MAKING A STAND FOR THE WOOD WHITE IN MONKWOOD: CONSERVING THE WEST MIDLANDS’ MOST THREATENED BUTTERFLY

THIS PROJECT WILL CONSERVE THE WOOD WHITE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS. THIS IS ONE OF THE UK’S MOST THREATENED BUTTERFLIES, HAVING SUFFERED MASSIVE, ONGOING DECLINES IN DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE. A DOSSIER IN 2010 IDENTIFIED JUST 50 EXTANT SITES, 26% OF WHICH MAY ALREADY HAVE LOST THEIR COLONIES. ALL REMAINING SITES OCCUR IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND, WITH 42% IN THE WEST MIDLANDS.
THUS THE WOOD WHITE IS A HUGELY IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THE WOODLANDS OF THE WEST MIDLANDS. THIS PROJECT TARGETS MONKWOOD, ONCE WORCESTERSHIRE’S BEST KNOWN WOOD WHITE SITE. THE SPECIES WAS “LOCALLY ABUNDANT” THERE AS EARLY AS 1869. AS LATE AS 2004, WOOD WHITES WERE RECORDED THERE BUT THEREAFTER, A CATASTROPHIC DECLINE SET IN AND THE SPECIES WAS LOST FROM THE COUNTY IN 2009.
WE WILL UNDERTAKE PRACTICAL CONSERVATION WORK TO MAINTAIN, ENHANCE AND CREATE WOOD WHITE HABITAT. WE WILL ADVISE LANDOWNERS, RUN TRAINING WORKSHOPS, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL PARTNERS AND ESTABLISH VOLUNTEER GROUPS TO UNDERTAKE VITAL TASKS…
Please see sheet.