Dormouse Ecology and Conservation Training Course 2017
HDG will be running a training course on dormouse ecology and conservation this November over two evenings at Sparshlot College near Winchester on Monday 27th November and Tuesday 28th November. It will be an ideal course for those with either a general interest in dormice as well as those looking to work towards their dormice handling licence. For further details and booking information please click on the below links:
It is open to both members and non – members and we look forward to seeing you there.
Legislation and Policy – Biodiversity Plans and Strategies
We’ve updated our information relating to Legislation and Policy pertaining to hazel dormice. We are sharing with you this information over a series of Legislation and Policy related blog posts. Alternatively all of the updated information can be found here: https://hampshiredormousegroup.co.uk/about-dormice/legislation-policy/
Here is information on biodiversity plans and strategies relating to hazel dormouse:
Biodiversity Plans and Strategies
The UK Biodiversity Action Plan 2007 (UK BAP) has been superseded by the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework, and individual national biodiversity strategies. The UK framework sets out the overarching vision, strategic goals and priority activities for the UK’s work towards international biodiversity targets (known as the ‘Aichi Targets’), as agreed by 192 parties at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in 2010. The Framework’s overall vision is that “by 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people.”
In England, Biodiversity 2020: A strategy for England’s wildlife and ecosystem services is the national biodiversity strategy, which has the stated mission “(…)to halt overall biodiversity loss, support healthy well-functioning ecosystems and establish coherent ecological networks, with more and better places for nature for the benefit of wildlife and people.” In order to focus activity and assess performance in achieving this mission, Biodiversity 2020 sets objectives relating to terrestrial and marine habitats and ecosystems, species and people.
In addition to the above National strategies, there are also a wide variety of local biodiversity strategies published by local nature partnerships. These may variously be referred to as Local Biodiversity Action Plans, Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs) or strategies, or Nature Improvement Areas (NIAs). There may also be local level designated sites, usually called Local Wildlife Sites (LWSs) or Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SINCs) designated in part due to the presence of Hazel Dormice
Legislation and Policy – Guidance
We’ve updated our information relating to Legislation and Policy pertaining to hazel dormice. We are sharing with you this information over a series of Legislation and Policy related blog posts. Alternatively all of the updated information can be found here: https://hampshiredormousegroup.co.uk/about-dormice/legislation-policy/
Here is further guidance relating to hazel dormouse:
Guidance
Further guidance on the treatment of Hazel Dormice in the planning system is set out in summary on the Government’s website https://www.gov.uk/hazel-dormice-protection-surveys-and-licences
However, this guidance is largely unhelpful, and more comprehensive advice is provided in the Natural England Dormouse Conservation Handbook (2nd Ed, 2006), and a later Interim Guidance Note released by NE.
Further to the above, Government Circular 06/05 (which at the time of writing was still extant) advises that the presence of a protected species is a material consideration when determining a development proposal, and the extent to which they may be affected by a proposed development should be established before permission is granted.
Legislation and Policy – Planning Policy
We’ve updated our information relating to Legislation and Policy pertaining to hazel dormice. We are sharing with you this information over a series of Legislation and Policy related blog posts. Alternatively all of the updated information can be found here: https://hampshiredormousegroup.co.uk/about-dormice/legislation-policy/
Here is information on the planning policy relating to hazel dormouse:
Planning Policy
Section 11 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) provides guidance on conserving and enhancing the natural environment through the planning system and replaces the preceding Planning Policy Statement 9 (PPS9): Biodiversity and Geological Conservation.
As mentioned above Dormice are a S41 ‘Species of Principal Importance for the conservation of biodiversity’. The NPPF specifies that when determining planning applications and writing planning policies, local planning authorities should aim to conserve and enhance ‘biodiversity’ including by applying the following principles:
- if significant harm resulting from a development cannot be avoided, adequately mitigated or (as a last resort) compensated for, then planning permission should be refused;
- planning policies should promote the preservation, restoration and re-creation of priority habitats, ecological networks and the protection and recovery of priority species populations, linked to national and local targets, and identify suitable indicators for monitoring biodiversity;
- planning permission should normally be refused for development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats, including ancient woodland and the loss of aged or veteran trees found outside ancient woodland;
- development proposals where the primary objective is to conserve and enhance biodiversity should be permitted;
- opportunities to incorporate biodiversity in and around developments should be encouraged.
In addition to National Policy summarised above, Local Planning Authorities will have their own emerging or adopted Local Plan policies, which may set out how planning decisions will be made with respect to biodiversity and species such as Hazel Dormice.
Legislation and Policy – NERC Act 2006
We’ve updated our information relating to Legislation and Policy pertaining to hazel dormice. We are sharing with you this information over a series of Legislation and Policy related blog posts. Alternatively all of the updated information can be found here: https://hampshiredormousegroup.co.uk/about-dormice/legislation-policy/
Here is information on the NERC Act 2006 relating to hazel dormouse:
The Natural Enviroment and Rural Communities Act 2006
The Hazel Dormouse is a ‘Species of Principal Importance for the conservation of biodiversity’ (sometimes referred to as a ‘’Priority Species’’), listed under section 41 of the NERC Act 2006.
The Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 was intended to raise the profile of biodiversity amongst all public authorities (including local authorities, and statutory undertakers) and to make biodiversity an integral part of policy and decision-making processes. The NERC Act also improved wildlife protection by amending the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Section 40 (S40) of the Act places a ‘Biodiversity Duty’ on all public bodies to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity when carrying out their normal functions. This includes giving consideration to the restoration and enhancement of species and habitats.
Section 41 (S41) of the Act requires the Secretary of State to publish a list of habitats and species which are of Principal Importance for the conservation of biodiversity in England. Public authorities have a responsibility to give specific consideration to the S41 list when exercising their normal functions. For planning authorities, consideration for Species and Habitats of Principal Importance will be exercised mainly through the planning and development control processes.
Legislation and Policy – Conservation Status
We’ve updated our information relating to Legislation and Policy pertaining to hazel dormice. We are sharing with you this information over a series of Legislation and Policy related blog posts. Alternatively all of the updated information can be found here: https://hampshiredormousegroup.co.uk/about-dormice/legislation-policy/
Here is information on the conservation status of hazel dormouse:
Conservation Status
IUCN status was revised in 2009: M. avellanarius is now ‘of least concern’, whereas previously it was ‘low risk (near threatened)’. This change is predominantly due to the observation that in Lithuania it is a common and widespread species, and no decline has been observed. In parts of its northern range (e.g., UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Denmark) populations are declining and fragmented as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation.
International Dormouse Conference and international visitors
The UK had a good representation at the 9th International Dormouse Conference that was held in Denmark in September 2014. I presented a talk on Dormouse life History from the NDMP and the Europeans were amazed at the length of time the NDMP has been running, the geographical scope of the monitoring programme and the amount of data we have collated. They were also very interested in dormouse conservation in general and volunteer engagement. Livia Haag, the sole dormouse representative from Switzerland, Birgit Rotter, the sole dormouse representative from Austria and Nora Wuttke from Germany were very interested in a trip to the UK to see how we do things here.
They are arriving on Monday August 17th and staying near Basingstoke. On Tuesday we’ll be visiting Briddlesford Woods on the IoW so they can see how we run an NDMP site and to look at the woodland management. The following day we’ll be looking at some sites that are due to be developed and looking at survey and mitigation. In the evening there will be a social evening for members of HDG at The Dove Inn in Micheldever to meet Livia, Brigit and Nora and to find out the current state of dormice and their conservation in their respective countries. This is a HDG event – please try and attend.On Thursday we will visit two reintroduction sites at Maulden Woods in Bedfordshire and Little Lindford wood in Buckinghamshire and then go to see Paul Manchester to look at his set-up for breeding dormice for the reintroduction programme.
Livia, Birgit and Nora will be leaving us on Friday morning and heading into London; Nora’s very keen on going to Kings Cross to see platform 9 ¾…..
Social Evening at the Dove Inn, Micheldever – 19th August 2015
In the evening there will be a social for members of HDG at The Dove Inn in Micheldever to meet Livia, Brigit and Nora and to find out the current state of dormice and their conservation in their respective countries. This is a HDG event – please try and attend.
If you can make it please complete the doodle poll below – http://doodle.com/b5t632vdszhhh9sn
Hope to see you on the 19th
Ian White
Where do dormice live?
Hazel dormice are found in broad leaves woodland, scrub, and hedgerows comprising native shrub species.
What do dormice eat?
The diet of the hazel dormouse varies throughout the year. Dormice feed on the pollen and nectar of flowers of species including hawthorn, honeysuckle and sycamore.
About Dormice
The hazel dormouse is unlike other rodents, being long lived and highly specialised in it’s ability to hibernate.
Dormouse: did you know?
How many of the dormouse facts below did you know?
The hazel dormouse is a small arboreal (tree-living) rodent, with a body approximately 75 mm (2.5 – 3 inches) long and a tail of a similar length.
It is our only small mammal with a furry tail.
Young dormice have a grey to sandy coloured coat; this develops as they mature, into the attractive honey-coloured coat of adult dormice.
Hazel dormice have large black eyes, long whiskers and flexible, sticky feet, allowing them to clamber around the shrub canopy at night, which is when they are usually active.
To find out more please visit our dormouse ecology pages.
We would love to hear your dormouse facts, please let us know if you have any more facts to share…
