Wood white butterfly gets extra protection in Herefordshire

04/08/2009 11:56:23

Brighter Future for Herefordshire's Declining Butterfly

August 2009. One of the UK's most rapidly declining butterflies is showing signs of recovery in Herefordshire, thanks to a three-year conservation project being led by the Forestry Commission and Butterfly Conservation.

Last year a grant of £88,000 was awarded to the Forestry Commission by the SITA Trust to help safeguard the future of the beautiful and rare Wood White butterfly in the county, which is one of the few remaining strongholds for the species in Britain.

The Wood White butterfly has become a rarer sight in England's countryside with numbers falling so low in the past decade that it is now considered endangered. As a result of important conservation work by the Forestry Commission and Butterfly Conservation, Haugh Woods near Woolhope and Wigmore Rolls in the north of the county are now proving to be hotspots for this beautiful little white butterfly, which can be easily spotted in the woods during late May, June and July.

Last summer despite the wet, cool weather, Forestry Commission staff and contract surveyors observed a total of 522 adult wood whites and 110 of their tiny eggs laid on the caterpillar's preferred food plants.

Kate Wollen, Conservation Ranger for the Forestry Commission in the West Midlands, says: "This is great news for the region's Wood White butterfly and the project. Our work is already helping to protect the species for future generations to enjoy. We have a great relationship with Butterfly Conservation, which is hugely beneficial to the ongoing conservation work carried out in Forestry Commission woodland."

Ringlet in Haugh Woods. Credit Wildlife Extra Haugh Woods, at nearly 350 hectares is nationally important for butterflies and moths, with over 600 species recorded within it. This makes the wood one of the top 10 woods in the country and is designated as a SSSI due to the presence of these invertebrates. Wildlife Extra visited Haugh Woods in June 2009, and saw a wealth of butterflies, and some beautiful scenery. More about Haugh Woods

Eight sites in Herefordshire

Now in its second year, the Forestry Commission is continuing to work closely with Butterfly Conservation to manage the ‘Wood White Project' across eight Forestry Commission woods in Herefordshire, including Shobdon Hill, Sned, Mere Hill, Wigmore and Mortimer Forests, Haugh Woods, Queenswood, Dymock and Lords Wood at the Doward.

Over the winter practical management work took place throughout all of the eight woods. Other woodland wildlife will also benefit from more open woodland including moths, butterflies, and reptiles such as slow-worms and common lizard.

Coppicing
Coppicing and cutting back vegetation allows more sunlight on to the woodland floor, giving the Wood White caterpillar's main food plants - common and greater bird's foot trefoil and meadow vetchling - a chance to flourish, to fulfill an important aim of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan for this ‘Priority' Species.

Surveys will continue to assess the success of the management in these woods and to identify areas for coppicing in future. As the Wood White Project progresses, visitors will be encouraged to come along and enjoy their walk more as they watch the butterflies and see the improvements in these woodlands.

Dramatic decline in woodland butterflies
In recent decades, there has been a dramatic decline in woodland butterflies, with many species disappearing from areas where enthusiasts have formerly known them to be. The abundance of butterflies in England's woodlands has dropped by 43% over the last 16 years, so with the help of the experts working alongside volunteers in projects such as this, their future is more certain.

SITA Trust
The SITA Trust was set up in 1997 and runs three funding programmes. The ‘Wood White Project' has received a grant from the Enriching Nature Fund, which provides money for biodiversity projects within the vicinity of landfill sites in England.

Local community and conservation groups can get more involved in helping wildlife on their doorstep by applying to the SITA Trust for funds to support their projects.