This year's conference was held on Saturday 24th March at the Ramada Hotel and Resort Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield.

The conference helps steer BASC’s work in protecting and promoting wildfowling. Topics include how to increase club membership, changes to waterfowl numbers on designated sites, RSPB nature reserves, future developments for non-lead cartridges and international perspectives on wildfowling and conservation from Italy and Lithuania.

  Agenda 2012

  Wildfowling Conference Presentations 2012

  Summary of conference 2012

SUMMARY OF PRESENTATIONS

“Given the projected changes to wintering waterfowl due to climate change, what are the implications for policy and management of protected sites in the UK?"

Malcolm Ausden, Principal Ecologist and Andrew Dodd, Acting Head of Casework, Reserves and Protected sites, RSPB

The European network of Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for rare and threatened birds, and migratory birds like the millions of wintering and passage swans, geese, ducks and waders that rely on our wetland and coastal habitats, has proven to be one of the UK and Europe’s most effective tools for the conservation of birds and their habitats.

A project commissioned by Defra, called CHAINSPAN, modelled future changes to the abundance of Annex I and migratory species in the UK in response to climate change, to help develop our understanding of the potential scale, pace and location of change with respect to our internationally important bird sites.

Main findings

The projected changes suggest that, in the UK, more species were more likely to benefit from climate change in the short (2020) to medium (2050) term and under a low-emissions scenario than were not likely to benefit.  But with increasing severity of climate change, a greater proportion of species were projected to decline in abundance than increase.
Milder winters were projected to benefit wintering SPA populations of many waterbirds, although potentially detrimental effects of climate change on their breeding grounds and staging areas could not be accounted for by the models.

• Large sites were projected to continue supporting important numbers of many bird species and therefore are likely to remain key sites irrespective of climate change.
• Significant latitudinal shifts in species composition at many sites are likely, suggesting that site managers may consider the species assemblage present on more southerly sites in order to inform likely future changes in site composition.

Legal and policy implications

The main implications can be summarised as:

• Better managed SPAs to optimise their value for birds both now and in the future and to maximise their resilience to future change.
• Bigger SPAs are likely to support the highest numbers of birds now and into the future. Measures for habitat restoration and creation should focus on extending existing SPAs where appropriate.
• Monitoring and review of SPA condition and the success of any management interventions will be key to any adaptation strategy.

Implications for wetland re-creation and management

For the UK to continue to support internationally important waterbird populations, measures will be required to offset some of the negative impacts of climate change on the extent and quality of wetland habitat in the UK.   The main negative impacts are the loss of intertidal habitat through coastal squeeze, increased saline flooding and eventual loss of freshwater and brackish wetlands, and reduction in water availability at many freshwater wetlands.  Reductions in water flows in spring and summer and higher temperatures are predicted to increase eutrophication, and this might also affect conditions for waterbirds. 

Loss of intertidal habitat through coastal squeeze needs to be compensated for by re-creation of intertidal habitat through managed re-alignment and regulated tidal exchange, designed so as to maximize their value for wildfowl and other birds.  Loss of freshwater and brackish coastal wetlands needs to be compensated for by creating new freshwater wetlands away from vulnerable coastal areas. 

For freshwater wetlands in southern England, key issues to address through a range of hydrological measures include:

• Increased drawdown in water levels in spring and summer, exacerbated by increased demand for water;
• Declines in the duration and extent of winter flooding despite an increase in winter rainfall, because water levels are predicted to be far lower in late summer and autumn.

Conclusion

Although some species are likely to suffer as a result of climate change and others are likely to benefit, CHAINSPAN estimated that the current UK SPA network is likely to be relatively resilient to future climate change. By protecting and managing many large areas of semi-natural habitats and concentrations of birds, SPAs will continue to support important populations of birds in a changing climate. Whilst declines in numbers of vulnerable northern species in the UK seem likely, management to improve site-quality and reduce the severity of other pressures may reduce the magnitude of such reductions. Management to increase site-size and quality may also increase the ability of sites to accommodate change.

  Malcolm Ausden & Andrew Dodd - Presentation

RSPB Nature Reserves - Past, Present and Future

Gwyn Williams, Head of Reserves and Protected Areas, RSPB

Wildlife is distributed unevenly across the landscape of the UK.  In part, for natural reasons such as climate topography and soils, but increasingly modified by land use for agriculture, forestry and urban development.  The identification of special places for wildlife and their protection and management, through statute or land acquisition, is an efficient way of protecting many species and habitats and has been an important strand in the UK approach to nature conservation for over a century. 

The RSPB first acquired land in the 1930s to help protect the remaining population of Kentish plover at Dungeness – this eventually failed for reasons a reserve warden would recognise today.  The site was too small and so disturbed, and it was difficult to retain water levels.  It was only in the late 1950s, as pressure on the natural environment grew following post-war development that RSPB investment in nature reserves increased.   Initially, this was targeted at securing the future of re-colonising species such as black-tailed godwit, avocet, osprey and red kite.  However, the focus gradually moved to protecting assemblages of important species through habitat conservation, concentrating on those that had undergone high rates of loss that were of current small area and required active management in order to sustain their future value.  Priorities included wet grasslands, heathlands, native pinewoods and intertidal mudflats.  In general, land was only acquired if it were notified SSSI.  This was seen as a measure of the nature conservation value of the land, but implicitly it was also an important sign of lack of confidence in the statutory site safeguard system!  Welcoming visitors to reserves and introducing people to nature has always been another important function of RSPB nature reserves. 

By 2006 the RSPB was managing 131k hectares of land at 196 reserves across the UK.  Of this more than half was owned.  The RSPB refreshed its reserves strategy at that time and confirmed the role of nature reserves in our nature conservation “toolkit”, which also includes advocacy to influence legislation policy, site safeguard (seeking the designation of important sites, and seeking their protection through the development control system, eg Severn Estuary barrage, Thames Estuary airport), species recovery, provision of land management advice, research and monitoring, working internationally and public campaigns.

For our existing estate, we identified 26 target species that should benefit especially from nature reserves as indicators of the success or otherwise of our work.  For these we defined specific targets to be attained by 2012 (some are maintain targets, some enhance).  We also set objectives to have all of our sites in favourable or unfavourable/recovering condition, as defined by the statutory bodies, and to achieve specific RSPB objectives over and above this.  Increasingly, the Society is investing in habitat creation and we set specific targets for particular habitats.

Our strategy proposed adding further land to the RSPB reserve network, with the aim of doubling the area managed by the Society to 1% of the UK by 2030.  This scale of activity may appear ambitious, but we saw this as the bare minimum that we should contribute in partnership with other conservation bodies, industry and private land owners, given the need to restore our natural environment as first set out in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and more recently in the Lawton Review, and the Government’s natural environment White Paper “The Natural Choice – securing the value of nature”. 

We continue to acquire land for two main purposes:  ecological and public enjoyment.  From an ecological perspective the priority continues to be expansion of our existing sites to enable them to function better and be more robust against external change.  In light of climate change we are looking more at how individual sites contribute to a wider network of protected areas.  We continue to place highest priority on those habitats where economic land use is unlikely to deliver favourable condition, such as heathlands, reedbeds, native pine and active blanket bogs.  Increasingly, however, we are acquiring land of low ecological value for restoration to that of high ecological value, sometimes on our own account, sometimes working in partnerships with a range of public and private sector organisations.

The role that nature reserves play in enabling people to access and experience nature at first hand is growing as society becomes increasingly urbanised.  To take but one example, the home range of a child two decades ago was 800 metres.  Today it is less than 25 metres and over a quarter of all children do not go outdoors to play.  Reconnecting people with nature is imperative if we are to gain the public support necessary to take the difficult steps that face us in order to achieve sustainable development.  As the Society gains more land we acknowledge that we have to be more sensitive to community aspirations and this includes wildfowling. 

Gwyn Williams has worked for the RSPB for some 30 years, having previously worked for the then Nature Conservancy Council and Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.  In that time he has led the Society’s work on agriculture, water, site safeguard, species recovery, investigations and land management advice.  He has been responsible for the RSPB’s nature reserves and site safeguard work since 2006.  He has worked with BASC colleagues on topics such as lead in gunshot, hunting seasons and cold weather shooting bans.  He learnt most of what he knows about wildfowling from Alan Jarrett whilst counting wildfowl from his punt on the Medway.

  Gwyn Williams RSPB - Presentation

Recent changes in distribution range of wildfowl populations in Eastern and Northern Europe, and the importance to UK waterfowl hunters of flyway conservation projects like the one supported by the WHT on the Nemunas River delta, shared by Lithuania and Russia  

Saulius Svazas, Institute of Ecology of Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, LT08412 Vilnius, Lithuania

More than 40 new breeding bird species were recorded in the Eastern Baltic Region during the last 50 years. Most new breeding species are of South/West Europe origin or species characteristic of the European steppe zone. A marked northward range expansion of many bird species during the last 50 years was recorded in the NE European tundra region. Several wildfowl species characteristic of European temperate and boreal zones have recently established as breeding species in the tundra zone.

The recent formation of new important wintering sites of wildfowl species in Central and Eastern Europe (with more than two million birds counted) indicates the north-eastward shift of their key wintering grounds under conditions of the global climate change.

The global climate change has also impacted the major moulting and staging sites of wildfowl species in Europe. For example, the Volga River delta has recently lost its importance for migratory and moulting dabbling ducks due to increase of water level in the Caspian Sea.

In conditions of the global change the conservation and sustainable management of the key areas along the flyways of wildfowl in Europe is particularly important.

The Nemunas (Neman) River delta, shared by Lithuania and Russia, is one of such key wildfowl areas of the international importance. The site supports 54 nesting bird species listed in the Annex I of the EU Birds Directive. Internationally important migratory concentrations of 17 waterbird species were recently recorded in this territory. The site annually supports up to 140000 staging White-fronted Geese, 42000 Tufted Ducks, 35000 Common Pochards, 30000 Mallards and Wigeons, etc.

The Lithuanian part of the cross-border Nemunas River delta is the designated Ramsar site and EU “Natura 2000“ site but the Russian part of the site is not protected and the key habitats for migratory wildfowl species are poorly managed in this territory.

The main aim of the project supported by the Wildlife Habitat Charitable Trust (initiated in 2011) is to enhance the sustainable management of key habitats for migratory wildfowl populations in the whole cross-border area of the Nemunas River delta. All sites supporting internationally important concentrations of migratory wildfowl will be designated and mapped. The sustainable management of important areas for migratory wildfowl in the Russian part of the site will be promoted and documentation, necessary for inclusion of the Russian part of the site into the list of Ramsar sites, will be prepared.

Implementation of this international project will significantly contribute to long-term sustainable management of this key site for migratory wildfowl species breeding in Northern and Eastern Europe, and wintering in the United Kingdom and other countries of Western Europe.

  Saulius Svazas - Presentation

So, where is everybody? How the BASC Wildfowling Permit Scheme can boost club membership.” 

Mark Greenhough, BASC Wildfowling Officer

Current research from the USA, indicates that while there is a broad acceptance of hunting (shooting), fewer Americans are actively participating in the sport.  Traditional recruitment and retention methods in which hunting families initiate, train and socialise their children into hunting are still the primary routes to recruiting and training new hunters.  With declining numbers of hunters, this approach alone will not be able to counter declining participation tends.  The research strongly suggests that mentoring of new shooters is vital to the long term survival of the sport and that participants within the sport are key to providing the role of mentors to encourage and teach new entrants in shooting.  There are many parallels to be drawn between the USA and UK in this.  The numbers involved in wildfowling seem static at best, according to available UK figures.  The BASC Wildfowling Permit Scheme provides the perfect vehicle to promote wildfowling.  To ensure greater success in attracting more people from all backgrounds into wildfowling, BASC, its members and affiliated clubs need to maximise the scheme to its full potential

  Mark Greenhough - Presentation

Wildfowling in Italy - an overview of the Italian Federation of Hunting, the work they do for wildfowlers and hunting experiences

Michele Sorrenti, Italian Federation of Hunters 
 
Wildfowling in Italy is less popular than other kind of hunting, as pheasant, partridge, hare, woodcock, thrushes, and boar. Nevertheless  traditions of waterfowl hunting exists in all Italian region (except for alpine ones) where some kind of specialized hunting methods are in place, that involve habitat management and/or creation. Furthermore almost all generalist Italian hunters like to hunt waterbirds when they find them, so that a total of 16 waterfowl species are still huntable in Italy, which are Anatidae (except geese) Rallidae, Scolopacidae and Lapwing. We can separate specialized waterfowl hunting in 3 kinds of implants: hides in natural wetlands, hides in artificial wetlands (created for hunting), private shooting areas in wetland habitat. To these kind of hunting method, which are firstly dedicated to ducks, we could sum a great number of “walking hunters” that shoot snipes, moorhen, water rail, coots, that means waterfowl species that could be hunted with dogs or by a “movement hunting method”. Such paper concentrates on specialized hunters of ducks. The most important region for wildfowling in Italy is Veneto and the North Adriatic zone. In such part of Italy a wetland complex of lagoons, estuaries, delta, and rivers offer a fantastic habitat to all species of waterbirds and particularly wildfowl. A total of around 300.000 waterbirds are counted every winter in the North Adriatic zone. A great part of ducks and other species are counted in Aziende Faunistico Venatorie (AFV- private shooting areas) which is maintained in natural conditions by the property for hunting and partially fishing. In Venice Lagoon, Po delta out of Regional Park, and other lagoons a system of fixed hides owned by district administration offer hunting opportunity to hunters outside from AFV. In Po plain a significant wildfowling tradition is in place that causes creation and management of artificial ponds used for hunting during regular season, but a part of its are permanent and so offer suitable habitat to waterfowl also for nesting and prenuptial migration. In other region of center and south Italy hunting waterfowl is difficult because a great part of natural wetlands are free hunting zone, as parks, natural reserves, sanctuaries. In such regions creation of artificial ponds is increasing and in some region hunting on sea shore is allowed. Legal hunting season is from 3rd Sunday of September to 31 January, but recently ISPRA (State Institute for Environment Protection) propose a shorter season from 1st October to 20 January, and also exclusion of Tufted duck from hunting list due to confusion with Ferruginous duck, From many years ISPRA propose to exclude also Ruff from hunting list. Such two species are now protected in Natura2000 areas.  Federazione Italiana della Caccia do not agree with such limitations and fights every day to offer a different point of view to administrators and politicians and in some case succeeded in maintaining species in hunting list, using a scientific approach. Waterbirds in Italy a well monitored by International Waterbird Census of January, and in may cases huntable species are increasing or stable. Ufficio Avifauna Migratoria of FIDC started many studies with the aim to exploit the high potential of hunters as data collectors and in past ACMA (Waterfowl Hunters Italian Association) presented results of bag estimates in Po delta and Toscana districts.

  Michele Sorrenti - Presentation

Cartridge manufacturing, developments and future trends with particular reference to non-lead loads

David Scott, UK Commercial Manager, Eley Hawk Ltd

My presentation covers the following points in varying degrees of detail and allows for some discussion afterwards on points the delegates may wish me to expand on further;
A brief look at Eley Hawk and the Maxam Group which includes some history of the two companies and an explanation of the main activities of each business and their relationship to each other.

The question is then posed “What makes a good shotgun cartridge?” and the main qualities are listed.

The characteristics and options needed in selecting a range of non toxic cartridges are then considered.

Propellants are then discussed to show the need for the careful selection of the correct powder for each of the various calibres and the differing payloads and wads used.
The wad options are then reviewed with the three main options of Fibre, Plastic and Photodegradable noted along with the Eley Hawk Kleena wad made here at our factory in Birmingham.

Non toxic shot material options are then considered. It covers what has been looked at previously and then compares the 3 main types of material seen in use in non toxic load cartridges today, in particular looking at the relative density of each in order to compare them versus lead.

A look at velocity of cartridges and its effects on patterns and performance and a look at shot sizes comparing the equivalent bismuth or steel pellet size needed to give the same pellet weight and similar effectiveness on game as that of lead.

Steel loads, the two main options currently available, that being standard and High Performance and the need for specially proofed guns for the latter. The differences between the two CIP standard steel products are noted and two of the key reasons are discussed.

The reason why Eley Hawk considers Bismuth is the most suitable non toxic alternative to lead with a thought on why it is preferred by the presenter!

The recently introduced Eley Bismuth Evo III cartridges are then introduced, this explains the benefits of the new shot, how and why it has been developed and includes the results of penetration tests carried out on ballistic gelatine. It also covers the wide range of payloads, shot sizes and gauges available in these cartridges which exceeds any other non toxic cartridge available.

Cost comparisons between the main non toxic shotgun ammunition types on sale and what it really means to the shooter. This covers a cost  per thousand and  cost per cartridge comparison to give some food for thought.

A recap is then made on the benefits of using Bismuth as a material for non toxic shot and why it should it should be considered as the best option.

Some thoughts on the future of non toxic ammunition and how consumers demand for low prices may steer the market increasingly towards steel loads due to their lower unit costs.

  David Scott - Presentation