Alice Holt Forest Carnage

[Pete Eeles]

It is with great sadness that I have to report yet another incident of habitat mismanagement. Unfortunately, this time, the impact is so significant that I feel compelled to post this topic. This will also provide a source to which I can point the relevant authorities (so feel free to comment - I intend to email a link to this topic to the Forestry Commission). The following text is taken from the excellent "The Purple Empire" website (http://www.thepurpleempire.com) where it can be found in the blog (http://apaturairis.blogspot.com/). This is the March 18th entry posted by Matthew Oates. I have taken the liberty of reproducing it here in full.

Personally, I think Matthew's view is characteristically balanced, looking at the situation from many different perspectives. My own perspective is far from balanced and I think that the Forestry Commission should be red-faced as they read this account of an appalling situation. On that note, if anyone feels compelled to write to the FC to express their disgust then I would encourage you to do so. Any correspondence should be sent to the following address (my thanks to Adrian Hoskins for this information). I hope that some action at a grass roots level will encourage the FC to rethink their approach to habitat management.

Stan Abbott
Forestry Commission
South East England Forest District
Alice Holt Forest
Bucks Horn Oak
Farnham
Surrey
GU10 4LS
Tel: 01420 23666
Fax: 01420 22082
email: enquiries.seefd@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

Matthew's post:

Ride-Side Sallows
Please stand in silence for the lovely sallows that lined the main ride of Straits Inclosure, Alice Holt Forest. I counted and graded them last June, when there were 210 individual sallow bushes, including 127 large broad-leaved bushes. Last July these bushes hosted a spectacular flight of iris.

There are now only 61 bushes.

The Forestry Commission needs to resurface this ride to enable it to support heavy vehicles necessary for extracting timber from the far end of the wood. The job had been on the cards for several years. The ride was cut out in 1987 and the new bare edges formed an excellent seed bed for sallow germination. Many sallows established themselves in the ditch, which in theory needed cleaning out.

I had discussions with the FC Head Forester about this issue a few years ago, and felt we had agreed a reasonable compromise, but that (excellent) forester moved on and no further communication took place, despite my offers and the fact that the FC office at Alice Holt was fully aware of the significance of these bushes, the number of Purple Emperor enthusiasts visiting the wood, and my work. To be fully honest, though, iris functions within a dynamic matrix that encompasses at least the whole of Alice Holt, so it is hard for us to be too precious about one particular part of the matrix at any particular point in time.

The really sad thing is that few of the retained bushes are suitable for iris, most are on the sunny north side (south-facing) and nearly all have been over-exposed, whereas the butterfly clearly favours shaded bushes. Also, most of the 61 have been high pruned and / or are very spindly. Some people may feel that their retention smacks of tokenism.

Several other tall sallows were removed last autumn, during sensitively-conducted thinning works in the far end of the wood. We can assume that other bushes will be removed or damaged during the current thinning works. Lying on heavy Gault Clay, this is not an easy wood for timber extraction.

In effect, please do not expect to see iris in any numbers in Straits Inclosure for at least another ten years. This year they will be very scarce there.

I've been dealing with the FC at Alice Holt over the issue of ride-side sallow management since the autumn of 1976 and have made precisely no progress with them on this matter whatsoever, and neither has any other body.

From the FC's point of view, the ride-side shrub zone hinders access to the crop and overhanging bushes present health & safety issues (to contractors, staff and visitors, especially cyclists and horse riders). But the real issue is that sallows colonise bare ground, and the only bare ground that appears in many modern woods is along the ditches. The challenge is really to re-set this ride edge shrub zone, crucial to iris, camilla, betulae, etc, back off the ride. To this end three small bays were cut out along the Straits main ride in the autumn of 2007, and a few sallow seedlings are appearing there.

Meanwhile, anyone wanting some iris larvae - for whatever purpose - should search the buds and forks of the lying cut sallows along the Straits main ride, especially along the shady southern side. Help yourself.

We need to produce some clear succinct guidance on the management of sallows for Purple Emperors (and much other - I hate the word but I'll use it here - biodiversity). Indeed, this is something we can develop through this website - whether anyone will listen is a different matter, but at least we can aim to provide accurate information.

In despair,

Matthew

[Adrian Hoskins]

Hi Pete

I very much hope your post will stimulate many of your visitors to complain directly to FC, rather than to simply reply on the forum.

I do find it extremely disappointing that Butterfly Conservation, County Wildlife Trusts etc always seem unwilling ( rather than unable ) to directly tackle "political" isues such as this, and the fiascos at Noar Hill, Botany Bay and Steyning, which could all have been so easily avoided.

The Straits Inclosure track widening has been on the cards for a long time, so I fail to understand why the county ButtCon branch and county Wildlife Trust seemed unable to influence FC. Surely all that was needed was for Butterfly Conservation to have a face to face with FC, reiterating the huge significance of the site for iris ( & paphia and camilla ), and to come to an agreement whereby the track was widened on the north side, but leaving the shaded sallows on the south side of the track ( i.e. the trees used by PE for egg-laying ) undisturbed ?

In my opinion Butterfy Conservation are unworthy if they cannot prevent these deplorable incidents occurring. They had plenty of advance information about FCs intentions, and they have the expertise of Britain's 2 leading PE experts available. If they had negotiated with FC and provided on-site expertise to advise / direct the forestry contractors this would not have happened.

We all understand that FC has to meet it's commercial obligations, and that woodland must be managed for timber extraction, but FC are fully aware that they also have an equal obligation to manage their woodlands in a manner that is conducive to the conservation of the butterflies and other wildlife within them.

Butterfly Conservation and Forestry Commission should both be red faced and hanging their heads in shame.

Adrian Hoskins

[Padfield]

Should a coordinated search for larvae be organised? It can't be that long before they start moving again and could be relocated to appropriate sallows in other parts of the woods.

Guy

[Pete Eeles]

Should a coordinated search for larvae be organised? It can't be that long before they start moving again and could be relocated to appropriate sallows in other parts of the woods.

Guy

I think that's a great idea and I've pinged a few people to discuss practicalities. I suspect a "one off" search on a given date would be difficult to coordinate due to individuals' availability, but perhaps we could (for example) get visitors to tie a ribbon (or whatever) around the base of a felled sallow that has been searched. A pre-requisite to this would be guidance on where and how to look for larvae, and what to do with any larvae that are found.

Anyway - I'll post any responses I receive here.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Susie]

Tie a purple ribbon around the old sallow tree, eh? Damage limitation sounds like a good idea to me, if I can help count me in, I do love those purple chappies.

[Charles Nicol]

I was horrified to read about this savagery.

I remember a similar sallow-attack in Fermyn Woods last year ( by the pond at SP 960854 )... that was on a smaller scale but still very distressing; far fewer PEs were seen than in previous years at this location.

Although the Forestry Commission is capable of dreadful mismanagement, as at Alice Holt, we are fortunate that it has not yet been sold off and asset-stripped. The consequences of that for nature & conservation would be truly disastrous.

Charles



PS i have just emailed Mr Abbott about this matter.

[Pauline]

Hi All

Being quite local I steeled myself today to visit and see the result for myself. What I would say is that it would be very difficult to identify what has already been searched for larvae as the trunks are numbered and stacked and the branches piled separately but somewhat strewn. That said, I hope it doesn't deter any rescue missions.

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Pauline. If anyone has any bright ideas on how we can perform a search, while respecting that everyone getting together on the same day would be an impossibility, please let us know!

For those wanting to search, Matthew suggests looking on the south side of the main ride - to look for vacant seat pads next to buds (look by the third bud down especially, and in forks). Any larva that is still present should be in the vicinity.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Neil Hulme]

I was shocked and very disappointed to read Adrian Hoskins’ comments concerning the FC’s appalling ‘management’ of the rides at AHF - at a time when a united response between various organisations and individuals is required in responding to this disgraceful episode. Adrian’s totally groundless ‘finger-pointing’ and accusations of a quite personal nature are to be deplored. His claim “that Butterfly Conservation … (I am NOT defending County Wildlife Trusts) …. always seem unwilling ( rather than unable ) to directly tackle "political" issues such as this, and the fiascos at Noar Hill, Botany Bay and Steyning, which could all have been so easily avoided.” are nothing short of outrageous.

“Surely all that was needed was for Butterfly Conservation to have a face to face with FC, reiterating the huge significance of the site for iris ( & paphia and camilla ), and to come to an agreement whereby the track was widened on the north side, but leaving the shaded sallows on the south side of the track ( i.e. the trees used by PE for egg-laying ) undisturbed ?” One only has to scroll up the screen a little way to read Matthew’s comment “I've been dealing with the FC at Alice Holt over the issue of ride-side sallow management since the autumn of 1976 and have made precisely no progress with them on this matter whatsoever, and neither has any other body.” to realise that it is the intransigence of FC that is the problem here, and not some fanciful dereliction of duty on the part of those that are ‘unwilling’ to tackle these issues. Similarly, I know that the second of ‘Britain's 2 leading PE experts’, along with the likes of BC’s Dr Dan Hoare, has been doing much the same at Botany Bay, over a long period of time. BC can give clear and concise advice on what should be done for the benefit of butterflies, moths and, indeed, other wildlife, but if bodies such as FC choose to ignore it, it is they that should be castigated, and not BC.

Moving onto Steyning – my patch – here is the statement released concerning the disastrous (but accidental) removal of an inappropriate quantity of blackthorn from the Steyning site:
In order to pre-empt the inevitable phone calls from anyone that might walk on the Steyning Rifle Range this winter or spring, it grieves me to announce that there has been an unfortunate 'slip-up' here. A breakdown in the timing of communication between estate personnel has led to the overly aggressive removal of the blackthorn on which the Brown Hairstreak butterfly breeds, around the entire periphery of the site. Some removal of blackthorn was inevitable (and desirable), as the boundary fence-line is being upgraded to allow the Rifle Range area to be grazed - a very positive and welcome measure which will greatly improve the site for many other species of butterfly, as well as the downland flora and other wildlife. However, the details of the management plan that would have ensured the survival of the prime Brown Hairstreak egg-laying areas, have unfortunately been overlooked. Eggs from the cut material cannot be rescued, as a mulching machine was used. Yesterday I met Richard Goring of the Wiston Estate, who's sincere and heartfelt apologies for this error are extended to all that enjoy visiting this location, particularly to see this species. When a genuine mistake such as this is made, we must focus on the positive aspects. Severe cutting of the older blackthorn nearer the fence-line is beneficial, irrespective of the fencing work, as the butterfly much prefers to lay eggs on low, young blackthorn suckers. The wide strip which has been cut around the periphery of the site will of course be underlain by an extensive and mature root system, and a much larger area than planned will come into ideal condition in a few years time. This will also facilitate future management of the blackthorn, specifically for the Brown Hairstreak. Egg-laying has been observed on the northern flanks of the valley where the scattered scrub remains uncut, and isolated stands near the periphery of the site have survived. Despite the loss of a very high percentage of this year's eggs from the Rifle Range itself, the butterfly will survive here and, crucially, it is widespread throughout the adjacent landscape. Do not expect the site to provide the superb Hairstreak-watching opportunities in 2010 that it has done, but do expect it to 'bounce back' strongly in a couple of years. I'm confident that the site, as a whole, will ultimately benefit greatly from this work, and that we will see just a short-term (although possibly severe) 'dent' in Brown Hairstreak numbers, while the remaining species begin to thrive for the first time in a long while. (Neil Hulme)

This statement was worded in the most diplomatic manner possible – failing to deal with private landowners (who can ultimately choose ‘to do what they want’ on their land), in anything other than a diplomatic manner, will just result in the sort of intransigence demonstrated by FC. However, I will leave it to the reader to decide whether a) BC achieved an agreed management plan to conserve the Brown Hairstreak, during the course of other work which will greatly benefit the remaining butterfly fauna on the site – only for a breakdown in communication WITHIN the Estate to scupper those efforts, or b) that BC were “unwilling ( rather than unable ) to directly tackle "political" issues such as …. the fiasco(s) at …… Steyning, which could all have been so easily avoided.”

It is too easy to forget that BC is largely run by volunteers, in my case regularly working 16-18 hours per day (yes, you read that correctly) to conserve our Lepidoptera. A single, unpaid volunteer cannot, unfortunately, stand ‘on guard’ in front every shrub, tree or area of habitat, simultaneously, across an entire county, to ensure that such mistakes are not made by others, especially when a detailed conservation plan has been agreed – that’s an entirely unreasonable expectation.

Adrian should stop knocking BC and concentrate his efforts on achieving a positive outcome, rather than causing divisions between people who are all working towards the same goal – a truly shameful occupation.
Neil

[Colin Knight]

Good post Neil. I was disgusted to read about the Alice Holt carnage and put a post on my Facebook and Blog sites. Today I contacted BBC Inside Out (http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/south/pr ... t-us.shtml) to suggest this would be a suitable subject for Chris Packham, a Hamspshire lad, to get his teeth into.

[Neil Jones]

Good post Neil. I was disgusted to read about the Alice Holt carnage and put a post on my Facebook and Blog sites. Today I contacted BBC Inside Out (http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/south/pr ... t-us.shtml) to suggest this would be a suitable subject for Chris Packham, a Hamspshire lad, to get his teeth into.

GOOD! I was just about to suggest that this needs publicising.
When public bodies damage habitats it needs publicising. The only way to make this kind of thing stop is to implement the social changes that make people think it is socially unacceptable and that requires society, (ie everyone )to say it is unacceptable.

This really amounts to vandalism when you think about it.

[Julian]

from the Purple Empire we read:-

I've been dealing with the FC at Alice Holt over the issue of ride-side
sallow management since the autumn of 1976 and have made precisely no
progress with them on this matter whatsoever, and neither has any other
body.

34 YEARS and no joy whatsoever? If true then it's really sad and very unworthy. Shocking really. A friend of mine used to work for them (then FC), but lost his job when Maggie came to power in 1979 and so he became a decorator. He was a lifelong widlife and especially butterfly enthusiast and was responsible for the PE introduction in Suffolk. Sadly he died last year. However, I would like to say that FE supported him, albeit individuals acting discreetly and sensitively and so it does seem that at times they appear to be supporting wildlife and at others not and yet others, simply acting unaware. I'm sure there are lots of examples of their good works up and down the country as well as other less favourable examples. Working as a volunteer myself in conservation, I know full well how difficult it is to get it right all the time and the old saying "you can't make omelette without breaking eggs" is very true. I.e., sometimes things have to be destroyed in the course of overall management objectives etc, but, there has to be a sensible balance and here the point is, this should have been part of a management plan. How on earth do we ensure this kind of thing doesn't happen again? Perhaps we could more effectively lobby them? Would we be doing this for 34 years and get nowhere? That's the worry. I also think that BC ought to try and put pressure on them. We pay our dues for them to speak out and conserve butterflies on our behalf. Maybe we should lobby them??? This is really sad....
Julian

[tim]

A humble opinion:

Despite what they may claim, Forestry Commission's (FC) primary drive is profit not conservation. There may be individual employees who do their best for conservation, but they will always be working at odds with the primary purpose of FC - but well done to them for their successes...

FC are a multi million pound organisation and like all large organisations they tend to ignore advice & protests from individual members of the public

There is a Government body with responsibility for the natural environment - it is called Natural England (NE). I would think that FC would listen much more sympathetically to NE than they would to individuals - in fact, NE probably have statuary powers to impose limitations on FC where they think it necessary to protect the environment

Therefore I think Butterfly Conservation should be lobbying and trying to foster a partnership with Natural England. Whilst it may not be a "golden bullet" it may increase the pressure on FC from another front - television, press, etc. being others (I note the previous post about Chris Packham's tv program, but are people also writing to their local papers?)

The following NE contacts may be useful:

Regional Director - Alan Law - Tel: 0300 060 1949 - Email: alan.law@naturalengland.org.uk
Regional Business Manager - Melanie Hughes - Tel: 0300 060 2620 - Email: melanie.hughes@naturalengland.org.uk
Regional Advocacy & Partnership Manager - Chris Edwards - Tel: 0300 060 4066 - Email: chris.edwards@naturalengland.org.uk
Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex Area Manager - Rob Cameron - Tel: 0300 060 4797 - Email: rob.cameron@naturalengland.org.uk
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Oxfordshire Area Manager - Wanda Fojt - Tel: 0300 060 4872 - Email: wanda.fojt@naturalengland.org.uk

Offices
Surrey
Natural England, Victoria House, London Square, Cross Lanes, Guildford, GU1 1UJ
Tel: 0300 060 2620
Fax: 0300 060 2621
Email: enquiries.southeast@naturalengland.org.uk

Hampshire & the Isle of Wight
Natural England, 1 Southampton Road, Lyndhurst, Hampshire, SO43 7BU
Tel: 0300 060 2514
Fax: No fax
Email: enquiries.southeast@naturalengland.org.uk

Apologies to all if the "old hands" have already been down this route - just offering my thoughts in the hope that they may help

Tim

[Neil Jones]

Good post Neil. I was disgusted to read about the Alice Holt carnage and put a post on my Facebook and Blog sites. Today I contacted BBC Inside Out (http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/south/pr ... t-us.shtml) to suggest this would be a suitable subject for Chris Packham, a Hamspshire lad, to get his teeth into.

Can you tell us where the blog etc. are?

They may be worth linking to for other people with websites /blogs/

[Charles Nicol]

I have received a reply to my email about this matter:

Dear Mr Nicol,

Thank you for your email of 21 March.

I can assure you that we do listen to Matthew and do take into account his advice and guidance, but periodically we have to maintain our forest roads. These are built and maintained to carry 44tonne lorries. It is at least 10 years since this road was last repaired properly and so sallows on and beside the bearing surface have had a much longer period to develop than would normally be the case. There is very little scope to modify the construction and maintenance methods associated with this sort of work. Only 18 percent or so of the road, ride and track length in Straits is road. I can assure you that we did our very best to keep as many sallows adjacent to the road as we could. There are other areas of sallow in the forest as a whole which support this wide-ranging species.

What was less than perfect was communication prior to the operation, from both sides. We will try and improve this in the future and I have agreed to meet Matthew later in the year.

I attach a short note I have prepared in response to the concerns raised.

If you have the time and you are down this way, I'd be happy to meet you and try to explain the complex nature of multi-purpose management.

Yours sincerely,



Stan Abbott
Environment and Planning Manager
Forestry Commission
South East England
Bucks Horn Oak
Farnham
Surrey
GU10 2PD
01420 23666 (Work)
01420 22082 (Fax)
mailto; stan.abbott@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

Here is the text of his Note:

Road maintenance in Straits Inclosure

We appreciate that Straits Inclosure is a popular place for seeing Purple Emperor and that butterfly enthusiasts are very fond of the wood, as are we, so I can understand your contributors' concerns. Sallows establish themselves in the bare earth when ditches are created or re-dug so they are closely associated with the roadside ditches in our wetter woods. This means that when we come to do essential road maintenance, many of the sallows are in the wrong place. Our challenge is to reset the sallows back away from the ditches, which is one reason why three large scallops were cut out along the main road in Straits Inclosure in October 2007. More are planned and similar work has been taking place in Chiddingfold.

It is unfair to single out BC for criticism. Dan Hoare has done a lot for butterflies and moths in SE England. He has achieved results by being proactive, providing advice and guidance at regular meetings and in an easily digestible form. Staff turnover in the SE means that regular and simple briefings are essential.

The Purple Emperor is our forest symbol for Alice Holt. We chose it, and are proud of it. We are delighted that people visit to see it and other butterflies. In much of Alice Holt there is a plentiful resource of sallows set back from the forest roads. The challenge in Straits Inclosure is to achieve this. We look forward to working with Matthew and others to make this happen.

[DavidW]

Notwithstanding the reply which basically says business overides the rare butterflies. It is the butterflies that count not the "enthusiasts" . Doesn't he get the commitment to biodiversity?

Perhaps the local BC branch (Is that Neil Sussex Kipper) should consider putting out a press release. Perhaps Neil would like to comment on that idea and its feasibility?

[Julian]

Hmmm....

[Neil Hulme]

Hi DavidW,
Alice Holt is actually in Hampshire (Botany Bay in Surrey; Steyning in Sussex). Having just returned from the International Symposium in Reading with, amongst others, Pete, I can report that the Alice Holt situation is being discussed at the very highest level. I doubt that there will be any further statements released beyond that reported by Charles, but those that took the time to write to the FC most certainly did a great job in highlighting some very important issues.
Neil

[Pete Eeles]

As both a vice-chair of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight branch of BC, as well as a private individual, I'd like to add to Neil's message with regard to Alice Holt in particular. As Neil says, the response from "Joe Public" (which includes me!) has been phenomenal and this resulted in the escalation. So many thanks to those of you that took the time to correspond. We shouldn't underestimate the value of "people power".

I was particularly pleased to see, quite rightly, the acknowledgement of Dan Hoare in the FC's response since Dan has contributed so much to helping the FC over the last few years. I've talked at length this week with several BC representatives (including Dan) and am convinced that no stone was unturned, and nothing that BC could have done in addition. To be frank, Stan's response of "What was less than perfect was communication prior to the operation, from both sides" eludes me. From my perspective (based on fact, rather than the speculation contained in a particular response in this thread), any communication breakdown was fairly and squarely on the side of the FC. At the end of the day, Alice Holt is their land, and if they choose to ignore the advice they've been given, then they should expect the response they've received.

On a more positive note, I know that lessons have been learned. So thanks to all UKB members that took the time to respond.

Cheers,

- Pete

[dave brown]

Whilst it is very sad to read about the events at Alice Holt I would like to say that here in Kent I believe that it is the Forestry Commision who have turned around what was becoming a poor situation in Denge Wood, in particular the site for the Duke of Burgundy. They have put a lot of management work into not only protecting the Dukes, but also encouraging the many orchids that grow there. This is now probably the best site in Kent for Lady Orchid, with reasonable numbers of White Helleborine. Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak are also present. Individuals within the FC clearly have good points and bad points, but I am sure that most are keen to promote wildlife within the contraints of a commerical company. The person(s) responsible for the improvements at Denge Wood are appreciated. Hopefully this year will see good numbers of Dukes present.

Dave