Great Crested Newt Survey and Evaluation
Saturday 19 April 2008
Location: Brockenhurst, Hampshire
Participant Standard: Beginner – Intermediate
Tutor(s): Liam Russell MIEEM
The workshop will cover everything you need to be able to plan and carry out a survey for great crested newts (GCN) (and other amphibians) and fully evaluate your results. Topics covered will include risk assessment, legislation, habitat assessment, amphibian identification, survey standards and techniques and evaluation of survey results. The workshop will include classroom sessions and practical field sessions on habitat assessment and GCN survey.
Further Information:
The workshop will cover every aspect of planning and interpreting a great crested newt survey. This includes risk assessment and health and safety, legal protection and licensing requirements, amphibian identification, survey standards and guidelines, survey techniques, biosecurity and fieldwork planning. As well as covering surveying itself, the workshop will also cover habitat assessment including the great crested newt Habitat Suitability Index. The workshop will also cover the analysis and evaluation of survey results, including, population size assessment from survey data, population and metapopulation structure and other forms of qualitative analysis. The workshop will include practical fieldwork sessions on habitat assessment and an evening amphibian survey.
Who should attend this workshop?
The workshop is aimed for anyone interested in carrying out great crested newt surveys and evaluating the results. Including consultants providing baseline data for EcIAs and EPS licence applications, land managers involved in great crested newt conservation projects and those preparing management plans.
Bring with you:
- Torch (1 million candle power) – if attending the torch counting session.
- Wellington Boots.
- Waterproof clothing.
What will participants learn from the workshop (learning outcomes)?
- How to identify a great crested newts
- How to survey for great crested newts using all standard survey techniques
- How and why they are protected species
- How to assess habitat quality for great crested newts
- How to interpret great crested newt survey results
Programme:
10.00 Introductions/Housekeeping
10.30 Health and safety/ Risk Assessment for great crested newt surveys (AV/lecture)
Outline of typical health and safety considerations and risks associated with carrying out great crested newt surveys, undertaking Risk Assessment for such surveys.
10.40 Legal implications of great crested newt surveys (AV/lecture)
Legal protection of great crested newts (including recent changes to legislation), requirements for licensing, prohibited activities.
11.00 Habitat assessment (AV/lecture)
Determining quality of habitat for great crested newts using Habitat Suitability Index (HSI), interpreting the results of HSI and examining the uses of HSI.
11.30 Site assessment (AV/lecture)
Interpreting the use of an area by great crested newts at a site and landscape level. Great crested newt population structure, qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis.
12.00 Amphibian identification (AV/lecture/practical demonstration)
Identification of amphibians likely to be encountered on great crested newt surveys in the UK using live specimens.
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Survey techniques (AV/lecture)
Description of commonly used survey techniques (netting/torching/egg search/bottle trapping), the advantages and disadvantages of each technique and what circumstances they should/should not be used.
14.20 Survey standards and guidelines (AV/lecture)
Published sources for survey standards and guidelines, e.g. Great Crested Newt Mitigation Guidelines.
14.40 Fieldwork biosecurity (AV/lecture)
Precautions for surveyors to prevent the spread of invasive plant species and amphibian diseases.
15.00 Planning fieldwork
How to plan an effective field survey. Identification of the aims of a survey, survey techniques to use, effort required etc.
15.30 Habitat/site assessment practical (field practical/indoor practical)
Practical use of the HSI in the field (followed by analysis in the classroom) of 3-4 ponds in the vicinity of the venue. How are great crested newts using the local area?
16.00 Planning fieldwork (indoor practical)
Planning a field survey of the ponds visited above (section 10) based on field visits.
16.30 Break for dinner
19.00 Carrying out a great crested newt survey (field practical/ demonstration) – evening session
Use of the practical and theoretical skills covered during the workshop (amphibian identification, survey techniques etc) to undertake a field survey of the ponds visited above (section 10).
Cost: £60 IEEM members, £120 non-members.