People's Trust for Endangered Species

Last updated

AbbreviationPTES
Formation1977
Legal status Charitable organization
PurposeScience-led conservation of rare and endangered species and habitats
Location
  • 3 Cloisters House
    8 Battersea Park Road
    London
    SW8 4BG
Region served
UK, funds projects worldwide
Membership
16 employees (2015)
~7,500 members
~24,000 volunteers
Chief Executive
Jill Nelson
Main organ
Board of Trustees
Website PTES

Peoples Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales. It exists to promote the conservation of rare or declining species and habitats in the UK and worldwide through monitoring, public engagement, education, and through the funding of conservation projects and research. [1] It also owns and manages two nature reserves. As of April 2015, PTES has 16 employees, five trustees and coordinates around 24,000 volunteers in the UK. PTES relies on donations from the general public and grants from trusts and foundations to continue its work - it receives no core funding from the UK Government. The organisation has registered charity number 274206.

Contents

History

PTES was founded in 1977. Originally based in South Kensington at Imperial College London, in 1993 the organisation moved to its present location in Battersea, south-west London. In 2001 PTES developed Mammals Trust UK, a restricted fund and campaign targeting the conservation of British mammals. In 2006, Mammals Trust UK was incorporated under the activities of PTES. PTES still operates a ring-fenced funding stream for British mammals but the names ‘Mammals Trust UK’ and 'Mammals Trust' have since been disbanded.

Activities

PTES exists to support and restore natural heritage – the diverse assemblages of species and their habitats present on Earth – through practical conservation and by educating and informing people about its importance. The charity supports conservation projects and research both in the UK and abroad through three funding schemes: ‘worldwide grants’, ‘UK mammals grants’ and ‘internship awards’. [2] The charities' work in the UK has a focus on mammals, with hazel dormouse, European hedgehog and European water vole current target species. Saproxylic beetles are also a target group, and traditional orchards a target habitat. Assistance from volunteers and collaboration with other environmental organisations are both integral to this work.

Wildlife Surveys

PTES runs several national, public-participation surveys aimed at monitoring wild populations and habitats. This includes the two mammal surveys that now have been running for over a decade: Living with Mammals (2003) and Mammals on Roads (2001). It was a founding member of the Tracking Mammals Partnership. [3]

As of 2013, extant surveys are:

Mammal Monitoring

One of ~500 dormouse nest boxes at Briddlesford Nature Reserve, used to monitor the population within these woodlands as part of the NDMP. Dormouse box with bluebells at Briddlesford Nature Reserve.JPG
One of ~500 dormouse nest boxes at Briddlesford Nature Reserve, used to monitor the population within these woodlands as part of the NDMP.

Hazel dormouse

PTES maintains the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP). [6] This is based on around 400 woodland sites where at least fifty dormouse nest boxes have been put up, per site, that are inspected by licensed volunteers at monthly intervals between May and October. In 2014, PTES collated 6,827 hazel dormice records from 387 sites. [7]

The NDMP has been running for the past 25 years and is run in partnership with Royal Holloway University, Natural England and several hundred trained volunteer monitors.

European water vole

In 2015 PTES launched a new project to try and coordinate conservation efforts for the water vole - an animal that has declined by over 90% in Britain since the 1980s. [8] The National Water Vole Monitoring Programme is the first ongoing monitoring scheme for this species in the UK and aims to bring together data from several hundred sites to allow the status of the species to be assessed year-on-year. [9]

Linking gardens is central to Hedgehog Street as impermeable garden fences and walls can make hedgehog populations unviable. Hole in a fence.JPG
Linking gardens is central to Hedgehog Street as impermeable garden fences and walls can make hedgehog populations unviable.

Campaigns

European hedgehog

In 2011 PTES, in partnership with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), launched a national campaign to conserve the hedgehog, a mammal that has declined in Britain by at least 25% since the year 2001. [10]

As part of the joint campaign, PTES coordinates the European Hedgehog Research Group and convenes a steering group for the species, based on the previous BAP group, that includes the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, mammal ecologist Dr Pat Morris, and hedgehog enthusiast and author Hugh Warwick. In 2015 they produced the first conservation strategy for the species in the UK. The only UK training course on hedgehog-friendly land management, surveying and mitigation for professionals has also been developed and is being delivered around the UK.

PTES also supports research into the causes of hedgehog decline. Some of this is jointly funded with BHPS.

Saving Cats and Dogs

In 2013 the campaign "Saving Big Cats and Wild Dogs" (shortened to "Saving Cats and Dogs") was launched. This is based around a website that provides information about the conservation projects that focus on wild felids and canids that are all supported through PTES grant funding. With a donation you can twin your pet cat or dog with a wild counterpart. [10]

Reserves

One of fifteen new ponds at Briddlesford Nature Reserve created since the year 2000 as part of the Million Ponds Project. Vista at Briddelsford Nature Reserve.JPG
One of fifteen new ponds at Briddlesford Nature Reserve created since the year 2000 as part of the Million Ponds Project.

Briddlesford

PTES own and manage 158 hectares of land on the Isle of Wight, including a majority of the Briddlesford Copses Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) together with about 50 hectares of farmland. The Briddlesford Copses represent the largest remaining block of ancient semi-natural woodland on the Isle of Wight. Notable species present include Hazel dormouse, Bechstein’s bat, barbastelle bat, red squirrel, narrow-leaved lungwort and the fungus weevil Pseudeuparius sepicola.

Rough Hill

Rough Hill is a traditionally managed orchard of ~4 hectares, located on a bank of the river Avon on the outskirts of Pershore, Worcestershire. Since being acquired by the Trust in 2003, the orchard is being sensitively restored for the benefit of its biodiversity and heritage value. The principal management activities are the provision and care of new fruit trees, restoration pruning of extant mature trees, and the use of extensive livestock grazing to manage the species-rich calcareous grassland communities present.

Associate organisations

PTES is a member of the IUCN and Wildlife and Countryside Link. [11]

Related Research Articles

The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is the Gloucestershire local partner in a conservation network of 46 Wildlife Trusts. The Wildlife Trusts are local charities with the specific aim of protecting the United Kingdom's natural heritage. The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust is managed by a board of trustees elected from its membership who provide overall direction for the development of the trust and there are advisory committees. The work of the trust is carried out through staff and volunteers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European water vole</span> Species of rodent

The European water vole or northern water vole, is a semi-aquatic rodent. It is often informally called the water rat, though it only superficially resembles a true rat. Water voles have rounder noses than rats, deep brown fur, chubby faces and short fuzzy ears; unlike rats their tails, paws and ears are covered with hair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European hedgehog</span> Species of small spiny mammal

The European hedgehog, also known as the West European hedgehog or common hedgehog, is a hedgehog species native to Europe from Iberia and Italy northwards into Scandinavia and westwards into the British Isles. It is a generally common and widely distributed species that can survive across a wide range of habitat types. It is a well-known species, and a favourite in European gardens, both for its endearing appearance and its preference for eating a range of garden pests. While populations are currently stable across much of its range, it is declining severely in Great Britain where it is now Red Listed, meaning that it is considered to be at risk of local extinction. Outside its native range, the species was introduced to New Zealand during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hazel dormouse</span> Species of rodent

The hazel dormouse or common dormouse is a small dormouse species native to Europe and the only living species in the genus Muscardinus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Scotland</span> Animals living in Scotland

The fauna of Scotland is generally typical of the northwest European part of the Palearctic realm, although several of the country's larger mammals were hunted to extinction in historic times and human activity has also led to various species of wildlife being introduced. Scotland's diverse temperate environments support 62 species of wild mammals, including a population of wild cats, important numbers of grey and harbour seals and the most northerly colony of bottlenose dolphins in the world.

Wildwood Trust is a woodland discovery park in Herne, near Canterbury in Kent, England. It features over fifty species of native British animals such as deer, badgers, wild boar, wolves and brown bear. It is located on the main road A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust</span> British charitable organisation

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is a British charitable organisation using science to promote game and wildlife management as an essential part of nature conservation. For over 80 years the Trust has been conducting scientific research to understand why there have been declines in species such as the grey partridge, black grouse, water vole, corn bunting and brown hare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Pakistan</span> Overview of fauna in Pakistan

Pakistan's native fauna reflect its varied climatic zones. The northern Pakistan, which includes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan, has portions of two biodiversity hotspots, Mountains of Central Asia and Himalayas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biodiversity of Wales</span> Variety of life in Wales

The biodiversity of Wales is the wide variety of ecosystems, living organisms, and the genetic makeups found in Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hedgehog Street</span> UK-based conservation project

Hedgehog Street is a UK-based conservation initiative set up by two charitable organisations, the People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS). The project was established in 2011 in response to a detected decline in the hedgehog population in Britain, where it is a native species.

Briddlesford Nature Reserve consists of 158 hectares of land on the Isle of Wight that is composed of a complex of different habitats, including woodland, arable farmland, lowland meadow, parkland, pond, hedgerow and grazing marsh. The reserve encompasses a majority of the Briddlesford Copses Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) together with about 50 hectares of farmland. The reserve is owned by People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and managed to preserve and enhance its biodiversity value.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vincent Wildlife Trust</span> Charity in the UK and Ireland

Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) was founded in 1975 by the late Honourable Vincent Weir. It is a charity that focuses on mammal conservation in Britain and Ireland. Its Head Office is in Herefordshire, with local offices in south-west England, Wales and Ireland.

References

  1. PTES homepage
  2. PTES grants and projects page
  3. JNCC page for Tracking Mammals Partnership
  4. Using the dead to monitor the living: can road kill counts detect trends in mammal abundance? George, L. – MacPherson, J.L.1*– Balmforth, Z. – Bright, P.W.1 [ permanent dead link ]
  5. "Introduction to the Hedgehog Hibernation Survey". Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  6. PTES page on monitoring of the hazel dormouse
  7. PTES page on the dormouse
  8. Vincent Wildlife Trust water vole surveys Archived 28 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  9. PTES website page for National Water Vole Monitoring Programme
  10. Saving Big Cats and Wild Dogs website.
  11. Wildlife and Countryside Link: our members