The Wirebird Mitigation Project to overcome the impacts of the Access Project and to improve and expand grazing land for the St Helena, is now moving forward quickly.  Through funding from DFID, this project will improve over 210 acres of pasture and bring into grassland an additional 140 acres; by doing this it is expected that at least 27 additional Wirebird territories will be created.

The project received a big boost when Arthur March from ANRD’s veterinary section was appointed as Agricultural Officer with responsibility for the project in mid January.  Arthur is well known in agricultural circles having worked for ANRD for over 30 years and his experience will be invaluable.  As a result of the appointment many of the plans can now be taken forward.

The first on the ground evidence that things are happening is the clearance of invasive woody plants in some of the Deadwood paddocks which started in January.  This was the result of discussions with the Deadwood Grazing Syndicate over the management plan for those pastures.  Further clearance of land will be taking place and the cleared paddocks will be re-fenced.

Other plans for the ring of dry grassland pastures near to Prosperous Bay Plain are coming on.  Management plans are being finalised for Woody Ridge and drafted for Middle Point, Netley Gut and Flagstaff Meadow; all following site visits and discussions between ANRD, SHNT, RSPB and, importantly, the graziers of the areas.  We are also looking at options for the multi-use of Bottom Woods and starting discussions with interested parties there.   Once initial discussions have taken place, the draft plans will be discussed with the graziers again and an agreed plan then taken forward.  This will result in extensive work on clearing invasive plants, re-fencing and providing the infrastructure to supply water to the new grazing paddocks.  The work on removing the invasive plants is benefitting considerably from the advice and guidance of Andrew Darlow from the South Atlantic Invasive Species project.

New style leases are being produced which should provide a much clearer definition of responsibilities of both ANRD and the graziers and hopefully incorporate many improvements for both parties.

The Trust’s Wirebird Conservation Officer is reporting elsewhere in this newsletter about the January census of Wirebirds and is now monitoring the number on the various mitigation sites.  The wet season has meant grass growth has been considerable with some changes in the numbers breeding on the grassland.  Many paddocks are less good than would be expected at this time of the year but as drier weather has predominated in the last few weeks, birds are now returning.

The Project has benefitted from the return of the technical adviser, Dr Tony Prater from the RSPB, to work with the project partners and Arthur in particular; he has been on island since 14 January but will be leaving on 2 March and then keeping in close touch from the UK.

 Arthur March & Tony Prater

Related Information

The Wirebird Project Page