Conder Pool is a brackish lake with islands, surrounded by grassland and a perimeter hedge. The site is owned by the Environment Agency (EA).
Conder Pool is situated at the northern edge of our recording area at Conder Green. See site 31 on the Fylde Birding Sites Map
The Fylde Bird Club (FBC) have been involved with management of the site since at least 2015, in conjunction with the RSPB and Natural England (NE). Habitat management works have been conducted with permissions granted by the EA. The site has become important for breeding Common Terns, Avocets and Little Ringed Plovers. It is also a pleasant bird watching location, that nearly always has something of interest on view. In 2023 a large tern nesting platform was built and installed by a team comprising RSPB, Fylde Bird Club and others. It was been very successful and in 2024 about 16 pairs nested on it.
It is proposed that the Fylde Bird Club should sign a lease agreement with the EA for a fee of £1 per annum. RSPB and NE have agreed to maintain support to the project and are both represented on a management Committee for Conder Pool, which will formulate and agree future habitat management works.
Why Lease It?
- Ultimate aim is to increase the numbers and productivity of key breeding species, particularly Common Terns.
- The site has no formal protection. It is not currently part of a Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) and has no protected status. The site could even be sold off by a future EA management / government. In the future, the EA could allow its condition to deteriorate. If leased to the Bird Club and managed as a nature reserve, it would confer some degree of environmental importance.
- We are currently dependent on the EA to allow works to be conducted on site. Without a more formal arrangement that situation could change and we might not be able to continue management works. For example, future EA management could decide to exclude conservation workers from the site for any number of reasons.
- To prevent disturbance to breeding birds. Without perimeter fence maintenance, the public could gain access and disturbance by people and dogs could become a serious problem (as it is around most lakes).
- A Habitat Management Plan has been drawn up which sets out the habitat management goals for the site. The Management Plan also provides the basis for the proposed lease agreement by defining responsibilities for the EA and its tenant (Fylde Bird Club). Without a lease agreement, the Management Plan cannot be implemented.
- Funding for previous works has been provided by the RSPB and NE, but this has not been a reliable funding stream. Together, the Habitat Management Plan and a Lease Agreement would allow FBC to apply for funding to conduct more ambitious enhancement works. Funding sources could include: Countryside Stewardship income, gazing income, grant income.
- To date, any works carried out on the site must be approved in advance by the EA. If a lease were in place, individuals authorised by the FBC would be able to have free access to the site to conduct management and maintenance works approved by the Bird Club.
- Leasing the site will raise the profile of FBC. This could attract new members and assist in the involvement of the Club in other conservation projects.
It will maintain and re-enforce links with NE, EA, RSPB & Lancaster & District Bird Watching Society (LDBWS).
Potential Liabilities
- Public liability relating to the blind / hide. We would need to maintain it in a safe condition. It is highly likely that the Club will need to take out Public Liability Insurance. However, some would advise that we should have it anyway and most Bird Clubs do have it.
- The lease agreement will not compel the Bird Club to maintain the perimeter fence. However, the Club may choose to maintain the fence to prevent public access and (if present) keep sheep in. If the site is sub-let grazing, the grazier will be responsible for running repairs and the income from grazing will also cover fence maintenance. The EA have agreed to refurbish it in September 2024, to a stock-proof standard.
- If a grazing agreement is established, the Club would wish to partition the grassland by installing a new internal fence. The likely cost of this would be in the order of £1500. This would be a one-off expense that the Club would need to fund. However, we would not be obliged to install such a fence.
- Ongoing running or maintenance costs are expected to be low. Routine tasks have included strimming the vegetation on the islands before each breeding season. Last year the RSPB provided the machines and manpower for free, the year before the Bird Club paid £125 to hire equipment and volunteers did the work. This year FBC paid £187 for some chestnut paling to patch up the boundary fence and did the work ourselves. We could conceivably spend approximately a £100 or so on new signage and a few pounds on repairs to the viewing blind but there should be no routine major expenses to service.
During this year the Committee have been working with the EA and RSPB to develop a Management Plan and associated lease agreement. It is anticipated that the EA will offer a lease to FBC in the near future. However, at the time of writing we are still awaiting a draft or final Lease Agreement document to consider. It is expected that the Lease Agreement will have the flexibility to allow FBC to do as much or as little habitat management work as it chooses, within the constraints of the Habitat Management Plan.
It would represent a significant milestone for the Fylde Bird Club, if we proceed with this arrangement, and establish our own nature reserve! However, if any members wish to express their opinions, the Committee will listen to all views on the matter. email: fyldebirdclub@gmail.com