Building on last year’s Great Crested Newt (GCN) survey training at Ryton Pools Country Park, Coventry we had the pleasure of collaborating again.
The aim was simple: to provide a structured training opportunity for those working towards their Natural England GCN survey licence, while contributing to valuable conservation data.
Over four visits in May/June we surveyed three waterbodies, and the results were surprising. Although we knew GCN were in the area in the usual places, we weren’t prepared for new observations that were discovered populating a unique habitat niche created by Ryton’s Pools use of coir rolls.
Other observations in previously unsurveyed waterbodies have encouraged a new focus of the park’s activity on additional conservation measures and habitat management.
As a result of this training, we have a more confident and knowledgeable team with a greater understanding of:
Great crested newt and amphibian ecology
Species identification
Survey methodology
Safe and appropriate handling techniques
Population assessments
Habitat suitability index (HSI)
Environmental DNA, (eDNA)
Biosecurity
Thank you to our enthusiastic team of surveyors at RSK Biocensus whom also gave up their volunteer day to support at least one of these surveys: Amy Copping Anna Clark, Alicia Tredell, Lucy Tibble, James Salisbury, Charlotte Quaife, Charlotte Stigling-Rose, Lance Rudge.
This would not have been possible without the support of Natalie Walker Warwickshire Amphibian Reptile Team (WART); the incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic Park ranger team including Ben Coleman, Courtenay Dubock at Ryton Pools CP/ Warwickshire County Council and Amphibian and Reptile Groups of UK (ARG UK)
All activities carried out under licence.