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Antonia Hebbert (Cove Brook Greenway)
Ken Crick (Moor Green Lakes)
Clare Bloomer (Friends of Zebon Copse)
Sheila Brooks (Rowhill)
Roy Champion (Rowhill)
Murray Nurse (Friends of Farnham Park)
Peter Martin (Fleet Pond Society)
Mike Mann (Yateley Society)
Iain Murray (Tongham Community Wood)
Margaret Wales (Friends of Oakley Park)
Christa Rohde (Frimley Fuel Allotments)
Adrian Douglas (BVC)
Tony Anderson (BVC) |
Dora Deacon (Cove Brook Greenway)
Peter Scott (Moor Green Lakes)
Nicki Hetherington (HCC Ranger)
Debbie Brown (Rowhill)
Kathy Spink (Rowhill)
Mike Hatch (Brickfields)
Barbara Martin (Fleet Pond Society)
Denise Roffey (Waverley BC)
Christine Purser (Tongham Community Wood)
Margaret Duggan (Friends of Oakley Park)
Kevin Briggs (RBC Urban Wildlife Group)
Sue Dent (BVC)
Steve Bailey (BVC) |
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Elliot Fairs (Hart Countryside)
Colin Gray (Fleet Pond Society) |
Ron Hills (Waverley Borough Council)
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1. Introductions
This was the second meeting of the group. Welcome to several new groups and new faces. |
2. Kevin Briggs, Rushmoor Borough Council Urban Wildlife Group.
Sparrow survey, see attached notes. If anyone is interested in taking part in this project, whether inside or outside Rushmoor, please contact Kevin. |
3. Steve Bailey, BVC, Licensed bat worker and volunteer bat warden for English Nature.
In the light of the recent publicity about rabies in bats in the UK Steve outlined the current situation, please see attached notes or contact Steve with any questions. |
4. Minutes of the meeting of 28th May 2002
Date of this meeting was changed from 12 November because this clashed with the Rushmoor Green Gardeners Question Time event. |
5. Matters arising
- Insurance: all of the groups present at the previous meeting have now got insurance cover. Some through BTCV and some independently
- Tractor purchase: Roy Champion is still pursuing this, his main concern is safe storage.
- Fleet Pond Siltation: MOD have recently cleaned out one of silt traps and instead of spreading the silt they pumped it into the stream. But, MOD have now admitted that the silt is the result of their works, which is progress. Colin Gray is chasing up funding.
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6. Sites roundup and introductions
Each of the groups who were attending for the first time gave a brief introduction to their group and their site(s). Please check the attached summary sheet (*) and fill in any gaps or make any corrections, it can then be redrafted and circulated. New groups included: Tongham Community Wood, Frimley Fuel Allotments Conservation Team, Friends of Oakley Park, Yateley Society and Friends of Zebon Copse.
* - This sheet is incorporated as the list of members on the Blackwater Valley Conservation Groups page. Please e-mail with any changes. |
7. Tongham Woods and Lakeside, new volunteer groups
Tony Anderson (BVC) outlined progress towards setting up a new group at Tongham Community Wood. So far, the site was identified 2 years ago a neglected area of woodland and grassland adjacent to housing at Tongham, a grant has been obtained to help to restore the area from Forestry Commission and SCC, Tony has worked with local people and community groups and there have now been 2 well attended weekend conservation tasks. Now working towards setting up a local group for the site. Tasks on the 3rd Sunday of the month.
BVC has also been looking at setting up a group at Lakeside Park, Ash. Have been holding monthly tasks there on a Sunday and hope to have a programme of events through next year t o promote the site and raise awareness and interest locally. Tasks on the 4th Sunday of the month. |
8. Training . . . Action - All
Since the last meeting, Rowhill have held a First Aid Course and BVC have run Strimmer and Leadership courses which were attended by volunteers from around the valley. Possible courses for next year include:
- Plant identification, particularly grasses.
- Possible re-runs of strimmer and leadership
- BVC was hoping to run a general identification course for freshwater/pond animals. Original source for this may not now be available, AD will investigate other possibilities. Dinton Pastures was suggested as a possible venue, perhaps in association with the British Entomological Society.
- Chainsaw training/refresher courses. AD to investigate and circulate information. It would be helpful to have a gauge of the need for this, please let us know if you are interested.
- Colin Ryall is running an 'Environmental Conservation Monitoring' Course at Farnborough Tech. Details are attached. The course is 1 day a week for 14 weeks and costs approximately £30. Starts in February.
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9. Funding
As time was pressing, postponed this discussion until the next meeting. |
10. Membership
Roy Champion has met with RBC to discuss ways of recruiting volunteers. Their main conclusions were:
- RBC could help with publicity to raise the profile of local groups
- Would be good to have ways of acknowledging the work put in by volunteers.
Recruitment is an on-going issue, several groups acknowledge the huge amount of time and effort that can be spent and result in only 1 or 2 new volunteers.
RBC, via the Urban Wildlife Group, have since instigated an award for volunteers which was made for the first time this year. Hart Voluntary Action have a similar scheme. Meeting felt that it was best if:
- Awards of this kind were made from outside the group so that individuals in a group were not being picked out.
- Not a good idea for groups to nominate individuals, better to come from awarding body or outside recommendation
- No enthusiasm for 'reward' schemes for regular volunteers to acknowledge time put in, felt that it could be divisive to those who can only give a small amount of time.
- However, with young volunteers, such as those working with Trident, certificates can go down well.
Can benefit indirectly by raising the profile of the group itself. Meeting proposed that next year have a 'Conservation Volunteer Month' (or similar!) for the Blackwater Valley. . . . Action - All
- BVC could co-ordinate the publicity and press for a month of activities aimed at raising the profile of all the groups in the valley.
- Would need to put together a programme of events and publicity well in advance so that each group had something happening during the month.
- Suggested date September 2003.
- All groups to bring to the next meeting details of a task or event for September 03 that could be included in the programme.
Some groups have developed good relationships with local schools to get young volunteers via the Trident (community service scheme) and Duke of Edinburgh projects. This involves the next generation and can also encourage their parents and friends to come along. Crucial factor seems to be a good contact at a local school. Some groups send their newsletters round to local schools as a matter of course.
For manpower, if not perhaps commitment, the Aldershot Probation Service are looking for placements for community service volunteers. May need good supervision but are usually young and fit!
Some libraries and Aldershot Information Centre will take display boards for a week or two. May not generate a lot directly but can help to raise the profile of a group. |
11. Surveys of Invasive Species . . . Action - All
A request from BVC for information on the distribution of alien invasive species in the Valley, they are a serious problem in the valley but if they were going to be tackled would need to do so on a wider, probably valley, scale. Hence BVC would like to collate information on their distribution. Any known sites in the valley would be welcome. Including: Japanese knotweed, Crassula helmsii (New Zealand Stonecrop), himalayan balsam, crayfish, parrots feather, giant hogweed, rhododendron, buddleia, goldenrod, bracken, mink and any others that you know of.
Please provide grid references, crosses on maps, road names, site sketches showing the area covered etc. |
12. A.O.B.
- Friends of Oakley Park have still not re-insured themselves. Were previously with BTCV but found the new quote too expensive. Site work is relatively limited but nonetheless should have cover. Suggested approach Rod Auty at HDC first, if not able to help the BTCV would probably provide the best alternative.
- Cove Brook are putting together a map and guide for the brook. Are looking for photos of the brook and of wildlife that they may be able to use
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12. Date of next meeting
7.30 p.m., Tues 27 May 2003 (date and location confirmed) Venue: Basingstoke Canal Centre |
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Environmental Conservation & Monitoring
Environmental Management: Changing land management in the UK and associated impacts on landscapes and habitats. Strategies for conservation of landscape, species and habitats. 2 hours per week for 8 weeks
Conservation Management Skills: For managing volunteer labour in a range of habitats: organisation, safety and legal requirements. Skills required for habitat management tasks are related to effective management and motivation of labour. 3.5 hours per week for 13 weeks
Environmental Fieldwork: Emphasis on field techniques. Mainly ecological, covering many aspects of environmental assessment from species identification and measurement through to monitoring and sampling. 3.5 hours per week for 13 weeks
Details are still being finalised, for more details contact: Colin Ryall on 01252 407220, or E-mail
Students aged between 18 and 25 may be entitled to a free 2 week field course, but there is no age limitation on attending the course itself. |
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The once abundant House Sparrow has declined by 67% since 1970 (BTO 2001). There is now considerable conservation interest to reverse this trend. Rushmoor Borough Council has undertaken the monitoring of this species as one of the sustainability indicators of the Local Agenda 21 strategy. To obtain repeatable, representative and reliable data counts are needed from all areas of the borough. The newly formed Rushmoor Wildlife Group has undertaken the task with a proposed two level survey using a simple, quick and enjoyable method.
- For 10 selected one km squares in the borough a twice-yearly survey of male ♂ house sparrows on two 1000 m routes taken through the square. Someone with a bit of bird identification skill should do this.
- Survey a 200 m length of road adjacent to their home twice a year for House Sparrows. One or more lengths could be added.
In each case the first survey would occur between mid March and late April and the second between mid May and late June. The total number of birds seen is the required data. Some simple habitat information (e.g. age of housing, size of garden, number of trees per 200m length on a 0 to 5 scale) would increase the value of the count. The 1 km square survey would take 1 to 2 hours and the 200m survey 5 to 10 minutes. If 50 individual 200 m counts could be done each year a reliable and robust index of the population could be produced. It would also be possible to add on other species (Starling, Blackbird) or other groups such as Stag-beetles or butterflies. Ideally a network of surveyors could be built up in the borough.
Please pass on the information and request for help to your members, counts from outside the borough are also of value, through talks or newsletters.
Contact at present: Kevin Briggs, Tel 01252 519884 or E-mail for further information.
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European Bat Lyssavirus (EBL) is a member of the Lyssavirus group, which cause rabies if passed to humans, untreated this is invariable fatal but pre exposure vaccination & prompt post exposure treatments are 100% effective.
- Classical (sylvatic) rabies (the type that foxes and dogs get) has never been recorded in bats in Europe.
- EBL has been recorded in some species of European bats. There are two strains, EBL 1 and EBL 2.
- Since the 1970s there have been four cases in Europe where humans have contracted rabies from exposure to EBL, all have died. (2 in Russia, 1 in Finland, and now 1 in Scotland).
- Rabies surveillance has been carried out in the UK for 15 years with about 200 dead bats examined annually (= about 3000 bats). Of these, only 2 have proved positive. These were both Daubenton's bats.
- It is possible that EBL is present at low levels in some species of bats, most likely Daubenton's. It has never been recorded in the pipistrelle, which is by far the most common species. Daubenton's bats rarely roost in houses. Of the 3000 bats examined for EBL, only 35 were Daubenton's, which gives an indication of how rarely they come into contact with people.
- EBL virus can occur in most organs of bat but is invariably spread by saliva through bites. Infected bats show unnatural behaviour including unprovoked aggression and biting.
Advice for the general public:
- All 16 species of British bats are protected.
- Bats depend heavily on building for roosting. Having bats in the roof carries no risk of rabies, particularly as the most common species have never been recorded as carrying EBL.
- Risk of exposure to EBL can be eliminated by not handling bats and thus avoiding being bitten or scratched.
- If it is necessary to remove a bat from a room, wear gloves, place a box or other small container over the bat and slide a piece of cardboard underneath it. If the animal's behaviour seems abnormal contact the UK bat helpline on 0845 130 0228, otherwise release the bat outdoors at dusk. Further advice, including a contact number for a local bat handler, is available from the helpline.
- If a member of the public is bitten by a bat they should wash the wound thoroughly and seek immediate medical advice. If the bat can be kept, this would be helpful, though it should not be killed. NHS Helpline - 0800 783 5066
- Post-exposure treatment is believed to be completely effective. In the Netherlands between 1987-1991 a total of 174 people were bitten by infected bats and received post-exposure treatment. None developed any illness.
Extra advice for conservation workers:
- People who are likely to come into contact with bats and may be bitten must be protected by immunisation. Licensed bat handlers and others who handle bats regularly can obtain immunisation free of charge from the NHS.
- If you run bat box schemes do not handle bats unless you are vaccinated. Legally you should only do this unless you are licensed anyway.
- If bats are found e.g. during tree felling, pick up in gloved hands and place in box as above and contact a bat worker. Theoretically the virus could be passed on through internal organs of bats entering human body e.g. Squished up bat blood & guts coming into contact with open wounds or scratches in human. (but no known case of this).
It is important conservation group support the national rabies monitoring programme. All injured or grounded bats should be retained alive if possible as should freshly dead bats. Record the following information :
- When found
- Where found and how
- Behaviour of bat
- People who have handled the bat & their contact Tel number Contact a bat worker ASAP
Local contacts:
- Hampshire Bat group, 24 hour helpline on 02380 617551, www.homepage.ntlworld.com/glio/index1.htm
- Surrey Bat Group, helpline 020 8398 9973 (sociable hours only), www.surreybats.org.uk
- Berks & S Bucks bat group, helpline 0118 959 0965, www.berksbats.org.uk
Local licensed bat workers are:
- Paul Hope, C/o Basingstoke Canal 01252 370073
- Steve Bailey, C/o Blackwater Valley Countryside 01252 331353
Produced by Blackwater Valley Countryside, based on advice from English Nature & Bat Conservation Trust, 26 November 2002
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