DHBlog020 · An article by Jon Crewe
It appears that every County has a designation like the above; Hampshire has SINCs, (Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation), Devon has both CWS (County Wildlife Sites) and UWS (Unconfirmed Wildlife Sites), the second consisting of sites which are thought to be valuable for wildlife but have not been fully surveyed. None of these designations give statutory protection against change of use or development, but they are taken into account in the planning process. In most counties these sites are monitored and assessed by a panel led by the local Wildlife Trust; if any are threatened the Wildlife Trust will lodge an objection to the planning application. In Dorset the Biodiversity protection plans which accompany planning applications are automatically reviewed by a panel which includes the Dorset Wildlife Trust, if they are on or are near to an SNCI.
This level of formally recorded knowledge has not always been the case; as recently as the early 1960’s, small sites with high quality habitat remained, but were often known only to a few local naturalists. Such sites could and did disappear between visits, and following the establishment of the Dorset Naturalists’ Trust (Now DWT) in 1961 there was increased focus on these losses. DNT initially focussed on larger sites that could become nature reserves, and began to acquire these early on, contributing to the purchase of Brownsea island by the National Trust. The nature reserve established there is still present today, with huge value for wildlife.
Smaller sites were less suitable for purchase as Nature reserves; often these were a small woodland on a commercial farm, or a fringe of good habitat along a riverbank, with one or two rare wild flowers, possibly next to arable fields. Some were still there because the land could not be managed to produce a crop, sometimes because the landowner knew (and cared) about the rare plants present, and in many cases these small patches were probably surviving by pure chance. While there was little motivation to develop or plough these small, isolated sites when compared to the large Poole basin heathlands, it was becoming clear that they were not likely to remain undisturbed for long.
An important step towards improving the situation took place in 1979, when Dorset Environmental Records Centre (DERC) was set up; this was housed at the Dorset County Council offices, with early involvement from DNT. At first the focus was on mapping existing records, as well as looking for volunteer recorders to go out and make new ones. The new organisation also encouraged existing recorders to get their knowledge down on paper as a permanent record, and books such as the Dragonflies of Dorset by E.D.V. Prendergast were being discussed with a view to publication. In 1988 DERC Ltd was set up with trustees appointed by DNT, Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society and DCC. Two future BSBI Vice County flora recorders, David Pearman and Robin Walls, were appointed as Trustees. Both were to play an important role in the development of the SNCI project.
By early 1989 David Pearman had started to compile a register of important ecological sites in Dorset. A Recording and Monitoring panel (RAMP) had been set up, led by Robin and four field events planned for summer 1989. By April of that year 700 sites had been mapped and listed at 10 kilometre square resolution and the panel were actively seeking volunteers to check sites. This total figure included SSSIs and nature reserves, so work continued to separate out the small sites and develop a protocol to investigate these. This was a time consuming process and it became clear that it would be necessary to arrange surveying work on a professional basis. It was felt that this would ensure a consistent approach and produce reports of a more uniform quality.
1991 was a key year in the development of the project, and a significant moment for species and habitat monitoring in Dorset. DERC Ltd obtained a funding package from local councils that allowed the SNCI project to be set in motion; David Pearman had an initial list of 100 sites to survey; the Recorder computer package was purchased, at DERC and at DNT and a search for surveyors began. There was initial contact with Sharron and Andy Abbot; Sharron later became the SNCI project manager for DWT and continued in the role for a little under 30 years. In August, Bryan Edwards was recruited and asked to survey 80 sites in West Dorset and 80 further sites in East Dorset. Bryan’s impressive work rate was shown by the fact that all of these sites had been visited by November and the West Dorset surveys were all written up by mid-December. Other recorders were visiting sites, as volunteers or paid a small fee per site; in total 196 sites had been identified in East Dorset and 146 had been visited by the end of the year.
Progress from this point was steady; 1992 saw David Pearman negotiating with DWT over SNCI funding and discussions clarifying relationships between DWT and DERC in the management of the SNCI project. This led to Robin Walls drafting the first SNCI guidelines. By 1993 approximately six hundred SNCIs had been identified and surveyed and two hundred and sixty had been added to the new and expanding digital record. This number increased to approximately seven hundred by April 1994. The survey work in East Purbeck would add more in that year. In July, Sharron Abbot began work as SNCI Admin officer. Responsibilities and roles were agreed; the original documents have not been researched, but the SNCI manual from 2011 summarises the process as follows.
“The SNCI Panel includes representatives from Dorset Wildlife Trust, Dorset County Council, Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Natural England and Dorset Environmental Records Centre. Sites are surveyed using standard habitat and species recording techniques. For some specific habitats the SNCI Panel has produced guidance notes. Information gathered about each site is presented to the SNCI Panel for consideration. The whole or part of a site may be considered worthy of selection.
"The SNCI Panel have now begun an ongoing programme of site integrity monitoring. Dorset Wildlife Trust is responsible for the management of the project, landowner liaison and advice. Dorset Environmental Records Centre collates habitat and species data generated by the project.”
Of course, these rather dry historical details don’t show the delights of the sites surveyed, or bring out the difficulties of maintaining progress through the financial lean spells experienced by charities and County Councils alike. I was present at one Wildlife Trust Council meeting in the 1990s where only David Pearman’s passionate arguments saved the project from major cutbacks. To keep a register of sites and arrange regular monitoring, with all the cost implications in staff and resources would be difficult even if the work produced an income stream; to do so to the standard achieved by DWT and DERC in the absence of this is remarkable. Sharron Abbot’s work was crucial in this, as was DERCs contribution under the early leadership of Richard Surry and crucially Carolyn Steele. The trustees have also been vital, providing guidance and continuity. We have a list of the county’s hidden treasures that is now a vital resource; we can ensure that no more sites are lost through lack of knowledge, or without challenge.
As for the sites themselves, they are many and varied, and some have access from public footpaths, although sadly not all can be visited*. I remember a site near King’s Stag where a couple of groups went during the pandemic – following guidelines, and I saw Gagea lutea (Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem), from the wrong bank of the stream, while Tom and Jean Smith did rather better on the correct bank, as shown below. I also visited Daffodil Copse in East Dorset many times in my lunch hour while working locally, not aware that it was an SNCI but entranced by the many woodland indicators present, including swathes of Narcissus pseudonarcissus, (Wild Daffodil). I was delighted to find more of these in Lytchett Minster last summer.
*Unless you are on a Dorset Flora Group visit with permission of course!!
