Briddlesford is a 158 ha site that has undergone extensive biological recording and conservation management. Vegetation and habitat surveys in the 1980s led to its designation as a SSSI in 1986. Surveys have found rich botanical diversity including 65 ancient woodland plant species. Red squirrel monitoring shows stable populations of around 100 squirrels. Dormice have been surveyed since 1996 as part of a national program. A 2002 bat survey discovered an important maternity colony of 57 Bechstein's bats, leading to SAC designation. Invertebrate surveys in 2002 and 2012 found over 650 species including rare moths and beetles. Bird surveys show increases in some woodland edge species but declines in others. Ongo

1. Biological Recording and its influence on
wildlife conservation at Briddlesford
Jonathan Cox

2. Briddlesford Location
158 ha (390 acres)
117 ha Woodland (incl. 15 ha of Jigsaw)
41 ha of Grassland & saltmarsh
95.56 ha SSSI/SAC (of total 167.5 ha)

3. A History of Biological Recording and Conservation
Management
 Vegetation & habitat survey and SSSI notification (the 1980s)
 PTES purchase (the 1990s)
 Woodland Management
 Red squirrel and early dormouse research
 Jigsaw woodlands (the 2000s)
 Discovering bats – 2002 survey and effects on management
 Botanical surveys and management
 Bird surveys and management
 Dormouse survey and the national network
 How are the squirrels doing?
 Invertebrate surveys and management

4. Vegetation survey and SSSI notification
SSSI Notified 1986
PTES purchase 1992, 1996, 2002
SAC designated 2003

5. Ancient Woodlands?
1866 Map of Briddlesford:.1793 Map of Briddlesford from survey of Captain William Mudge:

6. Vegetation and flora survey:
Neil Sanderson (2007)
The Sanderson survey identified a total of 19 Peterken stand types from the Briddlesford
Copses within the ownership of the PTES – more than any other on the Island.
‘The woodland complex has a superb representation of the range of communities making
up the lowland mixed Atlantic Bluebell Woods (Endymio – Carinetum in the Carpinion).’
‘Floristically this survey demonstrated the woodland flora is among the richest in England
for woodland vascular plants’.
‘A total of 65 (AWVP) have been recorded from the Briddlesford Copses owned by the PTES.
This is one of the highest number of AWVP for any woodland in Britain. For example, of the
53 richest woods in south east England listed by Rose (1999) only six woods have more AWVP
than the Briddlesford Copses. ‘
‘Acid Sessile Oak woodland is rare on the Island and in Hampshire. Stands with ancient
woodland mosses are even rarer.‘
‘The ancient riverine woodland in Great Wood developing into old growth woodland is a
very rare feature anywhere in the lowlands of western Europe.’

7. Vegetation and flora survey:
Neil Sanderson (2007)

8. Lichens
The epiphytic lichen flora is probably the
richest overall known on the Island.
Enterographa sorediata

9. How do we manage the woodland?
Coppicing: 25 ha since 1993

10. Why coppice?

11. High Forest Management
56 ha of native broadleaved woodland
high forest
9 ha thinned by 2014
Programme of increased rate of thinning
planned

12. Non-intervention
4 hectares along the river cliff fronting
the Mill Pond known as Skites Copse
4.5 hectares comprising the riverine
woodland

13. The Big Three!

14. The ‘Eco-Commune’
 Jessica Holm PhD - early 1980s
 “The Case of the Vanishing Squirrel” 1987
 Pat Morris and the RHLU Students

15. Red Squirrel Ecology – Key Points
Squirrel density
Walters Copes (WC) 0.3-0.7/ha
Briddlesford Copse (BC) 1 – 1.6/ha.
(mean = 0.85/ha or about 100 red squirrels in PTES woodland at Briddlesford)
Fattingpark Copse (FC) 0.6-1.1/ha
Food
Hazel is by far the most important food source for squirrels in deciduous woodland.
Determines the pattern of behaviour throughout the year. Squirrels were able to
survive (at lower densities) in deciduous woodland where hazel was patchy. Oak
provides a critical food source in mid winter when the fungi (Vuillemenia sp) is
stripped from beneath the bark on the underside of dead and dying branches.
Periods of activity
In winter activity is limited to a relatively short period of the morning with peak just
before noon. In summer bi-modal activity was recorded with peaks in morning and
afternoon and a rest period in middle of the day.
Range size
Mean total adult male range = 5.7 ha (3.5 ha FC, 5.3 ha BC, 6.4 ha WC)
Mean total adult female range = 3.6 ha (2.8 ha FC, 3.0 ha BC, 4.1 ha WC)
Mean core adult male range = 1.1 ha (1.0 ha FC & BC, 1.5 ha WC)
Mean core adult female range = 1.0 ha (0.8 ha FC, 1.0 ha BC, 1.1 ha WC)

16. Red Squirrel Monitoring
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
Spring Winter
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Numbers of red squirrels observed on 1,200m transect (2002-2012)

17. Dormouse monitoring
 Dormice have been surveyed since at least 1996.
 Two dormouse survey areas established to contribute data to the
National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP)
 Briddlesford Copse (Site No 85) approximately 250 dormouse boxes
 Smaller Copses (Site No. 7) approximately 280 boxes.

18. Dormouse monitoring

19. Dormouse monitoring

20. The Bat Story

21. The Bat Story
Juvenile
Non breeding adult femaleBreeding adult female
Bat radio tracking: 4th, 5th and 6th of
August 2013

22. The Bat Story
 Survey in June 2002 has revealed one of the most important bat populations in the UK.
 The colony of 57 Bechstein’s bats was one of only three confirmed maternity colonies in
the UK.
 Two Bechstein’s bat roosts were located during the survey and both in ash trees with
woodpecker holes.
 In the stocker’s hole roost site, the Bechstein’s maternity colony shared the same limb
with a small colony of Noctule bats.
 The roost sites were also surrounded by cluttered vegetation (hazel coppice).
 Radio tagged Bechstein bats spent the majority of their foraging time within the canopy
of trees within smaller woodlands around the main wooded area of Briddlesford Copse
and over the Wootton Mill Pond.
 Briddlesford designated SAC in 2003 because of its Bechstein’s bat population.

23. Invertebrate Surveys
 Adam Wright Survey: 2002
 Identified a particularly rich hoverfly fauna with 94 species being recorded including
several old woodland indicator species some of which had not been previously recorded
from the Island.
 A total of 16 species of soldier beetle were recorded from Briddlesford in 2002 (almost
40% of the British list) many of these are restricted to woodland habitats.
 Ten species of longhorn beetle were recorded. All these species are strongly associated
with woodland with their larvae developing in rotting twigs, branches and stumps of
trees.
Didea fasciata
Criorhina ranunculi
Xylota abiens

24. Invertebrate Surveys
Keith Alexander: 2012
Briddlesford was proven to be of special nature conservation interest for the following
assemblage types:
 Wood-decay (saproxylic) invertebrates – 150 species identified so far, and of SSSI
quality in its own right; site condition appears favourable at present;
And also of significance are:
 Epiphyte invertebrates;
 Ancient woodland molluscs;
 Fungus associates, especially fungus gnats.
And to a lesser extent:
 Wetland vegetation along Wootton Creek and the stream valleys;
 Bare ground and open grassland species associated mainly with the farmland track
network;
 Tree and shrub canopy fauna;
 Woodland interior species of dappled-shade conditions;
 Woodland seepages.
Overall, a total of 395 invertebrate species were identified in Briddlesford Copses during
2012, bringing the grand total for known invertebrate species to 650.

25. Invertebrate Surveys
Fungus weevil
Pseudeuparius sepicola
The Nationally Scarce (NS) false darkling beetle
Abdera biflexuosa
Inverts from the Park

26. Invertebrate Surveys
Other surveys and research
 Niels Brouwers PhD Thesis on Wood Cricket Nemobius sylvestris at
Briddlesford (2008)
 Dave Dana – ongoing survey and monitoring dragonflies and damselflies
found in the 13 ponds with useful notes on many other species
 Butterfly Transects (we need help!)

27. Invertebrate Surveys
Moths at Briddlesford
 In his 2012 survey report Keith Alexander stated; ‘It would seem likely that the
reserve will be found to be of significant interest for lichen-feeding moths (macros
and micros) in due course.’
 Isle of Wight moth group survey in August and September 2013.
 Discovered a remarkably rich moth fauna consisting of 16 Notable, Local and RDB
species including Red Data Book listed Dark Crimson Underwing Catocala sponsa.
Retain large tracts of mature and veteran
oaks in open woodland situations.
•Mature oak stands should be retained
wherever possible as this habitat is of high
conservation value and home to many
important species.
•Aim to provide a continuity of supply of
mature oak trees, including mature oak in
open conditions.
•The adult moth is readily recorded at
artificial bait and at sap runs, suggesting that
sap runs may be important for this species in
its natural habitat.

28. Birds
Birds at Briddlesford
 Point count surveys of farmland and woodland edge – 2002, 2007 & 2016
 Barn owl box checks and ringing
 Woodland transect survey 2013 & 2017 (Woodcock?)
 New woodlands have increased population of scrub & wood edge nesting
birds such as Song thrush, Chiffchaff & Whitethroat
 Barn owls remain widespread
 Woodpeckers remain abundant but no Lesser spotted woodpeckers
 Marsh tits are no longer present
 Woodland birds generally rather poor – e.g. no Nuthatch, Tawny owl
 Farmland birds limited – no Skylark, Linnet, Meadow pipit, Yellow-hammer

29. Birds
Point count survey 2016
28 points distributed across farmland area
Baseline in 2002, repeated in 2007 and 2016
Results show increases in scrub and woodland edge species such as Song
thrush, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Blackbird, Green woodpecker
Absence of other farmland birds including Linnet, Yellow hammer
Nightingale – present in 2002 but not now despite improved habitat

30. Briddlesford Farmland

31. New Woodlands: The Jigsaw Challenge
15ha of new woodlands
established in 2004 & 2005

32. Grasslands and Meadows

33. The Park

34. The Ponds

35. The Future
Survey and monitoring :
 Squirrels,
 Bats,
 Dormouse data analysis,
 Butterfly transect,
 Moths,
 Botany especially Lichens,
 Reptiles,
Management:
 Grazed woodland,
 High forest management,
 Ride management,
 Re-introductions,
 Links with wider landscape,
 Disease & Climate change,
Laura Bower | Conservation Officer | 0207 498 4533 Laura.Bower@ptes.org
People’s Trust for Endangered Species | 3 Cloisters House | 8 Battersea Park Road |
London | SW8 4BG www.ptes.org
Jonathan Cox: jonathan_cox@btconnect.com