From ‘Epic Epping Forest’ to ‘Wild Wicken Fen’…..it’s all in a Day’s Work for our Countryside and Wildlife Management Students!

Although the College is blessed with its own working farm, exciting visits further afield are often called for to help our students grasp the bigger picture in their chosen field of interest. For example, this week Foundation Degree Countryside & Wildlife Management and BSc Wildlife Conservation have travelled to both Epping Forest in Greater London and Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire to learn about the specifics of wildlife management for ancient woodlands and protected wetlands respectively. In the case of Epping Forest, students were able to see first-hand how the Corporation of London attempted to blend specific conservation management policies (including conservation grazing plans with rare breeds and re-pollarding of trees) with offering access and informal recreation opportunities to meet demands for the sizeable local population.  

Going Batty in New Zealand!

BSc Land Management student George Rockell safely returned from his research adventure in New Zealand, where he went off in search of the elusive long tailed bats inhabiting remote forest regions of Pureora Forest Park near Taupo in the North Island. George was kind enough to give a detailed diary account of his adventures, and here is what he had to say……

‘After a gruelling 24 hour flight via France and China I arrived at Auckland International Airport optimistic and eager to embark on the long-tail bat project. First stop was Taupo where I met Jess (Scrimgeour) who briefed me on the Department of Conservations expectations and supplied me with five bat monitors, a GPS device and a thermal imagery camera. An hour to the west lies Pureora Forest Park where a cohort of DOC biodiversity scientists are situated. Here I met lead biodiversity officer Tertia (Thurley) who provided me with a further 10 bat monitors and other equipment which proved invaluable. Here in Pureora I would spend the next month living with Canadian Phd student Zenon (Cenze) in a cabin which bordered the forest’. 

‘I was eager to explore the forest interior so on the following day I entered into the unknown and started assessing stream habitats within the sub-tropical rainforest. The cluttered, humid environment was at first quite intimidating and claustrophobic, not to mention a navigational nightmare! However, within a few days I became comfortable travelling through the forest and my navigational skills progressively improved. After one week surveying habitat characteristics, 32 sample sites were completed spanning roughly 6 km of three streams’.

‘After a relaxing Christmas and New Year spent lounging on the beach with family in the Coromandel, I returned to Pureora energised and excited to start the bat surveys. 

My days were once again spent trekking through the forest in order to seek out the sample sites previously surveyed before Christmas. Bat monitors were placed in the 32 sample sites over the remaining weeks of my stay. The bat monitors remotely recorded bat calls and, in one sample site, accounted for over 300 recorded bat calls over the three nights of surveying’. 

‘At sunset each night I used the thermal imagery camera at two stream locations known to be bat ‘hotspots’. The camera was used to find out how long-tail bats behaved along interior stream networks. The night bat surveys were the most challenging and daunting part of the project. At night the forest transforms into a entirely different environment. Noises intensify and, as night fell, it felt like the forest really came to life. Walking with a head torch unfortunately attracted a few ‘friends’ such as the Huhu beetle (photo in album) which I can only compare to a flying cockroach! They would often clumsily fly into your face after being attracted to the torch light. The screeching of the Morpork (ruru) owl and the crackling sounds produced by the weta beetle were heard on a regular basis. Sitting beside the stream was at times unpleasant as it was rife with mosquitoes, but after seeing the first long-tail bat flying along the stream and swooping down to take a drink from the stream it was worth all the bites. It was remarkable to see how bats drink and I was amazed at how they are able to fly at such fast speeds within cluttered environments and can manage to drink on the wing with such grace and finesse. Bats were not the only animals I could see through the camera. I also saw numerous rats and possums who were oblivious of my presence. Rats and possums are both invasive species which adversely impact on forest ecosystems. DOC have been undergoing trapping projects over the past 4 years to try to eradicate / control the pests but obviously to little avail’. 

‘After two hours with the camera I would often head off to meet with Tertia or Zen to help out with their own work where I was given the opportunity to handle both long-tail and short-tail bats (photos in album). I gained valuable experience handling bats and learnt the correct methods of radio-tracking bats successfully, which I am sure will prove useful in future ecological consultancy work’.

‘It only remains for me to thank everyone who made this memorable trip possible: my supervisor Dr James Littlemore, Corinna Coleman and the University of Northampton (for grant funds), Jess Scrimgeour, Tertia Thurley and all Pureora DOC staff - and, of course, Zenon Cenze who provided accommodation and much appreciated hospitality’.

Images here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9pgn2o1ztzwxyye/AAC95v75WbszKXRosRYZ5z4ba?dl=0 

‘Snow-joke’ in Wintry Wonder-Rutland for Moulton’s Land Managers!

Braving the extreme elements today, intrepid BSc Land Management students were hosted by Jim Egan of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust at the Allerton Project – a research and demonstration farm near Uppingham.  The student visit was kindly funded by the Rivers Trusts and Catchment Sensitive Farming and focussed on land management issues including catchment sensitive farming, agri-environment schemes and wildlife and environment research in both the class room session and the wintry farm walk. As the walk continued the snow began to fall, leaving staff and students wondering if they would escape it’s wintry clutches! Thankfully Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer Andrew Down - who was on hand to help with the walk - also proved useful in helping to tow the minibus up the steep snow lined lanes with his 4x4!

An 'Estate' of Mind!

Rural development is a policy led process that helps to shape the future sustainability of our countryside, and Moulton based Higher Education students studying agriculture and land management have been assisting in the process by working with a number of high profile local country estates. Building on links with Lamport Hall, Kelmarsh Hall Operations Manager Des Brack has recently been helping to co-ordinate some student assessment work where students have pitched researched estate diversification ideas for him to feedback to Trustees. Most recently, the BSc Land Management group will team up with estate manager Mark Henderson at Castle Ashby Estates to tackle some similar problem solving activities. This innovative approach to assessing students means they are able to link theoretical subjects to applied outcomes, and directly links their course to the ‘real-world’.

Seeing the Wood for the Trees at the Boughton Estates!

BSc Wildlife Conservation and FdSc Countryside & Wildlife Management students took a trip up to the Boughton Estates today to meet Jonathan Plowe, the resident Woodlands Operations Manager. Of the 11,000 acres, 2500 acres comprises of well managed woodland including large areas of semi-natural ancient woodland and plantation forests. Students were able to see all phases of the forestry operation from planting to extraction (including a demonstration of forestry machinery) to processing. Jonathan expertly explained that the timber has to provide an economic return for the estate – this is primarily accomplished through standing sales of hardwoods (for example, felled ash to China), local hardwood firewood and the growing market for softwood wood chip. Students were fascinated to see how commercial forestry objectives assimilated aims for biodiversity, and very much enjoyed their hosts honest and entertaining commentary!