On 18thOctober 2018, NatureSpace, the Newt Conservation Partnership and guest visitors from Local Authorities that are using the NatureSpace District Licence Scheme, visited one of the sites where habitat creation work has been delivered as part of the district wide, long-term conservation strategy. This involved a trip to Shabbington Woods SSSI, with a tour around the newly created ponds and terrestrial habitat.
Shabbington Wood Complex Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is the largest remaining part of the Royal Forest of Bernwood, found in the counties of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. It covers 306 ha, and although only a small proportion of the ancient semi-natural woodland remains, there are also unimproved meadows, mature hedgerows, ponds and woodland rides which support a rich diversity of insects, including over 40 species of butterflies. It is owned and managed by the Forestry Commission. The Freshwater Habitats
Through the district licensing scheme, a further nine new ponds and associated terrestrial habitat were created at this site in April 2018 as compensatory habitat for development impacts. This has further extended the area of high-quality habitat suitable for great crested newts and is part of a wider plan to expand and reconnect isolated populations across the region.
On the day of the visit, in autumn 2018, we were given a tour around the newly created habitat by the Newt Conservation Partnership. Invertebrates such as great diving beetles and dragonfly larvae were noted in the newly constructed ponds. Since then, monitoring in 2019 has found that three of the new ponds have already been colonised by great crested newt. Most ponds were also colonised by common toad – a priority species – as well as common frog and smooth newt.
