Mills & Reeve commits to five-year investment in woodland biodiversity monitoring

Law firm Mills & Reeve has strengthened its partnership with Small Woods through a five-year commitment to fund the installation of innovative acoustic monitoring devices from Chirrup.ai across the charity’s woodland sites. 

The devices, placed strategically at Edge Wood, Squatter’s Cottage, and the Green Wood Centre, enable continuous, non-intrusive monitoring of bird populations.

Early results are impressive with over 40 bird species identified, including six red list species recorded such as Spotted Flycatcher, Starling, and House Martin. 

Bio-indicator analysis placed Small Woods in the top quartile for woodland richness and trophic depth, reflecting a healthy, diverse ecosystem.

The top ten birds included familiar woodland favourites like Long-tailed Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, and Robin.

While Edge Wood emerged as a biodiversity hotspot, boasting unique species such as the Tawny Owl and Nuthatch, the Green Wood Centre showed slightly lower species numbers, likely due to human disturbance. 

The data also highlighted areas for improvement, such as insect richness and hedgerow habitats, guiding future conservation actions.

Recommendations include fencing scrub to protect ground-nesting birds, moderate thinning to enhance canopy quality, installing nesting boxes, and planting native wildflowers to boost insect and granivore populations.

Jessica Wilkes-Ball, head of sustainability and net zero at Mills & Reeve, said: “This project demonstrates how technology can support nature recovery.

“We’re proud to help Small Woods gather insights that will guide future conservation efforts and ensure these woodlands thrive for generations to come.”

Watch this video to find out more: https://youtu.be/VSiCklUOc2M