Pearl-bordered fritillary boom in Wyre Forest

pearl-bordered fritillary in the Wyre Forest. Photo credit Mark Eccleston.

June 2011. Endangered butterflies are on the up in the Wyre Forest thanks to work by an environment and heritage scheme in the West Midlands.

The Grow With Wyre Landscape Partnership Scheme, led by the Forestry Commission, has been working hard in recent years to improve the habitat for declining species of butterfly - and now that work appears to be paying off.

Extraordinary numbers
The pearl-bordered fritillary - one of the most rapidly declining species in the UK - was out in ‘extraordinary' numbers and has been the butterfly most seen flying in the forest recently.

Grizzled skipper
The grizzled skipper butterfly, which is so rare it has not been seen in the Elan Valley pipeline area of the Wyre Forest for several years, has also staged a remarkable comeback with confirmed sightings in what was once a well-known haunt for the species.

Factors that have influenced the resurgence are work by Severn Trent in cutting grass near their Elan Valley pipeline and also Back to Orange management work undertaken through Grow With Wyre which saw the opening up of areas within the forest and the widening of rides.

Dr Jenny Joy, Butterfly Conservation's senior regional officer for the West Midlands, said: "This is testament both to the improved management of the pipeline by Severn Trent and the Back to Orange project work. This is a huge success story and really shows how project funding, together with partnership working, can help to reverse the fortunes of our rarest butterflies.

"These numbers are the result of the management work combined with the wonderful spring weather which has helped the pearl-bordered fritillary to spread into many new areas of the forest."

Future management of the forest, through measures such as restoration of oak coppice, ride management and the opening up of more heath land within the forest, should help butterfly numbers thrive in the future.

The Grow With Wyre Landscape Partnership Scheme consists of organisations including Natural England, Shropshire County Council, Bewdley Development Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Worcester County Council, Wyre Forest Study Group, Wyre Community Land Trust, Wyre Forest District Council, Bewdley Development Trust and the National Trust.

More about Wyre Forest National Nature Reserve