www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I received the following message from Becky Woodell, a volunteer warden at Whitecross Green Wood, and felt it appropriate to pass the message along unedited. Please take heed!

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I am the volunteer warden at Whitecross Green Wood and would be grateful for your help. At least two people have listed UK Butterflies in our Visitors' Book as the source of their information about the reserve.

The main interest in the site is the rides, 9m wide and 2km long. The vegetation is species rich, haymeadow quality grassland bordered by strips of managed native scrub including lots of blackthorn.

Rides are managed by mowing in mid July and removing the cut material.

Increasing popularity has resulted in trampling and flattening of the grassland. In 2005 the vegetation was so flat that it was beneath the cutter bar of the tractor and could not be mown. Also, the grass underneath went mouldy. Volunteers finally cleared it by raking the flat stuff up enough to cut it with a hand propelled BCS mower and then raking it all off. It took days.

Beginning in 2006 a volunteer mowed strips along the rides with his lawnmower and we put up notices requesting people to keep to the mown strips. Conditions improved considerably. UTB members have been made aware of the problem by articles in our newsletter and e-mail circulation. Whitecross sightings are no longer identified on the Upper Thames website. Visitor numbers have dropped considerably and I think UTB members are staying away at the most sensitive periods.

Wood Whites breed at the grassland scrub interface by the ditches which poses a problem when people walk into the area for closer views of insects on the blackthorn or flowering bramble, etc.

Until last week the reserve remained in pretty good condition, but in the past 10 days a lot of trampling has occurred at the ditch edges as well as in the grass. There were three twayblades in flower last week, but now the area is so flattened that I cannot find them.

I note that on your website you give Whitecross quite a high rating. I would be very grateful if you could ask people to remain on the mown strips even if it means they cannot get a wonderful photo.so that the reserve continues to be a high quality site Please help us make visitors aware of the damage they are doing to this and maybe to other sensitive sites.

I do not by any means think that all people causing problems come as a result of your website. Indeed, perhaps none have done so. I am just trying to reach out to anyone who happens to go there to ask for their help in protecting the reserve.

Thanks for any help you can give.

Becky Woodell

I would like to think most people who specialize in Butterfly photography, are very sensitive about protecting the habitat that they are working in.
When talking to the wardens at the various sites I visit, the biggest problems they have are people treating a wildlife reserve as a place to let the Dog have a run and a crap. A couple of weeks ago, some prat let his Lurcher kill a rabbit right in front of me on Stockbridge Down, and by his reaction i would guess this was a daily occurance. Then yesterday when we were at Martin Down, we were taking pics of some Marbled Whites, taking only one or two carefull steps off the path, When we look around and see mr and mrs Fats and their Dog wade a path of their own straight through the middle of the meadow and back again.

Gruditch

Yeah - I agree that there can be some pretty ignorant people out there!

I also agree that the vast majority of butterfly enthusiasts (and other nature lovers) are more careful than most, and take steps to ensure that they don't inadvertantly cause any harm.

I believe that the message from Becky, and my own thoughts on the subject, are targeted at the few who should know better. Let's hope they don't give us all a bad name!

As for dealing with errant behaviour we see - well, that's a tricky subject. A quiet word might do the trick - but all suggestions welcome!

Cheers,

- Pete

I was photgraphing a Heath Frit today when pair of West Highland Terriors, to the acompanyment of "Come hear...come hear!", ran straight over the poor butterfly like a pair of steamrollers (it was cold and raining so it was a bit dopey). I'm afraid I lost my temper a bit and chewed a strip off the dogs owner. At least he was decent enough to appologise, and say he'd not let his dogs off the lead in that area again.
I picked the butterfly up and took it further into the grass away from the path, but couldn't help taking a shot on my finger.



Martin.

Martin, I think you made a new friend - is it just me, or does that frit look grateful! Remarkable image.

Thank you for the post, Pete. If it's pricked the odd conscience out here, it's already done a service.

Bryan

A bit harsh as the site is in Hall and Twist's site guide and Newland's Discovering Butterflies book as well a dozens of other websites.

Mark