08/02/2005 - The Environment
Agency is supporting two crucial new projects
aimed at reversing the decline of three
highly threatened species of butterfly across
Devon, Somerset and Cornwall.
The ‘Re-connecting the Culm’ project and
‘The Two Moors Threatened Butterfly Project’
will channel a total of over £350,000
into work to save the High Brown Fritillary,
Marsh Fritillary and Heath Fritillary -
three of Britain’s most rapidly declining
species. Between 1970 and 1982 these species
have declined by 82%, 68%, and 38% respectively.
The Environment Agency is putting £10,000
into the two projects this year, with a
further £5,000 next year.
The Re-connecting the Culm project covers
the Culm grasslands of North Devon and Cornwall,
which have declined massively in recent
decades - just 8% of the grasslands present
in 1900 still survive and almost 50% was
lost between 1984 and 1991. By far the biggest
cause of loss has been agricultural modification,
through draining, ploughing and fertilizing.
The Two Moors Threatened Butterfly Project
covers Dartmoor and Exmoor and will bring
farmers and landowners together to encourage
sustainable land management that assists
the butterflies. Dartmoor and Exmoor now
hold the most significant populations of
these species in England.
The projects will aim to support and develop
farmer to farmer links so that butterfly-friendly
farming practices can be shared. They will
also help provide additional employment
for local people through a programme of
fencing and scrub control, enabling farmers
with local skills and traditional knowledge
of these areas to supplement their income
by undertaking restorative work on key sites.
Several new networks of volunteers will
also be established and will help implement
many aspects of the projects.
The projects are led by the charity Butterfly
Conservation in partnership with the Esmée
Fairbairn Foundation, Dartmoor National
Park Authority, Exmoor National Park Authority,
DEFRA (RDS), English Nature and the Environment
Agency.
Other species ranging from dormice to otters
and barn owls to reed buntings will also
benefit.
One project officer will be employed for
each initiative for the next four years,
based at the English Nature offices in Exeter.
Dr Martin Warren, Chief Executive of Butterfly
Conservation said "The West Country
is one of the last remaining strongholds
for these beautiful butterflies and the
work will lead to habitat improvements for
a wide range of moorland and grassland species."
Roger Goulding from the Environment Agency
said "We are very pleased to support
these projects which are working to halt
the decline of these highly threatened species.
We are always pleased to work in partnership
with a range of organisations, striving
to improve the economy and environment in
the south-west."
