18/04/205 - Rare damselflies
on Dartmoor are being given help to increase
their numbers by a collaborative project between
Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Environment
Agency.
The ‘Southern Damselfly Project’ starts this
month and will run for three years. It will
build on research already carried out since
2002 to provide knowledge and develop methods
in how best to encourage the species and the
habitat on which it relies.
Nationally, the southern damselfly breeds
in heathland and chalk streams, culm grassland
and calcareous mires. Suitable habitat is
threatened due to insufficient grazing and
inappropriate heathland management, including
deepening of shallow breeding streams, drainage,
abstraction and eutrophication (nutrient enrichment
from nitrates and phosphates).
The two Dartmoor southern damselfly colonies
were first discovered in 1995 and 1997 in
the north east of the moor by Dartmoor National
Park Authority staff.
Norman Baldock, Ecologist, Dartmoor National
Park Authority, said, "The southern damselfly
is a priority species in both the Dartmoor
Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) and the UK
BAP, and its future is under threat if work
isn’t done to safeguard it. The Authority
has subsequently worked in conjunction with
landowners and the Environment Agency carrying
out extensive habitat management, survey and
monitoring to ensure the continued existence
of the damselflies."
The Environment Agency has lead responsibilities
for this species in the areas of regulation,
operations, planning, promotion, research
and data management.
Roger Goulding from the Environment Agency
said, "Successful work has already been
carried out to increase the size of both colonies.
Now a programme of academic research and monitoring
will aim to make further improvements and
encourage a beneficial land management regime.
The work will include assessing how many damselflies
live at both sites, where they are breeding,
and adjacent areas which might, with some
work, become suitable breeding grounds."
The 2.5 centimetre long damselfly is similar
in appearance to a small dragonfly, except
it holds its wings together above its body
when at rest. Damselflies breed near lakes,
ponds and watercourses as their nymphs live
in water. It is believed that 25 per cent
of the global population of the southern damselfly
occurs in the UK.
Dartmoor National Park Authority and the
Environment Agency are jointly funding the
project, which amounts to £18,000 over
three years, to monitor the populations and
the success of habitat management works. The
project is being managed by Dartmoor National
Park Authority with support from the Environment
Agency, Dartmoor Commoners, landowners and
Liverpool University.
