London Biodiversity Partnership
Annual Report 2001
It is with great pleasure
that I present this report
of the London Biodiversity
Partnership. The Partnership
has had many
successes since it was
first established in 1996.
This is particularly true
over the past year as
implementation of plans
has become a reality. We
have also been successful
in bringing more people on
board across the whole of
London. The report
outlines some of our real
contributions to
biodiversity that have been
achieved by working
together. I hope you enjoy
reading it.
The amount of hard work
that has gone into the
Partnership is obvious.
However, in order to
capitalise on this effort in
the future we will need to
have security of funding in
the long-term. To this end
we will be developing an
effective business plan in
the coming year which
will, I hope, enable us to
put our work on a firm
footing for the future.
I would like to thank
Esther Collis, the London
Biodiversity Partnership
Officer, and the Bridge
House Estates Trust Fund
for enabling us get this
far.
Professor David Goode
Chair, London Biodiversity
Partnership
The Partnership is a
consortium of public,
private and voluntary
organisations working
together for wildlife and
people.
The Partnership formed in
1996 to progress a
Biodiversity Action Plan
for London. This was in
response to the process
initiated at the Earth
summit in Rio in 1992,
when the UK government
signed the ‘Convention on
Biological Diversity’.
Milestones 2000
 The London Biodiversity
Audit - Volume 1 of the
London Biodiversity
Action Plan.
 Our Green Capital - an
introduction to the
London Biodiversity
Plan.
 Launch of the
Partnership’s website
www.lpb.org.uk with an
online searchable
species audit.
Milestones 2001
 The Action - Volume 2 of
the London Biodiversity
Action Plan. Contains
the first round of
targeted Habitat,
Species and Generic
Action Plans for
London.
Launched by
Darren Johnson,
Environment Advisor to
the Mayor and Leader of
the Green Group for the
London Assembly.
© Greater London Authority
Foreword
The London Biodiversity
Partnership
© Hugh Clark/Bat Conservation Trust © Sandi Bain/London Wildlife Trust © Tony Drakeford © Andy Fisher
© Ian Yarham
 Forward to Action Event
– successful
partnership building and
networking event
attended by 70
people. Facilitated by
The Environment
Council, the
Partnership explored
the barriers and
opportunities for
implementing the
London Biodiversity
Action Plan.
 A Practitioners day -
held at the Wetland
Centre, Barnes.
Focused on overcoming
the barriers to
implementing
Biodiversity Action
Plans.
 Somerset
Environmental Records
Centre began work on
the development plan
for the London
Biological Records
Centre.
 The London Biodiversity
Species Audit was
updated on the
website.
 Development of the
Partnership’s publicity
guidelines including a
Supporter’s Pledge to
gain wider support.
 Start of work on a
funding strategy for the
London Biodiversity
Action Plan and a
business plan for the
Partnership.
New structure for 2001
Wider London Biodiversity Partnership
& Chair
Project Board
Dedicated staff -
input at all levels
London Borough
Biodiversity
Forum -
input at all levels
Biodiversity
Record
Centre
Working
Group
Habitats,
Species &
Data
Working
Group
Management
Working
Group
Communications
Working
Group
An effective
Partnership
Restructuring of the
Partnership was
necessary to improve
its efficiency and
provide greater
openness. The
Partnership now meets
as a whole at least
twice annually.
Decisions are made by
the various Working
Groups, co-ordinated by
the Project Board.
Individual Chairs are
responsible for arranging
and co-ordinating
meetings and reporting
on the outcomes. There
are two open places on
each Working Group,
available through
arrangement with the
respective Chair.
Partnership meetings,
agendas and minutes can
be found on the website.
To encourage greater
organisational
commitment, a
Memorandum of
Understanding has been
developed and circulated
to partners.
© Creekside Education Trust
© Mathew Frith/London Wildlife Trust
Present signatories to the
Memorandum of
Understanding are:
BTCV
Corporation of London
Countryside Agency
English Nature
Environment Agency
Lee Valley Regional Park
Authority
London Underground Ltd
London Wildlife Trust
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Royal Parks
Thames Water Utilities Ltd
The London boroughs of
Camden, Redbridge,
Merton and Wandsworth
Wildfowl and WetlandsTrust
Zoological Society of London
New Action for Nature in 2001
held by London Wildlife
Trust and LB Bromley.
 Permission has been
obtained to store tower
mustard seed at
Wakehurst Place and
30 seeds collected from
Stain Hill Reservoir
have been successfully
germinated at Kew.
About 200 seeds were
sown into beds at the
Wetland Centre in
November. One bed is
situated in the intensive
exhibit area in Waterlife,
which is readily
accessible to the public.
This year has seen
significant progress
made towards achieving
the targets set out in
the London Biodiversity
Action Plan. The
following are just a few
of the highlights.
 Thames Chase, Green
Gateway and Forest
Enterprises have
planted up to 100ha of
new woodland in East
London.
 Supported by English
Nature, the BioRegional
Development Group
have produced a report
on use of woodland
products.
 The London Heathland
Forum has been
established. The first
meeting of the Forum
took place in
September with a site
visit to look at
restoration work at
Addington Hills. The day
was a great success,
with 37 delegates
attending from most
London heathland sites.
This represented a good
opportunity to share
© Alex Machin/English Nature
© London Wildlife Trust
best practice,
highlighting the
importance of local
work to the delivery of
regional conservation
objectives.
 The London Water Vole
Project Officer started
in March. Based at
London Wildlife Trust
the post was achieved
by a partnership of
Environment Agency,
London Wildlife Trust,
Lee Valley Regional
Park Authority, British
Waterways and the
London Development
Agency.
 Summer 2001 saw the
introduction of 147
water voles at the
Wetland Centre, Barn
Elms. Future monitoring
will help guide best
practice.
 Restoration and
maintenance of dykes
at Crossness and
Crayford marshes for
flood defence have
been designed to
enhance water vole
habitat. Dyke works on
the Inner Thames
Marshes have
included provision for
water voles following
consultation with
London Wildlife Trust,
Environment Agency
and the RSPB.
 Peregrine Watch Week
was launched in June,
with a watch point
established on the
embankment opposite
Battersea power
station. This generated
good media interest
from Time Out, Evening
Standard and LBC.
 The Environment
Agency has produced
Best Practice Guidance
on artificial bank
creation for sand
martins and kingfishers.
 The Black Redstart
Working Group has
advised on 15 new
developments. These
are likely to include
significant habitat
improvements and/or
mitigation for black
redstarts and £13,000
has been raised for
publication of an advice
note on landscapes for
black redstarts.
 With support from
English Nature, two
mobile stag beetle
displays have been
produced and are
available for shows,
libraries and
exhibitions. They are
© Charles Snell/London Wildlife Trust
 The following Working
Groups have been
established and hold
regular meetings to
oversee the
implementation of their
action plans: Woodland,
Chalk Grassland,
Heathland, Wasteland via
the London Brownfields
Forum, Bats, Grey Heron,
Water Vole, Mistletoe,
Sand Martin, House
Sparrow, Stag Beetle,
Black Redstart.
 Existing data collation
has been completed and
co-ordinated with the
London Biological
Records Project for the
Chalk Grassland,
Wasteland, Black
Redstart, Water Vole
and Mistletoe action
plans. This has provided
baseline data for future
monitoring and identified
areas where new
surveys and monitoring
should be focused.
Mistletoe locations 1996 - 2002
Water Vole sightings 1996 - February 2002
Black Redstart locations 2001
© Andy Fisher
All maps produced by the London Wildlife Trust’s Biological Recording Project
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Meridian TM data with the permission of the controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright 1998.
Licence No. AL100020841
Work in Progress
 Collation of historical
sand martin records
from London Bird
Reports.
 Artificial sand martin
nest creation sites are
under construction at
Beddington, Crossness
and River Wandle.
Projects are planned for
2002/3 at Rainham
Marshes, Kempton,
Deptford Creek, and
Canary Wharf.
 Work has started on
assessing the
importance of
established day roosts
for herons, particularly
on Thames-side sites.
The Royal Parks are
currently trialling
artificial heron breeding
platforms made from
woven baskets. The
annual London Heron
Day was held on the 14
April 2002 at Battersea
Park, the Wetland
Centre and Regent’s Park.
 A house sparrow survey
involving the public will
be launched in the
summer of 2002.
 A Raptor Study Group is
being established.
 A Peregrine Advice
Note has been produced
and will be available in
2002.
 Green Gateway has
made early
investigations for a
timber station in
Thamesmead. There is
£40,000 of funding to
support the initiative.
 A questionnaire for the
public and user groups
has been produced to
find out how chalk
grassland is valued. It
will be used alongside a
portable display about
London’s downs
throughout 2002.
 A report highlighting
the wildlife value of
brownfield land is due
to be published in
2002.
 Through liaison with
English Nature and
RSPB, fences are to be
erected on the Inner
Thames Marshes as
part of habitat
improvement work for
water voles.
 A rat control and water
vole conservation
leaflet is planned for
spring 2002 and will be
made available to Local
Authorities.
 Bow Back Rivers and
the River Wandle are
being considered as
reintroduction sites for
water voles.
 A Bat Advice Note will
be available in 2002.
 Bat roost opportunities
have been identified for
2 pillboxes on the River
Beam, Sydenham Hill
Wood, Horsenden Hill,
Highgate Tunnel,
Crossness and
Kempton Reservoir.
© James Farrell
© Hugh Clark/Bat Conservation Trust © Andy Fisher © Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
 Partnership
established/being
established
 Action plan in
production
 Biodiversity Action Plan
published
Progress at a Borough Level
Funding until December
2001 was provided by the
Bridge House Estates
Trust Fund. Bridge funding
from January 2002 to
March 2002 was provided
by English Nature. The
Partnership is currently
awaiting the outcome of
two funding applications
to secure future funding.
The Partnership agrees
that long-term,
sustainable funding is
essential. This is likely to
come from contributions
from members, though a
major task for 2002 is to
explore the options
through a business
planning process.
Financial Status
Map produced by the London Wildlife Trust’s Biological Recording Project
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Meridian TM data with the permission of the controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright 1998.
Licence No. AL100020841
© Sandi Bain/London Wildlife Trust
© Ian Yarham
Most London boroughs
are now engaged in the
biodiversity action
planning process. The
London boroughs of Brent
and Waltham Forest
published action plans in
2001.
London Biodiversity Partnership – 2001
Project Board
Greater London Authority (Chair), Association
of London Government, British Waterways,
BTCV, English Nature, London Borough
Biodiversity Forum, London Underground Ltd,
London Wildlife Trust, Royal Parks, RSPB,
Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Wildfowl and
Wetlands Trust
Management Working Group
RSPB (Chair), English Nature, Greater London
Authority, London Borough Biodiversity
Forum, Thames Estuary Partnership
Communications Working Group
BTCV (Chair), English Nature, Greater London
Authority, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority,
London Wildlife Trust, London Zoo, RSPB,
Wildfowl and Wetland Trust
Habitats, Species and Data Working Group
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (Chair), British
Waterways, Butterfly Conservation,
Environment Agency, Greater London
Authority, London Borough Biodiversity
Forum, London Natural History Society,
London Wildlife Trust
Biological Records Centre Working Group
English Nature (Chair), Environment Agency,
Greater London Authority, London Natural
History Society, London Wildlife Trust
London Borough Biodiversity Forum
LB Bromley (Chair), LB Hounslow (Deputy
Chair). All London Boroughs are invited to
attend
Partnership staff
The London Biodiversity Officer is a key
motivational force, essential to:
• co-ordinate events involving the whole
Partnership
• provide a secretariat to Working Groups
• build commitment from partners
• carry out project development
• provide enthusiasm and day to day
leadership
• manage volunteers
London Biodiversity Partnership
c/o London Wildlife Trust
Harling House
47 - 51 Great Suffolk Street
London SE1 0BS
tel: 020 7261 0447
fax: 020 7261 0538
email: enquiries@wildlondon.org.uk
web: www.lbp.org.uk
Front cover photography by:
© Sandi Bain/London Wildlife Trust
Ian Yarham
Back cover photography by:
© James Farrell
Designed by Metalanguage Design
Printed on Revolve Silk Recycled Paper
© London Biodiversity Partnership 2002
working together for wildlife