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Sunday, May 28, 2006

A successful first meeting and other news

My last post looked forward to our first open meeting on May 19th for members and the public (if interested). By all accounts it was a considerable success. A team of speakers from the Trust gave a series of short presentations on many aspects of the work of the trust. Its was informative and equally important for me was that it gave members the opportunity to see people we usually only hear about in the Trusts magazine. Feedback from the audience of over 80 was very positive and gives our new group a strong basis on which to plan for the future.

This is a busy time of the year and following the meeting it was necessary to deliver the display stand and merchandise to a Wild Life group running a stall at the Langport River Festival. The volunteers from Fyne Court had an uncomfortable morning with wind and rain which only cleared up after lunch. Luckily they were under cover in a marquee.

On the 23rd I joined a small group of enthusiasts at West Sedgemoor RSPB reserve for a couple of hours walk about and observation of the herons nesting in Swell Wood. It was more difficult to see the nests and the birds high up in the trees now that leaves are fully out. Impressive number of house martins and swallows flying very low and heard a cuckoo away in the woods.

On the 24th I met up with an agroecologist conducting a survey of the flora on a 4 acre field near Curry Rivel. This is an unimproved grass and wild flower meadow which a local group is trying to manage to conserve the rich flora and butterfly population which was seen in great abundance last summer. When the report on the field is received the group will need to draw up a management plan for the annual maintenance of the field and hedges.

To continue this exceptional week a small number of our local group coordinating committee met on 25th in the evening to review the meeting on the 19th and to start to consider our next moves. It was considered essential now to formalise our informal group by creating an appointed committee , establishing a method for contacting all our local members and nor just those on email and preparing a programme for the next 12 months.
A date will be set for a full meeting of all our coordinating group of about a dozen members to work this all out by mid June.

In the mean time we have to organise a stall at the Langport International Walking Festival on the 3 and 4th of June ( and do some walking!)