The Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM) - the body representing many professional ecologists - has just published a set of guidance notes on survey skills requirements. The purpose is to advise wildlife surveyors and other practitioners on the minimum level of skills needed for professional species surveys.

The new notes are called “Competencies for Species Survey" (CSS), and are the result of consultation with practitioners, conservation NGOs and SNCOs. There is one for great crested newts, one for natterjack toads, and one for reptiles. They are being promoted as a benchmark to define the minimum knowledge, skill and experience criteria needed to be a professional wildlife surveyor. The full set is accessible here: http://www.ieem.net/competencies.asp.

The new CSS Guidance should be of interest to ARG members as it attempts to standardise the competence that practitioners have. It will also be interesting to see how well they are adopted, and whether they end up performing a function in controversial settings such as public enquiries.

The Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC) has announced that 2011 is a bumper year for sand lizard recovery. They have managed to introduce/reintroduce sand lizards to seven sites in England and Wales - possibly a record number. Included in this list is at least one Dorset site, right on the edge of Bournemouth in fact.

ARC has released the following news item: http://arc-trust.blogspot?.com/2011/09/rare-sand-lizards-released-back-to-wild.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arc-news+%28ARC+-+latest+news%29

With heavy declines and habitat loss now reversed, the sand lizard is finally recovering in the UK. A concerted effort from ARC, Natural England, Countryside Council for Wales, and other partners means that populations are increasing, and the species has returned to nearly all the Vice Counties that it once occupied. The Sand Lizard Recovery Programme is one of the most successful reintroduction programmes anywhere in the world. ARC (formerly the HCT) has overseen 74 reintroductions over the last 40 years, with very few failures. 

Last Thursday evening (7 July 2011), Dorset Wildlife Trust hosted a barbecue and social evening to say thank you to all the volunteers that helped out with the aftermath of the devastating fire last month. This was followed by a walk through remaining areas of Upton Heath to hear nightjars.

An overwhelming response was received in the rescue campaign after the fire, with over a hundred volunteers on some days, hundreds of reptiles, and finishing with a big litter pick.

Steve Davis from Dorset Wildlife Trust said: "Over the course of the 8 days of rescue work, we had a total of 261 individuals volunteering, many of them doing multiple days.  Couple this with the staff and others who helped to lead the groups of volunteers, and it was in excess of 300. Volunteer online registrations jumped from a usual  5-6 per week to 302 in three days!"

A total of 551 reptiles were rescued: 34 sand lizards, 432 common lizards, 28 slow-worms, 4 grass snakes, 26 smooth snakes, and 27 adders. Nine amphibians were also caught and moved: 7 palmate newts, 2 common toads.

Following on from the rescues, Steve Davis and Andy Fale from DWT organised a litter pick, "...while we have the enthusiasm of the volunteers, and before it all greens up and covers the litter again."