The Ivel Valley Volunteers organised by BRAG member Richard Lawrence (and including two more BRAG members) spent most of a lovely sunny day clearing the trees and scrub around Richard’s Pond in the Saxon Gate area of Biggleswade. This pond was dug in January 2003 (see Photo Gallery). Since then very little conservation work has been done because of doubts over its future – see Saxon Gate Planning Appeal in our ‘News’ section. Now that the appeal has been dismissed we have started to clear the willow which shades much of the pond – compare picture taken in August 2011 with that taken in November 2012 in the Photo Gallery. We still need to clear much of the vegetation from the pond itself so there is sufficient clear water for the toads and frogs to spawn.

See picture gallery for our visit.

The Beds Heathland Forum annual meeting, organised by Phil Irving of the Greensand Trust, visited two contrasting heaths: Cooper’s Hill to the west of Ampthill (good for Common Lizards) and Mauldon Heath (good for Common Lizards, Slow Worms and the site of an Adder re-introduction).

Cooper’s Hills was chosen because it has areas of old, woody, heather small parts of which had been experimentally burned earlier this year. The purpose of this was to create a more varied habitat with a mosaic of young and old heather. This burning seems to have been successful as we could see regeneration from the root stock. In another experiment the aim was to encourage heather regeneration by removing the top layer of wavy hair grass and soil so heather seed could germinate. This was done in areas where the heather had not been able to grow because of a thick mat of grass. Again this has been successful and we saw many small heather seedlings. Both these experiments will be monitored over the next few years.

Whereas Cooper’s Hill has a good cover of heather and is heavily used by walkers, there is little heather at Maulden, though there are three acid grassland fields designated SSSIs. Paths mostly take the public around, rather than across, these areas. Unlike Cooper’s Hill the Maulden fields are grazed. There flora in one, ex-Christmas tree, field is developing well and the area will be expanded by the felling of some poplar trees, planted by the Forestry Commission as an experiment some years ago. Even more extensive conifer clearance is planned this winter for the area known as The Hump. This already supports CL and SW and may have adders.

We did not see any herps. This was hardly surprising as the weather was rather chilly and dull. Four BRAG Members attended the Forum.

Minutes of the BRAG AGM held on Thursday 19 July 2012 at The Greensand Trust office, Maulden Woods at 6.30 pm.

1. Present: Matt Andrews, Brian Banks, Trevor Broderick, Philip Gould, Andrei Marcu, Helen Muir-Howie, Diana Parsons, Marcus Phillips, Susan Phillips, Sue Raven.

2. Apologies for absence were received from Richard Lawrence.

3. OFFICERS’ REPORTS:

CHAIRMAN: MP reported on various recent activities.

TREASURER: BB reported that £217.65 was in the bank account according to the last statement he had received dated 29 May 2005. There was no need to charge members a subscription.

4. ACTIVITIES FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR. This was the main subject of discussion.

SURVEYING AND MONITORING (sites in alphabetical order)

Campton (nearby copse): A man was bitten on the foot by an adder while metal detecting on private land near the golf course at Beadlow Manor, east of Maulden. Although there is no public access, a public footpath runs nearby. SR will get details of the land owner and try to get permission to survey the area.

Chellington Church (SP960563): Adders have been reported but not confirmed (HM-H thinks adders are very unlikely to be in this area). It would be useful to survey the area, though, and at least confirm GS.

Maulden: Few adders have been seen the last two years. We should try to find out whether they have dispersed and if so where they now are. MP and SP will try to do some surveying but the more people from the Group who can survey the better. Perhaps let SR know if you are going to Maulden.

Millbrook Proving Ground: This looks a very promising site but it is difficult to get permission to go onto it.

Rammamere: MA was intending to use carpet tiles to survey for adders (and other herps).

Rowney Warren: The presence of adders has been confirmed relatively recently, but only in tiny numbers. MA suggested the Group should put down carpet tile refugia and undertake a thorough survey of the site this autumn to try to find where they bask.

RSPB, The Lodge: Adders have been reported but not confirmed. MP will contact Stephanie Morren (stephanie.morren@rspb.org.uk) with a view to putting down refugia (MA’s carpet tiles and corrugated iron if we can get it cut up). She has offered to monitor the tiles.

Rushmere: The Greensand Trust would like to know which areas are favoured by adders before they undertake anymore construction work.

Stockgrove: BB has seen very few toad tadpoles in the big ponds for the last three years. This is a site which we should monitor on a regular basis.

TASKS etc. (sites in alphabetical order)

Bedford Moat: The moat has not been cleared by BNHS for some years. SR will try to find out who to contact re getting permission to clear it out this winter.

Bucks: Liaise with Bucks Group (MP), especially about GCN at Aspley Guise.

Maulden: The Group would liaise with SR re a new pond in the Conservation Area. This would hopefully encourage the spread of GCN.

Maulden: More Christmas trees will be cut down in the adder field. These can be used to make log piles and brash heaps. The Group, via SR, will liaise.

5. THIS YEAR’S COMMITTEE. This is something we did not discuss but according to our Constitution (attached) we should have a committee. We suggest that for this year, or until the Group decides otherwise, we should carry on as before with the four posts designated in the constitution:

Chairman: Marcus Phillips

Secretary: Susan Phillips

Treasurer: Bryan Banks

Recorder: Helen Muir-Howie

Next year (or before) hopefully other people will get involved with this side of things.

We were very pleased to see so many of our members at our recent AGM, held on Thursday 19th July at The Greensand Trust. We would particularly like to say thank you to Sue Raven for accommodating us in one of the new buildings. The main subject of discussion was surveying: which sites should we concentrate on? There have been a number of sightings of adders over the last few years and one of our main tasks will be to try to confirm, or not, these records.

31 October: Planning inspector rejects appeal.

Key issues: effects of the proposal on the open countryside and on biodiversity.

We will post more details but the full report is at the Planning Inspectorate, Planning Portal, and the full reference is APP/P0240/A/11/2155625. Go to Appeals and follow the links.

We will try and post some extracts.