The Great Crested Newt Project

The need for a co-ordinated project

The Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus is a declining species in Britain, and has been identified by the Government as a priority for conservation action; covered by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

Britain is a stronghold for the species and it is important that conservation work continues to occur to strengthen populations that are becoming isolated and to undertake habitat management to prevent further losses. Survey work is also essential to identify populations and to monitor known colonies.

There are many factors that have led to the great crested newts diminishing status in Britain, including the loss of breeding ponds either through infilling (e.g. through development or arable intensification etc) or through natural succession; fragmentation or loss of terrestrial habitat, pollution and fish introduction. It is often the case that many factors act together to render a site unsuitable for Great Crested Newts.

Essentially this project oversees the implementation of the actions outlined in the Species Action Plan and is undertaken by the Great Crested Newt Conservation Officer, based at The HCT.

The Revised Great Crested Newt Species Action Plan

The targets for all Biodiversity Action Plans have been revised so effort is now underway to publicise these changes and to produce the Great Crested Newt SAP Implementation Guide. The new targets are as follows:

• Achieve an increase in the range of occupied 10 km squares from 904 to 926 by 2010.

• Achieve an increase in the range from 88 to 89 occupied vice counties by 2010

• Achieve an increase in the number of occupied ponds from 100,000 to 120,000 by 2010.

• Achieve an increase in the number of ponds with a Habitat Suitability Index of >0.7 from 60,000 to 72,000 by 2010.

For the full set of targets click here

The Great Crested Newt plan therefore aims to:

• maintain or improve existing populations by managing habitat, notably through encouraging action at a local level;

• promote conservation policies and practices nationally and locally and especially in relation to agriculture and development planning;

• undertake and initiate further survey and improve recording and use of data;

• restore Great Crested Newts to new sites within their historic range;

• increase our understanding of and gain support for the conservation of Great Crested Newts.

Key elements of the Great Crested Newt Project:

Local Projects:

Due to the widespread distribution of great crested newts it is imperative that there are strong links between the National Species Action Plan and the Local Species Action Plans. This coherence will enable effective and efficient coordination of conservation effort for the species.

To facilitate this process we are planning to update the Work Programme- now renamed the SAP Implementation Guide (SIG), and is one of the key aspects of the Great Crested Newt Conservation Officers role in 2007.

Alongside the SAP Implementation Guide we will be working with biodiversity officers throughout the country to help guide local implementation of the great crested newts targets. We also need to identify any problems, which are currently preventing achievement of the local targets and actions, and find ways/measures to overcome these barriers.

We want to encourage all those involved with Biodiversity Action Plans to report their actions on this system.

BARS is an information system that supports the planning, monitoring and reporting requirements of national, local and company Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs). It also allows users to learn about the progress being made with local and national BAPs

Provision of Advice and Information

Environmental Stewardship

The great crested newt is one of the species targeted by this agri-environment scheme. The HCT has produced a leaflet to help farmers and their advisors choose the key options that will benefit great crested newts under both Entry Level and Higher Level Stewardship. The guidance also illustrates the need to target these options to provide great crested newt habitat linkages throughout the landscape.

The guidance is available as a paper copy (contact The HCT), or as a pdf (click here).

Great Crested Newt Management Leaflet

A brief guide to habitat management. (pdf version click here). (For the Welsh pdf version please click here)

Development of new information

It is important that as new information and initiatives become available, that these are effectively communicated to all.

At the moment there are two key documents that are being developed:

Fish Control Guidance Note

Fish introduction has been identified in the UK Great Crested Newt Species Action Plan as a significant factor causing the decline and extinction of populations.

There are a number of measures used for controlling fish (each with varying degrees of success) and a guidance note is being written, to provide a brief guide into these methods and associated issues (including health and safety etc.)

GCN SAP Implementation Guide (SIG)

Work is underway to produce guidance for LBAPs et al, on the implementation of the Great Crested Newt targets at sub-country level. The national targets have already been broken down to country level, but further work is required to produce local targets. The Implementation Guide will also help to clarify the targets and produce best practice examples to facilitate local projects.

Training

Training Provider

This post also provides training in survey techniques and habitat management to biodiversity officers, FWAG officers, Amphibian and Reptile Groups and other voluntary groups.

If you or your group require training, then please contact the Great Crested Newt Officer, who will help to find you a suitable course or provide training as part of this project.

Training CD and pack

The HCT is producing a training CD, for use by other Great Crested Newt trainers, and it will be available in 2008.

If you are interested in receiving any of the information, finding out about training or any other aspect outlined above please contact the Great Crested Newt Conservation Officer at The HCT.

Contact details for The HCT can be found here.

The Great Crested Newt Officer post is funded by Natural England, The Countryside Council for Wales (Cefn Cyngor Gwlad Cymru) and the Herpetological Conservation Trust.