Upland Verges

I having been having discussions with various depts at Calderdale Council after finding some very good upland road verges supporting large populations of the Chimney Sweeper Moth(Odezia atrata). This is a species that 30 years was "common and abundant in meadows & pastures" all around the old parish of Halifax. The species is now in severe decline in Calderdale due to the degradation of many of the old meadows and many more still now being built upon or "improved" by farmers. Sue and I have found many of these road verges support large numbers of insect species which are not found in any numbers at lower levels. I am now doing a very brief survey of these verges with Hugh Firman (conservation officer) on Tuesday morning 26th June. Whilst we are doing the survey Hugh wants to check for possible Twite sightings in these areas and to investigate to see if these verges can also be managed to help upland birds as well as their invertebrate population. The aim of the survey is to do an initial quick survey so that we can liaise with the Highways dept to ensure verges are cut at the least damaging time for wildlife. We hope to carry out more extensive surveys as and when time permits and to this end would welcome suggestions of upland road verges to check out.

Sue and I have been cycling the uplands most weekends since March this year and have built up an idea of which verges would benefit from a "management" plan to ensure cutting is carried out sensitively in the areas we have covered. Our favorite route is up to Ringstone from West Vale, down the road at the side of Ringstone to Booth Wood Res, up the main road and take the side road near the pub that leads to via Pike End to Baitings Res, from Baitings we turn up the road past the old Blue Ball Pub and round to the far side of Manshead, eventually leading to Huberton and then back down to Sowerby Bridge. I would be grateful of suggestions of upland verges to survey away from the area described.

Judging by the large numbers of invertebrates of many families we have found on the verges they are probably a very good food source for many upland birds. If we can take a holistic approach to the management of these verges it might prove a useful plan we can export to other areas of the country with similar verges so that they are not managed for just one species/family of wildlife. I have checked with both Buglife and Butterfly Conservation and NO AREA in the country (to their knowledge) actually has any sort of managment plan for verge cutting, so this is something we could take a lead in.