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Lesnes Abbey Woods conservation work session, Sunday 1st November. Ffi: www.friendsoflesnesabbeyandwoods.com/
Can Green Roofs Function as True Ecosystems? FREE ONLINE EVENTWednesday, November 25 • 1 PM - 2 PM GMT
Eva Drukker (Wageningen University) explores the ecology of green roofs. Can they operate as functional ecosystems?
Green roofs, exposed to wind, heat, and drought, might seem like unlikely places for ecological development. But can they become self-sustaining ecosystems? How do they interact with the surrounding flora and fauna? How quickly do they develop, and which insects choose to live there? Crucially, which design choices make these elevated habitats most supportive for biodiversity?
Can Green Roofs Function as True Ecosystems?
www.eventbrite.co.uk
Eva Drukker (Wageningen University) explores the ecology of green roofs. Can they operate as functional ecosystems?
THAMES ROAD WETLAND, INNER CRAYFORD MARSHES. NEXT STAFF SUPPORTED HABITAT MANAGEMENT SESSION IS FRIDAY 13th NOVEMBER 10.00-14.00.To book and ffi:
book.plinth.org.uk/e/0WCJmk9xkzaAmCNTk2TC
Sam Dhedhi will be down with a van full of equipment to support a larger team of volunteers than we can accomodate at our volunteer-only events. These bigger teams are essential if we are to push back the Reedbeds and maintain habitat and thus species diversity while breeding birds such as Reed Warblers are off on their winter 'holiday' in Africa.
No particular skills required. All help welcome even if you can come only once. 40% of the person hours delivered in the last 12 months have been contributed by one-time-only helpers.
At our last staffed session on 16/10 we had nine volunteers - who gave nearly 39 person-hours of labour - and one staff member.
Fortunately the weather followed the forecast, with drizzle giving way to warm sunshine shortly after we started work.
Seven people, led by Ian, dug out another significant amount of Reed rootmat and silt from the 'north-west corner pool' and piled it on the new banking by the main path.
Three of us scythed and sheared Reed opposite the road run-off -trap ditch. Due to a mechanical problem with the brushcutter, and poor servicing back-up fron the manufacturer, we have been without it for the last 6 workdays and this patch has rather got away from us. Unfortunately, we had to do without it again on this occasion. as the person who looks after and transports it was injured and unable to bring it down. Fingers crossed we get some rain-free Fridays and can catch up once we can deploy it again.
After everyone else had left, two of us reduced the height of more of the Blackthorn sucker 'hedging' along the main path and 'weeded' the Bee Orchid strip to favour the Orchids, though there was no sign of any yet. Some of the Lizard basking sites which were
getting too shaded were opened up a bit now we're into more autumnal conditions.
Photos: Sam Dhedhi, Chris Rose.
Chris Rose, Volunteer Site Manager.
RARE BUMBLEBEE SEEN AT LESNESRare bumblebee recorded at historic London site - Bumblebee Conservation Trust
www.bumblebeeconservation.org
In an exciting moment for the capital city, a scarce bumblebee has been recorded at an historic London site this summer by a Bumblebee Conservation Trust volunteer.
NORTH WEST KENT COUNTRYSIDE PARTNERSHIP - RUXLEY GRAVEL PITS NATURE RESERVE HABITAT MANAGEMENT SESSIONS IN NOVEMBERWednesday 4th – Ruxley Gravel Pits, Edgington Way, Orpington, BR5 3HY
We will be doing path clearance.
Led by: Lucy Sawyer-Boyd (07809334071)
Meeting Time and Place: 10am at the site. The gate must be kept locked, if there is no-one there to open it, please call Lucy’s mobile. DO NOT block the gate by parking in front of it while you wait! Follow the track and park underneath the A20. Plenty of parking. Portaloo available, but usually far from work site.
goo.gl/maps/S2NBZUfT2mTkbgX17
What3words:
Entrance: ///noises.sheet.reject
Parking: ///hopes.gender.gums
Thursday 5th – Ruxley Gravel Pits, Edgington Way, Orpington, BR5 3HY
We will be continuing to clear the path along with pollarding and coppicing the willow trees in the reed bed.
Led by: Lucy Sawyer-Boyd (07809334071)
Meeting Time and Place: as above.
goo.gl/maps/S2NBZUfT2mTkbgX17
What3words:
Entrance: ///noises.sheet.reject
Parking: ///hopes.gender.gums
Saturday 14th – Ruxley Gravel Pits, Edgington Way, Orpington, BR5 3HY
We will be continuing to pollard and coppicing the willow trees growing in the reed bed.
Please bring your own refreshments for this day.
Led by: Lucy Sawyer-Boyd (07809334071)
Meeting Time and Place: as above.
goo.gl/maps/S2NBZUfT2mTkbgX17
What3words:
Entrance: ///noises.sheet.reject
Parking: ///hopes.gender.gums
Just a quick reminder that any volunteers who plan to meet us on site should let the member of staff leading the task know as soon as possible so that they can pack the correct number of tools and inform them of any task changes/delays that may occur.
If there are any updates or changes with the programme, we will update it regularly on the volunteer page on our website (www.nwkcp.org ). We will also contact the regular volunteers by phone if any last-minute changes to the location of the task happen.
Please remember to bring with you; suitable clothes for the weather conditions, a packed lunch and suitable footwear (we insist working boots with steel toecap and mid sole are worn at all times to comply with health and safety and insurance considerations). We will supply all other equipment, gloves and safety equipment and also hot drinks and biscuits throughout the day.
Each project will be led by a NWKCP member of staff who will be more than happy to answer any questions that you have throughout the day. A health and safety talk will also be given at the beginning of each project. If you are planning to come out on a project for the first time this month then please let us know beforehand which day that will be.
We write a risk assessment for each task day, and a copy of this will be brought to the site and available for you to read if you wish.
51°24'41.7"N 0°07'10.5"E · 51.411583, 0.119583
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Author Archives: jonathanrooks1@outlook.com
New EU faming policy to make agriculture worse for the environment
There are not a lot of farms in Bexley, but the EU Agricultural Policy certainly affects farming in the region. With 360 billion Euros of subsidies paid each year, EU policy affects a vast area with its emphasis on intensive … Continue reading
Posted in Farming
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Danson Park records for April 2014
Keeping notes of what you see, where and when is important in hleping build up a picture of the wildlife in Bexley – and in particular how it might be changing over time. John Turner has been keeping records of … Continue reading
Posted in Bird watching, Recording, Uncategorized
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Wildlife Photo Exhibition Avery Hill
An interesting exhibition of wildlife photographs in the Avery Hill Winter Gardens (just into Eltham) by Bexley resident and Crossness nature Reserve member Richard Winston. Photos include local ones as well as international. The exhibition is on from Sunday 8th … Continue reading
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March weather globally and locally
Global climate; March, 2014. No records broken, but this March was amongst the warmest on record. Prime Meridian is published as part the outreach programme of the Ecospheres Project – Earth Campaign. prime-meridian01@hotmail.com http://www.ecospheresproject.wordpress.com/
Posted in Weather
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Crossness Cuckoo makes local press
The calling Cuckoo reported at Crossness by a number of BexleyWildlife readers has now been photographed and appears in this week’s News Shopper. http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/11237633.Rare_sighting_of_cuckoo_in_Erith_Marshes/
Posted in Bird watching, Crossness Nature Reserve
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Keats Community Farm hits funding target.
Pleased to report tha the Keats Community Farm project in Welling has exceeded its £10,000 funding target on Crowdfunder.co.uk with three days left to go. http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/keatscommunityorganics/updates/ I look forward to seeing Jack, Ed and Chrissy’s project flourish. Jonathan
Posted in Keats Community Farm
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Norman Road Planning application to be considered on Thursday
Dear Friends of Crossness Nature Reserve, This Thursday (May 15th) sees the Planning Committee meeting taking place during which a decision will be taken regarding the application to build 3 industrial units on the former electricity substation site on Norman … Continue reading
Posted in Planning
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Identifying Hawthorns
Very useful video on identifying Hawthorn species from the Kent Botanical Recording Group.
Posted in Uncategorized
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Are native plants best?
Well I was certainly ‘brought up’ on the notion that native wildflowers and trees were better for wildlife. Remember those illustrations of trees that showed the myriads of species dependent upon our native flora and the much smaller numbers supported … Continue reading
Posted in Gardens
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Advance notice of RSPB indoor meetings from September
Indoor Meetings September 2014 to June 2015 These are held in Hurstmere School, Hurst Road, Sidcup beginning at 7.45pm. There is plenty of car parking space and the 229 bus passes along the road. Doors usually open around 7.15pm and there … Continue reading
Posted in RSPB
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