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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
goo.gl
Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
DARTFORD HEATH - GUIDED WALK AND HEATHER SEED COLLECTION FOR HABITAT RESTORATIONWe are holding a Heather Seed Collection & Restoration Event on Dartford Heath on Tuesday 27th October, 13.30-17.00.
The event will include a guided walk to learn about Dartford Heath, the wildlife it supports, and the restoration work taking place on the site. We'll then collect heather seed from across the heath before sowing some into pots for growing on and we'll spread seed directly onto recently restored areas.
If you would like to attend, you can book your place here:
www.eventbrite.com/e/dartford-heath-heather-restoration-tickets-2003598820006
All the best,
Nina Skinner <Nina.Skinner@kent.gov.uk>
Partnership Officer | North West Kent Countryside Partnership
Dartford Heath Heather Restoration
www.eventbrite.com
Join us to help restore Dartford Heath! Collect heather seed and sow it into trays to grow future plants for heathland restoration.
Category Archives: Crossness Nature Reserve
Crossness makes belated claim to ‘first’ Bexley Marbled White
The date of the first Marbled White butterfly (Melanargia galathea) record we know of in Bexley has just been pushed back five years, following this week’s discovery that one was seen by John Archer on 7th July 2010, on the … Continue reading
Thamesmead Youth Voice group picks environment projects and visits Crossness
Karen Sutton writes: On 23rd July I gave members of the Thamesmead Youth Voice (TYV) Group a tour around Crossness Nature Reserve and Crossness Southern Marsh. TYV is a youth group run by Trust Thamesmead who have a dedicated youth facility known as The … Continue reading
Sun shines (intermittently) on Crossness butterfly event
Karen Sutton, Biodiversity Team Manager at Crossness Nature Reserve on Erith Marshes, reports on the Wednesday 15th July butterfly identification event. We held a butterfly identification walk on Crossness Nature Reserve just before the launch of Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count … Continue reading
Some people pictures from last Saturday’s Crossness invertebrates event
As previously reported there was an excellent turnout of 27 – mainly locals – for last weekend’s (July 4th) London Natural History Society-led event at Crossness Southern Marsh on Erith Marshes, looking at lesser-known invertebrates. The area is part of … Continue reading
Bexley birds maintain media profile
Crossness Kestrels in hardcopy ‘News Shopper’ two editions running. Joined by Swifts this week. The Kestrel family at Crossness Nature Reserve on Erith Marshes was splashed across the top of the front page in last week’s ‘News Shopper’, so it … Continue reading
Posted in Belvedere, Bird watching, BNEF, Crossness, Crossness Nature Reserve, Environment, Erith Marshes, Raptors
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Crossness Kestrels star on Newsshopper website
The pair of Kestrels breeding at Crossness, which recently featured on ‘BW’, have now made it onto the News Shopper website, complete with further fabulous photos taken by Richard Spink, following some media work by Site Manager Karen Sutton. http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/13354210.PICTURED__Kestrels_have_returned_to_Crossness_nature_reserve__Bexley/ It’s … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Bird watching, Crossness Nature Reserve, Raptors
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Four-spotted Chaser confirmed at Crossness
One, and probably two different Four-spotted Chaser dragonflies (Libellula quadrimaculata) were seen at Crossness on Erith Marshes yesterday (June 19th), the first record since that shown in the Kent Dragonfly atlas of 2009, which may itself have been of a … Continue reading
Crossness photos highlight Brown Argus vz Common Blue butterfly ID features
Here are two great photos by Friends of Crossness Nature Reserve’s Mike Robinson, taken on Erith Marshes at Crossness recently, showing a male Brown Argus butterfly in excellent detail. It can be hard to tell the Brown Argus apart from … Continue reading
First Red-eyed Damselfly of year, whilst ‘BBC’ puts Danson in third place
A single male Red Eyed Damselfly (Erythromma najas), my first of the year for Bexley, was seen on algal mats on the south side of Danson Park lake this afternoon, May 28th. This adults of this species precede those of … Continue reading
Kestrel pair caught on camera at Crossness des res
Site manager Karen Sutton writes: Kestrels have returned to breed once again at Crossness! A pair bred in 2010 in the upper compartment of a Barn Owl nest box. Barn owls were breeding in the main compartment, whilst Kestrels took … Continue reading
Posted in Bird watching, Crossness, Crossness Nature Reserve, Erith Marshes, Raptors
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