Tag Archives: conservation

Tracking future biodiversity trends

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As part of OFA’s commitment to improving biodiversity in the west Oxford floodplain, steering-group member Simon Collings has been recording butterflies in the area. In 2023 he carried out a survey of species present in the floodplain and shared the results with the Environment Agency ecologists working on the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme. This year (2024) Simon set up a transect under the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) . He and two volunteers conducted weekly surveys from April to September. Results have been shared with the EA.

The 1 km transect route starts on the Electric Road near Osney Mead, follows informal paths across the meadow to the south of the Bulstake Stream, and finishes at Hogacre Eco Park. The route was planned with the directors of the Eco Park, and with the EA ecologists.

Why is OFA doing this?

‘The idea was to establish a baseline prior to the EA building the flood alleviation scheme,’ Simon explains. ‘I knew from surveying in 2023 that Hogacre is relatively rich in butterflies. The Hogacre trustees are keen to gather more data on biodiversity at the site and the formal methodology of the transect helps provide some of that. The first three sections of the transect, in contrast, are across land where the EA will be introducing improved species-rich grassland, hedges and trees. Over time the butterfly population here should increase.’

This year has not been good for butterflies, with numbers down hugely across the UK. This is reflected in the results obtained locally compared with Simon’s observations in 2023. A total of 161 butterflies, representing 18 species, were recorded along the transect. Of these 122 (76%) were in the scrub and meadow at Hogacre. The most commonly recorded species were meadow brown (48) and gatekeeper (45).

How does it help improve biodiversity?

The transect methodology gives a measure of relative abundance which can be compared with other sites and which can be tracked annually to show increases or declines in populations and species. Butterflies are highly sensitive to changes in the environment and for this reason are used nationally as an indicator of environmental health.

Surveying on the transect uses a precise methodology and the records submitted to UKBMS are checked by an expert. Simon’s 2023 sightings were submitted to iRecord where again records are verified by experts.

‘OFA sees the biodiversity elements of the flood alleviation scheme as an opportunity to support wildlife in the area,’ Simon says. ‘To maximise this we want to engage local people in citizen science and conservation activity, working in partnership with the EA.’

Landowners in the area, including some Oxford University colleges, are already involved in floodplain-meadow restoration. There are a lot of resources in the city to draw on. OFA believes we could create something significant here which connects up with other biodiverse areas in the county. The river system is an obvious wildlife corridor.

Simon is a member of Butterfly Conservation and also records on a 4.5 km UKBMS transect at Wytham run by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. More information on butterflies at Hogacre can be found here.

Reducing flood risk by improving biodiversity

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Can improving biodiversity in Oxfordshire contribute to reducing flood risk? We think it can and there are conversations taking place across the county which could move this forward.

Oxfordshire County Council is developing a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for the county. This flows from the 2021 Environment Act and government commitments to improve biodiversity across the UK. Oxford Flood Alliance has been participating in consultation meetings on the strategy. We’re interested in ways natural flood management in the catchment can help reduce flood risk.

The County is using expert advice alongside wide-ranging public consultation. Twelve workshops were held in March involving more than 300 participants, including conservationists, farmers and local government officers. A survey of local people received 650 responses. Results of these engagement activities were presented in an online meeting on 9 May attended by more than 100 people.

What matters most?

The two issues that gained the widest support from these consultations were improving the quality of our rivers and freshwater habitats and stopping river pollution from sewage and agricultural runoff. Benefits expected to come from this included reduced flooding (number 2 for the workshops and 3 in the survey result). There was also strong support for an end to building in the floodplain.  Thames Water cleaning up its act is critical to reducing pollution.

Simon Collings from OFA asked how reducing flood risk would be reflected in the priorities for  the strategy. Chloe Edwards, who leads on this work at the County Council, said this would be through identifying habitat improvements which included natural flood management to benefit properties and/or farmland. She said she expected this to be a significant component of the strategy.

How could this reduce flood risk?

LNRS is not the only county-wide strategy for dealing with flood risk, or even the main one, but slowing runoff and improving storage upstream across the Thames catchment could help. To see an example of this in action watch this video about the Evenlode Catchment Project. (The section of flood management starts around 9 mins in.)

Another example is outlined in the Bernwood, Otmoor, and Ray (BOR) strategy developed by BBOWT. The River Ray drains into the Cherwell, which joins the Thames in Oxford. The BBOWT plan is to create wetland areas which would slow the discharge of water from the Ray into the wider river system. Working with farmers will be critical in achieving this. The LNRS will incorporate existing initiatives like these as building blocks.

What does it mean for OFAS?

These strategies are not an alternative to the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme but they could help as climate change takes effect. They are also important for the survival of our wildlife. Connecting up areas of surviving biodiversity is seen as a key objective of the strategy. The OFAS scheme is designed to deliver biodiversity net gain as well as flood protection. The project could contribute to the creation of more joined-up habitat across the county.

The LNRS is intended to provide a focus for government funding decisions and a basis for various actors to collaborate. But it won’t be the only game in town. It is envisaged that there will still be a lot of other activity taking place over and above what’s included in the strategy.