LBAP Projects

The Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan have been involved in numerous projects to enhance and preserve habitats and species within an area.  An example of one of many successful projects is the construction of the first artifical Sand Martin nesting wall.

Sand Martins check in at Inchinnan

The Biodiversity Partnership's first purpose built artificial Sand Martin nesting wall was constructed in 2006, thanks to funding from the Community Environmental Renewal Scheme (Scottish Executive & Forward Scotland), Scottish Natural Heritage, Professor Boldwen Lloyd Binns Bequest Fund, Paisley Natural History Society and Renfrewshire Council. 

Sand Martins are a UK species of conservation concern.  They spend winter in Africa but migrate in the spring to breed in Europe, making a round trip of at least 5000 miles.  For the first two years, however, no Sand Martins used the wall but finally this spring around six pairs have decided to take up residence.

The wall is installed near, Inchinnan, close to Newshot Island proposed Local Nature Reserve.  It is hoped that the offspring raised at the wall this year will return when it's their turn to breed, so that more birds arrive each spring in future years. 

A Sand Martin feeding its young.

(Photo: Peter Johnson)

To learn more about other LBAP projects read our Biodiversity Action Newsletter. Click on the link below (PDF):

 Biodiversity/documents/Learn/LBAP%20newsletter%20issue%201%202008-06-20%20final.pdf

 Habitat Enhancement Projects

•  Habitat enhancement surveys for invertebrates and water vole have been conducted as part of the works for a path construction within Dams to Darnley Country Park.  The Park is a partnership project between East Renfrewshire and Glasgow City Council which will manage the area for the benefit of the public, amenity and biodiversity.

 

• A new scrape has been created at Jenny's Well Local Nature Reserve.  This will provide new habitat for frogs to spawn and important invertebrate groups like dragonflies to lay their eggs.  Once the scrape is better established it will provide a useful education resource by providing pond dipping opportunities.

 

Children pond dipping.

• Renfrewshire Council has changed the cutting regime on a very large grass area at Cockleshill Loan in Renfew, to allow wildflowers, particulaly orchids, to emerge, flower and set seed.  These flowers will be protected during nearby building works and the grass will be cut once a year after the orchids will have finished flowering.

 

• Work has started to develop a habitat enhancement project in Gleniffer Braes Country Park.  The plan is to create new areas of mature hawthorn scrub with dense bramble, dog rose and gorse understory.  Scrub is an important habitat for a wide range of species so will be a new Habitat Action Plan for the LBAP.  Furthermore, this habitat will eventually provide nesting habitat for Lesser Whitethroat, one of our rarest LBAP species, but will also provide ideal habitat for other bird and invertebrate species.

These are a few habitat enhancement projects to enhance and preserve our local area.  Included after Species Projects is the full PDF link with much more details.

 Species Enhancement Projects

• Aspen features in a new Species Action Plan written for the LBAP by BULB, a voluntary environmental community group based at Lochwinnoch.  They will be championing the action plan and have already started implementing some of the actions incuding: collecting root cuttings in spring 2007 from the four remaining stands in Renfrewshire Hills and germinating shoots from these to provide 200 healthy potted up cuttings.

 

• Black-headed Gulls are both a European and UK Species of Conservation Concern; and colonies have undergone recent losses in Scotland.  A colony has historically nested on an island at Barcraigs Reservoir near Howwood in Renfrewshire.  In recent years however, the island has become overgrown with trees, which prevent the gulls from nesting on the ground.

Renfrewshire and North Aryshire Councils co-funded a team from Scottish Wildlife Trust to conduct some tree clearance work on the island to allow the Black-headed Gulls to nest again this season.

Black-Headed Gull on nest.

(Photo: Roger Wilmshurst)

• Two Barn Owl boxes were installed at a farm near Lochwinnoch in early 2007.  The site was chosen because Barn Owls had been seen in the area and it was noted that there was a lack of nesting opportunities in the area.  The owls moved into their new accommodation within weeks. 

 Barn Owl in front of its nesting box.

• A number of identification courses were held in spring and summer 2007 to help people identify different species of Bumble Bees, Dragonflies and Butterflies.  The aim of these courses is to try to get people out collecting and submitting records in the LBAP area.

To find out more information on the full Update Report and Rolled Forward Actions for 2008-2011(PDF) click on the link below:

Biodiversity/documents/Learn/2008-2011%20Roll%20Forward%20Report.pdf 

 Biodiversity & ......

Volunteers 

 The LBAP includes a Habitat Action Plan for Broadleaved and Mixed Woodland which encourages native tree planting at appropriate sites.

Volunteers from National Australia Group Europe, which owns Clydesdale Bank, helped to plant 1,500 trees.

Planting took place at Finlaystone Estate as part of a project which aims to diversify both the age structure and species within woodland present on the site. 

Volunteers were keen to make a difference to the local landscape in which they work and live.

Education

The Tree Seed Collection project involved school children collecting tree seeds and nuts in the autumn from native tree species in thier local area.

The project will provide environmental, biological science education and depending on the success of the project it may also provide enterprise education as some of the trees could be sold.

The children will learn about biodiversity, different tree species, which are native and why that's important, woodland ecology, how seeds grow and how to care for them.

Once the trees have grown they can be planted in suitable locations such as parks, local nature reserves or even school grounds.  The project will fufil one of the actions in the Broadleaved & Mixed Woodland Habitat Action Plan by encoraging native tree planting.

These are a few examples of on ongoing projects.  To find more information on Biodiversity Progress Report click on the link below:

 Biodiversity/documents/Learn/progress%20report3.pdf

Biodiversity planning is an ongoing process and the biodiversity partnership intends to produce further species and habitat action plans where action is required to prevent their loss or decline.