measures, including the implementation of a Nature Restoration Fund, the abandonment of individual site level mitigation and assessment, and the introduction of Environmental Delivery Plans. The Bill has raised serious concerns for protected species and habitats in the absence of targeted, site-specific mitigation – read CIEEM’s response to the Bill here.
Environment
Government pledges to clean up Windermere, after a study reveals it has been contaminated with over 140 million litres of pollution. This commitment has been made after water supplier United Utilities admitted to illegally discharging millions of litres of raw sewage into the lake over three years. Environmental Secretary Steve Reed did not divulge how discharge into the lake would be prevented, however a feasibility study conducted by United Utilities concluded this will require over 42 miles of new pipework to take the sewage downstream, and a further 205 miles to connect private sewage facilities. This is likely to cost hundreds of millions of pounds, which will be paid through increased customer bills.
The Blue Marine Foundation is challenging the government’s fishing quotas in the High Court. There is concern that Defra overlooked scientific advice when setting catch limits after Brexit, which have resulted in concern over the sustainability of fish stocks, and notable decreases in commercial species such as Pollack. Blue Marine Foundation argues that unsustainable management by Defra is irresponsible, risking both fish stocks and the livelihoods of fishing communities – they have asked the court to declare the limits unlawful to inform better practices in the future.
Discoveries
A new study suggests that ancient frogs survived the largest mass extinction due to their varied feeding ecology. This study, conducted by the University of Bristol, has revealed that while purely terrestrial predators depended on dwindling land-based prey that couldn’t adapt to the fluctuating environmental changes, these early amphibians thrived. Their adaptability to freshwater habitats provided a stable food source, which enabled them to flourish in the early Triassic period.
The quantity of microplastic found in crops is significantly affecting their ability to photosynthesise. Marking the first attempt to understand the impact of microplastic on food production, this new assessment has revealed that between 4% and 14% of the world’s staple crops are being lost each year due to pervasive plastic particles. This report combined over 3,000 observations of the impact of microplastics on plants from 157 studies, and emphasised the profound effects of plastic pollution on global food security. Professor Denis Murphy praised the value and timely manner in reminding us of the dangers of these particles in our food supplies, but cautioned that the figures require further research.
In December, the Bat Conservation Trust published Bats and Large-Scale Housing Maintenance Projects, a guidance document focusing on how to take bats into account when managing extensive housing repairs and maintenance. Designed for property owners, ecologists, architects and Natural England, the document is the product of the combined efforts of a working group who reviewed evidence in nine large-scale case studies. BCT helda webinar to outline the content of this guidance on 27th February 2025.A recording of the webinar will be available to purchase soon – email training@bats.org.uk to register your interest in the recording when it is published, or visit learn.bats.org.uk .
Jan Collins has over 26 years of experience working and volunteering with bats. She has been the Head of Biodiversity at the Bat Conservation Trust for eleven years, following eleven years in ecological consultancy as a bat specialist. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Jan about the origins, production and implications of the recently published guidance.
Why did BCT decide to produce this guidance?
Evidence gathered from practitioners during the production of BCT’s Bat Survey Guidelines and CIEEM’s Bat Mitigation Guidelines highlighted that standard guidance documents for bat roost surveys and mitigation are not well-suited to large-scale housing maintenance projects where A) there is relatively limited potential for roosting bats, and B) where the principal focus is retention and repair, rather than demolition.
Additionally, our Wildlife Crime Project has assisted the police with several cases involving local authority maintenance carried out without due diligence for bats. At BCT, we are keen to see pragmatic solutions to protecting and conserving bats during property maintenance – and this guidance fits that bill!
Who was involved in the production of the guidance?
This guidance represents the combined efforts of a working group of practitioners from conservation, ecological consultancy, statutory nature conservation bodies and local authorities – their names are provided in the guidance document and their contribution is very highly valued by BCT. Each member of the group brought experience from a real-life, large-scale housing maintenance project in England, Scotland or Wales.
Image Credit: Unitura
If the working group discussed projects in Scotland and Wales, why is the guidance limited to England?
The original intention was for the guidance to be applicable across Britain and Ireland, however Natural England was the only Statutory Nature Conservation Body (SNCB) able to contribute to the working group and review the final product. Therefore, this first edition is applicable specifically to England, and only English case studies are used for illustrative purposes. The principles and approaches set out are likely to be transferable, with licensing as the main difference – but we hope that contributions will be made by NatureScot and Natural Resources Wales in the future.
Can you outline the types of projects that these guidelines apply to in more detail for our readers?
The guidance outlines a set of factors which make projects more suitable to be treated as a ‘large-scale housing maintenance project’. These are as follows:
Multiple properties of the same type, or a limited range of types, likely to have been constructed at the same time
Small groups of houses in terraces or blocks
Limited gardens attached to properties (or larger gardens but not maintained as green space)
Limited suitable bat habitat surrounding the estate; other adverse factors such as lighting
Small or cluttered roof voids (area, height and/or volume), or in such a condition or context that they are unlikely to support conditions for breeding by void-dwelling species
Majority of properties assessed as negligible or low suitability
The works concerned will allow reinstatement of roosting opportunities and, often, augmentation of these
Properties are under single ownership e.g. owned by local authority, housing association or other public body
It’s also worth saying that some higher suitability properties may be present, but these would require standard survey approaches outlined in the latest edition of BCT’s Bat Survey Guidelines.
Image Credit: Unitura
What else is covered in the guidance?
The guidance lays out some of the constraints when working on these types of projects – surveys are often constrained due to the vulnerability of residents or surveyors, or the practicality of gaining access for internal inspections. For this reason, pragmatic or creative approaches to surveys may be needed and some guidance on survey types/effort is offered. The key aims are to establish the roosting potential of properties and rule out the presence of maternity roosts.
Comment is also provided on appropriate licensing for this approach; the case studies presented were all licensed using Natural England’s Licensing Policy 4. Importantly, mitigation and compensation are covered, with an emphasis on ensuring bats are not harmed during works, any evidence of bats is recorded (see below) and access is retained for future roosting. Monitoring of outcomes is key to the approach and can allow methods to be adapted as a project progresses.
What are the two most important considerations when applying the guidance?
Early collaborative working between stakeholders is absolutely essential to establish what the project involves and what is likely to be appropriate regarding bat surveys and mitigation. Stakeholders include local authorities or other property owners, ecologists, Natural England and architects. This should be followed by close working with occupiers, contractors and other suppliers as the project progresses.
Monitoring is also essential to establish if the approach taken is suitable and how it can be iteratively adapted based on site-specific findings.
Image Credit: Patrick Palmen
BCT are hosting a webinar discussing the guidance in February. Can you tell us more about it?
The webinar ran on?27th February 2025. Speakers included myself (Jan Collins of BCT), Phil Bowater of Natural England and Daniel Best of Cura Terrae: Land and Nature Division (formerly Ecus Ltd.). Phil and Daniel both worked on the Sheffield case study that is presented in the guidance and between us we were able to answer questions from the attendees.
Senior wildlife equipment specialist, Johnny, attended the guidance webinar. Here’s what he had to say about the session –
‘On behalf of NHBS, I attended the Bats and Large-scale Housing Maintenance Projects Guidance webinar last month. The session was insightful, well-structured and demonstrated the impressive extent of work and collaboration that has gone into the new guidance. To remain at the forefront of conservation, it is important that we attend a wide range of webinars to expand our knowledge and maintain our expertise, and this recent webinar allowed me to significantly improve my understanding of the challenges involved in ensuring positive outcomes for protected species in large-scale housing maintenance projects.’
A recording of the presentations will be available on BCT’s e-learning platform soon. Email training@bats.org.uk to register your interest or visit learn.bats.org.uk to find out more.
Any final words?
I would like to say thank you to the working group – it was a pleasure working with you all, and you brought so much valuable experience to the table. Thanks also to BCT for supporting the production of the guidance.
Finally, thank you to the sponsors of the guidance, including NHBS, Cura Terrae, I & G Ecology, Amey, Ecolybrium, DCS Ecology, Pell Frischmann, Southampton City Council and Gateshead Council.
UK scientists have discovered a biological mechanism making plant roots more attractive to soil microbes. Through enhanced endosymbiosis, crops such as wheat and legumes are now able to scavenge nutrients more effectively from the environment with the help of soil microbes. This natural process reduces the reliance on synthetic fertilizers, which, when used excessively, can contribute to soil degradation, water pollution, and harmful algal blooms. This biological adaptation may result in crops requiring less artificialfertilisers, thus reducing the pressures of excess fertilizer use and opening the door for more environmentally friendly farming.
Spraying the plants in the crocus fields by International Labour Organization ILO, via flickr.
Conservation funding bias is depriving criticalspecies of vital support, a new study has shown. A recent study investigated over 14,500 projects spanning a 25-year period, analysingalmost $2bn of funding allocated across the globe. Of this, 82.9% of funding was allocated to vertebrates (with over 85% to birds and mammals), 6.6% was allocated to plants and invertebrates, and only 0.2% was designated for fungal and algal species. With a large majority of funds assigned tocharismatic megafauna, this bias leaves nearly 94% of threatened species with no support, limiting the opportunities for researchers and protective measures. Researchers have called for a revision of conservation funding awards to ensure a more rigorous, scientifically driven approach in order to address this funding imbalance.
The reappearance of Wild Boar in Dartmoor National Park, after centuries of absence, has raised concerns about ‘guerrilla rewilding’. Despite their potential for ecological regeneration through natural foraging behaviours, the boar’s presence, following sightings and a dog walker incident, has triggered debate. Natural England and the Wildlife Trusts are now working to understand the local population dynamics and provide guidance to mitigate human-wildlife interactions, while the overall impact of their presence continues to be evaluated.
The UK government has authorized nature groups to apply for licenses to release beavers into the wild. This decision formalises existing practices, which include both licensed enclosure releases and unauthorized reintroductions. With an estimated 500 wild beavers in England already contributing to habitat creation and flood mitigation, the first of these licensed releases are anticipated this autumn, aligning with broader nature restoration goals in the UK.
Climate Crisis
The UK has released its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), outlining its commitment to meeting international biodiversity targets by 2030. This plan serves as the UK’s response to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, acknowledging the critical reliance of human wellbeing on thriving ecosystems and the urgent need to address the global biodiversity crisis. The NBSAP emphasizes a shift towards a systemic approach tackle these challenges effectively. This publication marks a crucial first step in the UK’s pledge to protect at least 30% of its land and sea, reduce pollution, and ensure sustainable practices in agriculture, forestry, and industry by the year 2030.
The Riverfly Partnership is a collaborative effort between anglers, conservationists, scientists, and water managers to protect the health and quality of our rivers. They use citizen science to monitor riverfly populations, which are sensitive indicators of water quality, and gather data on these fascinating insects to contribute to a better understanding of river ecosystems.
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Trine Bregstein, riverfly partnership development manager, about the work of the Partnership, their citizen science initiatives, the importance of riverflies and more.
Can you give an overview of the Riverfly Partnership, its aims and the work that the group is involved in?
The Riverfly Partnership is a network of organisations supporting projects to assess river health. The aims of the partnership are to protect the water quality of our rivers, further the understanding of riverfly populations, and conserve riverfly habitats. The partnership comprises many individuals and groups, including entomologists, angling clubs, volunteer groups, wildlife charities and Rivers Trusts.
We have data on freshwater invertebrate life dating back to the early 2000s, collected by a dedicated base of citizen scientists that is continuing to grow. Volunteers get to learn about the fascinating world of tiny critters living in their waterways, which are referred to as the canaries of our rivers because they are an important indicator of water quality. The work of Riverfly monitors means pollution incidents are quickly detected and reported, changes in water quality are monitored over time and the impacts of restoration work in and around the river can be tracked.
Can you tell us about the Riverfly Monitoring Initiative?
The Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (RMI) is a citizen science scheme in which trained monitors collect data about the invertebrates living in their local river. Volunteers are trained in the identification of key groups of riverflies, which are invertebrates that spend most of their life cycle living in fresh water. The initiative mainly focuses on the orders Ephemeroptera (also known as up-wing flies or mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies) and Trichoptera (caddisflies).
Invertebrate sorting and identification. Credit: Trine Bregstein
On a monthly basis, monitors carry out kick sampling at their site and count the numbers of each group of riverflies they have collected. From these counts, an RMI score is generated. This score is compared to the ‘trigger level’ of the site, which is a number set by the local ecology contact at the statutory body. If the RMI score is below the trigger level, it may be an indication that a pollution event has taken place. Another sample is done to confirm the breach, and then the relevant authorities are informed.
What are the main challenges associated with your work?
The national scale of the project, with various regional hubs coordinating groups of monitors at a local level, means it’s important to make sure things are done consistently across the network. We at the Riverfly Partnership HQ in the Lake District facilitate and try to keep track of what’s going on in all of these separate groups, and make sure training and protocols are standardised around the country to ensure the robustness of the data set. This can prove challenging, particularly as many of our hubs are charities and trusts that may not have consistent funding for citizen science projects, whilst others are volunteer run and rely on people managing to co-ordinate their groups in their spare time.
Ribble training day. Image credit: Trine Bregstein
How did 2024 fare for the Partnership and its work?
2024 was a great year for the Partnership. Our monitors submitted 7,832 surveys to our database over the year – this is up from 6,392 in 2023, which reflects how much the partnership is continuing to grow, with many new monitoring groups set up all over the UK. We also launched a new Riverfly data dashboard for easy viewing of all this data.
Citizen science is of increasing importance in wildlife conservation across the globe. How can we get involved and be proactive in protecting our rivers and riverfly populations?
Riverfly monitoring involves carrying out a survey at your allocated site once per month, usually taking about an hour. As a monitor, you’d be contributing to a trusted, long-term, open-access data set that can be used to track gradual changes in habitat quality, as well as quickly pick up on any major incidents that the statutory body can investigate. Anyone can become a Riverfly monitor – no prior knowledge is required; you just need to have attended a training day led by one of our accredited tutors.
Gwent Wildlife Trust sampling. Image by Gareth Edge
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, e-mail info@riverflies.org and we will link you up to your local co-ordinator. Most training tends to take place in the spring and summer months, but you can register your interest at any time.
Aside from Riverfly monitoring, you can also get involved in the Rivers Trust’s Big River Watch, Earthwatch has the Great UK Water Blitz, The Angling Trust has the WQMN (Water Quality Monitoring Network), ZSL run the Outfall Safari project, and through the CABA and CaSTCo projects other organisations around the UK have been able to cascade this initiative to their volunteers. Check your local Rivers Trust or Wildlife Trust to see what volunteering opportunities they have, for example balsam bashes, riverside clean ups or restoration works like reed bed planting, tree planting and fence building.
There is so much to get involved with, and on a personal level, try look after your own patch. If you’re out walking the dog for example, try to keep them out of the water if they’ve had a recent flea treatment, take a couple of bits of rubbish to the nearest bin (safely, don’t pick up anything potentially dangerous) and know who to call if you spot something untoward – the EA/SEPA/NRW/NIEA for pollution, your local council for fly tipping and don’t forget to report sewage and water leakage problems to your local water company too, they all have helplines or online reporting options.
What projects will the Riverfly Partnership be working on next?
We have a scheme called ‘Extended Riverfly’, which is a more advanced version of Riverfly monitoring that experienced monitors can move on to. It involves identifying and counting 33 groups of invertebrates, rather than the eight in the Riverfly Monitoring Initiative. It’s a fairly new scheme, currently only operating in certain parts of the country, but we recently held an event at which many Riverfly trainers upskilled to become extended trainers, so we’re looking forward to rolling out this project to many more groups in the coming year.
Extended training at the Natural History Museum. Image Credit: Trine Bregstein
We’re also working on our ‘Targets and Triggers’ project, which has been developed with partners at the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Buglife and CaSTCo. We’re aiming to devise a standard, and relatively easy, method for trigger levels to be set, making it easier for statutory bodies to engage with Riverfly monitoring without it being too much of a drain on their limited resources. Through gathering extra data about each monitoring site and running these through a predictive model, we plan to come up with not just trigger levels, but expand the initiative so that sites also have a ‘target level’ – the maximum RMI score that we would expect to see at a site, which gives a goal for habitat improvement projects to aim for.
The Riverfly Partnership Approved Kit is a complete kit suitable for water quality monitoring. The Riverfly Partnership receives £5 from the sale of this kit to help them continue their fantastic conservation work.
A new restoration project is set to enhance RSPB Geltsdale in northeast Cumbria. The project aims to restore and protect vital habitat across the site, including moorland, wetland and woodland. These enhancements will benefit a number of species including Hen Harriers, Curlews, Snipe, Willow Warblers, Black Grouse and Red Squirrels. RSPB will be working in partnership with North Pennines National Landscape and Natural England for the project, building on the previous conservation successes in Geltsdale, which include renaturalising a river, native tree planting, meadow creation and restoration of blanket bogs.
Ireland’s remaining ancient rainforests are under threat from the rapid expansion of pine monoculture plantations. Despite government efforts to increase woodland cover, the country’s focus on non-native pines is proving detrimental to biodiversity and ecosystem health. Ireland has the lowest proportional tree coverage of all European territories – the Irish Republic reports 11.6% coverage while Northern Ireland has just 8% – despite investing over £1bn into forestry schemes to increase woodland cover. This widescale industrial approach is replacing lost woodland with monoculture, enhancing both ecological decline and rural depopulation. Experts emphasise the need to identify and protect the remaining ancient woodland to safeguard the future of ancient Irish rainforests.
Experts warn that the world’s peatlands are dangerously unprotected. Despite covering only 3% of land, peatlands store more carbon than all of the world’s forests and are crucial for biodiversity and water management. With only 17% of this vital habitat within protected areas, their draining, overgrazing and burning driven by agriculture and extraction is emitting greenhouse gases that would make peatland the fourth biggest polluting country in the world. With over ¼ of peatland under heavy anthropogenic pressure, experts are emphasising the need to restore and conserve existing peat to keep global warming in line with international targets.
Wildlife
Over one thousand dead sea turtles have been found along India’s coastline. An estimated 1,100 Olive Ridley Sea Turtles have washed up on the beaches of Tamil Nadu in southern India. The stranded turtles were found with bulging eyes and lung lesions, indicating death by suffocation and drowning – although it’s difficult to determine, it is possible that net fishing in the area may have caused entanglement and drowning in these animals. Since the incident, local government have created a task force and increased night patrols to protect the hatchlings from harm.
25082: olive ridley sea turtle by Panegyrics of Granovetter, via flickr.
A drove of feral pigs have been illegally released in the Cairngorms. In the wake of the illegal release of Lynx last month, a group of feral pigs have been spotted near the Uath Lochans area, less than five miles from the release site of the Lynx. Working with NatureScot and Forestry and Land Scotland, the Cairngorms National Park Authority is working to investigate the release of these animals and safely capture them.
Policy and Development
The UK government remains committed to Heathrow’s third runway, despite significant environmental and social concerns. The expansion could see a further 4.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year – the equivalent of 101 billion car miles which could have destructive consequences in terms of pollution and the environment. The expansion could generate 51 million tonnes of carbon in five years, over 500,000 people would be exposed to enhanced noise pollution, and there would be severe environmental impacts – diverting five rivers, building a tunnel under the M25 and new flight paths would significantly impact wildlife throughout London, including the eleven bat species that reside within Richmond Park.
EGLL – Boeing 747 – British Airways – G-BNLY by Steve Lynes, via flickr.
In its first year, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) has significantly underperformed. First-year figures for BNG show only 773 hectares of habitat creation and enhancement (onsite and offsite combined), which marks just 13% of Defra’s annual generation estimations for the scheme. This shortcoming is due to broad exemptions, limited resources and poor monitoring and enforcement. Environmental groups are calling for a strengthening of the scheme through the upcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill , including more ambitious targets, reducing exemptions to BNG, enhanced monitoring and enforcement, and a guarantee that reforms will not weaken existing protections while delivering more effective off-site nature compensation.
Find an official response from CIEEM on the UK Government’s Planning Reform Working Paper here. The working paper will be used to build the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that will seek to fast-track development across the UK and could see impacts on the role and effectiveness of biodiversity net gain.
Butterfly Conservation’s Moth Recorders Meeting provides an essential update for ecologists, wildlife watchers, and naturalists interested in the latest developments in moth recording, research, and conservation. Introduced by director of business and research, Russel Hobson, this year’s meeting was held online via Zoom on Saturday 25th January, and comprised of a variety of talks by keynote speakers including Dr Zoë Randle, David Hill and Dr Avalon Owens.
Dr Zoë Randle, Butterfly Conservation: National Moth Recording Scheme Update
The first speaker, Butterfly Conservation’s Dr Zoë Randle, shared an update on the National Moth Recording Scheme and key trends. Over 600,000 observations were submitted on iRecord throughout2024, bringing the total macro moth records to 36.2 million and micro moth records to 7.4 million in the National Moth Recording Scheme. Despite an increase in moth recording last year, Zoë emphasised the importance of both recorders and verifiers, while also stressing the need for more volunteers to streamline the verification process.
Number of Records in the National Moth Recording Scheme per km square. Credit: Dr Zoë Randle
Dr Norman Lowe, County Moth Recorder, Breconshire: Charismatic Clearwings in mid-Wales.
Dr Norman Lowe, County Moth Recorder for Breconshire, discussed clearwings in mid-Wales, presenting the group as flagships for dayflying moths and provided an update on clearwing records during 2024. Last year, 31 more recorders and ten more pheromone traps/lures were supplied to aid in recording, resulting in a total of 80 clearwing observations for 2024. Data revealed some local and scarce species, including the Welsh Clearwing and Red-tipped Clearwings, and highlighted species which are common and widespread, like Lunar Hornet Moths.
David Hill, Conservation Manager (Scotland), Butterfly Conservation: Black, White, Red & Gold – surveying Argyll’s rare moths
Next to speak was David Hill, who reported on two key species that he has been working with in Scotland: White Spotted Sable Moths and Transparent Burnet. He discussed the background and biology of the species, as well as the efforts undertaken to better understand their pressures and distribution.
2024 larval surveys uncovered 30 White Spotted Sable caterpillars over three days and allowed surveyors to categorise habitat. This coming year, the team will look to rear caterpillars to confirm identification, start adult surveys and seek out sites where Anania terrealis, a commonly mistaken species, is present.
Transparent Burnets are a focus for Scottish conservation projects as part of the Species on the Edge programme. This rarely recorded species is one of concern due to loss of suitable habitat and work will continue throughout 2025 to establish the distribution and abundance of this moth across Argyll.
Transparent Burnet. Credit: David Hill
Dr Luke Evans, Butterfly Conservation: Can we measure the impact of insect change on bird and bat populations?
Dr Luke Evans discussed the DRUID project, which has operated since 2021 and aims to investigate the drivers and repercussions of UK insect decline. Evans discussed the impact of this catastrophic decline on species whose diets are adapted to insects, true correlation vs random correlation (the observation data conundrum) and the suggestive patterns of decline in birds as a result of this. The use of key data, including that in the National Moth Recording Scheme, demonstrates the importance of national monitoring data for evaluating insect abundance and the direct impacts of insect change.
Dr Sam Fabian, Imperial College London: Understanding why artificial lights trap flying insects using high-speed videography
The next presentation was delivered by Dr Sam Fabian, who explored the aggregation of insects around bright light sources, how artificial light can impact insect flight and the behavioural mechanisms behind it. Fabian suggests that circling behaviour around bright light sources is due to dorsal light response – a stabilising reflex where insects angle their body to orientate bright lights above them – which causes erratic flight paths around artificial light sources.
Circling behaviours around artificial light sources. Credit: Dr Sam Fabian
Dr Avalon Owens, Rowland Institute, Harvard University: Do sustainable lighting practices sustain moths?
Last to speak was Dr Avalon Owens, who concluded the session with an insightful discussion on the impacts of light pollution on moths. This growing threat is one of many that impacts global insect abundance and diversity, and can have a range of negative impacts on insect behaviour, including: fatal attraction, temporal and spatial disorientation and visual confusion. These can have catastrophic effects on insects internal body clock, navigation ability and recognition of resources. With light pollution levels growing and expanding exponentially, Dr Owens also outlined key routes to tackle the issue by creating sustainable lighting that is useful, targeted, controlled, low level and warm coloured.
Five lighting principles for responsible outdoor lighting and impacts of artificial light on insects. Credit: Dr Avalon Owens
This year’s Moth Recorders Meeting was a fascinating insight into the National Moth Recording Scheme, key trends and developments in moth ecology and conservation, and the threats to these undervalued insects. Find out more about Butterfly Conservation, their valuable work and ways to get involved on their website.
Jan Collins has over 26 years of experience working and volunteering with bats. She has been the Head of Biodiversity at the Bat Conservation Trust for eleven years, following eleven years in ecological consultancy as a bat specialist. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Jan about the origins, 
The Riverfly Partnership is a collaborative effort between anglers, conservationists, scientists, and water managers to protect the health and quality of our rivers. They use citizen science to monitor riverfly populations, which are sensitive indicators of water quality, and gather data on these fascinating insects to contribute to a better understanding of river ecosystems.
