Have we got newts for you!

Freshly emerged from the 2014 great crested newt survey season we took some time recently to sit down and fill out our Natural England survey licence returns. In total we recorded 1027 great crested newts by bottle trapping or torchlight during our surveys this year. These were mostly in Cheshire (the GCN capital of the UK, if not Europe!), with a few in the midlands as well.

Spot the newt - This wheelie bin provides a perfect refuge for newts making their way to a nearby breeding pond!

In other news Gareth and several other local volunteers helped out Wakefield Tree Wardens yesterday at a Rhododendron removal event in Newmillerdam Country Park. The purpose of the control of this non-native species is two-fold; not only does this plant out-compete and suppress native woodland flora but it is known to host the fungal disease Phytopthora ramorum which has already had a significant impact on larch plantations in other parts of the country. Its removal now is therefore a pro-active measure to reduce the risk of the disease taking hold on this woodland site. 

The task was made much easier thanks to enthusiastic assistance of 5 Regiment of The Royal Artillery who came to help for the day, they made short work of what must have been several acres of Rhododendron.