17th August
2020 Vision
Shropshire Wildlife Trust has signed up as a partner to an ambitious visual media project involving 20 of the UK's top wildlife photographers. Together with a team of videographers, sound recordists, writers and designers, they will put together resources to entertain and engage people about the natural world. To find out more visit their website.
10th August
Pontesford Hill appeal: it’s off to a flying start
£23,500 donated in first week of appeal
Shropshire Wildlife Trust is supporting Pontesbury residents in their bid to buy Pontesford Hill. “Local people care passionately about Pontesford Hill and securing its future is a matter of great concern,” said John Hughes of Shropshire Wildlife Trust.
The Forestry Commission took out a 999-year lease on the hill in the 1950s, before the Trust acquired the freehold of both Pontesford Hill and neighbouring Earl’s Hill in 1964. The latter became the Trust’s first nature reserve, a marvellous haven for wildflowers, butterflies and birds.
“Pontesford Hill is hugely important to the people of Pontesbury and beyond. The woods are valuable for wildlife and there is great potential for gradual restoration. It could become a significant part of the natural landscape, extending the wildlife-rich areas reaching across from the Stiperstones ridge,” said John Hughes.
You can make a secure donation to the Pontesford Hill Appeal. All donations, large or small, will be most welcome.
Friends of Pontesford Hill
People campaigning to save Pontesford Hill have formed a group, the Friends of Pontesford Hill, which will be associated with Shropshire Wildlife Trust. The campaign has got off to a tremendous start with £23,500 raised so far. “It’s been incredible,” said Brian Morris, chairman of the group.“Much of the income so far has been as a result of our first public meeting at the end of July when people were invited to make a pledge to donate." 
26th July
Fishing for pond skaters
Nick Baker catches flies with a miniature fishing rod to lure pond skaters skittering across a pond. Another delightful film on YouTube for Wildlife Watch. See it here.
22nd July
New ponds for dragonflies
Dragonflies and other wildlife will benefit from two new pools being created in north Shropshire thanks to a grant from the Carillion Natural Habitats Fund. Shropshire Wildlife Trust has teamed up with RAF Shawbury to dig a pond at Dawson’s Rough, next to St Mary’s Primary and a second pool will be excavated at Wood Lane nature reserve, Colemere.
To launch the project pupils from St Mary’s Primary came along to Dawson’s Rough with Shropshire Wildlife Trust. They looked at wildlife already present, using sweep nets to catch insects in the grass.The schoolchildren, their families and teachers will also be involved at further stages of the project with weekend events planned over the autumn and winter.
The pools will be constructed in the autumn and a boardwalk installed at Dawson’s Rough giving people excellent opportunities to see the wildlife that moves in.
Carillion supports Wildlife Trusts across the UK through its Natural Habitats Fund. It has not only enabled the Wildlife Trusts to secure some excellent gains for wildlife, but also given many people the chance to get closer to their local nature.
8th July
Buttercup delights botanists
The discovery of a corn buttercup at Pimhill Farm last week has amazed and delighted Shropshire’s botanists.It is 50 years since it was last recorded in the county and was believed to be extinct.
The solitary plant was found during an arable weeds training course at Pimhill run by Shropshire Wildlife Trust’s conservation officer, Fiona Gomersall through the Field Studies Council’s Biodiversity Training project.
It grows to about 50cm in height and has small pale yellow flowers which develop into striking-looking spiky seed heads that inspired its folk names: Devil's claws, Devil-on-all-sides, and hellweed.
Even in the mid-nineteenth century the corn buttercup was uncommon in Shropshire, though prolific further south in lowland England on heavy calcareous soils, where it was noted as a troublesome weed of cereal crops.
“This is an very exciting find,” said Fiona Gomersall.“It’s wonderful that this plant is still alive in Shropshire.Pimhill Farm has been organic for 61 years so it has had the best chance of survival here.”
7th July
Nick Baker and the back garden mole
The latest in our series of Nick Baker webfilms (produced for Wildlife Watch The Wildlife Trusts’ junior/family membership branch) is now available to view on the Wildlife Watch YouTube channel
Nick gets up close to a mole he found in his back garden, giving us a rare look at these fantastic, furry creatures.
7th June New sign unveiled at Melverley Meadows
A new illustrated sign was unveiled at Melverley Farm on Sunday 6th May. A swag of clematis was cut by Veronica Plant, daughter of Ivor Plant who owned the farm before Shropshire Wildlife Trust bought it in 1995. The family living in the Plants' former home were also present.
The meadows are rare survivors from another age, full of flowers of many kinds and brimming with insects, birds and other wildlife. The ceremony was followed by a guided walk with volunteer warden Cath Price around the hay meadows.
20th May 2010
Million pound lottery award for the Meres & Mosses
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has today earmarked a first-round pass* of £1,055,400 including £82,400 development funding under its Landscape Partnership (LP) programme for Shropshire Wildlife Trust to progress its plans to undertake conservation of the natural and historic environment within part of the Meres & Mosses area and to engage local people in looking after the landscape.
The project area is a swathe of land of around 150 sq km from Ellesmere, through Whitchurch to Malpas. It encompasses The Mere at Ellesmere, Wood Lane nature reserve, Colemere, the nature reserves of Fenns, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses and Wem Moss, Prees Heath, Whitchurch water vole sites and Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s HQ at Bickley Hall Farm.
The project partners include Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, Shropshire Council, Northern Marches Leader, Muller Dairies, Shropshire Sailing Club, Butterfly Conservation, Environment Agency, Walford & North Shropshire College.
The development phase of the project will last for a year and employ two staff. During this time the partnership will plan a major five-year delivery programme. So long as this meets the Heritage Lottery Fund’s criteria for landscape partnership schemes, substantial funding will then be awarded to implement the project.
It will be a wide-ranging project with a variety of outcomes. These are likely to include conservation work in the Meres & Mosses district, restoration of the control tower on Prees Heath, damson tree planting, assistance with the delivery of the environmental sections of parish plans, access improvements to local wetlands, projects with schools and training in heritage building skills and cheese making.
“Shropshire’s most underestimated treasures are in the limelight at last. This is a landscape shaped by ice and tamed by people over centuries that has created some of the finest places for wildlife in the region. This grant will enable us to help local people discover their neighbourhood nature and explore the wealth of other interests such as their history and archaeology,” said John Hughes, development manager for Shropshire Wildlife Trust.
“Landscapes play a huge role in all our lives but we mustn’t take them for granted. The Heritage Lottery Fund is delighted to be providing an initial investment into these exciting plans for the Meres and Mosses of Shropshire and Cheshire, particularly in this International Year of Biodiversity. We look forward to seeing the project progress over the next year or so,” said Anne Jenkins, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund West Midlands.
May 2010
Forest skills for teachers
Fifteen local school teachers will be taking part in a week-long Forest School course arranged by Shropshire Wildlife Trust from 24th – 28th May.The course is being run by the Forest School Learning Initiative at Shropshire Wildlife Trust’s centre in Shrewsbury and on the Ercall nature reserve, Wellington.
“There has been a great increase in interest in the Forest School experience in recent years,” said Helen Trotman of Shropshire Wildlife Trust, who will be assisting in the training event.There is strong evidence that children get healthier and happier through Forest School: they take fewer days off sick, have a longer concentration span and better co-ordination than those who remain inside for a more traditional education.
The relaxed environment also contributes to other aspects of child development; individuals who are struggling at school often come out of themselves in Forest School and the benefits spill over, back in the classroom.
Forest School involves spending at least half a day every week in a designated outdoor area where children are encouraged to meet simple challenges while working together as a team and to follow their natural curiosity to explore. The ability to assess hazards, identify risk and reduce that risk is something that becomes second nature to children as a result of time spent in the great outdoors.
The teachers, who are mostly from Telford & Wrekin schools, will spend time learning about the philosophy of Forest School, get to grips with the health and safety aspects of running the sessions and then take part in practical sessions, finding out about the flora and fauna of wild places and using tools to make things from materials found in the woods.
Bluebell time
Now is the time for bluebells.In one of the most wondrous sights of the year, bluebells appear in their thousands in woods, hedgebanks and clearings all over Britain, flooding together in a deep, watery blueness.
Sadly, our native bluebell is under threat both from hybridisation with the Spanish bluebell, a sturdier, less graceful species widely planted in parks and gardens. Climate change is also casting a shadow over its future with the prospect of trees leafing earlier and shading out flowers such as bluebells.
Seek them out while you can; you will find them on our nature reserves at the Ercall, Hope Valley, Earl’s Hill, Bushmoor Coppice and Llynclys Common – as well as many other places too.
April 2010
Dawn chorus
Shropshire Wildlife Trust is urging people to throw themselves out of bed while it’s still dark this weekend and tune into the dawn chorus - the ultimate male voice choir.
The Trust is running two events, one in Shrewsbury, along the Rea Brook valley and one at Llanymynech Rocks nature reserve in the Oswestry area.
Birds with the biggest eyes sing earliest (they’re better equipped to spot hungry owls) and those that sing longest are likeliest to attract a mate. The mysteries of the dawn chorus have long invited the curiosity and debate of scientists, but beyond question is its loveliness.
Migrant birds have been flocking back to the UK from their wintering grounds in Africa over recent weeks and they are singing their hearts at this time of year.
The Shrewsbury event takes place on Saturday May 1st, meeting at Shropshire Wildlife in Abbey Foregate at 4am for the short walk down the Rea Brook valley. Croissants and coffee will be served at the Trust afterwards, for which people will be asked to make a donation to cover the costs. Please ring 01743 284280 to book your place for this event or email katep@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
The Oswestry event is on Sunday May 2nd, meeting at 4.30am in the car park at Llanymynech Nature Reserve at the end of Underhill Lane, Pant (look out for the brown sign on the A483).No need to book for this event.
Please dress warmly, bring a hot drink and binoculars too if you have them.
Shrewsbury North West Relief Road 
Shropshire Wildlife Trust will be stating its opposition to the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road during the current consultation.
“Some new proposals have been included in the latest plans to offset the impacts the road would undoubtedly have,” said Robin Mager, Planning Officer for Shropshire Wildlife Trust.
These include:
- improvements to Hencott Pool (Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) & RAMSAR site of international importance)
- a slightly more northerly route to avoid impacts on the Old Riverbed
- planting scheme to include local plant stock and seed sources
- creation of wet meadows
“However, while these measures sound good, they do not make the road an acceptable proposition. As a SSSI & RAMSAR site Hencott Pool is legally required to be managed appropriately. Its unfavourable condition urgently needs addressing, but this should not form any part of a road-building mitigation package.
The route of the road takes it near or through at least five county Wildlife Sites as well as Hencott Pool and through an area of important and beautiful landscape. Within this landscape are species rich hedgerows, veteran trees, species rich wetlands and unimproved wet pasture. These would all be destroyed if the road were to be built.”
Now is the time for people to make their views known. Comments can be made online from 21st April at http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/hwmaint.nsf/open/97D87748664D6E17802576D6004DF088
