Saving wetlands for wildlife & people
Saving wetlands for wildlife & people
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Counts, such as goose roost censuses, are used widely in the conservation of the UK’s waterbirds. It is fundamentally important for this and any other uses of the data that the counts collected are correctly attributed to a precise area. It is also essential that count data are collected using a standardised approach over time. This requires an accurate description of the location and extent of the count area, and details of any particular count methods, especially at roosts and non-wetland sites. This information forms the Count Unit Definition Inventory; effectively an atlas of all count site boundaries. This inventory is essential if the maximum benefit is to be gained from the counts. The following examples illustrate the importance of the inventory to the count schemes, from collecting to using data: Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSls) represent the backbone of site-based conservation in Great Britain. Where counts show a site supports nationally important numbers of waterbirds, it potentially qualifies for designation as an SSSI. This process requires knowledge of the exact area important to the birds. Without a boundary for the count site, the SSSI designated may be either too small, missing areas important for the birds, or too large, jeopardising the credibility of the whole SSSI. When the counter for a count site changes, it is important that the new counter uses exactly the same area covered previously. This ensures, for example, that any changes found in the numbers of birds at the site are genuine, rather than a result of covering a different area. This is particularly important when counting a sector of a large site (see count area definitions below) to ensure that double-counting does not occur and that birds are not missed. Also, information such as the count positions used at roosts is essential for new counters to be able to repeat the methods precisely. Updating the inventory Under certain conditions, it will be necessary to update the inventory:
If a change to the count unit boundary is agreed, the CUDI form should be amended and returned to WWT. Count area definitions A site is a discrete, meaningful area for waterbirds, where waterbirds move frequently within a site but only occasionally between sites. For counting purposes, a large site may be divided into smaller areas, termed sectors, which can be practicably covered by one person in a reasonable time. Sectors may be grouped into sub-sites to facilitate coordination of counters. Count unit is the general term used to describe sites, sub-sites and sectors. Any site comprising more than one sector is termed a complex site.
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