Nature for Everyone:  EDI Update

The winds of change have been blowing strong this summer and autumn as our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) on Skomer Island took flight!

August and September saw the fruition of our ambitious EDI events program, spearheaded by the island's Visitor Officer and Assistant Warden. These courses were not just informative and educational but also packed with fun, hosting 32 enthusiastic young birders alongside 14 participants from Charity Black2Nature.

What made this initiative even more impactful was our newfound ability to fund training for volunteers and equip them with specialised outdoor and boat gear. This shift has broken down financial barriers that might have previously restricted individuals from joining us on Skomer and Skokholm. Now, a more diverse range of individuals can access our recruitment processes, contributing their unique perspectives and passion for conservation.

But that's not all. Our commitment to supporting the next generation of conservationists remained unwavering. We provided funded residential stays on Skomer and Skokholm Islands for four early-career conservationists under the age of 25 during the latter part of the seabird season, from July to September. This investment in their growth and development is an investment in the future of conservation itself.

While our focus on inclusivity and empowerment soared on the islands, our efforts extended beyond, reaching the shores of the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre. Our doors remain wide open, offering local and seasonal volunteer opportunities to anyone keen on contributing to marine conservation efforts.

Our strides toward a more inclusive and diverse conservation community are not just commendable but essential. By removing financial barriers, providing educational opportunities, and welcoming individuals from all walks of life, we are fostering an environment where passion and dedication to conservation know no bounds. Together, we are building a stronger, more resilient future for our wildlife and our planet.

Lisa Morgan, Head of Islands and Marine said, “We’re incredibly proud of our EDI events program on Skomer, which follows the model set by the team at Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre. We have welcomed young birders and under-represented groups to the island and helped make volunteering opportunities more accessible and affordable to early career ecologists.”
 

Diving into the Depths: Dolphin ID and Acoustics Update

In the waters of Cardigan Bay, a flurry of activity has been underway as our Cardigan Bay marine team  track and monitor the diverse marine wildlife that graces our Welsh shores.

Lisa Morgan, Head of Islands and Marine at WTSWW said, “Our ground-breaking photo Id and acoustic monitoring and research projects on Bottlenose Dolphins in the Cardigan Bay SAC has continued at pace, with staff out on boats whenever the weather and sea conditions allowed.”

Some of the marine project highlights over the summer and early autumn include…

• Bottlenose dolphin photo-identification and acoustics data collection continues alongside recording sightings of other marine wildlife sighted during surveys.
• Recorded 19 h 03 min of recordings during focal follows of bottlenose dolphins during boat surveys. Analysis of data is ongoing.
• Undertook 30 bottlenose dolphin photo-identification encounters – analysis of images is ongoing
• Amidst our focus on the dolphins, we've also kept a keen ear on the underwater world. Two static acoustic recorders stationed at different sites in Cardigan Bay have been our ears beneath the waves, capturing the symphony of sounds that echo through the depths. This auditory data holds valuable clues about the communication and behavior of various marine life forms.
• Head of Islands and Marine conservation reports monthly to Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales on progress of seabird season. This feedback has been formalised during the HPAI pandemic with an additional emergency seabird expert working group stood-up and meeting weekly at times during the summer of 2023, attended by both Head of Islands and Marine and the Skomer Warden.
• Meeting of Islands Conservation Advisory Committee on 10 August to discuss preliminary results from the seabird-monitoring season. Also discussed in context of wider marine issues with potential impacts on seabird abundance and breeding success: marine heatwave and HPAI.
• Seabird monitoring on both islands has allowed us to track the condition of our seabird features in 2023. This has been especially important with mass mortality events due to Avian Influenza occurring in south Wales’s guillemot populations in July 2023.

We’re all really excited by the prospects for the next two years and the progress we can make with the support of this funding from the Nature Networks Fund (NNF).

The Nature Networks Fund is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government and in partnership with Natural Resources Wales.

#NatureNetworksFund #CronfaRhwydweithiauNatur