inca is cited as an example of good practice in government...
TRANSCRIPT
INCA
SUMMER 2012
NEWSLETTER
INCA is cited as an example of Good Practice in
Government Report
The HM Government March 2012 publication
entitled “Report on the Habitats and Wild Birds
Directives Implementation Review” specifically
mentions the Tees Industry Nature Conservation
Association as an example of good collaborative
working. The report states that “the INCA approach
demonstrates the value of a neutral and
independent organisation in achieving sustainable
development outcomes. It is a not for profit
organisation and works with public, private and
voluntary sectors to build consensus about
integration of business development and nature
conservation. It provides advice and support to help
businesses to meet regulatory requirements in
development and operation.” The INCA model is
endorsed as an example that others might like to
follow. The full report can be accessed at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/habitats-review/. INCA is
referenced on pages 33 and 34
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Cleveland Potash—Boulby Site
INCA has worked closely with the Cleveland Potash to monitor and increase the biodiversity of their site,
especially the semi-ancient woodland habitat along Easington Beck.
Bats have received particular attention with regular night visit to the woodlands. As a result at least five
species of bats have been recorded. These include one of the few known winter roosts for Brown
Long-eared Bat in the Tees Valley. Under INCA’s guidance the company have constructed and installed
24 boxes to increase the roosting potential for bats on the site.
Birds have also received considerable attention with Grey Wagtail and Dipper confirmed as occurring on
the stream and Green Woodpecker joining Great Spotted Woodpecker regularly in the woodlands. The
company has increased the value of the site for cavity nesting birds by providing numerous nesting boxes.
These have been of particular benefit for both Blue Tits and Great Tits.
INCA surveys have also found a number of insects on the site including the very localised Blomer’s Rivulet
moth together with both Grayling and Dingy Skipper butterflies. All three insects are Tees Valley
Biodiversity Action Plan species. The site is also one of the local strongholds for the handsome Red
Cardinal Beetle.
Working with INCA Cleveland Potash has also published Wild About Boulby a booklet on the nature of the
site.
INCA does pro-active development control work for Local
Authorities
Cardinal Beetle Green Woodpecker
During 2011 INCA carried out for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council Extended Phase 1 Ecological
surveys on all their candidate development land and mapped the data onto GIS. During 2012 we are carry-
ing out similar work for Stockton on Tees BC in relation to land at Seal Sands and North Tees. The Redcar
and Cleveland data has already been well used by the local authority, developers and our members and
we expect a similar demand for the Stockton on Tees data.
Teesmouth Harbour Seal Update
2012 has once again seen mixed fortunes for the seal population. The monitoring season began with the
tragic news of four stillborn pups in close succession in late June. It is of great importance to investigate
pup deaths as this can be an indicator of disease within the seal colony. We are therefore very thankful to
PD Ports for their help in attempting to recover carcasses this year. Sadly despite their attempts recovery
was thwarted due to the difficulty involved.
On a very much more positive note it is pleasing to report that 2012 has seen the birth of 14 healthy pups.
This year’s birth of 18 pups is the highest number that we have recorded since the monitoring project
began in 1989. In comparison, 2011 saw the previous record of 16 pup births, of which 12 survived to
weaning.
The continuing increase in seal births is a positive indication for the balance that exists between industry
and wildlife in the Tees estuary.
Seal Hide viewing platform opened at Greatham Creek
A new footpath, boardwalk and covered viewpoint overlooking the area where seals haul out on the
mudflats at Greatham Creek has been constructed thanks to funding from Tata Steel’s Landfill
Communities Fund and Natural England’s Green Infrastructure programme.
The construction was delivered through a partnership between the INCA, RSPB and Natural England.
The completion of a seal viewpoint brings huge improvements for visitors to Greatham Creek, near
Hartlepool, following a cash boost from Tata Steel and Natural England. The new viewpoint provides
safe, accessible views of the seals and other wildlife on the Greatham Creek mudflats. The viewpoint will
also be a venue for events and activities which are set to take place over the coming months.
Local photographer Ian MacDonald, who documented the life of the residents of a small community of
house boats at Greatham Creek during the early 1970s, officially open the viewpoint at a ceremony on
Monday 14 May.
Opening Event
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Seals hauled out on
Greatham Creek
View Point in use
Tees Valley successful with its bid to establish a Nature
Partnership
It was announced in July by the Defra Minister, Richard Benyon, that Tees Valley’s bid to form a Nature
Partnership (TVNP) has been successful. The bid was made on behalf of Tees Valley by the Tees Valley
Wildlife Trust with INCA being an active member of a small steering group which put together the bid
document.
The new TVNP will look strategically at the challenges and opportunities involved in managing the Tees
Valley’s natural environment, with a view to improving not only the environment but how it contributes to
the economy and the quality of life for local people. It will have a broad membership base representing
local communities, economic and environmental interests.
Work will now commence to establish the Nature Partnership board. More information can be found at
www.teesvalleynaturepartnership.org.uk
The Teesmouth and Cleveland European Marine Site
(EMS) encompasses the coastal and estuarine tidal
waters and foreshore between Crimdon to the North
and Redcar to the south. The site is designated for its
important populations of wintering and migratory
birds. The site is managed through a partnership of
statutory and relevant authorities whose objective is
to allow the EMS to reach and maintain favourable
status.
Since April 2011 INCA has hosted the European
Marine Site officer. The initial postholder was
Katherine Simpson who has now moved on to pursue
a PhD at Stirling University. The new EMS Officer is
Maeve Lee who previously worked for Durham
Heritage Coast.
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Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast European Marine Site
Maeve
The initial challenge for the EMS Officer has
been to educate the increased numbers of
visitors to the coast especially dog walkers on
how to carry out their activity in a way to minimise
disturbance to water birds. This is being achieved
by the production of a Coastal Code of Conduct
which has been developed with the active
assistance of users group such as British Kite
Surfing Association, The Angling Trust,
Teesmouth Bird Club and the Royal Yachting
Association. Future work will include installing
interpretation panels at key locations to reinforce
the code and carrying out bird disturbance
surveys.
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A disastrous year for the
Crimdon Little Terns
INCA Helps Lucite to Provide a
‘Green Screen’ Facility
After a record breaking success in 2011 with nearly
150 chicks produced from 64 pairs of nesting birds
2012 started looking very good.
At the end of May over 60 pairs were sitting on
eggs. High tides at the beginning of June did not
strike us as they did the two colonies to the north.
Some of the Lindisfarne and Long Nanny birds
relocated to join our colony for a second attempt
and by the second week in June we had a record
110 pairs sitting on the beach. That is when things
took a turn for the worse.
As soon as chicks started to appear so did the
kestrel, possibly the very same bird as devastated
the colony two years ago. Chicks did not survive on
the beach more than a day or two. To add insult a
Sparrow Hawk appeared and started taking adult
birds and between the two the colony became
mayhem. By the end of June terns started
abandoning leaving eggs and chicks behind. Crows
walked freely though the colony by the first week in
July cleaning up the abandoned eggs without being
mobbed.
At this point in early July it looks like there will be no
chicks surviving to fly out to Africa from our colony.
Lucite International’s Cassel Works at Billingham
now has a new production plant which makes the
electrolyte for lithium ion car batteries. INCA
advised Lucite during the construction phase of
this project when large amounts of spoil were
generated during excavation works. The low
nutrient composition of the slag-rich soil is perfect
as a substrate for many of the interesting and
specialised flowers which grow on brownfield
sites. Consequently INCA advised on the
location, composition and profile of the material
which would provide a screen for the new plant
and would enable sowing of wildflower seeds.
Sowing of wildflower seeds, which were of local
provenance, took place in the late winter of 2011.
The screen is now in full splendour, showing a
range of flowering plants. In time this will
become a valuable resource for a range of
wildlife including a variety of invertebrates such
as butterflies and for larger animals such as birds
and small mammals. The ‘green screen’ is
becoming a valuable component of the Lucite site
biodiversity action plan.
Area Before Planting
Same Area 18 months Later
Little Tern carrying food
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Are you, as members making full use of INCA’s services?
One of our key priorities for 2012 is to ensure that those that plan and procure services, especially
relating to developments, understand the benefits of seeking the earliest possible advice from INCA.
This is made more difficult by changes of personnel and many members having procurement
departments outside of Tees Valley. It can lead to members employing consultants who have limited
knowledge of the local area which can result in additional costs and potential delays in the approval of
developments. For example with our local knowledge we are able to provide very early advice of
potential ecological constraints and where necessary help to develop mitigation or avoidance in advance
of the development.
Whilst INCA is not able to produce a full environment statement we often work with a business’s
environmental consultants accessing environmental data, advising on data gaps, carrying out ecological
surveys, producing ecological reports for the Environment Statement and helping you meet the
requirement of the Habitats Regulations. This is exactly the work we do that has lead to us been cited as
an example of good practice in the recent Government review of the Habitats Regulations
More information on the services INCA can provide is detailed in the newly produced leaflet “How INCA
can help you” (http://www.inca.uk.com/reports ). Alternatively feel free to telephone Geoff Barber or
Bob Pailor.
Our Current Members....as of 1st April 2012
Industrial/Commercial
Able (UK) Ltd
Air Products
Anderson Barrowcliff LLP
Augean PLC
BP Exploration Operating Co Ltd
Canal & River Trust
Cleveland Potash Ltd
ConocoPhillips Ltd
TATA Steel UK Ltd
Dow Chemical Company Ltd
Exwold Technology
Fine Organics Ltd
Growhow
Huntsman Pigments
Huntsman Polyurethanes
Invista UK Ltd
Johnson Matthey
Koppers (UK) Ltd
Lotte Chemicals UK Ltd
Lucite International UK Ltd
nPower Cogen
PD Teesport Ltd
Petroplus
px Limited
SABIC UK Petrochemicals
SembCorp Utilities UK Ltd
Simon Storage Ltd
SITA Tees Valley Ltd
Sahaviriya Steel Industries UK Limited
Tees Bay Pilots Ltd
Univar Ltd
Vertellus Specialties UK Ltd
Vopak
Nature Conservation Agencies
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
Tees Valley Wildlife Trust
Teesmouth Bird Club
Teesmouth Field Centre
Teesside Environmental Trust
Wildfowl & Wetland Trust
Statutory Authorities
Hartlepool Borough Council
Natural England
Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Directors
Dr Peter Cornes, Chair
Dr Paul Gavens, Sembcorp UK
Captain Gerry Drewitt, PD Ports
Kate Simpson, ConocoPhillips
Neil Kenley, Tees Valley Unlimited
Dave Simpson, Petroplus
Brad Tooze, Natural England
Jeff Lupton
Bill Beattie, Huntsman Pigments
Councillor George Dunning, Redcar & Cleveland BC
Councillor David Rose, Stockton Borough Council
Contact Information
Further information can be obtained from the INCA website
www.inca.uk.com
Contacts:
INCA
Phoenix Centre, Wilton International
REDCAR, Cleveland TS10 4RG
Telephone: 01642 454953
Fax: 01642 452428
Bob Pailor (Director)
Tel: 01642 455102
Email: [email protected]
Geoff Barber (Senior Ecologist)
Tel: 01642 455109
Email: [email protected]
Robert Woods (Ecologist)
Tel: 01642 455104
Email: [email protected]
Ken Smith (Consultant)
Tel: 01642 455108
Email: [email protected]
Tracy Smith (Business Support)
Tel: 01642 454953
Email: [email protected]
Maeve Lee (European Marine Site Officer)
Tel: 01642 454953
Email: [email protected]