Where in the Wyre? - a new conservation programme for amphibians and reptiles in the Wyre Forest

Responding to local concerns about declining reptiles and amphibians, and particularly our native adder, which is already facing local extinctions in other parts of England, a new project in collaboration with Natural England, Forestry England, Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK (ARG UK) and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, is finding out more about the distribution and abundance of reptiles and amphibians in the Wyre Forest NNR. Although we are focussing on adders, the survey aims to find out more about all of our herp species, so please also look out for slow-worms, common lizards, grass snakes, common frogs, common toads and newts.

Starting in the autumn of 2025, we are running a survey and monitoring programme to collect and collate records for reptiles and amphibians across the Wyre Forest area. This information will be used to refine our habitat suitability models for common toad, common lizard and adder to allow us to identify areas of good habitat, and opportunities for habitat connectivity across the landscape. We would also be grateful for any historic records or other information that you may have, that will allow us to better map the distribution of amphibians and reptiles, and where possible target survey areas where less is known.

To upload your records to our new online portal go to:

https://recordpool.org.uk/whereinthewyre

The findings from this study will be used to inform conservation efforts to find out which areas will provide the most benefit for creating habitat corridors for reptiles across the Wyre Forest area, working with landowners and local stakeholders to create better quality, more joined up habitat.

If you are interested in joining this exciting new project please join us on Thursday 20th November, for a special online evening event (from 7:30 - 9:30 pm) to find out more about the amphibians and reptiles living in the Wyre Forest. We will start the evening with a presentation on the ecology and behaviour of our resident amphibians and reptiles, and then find out more about the new UKCEH models that will help us to understand which habitats will be most suitable for them, and how to monitor and conserve them better.

Presentations will be followed by an open discussion session, with an opportunity for you to find out more about the programme, and how you can get involved in surveys during 2025-26.

Presenters:

Dr Angela Julian, Coordinator, Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK

Dr Emma Gardner, Quantitative Ecologist and Modeller, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology