Information for everyone interested in Barnsley’s biodiversity.
Lots on the landscapes, habitats and wildlife found in Barnsley as well as on what we should do to conserve them. There are pages on wildlife records and sites, planning and development, and much more in our Barnsley Biodiversity Action Plan ...
Supporting Barnsley’s biodiversity?
Many of you are already helping to support Barnsley’s biodiversity…
You may be a volunteer with organisations like the Garganey Trust, Groundwork, Land Trust, RSPB, Woodland Trust or Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. You may support a local neighbourhood group or volunteer on a site, nature reserve or green space near you.
Another way you may help is by letting the Barnsley Biological Record Centre have records of sightings so that they can be used to protect and conserve wildlife. Let us know if you want to know more.
You can …
- Volunteer with a local project or activity.
- Help organise a local project.
- Lend your expertise to advise on projects or developments.
You can also get involved in the BBT…
- Follow us on social media and better still join our mailing list.
- Come along and participate in one of our open meetings.
- Help organise or participate in our community-based projects.
- Offer to give advice on an occasional basis when needed.
- Join a group that updates and monitors biodiversity plan actions.
- Become a trustee.
Trees and Woodland!
Lots of guidance has been published recently to help with tree and woodland planting and management. The most important idea being having the right tree in the right place.
Trees and Woodland Strategy Toolkit
The most recent is a step-by-step guide for developing and delivering a local tree and woodland strategy to harness the long-term benefits that trees can bring to local communities.
Within the toolkit you are able to
- search for wildlife species* in a woodland you help manage or visit
- get an overview of your woodland condition after doing some simple surveys (proformas provided)
- look at various woodland guidance for practical advice on management techniques and issues
- read species fact sheets which include the woodland management that the species needs, and
- gain access to management plan templates and the myForest web tool developed by the Sylva Foundation.
The toolkit was developed by the Bat Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Forestry Commission, Natural England, Plantlife, RSPB, Sylva Foundation and the Woodland Trust, and initially published in 2019.
Woodland Wildlife
Toolkit — a great online resource for anyone interested in woodlands, their wildlife and how to support them.
Memories of Alwyn Timms
Alwyn Timms, a trustee of the Barnsley Biodiversity Trust as well as a member of a number of naturalist and conservation groups, sadly died earlier this year.
His interest in biodiversity was longstanding — in fact he attended the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio which established the first UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
Alwyn was a patient observer of wildlife, an impressive photographer, a prolific recorder and a strong advocate of conservation. He was an all-round naturalist with a particular interest in butterflies and dragonflies. He wrote the butterfly section in the biodiversity plan, and contributed the images in that section as well as many others throughout the plan. His research on the local distribution of the Wall Brown butterfly and of repeated visits to a local site of a Small Blue butterfly colony was exemplay.
Alwyn was the Barnsley Biodiversity Trust’s representative on the Barnsley Biological Record Centre. Following a suggestion from Alwyn, the Barnsley Butterfly Atlas project was launched in May 2017 by Sorby Natural History Society and Barnsley Biological Record Centre, with support from the Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership. Its work is expected to come to fruition in the next couple of years.
Barnsley Naturalist Society has published a number of Alwyn’s contributions to its online newsletters during the pandemic. Well worth exploring for his observational insights – and humour.
http://www.barnsleynats.org.uk/category/alwyns-observations/
Alwyn will be much missed. Thank you Alwyn for all you have done.
Dearne Valley Wetlands – Site of Special Scientific Interest SSSI
Natural England has announced the designation of a group of sites within the Dearne Valley Nature Improvement Area (NIA) as a new SSSI - Dearne Valley Wetlands. It’s for nationally important bird species found here including wetland birds such as Bittern, Lapwing and Redshank and Avocet, as well as the Willow Tit. SSSI details
There are other great resources published about woodlands and how to create and manage them to support biodiversity and tackle climate change, and a wide-ranging toolkit to promote woodland wildlife
Another report published in January 2023 was commissioned by ADEPT as guidance for Local Authorities.
The Value of Trees toolkit aims to help those involved in planting schemes to make appropriate species and design choices, so
that trees will survive and thrive.
The document provides information on species selection and latest guidance on tree planting and maintenance.
The toolkit also highlights how to draw on the current exceptional levels of funding for tree planting.
Barnsley Biodiversity Action Plan has been revised to bring it up-to-date and include additional information.
It can be accessed via the link above. Comments always welcome!
We have previously provided our recent posts via Twitter here. Following changes to Twitter by its management, it’s not now possible.
If you still have a twitter account please have a look at our tweets @barnsleybiodiv
Barnsley Council has published its revised Biodiversity SPD (Supplementary Planning Document).
It can be seen here
Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) establish actions to drive nature’s recovery and provide wider environmental benefits. They were introduced into law by the Environment Act 2021. South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is inviting people and organisations to submit evidence as part of its review and preparation of the strategy. Deadline 15th May. For more information: southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk/explore_local-nature-recovery-strategy