Will Tamworth pigs help boost birdlife at RSPB Saltholme?

TAMWORTH pigs are coming to RSPB Saltholme as part of a four-year research project to see if they can help with the recovery of declining bird species such as Yellow Wagtails, Skylarks and Short-eared Owls.

Centuries ago, wild boars once roamed the Teesside landscape, creating conditions in which birds flourished, and now the lengthy Teesside University and RSPB research project aims to see if rewilding with pigs can reverse bird declines and shape future conservation work across the UK. 

Researchers hope the project will create thriving habitats for red-listed birds while boosting biodiversity with minimal human intervention.

It is all part of a new research partnership between the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Teesside University that looks at how rewilding can support abundant and diverse birdlife. 

Rewilding is a land management technique that has evolved over the last 20 years, restoring natural processes and allowing land and nature to recover.

Now, this new project on Teesside could help inform re-wilding projects right across the UK, contributing to nature recovery targets set by the UK government.

The PhD studentship, titled “J Denis Summers-Smith Research Studentship: How do early management decisions promote abundant and diverse bird resources during transition to rewilding?” will be based at Teesside University and Wild Saltholme, an area of land that is part of the RSPB’s Northeast nature reserve.

Funded through a partnership between Teesside University and RSPB Saltholme, the studentship honours the legacy of renowned late ornithologist and Teesside resident James Denis Summers-Smith, whose lifelong study of House Sparrows and passion for birds inspired generations of conservationists. 

Working closely with academic staff at Teesside University and conservation teams at RSPB Saltholme, the research student, Edward Hearn, 26, from Nottingham, will study habitat change and biodiversity over time across the site, using drone surveys to monitor habitat development, alongside structured surveys of plants, insects and birdlife.

The work will aim to make the soils more suitable for delicate wildflowers, native species such as Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Common Rock-Rose and Bee Orchid.

Ed said: “I’m excited to help make a genuine difference for nature recovery, improving our understanding of wildlife conservation techniques. There could be economic benefits too if we can give our birds the best habitats without intensive intervention.  Sadly, many bird species are in decline, and I hope this study will help local wildlife on Teesside as well as offer guidance for best practice across the UK”. 

“I’m looking forward to getting stuck in with hands-on conservation as well as the academic research.  If, in several years’ time, Red-listed Yellow Wagtails are starting to recover, more Short-eared Owls are hunting for shrews, voles and mice over Wild Saltholme, and the skies are alive with the song of Skylarks, I’ll be immensely proud of our work here.”

Across the UK, there’s a long history of meadow management techniques, including cutting for hay and grazing with livestock, and it is hoped to bring Tamworth pigs to Wild Saltholme to replicate what Wild Boar would have been doing hundreds of years ago, treading and rooting in the ground for food, which helps spread seeds the birds depend upon. 

“Alongside this, the project will investigate how practical measures, including restoring native plants, managing wildflower meadows, and controlling invasive vegetation, could help nature recover more quickly and support greater bird diversity.

Denis Summers-Smith studied physics and engineering and then progressed into researching birds; so, having studied Maths at Durham University and then finding his love of conservation through three years of volunteering with wildlife charities, Ed feels that his pathway is similar.

Ed added, “I’m keen to inspire our next generation of conservationists and hope anyone who wants to choose this career path can see that it’s never too late to change track. 

“The volunteering placements I undertook have inspired me to change my career path, as well as teaching me the skills I need to make a meaningful contribution to nature.”

Dr Ambroise Baker, senior lecturer in Ecology in the University’s School of Health & Life Sciences and University Supervisor for the project, said: “Summers-Smith was keen to give young scientists the opportunity to make a difference through research, and this studentship reflects that vision perfectly. It is also a fantastic opportunity for the university and the RSPB to work closely together, delivering applied science that contributes to the nature-positive agenda.”

Chris Francis, senior manager at RSPB Saltholme, said: “The late J Denis Summers-Smith was a passionate bird lover and scientist who became increasingly interested in understanding why House Sparrows and birds in general were declining during what we now call the biodiversity crisis. 

“It’s exciting to see Ed follow in his footsteps, beginning what we hope will be a lifelong career in conservation.”