Biodiversity annual focus
After discussion with our partners, Northumbrian Water decided that the most effective method of progressing our biodiversity work is to focus on one topic each year. The focus rotates between a species, a habitat and a specific activity (e.g. training).
Once the focus has been decided on, a work program for the year is drawn up, and local groups identified to work with to achieve our Biodiversity Action Plan targets. The choice of focus allows us to incorporate local, county and regional targets as well as wider national targets. These targets will all be linked to the species and habitats that have previously been identified as being priorities for Northumbrian Water.
Through our annual focus we aim to involve company staff, the conservation organisations that we already work in partnership with, and other interested groups.
Annual biodiversity focus 2007/08
As part of our commitment to conserve and enhance biodiversity, each year we choose a particular aspect of biodiversity to focus on. This is rotated yearly between a species, a habitat and work with our partner organisations. Following on from bats in 2005/06 and woodlands in 2006/07, the new focus is on ‘shared learning’ with our partner organisations.
What is shared learning?
Shared learning is an innovative idea to share skills and expertise with our partners, so that the skills base and capability of each organisation is enhanced and local and national biodiversity benefits.
Our partners benefit from the business skills training that Northumbrian Water can provide via our own staff and specialist training companies. Our employees benefit from practical conservation skills and biodiversity awareness training that our partners can provide.
Over the coming year Northumbrian Water will work with Northumberland, Durham and Tees Valley Wildlife Trusts to get the most out of the shared learning idea and make sure that biodiversity is the winner.
Biodiversity focus 2006/07
Each year we focus on a specific aspect of biodiversity in order to raise its profile amongst employees and the general public.
In 2006/07 our biodiversity focus was on woodlands.
Northumbrian Water own and manage a number of important woodland sites in our region. These range from ancient broadleaved woodland to coniferous plantations and each provides a habitat for a range of different species of conservation interest.
Over the year lots of activity has taken place to enhance the biodiversity of our woodlands and to raise awareness of the importance of woodland habitats.
Here are some highlights:
• Woodland interpretation panels were installed at Fontburn Reservoir along the south shore walkway providing information on two of the key tree species found there - Silver Birch and Common Alder.
• Tree planting was carried out by staff members at Waskerley Reservoir and Scaling Dam Nature Reserve to improve biodiversity on site in addition to our annual planting programme which involved tree planting at 10 of our operational sites.
• Bird boxes were installed around our Pity Me head office and also at Scaling Dam nature reserve.
• Throughout the year a staff photograph competition, ‘Wood you picture it’, was run to raise awareness of the woodland habitats we manage. This was very popular and lots of staff got out to enjoy woodlands and produced some fantastic images.
• A Fungal foray around Derwent Reservoir nature reserve with a local fungal expert was held for staff members. The walk was well attended and there were many different species of fungus identified on the woodland floor.