PLANTLIFE LINK SCOTLAND
Monday 12 November 2012, National Trust for Scotland, Edinburgh
11.00 – 14.30
MINUTES
Present:
Deborah Long, Plantlife (Chair)
Jill Williams, Plantlife (Minutes)
Lindsay Mackinlay, NTS
Heather McHaffie, RBGE, BPS
Anne-Marie Smout, BRISC
Stephan Helfer, RBGE, BMS, BSS
Iain Macdonald, SNH (by phone)
Angus Hannah, BSBI
Gordon Rothero, BBS
1110 Welcome, introductions and apologies.
Apologies from Dave Genney, Liz Holden, Roy Watling, Rebecca Yahr (BLS), Sandy Coppins, Neil Cowie, Jim McIntosh, David Chamberlain, Martin Wilkinson
Action points from previous meeting (23 April 2012)
(Red = AP carried forward or new action agreed)
AP1 (SSSI SCM – NTS site check proposals) – LM- meeting between NTS and SNH is taking place shortly. 88% favourable sites; NTS is discussing issues on remainder with SNH.
AP2 (Code of Practice on invasive non-natives) (DL)– is now pulished now (see Policy summary)
AP3 (Woodland Expansion Advisory Group) (LM to send NTS’s response to DL) – see Policy summary
AP4 (GSPC 2020 – next steps) – (DL to send draft message from conference round again) - done
AP4a (from above) - PLINKS members to get any edits to Conference Message back to DL within next two weeks. DL to get message signed off, with aim of all member organisations putting on own websites. DL to talk to Plantlife Press Officer. Agreed that all member organisations would put it on their websites. BRISC has link to Plantlife website, so will use that as the link to the document. TO be discussed in this meeting – how the message is to be promoted by PLINKS member organisations.
AP5 (International Conference on plant conservation in Glasgow, late Aug 2012) – no action
AP6 (DL to offer paper on GSPC to LBAP Network Meeting). – carry forward.
AP7 (DL to do slide of GSPC for use at meetings etc) – carry forward
AP8 (DL to look into Plantlife attending next SNH Area Managers’ meeting to discuss the scoring system for bryophytes at HEP sites) – scoring system has been signed off by SNH and published (on SNH website). IM commented that SNH feels the document is excellent.
AP9 (Lichen Soc leter to RBGE in light of Mary Gibby’s retirement, re RBGE’s expertise in lower plants and British flora) (SC to forward to DL for circulation and for PLINKSsign-up). The meeting noted that David Long also retires within the next few months. SH commented that two biodiversity scientist posts are up for recruitment at RBGE at present. Open-ended posts, although will include fundraising.
AP9a – (DL) arrange meeting with Pete Hollingsworth (new Head of Science) and invite him to PLINKS meetings. DL/PH meeting to include discussion of lichen, bryophyte and fungi expertise.
1115Matters arising not covered in agenda.
Biofuels – AMSasked whether any PLINKS members have a policy statement on biofuels. is on Plantlife’s list of issues needing policy statement. NTS – don’t have a policy document on it (doesn’t apply to any properties). Tourism awards (NTS) – have to show some form of sustainability. BSBI don’t have policy on biofuels.
AP1– DL to find out whether any non-present PLINKS members have Biofuels policy statement.
1120 Policy, strategy and legislation updates(see attached paper)- discussion points below:
Scottish Biodiversity Strategy: next steps
-Has now been reviewed. 75 responses.
-Next steps – Govt will produce its response (end Nov), & produce final version of review for sign-off by Cabinet Jan 13, for publication Mar 13.
-Delivery – see policy paper
-Plantlife is encouraging Govt to review Scottish Biodiversity list
-IM – will be a few changes. Ecosystem groups may not be ongoing. Changes affect SNH as well as NGOs. Revised SBS will have a bearing on grants and day-to-day work. SNH may have to drop, or give lower priority to, some work areas. Most active group was Forestry group. DL – Native woodland group likely to continue.
-IM commented on timescale - 2020 not that far off, and detailed targets take us to 2014, so leaving 6 year timescale for implementation.
-Any progress on getting targeted actions into review? IM – will be discussed once SBS signed off. SNH/Govt leading on producing the targets, in consultation with other organisations.
-IM commented that Ecosystem approach will be another challenge. Natural Capital Index (measuring state of ecosystem health, by breaking Scotland down into indicators such as farmland birds, and using weightings based on importance of habitat) – led by Ralph Blamey at SNH. Does reflect changes such as farmland habitats over decades. Another issue is incorporating benefit to humans as well as state of habitats per se. Data are based onnational statistics, SCM. LM commented on the lack of data for eg upland habitats outwith designated sites. DL queried whether bias towards designated sites will result in skewed final measure. Index is related to quality of environment, so if total designated area goes down, index will also go down.
-AMS – issue of how data is collected and made available, which should be included in SBS. The data would help to fill in gaps in terms of non-designated sites, which will not be recorded so well. IM commented that some of the indicators do come from non-designated sites.
-PLINKS involvement in Natural Capital Index? – Plantlife, BSBI and JNCC are running pilot on gathering data on common plants (currently in first year, and only covering vascular plants).
-Much delivery will be via agriculture/forestry
-GR/DL raised issue of problems with funding this type of project via SRDP – no control over how money spent.
AP2 – IM to invite Ralph Blamey to next meeting and give presentation.
UKBAP – not to be kept in policy update, as more or less finished.
Surveillance strategy – no comments to add at the moment (IM)
Wildlife Management Framework (to replace Species Action Framework)– IM commented that whe Wildlife Management Framework was first drafted, plants were excluded. SNH are aware that something is needed to cover plants (conflict between natural heritage/land use). WMF initially drafted to cover eg geese, beavers, deer, but are aware that needs to cover plant pathogens (such as ash dieback) as well.
Species not in conflict with other speciesdo not fall under Wildlife Management Framework - SBS is guiding document for these species, but the latter doesn’t include targets/actions at present.
QQR5/QQR6
AP3 - IM to discuss with colleague dealing with QQR5,, to find out about consultation and current shape of Schedule 8.
Consultation responses - QQR6 (SNH): deadline for consultation responses on UK QQR6 is 30 March 2013. Agreement at meeting was for PLINKS to put in a response.
GR - there is some concern from BBS about collecting species for identification purposes. IM commented that there are four criteria, including collection. Criterion 3 does apply to plants, although wording could be improved.
AP4 – DL to draft PLINKS response to QQR6 and circulate to PLINKS. Societies will need to add any species needed to the list. QQR6 consultation will need to be by email.
Non-native invasive species:
New Environment Minister is holding a stakeholder meeting on ash dieback on 13th November, DL is attending. DL requested comments to take to meeting.
AMS – unbeknown to Woodland Trust, small seedlings were being grown on in Europe, then returned to Scotland as “native provenance”, & planted in some of WT’s new woodland. This needs highlighting.
DL – now have ban on import/movement.
SH – Norway had ban 2 years ago. SH noted that he hadn’t seen any mention of conidial stage in reports – does this stage need to be recognised and identified? At the conference in Norway, was said that conidial stage less important.
DL – believes there will be increasing numbers of these instances of invasive plant pathogens. What do Govt need to put in place for future? HTSasked for ban months ago. If there are regulations stopping this sort of good timely advice, the mechanisms needs to be reviewed. Are the Govt reviewing any other future possible pathogens?
EU Directive on non-native species doesn’t currently include pathogens. SH - European Plant Protection Organsiation are efficient at putting out warnings.
GR commented that two native tree species with base-rich bark (ash and elm) have been affected by pathogens, leaving only sycamore and aspen.With ash, trees will get to certain age then be affected.
SH commented that there are two main issues with invasive plant pathogens – (1) movement of the pathogens, and (2) genetic diversity of host. Both need to be tackled to reduce risk of future pathogens.
AP5 – DL will send summary of 13th Nov stakeholder meeting on Chalara to PLINKS
Forestry
Woodland Expansion Advisory Group’s practical guidance on suitable sites is due to be published March 2013.
1220 GSPC 2020: annual assessment of progress towards targets:
- Promotion of Plant Diversity Challenge.
- Inputting GSPC targets into SBS
- Maintaining a watching brief on progress towards targets with annual review coordinated through PLINKS.
- All organisations to promote GSPC so ministers and policy makers become more aware.
- Organisations contributionto targets. EG Plantlife demo days: t7 and t14.
How GSPC will be delivered through SBS is not clear. Interpretation Group meeting not attended by SNH. IM commented that GSPC is often treated as “add-on”. SNH lean on Plantlife to deliver GSPC. To push GSPC further up SNH agenda– include in SBS; PLINKS to petition Government, who will in turn petition SNH.
AP6 – IM to check targets as far as possible are included in SBS
Promotion of GSPC
-Plantlife - promotion via website; incorporation into consultation responses; Jan 2012 GSPC conference.
-HMcH – few at RBGE seemed to be aware of GSPC. Pete Wilkie is contact at RBGE for GSPC.
-Organisations are in principle supportive of GSPC, but unsure how to implement. However, PLINKS have set up fairly specific targets/lead organisaitons.
-Key audience is Government, together with other organisations such as SNH, FCS, PLINKS member organisations.
Update of spreadsheet of GSPC new targets
Red lists
- LM raised idea of having a Red List portal webpage with links to where the Red Lists are located
- GR commented that BBS have agreed to use published Red List as reference document (not any interim changes)
- IM noted that there is a possible SNH-funded project to produce Scottish Red Lists. PLINKS members very supportive of this idea.
AP7 - IM to let PLINKS know what supporting information needed for Scottish Red List project funding.
AP8 - DL to contact Trevor Dines to check what wascost of doing the Welsh Red Lists.
AP9 - BSBI/Plantlife to look at costs/feasibility of Scottish Red List, and pass this on to IM to put in as a bid. Same to be done for Bryophytes and Lichens.
AP10 – DL to invite appropriate representative of Scottish Environment Web (SEWeb) to come to PLINKS meeting. [Note - SEWeb is a hub, linking to relevant data, not holding the data itself].
IPAs – Plantlife will be providing reports to landowners about IPAs on their land.
Ex situ collections
- HMcH wants to pull together all info on cultivating plants for seed collections.
- SH - International Mycological Institute are putting together ex situ collection of fungi samples (mainly Ascomycetes)
- GR – there is an ex situ bryophyte collection at Kew (a few species, all mosses – no liverworts)
- HMcH – Target 8 bed at RBGE; fern spore bank for UK is underway (RBGE/Kew)
Orchard fruit - LMcK commentedd that NTS may be able to host national orchard fruit collection.
Rhododendron charcoal project (NTS) – NTS have funding to buy kilns, which may also be rented out in future. Charcoal will be sold at NTS properties + other outlets.
AP11 – (DL/IM) investigate feasibility of producing an annual GSPC report (as was done for Wales by Trevor Dines).
1315 Update from PLINK UK: key points.
Aim is to continue with PLINK England
Web pages: these are now available through Plantlife website.
PLINK UK want access to PLINKS minutes on PLINKS webpage. Links to consultation responses should go here too.
AP12 – JW/DL to arrange for PLINKS minutes, GSPC spreadsheet etc to be added to PLINKS webpage.
Eutrophication: see page 6 for actions. How can PLINKS take these actions forward in Scotland? Feedback needed on current actions in organisations to tackle these issues, eg SNH lichen survey & James Hutton research on impact of eutrophication on species diversity at habitat level.
AP13 - DL to ask Dave Genney re SNH lichen survey paper
1320AOCB
Membership: invite Woodland Trust again, also National Museums of Scotland?
AP14 – DL to invite Keith Watson (Kelvingrove) to join PLINKS. Geoff, Richard to be added to circulation list for PLINKS. DL to ask Johnny Hughes if wants to nominate another representative from SWT to attend PLINKS meetings in future.
AP15 – SH to send name of SASA contact to DL
River Jelly lichen
AP16 - Rebecca Yahr is sending summary on river jelly lichen to DL. DL will circulate.
Date of next PLINKS meeting: Tuesday 23 April 2013, Juniper Room, SNH, Battleby, 10.45 – 14.30.
Tea/coffee/biscuits on arrival at 10.45, and at 12.30.