Reintroductions
SPECIES: v Aspen
v Duke of Burgundy buterfly
v Goldilocks aster v Great sundew v Green-winged orchid v Hazel dormouse
v Maidenhair fern v Oblong-leaved sundew v Small blue butterfly v Spiked speedwell
v Corncrake (feasibility study)
v Pine marten (feasibility study)
Currently the hazel dormouse is mostly confined to southern England but we may see them in Arnside and Silverdale if a reintroduction is successful. Photo: Danny Green/2020VISION
an extensive and spectacular network of protected areas. This presents a unique geographical opportunity to use the pre-existing mosaic of protected areas for species reintroductions through the involvement of local people.
Reintroductions are a tried and tested method of restoring native species and improving the function of natural systems, but historically most reintroduction projects have had a single-species focus. By contrast, BOOM was conceived as a multi-species project with the aim of restoring whole ecosystems on the basis that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The 12 species of plants and animals were shortlisted following extensive consultation with the local community and based on specific criteria such as ecological feasibility, availability of suitable habitat, conservation status, cost and extinction risk.
During the four-year project delivery period, which is due to start this spring, the team will work closely with dozens of stakeholder groups such as Buterfly Conservation, the RSPB, the Vincent Wildlife Trust and the National Trust, and will employ a project manager, three project officers and a part-time community engagement officer.
BOOM will collaborate with the Forestry Commission to conduct a pine marten feasibility study in the Grizedale area, and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species will oversee a hazel dormouse reintroduction over two years in the Arnside and Silverdale AONB. Rare buterflies and plants will also benefit, with plans to translocate Duke of Burgundy buterflies from Witherslack Site of Special Scientific Interest to expand the geographic range and habitat connectivity of the species.
Of the plant species, none is more spectacular than the green-winged orchid, which has declined precipitously during the second half of the 20th century due to the loss of hay meadows and unimproved grassland habitats. BOOM will enlist the help of Kew Gardens to reinforce populations at Laterbarrow and Humphrey Head nature reserves. Using cuting-edge propagation methods, local seed will be grown with isolates of the mycorrhizal fungus which the seed depends upon for germination, and seedlings produced by Kew Gardens will be grown on by the community in Cumbria and planted out.
While each reinforcement or reintroduction is important in its own right, the pine marten has perhaps the greatest potential to benefit other species and improve the health and resilience of the forest ecosystem. BOOM will conduct a wide-ranging feasibility study with the general public
and stakeholder groups to evaluate public opinion in the Grizedale area. If numbers of this rare mustelid increase the decline of the red squirrel could be reversed, demonstrating how the return of a missing keystone species can have a positive impact on one of the most threatened Cumbrian species.
We recognise that the success of this project will be determined by the enthusiasm and commitment of community volunteers. We hope to work with a wide audience, including schoolchildren, students from the University of Cumbria, prisoners from HMP Haverigg, and a network of community growers such as Growing Well near Kendal. In return for their hard work, volunteers will be offered training in field identification, plant propagation, species monitoring and habitat assessment. A programme of social activities including guided walks and talks, photographic competitions, art installations and school visits will help to build resilience in the community.
With the ongoing support of the National Lotery Heritage Fund, BOOM will transform the lives of some of the poorest communities in the UK by providing them with the skills, knowledge and experience to take ownership of the spectacular habitats on their doorstep. By the end of the project we hope that the commitment and long-term vision of the community volunteers and project partners will sustain the work of BOOM to protect and enrich the landscapes and wildlife of South Cumbria.
Kew Gardens will produce green- winged orchid seedlings which will be planted at Laterbarrow and Humphrey Head nature reserves Photo: Paul Lane
www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk 17
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