News
This page holds an archive of news items written or published about Countryside Survey 2007.
Countryside Survey Data Release Policy and Schedule Now Available
June 2008
The Countryside Survey data access release policy is now available, along with a schedule for the release of data from 2008-2010. This includes:
- Main Countryside Survey report for UK – proposed launch 18th November 2008
- Web access to summary data – from date of UK report launch
- Country reports for England, Scotland and Wales – expected March/April 2009
- Licensed access to data underpinning the UK and country reports – expected March/April 2009 onwards
- Licensed access to Land Cover Map 2007 data – expected September 2009 onwards
- Integrated Assessment report – expected March 2010
For more information visit the page on Data Access.
Countryside Survey contributes to ‘State of the Natural Environment’ report
May 2008
Natural England has recently published its ‘State of the Natural Environment 2008’ report, which for the first time brings together evidence about the current state of our natural environment and how it underpins our wellbeing and prosperity. By integrating this evidence, Natural England aims to provide an up-to-date resource for informing policies, priorities and decisions that may effect the natural environment. The report is intended for high-level strategic use, thereby complimenting the more detailed and scientific information provided by Countryside Survey.
Both Countryside Survey and Land Cover Map have contributed significantly to Natural England's report, by providing the main sources of data on the distribution and abundance of major habitats across England. Natural England is one of a partnership of organisations that is funding Countryside Survey.
On launching the report, Dr Helen Philips, Chief Executive of Natural England, said: "England needs a new approach to conservation if we are to tackle effectively the modern pressures on land created by climate change and development. We need to find ways to manage our landscape to create a mosaic of uses so that we can help wildlife survive. If we don't act, there's a real danger some of our most precious wildlife will be lost forever and our lives will be poorer for it”.
- For more information visit the Natural England website.
CS technology demonstrated at the Royal Society
April 2008
The Countryside Survey team was recently invited to demonstrate the ‘tablet PC’ (used to record field survey data) at an event held at the UK’s premier scientific institution, the Royal Society in London.
As part of the ‘eScience’ event hosted by NERC (a major sponsor of CS), the tablet was demonstrated to an audience drawn from a cross-section of scientific disciplines. Visitors were interested in the project as a whole, as well as the technology that underpinned the data gathering process. A team of four CEH staff were on hand to chat to visitors and explain what Countryside Survey is all about. The tablet was shown in action, with several visitors commenting on how big an advance had been made over previous paper-based techniques. The tablet’s mapping facilities, which can be used by people who have not been trained in GIS techniques, were also much commented on. The most frequent question from visitors was: “when will the data be ready?” So we already have some eager potential users of data, just waiting for the launch in November 2008!
- For more information visit the Royal Society website.
- Details of the e-Science programme are available on the NERC website.
Top skills of Freshwaters team recognised
February 2008
Three Countryside Survey researchers have recently been awarded the prestigious
freshwater macroinvertebrate species-level Identification Qualification (IdQs).
Tracy Corbin, Dr. James Pretty and Helen Vincent, who are all Centre
for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) staff, exceeded the challenging 90% pass
rate, whilst Tracy achieved a perfect 100%. All three are currently
identifying animals sampled from headwater streams across Britain as part
of last summer’s Countryside Survey.
IdQs are awarded by the Natural History Museum in London and give independent accreditation of identification skills. These latest awards reinforce the position of CEH as the leading laboratory in the UK for the identification of freshwater macroinvertebrates.
Dr. John Murphy, who is managing the freshwater component of Countryside Survey, said “Tracy, James and Helen have confirmed their status as national experts in their field. This is a great boost for Countryside Survey as it ensures that the data being produced are of the highest quality and reliability. We can use these data with the highest degree of confidence to accurately assess change in the biological condition of British headwater streams.”
For more information visit the Natural History Museum IdQ scheme website.
Land Cover Map – field reconnaissance completed and analysis underway
February 2008
The team behind the Land Cover Map (LCM), which forms one of the two main strands of Countryside Survey, has successfully completed its fieldwork and is now pressing on with data processing and analysis. The resulting dataset will be a world-leading product showing the stock and distribution of land cover and Broad Habitats* across the UK at a ‘field-by-field’ scale (features larger than 0.5 ha, or 50m square).
Fieldwork for the new LCM was successfully undertaken in 2006 and 2007 – in spite of unexpected challenges, such as flooding and outbreaks of both foot and mouth disease and bluetongue.
Fieldwork involved recording over 60,000 data points and 1,800 photographs across the UK. Fifteen field trips (each staffed by 3-person teams from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology) covered roughly 9000 miles in total, visiting every UK landscape type – ranging from Welsh mountains and remote Scottish islands, to the loughs of Northern Ireland and the English coastline.
LCM survey teams used cutting-edge digital data capture technology, including tablet PCs and GPS receivers, to record data in the field against the corresponding satellite images. All of the software used was developed in-house by the LCM team, to meet the exact requirements of the reconnaissance survey.
Dr Geoff Smith, leader of the LCM team says: “We are now analysing and processing all of the information from a range of sources to produce a new LCM for the 2007 Survey. This includes integrating Earth Observation data [ie. satellite imagery] with digital cartography and other ancillary information, including for the first time Ordnance Survey MasterMap®. After the success of the reconnaissance survey it is now our intention to develop the LCM digital data capture system as a rapid survey tool for surveyors in other environmental fields.”
Early trials to extend the use of the digital data capture system, surveying woodland to estimate the quality of habitat for birds, have given very promising results. The new LCM dataset is due for publication in 2009.
See here for information on earlier Land Cover Maps.
* For more information on habitat types visit:
• Joint
Nature Conservation Committee UK Habitat Classifications
• UK
Biodiversity Action Plan: Priority Habitats associated with a particular Broad
Habitat
Field Survey now completed
November 2007
The survey teams have now finally hung up their waterproofs following a successful summer in the field. Survey was completed in 94% of all sites originally targeted – an outstanding achievement in light of the unforeseen challenges that arose during the course of the fieldwork; notably flooding and the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, which meant that some sites could not be accessed. In total, 591 1km squares were surveyed across Great Britain, making this the biggest Countryside Survey to date (the previous highest total being 508 squares in 1998).
One of the biggest successes was the use of digital data capture which involved, for the first time, use of portable tablet PCs to record information in the field. Data was backed-up daily to avoid accidental loss and overall the process proved much more efficient and reliable than using paper survey forms, which can be spoiled by wet weather.
Facts and figures from the field survey include:
- The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology undertook the whole of the Field Survey using 90 field staff, supported by co-ordinators and data specialists
- Over 9,000 days of surveyor effort were invested – roughly 25 years’ worth of study in total
- Health and safety was of an excellent standard with only two minor accidents reported (twisted ankles)
- The teams at CEH Monks Wood undertook the fastest survey, managing an average of 1.71km squares per week
- One surveyor from CEH Banchory calculated that she walked 234km, involving over 12,000m of ascent, just getting to the squares!
The Countryside Survey project management team would like to take this opportunity to say thank you and well done to everyone involved, and to especially thank the land-owners and organizations who permitted the surveyors to access their land.
Integrated Assessment Workshop – 30th November 2007
November 2007
The Integrated Assessment Work Package (WP6) of Countryside Survey is hosting a workshop on 30th November at Ergon House, London: 10.30am – 3.30pm. The purpose of the workshop is to:
- Review the scope of the integrated assessment and the proposed analytical framework
- Identify the key scientific challenges
- Refine the intended policy applications and reporting requirements
The workshop will review current progress and explore approaches to linking drivers of change to ecosystem services. There will be breakout sessions to discuss linking to external datasets, attributing ecosystem services and linking policy questions to conceptual models, or scenarios. The workshop is aimed at Countryside Survey stakeholders and partners, as well as those involved in developing the UK’s contribution to reporting on ecosystem services.
To register for the event and obtain a copy of the full agenda, please email Julie Delve in the Countryside Survey Project Office [e] jdelve@ceh.ac.uk
Highly qualified team plays major role in Countryside Survey soil processing
October 2007
The Countryside Survey soil processing team, based at CEH Lancaster, are currently hard at work processing over 11,000 soil samples from the 2007 field survey.
Work in the soils lab involves logging and processing the hundreds of cores that arrive every day. This includes performing invertebrate extractions; measuring, weighing, photographing, homogenising and analysing soil cores for pH; bashing cores to enable sieving; ascertaining stone volume; drying to give ‘loss on ignition’ (LOI) value; data inputting; re-analysing archive samples; and freezing some cores to provide an archival record.
The highly qualified team responsible for this work includes newcomers such as Annabel Rice, who joined the soils team this year after gaining first class honours in Ecology from Lancaster University (Annabel is pictured left alongside fellow first class honours graduate and former soil processor, Jenny Clapham).
Says Annabel: “I’m very happy to be working on such an important, world-leading project. It’s exciting knowing that this work is unique and also invaluable in answering key questions about environmental change. Countryside Survey has really widened my scientific experience, which will greatly benefit my future career”.
The results of the soils analysis will be published in 2008.
© Simon Grant, CEH
Countryside Survey success at Royal Welsh Show
September 2007
The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) joined over a thousand other exhibitors in helping to make this year’s Royal Welsh Show a success – despite the event being staged in the wettest weather since its move to Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, in 1963. Supporters of the show demonstrated their loyalty by turning up in force over the four days (23rd to 26th July), boosting the attendance figure to over 200,000 by the final day.
The CEH stand contained a wealth of information about Countryside Survey. Interactive features included a soil invertebrate extraction unit and microscope; a PC with interactive tablet software (specially customised for Countryside Survey); a weather station with electronic display; a fog collector; and a large “experimental roof”, allowing visitors to simulate the effects of climate change on whole ecosystems.
The stand was managed by staff from CEH's research site in Bangor and won the runner-up prize for “Best Exhibit of Educational and Instructional Value”. It was visited by thousands of people during the course of show - including Jane Davidson, Minister for the Environment and Jane Hutt, Minister for Education - all of whom enjoyed chatting to the scientists about their work.
- For more information visit the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show website
© Sue Wallis, CEH
Countryside Survey “ahead of the game” in monitoring updated UK BAP species
August 2007
The UK Biodiversity Partnership has released an updated List of Priority Species and Habitats that deserve the highest conservation protection. The new list, which was released in June 2007, is a result of the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken in the UK, involving two years of work and over 500 people. It contains 1149 species and 65 habitats that have been identified as priorities for conservation action under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP).
The new list of endangered species and habitats has already been considered and included as part of the methodological development of Countryside Survey 2007. Preliminary work for the 2007 Survey has involved working closely with policy customers to determine which of the previous UK BAP priority habitats would be reported on. It has also involved matching the Survey’s own disaggregated code system (first developed in 1978 to classify Broad Habitats) with the priority habitat descriptions, as well as analysing previous data to determine previous extents. Field surveyors have also been asked to ensure that a vegetation plot is recorded for each priority habitat, including the allocation of plots to a National Vegetation Classification (NVC).
Priority habitats that the project expects to report on include:
- blanket bog
- woodlands (lowland beech, lowland mixed deciduous, wet woodland, upland mixed ash, upland oak, native pine)
- upland heath
- lowland acid grassland
- upland and lowland hay meadows
- fen
- ponds
- hedgerows
- cereal field margins
Says Ian Simpson, project manager of Countryside Survey: “Our early planning and consultation with partners has enabled us to devise methods to better respond to policy changes and the needs of policy customers, as well as furthering the project’s overall contribution to the UK BAP programme. In this respect, Countryside Survey is indeed ahead of the game in its forward planning”.
- For more information visit the UK BAP website.
UK’s biggest ever Countryside Survey starts this week
18th May 07
The biggest and most comprehensive survey of the natural resources of the British countryside begins this week. The Countryside Survey will be carried out by a team of over sixty specially trained scientists working for the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
More than 600 one kilometre squares of the English, Welsh and Scottish countryside will be surveyed over the next four months. Information will be collected on natural landscape features including plant communities and habitats within farmland, woods, heathland, moors, soils, small rivers and ponds. At the same time a complementary survey will be carried out in Northern Ireland, completing the picture for the UK.
The results of the survey will provide a unique audit of our environmental assets generating an overall picture of the current status of our countryside. This is especially important as the countryside faces major challenges such as climate change, pollution, non-native species and the introduction of new crops including biofuels. The first results are due in Autumn 2008.
The 2007 Countryside Survey is the fifth in a sequence that stretches back to 1978. The survey provides evidence that informs us about the status of our countryside and feeds into new Government policies. The last survey, which reported in 2000, demonstrated the effectiveness of this system by confirming a reversal in the decline of hedgerows. Countryside Survey data from 1978 onwards had provided evidence of the extent of this decline which led to changes in legislation and new agricultural policies encouraging more effective land management.
The full Countryside Survey partnership consists of the Natural Environment Research Council, the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and eight government departments and agencies headed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
- For more information on the current survey see:
www.countrysidesurvey.org.uk - See also the Press release
BBC Radio 4 Farming Today featured the start of the Countryside Survey on Wednesday 23rd May 2007. You can listen again to the interview with Dr Pete Carey, leader of the Field Survey via the Farming Today website until Wednesday 30th May 2007.
Countryside Survey training course takes place near Windermere
May 2007
65 ecologists and field surveyors assembled at a site near Windermere to be trained in all the specific details of surveying, according to Countryside Survey methods. They got to grips with the new equipment too (see next story). The three week course in April 2007 took place partly in the classroom and partly out in the field, in all kinds of weather.
Windermere was chosen as the best site for this course because the surveyors could be sent out to practise their new skills on different types of countryside or habitats, all within easy reach of base.
Cutting edge equipment gets its severest test
May 2007
This year’s survey sees the introduction of portable data recorders (similar to an extra-robust lap-top) and specially-developed software, to be used in all weathers by the surveyors. Previous Surveys saw surveyors struggling with numerous sheets of paper to record their findings, which then had to be transferred to computer back at base. Paper based recording was very difficult and awkward in bad weather, and transfer to computer was very labour intensive.
The new method of recording will hugely speed-up the whole process and allow the data analysis, data processing and the reporting to get underway much more quickly. It will also improve accuracy and data quality.