Category: Directory

GxFF Directory Changes

Several changes to the directory have been made:

New Areas

In line with the decision made by Team GxFF in April, we have completed the addition of all Wildfowl and Wetland Trust sites, the final three sites added being:

  • GFF-0431 – Washington WWT
  • GFF-0432 – London WWT
  • GIFF- 0073 – Castle Espie WWT

Updates

In addition GWFF – 0059 Maes y Facrell NNR (Great Orme) has become designated as  Pen y Gogarth SAC (including Maes y Facrell NNR) (Great Orme), the new boundaries now taking in the SAC.

Staying in Wales, GFF- 0015 Pembrokeshire Coast National Park will be redesignated with a GWFF prefix. This change will take effect from August 1st 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

Update to the Reference Allocation Policy

Allocation of references within GxFF is determined by the Reference Allocation Policy.

We have been approached about adding Llanelli Wetland Centre (owned and managed by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust). At first glance this was declined, as the site is not designated, according to our policy.

However, on further consideration, it was noted that several of the other WWT sites are already listed (eg Arundel, Martin Mere, Slimbridge), and that WWT is a globally renowned group in conservation circles.
Continue reading “Update to the Reference Allocation Policy”

GxFF Directory Changes

A number of changes to the GxFF Directory have been made:

New Areas

  • GFF-0422: The newly designated Saltwells NNR has been added, in accordance with Natural England’s announcement.
  • GFF-0423: Thames Basin Heaths SPA – Whitmoor Common SSSI has been added.
  • GFF-0424: Ashtead Heath NNR has been added.
  • GFF-0425: Bolton Fell and Walton Mosses NNR – Bolton Fell Moss SAC has been added.
  • GFF-0426: River Wensum SAC has been added.
  • GFF-0427: Hamford Water SPA/RAMSAR/NNR has been added.
  • GFF-0428: Pevensey Levels SPA/RAMSAR/NNR has been added.
  • GFF-0429: South Solway Mosses SAC – South Solway Mosses NNR – Glassom Moss SSSI has been added – this is a distinct area near to GFF-0083.
  • GFF-0430: Charnwood Lodge NNR has been added.

In addition, Team GxFF are discussing how to proceed with the new Purbeck Heaths NNR and its impact on the existing designated areas, in accordance with Natural England’s announcement.

Updates

  • GFF-0059: The King’s Wood and Rushmere NNR boundaries have been adjusted, in accordance with Natural England’s announcement.
  • GFF-0110: The Lower Derwent Valley NNR boundaries have been adjusted, in accordance with Natural England’s announcement. Note: the reference boundaries are unchanged, as it is all within the SPA/SAC/RAMSAR designated area.
  • GFF-0145: The Ribble and Alt Estuaries NNR boundaries have been adjusted, in accordance with Natural England’s announcement. As part of this, the contiguous Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB has been extended and designated as part of the NNR.
  • GFF-0150: The Marshside RSPB has become designated as part of the Ribble and Alt Estuaries NNR (see GFF-0145) – it will retain its separate reference.
  • GFF-0343: has been renamed as Cassop NNR, in accordance with Natural England’s announcement to rename and reduce it in size.
  • GFF-0372: has been renamed as Bolton Fell and Walton Mosses NNR – Walton Moss SAC, in accordance with Natural England’s announcement. The reference covers the whole of Walton Moss SAC, so the extension of the NNR within the SAC have no direct affect. The designation of Bolton Fell Moss SAC as an NNR is reflected in GFF-0425.

Where boundaries have changed, activators must ensure that their activation position is still within the designated areas!

GFF Directory Update – April 2017

New References

GFF Logo
The GFF Logo

Eleven new references (GFF-0383 to GFF-0393 inclusive) have been added to the GFF Directory…

  • eight of these are in Norfolk, requested by Andy G7SQW
  • three are in the Northern Pennines, requested by Carl 2E0HPI

Several of these have either already been activated, or imminent activations have been announced.

GFF – Norfolk

As part of a planned update to the entire GxFF Directory, and linked to the assessment of the new entries (see above), all entries within the County of Norfolk now have Region and Worked All Britain square information provided.

The Region information uses the NUTS1 regions (EE representing Eastern England) and the County or Unitary Authority – so for Norfolk, all entries are tagged as EE-No.

In turn, all other references will be updated in a similar manner.

Wealden Heaths Phase 2

This article is re-posted from M0YMA’s personal blog (originally posted 24th March 2016)

Background

The original Wealden Heaths SPA was named Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons SPA and assigned WWFF reference GFF-0207.

Phase I of this SPA added further protection to the Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons SSSI, which also forms the southern part of the Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham SAC – the northern part of the SAC forms part of the Thames Basin Heaths SPA (qv).

Phase II

Subsequently, the SPA has been extended and renamed, with the addition of four standalone SSSIs.  These have now been assigned WWFF GFF references as follows:

  • GFF-0355 = Devil’s Punch Bowl SSSI
  • GFF-0356 = Woolmer Forest SSSI and SAC
  • GFF-0357 = Bramshott and Ludshott Commons SSSI
  • GFF-0358 = Broxhead and Kingsley Commons SSSI

It is hoped that these will all be activated over the coming months.

Alice Holt Royal Forest

After much deliberation, it has been decided to assign a reference (GFF-0354) to Alice Holt Royal Forest.

This area of Royal Forest is an Ancient Woodland, owned and managed by the Forestry Commission – of sufficient importance that the original boundary of the South Downs National Park (GFF-0018) was revised to include it!

Previous WWFF activity from the forest, of reference GFF-0018, will be reallocated to GFF-0354.

Note: this article was originally posted to M0YMA.UK

Announcement: GxFF Reference Numbering

GFF Logo
GFF Logo

All activators please note, that with immediate effect, all GxFF reference numbers are now four-digit, with the addition of a leading zero. This is bring GxFF into line with the many programs that have already adopted the four-digit convention.

So, for example, GFF-328 becomes GFF-0328.

Would all activators (and chasers claiming Park-To-Park award credit) please adopt the four-digit number

Note: this article was originally posted to M0YMA.UK

Thames Basin Heaths SPA – Restructuring

This article is re-posted from M0YMA’s personal blog (originally posted 12th January 2016)

Background

When the World Flora Fauna program was first established, the Directory appears to have put together with limited knowledge of the UK’s designated areas.

Originally, reference GFF-121 was defined as Castle Bottom – which is assumed to have meant the small area designated as a National Nature Reserve.

Previously, as adding new references was nigh on impossible, the GFF Committee extended and clarified the scope of GFF-121 to include all 13 separate Sites of Special Scientific Importance (SSSIs) within the wider Thames Basin Heaths SPA.

Subsequently, after representation from potential activators, some standalone parts of the SPA were granted their own GFF/WWFF references:

Continue reading “Thames Basin Heaths SPA – Restructuring”