Eco- therapy! Richard Mabey explains.

There is an interesting comparison between this post and my last. In this post the message is the value of getting involved with nature. In my last post it was all about human beings being totally disconnected from nature in the pursuit of wealth, power and denigration of fellow human beings who dared to say no.


I am rapidly becoming a Richard Mabey fan. Although I've read some of his many books and articles and admired his literary skills nothing has connected with me as much as listening to a BBC video of a programme on BBC World Service.

A friend sent me this photo taken in their garden. Its a common spider which can change its colour to suit its location.


If you are interested in nature or the conservation of wildlife in any way at all then I hope that listening to this programme you will find as I have done a new value, purpose and benefit  in the pursuit of your interest.

Here is a link to the BBC programme recording :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00z9srx/Health_Check_Ecotherapy/


or use this URL


http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00z9srx/Health_Check_Ecotherapy

I have in the last year or two attended a workshop arranged by Somerset Wildlife Trust with MIND on the subject of mental health but I dont recall it as being as relevant as this programme on Eco Therapy.

Donald Trump and Neighbourhood Planning.

I've just watched a programme about how Donald Trump has moved heaven and earth  ( and half of Scotland's most valuable coastal sand dunes) to start building a new housing estate and two golf courses  despite informed opposition.  I see it as a classic case of wealthy developers finding a way round the normal rules. Its shows how the interests of a global property developer can override environmental considerations and local opposition on the basis of doubtful estimates of economic gain and as a result, obtain planning permission.
Here is a link to view the BBC2 programme:

Click here:

or use this URL

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nln7g/Youve_Been_Trumped/

You can get further information from here:      here  or use this URL:

  http://www.trippinguptrump.com

Jersey Tiger moth. Euplagia quadripunctaria.

Apologies for the break in posting on this Blog, all down to the usual excuses, too many to list!

However today I received my regular email from Somerset Wildlife Trust giving me a selection of recent photos of nature subjects. One in particular caught my attention and the URL below is a link to the SWT Flickr account. Its shows a moth but taken from an unusual angle which made me doubt the identification until I had worked out what I was seeing.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/somersetwildlife/8112037645/

For comparison I have added my own view of the moth seen flying during the day in our very small wildlife garden.  Looks a bit worn !

Jersey Tiger  Euplagia quadripunctaria.

And here is another link to the SWT collection showing a better looking specimen:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/somersetwildlife/8112047938/in/photostream

Volunteering

I've copied this from an email and its lost some format but I'll leave it here and see if I can do something about it!

Some extracts from our SWT e letter 

September News
Liz Francis - Volunteering Administrator, Somerset Wildlife Trust			It's been a busy couple of months! Thanks to all those of you who have supported the Trust's surveys and events over the summer.  Despite the weather's best efforts at sabotage our volunteers have yet again shown they won't be beaten! Those of you who fulfil key volunteer roles for SWT will be receiving a letter from us in the next couple of months with a key volunteer agreement to sign and return.  If you have any questions about this please speak to your main contact at SWT or contact Janet Keeble, Community and Volunteering Manager, who we have recently welcomed back from maternity leave: Janet.Keeble@somersetwildlife.org.   In this edition of the volunteer e-newsletter we've got some great updates from various volunteer groups throughout the county.  If you are thinking of getting involved with a group but haven't yet taken the first step we've got a number of ways you can start.  What are you waiting for? Liz liz.francis@somersetwildlife.org Help us protect important habitats within Somerset  The Sedgemoor Conservation Volunteers are an established group who  carry out practical tasks on a wide range of nature reserves. They have a couple of dates coming up on SWT reserves; Sunday 23rd September at Great Breach Wood where they will be clearing glades of cut grass, and Sunday 7th October at Westhay Moor where they will be removing scrub.   Details of how to get involved are here.      The Sedgemoor Conservation Volunteers The East Poldens Conservation Volunteers are a small friendly group who are keen to expand and welcome new faces No experience needed, just enthusiasm and a desire to help SWT on their nature reserves. For more information and to book please contact Mark: mark.green@somersetwildlife.org or 01823 652408.   You can view details of all the Conservation Volunteer Groups here Mark Green, Reserve Manager

Marine Life in Lyme Bay.

Our next public meeting is on thursday September 20th in Somerton at 7.30 pm till about 9 .00 pm
United Reform Church Hall.

Title:

Marine Life in Lyme Bay.

Peter Glanville shares some of his images of and observations on the marine life in this area.

Tea and coffee available.

All welcome;

£2.50 contribution to cost of hire of the hall.

Meadow crisis over!

Update on my previous post.

A bit of luck led us to a farmer who has the right size of equipment and has  now already cut our field last Thursday, back yesterday to turn the grass over and so it should be baled and removed soon.
Not many butterflies flying now!! Scabious cut down still in flower but many had already seeded. They always come back and even spread.
Took some photos of berries on new hedge for the Somerset Hedge Group photography competition but not expecting to show in the winners list!

The photos below show the baling in progress.

 After turning to dry out the grass it was then turned a second time to pile it into ridges ready for baling

This seems to be a Slow Worm caught out in the open  during the hay cutting or the subsequent  turning. It appeared undamaged but also seems quite dead. Also found a dead shrew.

 About a quarter of the field had less grass than the rest.

This is the relatively small tractor and baler.

Hay now baled. For comparison he collected 20 bales on the adjacent field owned by the local Council and 18 on our slightly smaller field. All done in dry weather in four days.

Meadow crisis

Meadow crisis.

Problems with getting the hay cut!


Have just finished pulling Ragwort.


Contractors who do hay cutting are using such large machines , year by year getting bigger that our 4 acre meadow is now too small to be worth while.
Our gate onto a small lane is not big enough for the machine to get in the field or to get a trailer in to take away the bales.
Probably because we have encouraged Yellow Rattle, in some parts of the field the grass is described as just weeds !  ( weeds indeed!)
Maybe it could be better used for silage?
What about topping it. I think that means just cutting but not baling and removing.
Possibly because we have had a wet summer grasses everywhere have been growing strongly so our small field is not very appealing for hay making.

Now looking for a plan B or C.

Will keep you posted.

Bat enquiries, questions, conservation.

When I check the stats provided for my Blog the subject of Bats comes up as a top ten reason for visits,
Especially people searching with Google. I'm not well informed on the subject so a good way to help local residents in Somerset is to suggest they visit the specialist Group shown below.

Use this link to visit:   

I recommend anyone interested in Bats to join their Bat Group
Lou is also the Chair of the SWT Yeovil Area Group

Somerset Bat Group

Home

Events

Links

Somerset Bat Group was formed in 1985 to help protect bats in Somerset
We are affiliated to the Bat Conservation Trust (the national organisation for bat protection) and Somerset Wildlife Trust

Somerset has 15 of the 16 species of British Bats and we still haven’t given up on the 16th. Some species are more common than others and some are endangered. The Bat Group is actively engaged in varied activities to help preserve these fascinating creatures.

Several of our members run Bat Walks in the Summer. We give talks to local groups, install and check bat boxes and during the Winter hold workshops and courses in Bat Care, Analysing Bat Sound, and Bat Identification.

If you are interested in joining us the please contact secretary Lou Pickersgill, 
phone 01935 862468, or send £5 subs to Lou at 3 Odcombe Hollow, East Chinnock, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 9DW.

© Somerset Bat Group 2009: Bechstein's Bat photo © Paul Kennedy

Wildlife Friendly Gardening

I've just managed to find all six parts of the RHS series, published in their magazine called The Garden, which they call Living Gardens. Published every month since April 2012. The RHS is part of a group of organisations with a common interest in wild life but covering a wide range of interests.  The leading group is Natural England and you can find out more by using the link below.

Natural England - Getting involved


The key words are :   getting involved.  In Somerset the Wildlife Trust will help you.

Wildlife Gardening Forum

Natural England is a leading member of the forum, which includes over 150 conservation organisations, agencies, horticultural organisations and media with an interest in wildlife gardening. Individual gardeners are welcome to join too.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth

The forum’s objectives are to:

• Cultivate a responsible attitude to the natural environment among gardeners and the garden industry.
• Gather evidence about the benefits to people and biodiversity of wildlife gardening.
• Pass on information helping people make well-informed choices about their gardening activities.
• Help link people and nature through gardens, to encourage a deeper appreciation of biodiversity and sustainability.

The Forum Manifesto: (2.1mb) sets out the main issues for wildlife gardening we are tackling. Organisations joining are asked to sign up to the manifesto.

We have produced Bringing your Garden to Life: (5.35mb) which sets out ten simple gardening practises to make your garden alive with wildlife.

Members of the forum have worked to produce The Big Wildlife Garden, a fantastic resource for everything you need to know about wildlife gardening and join friends doing it too.

You could help in one of the forum’s working groups. These include research needs, developers and planning, human health and well being, and training and education. The Plants for Bugs Project at RHS Wisley, is a forum research project looking at the importance of native and non-native garden plants for supporting biodiversity.

We hold conferences and produces newsletters about new findings, case studies and member’s work and events. Visit the how to join page if you would like to be a forum member as an individual or as an organisation. There is no charge to be a member.

The Heat of the Moment

The Heat of the Moment

Another Block Buster from George!

When I have read it again I'll try to comment. Just thinking about its subject is challenging enough right now.