Butterfly Conservation

Butterfly Conservation have been very active in Rockingham Forest since 2017, initially through the Back from the Brink programme and now through the "Chequered Skippers - Taking Flight" project.  Our work during Back from the Brink focused on several threatened butterfly and moth species, including the reintroduction of the Chequered Skipper into Rockingham Forest after it disappeared from England in 1976.  We have also worked on several species of threatened plants, birds, bats and reptiles, increasing our knowledge of their abundance and distribution within the forest and working with local landowners to carry out management work to improve habitats.  The Chequered Skippers – Taking Flight project is a critical second phase, allowing us to build on the work of the Back from the Brink project and extend habitat improvement so that we can sustain and expand on the initial breeding success of Chequered Skipper. Work also continues on additional threatened species including Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper and Adder.

  

Engaging with local communities is key in all our work, and we have been running training sessions to enable people to get involved in surveys; offering guided walks, art workshops and community events for people to learn about and appreciate the amazing wildlife on their doorstep; and running conservation work parties for those wanting to get actively involved in improving habitats.     

 

Our work is reliant on working closely with local landowners and other conservation organisations, as well as the support of our fantastic local volunteer branches of Butterfly Conservation who are very involved in survey work and carrying out vital habitat management work.