BEHIND THE SCENES
BIODIVERSITY UPDATE "Cornwall's Biodiversity Volume 2: Action Plans" was launched by an enthusiastic Robin Teverson MEP at Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station on 29th July 1998. Three actions set out in the plans, which have been greeted with such enthusiasm that they are already under way and helping to secure a future for Cornwall's wealth of wildlife, were highlighted at the event: the production of the Wealth of Wildlife Explorer's Guide and CD-ROM, which have now been sent out to every school in the county; the heathland re-creation project, Putting the Heart Back into Wild Cornwall; and an exciting opportunity to involve volunteers and landowners in the conservation of the otter in Cornwall, through a full-time post for an otters and rivers project officer who will start work, based at the Trust, in January. Now that our action plans have been published, all we have to do is implement them! This task will be carried out by the many partners - there are over a hundred - who have agreed the actions contained in each plan. Some actions are more ambitious than others, but if the sort of enthusiasm and commitment which contributed to the production of our plans continues, we have an excellent chance of achieving our objectives. For more information, a free leaflet, or to buy a copy of the Wealth of Wildlife Explorer's Guide, Audit or Action Plans, contact me. More details in the next issue… Charlotte Gault ENVIRONMENTAL RECORDS CENTRE Since January 1997, ERCCIS (Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly) activity has been focused on amalgamating the habitat and species records previously held separately by the CBRU and the Trust. This has now been completed so that files, maps and other information can be located by a quick computer search and are thus more readily available to anyone requiring assistance directed towards the study or the conservation of wildlife in Cornwall. Having squeezed a quart into a pint pot, our space has been severely restricted and our many visitors more regimented than we would have wished. However, by the time you read this we expect to have moved into the main room at Allet where there will be more room for desks and computers as well as a welcome expansion of our reference library. This extensive collection of volumes, unique in Cornwall, has been built up over many years from various sources, including kind donations from knowledgeable members and friends. It is a well-used source of information covering the widest possible range of subjects relating to Cornish wildlife. A significant part of the development of the records centre has been the formation of a small management advisory board, made up of representatives from the recorders, conservation groups and statutory bodies, to act as a steering group in the creation of a broader advisory forum which will meet early in 1999. This will give representatives of all information providers and users the widest possible opportunity to be included in the development of their records centre - watch this space! Pamela Tompsett CONSULTANCY The Trust's consultancy company, Environmental Consultants (CTNC) Ltd, is seldom mentioned in Wild Cornwall but is a vital source of revenue for our conservation work. The consultancy provides a range of professional services, including surveys and evaluations, environmental impact assessments, management plans, advice on planning and habitat creation or restoration, and wildlife interpretation. In fact the consultancy produced the Wealth of Wildlife Explorer's Guide referred to above. The consultancy team, managed by Nicola Roberts, has recently lost Angela Howard but gained Eula Eliades (pictured here) and, more recently, Janet Dinsdale. Steve Adams will join them in the new year. Mark Nicholson |
