Page 14 - Wildlife News December 2015
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2015 Water voles are extending their territory across
Berks, Bucks and Oxon thanks to our Water Vole
Recovery Project. By the start of 2015 water
voles could be found within 560km2 of the three
counties, up 58% on 2009. (Margaret Holland)
2014 The area of land under our care increased as the Trust took on management of nine nature reserves,
totalling 741 hectares from West Berkshire Council. The transfer includes the Nature Discovery Centre at
Thatcham, our fourth environmental education centre. (Laura Parker)
2014 Yoesden joined BBOWT’s suite of chalk grassland reserves. Its nutrient-
poor soil has never been cultivated, ensuring an extraordinarily rich
tapestry of wild flowers that make Yoesden one of the best butterfly sites
in the region. (John Morris)
2015 Funding from the Government’s Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme enabled 2015 A second successive record year for the snake’s-head fritillary at Oxford’s Iffley
us to extend our vaccination programme to other sites in the Edge Area. Meadows, with a count of 89,830 blooms. Careful management has seen this
Creating a buffer of badgers immune to bovine TB could help to halt the number increase from just 500 in 1983, when BBOWT took on the meadows’
disease’s spread eastwards. (Jon Hawkins) management. (Andy Fairbairn)
2015 We continue to speak up for nature along the route of HS2. Our report on The next five years
its potential impact on the rare Bechstein’s bat helped secure significant
mitigation, while this year representations made to Government Our 2016–2020 Strategic Plan sets out our ongoing mission.
contributed towards the decision to extend the proposed Chilterns Our aim for the next five years is to lead the way to nature’s
tunnel, sparing three ancient woodlands. (Susan Makepeace) recovery and connect people with nature, so that people
recognise their dependence on nature and the value of it to
their mental and physical wellbeing. BBOWT will achieve this
in a number of ways.
n Restore nature: Through the management of its 89
nature reserves and by working with others to advocate
wildlife-friendly management of their land.
n Engage with people and their communities: Including
young people and non-members through our programme
of events and activities in both urban and rural locations.
n Benefit nature and society together: By showing how
nature can improve everyone’s wellbeing, and through
advocacy with local influencers.
n Build partnerships for nature: By speaking up for
wildlife, through proactive engagement with developers
and landowners, and by establishing local corporate and
infrastructure partnerships.
14 Wildlife news
