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SHREWSBURY GREEN FAIR Vegetable growing is one of this year's most popular pastimes, with many people deciding to grow their own for financial as well as health reasons. For those seeking further inspiration and advice, the Shrewsbury Green Fair on Saturday July 4th at Shropshire Wildlife Trust in Abbey Foregate is the place to go. Shropshire Organic Gardeners will be setting out their stall, along with Shropshire Master Composters. Young vegetable plants will be on sale; there will also be information about allotments and a chance to find out just how good home-produced food can taste in the café. For those without the time or space to grow their own, local box schemes are an attractive alternative offering seasonal, fresh, locally produced vegetables delivered to your door each week. Information about local schemes will be available at the fair. Shrewsbury Green Fair takes place at Shropshire Wildlife Trust on Saturday July 4th, 10am to 4pm. More than 30 exhibitors will be setting out their stalls in the gardens and in the medieval building within the grounds, the Old Infirmary. The fair brings together wildlife and environment groups, craftspeople, recycling and world development organisations, composters, walking groups, fair trade retailers, vegetable growers, garden designers and many more. |
Music will be provided by the Martin Hugill Trio, while a man as tall as a giraffe (with a little help from his stilts) will mingle with the crowds and the Wildlife Trust's Wrekin Forest officer, Pete Lambert, will demonstrate traditional woodsmanship on the pole lathe. Children's activities at the fair have a special Darwinian theme this year. They have the chance to join in a worm charming competition, make a worm puppet and watch the performance of a worm puppet show. Darwin was particularly fascinated by these creatures. There will be a wide choice of refreshments including an organic vegetarian café. Entry to the Green Fair is free.
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SMALL PEARL-BORDERED FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY SURVEYORS WANTED Join the small pearl-bordered fritillary survey in South Shropshire. Find out more here. |
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NO WAY! GROUP'S OPPOSITION TO NWRR The Shrewsbury north-west relief road: not needed, expensive and highly damaging - evidence of the No Way! coalition of residents and environmental groups opposed to the NWRR can be read here. |
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WILD ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN Do you know a child between 8 and 12 years old who might like to join a club and have fun exploring wildlife in Shropshire? Shropshire Wildlife Trust's Wildlife Watch Club runs special events throughout the year for its members. For example, on 26th April the club will visit The Plantation nature reserve, Ellesmere, to discover woodland minibeasts and make artwork from materials they find on the reserve. Other activities planned for the summer include pond dipping on Llynclys Common, Oswestry; animal tracking at Earl's Hill, Pontesford and moth trapping on Prees Heath Common. It costs just £15 a year to join Wildlife Watch and entry to all events in the programme are free. These events are run by the Trust's experienced education staff. |
You can join Wildlife Watch over the phone (01743 284280) Monday - Saturday 9am-5pm or download a form here and post it to us.
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REPORT RED KITES Red Kites were absent from Shropshire for 130 years, but Welsh kites are now spreading out, and numbers are increasing here. Local ornithologist Leo Smith is keeping track of the population for the Welsh Kite Trust, and is asking for help in locating nest sites. Leo said "It's wonderful that these elegant birds are gracing the Shropshire hills again. I found seven nests last year, and 12 young fledged. There are more kites around now, so there should be several more breeding pairs, and I hope to reach double figures this year. Pairs are most conspicuous in early April, while they display and build nests, so now is the time to look out for them. Kites are very shy, and they are still persecuted and robbed by egg collectors, so they are legally protected and should be left alone. It is an offence to disturb them, but I have the necessary official monitoring license, and will |
keep any information received strictly confidential. If anyone knows of a pair, I'd be very pleased to know." If you see a pair of kites, or one in the same place several times, or one going into a wood, please ring Leo Smith on 01588 638577.
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WHITCLIFFE COMMON Shropshire Wildlife Trust has reached an agreement with the trustees of the Plymouth Settled Estate to take on a 99-year lease of Whitcliffe Common. "The Trust has had a long and amiable association with the Friends of Whitcliffe Common over many years and we are honoured to have been asked to take on further responsibilities here," said Colin Preston, Director of Shropshire Wildlife Trust. "Whitcliffe is a place of rich and varied delight, cherished by all who know it. Shropshire Wildlife Trust will be working closely with the Friends of Whitcliffe Common to ensure that it stays that way."
About Whitcliffe Common Whitcliffe Common covers 42 acres of steep woodland rising from the River Teme with marvellous views of the town from the open grassland at the top. Bromfield monastery is the first recorded owner of the common; it passed to the Plymouth Settled Estate in the 15th century following Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. For hundreds of years it was grazed by the commoners' sheep and cattle; those households with commoners' rights also cooked and kept warm with firewood gathered here. Continuous munching by livestock and hay making would have shaped the common very differently to how it is today, with far fewer trees and much more open grassland. Grazing continued to be profitable until the Second World War. After this fewer commoners exercised their rights, though some animals continued to forage here until the 1970s. Slowly the grassland areas, with their varied range of wild flowers, began to disappear under bushes and trees. |
A group called the Whitcliffe Commoners was formed in the 1950s to look after the common, but with little money to spend it was a struggle. By the time the Friends of Whitcliffe Common was established in 1996, the woods were growing dense and the remaining grassland overgrown. In the years since they have managed the common much has been achieved. More than 600 tonnes of timber have been taken out to open up views, create glades and prevent rotten trees falling across paths. Hay-making has been resumed on the grassland to bring back the flowers. More than 200 people belong to the Friends group. Many give their time on a regular basis to maintaining the paths, managing the woodland and stripping out the Himalayan balsam that annually invades the riverbanks. Wildlife Kingfisher, dippers and grey wagtails are regularly seen along the river. The fine old oaks at the top are a favoured nesting place of pied flycatchers and redstarts while wood warblers nest in the beech-clad slopes. Hawfinches used to come to feed on the seeds of the hornbeam trees but have not been seen for several years. The damp, shady rock faces along the Breadwalk have a wonderful variety of ferns and its ancient rocks have earned it SSSI status.
Photos courtesy of Gareth Thomas.
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SHUN DIAMONDS AND PEARLS ON VALENTINE'S DAY "Settle down on the sofa and 'watch the box'" may not be the most romantic suggestion to make to a loved one on Valentine's Day - but The Wildlife Trusts hope to hear it resonate around the UK this year. At a time when many are feeling the pinch and can ill afford to make grand gestures, The Wildlife Trusts are encouraging everyone to keep it simple and show their sensitive side by supporting National Nest Box Week (14 - 21 February), run by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). 
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Shropshire Wildlife Trust is helping to make homes for wild birds affordable by offering 10% off its entire range of nest boxes. These include boxes for robins, wren and spotted flycatcher; blue tit, coal tit and marsh tit; great tit and nuthatch and house sparrow. In addition, the Trust will be reducing the price of wild bird food for the week. "Our wild birds have endured some hard weather lately. A wet summer followed by a cold winter has reduced numbers of many kinds of birds. Thousands of people in Shropshire feed the birds in their gardens and that is fantastic. But finding good nesting sites can be hard, so putting up nest boxes is another way of improving their chances of successful breeding," said Jan Mckelvey, Shropshire Wildlife Trust's Conservation Manager.
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MONSTERS IN YOUR GARDEN Children will have the chance to do some Charles Darwin-type exploring and investigating over half term. Shropshire Wildlife Trust has arranged a Monsters in your Garden event on Friday 20th February for children aged 6-12 years. Minibeast hunts led by Shropshire Wildlife Trust staff will take place in the garden and wild-themed crafts indoors at Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury. There will be two sessions 10.30-12.30pm and 1.30-3.30pm and there is a small fee of £3 per child. To book your place or for more information please ring 01743 284280. |
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FINDING TELFORD'S SPECIAL TREES Shropshire Wildlife Trust's search for special trees in Telford & Wrekin has already identified some marvellous old trees. The aim of TWIST - Telford and Wrekin I Spy Trees - is to involve people in searching out the borough's oldest and most significant trees. "Telford was built in the 1970s but among the new estates and shopping centres you can still find a number of ancient survivors - oak trees several centuries old, for example," said Rob. "In and among the many millions of trees planted as the development grew, there will also be some notable trees planted to celebrate anniversaries or special events," he added. "We would like to find and record trees that are especially interesting and valued. Giving trees recognition helps to confer protection on them. It's also good fun going out and finding them." |
The project will focus in particular on Apley, Dothill, Granville, Muxton, Telford Town Park, Randley and the Lightmoor railway and canal areas. "Enthusiasm is the only qualification needed for joining in the project," says Rob. Everything else will be explained on the day and information packs provided. Warm clothes and wellies advised. Meet in the Apley Castle entrance to Apley Castle woods.
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HORSE LOGGING DEMONSTRATION Magnificent Clydesdale horses will be hauling timber from the woods at the Ercall Nature Reserve, Wellington on Saturday 28th March 11am to 4pm. "The Ercall is an ancient wood with many interesting and unusual wildflowers and horses are the best way to remove large timber on sensitive sites," said Pete Lambert, Wrekin Forest Officer for Shropshire Wildlife Trust. "Some of the wood is being left in situ as dead wood plays an incredibly important role in keeping our woods alive. Numerous invertebrates and fungi live on it, in turn providing food for birds and other wildlife," said Pete. Of the timber extracted, some will be used as material for greenwood crafts, some as firewood and some for a charcoal burning demonstration. Wildlife will benefit too from the light flooding into the wood where the trees have been removed. Following traditional woodland practice, a small section of the wood has been coppiced by the Wrekin Forest volunteers, with trees cut down virtually to ground level. |
Historically this was carried out on a large scale in the Wrekin Forest, providing the raw materials for charcoal burners, helping to fuel the furnaces of the industrial revolution. This event has been arranged as a public demonstration funded by Telford & Wrekin Council and entry is free. Follow the signs in the Forest Glen. Refreshments will be available.
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BRINGING BACK THE FLOWERS Staff from Marches Energy Agency have been out on Llynclys Common nature reserve, helping Shropshire Wildlife Trust clear space through blackthorn and trees to make way for a fence, so that sheep can be brought on to help restore an area of open grassland. Until the mid-nineteenth century most of the Common was grazed by the Commoners' sheep and cattle. It was the job of local children to watch the animals and make sure they didn't stray off the hill. School attendance officers put a stop to that in the 1950s and suddenly the profitability of grazing animals on the unfenced Common evaporated, leaving woodland, bracken and hawthorn to creep back over the old grazing pastures. "The mosaic of different habitats is what makes Llynclys Common so rich in a diversity of wildlife," says Carl Pickup, Reserves Manager, "but we mustn't lose the grassland, its range of wild flowers is outstanding." Sheep have made a comeback on the Common in recent years, thanks to a fence around the long, lozenge-shaped area at the top. During the summer the animals are taken off and the bright yellow flowers of tormentil and bird's foot trefoil speckle the ground, mingled with indigo self-heal, several kinds of orchid and the pink spikes of common centaury. This botanical richness attracts numerous kinds of butterflies, moths and other insects. Shropshire Wildlife Trust's regular volunteer groups also spend many hours making sure that some of the most special glades outside the fenced areas remain open. |
The new fencing will make possible the restoration of 10 acres of flower-rich grassland. |
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NEW CHANCE FOR MUXTON MARSH Several very special conservation workers have been active at Muxton Marsh, part of Granville Nature Reserve, for the past few weeks. Three horses and two ponies have been brought in to graze the marsh, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). "The marsh has suffered in recent years due to lack of grazing," said Carl Pickup, Reserves Manager for Shropshire Wildlife Trust, which has recently taken over management of the site from its owners, Telford & Wrekin Council. "The grass has grown very dense, crowding out many of the more interesting species of plants, such as marsh orchids." The Trust is hopeful that with the appropriate management, the diversity of the meadow will slowly recover. "Muxton has been described as Shropshire's most failing SSSI," added Carl. "Neglect has resulted in a major loss of species here, but the good news is we now have the horses and they're doing exactly what we wanted - eating vast amounts of grass. We will be monitoring the marsh carefully over the next few years to make sure we have the right levels of grazing, giving a variety of plants the chance to grow back." In addition to its historically interesting plant list, the marsh is lived in by many other kinds of wildlife. Several kinds of bat forage over the marsh and hedgerow; frogs and toads thrive in the marshy areas; minnows and water scorpion in the brook. |
Muxton Marsh is owned by Telford & Wrekin Council and managed by Shropshire Wildlife Trust. |
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INFANTS EXPLORE DARWIN'S WORLD OF WORMS Three-year olds in Shropshire are embracing the spirit of Charles Darwin's bicentenary by nurturing one of his favourite animals, the earth worm. Through a Shropshire Wildlife Trust project, 30 nursery schools in Shrewsbury have each received a free wormery, complete with up to 1000 worms. A further 35 nursery schools across Shropshire are expected to join in during 2009, accommodating around 65,000 worms. Darwin's fascination with earthworms began in 1837 on his return from his five-year voyage on The Beagle. Walking along in the countryside he stopped to watch a worm very slowly pull a leaf into its burrow. He was instantly fascinated by the creature and went on to dedicate 40 years of his life to the playful exploration of a worm's world. Darwin and his children carried out many experiments, including watching worms pull paper shapes into burrows; he even played the bassoon to them, curious to find out if they could hear. As a result of his observations, Darwin became the first scientist to discover how earthworms improved soil, taking it in, digesting organic material and ejecting soil as manure, or worm casts. He also estimated that an acre of garden soil could contain fifty thousand earthworms, and produce eighteen tons of rich, organic castings each year. This figure is considered an underestimate today. "I doubt," he said, "whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organised creatures." Supported by the Darwin Community Arts Fund, Darwin's Worms aims to engender the same fascination for worms in a new generation of people growing up in Shropshire, where Darwin was born. The Shropshire and Telford Master Composters, a dedicated group of volunteers, are helping the children look after their worms. |
"The wormery is such an environmentally-friendly community that it becomes a tangible starting point for even very young people to begin thinking about lifestyles and how we deal with waste," says Sara Bellis, mastermind of the wormery project and Shropshire Wildlife Trust's People and Wildlife Manager. "Many of the children involved in the project have enjoyed holding a wriggling worm; they've watched them eating apple peel, banana skins, in fact, any uncooked leftovers from snack breaks and lunches. They soon become absorbed in worm-watching, just as Darwin did." The children's care and the worms' hard work will result in plenty of rich nutritious worm compost, which will be used in nursery gardens to grow fruit and vegetables, starting the whole nutrient cycle again. "The worms are perfect for awakening curiosity in young minds, says Sara, "we think Darwin would have been delighted with this project." For further information about Darwin's Worms or to arrange a photo please contact Sara Bellis (01743 284284) or Helen Trotman (01743 284297) at Shropshire Wildlife Trust. |
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NATURAL ICE SCULPTURE NEAR THE HOLLIES These pictures were taken on 2nd January on the track just beyond The Hollies nature reserve. A burst pipe had showered water into the branches of a tree, creating a fantastic ice sculpture. 
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WILDLIFE TRUST BIDS FOR CATHERTON COMMON Catherton Common, near Clee Hill in south-east Shropshire, is one of the county's largest remaining wild places, and one the most botanically rich. Shropshire Wildlife Trust is currently negotiating with a local estate agent to agree a purchase price for a large part of it. The Common, though unenclosed, is set everywhere with smallholdings each with tiny pastures and meadows, many still delightful with orchids and other interesting plants. The Trust already has a nature reserve on the eastern margin of the Common at Cramer Gutter, with a colony of glorious blue marsh gentians. Moonwort, hare's-tail cottongrass, pale marsh violets, bristly fingerwort, marsh lousewort and round-leaved sundew are some of the most interesting plants growing on the heathland. Its pools attract the rare keeled skimmer and golden-ringed dragonfly. 
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Catherton Common is, says Professor Ian Trueman, "one of the most enchanting and botanically-rich places in the county and a place of great tranquillity and power". The Trust was keen to buy the whole of the Common, but understands that another purchaser has put in an offer for 100 acres of the land. "We believe that this person is keen to protect the heathland for the future and we're hoping we will be able to work together to manage the Common," said John Hughes, Development Manager for Shropshire Wildlife Trust. "Catherton needs to be looked after as a whole. This will involve liaising with the 64 commoners to get grazing levels right - a crucial concern if the diversity of plants and other wildlife is to be maintained." The Trust is currently applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund and Biffaward for grants to help fund the purchase of the land. The 527-acre common was put up for sale early in 2008. |
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CHRISTMAS GARLAND MAKING Last Christmas Shropshire Wildlife Trust launched an appeal to raise funds to buy The Hollies on the Stiperstones. This year, thanks to all those who gave donations and to various grant-making agencies, The Hollies is a Trust nature reserve. A special seasonal event to celebrate the Trust's acquisition of this ancient grove of holly trees has been arranged for December. A Christmas garland making day will take place at Snailbeach Village Hall on December 14th, with guidance from Cath Murphy, 10am-4pm. "Making something together can give hours of fun and satisfaction and provide wonderful gifts to take home," says Diane Monether of Shropshire Wildlife Trust. Holly was traditionally harvested from the Stiperstones by the holly wreath makers of north Shropshire. This pruning helped to prolong the lives of the trees. The Trust is keeping up this traditional activity and has carried out carefully selected cutting of holly this year to stimulate new growth of the branches. Some of this will be used for the Christmas garlands and some is for sale at Shropshire Wildlife Trust's HQ in Shrewsbury. |
If you'd like to come along please contact Diane Monether to book your place (01743 284296 / dianem@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk). There is a £10 charge per person, which includes the cost of lunch - soup, bread, nice cheeses and mince pies - as well as materials. |
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FIVE-ACRE SITE News that Oswestry's five-acre site has been designated a village green has been welcomed by Shropshire Wildlife Trust. "Green space is hugely valuable in our market towns, for residents, visitors and people who work nearby," commented Jan Mckelvey, Conservation Manager. 
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"The five-acre site has huge potential to be developed in a creative way for the benefit of the local community. This could involve orchards, woodland areas and flower-rich grassland areas. This should be a welcoming place for everyone living or working locally, young and old. "Regeneration of the town green will be good for Oswestry. The creative potential of this project is huge and will bring people together as it develops. It's a chance to be imaginative about how the land could work for the town. Wildlife will benefit too, as the village green will play a valuable role in linking other green spaces within the town." |
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PUTTING SHROPSHIRE'S BIRDS ON THE MAP Shropshire Ornithological Society is calling on local people with an interest in birds to help with the county bird atlas. Results will also contribute to a new national atlas, organised by the British Trust for Ornithology. This is a very important project, which is being supported by all major conservation organisations. Anyone can help, and all records are valuable. We want records of every bird seen in each small survey area during the winter, and again during the breeding season. People can help by sending in records of the birds seen in their garden or on their farm, or while out walking or visiting the wider countryside. Some people will make an even bigger contribution, by making several visits to a specific survey area and recording everything seen. Experienced birdwatchers can also help with timed counts. Allan Dawes, the atlas organiser in north Shropshire said "We've made an excellent start, but more helpers are needed. When we did the last Shropshire atlas, well over 350 local people sent in records. Interest in birds and wildlife has increased since then, so we hope for a lot more helpers this time. |
Atlassing is very enjoyable - it takes us to the quieter parts of our lovely county. The results are very useful, informing plans for the conservation of birds that are declining. Anyone interested in birds can make a valuable contribution." If you'd like to help... |
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£18,000 RAISED FOR WETLAND SCHEME Shropshire Wildlife Trust's plan to restore land near the River Severn to temporary wetlands has taken a big leap forward thanks to donations from members and supporters totalling more than £18,000. The scheme will benefit breeding lapwing and curlew and encourage the return of wild flowers and other plants that need marshy places. It is hoped that water management at Holly Banks, the 45-acre landholding near Melverley in north-west Shropshire, will also demonstrate how flooding in towns downstream might be alleviated as traditional flood plains are restored. |
See here for further details of this project. |
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A HARVEST OF FUNGI A wet summer has brought us an early crop of fungi. In woods and meadows you will find them, a rainbow of waxcaps in grassland, chanterelles in conifer woods, fly agarics under larch trees and stinkhorns in woodland. Shropshire Wildlife Trust is running fungi forays around the county in October, led by John Hughes, Shropshire's famous fungi expert. 
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Friday 3rd October - Wrekin Forest. Please email petelambert@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk to book and for further details.
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EXPLORING WILDLIFE IN SOUTH-WEST SHROPSHIRE Download this leaflet to find out about local nature reserves, conservation volunteering, talks and guided walks and surveying birds and flowers. |
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WATER VOLE TRAINING A very successful survey training day was held at Tilstock Village Hall on Saturday 30th August 2008. A group of 15 people, ranging from interested amateurs to environmental consultants, came from as far afield as Kidderminster, Manchester, Lichfield and Bishops Castle, together with a number of local volunteers. They spent the morning learning about the animal and its field signs, its legal protection, survey methods and what can be done with the data once collected. The afternoon was spent clambering in and out of ditches in the Steel Heath area where almost all the field signs were seen for real. Thanks to Clive Dean, SCC Community and Conservation Officer, for making the arrangements, Malcolm and Anne Monie plus Kate Long for leading the training, Rosa Ford for help with the coffee, and to the landowners for access to the ditches. An excellent buffet lunch was supplied by Tilstock WI and the day was funded by Shropshire Wildlife Trust's Clive Tate Fund. |
We were amazed at the demand for the course, receiving 36 applications for the 15 places. As a result, we will running a second survey training day next spring, probably in May. |
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DIARIES OF AN ELLESMERE NATURALIST Read extracts from the diaries of Ellesmere naturalist E.A. Wilson here. |
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SEND IT BY OWL Hidden in a drawer in almost every house is a defunct mobile phone. Why not turn it into cash to help wildlife? By sending it off in a special barn owl envelope supplied by Shropshire Wildlife Trust you will earn up to £10 for the Trust. Contact us stating how many envelopes you would like and please remember to tick the Shropshire box on the back of the envelope. |
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WILDLIFE WEEK (A TRIPLE BILL)
Visit a farm rich in wildlife, find out about birds of the Montgomery canal or discover the flowers of Oswestry racecourse during this year's Wildlife Week (triple bill) 29 May - 21 June 2008. A special Monsters in your Garden event for families will be held in Shropshire Wildlife Trust's garden in Shrewsbury. Events are being arranged by Wildlife Trusts all over the UK to encourage people to go out and explore their local wild places over the summer. There are also opportunities to help out on nature reserves and learn wild plant identification skills. "This is also great time of year to visit a Wildlife Trust nature reserve. Wildflower meadows and hedgerows are ablaze with colour and bird numbers are boosted by the arrival of summer migrants like chiffchaffs and blackcaps, who visit the UK to breed. You could also see many of the UK's species of butterfly, dragonfly and damselfly. A nature reserve in early summer really is a fantastic day out," said Jan Mckelvey, conservation manager. Simon King, vice-president of The Wildlife Trusts, added: "When I was a kid, going to school in the late 70s and 80s, I did so on foot. The route took me through a patch of woodland in Bristol, surrounded by the city. Every morning I would wake at dawn and set off to ramble in the woods; looking for birds' nests, climbing trees, searching for water voles in the stream and sitting in meadows, sweet with buttercups. "Each morning I would reach the school gates with green knees, torn cuffs and hair filled with pine needles. It was the foundation of my passion for the natural world and I was enormously lucky to have been able to indulge it then. "I would urge families to get involved with nature in some way and The Wildlife Trusts' Wildlife Week (triple bill) is one of the best ways to start." 
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Thursday 29 May Saturday 31 May Monday 2 June Sunday 8 June Wednesday 11 June Saturday 14 June |
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NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO SEE BLUEBELLS You can see them on our nature reserves at Earl's Hill, Pontesford; Bushmoor Coppice (north of Craven Arms); Hope Valley, Minsterley or The Ercall, Wellington. Look out too for wood sanicle, early purple orchids and vast coverings of wild garlic with its spherical heads of starry flowers. |
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WELLIES FOR WILDLIFE WEEK Would you like to wear your wellies, have fun and raise a few pounds for wildlife? Well now's your chance as Wellies for Wildlife Week is approaching! For one day, you simply ask everyone to come along to work or school in their wellies (nice, shiny clean ones!) and pay a set amount for joining in. Or you could ask people to sponsor you to do this on an individual basis. You might like to organise a welly wanging contest or a lunch-time splash in puddles. If you'd like an information pack about Wellies for Wildlife Week please email |
JohnH@ShropshireWildlifeTrust.org.uk |
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DAWN CHORUS - THE ULTIMATE MALE VOICE CHOIR 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. Join us at an event Sunday 4th May Sunday 11th May Wednesday 14th May |
... Or you can listen to this recording of birdsong by Shropshire's renowned recorder of birdsong Heather Myers by clicking on the play button below. It was recorded at East Wretham, Norfolk in 1986 and includes blackcap, pheasant, blackbird, willow warbler, wood pigeon and turtle dove. |
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SHROPSHIRE ROOKERIES SURVEY County rookeries were last surveyed in 1975 when 455 sites were reported containing 12,004 nests. So, more than three decades on, are those sites still active and are they the same size? Where are the new ones and has the overall population changed? The March/April 2008 survey gives you a chance to help answer the questions. There is a very simple form to fill in - just send details of who you are and where and how big each rookery is. These and other details about the survey can be found at www.lanius.org.uk You can look for 1975 rookeries on an aerial photograph by following the links to GoogleEarth. You might like to cover your parish, which might include three to five rookeries. Your help will be acknowledged in the final report. |
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OPENCAST COAL MINE THREAT Shropshire Wildlife Trust has formally objected to UK Coal's application to operate an open cast mine near the village of New Works in the Parish of Little Wenlock, Telford. The Trust considers this to be a wholly inappropriate development in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We have the following particular concerns:
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NEST BANK FOR KINGFISHERS Volunteers with Shropshire Wildlife Trust have made a kingfisher bank at Wood Lane Nature Reserve, near Colemere. "Kingfishers are regularly seen fishing the pools at Wood Lane, but don't actually have anywhere to breed here," said John Powell, reserves officer for the Trust. "They normally make use of holes in river banks, so what we're doing here is constructing something that resembles that - a bank about 13' x 3' - with drainage pipes inserted for nesting holes." Kingfishers had a rotten breeding year last summer as many of their riverbank nest holes were flooded because of exceptionally high rainfall. The Wood Lane nesting bank will give them an ideal breeding site. "As we arrived on site to start making the nesting bank a kingfisher was perched on a post," said John. "We're very hopeful the bank will be used in the coming spring." |
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TELFORD YOUTH PROJECT Young volunteers in the Telford area, aged 16-25, are being encouraged to develop ideas on how to protect and improve their local environment - and put them into practice. The young volunteers will have their work recognised through the John Muir Award scheme. This encourages awareness and responsibility for the natural environment, in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration. If you are aged between 16 and 25 and want to put something back into your community, wherever you live, contact Stuart Jones via the contacts form on this website, selecting the Volunteering option. This project will bring together a group of young people to develop their involvement in the environment both through practical conservation work, arranging events and through recording their experiences on film, via a blog and podcasts. They will have the opportunity to meet people from other Veolia youth projects and share what they've learnt. 
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Viva Veolia is a new project funded by The Veolia Environmental Trust (VET) through the Landfill Communities Fund, and v, the youth volunteering charity, which will see £500,000 spent at eight local project sites across England over the next two years. This will enable eight Wildlife Trusts across the UK to support young volunteers as they help to improve their local environment. Executive director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, Margaret Cobbold, said: Terry Ryall, chief executive officer of v, said:
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THE HOLLIES APPEAL A grant from the Tubney Trust towards Shropshire Wildlife Trust's purchase of The Hollies on the Stiperstones, means that the appeal target of £250,000 has now been reached and the purchase can go ahead. It has been the Trust's most successful appeal ever with more than 600 people contributing a total of £35,000. A substantial Heritage Lottery Fund grant, awarded in December, helped make our target achievable. "The Hollies has struck a chord with everyone who has visited it," said John Hughes, development manager for the Trust. "And people who have never seen it before have sought it out as the result of the publicity. We're absolutely delighted to have reached the target and would like to thank everyone who has contributed so generously." |
The Trust is aiming to complete the purchase in April.
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THE QUEEN'S SPEECH 2007: The Wildlife Trusts today said the focus of The Queen's Speech appears to prioritise and promote economic growth at all costs - and relegate the natural environment. Hazel Phillips, head of public affairs, said: "This is a disappointing bag of measures for the natural environment and wildlife. At a time when we are already seeing the effects of climate change we should be making decisions which enable it - and us - to survive. "The Planning Bill is promoting changes which push the planning system away from valuing the natural environment. The latest round of planning reforms has been fast-tracked through the system. The proposals started to emerge from the Barker Review - reported less than a year ago. A White Paper followed this May. No draft Bill. Yet today, there's a promise of a Bill. "By contrast, a much needed Marine Bill is slow-tracked. Year after year, we have been tantalisingly close to getting a Bill in each Queen's Speech. A Bill was a commitment in |
the 2005 Labour manifesto. Since then we have had two consultations. Now we only have a reference to a draft Bill with no guarantee of it reaching the statute book. This Queen's Speech gives the Marine Bill a low priority. With only 0.001% of our sea protected, we urgently need to improve the protection and management of our marine environment. "One kernel of hope is the Climate Change Bill. It should provide some focus for enabling government across the board to consider how we adapt to climate change. For our natural environment and wildlife, many decisions taken by government could help or hinder our natural environment to adapt. But will the other powers in The Queen's Speech undermine the Bill's carbon reduction targets?"
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TEN YEARS OF SCIENCE SWEPT AWAY Sir David King's report on bovine TB in cattle and badgers sweeps away 10 years of science, say The Wildlife Trusts. Stephanie Hilborne, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said: "It is a clear attempt to bring culling back on the agenda and flies in the face of science, public opinion and common sense. The Independent Scientific Group (ISG) has already given us the definitive scientific view that badger culling provides 'no meaningful contribution' and is 'not cost effective' as a control measure for combating bovine tuberculosis (bTB)." The Wildlife Trusts accept TB in cattle is a significant problem for farming in the UK and that urgent action is required to combat the disease. We particularly recognise the important role the livestock industry can play in the environmentally-sensitive management of the countryside and the serious disruption and anxiety caused to farmers experiencing a herd breakdown. However, The Wildlife Trusts believe the report produced by Sir David King does not provide any new data to inform the scientific debate on badgers and bovine TB. It ignores issues such as the cost effectiveness or practicality of any action and does not provide a balanced view of the issue. It also fails to consider the efficacy of cattle controls which are important mechanisms for controlling the spread of the disease. We do not believe Government should use this report as the basis for future policy on bovine TB. With no background or terms of reference, this report has been developed behind closed doors despite the significant public interest. We are therefore concerned that it is more about political expediency than science, particularly in the face of overwhelming evidence provided by the ISG in June. The ISG report represents 10 years of science, millions of pounds of research and the involvement of tens of scientists. It concluded: "Badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain. |
Indeed, some policies under consideration are likely to make matters worse rather than better." And that badger culling is not a 'cost-effective' control mechanism. The Wildlife Trusts believe the following cattle-based control measures must be rigorously enforced to control bovine TB:
We also accept that bovine TB is in the badger population and that badgers, along with other native mammals, may act as a reservoir for the disease and a source of bovine TB infection in cattle. We believe that research to reduce potential re-infection from wildlife populations should be progressed, specifically looking at demographic trends behind the perturbation effect and the development of an effective vaccine for badgers. |
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OSWESTRY'S GREEN NETWORK A report published by Shropshire Wildllife Trust, Oswestry's Green Network, details the rich variety of wildlife living in and around the town, and calls for safeguards to be put in place to prevent wild space being lost to development. Lapwings nest on farmland within a mile of the town centre, bluebells wash the slopes of the hill fort misty blue in spring and otters swim silently along the Morda brook, to the west. Within the town itself however, wildlife has continuously been edged out as ground has disappeared under tarmac and concrete. Oswestry's network of green spaces and wildlife corridors has fragmented and shrunk significantly since the Trust's last survey in 1992. The losses incurred over the last 15 years make it all the more crucial that surviving wild areas and green corridors be given recognition within the Local Development Framework (LDF). Shropshire Wildlife Trust is calling for specific actions to protect the green heart of the town and its immediate environs. These are:
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Information for the Oswestry Green Network report was collected by volunteers taking part in the Oswestry Green Network Survey, co-ordinated by the Oswestry Branch of Shropshire Wildlife Trust. The report is downloadable in pdf format here. |
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TELLING NATURE'S STORIES Shropshire Wildlife Trust has produced its first audio trail. Fittingly, this is for our very first nature reserve - Earls Hill. Here you can listen to stories of life around Earl's Hill past and present, discover the world within an anthill and find out how to tell a hazelnut nibbled by a dormouse from one broken open by any other mammal. You can find out what birds sing here at different times of the year and hear how Earl's Hill was described in Mary Webb's novel, Gone To Earth. Producing this guide would have been impossible without the help of two vital volunteers - John Harding and Jo Darlington. John provided the technical skills of recording and editing, and Jo narrates the guide. |
The audio trail is available in MP3 format here. To download directly to your computer, right click the link and select "save target as". Please note this file is very large (20MB) and only recommended for download via a broadband connection. |
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BERNARD THE GURNARD JOINS THE CALL FOR A MARINE BILL The Wildlife Trusts are scaling up their Petition Fish campaign with the introduction of Bernard the Gurnard, an animated online petition. The Petition Fish campaign, launched in June at the House of Commons, aims to demonstrate public support for a Marine Bill. You can sign the petition HERE A Petition Fish is also on display at Shropshire Wildlife Trust's HQ in Shrewsbury and across the UK thousands of people have already signed their names on gold and silver scales and attached them to the fish. The campaign will reach a climax on Wednesday 10 October when 200 Petition Fish will return to Westminster for an event with MPs. The following week, the petition will be delivered to Downing Street, in a final bid to keep the Marine Bill afloat. Marine development manager, Lisa Browning, said: "The Wildlife Trusts have been campaigning for many years for new laws to protect marine wildlife. The Government promised a Marine Bill in 2005 but we're still waiting for it. There have been two major consultations but, in spite of all the work that has gone into it, the Government's enthusiasm for a Marine Bill seems to be waning. The Bill wasn't even in Gordon Brown's list of priorities for the coming year. "That's why the Petition Fish campaign is calling for the Marine Bill to be included in the Queen's Speech in November - which would show a renewed commitment from the Government to improve the protection and management of the UK's marine environment." |
About Bernard... Bernard is a red gurnard, a bottom-feeding fish which lives in sandy areas around the UK coast. Gurnards have two unusual features: they can walk (using slender 'fingers' - actually fin spines - to creep along the seabed) and they can 'talk' (they grunt and croak, perhaps to communicate with each other). |
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FIGHT FUTURE FLOODING BY WORKING WITH NATURE As the nation now analyses the flood devastation suffered over recent days, The Wildlife Trusts urge Gordon Brown and his new government to make the environment the top priority and work with nature in dealing with the impacts of climate change. This current crisis stems from years of building on flood plains, our over-reliance on man-made flood defences, and the removal of wetlands which can act as natural sponges, soaking up water and slowing it down in times of flooding. The Government can now react in one of two ways; by creating hard large-scale flood defences or take a different approach to flood management and work with nature. The Wildlife Trusts believe working with nature is vital. We need to revise our policies on water, agriculture, planning and regeneration. We need to restore ecosystems on a landscape scale. We need to re-create wetlands and manage our uplands to slow down run-off into rivers and streams. And we need to ensure that, when we do need to build, that this is in the right place and done in the right way. The River Severn has once again burst its banks in Shropshire and beyond, causing floods and wreaking havoc. If the flood plains around the Severn Vyrnwy were managed as wetlands, to soak up rainfall from the Welsh hills, the tide of water would be slowed down and the problem eased. "In the face of climate change we must restore our ecosystems and natural processes at a speed and on a scale we once would have thought impossible. We need to restore |
and create 'living' landscapes to allow people and wildlife the room to adapt to climate change. Gordon Brown's government can lead a revolution in our approach to the natural environment through serious investment in habitat restoration and re-creation." The Wildlife Trusts' report, A Living Landscape, demonstrates how we are working at a landscape scale to prepare people and wildlife for climate change. The report has a four-point plan which calls for urgent Government action in addressing climate change and restoring the UK's battered ecosystems across our towns and countryside. For further information please contact Colin Preston, Director of Shropshire Wildlife Trust, 01743 284286. |
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SAFEGUARDS NEEDED FOR TELFORD'S GREEN NETWORK The continuous loss of Telford's green space to development is bad news not just for the town's wildlife, but also for the people who live there and even the town's economy. Enormous pressure is being put on the area as Telford has been targeted as one of the main growth areas for the West Midlands. It is anticipated that 1000 new houses each year will be built up until 2021. As well as housing, this will inevitably entail further development in the way of roads and other associated infrastructure. Telford New Town's extraordinarily imaginative development plan integrated wild landscapes into a new town as never before in the UK- or perhaps since. Its intricate, spacious green network is not just an environmental asset, it's an economic one too, providing tranquil and pleasant surroundings to live and work in and 45 miles 
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of footpaths to enjoy among fields, hedgerows, canals, ponds, heathland and woods. And it's singing with wildlife. "The green network is a defining characteristic of the town," said John Hughes Shropshire Wildlife Trust's Development Manager. "It gives the town an especially attractive quality, setting it apart from many other urban areas. "The challenge that lies ahead is to plan carefully where development can take place and where it must not. Green space is treasured because it brings people in touch with wildlife and wild places on a daily basis where they live and is also recognized as economically valuable, as a pleasant environment helps attracts business to the area. We have to be very careful that this special characteristic is not destroyed in the rush to meet development targets," argued John Hughes. Shropshire Wildlife Trust recommends that:
More information can be found here. |
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SHROPSHIRE POND PROJECT A project has been launched by Shropshire Wildlife Trust to find out about the county's ponds and what lives in them. It is estimated that there are around 10,000 field ponds in the county, but surprisingly little is known about what creatures and plants inhabit them and what state they are in. The Trust is now appealing for anyone with an interest in ponds, frogs, water beetles, dragonflies, newts or aquatic plantlife to join us in this project. No prior knowledge is needed, just enthusiasm and curiosity to know more. The project is looking for people to do basic surveys of their local ponds (not including garden ponds) and also providing opportunities for those wishing to learn more about particular areas of aquatic life. The co-operation of landowners will be sought before any surveys are carried out. Training courses will run to support the project, given by national experts via the |
Biodiversity Training Project funded by Heritage Lottery Fund and Preston Montford Field Studies Centre. With knowledge of the different kinds of plant and animal life in Shropshire's ponds it will be possible to make recommendations about how they can best be protected and looked after in the future. If you'd like to know more, please contact Frances Riding, co-ordinator of the project (01978 710408). |
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Shropshire Wildlife Trust, 193 Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury SY2 6AH. Tel: 01743 284280. | |||
