Tim Donoyou and Neil Smith Thomson Ecology South West Strategic Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme Coastal and Terrestrial Habitat Mapping Tim Donoyou and Neil Smith Thomson Ecology

Presentation Outline Introduction Habitat Mapping Methodology Field Survey Results Summary and Findings

Introduction Updates and refines the South West Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme Habitat Mapping from Portland Bill to Avonmouth undertaken from 2006 to 2009 Four out of Five work packages: EMSW01 – 194694 polygons / 34377.7 ha EMSW02 – 102885 polygons / 13273.4 ha EMSW03 – 81879 polygons / 10768.6 ha EMSW05 – 21682 polygons / 2373.6 ha Grand Total = 401140 / 60793.3 ha

IHS Classification 2007 to 2013 Look up table – 205 to 81 habitats Grassland as an example

Polygon Mapping 2007 to 2013 Ordnance Survey Mastermap TOID = unique identifier Developed a tool to compare OSMM: TOIDs and Areas Match - Check Habitat TOIDs Match But Areas Different - Check Boundary TOID Only in OSMM 2013 - Check Habitat and Boundary OSMM has Multiple PHABs - Check Habitat and Boundary TOID in PHAB 2007 but not in OSMM 2013 Habitat Polygons were visually inspected and classified. Status attribute used to monitor progress

Habitat Spaghetti…

Habitat Attributes

Fieldwork Multiple sites were visited within each work package. Fieldwork was undertaken in the first two weeks of September 2015. Multiple sites were visited within each work package. The selection of areas to visit was based on the following: Where there was evidence of real change; Where it was not possible to definitively identify the community type present; Proximity of designated sites; and Where possible to include as wide a variety of community types as would be feasible to visit in the time available.

Fieldwork Findings From the field visits it was found that the mapping and classification of habitat from the aerial imagery was correct within the areas visited with only a few minor discrepancies. During the site visits a number of non-native species were found at many of the sites visited. The main species were: Hottentot-fig (Carpobrotus edulis); Monbretia (Corcosima x crocosiimiflora); Karo (Pittosporum crassifolium) on Gugh and St. Agnes islands; and Tresco rhodostachys (Ochagavia carnea) on the island of Tresco. Similarly, during the site visits possible issues with habitat management were noted.

Hottentot-fig – Schedule 9 Species (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981)

Hottentot-fig at Tresco, Scilly Isles An example of the rapid development of Hottenot-fig patches on Tresco, Isles of Scilly. The first image was acquired in 2008, the second in 2014 and the photograph was taken in 2015 during the field visit. The various patches have clearly begun to merge into a single patch over the last year or so.

Montbretia - Kynance Cove.

Autumn Ladies Tresses - Dawlish Warren On a more positive note; while at Dawlish Warren we found a healthy population of Autumn Ladies Tresses (Spiranthes spiralis); a small native orchid. Which appears to be thriving in an area subject to very heavy visitor pressure particularly in the summer months.

Summary and Findings Successfully developed and applied methodology Over 400,000 habitat polygons processed Ground truthed 23 sites covering over 20km2 Habitats were well identified from Aerial Imagery Field survey highlighted invasive species which could then be identified on imagery and change analysis undertaken Data is symbolised and ready for use!