Supporters of frogs, toads, newts, snakes and lizards will be gathering in Cornwall on Sunday 3rd March for a South West regional meeting of Britain’s Amphibian and Reptile Groups.

Staged at Cornwall College Newquay, the conference is being organised jointly by the Cornwall Reptile and Amphibian Group (CRAG) – a specialist group within Cornwall Wildlife Trust – and the College’s Student Invasive Non-Native Group (SINNG).

The programme promises a lively mix of presentations on local, national and global conservation issues. Topics include Cornwall’s rare sand lizards, latest results from SINNG’s studies of non-native amphibians in the county, and a report on the current status of adders in the UK.

Delegates will also draw inspiration and ideas from research as far afield as Spain and Tanzania to help conserve species closer to home. Practical guidance will be given on recording systems and on biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of diseases through fieldwork.

There will be lighter moments, including a session entitled ‘Adam, Eve and Hissing Sid’, as well as time for informal discussion.

“One of the best things about Amphibian and Reptile Group meetings, nationally and regionally, is that they give people a chance to encourage each other’s efforts and share information, says CRAG Co-ordinator Mark Nicholson.

“Most of those who attend will be members of the various county ARGs, which together make up ARG UK. We’re a close-knit community of specialists and we work very effectively together to make sure these creatures get their fair share of conservation effort.”

The event’s sponsors are environmental consultancy companies CGO Ecology Ltd and Herpetologic Ltd, as well as the College itself.

Anyone interested in attending is asked to contact Pete Mycock at newtpete@hotmail.co.uk for details.

These two courses are run by Nicky Green CEnv MIEEM, Chair of the Devon Reptile & Amphibian Group (DRAG) and has been working with great crested newts since 2003. The course location is the spectacular Braunton Burrows sand dunes SSSI on the picturesque north Devon coast.

Course cost is £100 (exclusive of required overnight accommodation) and all proceeds will be donated to DRAG. To reserve a place email nicky@green-ecology.co.uk. The courses on both weekends are the same.

Items covered include: -

• Ecology
• Identification
• GCN distribution – Devon and UK
• Survey planning, timing, interpretation, health & safety
• Survey methods including making a bottle trap
• Habitat Suitability Index
• Legislation
• Survey and mitigation requirements – an LPA perspective
• Introduction to mitigation methods
• Field visits to practice survey methods

DRAG volunteers will be improving newt habitat at Chudliegh Knighton Heath tomorrow.  Enthusiastic volunteers will be getting stuck into clearing scubby vegetation to allow for a digger to reach the existing pond at a later date.  We will then be clearing the ground as best we can to keep newts out of the footprint of the works and remove vegetation from the pond to stop it from silting up.  If you interested in joining in with similar events in the future please get in touch to become a member of DRAG (it's free!) and get email alerts on events and other activities.

Mabel Cheung