Integrated ecological monitoring in Wales: the Glastir Monitoring and Evaluation Programme field survey

Abstract. The Glastir Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (GMEP) ran from 2013 until 2016 was probably the most comprehensive programme of ecological study ever undertaken at a national scale in Wales. aimed to (1) set up an evaluation environmental effects agri-environment scheme (2) quantify status trends across wider countryside focus on outcomes for climate change mitigation, biodiversity, soil water quality, woodland expansion, cultural landscapes. As such, GMEP included large field-survey component, collecting data range elements including vegetation, land cover use, soils, freshwaters, birds, insect pollinators three-hundred 1 km survey squares throughout field capitalised upon UK Centre Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) Countryside Survey Great Britain, which has provided extensive repeated, standardised measurements since 1978. design both UKCEH involved stratified-random sampling grid, ensuring proportional representation classes with distinct climate, geology physical geography. Data were collected different types landscape features by trained professional surveyors, following published protocols. Thus, designed so that surveys could be repeated regular intervals monitor Welsh environment, impacts interventions. One such repeat is scheduled 2021 under Environment Rural Affairs Modelling (ERAMMP). have been used address many applied policy questions, but there major potential further analyses. precise locations collection are not publicly available, largely reasons landowner confidentiality. However, wide variety available datasets can analysed coarse spatial resolutions linked each other based square-level plot-level identifiers, allowing exploration relationships, trade-offs synergies. This paper describes key sets raw arising co-located sites (2013 2016). these digital object identifiers (DOIs): Landscape (Maskell et al., 2020a–c), https://doi.org/10.5285/82c63533-529e-47b9-8e78-51b27028cc7f, https://doi.org/10.5285/9f8d9cc6-b552-4c8b-af09-e92743cdd3de, https://doi.org/10.5285/f481c6bf-5774-4df8-8776-c4d7bf059d40; Vegetation plots (Smart 2020), https://doi.org/10.5285/71d3619c-4439-4c9e-84dc-3ca873d7f5cc; Topsoil physico-chemical properties (Robinson 2019), https://doi.org/10.5285/0fa51dc6-1537-4ad6-9d06-e476c137ed09; meso-fauna (Keith https://doi.org/10.5285/1c5cf317-2f03-4fef-b060-9eccbb4d9c21; particle size distribution (Lebron https://doi.org/10.5285/d6c3cc3c-a7b7-48b2-9e61-d07454639656; Headwater stream quality metrics (Scarlett 2020a), https://doi.org/10.5285/e305fa80-3d38-4576-beef-f6546fad5d45; Pond 2020b), https://doi.org/10.5285/687b38d3-2278-41a0-9317-2c7595d6b882; Insect pollinator flower (Botham https://doi.org/10.5285/3c8f4e46-bf6c-4ea1-9340-571fede26ee8; Bird counts (Siriwardena https://doi.org/10.5285/31da0a94-62be-47b3-b76e-4bdef3037360.