Measuring Rewilding - CIEEMMar 06, 2019  · Measuring Rewilding “Wewill develop better measures...

Measuring Rewilding

Cain Blythe CEnv MCIEEM and Sara King MCIEEM

Why Rewilding in UK?

• Evidence to suggest nature is recovering across Europe

• Believed to restore natural processes and ecosystem function

• Its an open ended process with no targets or end product

• Trophic rewilding – can escalate nature recovery at landscape scale

Does Rewilding Work?

Measuring Rewilding

“We will develop better measures in areas such ashow ecological systems are functioning”

Trophic Species Monitoring Framework

Framework for Biodiversity Assessment Trophic Species Scientific Paper

• 181 scientific paper reviewed

• 5 carnivores, 12 herbivores, 2 omnivores

• Identified impacts and associated functional indicators

• 8 functional indicator groups identified

Collaborating with Jens-Christian Svenning – BIOCHANGE, Aarhus University

Which Indicators?

1. Simple to use and survey effort is standardised.

2. Provide consistent biodiversity quality metrics.

3. Link data between indicator taxa and habitat types.

4. Monitor trends and key environmental events.

How to Measure?

Biodiversity Quality:

A quality of a site that can be extrapolated from a number of measured functional characteristics of the populations studied (Feest, 2006)

Biodiversity Quality Calculator

• Innovative tool based on scientific research and has been published in over 40 Scientific papers, including Ecological Indicators

• It has been tested for over 15 years

• Assesses impacts and trends in Ecosystem Function

• Uses multiple indcators including biomass, species rarity, evenness, abundance

• Unique indicators such as FEEST index

Biodiversity Assessment Species Reintroduction

• Undertaking Biodiversity Assessment on:

• 5 x Beaver reintroduction sites in England and Wales

• 2 x Pine Marten reintroduction sites in England and Wales

• 1 x Large herbivore reintroduction in Scotland

• 1 x Water buffalo site in Wales

• We are also assessing:

• 6 x Large scale land restoration sites

Beaver Reintroduction Sites

Beaver Reintroduction Sites

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Shade Well lit Dry Water logged Acid Soils Stongly basic Infertile soils Fertile soils

Light Moisture Reaction Nitrogen

Changes in Environmental Conditions based on Bryophyte Data

2012 2015

Beaver Reintroduction Sites - Bats

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Biomass Index Species Conservation Value Index

Pine Marten Reintroduction Sites

Rewilding and Traditional Conservation Management

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Burning Bracken Grazing Control

Species Richness Species Rarity (SCVI)

Recovering Nature?

Future Focus

Knepp Estate

Get Involved

• Beta Testers for our online tools

• Collaborations for landscape scale projects

• Free Trial of our software

• Leave us your details or email sara.king@ecosulis.co.uk

Thank you for your time!

cain.blythe@ecosulis.co.uk sara.king@ecosulis.co.uk

Many thanks to Daniel Allen for allowing us use of his photos