The Thames Gateway is known to support an important invertebrate resource, including populations of several UK Biodiversity Action Plan species. However, the area has been identified as Europe’s largest regeneration area and will be subject to major development over the next 10-20 years. Although the Government has acknowledged the environmental importance of the Thames Gateway, key sites such as
West Thurrock Marshes are still being lost to development.
The Project
Phase 1 was undertaken in 2005 and was in effect the scoping year, in which we assessed the current level of knowledge about the ‘Brownfield’ resource and the invertebrates occurring on this resource. We assessed the current brownfield habitat resource in the Thames Gateway, collated and summarised current invertebrate data for these sites and identified which sites contain important invertebrate populations. A report has been produced for phase 1 (appendices available on request) and information packs for planners and consultants are also being produced to disseminate this information as widely as possible.
Phase 2 is currently underway and seeks to continue the work started in 2005 and expand the remit of All of a Buzz in the Thames Gateway project, with brownfield sites in all of Greater London being mapped. Phase 2 will last for two years and a major aim of the project is to increase public awareness of the value that some brownfield sites can have for wildlife and the threats that these sites face. A leaflet to raise awareness of the importance of brownfields has been produced, for a copy please contact us. A series of public events in the summer of 2007 raised awareness of the value that these sites can have as greenspace for local people, for walking, casual recreation and contact with nature, and as habitat for declining species like bumblebees.
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| A nationally important brownfield site in South Essex (c) Greg Hitchcock |
The data collected in phase 1 will be added to in phase 2 and used to produce a useful resource for local authorities, planners, developers and conservation organizations. This will all go towards developing a strategic plan to maintain the biodiversity resource of the area. In Spring 2008 we will be talking at a number of events including Butterfly Conservation's Brownfields conference as well as holding our own workshops for planners in the Thames Gateway.
Links are being forged with conservation groups in the area as well as local authorities and statutory organizations. In June 2006 a training day was held for some of our Kent volunteers so they could learn how to go about assessing brownfield sites and why they are important.
What you can do
Please contact us if you know of any brownfield sites within your area which you believe to be important for wildlife but which are threatened by development.
Contact us
To learn more about the importance of brownfield for invertebrates and other wildlife see the ‘All about brownfields’ pages. This project is funded by a Countdown 2010 grant through Natural England and the City Bridge Trust.
