Morecambe Bay woodland work to save endangered butterfly (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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Morecambe Bay woodland work to save endangered butterfly
3:52pm Friday 12th October 2012 in News
A PROGRAMME of woodland management is to be undertaken in South Lakeland to restore habitat for one of the UK’s most endangered butterflies.
During the coming months, conservationists will co-ordinate a programme to widen woodland glades in a bid to reverse the 85% decline in pearl-bordered butterflies since 1990.
Workers will be involved in cutting back trees and coppicing in 14 woodlands around the Morecambe Bay limestones area.
The sudden decline in fritillary butterflies is not fully understood, although a key factor is said to be the loss of well managed coppice woodland.
It encourages violet flowers to flourish providing nectar food for the butterfly larvae. The work will also link up existing isolated butterfly colonies so that adults can move between breeding locations.
Jack Ellerby, Policy Officer for Friends of the Lake District which is co-ordinating the work with charity Butterfly Conservation, said: “The south Lakes area is a nationally important stronghold for endangered fritillary butterflies. By bringing woodlands back into active management we will not only increase butterfly numbers, but also improve the health of the woods overall for wildlife and the landscape, and help generate an income for the landowners, supplying timber for the local wood fuel market.”
Martin Wain, Butterfly Conservation's Morecambe Bay Limestones Conservation Officer, said: "It is wonderful to have the support of the Friends of the Lake District. This project will restore a network of sites, to enable the threatened pearl-bordered fritillary and other woodland butterflies to flourish, for the enjoyment of all who visit the area."
Comments(4)
colandvanfull
says...
10:48am Sun 14 Oct 12
life cycle too wrote:well said , woodland always used to be copiced by the local people /farmers ect.
Do we take it that the statement:
"a key factor is said to be the loss of well managed coppice woodland."
means these butterflies only exist BECAUSE of mans interference with natures normal processes?
I hope the worthy bodies undertaking this work bare that in mind when they try and argue that certain developments should not take place, because it affects the wildlife!
but you just try and ask if you can cut wood nowadays, i don't think you will get far.
the npa wont let you have a bee hive with out permision?
woodland trust cant let you copice or manage woods next to you, because you are not insured and they cant just let every body do this .
a freind of mine took it upon him self to tidy a patch of wood next to his home and improve the path into it .
he was promptly told to stop when the trust found out?
i could not understand thier attitude! he was only doing good
lakesailor
says...
12:00am Tue 16 Oct 12
Some hope.
life cycle too
says...
10:24am Tue 16 Oct 12
lakesailor wrote:Until I read that article, I had no idea that farmers ate grass...!
The FLD would be far better employed supporting the upland famers who are starving so their sheep can eat.
Some hope.
People need to realise that MAN is a species.
The destructive habits are no different to beavers damming rivers and causing problems to the existing eco system... except perhaps the scale in size and time.
life cycle too says...
12:59pm Sat 13 Oct 12
"a key factor is said to be the loss of well managed coppice woodland."
means these butterflies only exist BECAUSE of mans interference with natures normal processes?
I hope the worthy bodies undertaking this work bare that in mind when they try and argue that certain developments should not take place, because it affects the wildlife!