Wild Strathfillan Project – Rainforest bryophytes survey and assessment

Description

The Countryside Trust has been awarded funding through NatureScot’s Nature Restoration Fund for ‘Lochside to Mountain-top', the first delivery phase of Wild Strathfillan. Wild Strathfillan is an ambitious landscape-scale nature restoration initiative which covers approximately 50,000 Ha of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. The Trust is working in partnership with land managers, local communities, environmental NGOs, government agencies, businesses and the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority to deliver this work. You can read more about the project here. The western area of Wild Strathfillan falls within the easternmost reaches of the Scottish Rainforest Zone, renowned for its diverse bryophyte flora. Although detailed information on the specific bryophyte species within the Wild Strathfillan area is currently limited, it is acknowledged that in certain areas these plants are under pressure from herbivores. Populations of rare bryophytes in Britain require meticulous monitoring, as many species are at risk due to habitat changes or accidental destruction. The latest census by the British Bryological Society identifies 1,098 bryophyte species on the red list in Scotland. This gives Scotland a significant international responsibility to conserve these species. Additionally, bryophytes are ecologically important and sensitive to environmental changes, making them excellent indicators of the landscape's ecological health. Gathering comprehensive data on the bryophyte populations within the project area is crucial for minimising future losses and ensuring effective conservation strategies are planned and implemented. This tender, aims to progress these objectives by systematically documenting the presence and distribution of bryophytes, assessing the pressures they face, and recommending targeted conservation actions to protect these valuable species. We are therefore seeking to appoint a contractor with specialist bryophyte knowledge to plan and undertake targeted surveys to help gather baseline data. This contract will focus primarily on bryophyte species associated with temperate rainforest habitat, although montane bryophytes will be considered as part of the desk study. Lot 1: Scope of Works We are looking to appoint a qualified ecologist with expertise in bryophytes to: - Conduct a comprehensive desk study of existing bryophyte records present within the Wild Strathfillan area and produce a report reviewing the current understanding of bryophytes in the area, summarising findings and identifying any knowledge gaps. This will be used to inform the locations of subsequent and future surveys. The report will include maps showing existing records of key bryophyte species, for example those which are nationally rare, notable, or associated with temperate rainforest habitat. General distribution/ presence of common bryophyte species within the Wild Strathfillan area should be noted, but detailed maps are not required for these. The contractor will be given access to relevant site assessments, data and reports, including BSBI Database plant records, NatureScot SSSI Site Condition Monitoring assessments and publicly available databases such as the NBN atlas and BBS records. Any additional records/ data would need to be purchased by the consultant at their cost and should be factored into their quote. - Based on the results of the desk study, identify appropriate locations for bryophyte surveys, focusing on temperate rainforest habitat. . Priority for surveys should be given to protected and designated habitats, areas under known pressures (e.g. certain herbivores present, or adjacent to Rhododendron ponticum stands), and areas where knowledge gaps are present, i.e. records are old or absent. The exclusion of montane bryophytes is due to the timing of this contract and therefore site accessibility and consultant safety, however, the consultant should provide a list of any other sites that would benefit further surveys but have been omitted due to timescale. - Write up a detailed methodology statement for surveys, which should deliver a baseline inventory of bryophyte species present (and their relative abundance) within the previously selected survey locations (see point 2). The methodology should be easily followed and replicable to enable future surveys to follow the same methodology. Monitoring sheets or other associated documents should be submitted to the Countryside Trust along with the methodology statement at the end of the contract for future use. Meet with the Trust’s Ecology and Monitoring Officer to review and agree on the locations for the bryophyte surveys and the survey methodology to be implemented. - Plan and undertake surveys at selected sites. The consultant will use the agreed methodology and bryophyte locations shall be recorded using GPS. All bryophytes encountered should be positively identified, either in the field or later with the use of aids e.g. a microscope. Submission of site-specific risk assessments, timeline of surveys, land owner permissions and any require health and safety documentation will need to provided. Refer to full document with full details.