About Curlew Connections
Curlew Connections Wales was a wader conservation project supported by Welsh Government’s Nature Networks Fund, delivered by the Heritage Lottery Fund. One million pounds was allocated to support breeding curlew in Wales, focusing on three ‘Important Curlew Areas’.
As a collaborative, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust lead in Montgomeryshire and North Radnorshire alongside partners Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscapes in the South Clwyd Mountains and Dee Valley area and Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority in the Usk Catchment and Llangorse Lake area.
Curlew Connections Wales aimed to tackle the key issues driving the low breeding success of curlew in Wales, monitoring and understanding curlew populations within these three Important Curlew Areas, implementing nest protection, predator management and habitat works. With breeding curlew predicted to be extinct in Wales by 2033, an important aspect of the project was to connect the landscape and people to these iconic birds. A team of dedicated Curlew and People Officers worked closely with farmers, landowners and land managers, alongside contractors and a workforce of volunteers to improve the fledging success of local populations of curlew throughout Wales.
Important Curlew Areas (ICA’s)
In 2019 Gylfinir Cymru (Curlew Wales) at the recommendation of Welsh Government, prepared the Wales Action Plan for the Recovery of Curlew (learn more here: Recovery Plan | Curlew Wales). In this plan they outlined 12 Important Curlew Areas across Wales, these areas combine to represent possibly as much as 65% of the Welsh curlew breeding population.
The Curlew Connections Wales Project focused on three of these Important Curlew Area’s with a dedicated Curlew and People Officer heading the work on the ground in each area.
ICA 5 – South Clwyd Mountains and Dee Valley
Sam Kenyon Curlew and People Officer
ICA 9 – Montgomeryshire and North Radnorshire
Katie Appleby Curlew and People Officer
ICA 12 – Usk Catchment and Llangorse Lake
Róisín Normanly Curlew and People Officer
What are we doing to support Welsh breeding curlew?
As part of the three-year project funded by Welsh Government, the Curlew Connections Wales team worked on the ground in the three ICA’s. Connecting with farmers, landowners, the local community and schools. Here are some ways this was achieved:
On the ground:
Conducting surveys across the project areas to locate curlew during the breeding season (March – August), to understand potential breeding sites and breeding status. Where nests are located, and landowner permission is granted, electric fences were installed around the nest to reduce potential predation from mammalian predators and disturbance from livestock. Foxes and crows are known to be some of the highest predators of ground nesting birds, by managing the number of these species in areas we know there are breeding curlews, we give the birds a fighting chance to produce chicks. The breeding season for curlew is extremely vulnerable, for four weeks the adults are protecting their nest against disturbance, predation or damage. If the eggs make it to hatch the adults must then protect their chicks for a further 4-6 weeks before they are able to fly.
Farmers and Landowners:
We supported farmers and landowners with funding and advice to improve habitat and protect nesting curlews. There is financial support for engagement with the project allowing the team land access to survey for curlew. Other actions covered include:
- Nest fencing – where nests are fenced with electric fencing there is a payment to cover loss of grazing/habitat.
- Delayed cutting/grazing – payments for delaying agricultural activities where nests or chicks are present.
- Scrub, bracken and rush cutting – maintaining an open grassland or moorland habitat.
- Scrape creation and maintenance – creating wet features in the landscape to provide food sources for chicks and adults.
- Predator management – targeted control of crows and foxes within curlew breeding territories.
Local community:
Curlew are an iconic species, recognised widely for their iconic call. There are 24 names for curlew in Welsh, which highlights their place in the Welsh language and landscape.
A huge aim of the project was to connect people with curlew. Throughout the years our Curlew and People Officers worked with community groups, schools and organisations to spread the plight of curlew. Conducting talks, activities, attending events and writing updates for newspapers and letters. The three officers were always keen to get involved in any way that they could to support community events, talk about the work they are doing and also provide lessons and activities for schools and youth groups. *Free of charge*
This project is no longer active but you can also check out social media to see some of the work completed through Curlew Connections below