10 years after?
- Oct 2, 2020
- 1 min read
Most Swift groups focus on protecting existing nest sites and providing additional nest sites for Swifts. The nature of Swift conservation is such that the results of projects may not be seen for many years and, with some notable exceptions, we have little information on how successful our work has been over the long term.
Nearly 10 years ago New Forest District Council (NFDC) started renovating the North Milton estate in New Milton. Acting on poor advice the contractors blocked off virtually all the access points used by a colony of Swifts, effectively stopping the entire colony from breeding in 2011. By 2012, acting on much better advice, NFDC started to install Swift boxes and create new soffit nest sites but this work was delayed so only a few sites were available for the 2012 breeding season.
Until now the long-term consequences of these drastic actions have never been assessed. In the summer of 2020, Hampshire Swifts surveyed this site and the results are provided here: New Milton survey 2020
This was a really thoughtful and reflective read, and I liked the “10 years after” framing because it gives a sense of continuity rather than just looking at things in the moment. It feels like the post is as much about progress and change as it is about the swifts themselves, especially in how local conservation efforts build up over time through steady, consistent work. The reminder of how much impact habitat loss and building changes have on swifts is quite striking, but it’s also balanced with a sense of what can be done locally to help support them. I’ve been reading similar nature-focused content lately alongside rapid assignment help, and it all connects quite naturally. Also found this useful:…