Newsletter Spring 2020

Dear friends of the BOOM projectAs the gales of February recede in our memory and the first warm days of the year reveal spring in all itsglory wersquod like to thank you for your volunteering efforts through the winter months to get the BOOMproject off to a flying start We hope you and your families are keeping safe and well and you are managingto remain cheerful despite these challenging times As for the BOOM team we are working remotely fromhome but will harness all our creativity to keep you updated and inspired in the weeks and months to come

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Aspen Workshop

At the end of February The BOOM team and Art Genein Barrow cohosted a full day of aspen activities led byPeter Livingstone from Eadha Enterprises a leadingexpert on aspen conservation in the UK Peter gave anengaging talk about the importance of aspen for rarespecies of insects such as the aspen hoverfly and as thepreferred food tree for beavers In the afternoon wevisited Roudsea National Nature Reserve to learn howto harvest and plant aspen hard root cuttings Thanksto Maddi and the Art Gene team for a spectacular lunchwith the volunteers at allotment soup growing area

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Hazel Dormouse Public Meeting

Debs Brady was greeted to a full house at the GaskellHall in Silverdale this February to discuss the hazeldormouse reintroduction which is planned for June2021 Known to all as a character from Lewis CarrollrsquosMad Hatterrsquos Tea Party the dormouse is well suited tothe coppiced woodlands of the Arnside and SilverdaleAONB and Debs explained all aspects of thereintroduction including site selection the installationof soft release cages and the need to monitor theanimals after release BOOM is working with Ian Whitefrom the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species (PTES)who leads the National Dormouse ReintroductionProgramme

Events UpdateWelcome to the most aristocratic of insects the Duke of Burgundybutterfly Known to many enthusiasts (lepidopterists) simply as lsquoHisGracersquo or lsquothe Dukersquo the origins of the name are lost in the proverbialmists of time but what we do know is that Dukes are the only Britishmember of a huge global family of butterflies known as the metalmarksfor bright spots on their wings

The Duke is a fussy butterfly that needs tussocky grassland andwoodland clearings full of primroses and cowslips on which itscaterpillars feed The adults fly in May and June but have declined by40 in 40 years due to lack of woodland management and over grazingby sheep The species is now restricted to central southern England withisolated populations on the limestone of south CumbrianorthLancashire and the north Yorkshire moors

In the BOOM project area there are two strong populations in theRusland valley and on Whitbarrow National Nature Reserve Dukesused to be widespread in the Arnside and Silverdale AONB but are nowclinging on in one small colony at Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve

So how can we help stem the decline and how can you get involvedMuch good work has been done During the winter months we teamedup with Butterfly Conservation for work parties to restore habitat andplant cowslips for the Duke Meanwhile hundreds more cowslips arebeing grown for BOOM by a few dedicated volunteers

Our plans for the spring included running a series of training days andworkshops to give you the skills and knowledge to support us with arange of activities including Duke surveys ongoing habitat managementand a captive breeding programme From what I can gather breedingDukes in captivity will require the dexterity of a surgeon and thepatience of a saint but it has been successful in the past and couldprovide large numbers of new adults to reinforce existing populationsand create new satellite populations in suitable areas

Of course all will depend on Covid-19 but if you are interested insupporting Duke conservation efforts please email Michelle Cooper ourvolunteer coordinator on michellemorecambebayorguk

Wings in the Wood

Guess the Species

bull It is mentioned in the Pogues ldquoLullaby of Londonrdquobull It overwinters in the Democratic Republic of Congobull It lives in the machair grasslands of the Hebridesbull Roast lsquolandrailrsquo was on the menu in the 18th

century

Your ViewFocus on butterflieshellip

1

3

2

Duke of Burgundy eggs on the underside of a cowslip leaf (Martin Wain)Small blue lava on a kidney vetch flower (Steve Doyle)Duke of Burgundy female nectaring on primrose (Rob PetleyJones)

1

2

3

Star Photo

Mating small blue butterflies (Steve Doyle)

Ellie Kent and Mic Mayhew are working withButterfly Conservation RSPB and others to restorehabitat for both of these species and to captivebreed and reintroduce the Duke of Burgundy

Share your photos on Facebook Instagram and Twitter or send them to

BOOMcumbriaacuk

Volunteering

With thanks to our most recent funders Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund Dobies Charitable Trust BW Eddershaw Charitable Trust Natural England httpswwwcgpbookscouk (see free learn at home resources) and visit local business Pure

Lakes wwwpurelakescouk who are also supporting NHS staff

Email boomcumbriaacuk

Twitter BoomCumbriaInstagram back_on_our_mapFacebook BackOnOurMap

Keep in Touch

Get Involved

It will come as no surprise that following government advice BOOM volunteering events have been cancelled until further notice However all events will be re-scheduled when appropriate and we have four years to work with and for the benefit of communities in our quest to reintroduce species and restore working ecosystems

So whatrsquos the plan _________________________________________________

While restrictions apply

We will be sharing a variety of stories images activities and maybeeven a few challenges through our social media pages to helpsupport and inspire you We are thinking of ways in which you canstill get practically involved from your own homes Here is a flavor ofwhat we hope to bring you

bull Species updates from project officersbull A garden bioblitz with online access to field guides and species

expertsbull Short videos by species experts from BOOM partner

organisationsbull Native wildflower seeds to grow in your own home

There is surely nothing more life enhancing and rewarding than growing wildflowers in your own garden so let us know if you would like to try and we will support you with seed (subject to availability) and growing adviceHuge thanks to our friends from the Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Allotment Soup who are currently helping to grow cowslips kidney vetch goldilocks aster and aspen trees_______________________________________________________

When restrictions are lifted

bull Restart our programme of engagement working with schools community groups and prisoners from HMP Haverigg

bull Species surveys for pine marten the Duke of Burgundy butterfly and sundews

bull Collecting and propagating seeds and cuttings of spiked speedwell and goldilocks aster

bull Working with Kew Gardens to propagate green-winged orchid And much much more

In March we attended a butterfly habitat management day in Silverdale and worked alongside a

dedicated group of volunteers clearing brambles to make suitable habitat for Duke of Burgundy

butterflies It was hard work but the atmosphere and feeling of accomplishment was amazing

Expanding upon skills such as communication and teamwork whilst having fun outdoors is a

great opportunity

It is also really exciting to have the opportunity to assist with the pine marten feasibility study in

South Cumbria It is going to be very interesting to learn more about what this incredible species

requires to thrive It will be a great chance to get outside and survey The possibility that an

iconic species such as the pine marten may be returned to Cumbria following the feasibility

study is a thrill We look forward to assisting with the study and cannot wait to get started(Written by Tom Wright and Shannon Cornish BOOM volunteers and BSc (Hons) Zoology students

University of Cumbria)

Your ViewFocus on butterflieshellip

1

3

2

Duke of Burgundy eggs on the underside of a cowslip leaf (Martin Wain)Small blue lava on a kidney vetch flower (Steve Doyle)Duke of Burgundy female nectaring on primrose (Rob PetleyJones)

1

2

3

Star Photo

Mating small blue butterflies (Steve Doyle)

Ellie Kent and Mic Mayhew are working withButterfly Conservation RSPB and others to restorehabitat for both of these species and to captivebreed and reintroduce the Duke of Burgundy

Share your photos on Facebook Instagram and Twitter or send them to

BOOMcumbriaacuk

Volunteering

With thanks to our most recent funders Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund Dobies Charitable Trust BW Eddershaw Charitable Trust Natural England httpswwwcgpbookscouk (see free learn at home resources) and visit local business Pure

Lakes wwwpurelakescouk who are also supporting NHS staff

Email boomcumbriaacuk

Twitter BoomCumbriaInstagram back_on_our_mapFacebook BackOnOurMap

Keep in Touch

Get Involved

It will come as no surprise that following government advice BOOM volunteering events have been cancelled until further notice However all events will be re-scheduled when appropriate and we have four years to work with and for the benefit of communities in our quest to reintroduce species and restore working ecosystems

So whatrsquos the plan _________________________________________________

While restrictions apply

We will be sharing a variety of stories images activities and maybeeven a few challenges through our social media pages to helpsupport and inspire you We are thinking of ways in which you canstill get practically involved from your own homes Here is a flavor ofwhat we hope to bring you

bull Species updates from project officersbull A garden bioblitz with online access to field guides and species

expertsbull Short videos by species experts from BOOM partner

organisationsbull Native wildflower seeds to grow in your own home

There is surely nothing more life enhancing and rewarding than growing wildflowers in your own garden so let us know if you would like to try and we will support you with seed (subject to availability) and growing adviceHuge thanks to our friends from the Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Allotment Soup who are currently helping to grow cowslips kidney vetch goldilocks aster and aspen trees_______________________________________________________

When restrictions are lifted

bull Restart our programme of engagement working with schools community groups and prisoners from HMP Haverigg

bull Species surveys for pine marten the Duke of Burgundy butterfly and sundews

bull Collecting and propagating seeds and cuttings of spiked speedwell and goldilocks aster

bull Working with Kew Gardens to propagate green-winged orchid And much much more

In March we attended a butterfly habitat management day in Silverdale and worked alongside a

dedicated group of volunteers clearing brambles to make suitable habitat for Duke of Burgundy

butterflies It was hard work but the atmosphere and feeling of accomplishment was amazing

Expanding upon skills such as communication and teamwork whilst having fun outdoors is a

great opportunity

It is also really exciting to have the opportunity to assist with the pine marten feasibility study in

South Cumbria It is going to be very interesting to learn more about what this incredible species

requires to thrive It will be a great chance to get outside and survey The possibility that an

iconic species such as the pine marten may be returned to Cumbria following the feasibility

study is a thrill We look forward to assisting with the study and cannot wait to get started(Written by Tom Wright and Shannon Cornish BOOM volunteers and BSc (Hons) Zoology students

University of Cumbria)