Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT)

BBOWT’s project, a partnership initiative with West Berkshire Council, will take a landscape scale approach to the conservation of West Berkshire’s biodiversity, focusing initially on an area of 1,000ha. This comprises the county’s largest remaining area of lowland heathland at Greenham and Crookham Commons, the largest remaining inland reedbed in southern England at Thatcham, and a key adjoining area of lowland deciduous woodland at Bowdown Woods.

The overall 2,600ha ‘Living Landscapes’ project area was selected by BBOWT as the most urgent priority for landscape scale conservation from among 19 target areas in its overall ambit. The core area, Greenham and Crookham Commons, is a heathland mosaic that includes seven other BAP habitats on which 54 BAP species have been recorded.

Work to be funded includes ongoing management of 80ha of lowland heathland which will be extended by felling secondary woodland. Surveying activity will also be undertaken to locate UKBAP ground-nesting bird and reptile species’ strongholds in order to inform habitat works and monitor their success. Habitat management works at Thatcham reedbeds (22ha) and in Bowdown Woods’ lowland deciduous woodland (45ha) will benefit a further 43 UKBAP species.

The project will contribute meaningfully to UKBAP objectives for each of the three habitats on which it is focused, particularly as regards maintaining their extent and condition. Specific targets for increases in UKBAP ground-nesting birds (such as Nightjar, Woodlark and Dartford warbler) and other important bird species have also been set.