Month 2 - Members Update and Progress Report

It has been a busy month, as emphasis has moved from "spreading the word" to starting action towards our goals.

Only a small amount of networking has been conducted this month, but even so our membership has now crossed the 200 site mark; way beyond expectations, considering the original plan was to attract 500 sites over a 12 to 18 month period. Some truly wonderful sites have joined the network and I look forward to working with them all.

We are almost half way towards the 500 member site mark, where we will appoint a patron, trustees and become a nationally recognised body.

Our aims now are to:

1. Map and strengthen local wildlife networks around member sites, and prepare to engage their local communities. We shall be working closely with the Local Records Centres (LRC's).
2. Obtain species lists and identify "at risk" species for member sites.
3. Raise awareness of wildlife events taking place on member sites, in order to increase the level of participation and volunteering.
4. Raise the profile of MMNN, so that we can start sending our message to the media and central government, regarding the State of Nature and how we feel that our decline in wildlife can be halted.
5. Agree a surveying plan for 2014, to create more trend data on member sites with the national wildlife organisations.


The following developments are working towards these aims:

Local Wildlife Networks

Local networks of recorders, wildlife experts, nature clubs and societies, friendly societies, volunteer groups and other interest groups will be mapped to cover  the following areas of the UK, around member sites:

Bournemouth
Bracknell Forest, Berkshire
Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
Greater London: Croydon, Greenford and Tower Hamlets areas
Leicester City, including Blaby, Oadby and Wigston
Lichfield/Barton-under-Needwood area Staffs
Macclesfield, Cheshire
Redditch, Worcestershire
Solihull, West Midlands
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Walsall/Brownhills, West Midlands
Wolverhampton, West Midlands

Areas will be added, as new members join the network.

Once mapped, the local networks will be engaged, so as to provide greater support for member sites and their LRC's. A directory of local schools and places of worship will also be compiled for future engagement and fund-raising activities

Site Wildlife Records

Our policy is to minimise "red tape", and make information requests as easy as possible (our simple "Welcome" Forms for new members have been warmly received!!). Over the next few weeks I shall be contacting members, in order to obtain site species lists, and indications as to whether each species is stable, on the increase, decrease or has an unknown status.

I shall also be asking for details of species which are known to be subject to heaviest decline or are under threat of loss from the site. The Local Wildlife Network and national organisations can then be engaged, in order to consider action plans, where they have not already been implemented.

MMNN has the ambitious aim of PREVENTING the loss of any IDENTIFIED species from member sites. Site profiles can be highlighted to the local wildlife network to increase the level and areas of recording.

Member Events

Awareness and participation are key to switching on the public. To this end MMNN will "spread the word" regarding events on member sites. The new "Twitter feed" on this site has already proved to be an excellent way to help with this.

If members have any events planned, please e-mail full details to smestowsighting@gmail.com .We will then cover the event on this site and ask local wildlife "bloggers" to mention it.

Once the local networks have been mapped, we can add further strength to this awareness initiative.

Surveying

Once I have received all species data from members, I shall be working with their Local Wildlife Networks and the National Wildlife Organisations, in order to design a programme of surveys for 2014.

There will be particular emphasis in obtaining more information on "at risk" species. By coordinating surveying across member Local Ecological Networks, we will gain more clues as to why a particular species is in decline.

Council's need more coordinated and repeated survey work from local experts and volunteers, so that they can monitor progress towards their biodiversity goals.

The Newly created Local Wildlife Sites (LWS's), also require more support from volunteers and the Local Wildlife Network in order to protect the site and build a bank of data for the newly designated green spaces, that are important to the Local Ecological Network.

There is much work to be done in this area.

Raising the Profile of the Moving Mountains Nature Network

I have started planning an event for Spring 2014, which will demonstrate the power of MMNN.

I shall be walking from Wolverhampton to an area of central Birmingham, via a member site, which is requiring support from it's local network and community, in order to protect the diverse range of species and habitats that occur there.

There will be "BioBlitz" events and fund-raising, involving local schools and groups, at the start, stop-off and finishing venues, and the local wildlife networks will also be involved.

The local and national media will be invited to cover and attend the event, and this will provide a voice for our cause.

Believe it or not, I have logged every comment and issue raised by members, biodiversity officers, rangers, bloggers, "patchers" and other interested individuals since MMNN was launched on 13th August 2013. These will be added to and converted into a draft document, available to members, before release, that will tackle EVERY issue that has been raised.

When I said MOVE MOUNTAINS, I meant "MOVE MOUNTAINS"!!!

The event will demonstrate how together, communities, Councils, volunteers and the local wildlife network can deliver powerful messages and also demonstrate a unity in the battle to halt the decline of the UK's marvelous wildlife.

Finally a word to those non-members who are aware of the Moving Mountains Nature Network, and either manage or record the wildlife that live on their parks, LNR's, LWS's, "patches" or other sites of importance to nature -  join MMNN today. Become a "guardian" for your much-loved areas, give it greater protection and help us to halt the decline of wildlife in the UK.

Joining is free and easy!! Just register your interest by sending an e-mail to smestowsightings@gmail.com and include your name and details of the sites under your control, or where you watch and record wildlife.

You will be sent a simple "Welcome" form to complete that registers your sites with the network.

Together, we really can make a difference!!