There is a rare quietness in the FWAG office this morning so I thought I would take the opportunity to update the blog (before my first Natural Talent press interview later this morning, eek!). Things have been hectic here at Forth Area Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group. As some of you may have read in the papers, FWAG is having a few financial difficulties so the last few weeks have been a bit uncertain, but for the time being it seems we are to carry on as normal. We have been frantically filling in many applications for the Scottish Rural Development Programme (the Scottish Government’s current agri-environment scheme), which for me has meant a lot of data entering and map drawing. It’s a good way to get to know exactly what environmental measures are on each of our client’s farms, but because we are so busy with these applications it means I don’t get much of a chance to see the things I am trying to conserve! The next round of applications closes in February, so we are hoping we will have a quieter spell in which we can carry out some farm visits.
In addition to the SRDP applications I have been been working on the Lothians Pond Project or LOPO as we call it! The project has been running for several years and aims to create a network of suitable habitat for Great Crested Newt. I have been given the responsibility of carrying out the project on my own which was a bit scary at first and I felt like I wasn’t really getting anywhere with it, but things are starting to happen now. The project is being funded by SNH and West Lothian Council and is using the time of FWAG (i.e. me!) and volunteers from Lothians Amphibian and Reptile Group (LARG).
An area of wetland at Seafield LNR which I have my eye on! it will soon be transformed into a series of ponds.
Last week I met up with a group of farmers in Midlothain who are allowing us to dig ponds on boggy, unproductive areas of their farm. The farmers have found that the ponds often help with overall field drainage, so are generally happy to let us put ponds in wherever we like! We are hoping to create 10-15 ponds over several days (depending on weather conditions and how fast the digger driver can go!). I am busy coordinating the contractors and farmers and hopefully we will be digging by the end of next week.
Meanwhile, in West Lothian I have been arranging with West Lothian council to carry out some pond project work on Easter Inch Moss Local Nature Reserve. I met up with a volunteer from LARG who has taught me a lot about Great Crested Newts habitat and has helped me to choose suitable areas to put the ponds. We also met up with the digger driver who will be starting work within the next few weeks and is very keen to help with the project. West Lothian council have arranged to drain one of the current known Great Crested Newt ponds on the site and work was beginning yesterday. The pond is being drained to remove the fish which have appeared in it (fear not fish fans, they will be pumped into a ditch network where they will be able to swim off happily into other areas!) and which are preying on the young newts. Adult newts develop a level of toxicity which protects them from predation, but young newts are apparently quite tasty! LARG have arranged for a bunch of unsuspecting college students to come and clear some of the trees and weeds around the pond, and the cut wood will be used to create hibernating areas for adult newts. So it’s all going swimmingly at the moment and hopefully by the time I write my next blog I will be able to add some newly created pond photos!
A current Great Crested Newt pond at Seafield LNR (Easter Inch Moss). Volunteers will be clearing some of the pond weed to create a pond with approximately 50% cover and 50% open water a.k.a GCN heaven!