Monitoring Dragons

In 2022 Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) secured funding from the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities scheme, for it’s project Monitoring Dragons. The project aimed to establish a network of long-term monitoring sites across Wales. The success of last year’s pilot project in South Wales has resulted in the project being extended nationwide.

A key element of this project was the recruitment, training, and mentoring of new and existing citizen scientists in herpetofauna survey techniques. Our project officers were on hand to help with facilitating the use of their newfound skills, including how to use innovative new recording technologies such as mobile data collection. Citizen scientists were trained in specific survey techniques for the species of interest to them, be it visual searches for reptiles in sand dune systems, or searching for great crested newt under torchlight in ponds.

We had identified a wide range of target survey sites across Wales, from national parks to post-industrial brownfield sites – we just needed citizen scientists to take them on! Citizen scientists will be matched to Welsh monitoring sites in our network and supported with the tools and skills required by our project officers throughout the survey season. It was a great way for people to find out about their local area and develop their ecological skills.

During the course of the project more than 70 people were trained in herpetofauna survey techniques, and a monitoring regime was established on more than 20 sites across Wales, adding significantly to our national monitoring programme. The sites established during this project will feed data into ARC’s monitoring schemes for years to come, providing invaluable insight into the status of these iconic species throughout Wales.

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Monitro’r dreigiau

Monitro’r dreigiau oedd prosiect newydd (2022) Warchod Ymlusgiaid ac Amffibiaid (ARC). Wedi’i ariannu gan Gynllun Cymunedau y Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi, mae’n anelu sefydlu rhwydwaith o safleoedd monitro hir dymor ledled Cymru.

Elfen hanfodol o’r prosiect ydy hyfforddiant a mentora gwyddonwyr dinesydd presennol a newydd mewn technegau arolygu herpetofauna a hwyluso defnydd eu sgiliau newydd, gan gynnwys defnydd dechnoleg recordio arloesol (casglu data’n symudol). Mae gyddonwyr dinesydd wedi derbyn hyfforddiant mewn technegau arolygu yn benodol i’r rhywogaethau o ddiddordeb iddynt, o sut i chwilio am ymlusgiad ar dwyni tywod, i ddefnyddio golau tortsh i edrych ar fadfallod ddŵr cribog mewn pyllau.

Redden wedi adnabod amrywiaeth eang o safleoedd arolwg targed ar draws Cymru, o barciau cenedlaethol i ardaloedd ol-ddiwidiannol- rydym ond angen gwirfoddolir i’w arolygu! Roedd gwirfoddolwyr wedi eu paru gyda safleoedd monitro yn ein rhwydwaith peilot a’u chefnogi gyda’r offer a sgiliau angenrheidiol gan ein swyddogion maes, felly dyma ffordd wych i bobl canfod fwy am eu hardal leol a datblygu eu sgiliau ecolegol.

Yn ystod y prosiect roedd mwy na 70 o bobl wedi eu hyfforddi ar syt i arolygu herpetofauna, a monitoro wedi dechrau ar mwy na 20 safle, ledled Cymru. Fydd y safleoedd sefydlwyd yn ystod y prosiect yn bwydo data i gynlluniau monitro ARC am flynyddoedd, yn rhoi dealltwriaeth werthfawr ar statws y rhywogaethau eiconig yma yng Ngymru.

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Photo: Juvenile great crested newt by Ray Hamilton