Two Bays - One Environment
A SHARED BIODIVERSITY WITH A COMMON FOCUS.
Rye Bay and Baie de Somme
The wildlife of Sussex does not and cannot survive
in isolation, nearly all of "our" species have a distribution that
extends to neighbouring counties and countries. So it is important that we try
to look at a wider perspective when we consider "our" wildlife. We
have a clear picture of the British distribution, status and management of many
species, but the situation in neighbouring Europe is often unclear. This has been
the focus of an exciting wildlife project funded by East Sussex County Council and the
European Community European Regional Development Fund through INTERREG II . The
project was completed at the end of 2001, but we hope to maintain the
established links and develop other projects.
The Project Area
The project encompassed two areas, one in East Sussex and the other in Picardy, France.
The Sussex area is Rye Bay, located in the south eastern corner of the county. It occupies the river valleys and the coast around the Cinque Port town of Rye and corresponds to the East Sussex part of English Nature’s "Romney Marshes Natural Area". Rye Bay has many regional, national and international designations of wildlife interest. This 91km² can be divided into seven areas: Rother Valley, Tillingham Valley, Brede Valley, Pett Level, Rye Harbour, East Guldeford and Camber.
Across the channel the French area is the Baie de Somme in Picardy which lies just 90km to the south east of Rye and has similar wildlife designations.
There are common habitats in the TWO BAYS including shingle, sand dunes, saltmarsh, brackish and freshwater wetlands including reedbeds, grazing marsh and woodland. Consequently there is a considerable overlap of species in the TWO BAYS.
The Project
The purpose of the project was to compare the wildlife and habitats of the TWO BAYS with a view to improving management techniques for the rare species and habitats.
The work included creating a joint database. Species records from the TWO BAYS have been entered onto the biological database RECORDER. This also involved the collection of new data and the exchange of surveyors and specialists. The project also provided us with an opportunity to undertake joint studies of wildlife management techniques with an exchange of experience between environmental workers. Habitat management advice was also given to farmers and landowners within the project areas.
Another important aspect to the project was to promote the understanding of the environmental importance of the TWO BAYS to decision makers, farmers, landowners and the general public. This took place through leaflets, displays, newsletters, guided walks, interpretation boards, workshops and a conference. Many of the publications were bilingual, and both areas displayed information about the project and it’s partner across the channel. The Communication and Interpretation Plan identifies the core and subsidiary messages presented to the public.
The Wildlife
During the past five year we have been gathering the available wildlife information of Rye Bay and adding it to the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Wildlife Database.
With this information we can now summarise the areas wildlife interest and make comparisons with the Baie de Somme. This is the subject of the first report of the TWO BAYS project.
Many of the species recorded can be considered local, notable, rare and endangered. The rare species are considered in more detail in specialist reports of “species statements”………..
· Coleoptera of Rye Bay by P.J.Hodge
· Lepidoptera of Rye Bay by C.R.Pratt
· Diptera of Rye Bay by P. Roper
· Aculeate Hymenoptera of Rye Bay by A. Grace
· Aranea of Rye Bay by A.Phillips.
Project Reports
A preliminary comparison of
the species of Rye Bay and the Baie de Somme.
Communication and
Interpretation Plan
Changes in Rye Bay
Habitats of Rye Bay
English Partners
LEAD PARTNER - East Sussex County Council
OTHER PARTNERS - Environment Agency, British Energy, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, English Heritage, Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve , Sussex Wildlife Trust , Wetland Trust, English Nature, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Management Committee.
French Partners
LEAD PARTNER - Syndicat Mixte pour l’Aménagement de la Cote Picarde
