Reptile restoration work making a difference

A leading South West charity is working hard to improve the lot of the region's reptiles and amphibians. Species including adders and common frogs, slow worms and toads may not always enjoy the best public profile but, says Devon Wildlife Trust, they are a vital part of our wildlife and one which faces an uncertain future. Over the past 18 months The Trust has set about improving several of its own nature reserves specifically to cater for the needs of these special animals. Thanks to generous funding from Biffa Award - a multi-million pound fund which awards grants to community and environmental projects across the UK - work involving Devon Wildlife Trust and its volunteers has been taking place at the charity's land at Bovey Heathfield and Chudleigh Knighton Heath nature reserves (both close to Bovey Tracey), and Lickham Common and Ashculm Turbary nature reserves in the Blackdown Hills. Devon Wildlife Trust's Steve Hussey commented: 'We are concentrating our efforts on reserves where we know there are existing populations of amphibians and reptiles. What we've been doing is ensuring that we can offer them tip-top conditions in which to flourish.' 

The work for reptiles and amphibians has included: 

• Digging two new ponds, while improving seven others. The ponds are providing homes and breeding places for amphibians including frogs, toads and newts, as well as hunting places for grass snakes. 
• The installation of ten artificial hibernation (known as 'hibernaculum') nests to allow reptiles including sand lizards, adders and grass snakes to survive the cold winter weather. 
• The construction using decomposing plant material of three heaps which provide egg laying places for grass snakes.
• Bracken clearance and scrub removal at each of the four nature reserves designed at checking the spread of plants which threaten to shade out areas used by reptiles to bask in. 

The effectiveness of the project is being monitored through a series of surveys. These surveys should provide an accurate picture of the distribution of reptiles and amphibians on the four nature reserves, as well as revealing how effective the work has been in encouraging rises in their numbers. Steve Hussey commented: 'It's still quite early in the project to draw firm conclusions about how much difference we are making, but the signs are encouraging. At Bovey Heathfield nature reserve, for example, one recent survey revealed large numbers of smooth newts in a pond which had been re-dug by the project team.' Steve continued: 'The winter ahead will see further work done for reptiles and amphibians on Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserves. We're delighted that funding from Biffa Award is allowing us to make a positive difference to such well-known but struggling species as adders and toads.'

Photo: Common Lizard copyright Chris Root