Coppice edge of scrub blocks following clearance of suckers, to recreate pioneer growth phase/transition phase.

Compt 95: coppice programme in Measures, one compt every year. 20 year cycle.

Compt 22: coppice scrub blocks, one every five years. (four blocks).Commence 2004/05

Compt 25: coppice scrub blocks on E Ridge, one every five years (four blocks)

commence 2003/04

Compts 13,14,15: coppice scrub blocks on saltings ridge system. One every five years (four blocks).Commence 2004/05

Investigate potential for wider scrub coppice prog along North sector of E Dunes.

Minimum 75% of all scrub coppiced in plot. Brash burnt off or left as dead material/hedging. File 1890.

Annual grazing agreement. One per acre, July-Sept on Freshwater Marsh.

Mere Four Acres holding/run-off grazing if necessary. Access to Mere prevented by instating temp electric fence.

Light summer/autumn grazing required in Shovelers enclosure in at least alternate years.

Grazing enclosure in Measures' central slack presently in temp electric fencing (two strand) during June. The completion of perimeter stockfencing, by 2002, will permit a wider cattle-grazing regime to be practiced in Measures.

Toward the end of this plan period, it is anticipated that the demand for cattle grazing will significantly increase with the requirements for grassland management on Croftmarsh. Advice will be sought from the Trusts grassland management and agriculture teams.

Project brief includes any temp electric fence works required, all husbandry issues, including daily checks.

Two resident flock of Hebrideans are deployed to the following grazing plots during the year. However, an annual grazing programme needs to be set up to take account of additional grassland plots on Stewardship land.  See SF File 2110 Hebredean sheep.

Outer dunes. Hebridean sheep grazing may be required to tackle scrub regrowth and rosebay in spring, following winter clearance. Temp electric fencing.

Mere Meadow. Aftermath grazing in three-strand electric enclosure. Aug/Sept.

Mere Four Acres is botanically poor, is used as holding area/run-off grazing as required.

East Dunes. Present rabbit grazing negates sheep-grazing over much of Compt 25. Where sward becomes rank through decreased rabbit grazing or where rosebay control requires, sheep grazing will be practiced in designated short-turf zones Compts 24 and 26. Long-term consideration should be given to stockfencing large units of mixed scrub/grassland, particularly if rabbit population shows decline.

Army Swathe. Primarily for scrub and rosebay control, August.

Meads Outpost. Winter months.

West Dunes. Present rabbit grazing pressure negates annual sheep grazing requirement on South and North Plot. Grazing to be carried out on biennial regime in temp electric fencing (summer/autumn) where sward becomes rank due to decreased rabbit population.

Jackson's Marsh, Tennyson's Sands. Winter/spring regime.

Measures'/Shoveler's enclosures. Density and timing to be determined.

Daily checks are carried out by staff/key volunteer to assess health and count.  Health problems reported to L D Grooby/K Gray. Hoof maintenance should be carried out at least three times a year. Mineral block available routinely. Supplementary feeding during hard weather includes hay, a high-energy block and sheep nuts.

Project brief includes all checks/maintenance and associated temporary  fencing.

Control colonisation. Any saplings found outside the defined limits on the West Dune and Aylmer/Measures stands to be eradicated.

Eradicate seedling establishment if apparent beyond established pine stands at North Car Park and Aylmer Ave. outside of defined limits.

Routine maintenance carried out on all machinery, as follows.  Machinery files in SF workshop.

Tractor including bush hog, acrobat, trailer, bowser.

Brava and trailer.

Polaris and trailer.

BCS and mini baler.

Laser mower.

Woodchipper.

Flymo.

Chainsaws.

Brushcutters.

Generator.

Hand tools.

Machine Maintenance Strategy:

Site policy is to ensure that personnel are trained in equipment maintenance before equipment use.

It is essential that all maintenance schedules are adhered to. Records of all maintenance & use are kept for certain types of equipment. Record keeping ensures that all the necessary checks are undertaken and logs the operator, maintenance carried out and duration of use.

Location of record sheets and frequency of maintenance:

Vauxhall Brava - black folder in cab, also contains mileage record sheet which is filled in at the end of each journey. Oil/water/tyre pressure etc checks carried out each Monday by a competent person.

Polaris - yellow folder on shelf in Polaris bay. Weekly checks carried out on a Monday by a competent person.

Tractor - blue folder in tractor cab. Daily checks carried out prior to use. Maintenance carried out according to the manual located in the cab.

BCS - plastic wallet with BCS. Cleaned and maintained following use.

Maintenance schedule carried out according to manufacturer's instructions (copy kept with record sheet).

Mini baler - usually kept at Banovallum House, hours sheet kept in folder with baler. Cleaned and maintained following each use according to manufacturers instructions (manual kept in folder with record sheet).

Chainsaws and brushcutters/strimmers are cleaned and maintained according to manufacturer's recommendations  - usually at the end of the day.

(Manuals kept in green filing cabinet in the tractor shed).

Hand tools:

All tools should be returned to their correct place in the workshops after being correctly maintained/cleaned as necessary.

Power tools:

Electric/cordless drill, jigsaw, sander, angle grinder etc should be kept  in good working order and stored in the green cabinet in Sykes Farm workshop. Instruction manuals kept in green filing cabinet in the tractor shed.

The Site Manager must be notified of any faults or breakages without delay.

Long-term consideration should be given to the potential to extend the site, through freehold purchase or lease/management agreement. These areas are selected for existing habitat value/future habitat potential and to safeguard against adverse planning.

Priority areas as follows:

Roadside strip with sea buckthorn scrub adjacent to Croftmarsh Field 6.

Field 6. Sea buckthorn is actively colonising the margins from the above strip, otherwise continuation of grassland north of Tennyson's Sands.

Field 10. Again with good grassland and water table potential. Key site for prospective developer, although within coastal conservation zone !

River Steeping banks. The series of banks and berms provide a range of saltmarsh fringe and freshwater/grassland habitat. Cattle grazing ceased here in the early 1990's. Previously, the grazed sward was attractive to winter wildfowl eg wigeon. Recent issues have involved potential footpath/cycle-route along the bank top to Wainfleet.

Assessment for grazing:

Sward assessment to establish annual grazing regime on Freshwater Marsh, dune slack and grey dune.

Assess appropriate grazing regimes for scrub/grassland in Measures' and Shoveler's enclosures.

Visual assessment of rabbit-grazing impact to be carried out (summer) annually to initiate rabbit control.

Project brief includes sward surveys during grazing to check on attribute targets.

Counts carried out monthly through a set transect. Route runs along new saltmarsh/storm ridge, east dunes, ringing hollow, meads outpost, mill pond meadow and west dunes. Counts include numbers of young rabbits and those showing signs of myxomatosis.  See file 1351.

Visual assessment needs to be carried out on East dune slack, Freshwater Marsh and outer dunes in addition to the transect.

Determine origin/status of the clematis sp within dune scrub community.

Record presence and location of any non-native plants. Draw up a methodology of eradication or acceptance depending on the species concerned.

Survey extent of sycamore invasion into scrub blocks and grey dune.

Azola is widespread in Cowbank drain.

Record all byelaw infringements in unsavoury events log at Sykes Farm.

* Intertidal mud and sand flats: Bait-digging, angling and horse riders, dogs on beach during April-Sept. Any disturbance incidents to feeding waders and wildfowl.

* Unvegetated shingle ridges: Trials bikes, ATVs and 4-wheel drive vehicles. Beach ferry activity. Egg collectors and unauthorised entry into shorebird sanctuary. Any disturbance incidents to wader roosts. Marine traffic eg speedboats and jet-skis may also cause considerable disturbance to roosting waders.

* Shifting dunes with Ammophila: naturist activity, fires etc.

* Atlantic salt-meadows: Samphire-gathering, trials bikes, mountain bikes, ATV's and 4-wheel drive vehicles. Any disturbance to feeding or roosting waders/wildfowl. Monitor yacht club activities/impact along saltmarsh and river bank and extent of erosion on New Saltmarsh track.

* Grey dunes and scrub: flower picking, fires etc.

Particular note should also be kept pertaining to unplanned events.

Various options are available for the creation of scrub edge. 'Natural' creation and maintenance will be generated by cattle grazing. Visual assessment should be carried out and supplemental management work by tractor-mounted bush-hog and brushcutter can be implemented where the need for extra edge effect is desirable.

Carry out butterfly transect. Instructions and recording sheets in Sykes' files 1210-1260. Records entered onto Transect Walker database.

Additional records eg emergence dates recorded on field sheets.

Target specific regionally important species ie brown Argus and green hairstreak.

Encourage further work on specialist groups, with particular regard to the influences of rabbit-grazing on dune fauna and value of sea buckthorn scrub at various growth stages.

Dr Archer for hymenoptera.

Arachnid recording following training with Annette Binding.

Continue colonisation study of aquatic invertebrates on Stewardship land (Allan and Annette Binding).

Implement CES at Aylmer Ave. To be carried out by qualified ringing member of Observatory team.

Carry out common bird census on the following plots. Instructions and maps in files 1501-1502. Compile end of season report.

* West Dunes.

* East Dunes.

* Freshwater Marsh.

* Old Saltmarsh.

* New Saltmarsh.

* Plantation/Sykes Farm.

Collect daily bird records from staff, volunteers and visitors. Encourage submission of recording forms and recording of species numbers, movements etc.

Input data onto 'Bird Recorder' database at Sykes Farm

Project brief also include reports associated with daily log - ie Grapevine

Employ Jane Ostler to survey lichens.

Update reserve list, produce article in annual report.

Reinstate lichen 'trail' at Field Station for educational use.

Photographs have been obtained in 2000 from Environment Agency with particular regard to the beach nourishment project. Seek update at least once during plan period to allow changing geomorphological patterns to be followed and establish position on net accretion or erosion of coastal habitats.

Aerial photographs are necessary to allow changes to physical extent of features such as dune grassland/scrub community to be assessed. Accurate measurements for intertidal flats will pend the timing of the survey in relation to the time and state of tide.

Survey change in patterns of saltmarsh pan and creek development.

Visual assessment to determine age structures, proportion of male : female Hippophae block and acceptable limits of scrub coverage in yellow dune, dune slack and grey dunes. Project brief includes ongoing assessment of scrub management projects and pending research into favourable condition carried out by EN.

Assessment to be made simultaneous with RF/13/01 once during the plan period with view to updating plan. Visual assessment will be made of age structure and proportions of key scrub blocks. Additionally, aerial photos will provide information on age of scrub blocks.

Assessment to be made to additionally determine proportion of male and female Hippophae blocks.