Wildlife issues to be put to general election candidates/

I am pleased to see the Wildlife Trusts publishing their concerns and their advice to us as members to allow us to raise these important issues with our candidates before we vote.

An extract from an email from the Somerset Wildlife Trust to its members

I’m sure you also know how unique, beautiful and precious our natural heritage is in Somerset. We have wonderful moors, a stunning coastline, rolling farmland, picturesque towns and villages with the added jewels of the unique wetlands in the Levels and Moors, Exmoor National Park and four Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We are passionate to secure a positive deal for the UK’s wildlife in the upcoming election, during the BREXIT negotiations and following our departure from the European Union.

The rewards for making the right decisions would also be great: a UK which is a world-leader on the environment with clean air, clear water, a stable climate, healthy seas, beautiful landscapes and thriving wildlife in the places we care about most. All this is fundamental to the well-being and prosperity of our own and future generations.

We know that there is huge popular support for wildlife and the environment from people of all backgrounds. In a recent YouGov poll, 80% of people said they think the UK should have the same or stronger environmental protection after it leaves the EU.

The Wildlife Trusts would therefore like to see all parties commit to:

1. Nature's recovery in a generation. To achieve this will require us to transfer all current EU environmental laws into statute in the UK and ensure they are policed, and in England, to enact an Environment Act that restores the ecology of our rivers, farmland, soils and cities.
2. Protection of our marine wildlife through a well enforced and complete network of marine protected areas in UK seas and sustainable fisheries policies.
3. New sustainable policies for our farmland to allow wildlife to thrive alongside food production. Taxpayer’s money should be invested in creating abundant wildlife, healthy soils, clean water, climate change mitigation and beautiful landscapes for the benefit of everyone.

Take action! You can help give wildlife a safer future. Candidates will be talking to you on your doorsteps and in your streets. You can let them know how much wildlife matters to you, and ask them what they plan to do to help it thrive. We’ve set out a few simple questions you can ask yourself and share with family and friends who share your commitment to the natural world? What will your party do to ensure we our wildlife laws remain strong and that steps are taken to restore the damage we have done to nature? If you've got a bit longer, why not ask: Specifically for England, will you commit to an ambitious new Environment Act? What will your party do to ensure that wildlife thrives in our seas once more? If you want more detail, ask them: Will you make sure that more marine protected areas are designated and policed? What will you party do to ensure we have new farming policies in each part of the UK to provide for nature’s recovery? More specifically: Will you make sure that any payments to farmers are for positive environmental action?

Rewild the Child , George Monbiot.

Link here:                                  Rewild the Child


This is how it starts:


A week in the countryside is worth three months in a classroom.

By George Monbiot, published in the Guardian 8th October 2013
What is the best way to knacker a child’s education? Force him or her to spend too long in the classroom.
An overview of research into outdoor education by King’s College London found that children who spend time learning in natural environments “perform better in reading, mathematics, science and social studies.”(1) Exploring the natural world “makes other school subjects rich and relevant and gets apathetic students excited about learning.”

My own experience confirms all this. As a member of the Somerset Wildlife Trust and our local wildlife Group the experience opens up a view of the world which is fascinating and leads into many other avenues of life . All our activities are open to young people especially our Watch Club.

As a member of Langport Runners , assisting in the management of our Junior Athletic Club I am constantly amazed at the enthusiasm of our young members. Recently we have been involving them as much as possible in the coaching sessions so that older 14 year olds can act as Leaders for some of the time. It works very well.

I cant explain it as well as George  so please read his article and use the link above.

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

Economic Growth, Wildlife and the New Economic Forum.

Before getting on my soap box about Economic Growth and Wildlife I'd like to show you a few more photos from our own small wildlife garden area which has an equally small pond!

Recent photos from our wildlife garden

An insect on Wild Carrot

Bumble Bee on a Spear Thistle flower head.

I was really pleased to find this Dragonfly apparently laying eggs on an old log at the side of our small pond. I thought they laid their eggs in or on aquatic plants.

But here is the subject of this post.

Statements in the news bulletins today and speeches by the Governor of the Bank of England managed to relate the UK economy with the sporting performances in the Olympic Games. If only we could all work together with a common goal of reestablishing economic growth we will all be OK.

Surely everyone who has been around for a few years must know that continuous economic growth year in and year out can only end in disaster for our beautiful Somerset and our planet.

That's why I have become interested in the work of the New Economic Forum. 

Below is an extract from their web site:

*******************************************************

"Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist" - Kenneth Boulding

There is nothing ‘natural’ about our current economic arrangements. They have been consciously designed to achieve a simple objective: growth. But growth is not making us happier, it is creating dysfunctional and unequal societies, and if it continues will make large parts of the planet unfit for human habitation.

We need to do things differently, and soon.

This means starting from first principles and building a new model for how the economy functions. Right now every one of us is dependent on growth. The way our economy is structured means that unless there is growth people lose their jobs, the tax base shrinks and politicians struggle to fund the public services we all rely on every day.

At nef, we want to break that vicious cycle by building a new macro-economic model that is geared not towards growth, but towards achieving the outcomes that are important to society and that can be sustained by the planet's finite carrying capacity. 

Campaign for the Protection of Rural England

There is unprecedented activity by all the major environmental groups, all saying much the same thing, all demanding the Government to think again about its planned changes to planning law.
So accepting a risk of boring my readers I am posting on this reference to the CPRE campaign. You might agree that it is of considerable interest to compare the approach adopted by the environmental groups. Its the sort of topic I could easily have come across in my Open University studies!
So here is the CPRE approach:
Click here to visit their web site.
or use this url.
http://www.cpre.org.uk/magazine/opinion/item/2561-icons-of-england-come-to-the-defence-of-the-countryside

Bill Bryson and friends stand up for the countryside

Led by CPRE President Bill Bryson, 16 major public figures have issued the following joint statement urging the Government to rethink changes to the planning system which threaten the countryside:

"We urge ministers to listen to the deep concerns being expressed by people across the country".

"The NPPF marks a significant relaxation of protection for the majority of our countryside — so-called “ordinary countryside”. It also moves away from a “brownfield first” approach to development that has been in place since 1995."

"In the final stages of the government's public consultation on the draft NPPF, we urge ministers to listen to the deep concerns being expressed by people across the country and make substantial changes that will protect and enhance our extraordinary countryside for generations to come." Bill Bryson President, Campaign to Protect Rural England


I like the reference to the " ordinary countryside"  which happens to fit nicely with views expressed so vividly by Richard Maybe in his books "Nature Cure" and "The Unofficial Countryside" .

Tim Jackson and "Prosperity without Growth"

Over breakfast this morning I casually picked up and revisited the concluding chapter in Tim Jackson's book, "Prosperity without Growth"
It immediately made me think about all the drama unfolding around the world over the lack of economic growth  and the debt problem. The party conferences are fighting about who is doing most to get the economy going again.
In this brief post I am giving you a link to a talk given by Tim Jackson.
Click here to view the talk.
Its the first time I've seen Tim Jackson speak to an audience and for me its a very thought provoking experience. He does make reference to the natural world just in case your wondering!
I must come back to this topic again soon.

Or use this URL:
http://resolve.sustainablelifestyles.ac.uk/

Barcroft Hall, Somerset

This is a large private estate in Somerset which has attracted quite a bit of media coverage lately because the owner has created a 2 acre wild flower meadow out of old derelict farm land over the last two years or so. Abandoned buildings have been removed and the land worked on to make it suitable for planting wildflower seeds. This summer and up to the end of August visitors are invited to walk round the field on pathways kept for the purpose to admire this remarkable collection.

I visited last weekend and was surprised to see so many plants still in flower and more so the range of plants. There are some non native plants.
As a visual spectacle it certainly has the wow factor in big measure.

I recommend you visit before it is all over for this year.

Click here for a link. If that doesn't work use this URL:     http://barcrofthall.co.uk

This is the first year for this project and next year may be different and without in any way detracting from this achievement there may be ways in which it can be made even more interesting and wildlife friendly. I should add the conservationist have a wide rang of views on what they consider good practice so my views may not be the only way to go. I think you have to see it for yourself and then we can comment. Bearing in mind that if it wasn't for the private owner there would not be anything except derelict farm buildings to comment on.

For your interest here is a list of some of the flower growing on the field but not necessarily in flower for your visit in August:

Details taken from the Barcroft web site  ( any errors in transcribing the list especially in spelling will be mine!)




Ammobium alatum    Winged everlasting


Brachyscome iberidifolia   Swan River daisy


Calendula arvensis    Calendula


Chrysanthemum carinatum   Chrysanthemum


Cladanthus arabicus   Palm Springs daisy


Clarkia amoena     Farewell to spring


Collinsia bicolor    Chinese houses


Consolida regalis   Forking larkspur


Convolvulus tricolor  Morning glory


Coreopsis basalis      Golden Mane


Coreopsis tinctoria    Plains Coreopsis


Cosmos bipinnatus      Cosmos


Cosmos sulphureus      Sulphur Cosmos


Cynoglossum amabile    Chinese forgrt-me-not


Daucus carota          Wild carrot


Delphinium ajacis      Wild dephinium


Didiscus caerulea      Silver scabious


Echium vulgare         Viper’s bugloss


Eschscholtzia californica    Californian poppy


Gaillardia aristata     Blanket Flower


Gaillardia pulchella    Indian blanket



Gilia capitata       Blue field gilia


Gilia tricolor       Birds eye gilia


Gypsophila muralis     Baby’s breath


Helichrysum monstrosum    Dwarf everlasting flower


Helipterum roseum       Paper flower


Iberis amara         Dwarf candytuft


Iberis umbellata       Candytuft


Delphinium consolida     Larkspur


Lasthenia Californica     California goldfields


Lavatera Trimestris     Rose mallow


Leontodon hispidus      Rough hawkbit


Linaria maroccana      Spurred snapdragon



Linum grandiflorum     Scarlet flax


Linum usitatissimum     Blue flax


Lomas inodora         Yellow ageratum


Nemophila menziesii    Baby blue eyes


Origanum majorana      Origano


Nolana paradoxa        Wild bird


Papaver rhoeas        Poppy


Phacelia Campanularia   Californian bluebell


Phacelia Tanacetifolia   Lacy phacelia


Ratibida columnifera     Prairie coneflowers


Scabiosa columbaria      Scabious


Silene vulgaris      Catchfly



Tolpis barbata      Umbrella milkwort


Ursinia anethoides     Ursinia


Venidium fastuosum    Cape daisy


Viscaria occulta     Blue angel


Agrostemma githago    Corncockle


Chrysanthemum segetum  Corn marigold


Xeranthemum annuum    Everlasting flower


Zinnia elegans     Zinnia


Anthemis Arvensis    Corn Chamomile


Ammi majus      Queen Anne’s lace


Centaurea cyanus    Cornflower


Clarkia unguiculata    Mountain Garland

Climate change.

 Having posted my photos of frost pictures it might seem odd to make this next post.  But this subject is still with us and not going away and if the approach shown in the video is good one we should be doing our best to follow the advice offered.

I've just watched a YouTube video on this subject which is quite innovative in its approach to the arguments we have all seen for years now. Its not new and it has attracted a lot of sceptic comment as has the speaker Greg Craven ( see wikipedia ) but  I would be very interested to hear from anyone who watches it with your reaction to it.

Sustainable development.

 These are the grounds of Marston House near Frome the venue for the SWT AGM in 2008,
Chris Baines was the main speaker and gave a very stimulating presentation on " green infrastructure".

Following my rather haphazard policy of blogging anything at all connected with the natural environment, otherwise known as wildlife, I am showing details of a conference. Its being run by a consultancy which I came across when they were part of the Somerset Wildlife Trust AGM  two or three years ago. On that basis I think they are playing a useful part in helping to resolve 21 st century dilemmas. If you have been to one of their conferences I would like to hear from you. Such events cost money and probably only attract people working in the conservation world. Not me for instance, but it is good to see such work going on. As they say : "dialogue matters".

From:  dialogue matters ltd

Natural Connections - achieving more with less across rural & urban landscapes

Date: Thurs 17^th March 2011

Location: SOAS, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG

Green Infrastructure <> Natural Linkages &
lt;> Landscape Scale Change

This conference is about natural or semi natural networks that are managed, enhanced, created and designed to have multiple functions and deliver multiple benefits for people and nature.  This thinking is at the heart of planning “Green infrastructure” for sustainable development in urban and rural areas, core to the best  landscape scale projects,causing a rethink in river management and how best to manage protected landscapes and other areas.   Benefits can include improved public health and quality of life, adaptation to climate change, economic regeneration and growth, functional wildlife links,  flood control, recreation, and a host of other benefits.  This agenda also looks set to be an important element of the Natural Environment White Paper. But with fewer resources to achieve all this, it has never been more relevant  for public bodies, NGO’s, other interests and communities, to all work together to achieve more with less. Please join us on the 17th March 2011 to find out more about: §   the latest news on the White Paper and other drivers §   key concepts and evidence §   approaches and methods that work §   resources to help §   inspiring success stories Draft conference programme and booking form: http://www.dialoguematters.co.uk/registration.asp

dialogue matters ltd
ecological and environmental stakeholder dialogue
designing <> facilitating <> training

Email:   admin@dialoguematters.co.uk

Tel:       +44(0) 1233 813875

Web:     www.dialoguematters.co.uk

Heart of the Levels Wildlife Watch Club - Picasa Web Albums

Our new Watch Club for children and their parents is running well now. We are continuing to promote it through local schools and expect the numbers attending to pick up after the summer holidays.

Here are a few photographs of our last session .



Heart of the Levels Wildlife Watch Club - Picasa Web Albums

Wildlife Watch Club

Our new Watch Group  could do worse than admiring  beautiful wild flowers like the ones I photographed in my garden yesterday. Although they are similar I am fairly sure the first is Rough Hawbit and the second is Goats Beard which I had to catch in the morning before the flower closes up at noon! Hence its old name of Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon.

Now for a happy announcement.

A new Wildlife Watch Club will be launched on May 30th. Described by the Somerset Wildlife Trust as a fantastic club for nature lovers and their families to explore the wonderful world of wildlife.
Our Heart of the Levels Area volunteer Group is proud to be supporting this new venture. We have long wanted to boost our educational involvement in South Somerset and this is our big opportunity. We wish the club's leaders every success.Plese contact me through this Blog if you would like to find out more about this initiative.

Botany for Botanical Artists , Art and Wildlife

 

You are unlikely to recognise the subject in this photograph. It is showing grains of pollen attached  to the stigma of an ordinary Crocus plant  which are in flower in most of our gardens. The photograph was taken by John Bebbington FRPS and kindly made available for us to use for our Wildlife Group on this Blog.

John and Anne Bebbington came to live near Langport a few years ago and have become valuable supporters of our local group, giving talks, leading walks and giving us tremendous photographs of wildlife.We have supported Anne in starting a Botany Study Group based in Langport which has proved very successful and popular.

Anne combines expert knowledge of plants with great skill as an artist but most importantly an excellent teaching ability

Dr Anne Bebbington PhD,  is a botanist, natural history illustrator and formerly  senior ecology tutor for the Field Studies Council.  Anne is now starting a new venture in setting up and running a much needed course for botanical  artists.

The course starts in September 2010 and will combine botanical tuition with an opportunity to develop and practise illustration techniques.

 Working with Anne is Mary Brewin MSc PGCE Cert HE Botanical Illustration and also formerly senior ecology tutor at the Field Studies Council.

Anne and Mary will be the Course tutors.

The programme will consist of 10 linked workshops over a 12 month period. Between sessions participants will be given help and encouragement to complete an illustration based on the subject of the workshop.

The course will take place at " Nature in Art" , Twigworth, Gloucestershire. The workshops will run from 10.00 to 16.00 on one Saturday each month excluding December 2010 and August 2011. Here is a link to the venue. Click here

The course fee for the 12 month course covering tuition, support and use of the venue will be £398.

For more information call Anne at  ajbebbington@ukonline.co.uk or Mary at geoffreybrewin@btinternet.com

Closing date for applications is 30th April.

Biodiversity in Somerset

I've just received my copy of the newsletter from the Somerset Biodiversity Partnership. Its an interesting read. Apart from the content, with news about the SBP itself, there is information about the people involved in the implementation of the new set of Biodiversity Action Plans (usually referred to as BAP's). The Wildlife Trust has a big part to play in all this as it forms the essential ingredient under pinning all our work and interests. It seems clear to me that if biodiversity is destroyed or allowed to decline then that is the same thing as allowing wildlife to wither and die. That is something that members and volunteers with the Trust must aim to prevent.
The newsletter explains that there is an overarching strategy called Wild Somerset under which has been collected a large number of county wide and district level habitat and species action plans.
They range from county plans for hedgerows and hedge row trees to roadside verges and green lanes to local plans for native wild flowers of arable land.

All these it says can be accessed through the County Council web site. However I found the web address given in the newsletter appears to be incorrect so try this Link here which should show you the South Somerset District Plan. Otherwise go to the County Council web site and search for biodiversity.

A very impressive list of organisations have been working to produce these BAP,s including Exmoor National Park, Wessex Water, RSPB, the Drainage Boards, and of course the Wildlife Trusts. Twenty two in total.

In conclusion it seems that these set of documents will become the focus for the work of all conservation in Somerset. I hope through our Group we can make use of the BAP's t0 learn a great deal about wildlife in our County

Wildlife identification

As you may realise I spent 6 years studying part time with the OU and ended up in 2006 with a BSc Hons, Open Degree, specialising in human geography and the environment. Since then I have become involved , as a volunteer , with the Somerset Wildlife Trust and spent a lot of time photographing wildlife and trying to identify a wide range of plants and insects. That is not always easy and I make do with my own efforts with key books and sometimes contacting people who know more than I do. So this week I was very interested to get details of the OU iSpot web site which you can find here.

I've started to explore its potential for helping amateur naturalists to acquire a better understanding of the wildlife they are exploring. Its very early days for the web site as it is with my use of it but I have started by registering and posting my first message with a photograph of a moth hoping to get confirmation of its name etc. We will see how it goes and I will add posts to let you know how I get on.
Let me know if you try it and what you think of it by adding a comment to this message.

Climate Change news

I haven't said much about this subject for some time. It is a constant theme in wildlife conservation now and came up again yesterday at a meeting I attended to discuss Somerset Wildlife Trust future approach to the "Living Landscape" concept. The Trust it was said must keep the probable effects of climate change in mind it setting its long term goals.

Last night by coincidence I listened to the Dimbleby Lecture given by Prince Charles. It led me to check out the UN web sites covering the G8 conference and the forthcoming Copenhagen Conference. You can read the speech at this link.

All of these links can be a bit overwhelming and I think the UN is on the right track to run a simple campaign to get signatures on a petition to be used to get world governments to take action.

I have signed the petition on line and I am number 5092 on the list shown so its early days.

If you agree with me that we should do something to help the process along then you can find the petition at this link.

Parish and Town Councils

For this post which is I think the 200th post since I started this blog I thought I would follow up an idea which seems important to me and for the Wildlife conservation movement as a whole.
I am encouraged by the outspoken statement by the Somerset Wildlife Trust questioning the intentions of the new County Council following the change of political control. Also I am motivated by my long running attempt to persuade my local parish council to adopt a meadow as a nature reserve. Finally I am inspired by reading a book called " How to be Wild" by Simon Barnes.
The idea is that we as a local group of the SWT should make contact with the 18 parishes and two Town Councils in our area and ask them to answer questions about their activities concerning the environment. A few will be able to point to actions taken or supported.Many will find it hard to show much hard evidence. Put like this it doesn't sound very dramatic. However the point is that these authorities are the front line of governmental action on the environment and are pretty much allowed to do what they like with local matters such as setting up nature reserves or deciding on grass cutting of verges and grassy open areas. They can therefor do a great deal of damage or can do a great service to local environmental well being.

All I need to do is persuade our committee and get someone to help with telephone calls and letter writing and we can get started!!

"Plantlife"

Twice in one week I have been very pleased to welcome conservationists to have a good look at our local meadow. This is a private nature reserve.


The photo of one of our visitors was taken this week and the colourful Grass vetchling was a new species found on the field last summer.

Today it was people from "Plantlife".
They were interested to hear about our 4 years of looking after a 4 acre grass meadow and how we had started with no experience in such management undertakings. The field is only just coming to life but should have more to offer visitors over the next few months. We hope that our mutual interests can come together so that we can welcome school parties and groups of volunteers who might use the field for visits to practice plant identification , help with surveys and maybe even hedge maintenance and laying. Over the next month or so we will try to work out a possible programme.
There is a great potential for us to learn from being involved in such a project so that our field increases its ecological value and interest.


Here is an extract from their web site:

*********************************************************************************

Who we are, what we do…in the UK

Plantlife is a charity working to protect Britain’s wild flowers and plants, fungi and lichens in the habitats in which they are found.

We were established in 1989 after a meeting of conservationists and botanists, led by Professor David Bellamy, called for a new organisation, an 'RSPB for plants', to champion wild plant conservation. Today, Plantlife is the leading charity working to protect wild plants and their habitats with national offices in England, Scotland and Wales. HRH The Prince of Wales is our Patron and Adrian Darby OBE our President.

Plantlife identifies and conserves sites of exceptional botanical importance, rescues wild plants on the brink of extinction and works to ensure that common plants don’t become rare in the wild. We are a Lead Partner in the Government’s Biodiversity Action Plan (which targets the UK’s Priority Species and Habitats for conservation action) and are responsible for conserving over 100 of the UK’s most threatened plants and fungi. We do this by:

As the UK’s only membership charity dedicated to the conservation of wild plants, we encourage everyone to become a member of Plantlife. Your support helps us to get the message across that the UK’s flora is, quite simply, the bedrock upon which all our wildlife rests.

*********************************************************************************

Wildflower meadow campaign

My first post in 2009 is a few extracts from a letter I have written to my local Council which tries to give good reasons for keeping a 4 acre field as a local nature reserve rather than use it for building tennis courts, bowls club or just more football pitches.

"20 th December 2008

Dear Councillor,

Nature Reserve and Wildflower Meadow,

As the Council expects to be discussing the future of the old field at its meeting in January, may we remind you of the benefits of adopting the field as a nature reserve and wildflower meadow.

( local school children on a field visit on an adjoining farm during the Kingfisher Project)

A new path winds its way round all sides of the field providing a well cut, firm and reasonably level path. The path is intended to provide access for everyone including those with disabilities, so that all can appreciate the natural beauty of the meadow. It can also be used as a fitness trail. (Visitor numbers are rising steadily.)

( Oct 2008 view of walking / jogging trail round field)

Leading off the main trail will be smaller paths cut into the centre of the field, and from April through to July and usually into August you will be able to get close to both Pyramidal and Bee Orchids.

( Bee Orchid)

You will see many fine examples of the interesting and attractive Broomrape, looking similar to the orchids, and which grows and flowers as a parasitic plant, usually on the roots of clover.

(Broomrape)

Numerous butterflies of a dozen or so species will be seen all over the field and birds will be attracted by the trees. At the eastern end is a mature blackthorn hedge, which in the spring looks magnificent in a total covering of blossom, later to become sloes. This bushy hedge is a haven for birds and other wildlife including the scarce Brown Hairstreak butterfly whose eggs can be seen during the winter by close inspection of the young hedge growth. In the spring there are large clumps of cowslips to admire. The path loops round so that you can enjoy the full spread of the blackthorn in bloom and then turns along the southern side.

(massed white blossom on blackthorne)

Yellow Rattle has been introduced in the field, which has the effect of reducing the growth of the grasses and this in turn helps the more delicate wildflowers. However the grasses are home for the lovely Marbled White butterfly which in a good year can be seen in great numbers.

If you stop to look carefully at the grasses you will find several species of grasshopper, the very impressive Great Green Bush Cricket and no doubt many other insects and moths. There are small mammals in and around the edges of the field and from time to time larger birds can be seen such as Sparrow Hawks, Kestrels and Buzzards and even optimistic Herons. A survey of birds in the field taken in 2007 showed a total of 21 species which we anticipate will increase in coming years. Along the southern boundary, in the adjoining field, a new hedge with seven native hedging plants was created in 2007 and has taken well in its first year. This hedge will begin to flower and produce berries even during its second year and this will be an attractive addition to the landscape and a major boost to the bird population in particular. The hedge plant list is: Blackthorn, Quickthorn, Field Maple, Spindle, Wayfaring Tree, Wild Privet and Dogwood. The next few years will see the trees and new hedge adding to the attractiveness of the meadow and increasing populations of wildlife and wildflowers. Educational visits will be encouraged for all ages to experience this fine example of a rapidly vanishing feature of Somerset life."

Except where stated the photographs have all been taken on the field at various times.

BBC Breathing Places Programmes

I hope the BBC don't mind me giving their programme a bit of publicity. This series of programmes and their newsletter seem to be very relevant to the work of the SWT and our local group. Here is their October newsletter.



October 2008

bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/


Welcome to October's edition of the BBC Breathing Places newsletter. Autumn has arrived and the cosy knits are out of the wardrobe! Did you catch our September edition? If not, read on to find out what's going on this autumn and what you can do to get involved.

Do One Thing - Make a hedgehog home

At this time of year hedgehogs will start collecting leaves, grass and other materials to build snug nests in which to hibernate. Why not help them along by making your own hedgehog home? It's easier than you think! In fact, many gardens already have natural materials that can provide perfect hibernation spots. Hedgehogs will happily nest behind log piles or under compost heaps, shrubs, piles of building materials and sheds.

If you're feeling particularly adventurous you could even try building a more permanent structure. There are different options to choose from, including simple, cardboard boxes and crates, as well as 'designer', home-made, wooden boxes.

SWAT Revisited

SWAT's back, which means many of you will be getting the chance to see the Springwatch Action Teams returning to your local area this autumn. To reflect the new season, we've renamed the volunteers Autumnwatch Action Teams. They'll be checking out how the transformations kicked off in June have progressed and they'll also be running some new events.

To celebrate the work achieved to date and the upcoming activities, our colleagues on Autumnwatch will be bringing you the lowdown on what's happening all over the country - so keep your eyes peeled (Autumnwatch runs Monday to Friday, 8pm, BBC Two until 6 November).

Partner of the Month - The Bat Conservation Trust

Bats are fantastic creatures and an important part of our natural environment. There are 17 species of bat in the UK, all of which are protected by law because their numbers have decreased so dramatically. The Bat Conservation Trust formed in 1990, is dedicated to protecting bats and ensuring they thrive in our modern world. This means that they can be enjoyed by many generations to come.

The Bat Conservation Trust is an umbrella organisation for a large number of UK bat groups. It also provides support, training, advice and a national voice for bat conservation as a whole. So, if you have a passion for bats, the BCT is a great place to start and offers lots of ways for you to get involved in helping your local bat community - from fundraising to volunteering and bat-counting projects!

Next Month

Breathing Places has teamed up with CBeebies on their new series The Green Balloon Club - a brand new programme aimed at encouraging children to get involved with nature. This autumn, we are offering children the chance to get a special Green Balloon Club Kit, featuring a bird seed cake and sticker selection. We hope that children all around the UK will hang up their seed cake, helping to ensure that birds get fed well this Christmas. To get a free kit, check out The Green Balloon Club on CBeebies from Friday 7 November.

Wild Week

Fancy getting in touch with your wild side this autumn? Why not check out one of our partner events? A particular favourite for this month is Wild Week (25 October to 9 November). There's lots of other ways you can get close to nature this Autumn. Why not download our pocket guide and 'Sounds of the Night' CD and Discover the Dark Side


Events Coming Up

Organisers of Wild Week - BTCV and The Wildlife Trusts - will be running hundreds of events across the UK to celebrate nature. And they're not alone: many of the UK's largest and best-known conservation organisations are also joining in. So, whether you'd like to find out more about bats or take an autumn wildlife walk, we've got an event to suit. Find events in your area

Educational project: The Kingfisher Project

Following on from my September 7th post( which including photos) I have also sent this write up for publication in the Wildlife Trust's next magazine.

The Kingfisher Project.

Somerset Wildlife Trust was part of a fantastic schools learning project this summer which was the brainchild of poet laureate, the late Ted Hughes. The Scheme has been running successfully in Devon since 1992.
The Kingfisher Award Scheme was set up in Somerset by Michael Brown who recently retired from running the Brown and Forrest Smokery in Hambridge.
Its objective is to make children aware of the relationship between wildlife and farming; to look at habitats in detail, and to inspire them generally with a life-long interest in the country.
It is funded by a small number of donors, farmers and landowners and by Michael Brown himself running a marathon!
Children from six primary schools ( approx 180 children over three days) visited a farm near Curry Rivel to learn about wildlife in the open, and by discovery which are the two main themes of the Kingfisher Award - and having fun!
Children were also able to see close up a live barn owl and learnt how they hunt and what they eat by dissecting owl pellets (very popular!). They were able to look at the skulls of small mammals and follow this up by seeing how they can be studied by trapping voles, mice and shrews, to be released unharmed back in their habitat.
Dudley Cheesman SWT Council Member and chair of the Somerset branch of Butterfly Conservation, showed some live specimens of local butterflies and moths.
David German, chair of the Heart of the Levels Area Group was one of the project volunteers

Back in the classroom children spent a month working together to research and create displays that reflected their experience in the field.
Their work was judged at a special presentation day at Home Farm, Curry Rivel.
A panel of three judges (including SWT’s Lisa Schneidau, responsible for the Wildlife Trust’s Living Landscape projects and Jean Cheesman and farm owner Henry Lang) talked to the children about their work before prizes were awarded.
First prize of a hand carved Kingfisher Trophy as well as a day in class with the famous willow worker, Serena de la Hay, went to Curry Mallet Primary School Runners-up were Huish Primary School.
Next years project is scheduled for June 8th 2009.