UK Wild Boar Trust

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BELOW ARE MINE AND NOT THAT OF UKWBT

In 2006 I helped set up Friends of the Wild Boar (do not confuse with Friends of the Boar) with two other people.
The wild boar had only been present in the Forest of Dean for two years at this time and during the following couple of years, the three of us from FotWB worked hard  to highlight the issues surrounding these newcomers. Poaching was a big problem as all of a sudden the shooters had a new prey species to hunt. Gaining support proved very hard as the boar were not as widespread as they are today and the support just wasn't out there.
We were always open and were appealing for help from day one, but sadly no one bothered to come forward.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of help and support, Friends of the Wild Boar dwindled away, but at least we had opened communications between the Forestry Commission and the Council during the time we were active.
Supposedly, in 2011 (7 years after the boar arrived in the FoD) David Slater helped set up Friends of the Boar and took over where we had left off. The foundations for this renamed group were already in place and during the following 18 months I contributed to helping this group and the wild boar.

In late 2012, after a conflict in interests and beliefs I decided to leave FotB. This was a hard decision as I was not turning my back on the wild boar, but on certain people within this group for their out there and insane views on wild boar populations and management.

In December 2012, along with some like minded colleagues UK Wild Boar Trust was founded and is now a very successful organisation. We have numerous high profile Patrons including Andy Rouse, Iolo Williams, Zara Boland and Sarah Jane Honeywell.
Chris Packham has also publicly shown his support.

UKWBT was created as a hub for the whole of the UK, so that any areas with wild boar can find information and can easily contact us. We have people working in Devon, monitoring and surveying the area and we soon expect to have people across the whole of the UK, feeding data back to us.

I also helped set up and now run GlosARG as well as UKWBT and after taking a week off work I spent four days getting my hands dirty,  managing, crating and repairing reptile and amphibian habitats in Gloucestershire. This was done on my own and with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, for whom I am a volunteer. I also attended meetings with the Forestry Commission, Wildlife Trust and FoDDC; all wildlife related.
Not all of the damage was down to boar, but three of my locations had seen extensive disturbance from boar rooting and this is the worst possible time as the reptiles will soon be emerging from hibernation.
This was corrected and new habitat identified and managed.

UKWBT does not want to see any boar removed from our forest, however, as a conservation group we care for all wildlife, not just the boar like FotB. For this reason we understand that there will be times when other wildlife and habitats will be at risk if the boar population increases above a certain level and we need a balance for all of our wildlife.
We will be working closely with the FC tomake sure this balance is maintained, but also to make sure that "no boar" are removed unless "absolutely necessary."

Below are just a few pics from my conservation work this last week. Not many photos as I was hard at work and it was raining most of the time.

30 corrugated tins we put out for artificial refuge 

One of the tins. Reptiles and amphibians will use these as shelter

This is a pond in the Forest of Dean, which is surrounded by roads. Unfortunately toads, frogs and newts cross the roads to get to the pond to breed.
Along with my colleague and good friend Scott Passmore and one other volunteer we cut away around 30 metres of thick bramble this afternoon. This was to create a clear area to funnel the amphibians into a certain area where a toad tunnel runs under the road.

Toad Crossing

Before work began

And after. Hard work as only three of us, but we got there. This will help channel to amphibians to the tunnel

Tunnel entrance to the pond on the other side of the road

Hopefully this shows that UKWBT is working at a large number of wildlife conservation levels throughout Gloucestershire.
If you wish to support us, and / or get involved please visit the following links.

UKWBT - Website
UKWBT - Facebook

GlosARG - Website
GlosARG - Facebook

We are also on Twitter - UKWBT - - - GlosARG 



Thanks

Rob
      

Cinderford Northern Arc Development = Disaster for Wildlife!

This is of great importance to all local people and also to those who care for our habitats and wildlife. I advise you to read carefully and do whatever you can to help.

When you read or hear the name Ark, what do you think of? Maybe a guy called Noah who helped save all living creatures of this planet.
Well there is another Ark on its way, but this time it is not coming to save and protect; instead it is coming to disturb and destroy!

If the Cinderford Northern Arc Project gets the green light its footprint will cause unimaginable, untold damage to the proposed area at Steam Mills, near Cinderford. An area that supports key habitat to many endangered species, including Red List species.
I have personally seen many of the very rare and endangered species at this site and the few, which I haven't seen have been recorded by trusted sources, like the Forest Green Team who recorded an otter as far back as 2007.
Due to (c) laws, I can not show you a photograph I obtained from the FoDDC, detailing the vast area that is to be developed. However, I can tell you that it is massive and will see a road cutting right through the forest and it will also see an area that is rich in undisturbed wildlife destroyed!
I can give you the location on Google Maps - Click Here


The main development site around Steam Mills Lake supports a varied and healthy abundance of rare wildlife and I can't think of another site throughout the Forest of Dean, which is richer in varied wildlife.
Some of the wildlife in this area is on the Red List for protection and the majority of these species "HAVE" been recorded during area surveys; authorised and carried out by professionals for the Regeneration Board.

To name just a few, this site supports....

Lesser Horseshoe Bat
Greater Horseshoe Bat
Great Crested Newt
Adder
Hawfinch
Otter
Doormouse
Water Vole

One species named above, which was not recorded in the surveys is the Hawfinch. This bird is so rare and endangered in the UK that only 5,000 breeding pairs are present throughout the whole country. This bird is on the Red List and its conservation Status is as follows.

• Globally threatened
• Historical population decline in UK during 1800–1995
• Severe (at least 50%) decline in UK breeding population over last 25 years, or longer-term period (the entire period used for assessments since the first BoCC review, starting in 1969).
• Severe (at least 50%) contraction of UK breeding range over last 25 years, or the longer-term period

The Hawfinch has been ringed at this site for many years and the Forestry Commission are aware of this, so I can't see how this has been overlooked.
With rare bats, birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and insects present at this site; I am stunned that they are still going ahead with their plans to bulldoze right through the middle of it!
The area is also very popular with fishermen and dog walkers; all of whom will lose the area if these plans go ahead.

To see a full list of identified wildlife species found during the surveys click below.
Click here for the results from the Field Survey

The "Spine Road" will cut through the forest leaving a part of the forest isolated between the Spine Road and Steam Mills/Hawkwell. I have asked the question "what guarantees do we have that this isolated woodland "will not" also be developed in the years to come?"
I didn't get a reply to that one!

Encroachment will see even more habitats and wildlife suffer and where will it stop?

I agree that Cinderford requires regeneration as it is staring to become a ghost town, but I can't see how developing an area so far out of the actual town will help. Maybe they should look at the "actual town" and inject some much needed revenue there before creating another "Mini-Cinderford" on the outskirts.

I sincerely hope that this isn't happening so that certain people can retire and leave their legacy behind. One legacy, which would be appreciated and which would always be recognised, is if this area along with the rest of our most valuable asset was protected and preserved.
I know which one I would want to be remembered for!

Some links below.

Cinderford Area Action Plan - Evidence Base

Take a look at the photograph on the front of THIS REPORT. It may not look like this for very much longer!

A Recent Article - HERE


(Just something personal from me)

It wasn't very long ago that the HooF campaign fought to save OUR forests and yet this seems to be the exact thing they were trying to prevent. I wonder why this seems to have been accepted? Lets face it, if other areas are encroached upon like this, throughout the Forest of Dean area, then the fight to safeguard our forest will have been for nothing!

Why not turn this area into a nature reserve as this will help bring tourists into the area. People do not visit the Forest of Dean just to stay in a hotel, they visit to walk our forest and to hopefully see the wildlife therein. The Forest is our most valuable asset.

Rob