W)SSUE s 35--%2 ildlife
Celebrating 35 years! 1980-2015 Making a difference My wild life B-Lines The story of Find yours! Bring back the buzz Avon Wildlife Trust Includes UK news & stories
Protecting Wildlife for the Future Welcome
Dear member This is a special edition of our magazine celebrating the Trust’s 35th anniversary. The Trust has an incredible heritage to be proud of and has been a true pioneer of urban conservation in the UK. The Trust has always tried to reflect on the outcomes of our work and on the impact it makes. Ecologist Rupert Higgins writes a wonderfully honest article explaining some of the challenges to our wildlife over the last 35 years and the changes he has seen. Our Chair of Trustees, Roz Kidman Cox, plots a history of some of the key milestones in the Trust’s past, and Alison Johnson celebrates one of the most significant achievements, Folly Farm. A major landmark in our history was the opening of our offices on Brandon Hill Dr Bevis Watts in Bristol with Sir David Attenborough also opening the adjacent nature park. #HIEF %XECUTIVE Thirty years on from that and I hope we have achieved something similar in the Avon Wildlife Trust creation of our new Bennett’s Patch and White’s Paddock reserve in the Avon Gorge and given a nod to those early pioneers of urban conservation. We were delighted with the profile and interest generated from opening our new reserve with the help of our President Simon King, Kevin McCloud of HAB Housing and Bristol Mayor George Ferguson. However, it is also important at this time of celebration to reflect on what actually makes all of the Trust’s achievements happen. 2015 is one of the busiest years the Trust has ever had and when we normally have 800 regular volunteers in a year, we had 744 in just over two months help to make Bennett’s Patch and White’s Paddock a reality. The Trust’s achievements, often in the face of adversity, are because it is a collective movement of members, supporters and volunteers who care about the loss of our natural world, are inspired by it, and take action to support the Trust’s aims and projects. In celebrating 35 years, we’d like to thank all those who have done so in the past and continue to do so today – without such support the Trust could not deliver its work and our wildlife would be further threatened. You will read an article from the Glasson family who were the first ever family members of the Trust. I am constantly amazed when meeting members about how they are involved in our work beyond paying a membership fee, and how the Trust’s reserves and projects have impacted on their lives as well. The Glasson family is a great example continuing through generations. The Trust has always faced financial challenges and as we look forward, those same challenges remain. Our membership support has never been more vital and our 35th anniversary appeal hopes to improve your enjoyment of some of our nature reserve through better interpretation. We are having our busiest ever year of events, courses and guided walks so please do get involved and have a summer full of magical wildlife!
Best wishes SAM
HOBSON Brandon Hill wildflower meadow with large skipper butterfly Your magazine
Avon Wildlife Trust is your Edited by Pat Ellingham Trust Office Registered local wildlife charity working Design by Kevin Lester 32 Jacobs Wells Road, Bristol BS8 1DR charity no. to secure a strong future for Print by Burleigh Portishead 0117 917 7270 280422 [email protected] the natural environment and Front cover images: Early bumblebee – avonwildlifetrust.org.uk Registered to inspire people. With the Jon Hawkins, surrey hills photography. company no. Folly Farm Centre THE support of 17,000 members, Hover fly – Gatehouse Studios 1495108 Stowey, Pensford, Bristol BS39 4DW the Trust cares for 37 nature 01275 331590 Thank you to all contributors, especially reserves, it runs educational [email protected] TRUSTS and community programmes, Matt Collis, Janice Gardiner, Matt Harcourt, follyfarm.org advises landowners, and Kate Marsh, Joe McSorley. All uncredited photos © Avon Wildlife Trust Portbury Wharf Wildlife magazine A VON campaigns on issues that A&W Building, The Docks, The views expressed in this magazine is printed using threaten wildlife habitats. Newfoundland Way, Portishead 100% renewable are not necessarily those of the Editor BS20 7DF energy on 75% or the Trustees of Avon Wildlife Trust. 01275 817710 recycled paper.
Wildlife SUMMER 2015 SUMMER 2015 In this issue
Wild news Spotlight on... 4 Our latest news 26 'UEST MEMBERS n and project updates the Glasson family Feature – 35 years of Folly Farm Centre Avon Wildlife Trust 27 &OLLY &ARM n 8 In the beginning how it all began 9 -AKING A DIFFERENCE n Across the UK the highlights! 28 ??? 10 Wild Avon 30 ??? 12 Wildlife in the city 32 ??? 13 The Bristol Wildlife Centre Avon Wildlife Trust Inspiring people 35 Birthday Appeal 14 -Y 7ILD #ITY Who’s who at the Trust 15 -Y WILD LIFE n my wellbeing Postscript... 16 Wild City workshops 36 From Vice Chair 3TEVE .ICHOLLS 17 -Y WILD LIFE n my feel-good factor Ways into wildlife Follow us on Facebook and Twitter 18 Around the reserves for the latest news and events. Please share your wildlife pictures 20 3EASONAL STROLL n and experiences! Walborough and Purn Hil Teachers can check out the Saving species blog at wildschools.org.uk and follow @wildschools. 22 "UZZING BACK n Go to the website to sign up for B-lines eshots and event alerts!
24 Bumbling about: /avonwt /avonwt bumblebee identifier
Summer Bees’ feet, with tiny Slim swallows flash on strength, high: Carry their bundles, Living music rings the ELLA
Sucked from blossom. hill BEESON Irish, 9th century
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife 3 WILD NEWS Feed Bristol’s future secured The Trust has secured significant funding support for Feed Bristol, its community food growing hub.
The project has been disrupted due to the Metrobus development impacting on the site and surrounding area, and had an uncertain future with its initial three year funding ending. A five year business plan for Feed Bristol was produced with the assistance of Grant Thornton accountants, and this demonstrated the huge impact the project has had on the local community. Initial seedcorn funding of £264,000 over three years and over £500,000 worth of volunteer time is estimated to have generated a social return on My Wild City investment to the community of £6.7 million. Ten local businesses start- ups and groups have been established a People’s nature reserve and supported at the site and almost Two years in the making, Bennett’s Patch and White’s 40 volunteers have gone on to obtain employment due to the experience, Paddock has involved over a thousand people from across skills and confidence gained at Feed Bristol, of all ages and mixed abilities, all enjoying the Bristol. The new business plan for the opportunity to get closer to nature in the heart of the city. project has secured grant support from the Cory Environmental Trust, Bristol In March the reserve was officially create wildlife corridors across Bristol. City Council, Local Food and the Sobell launched by the Trust’s President, Simon As part of our My Wild City campaign Charitable Trust. King, along with Kevin McCloud and we are calling on everyone to do Robin Maynard, the Trust’s Director George Ferguson (pictured above). something amazing for wildlife in their of Community Programmes said; “We Joined by more than 100 supporters own communities.” are delighted and very grateful for the they planted trees, plug plants and seeds There will be opportunities throughout funding we have secured to date for Feed to further transform the former derelict the year for the public to enjoy guided Bristol’s future.” sports ground into a rich mosaic of walks of the new nature reserve, and on habitats. 13 September and 25 October it will be Learning at Feed Bristol Simon King said “This is a fantastic part of the Portway Sunday Park events moment for Avon Wildlife Trust, when the Portway will be closed to traffic. the transformation of this incredibly The site also has a volunteer cabin complete challenging brownfield site not only with a kitchen and amenities that will be connects up wildlife habitat in the Avon used for educational and community events Gorge, it is helping to inspire a whole regularly, and we are immensely grateful to city. But this is just the beginning: HAB Housing and Hugh Strange Architects Bennett’s Patch and White’s Paddock is for their support in making this wonderful a key part of the Trust’s wider vision to facility for all happen.
Rewarding awards We were also delighted to be awarded two grants in to support the community aspect of the project. 7OODEN 3POON #HILDRENS #HARITY OF 2UGBY awarded £5K towards the construction of the volunteer cabin. Toyota Fund for a Better Tomorrow awarded £2K to support community engagement, specifically working with the Scouts movement on site. The Trust’s local Cabot Group has also decided to dedicate its fundraising activities to support Bennett’s Patch and White’s Paddock. Marbled white butterfly
4 Wildlife SUMMER 2015 Thanks for the memory... We asked for your memories of the Trust’s early days in the last issue of the magazine and were delighted to hear from Paul Holley, who was involved at the very start. “I always look forward to receiving the latest edition of Wildlife MAGAZINE AND amongst the usual range of inspiring features I was delighted to see a picture of the very first issue. This brought back MEMORIES AS AMONGST OTHER THINGS ) wrote the wildlife gardening feature for this and several subsequent editions. Those early days as a Trust volunteer Concerns for Portbury Wharf WERE IMMENSELY ENJOYABLE AND ) Funding for Portbury Wharf, the UK’s first nature reserve managed learnt much of what I needed for my for wildlife as part of a residents’ levy initiative is at risk, prompting subsequent career in nature conservation concerns about its future maintenance for wildlife and the wider and countryside management.” community. Please share your memories – we will be giving away a copy of Professor David North Somerset Council has agreed BevisWatts said: “It’s hard to believe this Goode’s New Naturalist Book Nature in in principle with housing developer flagship reserve is under threat such a Towns and Cities (see page 12) to the lucky Persimmon to take ownership of short time after it was created. Under contributor whose name is pulled out of a Portbury Wharf nature reserve and Avon Wildlife Trust’s management the hat at the Trust AGM. Send to angeladavies@ abolish an annual levy (currently reserve has delivered huge gains for avonwildlifetrust.org.uk £54/household), designed to fund its wildlife for, what we had hoped would maintenance in perpetuity. This is be, generations to come. despite previous intentions for Avon “In a city region that will see The team, 1982. Paul right Wildlife Trust to adopt the freehold of approximately 90,000 new homes the land. This recent decision, made commissioned by 2026, we need long- without a process of consultation term commitments to safeguarding and with Avon Wildlife Trust (involved restoring our natural environment.” in Portbury Wharf nature reserve’s Originally created as ecological development and management for mitigation as part of a planning ng rati 35 y eb ea the past 10 years) puts future funding approval from North Somerset Council l r e s for the reserve at risk within Council for 2,600 homes, Avon Wildlife Trust C budgets. has been managing Portbury Wharf 35 Portbury Wharf nature reserve became nature reserve since 2010. It recently 1980-2015 the first scheme in the UK of land featured as a case study in Tony managed for wildlife, with the costs Juniper’s new book What Has Nature of its management and maintenance Ever Done for Britain. met by householders. It demonstrates The Trust continues to raise its concerns how development can occur alongside Thank you to about changes to the funding arrangements restoring the natural environment, with our Brandon Hill and their implications and regular updates will residents having direct access to nature neighbours, be provided on the Trust website. on their doorstep. Trust Chief Executive Triodos Bank, who in their 20th year in the UK have Bevis in training sponsored new interpretation On your bike! at Folly Farm boards for our Brandon Hill To celebrate Bristol’s year as Nature Park, 30 years after European Green Capital in 2015, Sir David Attenborough Trust Chief Executive Bevis Watts cycled from Brussels to Bristol in early opened the Trust’s offices June, accompanying the European in one of the country’s Commission on their journey. We are first urban wildlife hoping to raise £2,015 to support reserves. the work being carried out as part of Bristol’s year as European Green Capital. If you would like to support Bevis by making a donation to the Trust, please visit justgiving.com/cycle2015
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife WILD NEWS Improving nature The West of England Nature Partnership has identified its first Nature Improvement Area, running along the coast of the Severn Estuary, from South Gloucestershire to North Somerset. Nature Improvement Areas are large areas that take a landscape-scale approach to conservation, by joining up existing wildlife sites, rural and urban areas to create large connected wildlife Planting a tree at Bennett’s Patch corridors that enable wildlife to move and White’s Paddock freely across the landscape. The land next to the Severn Estuary is rich in wildlife and attracts vast numbers of species to the range of wetland habitats it supports, particularly migratory birds My wild life who are attracted to its muddy shores. The area is already dotted with Avon Wildlife “Contact with nature should not be the preserve of the privileged. It Trust reserves and other important wetland is critical to the personal development of our children. People turn to habitats, making it the ideal place to create nature in moments of joy and in moments of sadness. We are part of ecological networks by connecting these sites across the wider landscapes and even the natural world: we depend on it for the air we breathe and the food entering into the urban areas. we eat.” Sir David Attenborough The West of England Nature Partnership will be working with partners to improve the area for the benefit of wildlife and My wild Life is a new initiative launched about what nature means to them. Sir people. Severnside Wetlands Nature by the Wildlife Trusts to encourage David Attenborough is one of hundreds Improvement Area was officially launched everyone to stop and reflect on what of people taking part so far, alongside at the WENP Conference in March. wildlife means to them and think about students, nurses, families, volunteers, how to make wildlife part of their teachers and many others from across To find out more about WENP or get involved everyday lives. If we did this, not only the UK. His, and other stories, can be please visit wenp.org.uk would wildlife benefit, but so would we found at www.mywildlife.org.uk where – because contact with nature is good people can add their own story and for us. Those people lucky enough to discover wild places near to them. live near and experience green spaces Avon Wildlife Trust has valued the have a 50% chance of being more importance of wildlife and wild places in healthy – both physically and mentally towns and cities from its founding, and are 40% less likely to become 35 years ago, and many of our overweight or obese. campaigns have been designed to make This is why The Wildlife Trusts wildlife part of people’s daily lives. In are restoring wildlife and wild places this magazine you’ll read about our in towns and cities as well as in My Wild City project, together with the countryside, and why we are contributions from volunteers and encouraging people from all walks of members describing their wild life Bevis Watts speaking at the CRAIG life to share their own personal stories stories. WENP Conference. JON
The Trust’s Consultancy offers a comprehensive range of ecological AWT Ecological AWT Ecological SERVICES TO BENElT BOTH WILDLIFE AND THE INTERESTS OF CLIENTS AND ANY Consultancy Consultancy profits go to support the charitable work of the Trust. %COLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS "2%%!- AND CODE FOR 3USTAINABLE and mitigation Homes ecology assessments Protected species and habitat AWT Ecological AWT Ecological surveys %MAIL ENQUIRIES Consultancy Consultancy Biodiversity Action Plans and site
DA awtecologicalconsultancy.org.uk
V management plans
ID #ONTACT
KILBEY Phase 1 habitat survey avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/consultancy Habitat creation and restoration AWT Ecological AWT Ecological Consultancy Consultancy 6 Wildlife SUMMER 2015
AWT Ecological AWT Ecological Consultancy Consultancy Wild Avon Film available now!
Bristol is the global centre for wildlife film making and some of the world’s top cameramen have focused their cameras on the wildlife on their own doorsteps to make Wild Avon, a superb film in support of the work of the Trust. First screened at last year’s AGM, this film is now available for members to hire for just £5. This charge is for private and public screenings. Contact [email protected] for Notice of Annual further information. Steve Nicholls, an award-winning television producer, wildlife film maker General Meeting who is also Vice Chair of the Trust, has led this exciting project. Read about Steve in Postscript on page 36. Avon Wildlife Trust’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is on 22 October 2015 at the Redgrave Theatre, 2 Percival Rd, Bristol BS8 3LE.
Members are invited to arrive from request along with full Audited Accounts 5.30pm for a 6pm start. My Wild City and Trustees’ Annual Report. Showcase is an inspiring presentation that Any member, not disqualified from shows how a city can be transformed into acting as a charity Trustee or company a nature reserve, and how you can help director, and interested in becoming achieve this. The formal business follows a Trustee should contact Jane Davis, at 7.30pm for the following purposes: Director of Finance and Resources, on 1. To receive the Annual Report of the 0117 917 7270 to arrange a meeting. Board of Trustees and Audited Annual Formal written proposal of any Accounts, together with the Auditors’ candidate must be delivered to the Trust report for the year ended 31 March 2015. office at 32 Jacobs Wells Road, Bristol Early morning filming 2. To elect Trustees (for further details go BS8 1DR no later than 14 October 2015. to the website or contact the office). Candidates are required to provide 3. To re-appoint Mr Simon King as verification of identity and a declaration President of the Trust (recommended of suitability and personal interests. by the Board of Trustees). Please contact mail@avonwildlifetrust. By order of the Trustees org.uk to book your place at the AGM, to Note: under the Companies Act 2006 request a copy of the Annual Review or the serving Auditors, Messrs Hollingdale the full Audited Accounts and Trustees’ Pooley, are deemed re-appointed and Annual Report, or a proxy form, for a continue in office. person to attend, speak and vote on The Trust’s Annual Review is on the a member’s behalf, or to register your website 28 days before the event and on interest in becoming a Trustee.
Picture this We’re always looking for new images of wildlife on our nature reserves to use in our publications and online. These photographs were taken recently by members, and are wonderful examples of a keen eye and an appreciation of the special aspects of a wild place. Many
thanks to John Harrison for his image STEPHEN of cotton grass at Weston Moor, and JOHN
Stephen Dawson for his green hairstreak HARRISON
butterfly at Bathampton Meadows. Please DAWSON send any images you want to share to Green hairstreak butterfly Cotton grass, Weston Moor [email protected]
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife 7 FEATURE
ng rati 35 y eb ea l r e s C 35 1980-2015
Roz
Trust Chair, Roz Kidman Cox, has been looking back at the story of Avon Wildlife Trust and the highlights of our history
NOVEL FOR A WILDLIFE TRUST A CONSERVATION In the beginning OFlCER #HRIS *OHNSON LATER TO BECOME $IRECTOR AND A SECRETARY *ON 'ETHING he late 1970s and early 1980s BECAME ITS CHAIRMAN AND IN ITS SECOND were a heady time. Punk rock DECADE ITS DIRECTOR !S TODAY THERE WAS WAS IN THE CHARTS AND -ARGARET LITTLE MONEY BUT THERE WAS A RICHNESS OF Thatcher was prime minister. ENERGY AND VOLUNTEERS )N JUST FOUR YEARS AgriculturalT development and the 16 local groups were formed. building boom meant that the natural Partnerships were vital. The councils environment was under great pressure. WERE KEEN TO COLLABORATE AND "RISTOL But grassroots nature conservation was allowed the creation on Brandon Hill ALSO COMING OF AGE AND ACTIVISM WAS IN OF THE 5+S lRST NATURE RESERVE IN A CITY THE AIR !VON 7ILDLIFE 4RUST n "RITAINS VERY PARK AND IN TO MOVE ITS (1 TO THE OLD 0OLICE 3TATION ON "RANDON (ILL 4HE lRST URBAN WILDLIFE TRUST n WAS A PRODUCT FOLLOWING YEAR IT OPENED 7ILLSBRIDGE -ILL of that time. A VISITOR CENTRE "Y THE 4RUST WAS The impetus was the creation of the MANAGING RESERVES BUT THE LAND AREA county of Avon in 1974. At its heart were WAS SMALL AND SO IT SET OUT TO INmUENCE the cities of Bath and Bristol and their land management. satellite towns. A group of conservation First it partnered with Bristol entrepreneurs began to plan the 7ATER A LARGE LANDOWNER RESULTING creation of an organisation that would in management plans for Chew and not only safeguard Avon’s precious Blagdon Lakes and the opening of Chew green spaces but promote the value of Valley Lake Visitor Centre. A consultancy wildlife to its urban population. It would COMPANY WAS BORN ADVISING LANDOWNERS BE COMMUNITY BASED THE SUM OF ITS how best to manage their land. It also members. ADVISED 7ESSEX 7ATER ON MANAGING SOME Avon Wildlife Trust launched on 4 of its land for the benefit of wildlife. -AY WITH MEMBERS AND lVE "UT IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT RESERVES n FOUR GIFTED FROM THE 3OMERSET NEW HOUSES WERE TO BE BUILT Trust and one from the Gloucestershire in the region meant that the Trust was Enabling children to experience 4RUST "Y IT HAD MEMBERS AND overwhelmed with planning matters. nature first-hand THREE STAFF n AN EDUCATION OFlCER THEN A rash of planning applications in the
8 Wildlife SUMMER 2015 'ORDANO 6ALLEY n ONE OF THE BEST WILDLIFE AREAS IN THE COUNTY n PROMPTED A STRATEGY rethink. The result was the publication of a conservation strategy for the valley that would involve local people and be incorporated into the planning strategy. It WENT ON TO RECEIVE A %UROPEAN 9EAR OF THE %NVIRONMENT !WARD IN The Trust continued to play a part in ensuring that wildlife was considered in plans for development and that the recreational and educational benefits of wildspace in a city were acknowledged. 4HE CAMPAIGN TO STOP 2OYATE (ILL from being built on resulted in the first compulsory purchase of a wildlife site IN THE 5+ REmECTING A MAJOR CHANGE in attitudes towards development by planners and councillors. )N THE DISBANDMENT OF !VON as a county meant that the Trust had to build new relationships with four UNITARY AUTHORITIES WHILE DEVELOPMENT TO WORK ALONGSIDE THE 7EST OF %NGLAND YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERTAKING SURVEYS OR PRESSURES CONTINUED TO GROW 4ODAY THE %NTERPRISE 0ARTNERSHIP fundraising to buy reserves. The struggles INmUENCE OF THE 4RUST REMAINS AS POWERFUL today remain much the same as they as the partnerships it creates and the Volunteers remain at the heart of the WERE YEARS AGO AND WITH FEWER GRANTS ATTITUDES IT INmUENCES )TS WHY THE 4RUST TRUST WITHOUT WHICH MUCH CONSERVATION AVAILABLE MEMBERSHIP NOW PROVIDES THE was instrumental in setting up the West WORK COULD NOT TAKE PLACE WHETHER lifeblood of the Trust. OF %NGLAND .ATURE 0ARTNERSHIP IN MANAGING THE RESERVES WORKING WITH
Making a difference – the highlights Championing Promoting urban wildlife landscape-scale The UK’s first city-park nature reserve was Brandon Hill, created conservation Educating planners and the year the Trust was born, encouraging landowners to with the involvement of local embrace nature conservation people and the local school. It has been vital. The Trust’s 1988 was symbolic of the new trust’s planning framework for the twin pillars of education and conservation. On the Trust’s 35th Gordano Valley has, with the anniversary, another new urban reserve has been created with the reserves, protected much of it involvement of local people: Bennett’s Patch and White’s Paddock, in from development. For wildlife to thrive in the wider landscape, a the Avon Gorge. network of connections are needed on a landscape scale. It’s why in 2008 the Trust launched its Living Landscape grassland initiative, Managing reserves working with landowners to protect and restore wildflower-rich Today the Trust manages 37 areas in a joined-up way. reserves. Some are remnant gems of now rare habitats. Others have been bought to save Creating Folly them from development – as a Farm Centre golf course, in the case of Puxton An early ambition was to own a Moor. Some have been created from scratch, such as Bathampton farm which would demonstrate Meadows (above), now one of the area’s best wildlife sites. that land could be farmed for the benefit of wildlife as well as people. So when Folly Farm Inspiring children came up for sale in 1986 – Enabling people to experience with woodland and wildflower nature first-hand has been a meadows untouched by fertilisers priority. In 1987, the renovated and pesticides – the Trust Willsbridge Mill and its reserve launched a major appeal, and in 1987 acquired the 250-acre reserve. was opened as an education A schools programme was started, but it took 21 years, a second centre; in 1988, work began with big appeal and Heritage Lottery funding to transform the farm inner-city children; and in 1992, itself into an education and conference centre, which now offers the Trust began creating wildlife areas in school grounds and training transformative residential courses for children and facilities teachers in outdoor learning. Over 35 years, thousands of children for adults. have experienced nature first-hand through the Trust.
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife 9 FEATURE
ng rati 35 y eb ea l r e s C 35 1980-2015 Wild Avon Rupert Higgins is a local ecologist who has been closely involved with the Trust since 1983. We asked him to look back over the past 35 years of wildlife in Avon, and how the Trust has worked for change over this time Peregrine SNELL Losses and gains Trust could bring about directly. local authorities are major land owners and MIKE hange in the natural world in YEARS AGO THEIR OPEN LAND TENDED TO this time has been striking: in BE MANICURED TO THE POINT OF STERILITY 1980 the pressures were only used as a source of income or neglected. TOO OBVIOUS AND MANY OF THESE &OR EXAMPLE THE 4RUSTS EARLY EFFORTS TO REMAIN BUT )M CONSTANTLY SURPRISED C PROMOTE TALL GRASSLAND SCRUB CLEARANCE by the way wildlife has responded to or other wildlife-friendly measures were them. Over the lifetime of the Trust many frequently unsuccessful. We continued familiar species have all but disappeared TO WORK TO INmUENCE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND and a few new ones have colonised. today all four councils encourage wildlife In 1980 I could anticipate seeing grey ON LARGE AREAS OF LAND OFTEN WITH THE HELP PARTRIDGE CUCKOO TURTLE DOVE NIGHTINGALE Pyramidal orchid and encouragement of enthusiastic and and tree sparrow in the course of a year’s energetic local groups. local bird watching: now sighting any of these is a treat. On the other hand Changing the view Recognising wildlife SPECIES SUCH AS LITTLE EGRET GREAT WHITE %QUALLY STRIKING HAS BEEN THE CHANGE egret and Cetti’s warbler are no longer IN ATTITUDES SINCE WHEN 3ITES value EXTREME RARITIES AND PEREGRINE HOBBY OF 3PECIAL 3CIENTIlC )NTEREST 333) Development was an established threat and raven are much more common than HAD VIRTUALLY NO PROTECTION 3PECIES TO WILDLIFE BY AND IN THE 4RUSTS they were. protection legislation was largely non- early years I remember that we were EXISTENT AND NONE OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES powerless to prevent the loss of ancient (OWEVER MARSH FRITILLARY PEARL BORDERED fritillary and high brown fritillary employed a nature conservation officer. WOODLAND IN THE -ENDIPS HAY MEADOWS BUTTERmIES HAVE ALL DISAPPEARED THEIR Planning applications that would now loss only balanced by the spread of be unthinkable were granted without %SSEX SKIPPER -OTHS HAVE FARED BETTER any consideration of wildlife; and THAN BUTTERmIES WITH SCARLET TIGER THE virtually no land in the county was most visible of several new arrivals; managed for nature conservation. Avon MANY DRAGONmIES HAVE mOURISHED AND Wildlife Trust was one of the pioneers we have gained several bush-cricket and of a more outward looking approach grasshopper species. Plants may seem to conservation that emphasised both LESS MOBILE BUT WE HAVE WITNESSED THE education and habitat protection beyond rapid spread of Danish scurvy grass and other coastal plants along salt-treated the confines of nature reserves. This has brought benefits to the natural
roads and new populations of bee and LEWIS Cetti’s warbler pyramidal orchids appearing; WORLD VASTLY IN EXCESS OF THOSE THAT THE AMY
10 Wildlife SUMMER 2015 were still available for many forms of INTENSIlCATION INCLUDING THE DRAINING of wetlands and destruction of hedges. 3INCE THEN THOSE GRANTS HAVE DISAPPEARED and a raft of environmentally friendly MEASURES BROUGHT IN 3OME OF THESE have achieved real benefits in terms of PROTECTION OF WATER COURSES MANAGEMENT of field margins in arable fields and conservation of hedges. AMY
So what of the future? Marsh fritillary LEWIS butterfly 3ADLY DESPITE THESE CHANGES IN ATTITUDE most species and habitats have continued BARELY RATED A MENTION BY ANY OF Common TO DECLINE USUALLY DUE TO A COMBINATION scurvy grass the major parties. An optimistic view WOULD BE THAT THIS REmECTS A BROAD consensus on most environmental in Bristol; the only marsh helleborines MEASURES BUT THREATS ARE LOOMING IN 3OUTH 'LOUCESTERSHIRE AND LARGE There will be growing pressure to ease NUMBERS OF GREAT CRESTED NEWTS IN 9ATE planning legislation in order to ease the Planning permission was given for HOUSING CRISIS ENDLESS PREVARICATION housing covering many rhynes around on measures to combat climate change and uncertainty over our future in the 7ESTON SUPER -ARE BEFORE WE EVEN KNEW %5 WHICH WILL JEOPARDISE MANY AREAS OF of their wildlife value. Virtually no sites AMY wildlife protection. It is important that
WERE SURVEYED BEFORE DEVELOPMENT LEWIS Cuckoo NATURE CONSERVATION MOVES FORWARDS unless the Trust was able to harness its not backwards. The Trusts have achieved slim resources to do so. It took years A HUGE AMOUNT IN RECENT DECADES AND of the Trust working to change attitudes of habitat loss and climate change. I have though it is certain that the future will AMONGST COUNCIL OFlCERS POLITICIANS AND no doubt that wildlife will continue to BRING CHALLENGES )M SURE THAT THERE developers to reach the current situation mOURISH ON THE 4RUSTS NATURE RESERVES WILL BE EXCITING ACHIEVEMENTS TO LOOK where the need to prevent serious loss of BUT THESE POCKETS OF EXCELLENCE CANNOT back on.” wildlife is accepted by all. It is now rare protect the majority of species on for rich wildlife sites to be destroyed by THEIR OWN 4HAT IS WHY OVER THE LAST Scarlet tiger moth development. Where major infrastructure YEARS !VON 7ILDLIFE 4RUST ALONG WITH schemes do cause significant loss some Trusts across the country now work form of compensation is now provided with landowners at a landscape scale to restore and connect valuable habitats
Friendly measures to create ‘Living Landscapes’ ecological MALCOLM networks that are more resilient to
Agriculture remains the dominant pressures such as climate change STOREY force in shaping habitats across the 7E RECENTLY EXPERIENCED AN ELECTION countryside. In 1980 generous grants campaign in which the environment ADAM
Tree sparrow JONES Grassland
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife 11 FEATURE
ng rati 35 y eb ea l r e s C 35 Wildlife in the city 1980-2015
When Avon Wildlife Trust began in 1980, urban conservation was a HOBSON
dynamic new part of the conservation movement, promoting the idea SAM that cities can be good for wildlife and that wildlife is essential to the wellbeing of people. Professor David Goode, author of Nature in Towns and Cities (Collins New Naturalist 2014) looks at the background to this movement.
published in 1978 it turned traditional A quiet revolution views of nature conservation on their n 1981 nature conservation head. It demonstrated beyond doubt suddenly became newsworthy the wealth of wildlife to be found owing to heated debates in WITHIN URBAN AREAS IN A HUGE RANGE OF artificial habitats from formal parks and Parliament on the Wildlife and GARDENS TO WILDER EXPANSES OF INDUSTRIAL ICountryside Bill. The widespread dereliction. Overnight the Endless Village destruction of habitats and the need to destroyed the myth of the urban desert. STRENGTHEN THE 333) SYSTEM TO PREVENT !T THE SAME TIME THE .ATURE #ONSERVANCY further losses hit the headlines for weeks Council produced a national strategy ON END 9ET NOWHERE IN ALL THOSE DEBATES FOR URBAN NATURE CONSERVATION ARGUING was there any mention of urban wildlife. that enthusiasm and know-how needed GOODE TO EMANATE FROM THE BOTTOM UP FROM
But a quiet revolution was underway. ID
The William Curtis Park V voluntary bodies and local groups. But A D It had started in 1974 with a conference no one would have predicted the rapid on Nature in Cities organised by emergence of urban wildlife groups that success with local schools. In Liverpool )AN ,AURIE A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AT followed. Grant Luscombe was doing a similar job -ANCHESTER 5NIVERSITY /NE OF THE turning run-down inner city wastelands PARTICIPANTS WAS 'EORGE "ARKER THEN INTO ATTRACTIVE WILDmOWER MEADOWS THAT DEPUTY REGIONAL OFlCER FOR THE .ATURE Nature on the doorstep demonstrated the enormous possibilities Another strand in the story was the Conservancy Council in the West offered by ecological landscaping. -IDLANDS WHO WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE role of habitat creation. In Liverpool to carry out a survey of the Birmingham and London a few inspired individuals conurbation to identify sites of nature had already started to create new Bristol’s nature park conservation value for the new County wildlife habitats where city people could Good news travelled fast and by 1980 the 3TRUCTURE 0LAN !NOTHER ATTENDEE WAS EXPERIENCE NATURE ON THEIR DOORSTEP stage was set for the quiet revolution to Bunny Teagle who was well versed in 4HE 7ILLIAM #URTIS %COLOGICAL 0ARK AT take off. With establishment of the Avon London’s natural history. The conference 4OWER "RIDGE DESIGNED BY ,YNDIS #OLE Wildlife Trust in 1980 Bristol was the first was a milestone event that set people astonished Londoners when it opened city to have a predominantly urban trust. thinking about the value of nature to IN AND BECAME AN IMMEDIATE The creation of a nature park on Brandon town and city dwellers. But another (ILL IN WHICH SEEMED EXTRAORDINARY outcome which was to prove significant AT THE TIME WAS ONE OF THE lRST OF A HOST was that George found the right person of such projects that developed in many to do the job and Bunny Teagle spent towns and cities during the 1980s. MUCH OF DELVING INTO THE COUNTLESS The early 1980s was a time of enormous PLACES WHERE NATURE mOURISHED AMIDST enthusiasm in urban conservation. All of the urban sprawl of Birmingham and the those involved were pioneers in a radical Black Country. movement that changed the face of NATURE CONSERVATION IN THE 5+ 4HIRTY lVE A wealth of wildlife years after the Avon Wildlife Trust was formed the need for such enthusiasm and This was the first major survey of urban Cowslips at DEDICATION REMAINS JUST AS ACUTE OR EVEN
wildlife anywhere in Britain and when HOBSON Brandon Hill Teagle’s report The Endless Village was MORE SO TODAY SAM
Wildlife SUMMER 2015 The Bristol Wildlife Centre PEOPLE SET PRECEDENTS FOR MANY OTHER visitors to the park can learn about similar battles around the country. this very special urban wildlife site for THEMSELVES 3UMMER WILL ALSO BRING NEW VISITORS WITH THE PRESENCE OF 3HAUN City landmark THE 3HEEP ON OUR NATURE RESERVE Over the years the Trust’s presence on Brandon Hill has become a landmark OF THE CITY CENTRE AND WEVE CELEBRATED WITH NATURE FAIRS AND URBAN SAFARIS wildlife work parties and meadow hay CUTS #OWSLIPS BETONY OXEYE DAISY AND knapweed grow in the meadow and wild GARLIC BLUEBELLS AND RED CAMPION NOW Sir David Attenborough opens mOURISH IN THE WOODLAND AND THE POND the Trust’s HQ on Brandon Hill is full of frogs and newts. The list of birds in October 1985 recorded on site includes species such AS REDSTART PIED mYCATCHER GOLDCREST AND whitethroat. Today the park is visited by N "RISTOL #ITY #OUNCIL OFFERED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND IN SPRING AND the Trust the use of the Old Police SUMMER THE WILDmOWER MEADOW IS A favoured picnic spot. AMY 3TATION ON "RANDON (ILL AND WE
LEWIS were able to put down roots in The Trust has plans to improve Meadow crane’s bill Iour own urban park. That year we were INTERPRETATION ON "RANDON (ILL SO THAT VISITED BY 3IR $AVID !TTENBOROUGH who launched our new headquarters. Nature in Towns and Cities In 1989 the Trust published Wildlife in Professor David "RISTOL A GUIDE TO WILD PLACES IN THE CITY Goode’s book is which set the scene for the publication the latest addition two years later of the Greater Bristol TO #OLLINS .EW .ATURE #ONSERVATION 3TRATEGY WHICH .ATURALIST SERIES For more details laid out policies for the protection and or to order a enhancement of wildlife in the city. copy go to In the early 1990s the Trust played newnaturalists. a major role in the campaigns for com information BOTH 2OYATE (ILL AND .OVERS (ILL WITH and special TREMENDOUS RESULTS .OT ONLY WERE SAM offers.
both sites saved for wildlife and local Blue tit at the HOBSON PEOPLE BUT THE PUBLIC INQUIRY RESULTS Trust HQ! which recognised the value of wildlife for In the early days we had to contend with lots of complaints about the long grass in the hay meadow, and the ‘weeds’ that flourished there – but gradually complaint turned to compliment, and within
SAM a short period the meadow contained an abundance of
Frog in Brandon HOBSON wildflowers, typical of a species-rich hay meadow. Hill pond -EMORIES OF EARLY DAYS AT "RANDON (ILL
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife 13 INSPIRING PEOPLE
My wild city In this year of Bristol as European Green Capital 2015 the Trust’s central campaign is My Wild City. In April Matt Collis was appointed as the Trust’s first
My Wild City Officer. He tells us about the challenges for the year ahead. SAM
HOBSON The urban fox
he prospect of are plenty of opportunities for further turning a city Wild distribution during our various events into a nature actions throughout the summer. We are also reserve inspires 3INCE THE RUNNING -Y 7ILD #ITY CLASSES MANY FEELINGS BUT )M DRIVEN BY T in all 116 primary schools in launch of the ONE IN PARTICULAR n HOPE .EVER HAS -Y 7ILD #ITY Bristol. a conservation project attempted a maps at the transformation of this scale within an turn of the Matt Get connected URBAN SETTING BUT THATS EXACTLY WHAT YEAR WEVE We’re also delighted to announce the makes this project so revolutionary. been working LAUNCH OF THE NEW -Y 7ILD #ITY PAGES ON For the first time we are taking hard creating the Trust website. This online resource habitat creation and restoration to the resources and contains many features including: STREETS WORKING WITH LOCAL GROUPS AND starting projects A map showing you what actions neighbourhoods across the breadth across the city. OF "RISTOL &ROM (ENBURY TO (ENGROVE people are taking to create habitat for These include wildlife across the city "ISHOPSWORTH TO &RENCHAY WE WANT TO DEMONSTRATION SITES SUCH AS AT THE !N EVENTS MAP SHOWING YOU -Y 7ILD engage and encourage all communities one at the BBC building on Whiteladies #ITY EVENTS FOR TO CONNECT WITH THEIR NEIGHBOURS SCHOOLS 2OAD 4HIS IS HOME TO THE INTERNATIONALLY PARKS AND OFlCES TO CREATE GREEN ADMIRED ""# .ATURAL (ISTORY 5NIT AND A whole host of information and corridors through we’re working with local schoolchildren advice about creating wildlife-friendly the city. AND 46 PRESENTERS INCLUDING -IKE $ILGER habitat in your green space Get -IRANDA +RESTOVNIKOFF AND .ICK "AKER "RISTOL "UZZING n OUR PARTNER PROJECT TO CONVERT THE GRASS n LAWNED FRONT working with insect pollinators in Bioblitz at the the city BBC site GARDEN TO A SHOWCASE WILDLIFE GARDEN a safe haven for nature in the city. With Live twitter wall of all social media the launch of our new nature reserve COVERAGE USING -Y7ILD#ITY AND Bennett’s Patch and White’s Paddock in #GetBristolBuzzing the Avon Gorge we’ll be hosting events during the scheduled Portway closures ,OG ON TO lND OUT HOW 9/5 CAN DO this year to help people learn about something amazing for wildlife in the city creating wildlife corridors in their areas. n AND IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA OR A PROJECT YOU /VER ONE HUNDRED OF OUR WILDLIFE THINK WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THEN PLEASE GARDEN STARTER BOXES HAVE BEEN GIVEN do get in touch: avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/ AWAY TO COMMUNITIES TO DATE AND THERE mywildcity
The prospect of turning a city into a nature
Biobitz reserve inspires many feelings, but I’m driven by one in particular – hope.
14 Wildlife SUMMER 2015 My wild life – my wellbeing My Wild City encourages people city-wide to help make Bristol a nature reserve. Kelly Bray and Matt Harcourt, Trust Communities and Nature (CAN) Project Officers, write about how the team is doing just this.
e’ve recently City Council’s inspiring growing been working One Tree per SPACE PLANTED WITH on four Child campaign. wildlife-friendly plants. They also made demonstration Together they THEIR OWN BIRD BOXES TO TAKE HOME AND sites in Bristol.W These are at Dundry planted over encourage birds to nest in their own 3LOPES 0ARK IN (ARTCLIFFE THE 'REENWAY 300 trees at green spaces. #ENTRE IN 3OUTHMEAD 3OUTH 3TREET 0ARK 3OUTH 3TREET Kelly and Matt IN "EDMINSTER AND /WEN 0ARK %ASTON 0ARK 3OME #OMMUNITY CENTRE IN %ASTON 4HESE SITES students WILL BE DEVELOPED BY EXISTING GROUPS engaged with the children and helped AND LOCAL PEOPLE AND WILL DEVELOP IDEAS THEM PLANT TREES SHOWING GROWTH IN of what people can do in their back confidence in their practical and social GARDENS STREETS AND OTHER LOCAL GREEN SKILLS +43 4RAINING IS A YOUNG PEOPLES spaces. All four sites will have simple skills training organisation based in the interpretation and information boards 'REENWAY #ENTRE IN 3OUTHMEAD WHERE EXPLAINING THE BENElTS OF EACH HABITAT FOR THEY HELPED WITH CLEARING BRAMBLES WILDLIFE n AND LOTS OF PEOPLE WILL BENElT showing great enthusiasm for practical from the physical activity and outdoor conservation sessions. ENVIRONMENT TOO -Y WELLBEING IN ACTION In February "RANDON 4RUST WHICH supports people with mental health In March &RIENDS OF $UNDRY 3LOPES Month by Month ISSUES WORKED ON A PATCH OF DISUSED TOGETHER WITH 6OLUNTEERING -ATTERS In January Horizons worked alongside GROUND NEXT TO THE %ASTON #OMMUNITY PLANTED ALDER BUCKTHORN BUDDLEIA DOG #OMPASS 0OINT 0RIMARY 3CHOOL IN "RISTOL Centre to turn it in to a productive and rose and honeysuckle adding to the BRAMBLE PATCHES CREATING ATTRACTIVE BEE AND BUTTERmY ISLANDS "IRD BOXES WERE made with local residents and put up in the trees. In April Horizons created three meadow AREAS AND "EE "RISTOL WHICH AIMS TO encourage everyone in the city to help POLLINATORS WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS TO CREATE ANOTHER TWO MEADOWS AT 3OUTH 3TREET 0ARK -EADOW WORK BEGAN AT THE Greenway Centre worked with members FROM 3ILVERCARE WHICH SUPPORTS ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES AND #HANGES In May Work to create large meadow STRIPS AT $UNDRY 3LOPES 0ARK BEGAN The strips have been sown with annual CORNlELD MIXTURE AND OTHER AREAS PLANTED WITH WILDmOWER PLUGS ! FURTHER TWO meadow areas will be created with the help of Bristol City #OUNCILS -EADOW 0ROJECT
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife INSPIRING PEOPLE
My Wild City workshops
Bristol is the first UK city to win the prestigious European Green Capital Award and Bristol 2015 has selected Avon Wildlife Trust to develop and deliver the nature element of the schools’ programme. This was launched on 1 May with an environmental day at St Barnabas Primary School in Montpelier. All Bristol schools are being offered free workshops for key stage 2 classes across the five themes of nature, transport, resources, energy and food. Releasing eels into BlagdonLake
HESE WORKSHOPS ARE PART OF THE 4RUSTS -Y 7ILD #ITY The release was a really lovely PROJECT INSPIRING CHILDREN ACROSS "RISTOL TO CONNECT moment. The children were so still with nature and join with our mission to turn our city into a nature reserve. We get the pupils outside and and quiet as they watched the eels swim encourageT them to become ecologists for the day; together we off. It was magical INVESTIGATE THEIR SCHOOL GROUNDS AND COMPLETE A HABITAT SURVEY 4EACHER #HEDDAR 'ROVE 0RIMARY 3CHOOL play science curriculum-linked games and look at ways we can all improve our environment so wildlife can thrive around us. %ACH PUPIL WILL MAKE THEIR OWN @SEED BOMB TO TAKE HOME with them so they can introduce more pollinator-friendly plants INTO THEIR GARDENS OR WINDOW BOXES AS PART OF MAKING "RISTOL A NATURE RICH CITY %VERY SCHOOL IS ALSO BEING GIVEN FREE WILDLIFE STARTER KIT BOXES PACKED WITH BIRD SEED WILDmOWER SEEDS PLUG PLANTS AN EARTHWORM SURVEY AND LOTS MORE USEFUL INFORMATION on how to green their school. Eel release Schoolchildren from Cheddar Grove Primary School recently released young European eels into Blagdon Lake in the Chew Valley, after raising the baby eels in their classroom. After two years of drifting over 4000 miles on currents across THE !TLANTIC FROM THE 3ARGASSO 3EA TO OUR SHORES THE TINY EELS MAKE THEIR WAY UP INTO OUR RIVERS STREAMS AND LAKES WHERE THEY CAN SPEND UP TO YEARS BEFORE MAKING THE RETURN TRIP BACK TO SPAWN 4HE %UROPEAN EEL IS CRITICALLY ENDANGERED HAVING SUFFERED A DECLINE IN NUMBERS SINCE THE S 7EIRS LOCKS DAMS AND mOOD DEFENCES CAN ALL ACT AS IMPASSABLE obstacles to this tiny creature’s journey. 4HE 4RUSTS ,EARNING $EVELOPMENT -ANAGER +ATE -ARSH COMMENTED h)T WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE THE CHILDREN RELEASING THE EELS WHICH THEY HAVE SO CAREFULLY CARED FOR 4HIS PROJECT has enabled the children to learn about the eels’ fascinating lifecycles and the challenges they face. It‘s great to see their enthusiasm for the issues facing wildlife.”
16 Wildlife Wildlife SUMMER SUMMER 2015 2015 My feel-good factor Trust Community Groups and Partnerships Manager Julie Doherty shares her My wild life story.
ANY OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE RELAXED feeling that a walk in the woods gives us. We value the joy of hearing a chiffchaff SINGING CLOSE BY THE DRUMMING OF A woodpeckerM staking out its territory or the glimpse of a deer bounding through the trees. I still count myself lucky every TIME ) EXPERIENCE ONE OF THESE MOMENTS 5NFORTUNATELY AS OUR LIVES BECOME INCREASINGLY BUSY TIME BECOMES MORE PRESSURED AND OUR LEISURE TIME MORE mEETING )TS EASY AND INCREASINGLY COMMON TO IGNORE THAT INSTINCTIVE URGE TO GET OUTSIDE AND TAKE NOTICE OF THE WORLD AROUND US 9ET ALL OUR LIVES ARE BETTER WHEN THEY ARE A LITTLE BIT WILD WHICH IS WHY ) LOVE THE 0ORTBURY 7HARF .ATURE "UGS PROJECT SO MUCH 4HE .ATURE "UGS PROJECT NOW IN ITS SECOND YEAR PROVIDES walks and nature activities for pre-school children and their parents in Portishead. Originally focused around our Portbury 7HARF NATURE RESERVE THE GROUP ALSO EXPLORES OTHER RESERVES Children with bluebells in Prior’s Wood and green spaces around the area to help foster an interest in THE NATURAL WORLD 4RUST VOLUNTEER "ETH $OHERTY WHO LEADS THE PROJECT UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF ENCOURAGING CHILDREN 4HESE EARLY PLAYFUL EXPERIENCES HELP TO MAKE A STRONG from a very early age to be active and connected with the connection with nature that can stay with us into adulthood. NATURAL WORLD 3HE TOLD ME h)TS BEEN A PRIVILEGE OVER THE LAST 2ESEARCH FROM #ORNELL 5NIVERSITY SHOWS THAT @THE MOST DIRECT 14 months to encourage a group of families here route to caring for the environment as an adult is participating IN 0ORTISHEAD TO EXPLORE THEIR SURROUNDINGS AND in wild nature activities before the age of 11. It’s SEEING THE CHILDREN PLAY FREELY AMONGST BLUEBELLS not just about caring for the environment that’s TREES BIRD HIDES AND GRASSv IMPORTANT ITS THE FEEL GOOD FACTOR OF BEING IN A WILD PLACE THAT MAKES IT VALUABLE AT ANY AGE /N A RECENT TRIP TO 0RIORS 7OOD NATURE RESERVE .ATURE HAS THE ABILITY TO HEAL LIFT SPIRITS AND IT parents and toddlers crept around the purple REVITALISES OUR SOULS )TS BEAUTIFUL AND PRODUCTIVE CARPET OF BLUEBELLS SINGING IN WOODLAND CLEARINGS EVER CHANGING AND EXTRAORDINARY 3O In the middle of the woods they made intricate EMBRACE YOUR WILD LIFE TAKE NOTICE BLUEBELL CANVASES USING lNGER PAINTS AND CLAY of your surroundings and share your Julie creatures out of clay that were hidden away in the EXPERIENCES WITH OTHERS woodland.
In every walk with nature one receives far more than one seeks *OHN -UIR CHRIS
Becoming ecologists for the day BAHN
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife 17 WAYS INTO WILDLIFE
Around the reserves Summer’s here!
Scything The spring months saw a pause to clearance work across our nature reserves to allow birds, butterflies and bees some space to breed and nurture the next generation. Our work plans moved on to infrastructure repairs to fences, gates, walls, styles and steps, and to planning our late summer hay cuts and grazing. Our volunteer groups have started silt removed to allow the flow of water We can also report that the huge task dry stone walling at Dolebury Warren from the River Avon into the reserve. of clearing eleven hectares of invasive and Tickenham Hill and we’re hoping rhododendron is also complete. Ride to complete two significant sections Woodland works management work has been carried out by the time autumn arrives. Since Extensive woodland conservation at Weston Big Wood with support from the arrival of the breeding season the the English Woodland Grant Scheme and work at Prior’s Wood took place over Portbury Wharf Tuesday group have been the winter months. The main larch our wonderful Wildlife Action Group busy carrying out wildlife surveys on plantation has been felled and replanted volunteers. The central ride has been species including badgers, water voles, and 3,000 native broadleaf trees which widened to restore and retain high value butterflies and newts. We’ll begin barn were donated by Eunomia have all been open habitat within the dense woodland, owl and bat surveys in the near future. planted, following a colossal joint effort which is favoured by butterflies such as The bird ringers have also been very by Eunomia staff and Trust Volunteers. silver-washed fritillaries. busy assisting with the bird monitoring programme for the reserve. Up-to-date records and a gallery can be viewed at portbury-wharf-ringing.co.uk Raising the levels Works at Blake’s Pools by the Environment Agency have begun to raise the sea wall that protects Kingston Seymour and Congresbury along the river Yeo. The reserve has restricted access this summer, but it is hoped that more pools will be created in the area as spoil for the wall is dug from surrounding farmland, and these will provide good habitats for breeding birds. At Bathampton Meadow, Kier Construction are working with the Trust to improve the flood storage capacity of the site to help protect the city of Bath from flooding. The artificial Oxbow Birders on the sea wall at Blake’s Pools Volunteers take a break Lake has had the build-up of deposited
18 Wildlife SUMMER 2015 Weston-super-Mare My wild life - my perfect day volunteers
Making way Volunteers at Brown’s Folly have finished tidying the brash after forestry works over the winter. They have been busy building weaved ‘dead’ hedges of branches along the tracks and rides to provide habitat for birds and small mammals and made use of the branches
Friday Group volunteer Trevor Thorley has discovered life outside the office
3ITTING HIGH ON THE SLOPES OF Walton Common overlooking the lELDS AND WOODS OF THE 'ORDANO VALLEY ITS A PERFECT SPRING DAY )M putting the finishing touches to an invisible fence so that a small HERD OF COWS CAN KEEP THE BRAMBLES AND GRASS AT BAY WHICH SEEMS to be the never-ending task for the Friday volunteer group. 7HAT HAVE ) SEEN TODAY 7ELL A BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN SLOW WORM THE LARGEST )VE Dead-hedging ever seen. Then there was the green common lizard scuttling through the deep GRASS AND UP ABOVE A SPARROWHAWK MAKING A mY PAST left after the timber was removed to !FTER THIRTY OR MORE YEARS WORKING AT A FRANTIC PACE INSIDE AN OFlCE ALL DAY widen the tracks and rides for the this has become my usual activity for two days of the week. The locations that roosting bat populations. Volunteers WE VISIT ARE ALWAYS MAGNIlCENT Prior’s Wood with its blue carpets of bluebells IN -AY OR OUR REGULAR EXCURSIONS UP THE STEEP DEFENSIVE EMBANKMENTS OF at Brown’s Folly and Folly Farm have Dolebury Warren hill fort to remove the invading trees from also been improving the pathways and this great historical monument. waymarked walks around the reserves, It’s always a pleasure to be by building steps and revetments on up there with those fantastic the steep, muddy tracks. Our Weston- panoramic views. I also love super-Mare team of volunteers have the Blake’s Pools site located on been repairing fences and gates on the THE BANKS BETWEEN THE 3EVERN different walking routes across the edge AND THE 9EO 4HE REED BEDS HIDE of the Mendip hills. Invisible fencing is SO MANY BIRD SPECIES BUNTINGS bullfinch and all types of warbler. making its debut on Walton Common. A good amount of watching This is underground electrical cable GOES ON THERE BUT REEDS ARE CUT that sends out vibrations to collars fences and gates are repaired too. Trevor that the cattle wear to help manage I forgot to mention the masses of their movement and is useful on sites sea birds finding food in the mud where fences cannot be erected. We are of the estuary. welcoming a group of friendly dexter But just as important to me is going out and completing physical work with cattle here, anticipating that their grazing a lovely group of people from all over the world. I enjoy the banter and the will help bring the SSSI grassland back CHAT TO HEAR THEIR INTERESTS AND IDEAS 4HEY ALSO BRING WITH THEM SUCH A HIGH into favourable management condition. level of knowledge about the locations and the wildlife. I have learnt so much ABOUT THE FUNGI WILD mOWERS BUTTERmIES AND CONSERVATION IN GENERAL n BRILLIANT The day we searched for dormice at Goblin Combe and found 16 of these rare AND SECRETIVE CREATURES WAS REALLY VERY SPECIAL n )D NEVER SEEN ONE BEFORE AN enlightening day. There’s never a dull day out with the Trust volunteers. 3OMETIMES IT IS WET COLD AND WINDY BUT USUALLY BRIGHT AND SUNNY ALWAYS INTERESTING OFTEN TIRING PHYSICALLY BUT GREAT FUN AND ALWAYS ENJOYABLE -Y PERFECT DAY
Oyster catcher at Blake’s Pools
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife 19 WAYS INTO WILDLIFE Seasonal stroll
Walborough and Purn Hill NICHOLLS
E
Green winged orchids at Walborough V STE
A circular walk between two of our nature reserves with marvellous views across the Axe and Severn estuaries from Walborough, and across the Somerset Levels to the Blackdowns and Quantocks from Purn Hill. The sea has once again being allowed to inundate the low-lying field behind the Victorian sea wall at Walborough, to expand the salt marsh. This is known as ‘managed retreat.’ BOWLER BURKMARR
Brown hare Male azure dragonfly RICHARD RICHARD
Wildlife SUMMER 2015 for coast paths and hill tops
1 OS grid ref: ST316 579 Walk details 2 duration: 3 hrs grade: challenging 20 Key to map 3 walk 1 point of interest 4 reserve boundary
19 16 car park 18 scale 5 17 400m
14 6 S ATELLITE I really enjoyed
IMAGES 15 the walk, which © G 13 takes in part of the East OOGLE 12 Mendip Way. We walked
E 9 ARTH 11 it in late summer, and
™ 7
MAPPING 10 were bird spotting all the way!
SER 8 From a member V ICE
From the boatyard (1) on Uphill Way, walk south along the surfaced path onto Uphill Cliff (2). Keep on the path and after passing through a small gate (3) climb up the hill. Just before the top, turn right through a stile (4), onto Walborough Nature Reserve. Follow this path around the side Look out for: of the hill, down through a kissing gate and over a bridge (5). Walk diagonally across this field. At the interpretation board rejoin the surfaced path (6) and leave the reserve, heading south through the kissing gate. The path takes you across part of the Bleadon Levels. Continue until you reach the road that leads to the sewage treatment works (7). At this point turn left. Follow this road until you reach the main entrance (8). Turn left onto the main road (take care here) and follow this until you reach the A370 (9). Turn right and immediately cross the road, turning left at the road junction down Bleadon Road towards the village of Bleadon (10). After 100m turn left through a gate and into a field (11). Walk up the footpath to Purn Hill Nature Reserve (12). Follow the path and turn left to up a flight of steps to the summit (13). Turn right and heading northwards walk along the spine of the hill, passing through a gateway and out of the reserve Grizzled skipper butterfly through a kissing gate onto Purn Lane (14). Turn left and walk down the lane. At the bottom you reach some houses (15), turn right and follow the old road until you reach the A370. Carefully cross the road and turn right, crossing over the railway bridge before turning sharp left at the next junction (16). Walk down the lane and towards the bottom turn right along a sign posted bridleway (17). Follow this old country byway until you reach the point where you left Walborough Nature Reserve. As you enter turn slightly left, walking diagonally across the first field. Cross the bridge and turn left, passing two gates, and retrace your steps following the edge of the rising hill. After GRI ZZ 150m, bear to the left (18) and descend the path, passing a small quarry on your right, along a LED
boardwalk and over a stile onto the old sea wall. Walk along the wall with the existing saltmarsh Rock rose SKIPPER on your left (19) and newly created managed retreat on your right. Stay on the coastal path and : return to the beginning of the walk by passing alongside the boatyard. ANDREW
How to get there KERR .
Follow signs to Uphill village from the southern end of Weston-super-Mare. Uphill leads towards TREE
the south end of Weston beach. Head towards the beach but park near the large sluice gates on SPARROW the left or by Uphill Way. : Access MIKE
A surfaced path on part of Walborough – open access to grassland but please keep off salt SNELLE marsh to avoid disturbance to birds. Some road walking so take care, steep climb to Purn Hill. Tree sparrow
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife SAVING SPECIES Buzzing back!
One of the Trust’s key strategic objectives in 2015 is to create ecological networks, through landscape-scale habitat management and enhancement. As part of this
objective an ambitious new plan for helping our bees, butterflies, hoverflies and The team cuts the cake! other pollinating insects was launched by the Trust and Buglife at the West of England Nature Partnership conference in March.
Winford Primary School sowing wildflower seeds he West of England and making sure that there are plenty B-Lines project of pollinators out there to help us grow What are B-Lines? will create rivers of crops. The B-Lines project will work T " ,INES ARE WIDE STRIPS OF WILDmOWER wildflowers across the countryside, with landowners, providing advice and RICH GRASSLANDS 4HEY LINK EXISTING connecting the region’s best wildlife sites training and creating and restoring WILDLIFE AREAS CREATING A WILDmOWER from the Cotswolds to the Mendips, meadows and wildflower-rich grasslands rich network across our countryside from the coast to the hills, and from along the B-Lines routes. This first stage and through our towns and cities. our towns and cities to the countryside. of the B-Lines project will restore and B-Lines are a series of ‘insect pathways’ create 20 hectares of wildflower-rich along which the project will restore and grassland for the benefit of wildlife and 37 landowners over the past year and we create a series of wildflower-rich habitat people.” know from feedback from landowners stepping stones. They link existing that this support is greatly appreciated. wildlife areas together, creating a Practical steps network, like a railway, that will weave We recently secured a Biffa Award across the British landscape. This will grant to progress the B-Line route that provide large areas of brand new habitat will link the limestone grasslands of B-Lines map benefiting not just bees and butterflies– the Mendip Hills with those of the but also a host of other wildlife. Cotswolds. Trust Conservation Advisor, Anna David and the Mapping the B-Lines volunteer Grassland Restoration Janice Gardiner, Conservation Team headed out to Winford Programmes Manager at the Trust in April to start the work. described how a B-Lines map has been Anna and the team have drawn up, showing the proposed routes. delivered grassland She said “ This exciting new map management advice illustrates our vision for wildflower-rich and practical grassland across the West of England help to and shows the huge opportunity we have to make a difference for pollinators.” She explained how bees and other pollinators are disappearing from our countryside because of a lack of wildflower-rich habitats. Three million hectares, 97%, of the UK’s wildflower- rich grasslands have been lost since the 1930s. “By creating B-Lines we can help wildlife move across our countryside, saving threatened species
Wildlife SUMMER 2015 Do you know? Over half of our bee species have SUFFERED DECLINES OVER THE PAST years 3IX OF OUR BUMBLEBEES HAVE DECLINED IN 5+ BY AT LEAST IN LAST YEARS OF BUTTERmY SPECIES ARE IN decline MOTH SPECIES DECLINED BY OVER OVER YEARS OF HOVERmY SPECIES ARE IN decline
The team cuts the cake!
This time they were heading for the Prince of Waterloo Pub in Winford to turn the adjacent field into a wildflower and making sure that there are plenty meadow, with the help of local farmer of pollinators out there to help us grow Charles Patch and Winford Primary crops. The B-Lines project will work School children. The field behind the
with landowners, providing advice and pub was harrowed and was sown with RACHEL training and creating and restoring a mix of wildflower seeds which should meadows and wildflower-rich grasslands grow and bloom over the coming years SCOPES along the B-Lines routes. This first stage and be a beautiful place for people and Red-tailed bumblebee of the B-Lines project will restore and wildlife. The Winford primary school create 20 hectares of wildflower-rich children helped to sow in seeds and grassland for the benefit of wildlife and planted out wildflower seedlings in the people.” meadow as well. Anna said, “This exciting new project Practical steps shows our vision for wildflower-rich We recently secured a Biffa Award grassland across the West of England grant to progress the B-Line route that and the huge opportunity we have to will link the limestone grasslands of make a difference for pollinators. We Thanks to funding from Cory Environmental the Mendip Hills with those of the are already carrying out restoration Trust in Britain, Ibstock Cory Environmental Cotswolds. Trust Conservation but we urgently need more sites. If you Trust, Natural England, D’Oyly Carte Advisor, Anna David and the have land which you are interested in Foundation Trust, South Gloucestershire volunteer Grassland Restoration restoring to wildflower-rich grassland, Council, Bristol City Council and Wessex GATEHOUSE Team headed out to Winford or if you would like to volunteer for the Water the B-Lines project will work directly in April to start the work. project, please get in touch – with landowners, provide advice and training
Anna and the team have we’d love to hear from you. STUDIO and create and restore meadows and Hoverfly delivered grassland For further information on the wildflower-rich grasslands along the management advice West of England B-Lines Initiative, B-Lines routes. and practical including an interactive B-Lines map where help to Biffa Award, SITA Trust, Garfield Weston, John Our partner in B-lines you can view the routes and add your Paul Getty Foundation, Ernest Kleinwort, "UGLIFE n 4HE )NVERTEBRATE contribution to the B-Lines network, please Duchy of Cornwall also funded the project for Conservation Trust is the only charity visit: buglife.org.uk/B-Lines grassland work. IN %UROPE DEVOTED TO THE CONSERVATION OF ALL INVERTEBRATES AND IS ACTIVELY working to save Britain’s rarest Why do we need B-Lines? BUGS BEES BUTTERmIES ANTS WORMS )MAGINE TRYING TO TRAVEL AROUND "RITAIN WITHOUT OUR ROAD AND RAIL NETWORK n FOR beetles and many more fascinating much of our wildlife this is the reality as patches of habitat have become isolated. invertebrates. Further information is 4HE 7EST OF %NGLAND " ,INES PROJECT WILL CREATE A NETWORK OF WILDmOWER RICH ROUTES available on Buglife’s website at PROVIDING IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR BEES BUTTERmIES AND OTHER INSECT POLLINATORS AND buglife.org.uk enabling wildlife to move across the landscape.
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife LOOK OUT FOR Bumbling about: bumblebee identifier
Ella Beeson is volunteering with the Trust reserves team, which has given her lots of opportunities to buzz around in search of her favourite insects... Ella
Summer favourite These fat and fluffy bees are favourites of the British summer and hugely important pollinators for our food crops. Sadly bees are declining due to a number of factors including habitat loss, climate change and increased use of chemicals in agriculture and gardens. But you can help by increasing awareness of bumblebees by getting to know them better and even helping to record your local bees. There are only 24 bumblebees in the UK, and they are easy to spot with their distinctive buzz and hairy bodies. We’ve included the six most common found in Avon to get you started.
Male, female or cuckoo? Females are busier, buzzing from one flower to the next collecting pollen. Males appear later in the summer and sit lazily on flowers or repeatedly patrol areas looking for females. How you can help Females have a pollen basket on their back legs; this is a shiny hairless surface, sometimes with a ball of pollen. Males "UY OR BUILD A BEE BOX or cuckoo bumblebees will never have this. .EST BOXES CONTAINING There are six cuckoo bumblebees that pretend to be true cardboard tubes or hollow bumblebee queens and take over their nest using cunning PLANT STEMS OR HOLES DRILLED and force. Similar to their bird namesake, cuckoos trick the in blocks of wood will bumblebee workers to raise their own young. As well as provide nest sites for some absent pollen baskets you can spot the difference with their species of solitary bees. noticeably darker wings. 3UCH NESTS ARE AVAILABLE from garden centres or you can make your own Early bumble bee HOLESTUBES SHOULD BE IN A MIXTURE OF SIZES WITH A DIAMETER OF MM Help your local bees Attract them to your gardens by planting a range of NATIVE WILDmOWERS 3OME OF THE OVER BRED mOWERS WHILST PRETTY HAVE LITTLE NECTAR TO OFFER BUMBLEBEES Avoid using pesticides in your garden. Instead why not try organic companion planting to keep pests away? GOOD TIPS AVAILABLE AT BBCCOUKGARDENING #OUNT BEES FOR THE "UMBLEBEE #ONSERVATION 4RUST lND OUT MORE AT BUMBLEBEECONSERVATIONORG Pass on your bee knowledge to others! $OWNLOAD A LEAmET ABOUT GARDENING FOR BEES AND BUTTERmIES FROM AVONWILDLIFETRUSTORGUKLEARN DISCOVER JONES wildlife-friendly-gardens ANDY
Wildlife SUMMER 2015 JOHN JOHN
HAWKINS HAWKINS
Early bumblebee Bombus pratorum: Red-tailed bumblebee Bombus lapidarius: .AMED FOR THEIR EARLY APPEARANCE IN SPRING THIS SMALL The females are a distinctive all-black bee with a large bright bumblebee can be spotted as early as February. The red tail RED TAIL MORE OBVIOUS THAN THE EARLY BUMBLEBEES TAIL 4HE IS SHORT AND THE COLOUR MAY FADE IN THE LATE SUMMER SO YOU MALES HAVE EXTRA YELLOW HAIRS THIS IS THE CASE FOR THE MALES may have to look very closely at its underside to ID it. An IN SEVERAL BUMBLEBEE SPECIES (AVING SHORT TONGUES THESE important pollinator for soft fruit such as raspberries and BUMBLEBEES PREFER TO EAT FROM mOWERS WITH @PLATFORMS SUCH blackberries. as dandelions and thistles. JOHN GILLIAN
HAWKINS
DAY
Buff-tailed bumblebee Bombus terrestris: White-tailed bumblebee Bombus lucorum: The buff-tail is the largest of the bumblebees and coloured in "RIGHT LEMON YELLOW BANDS DIFFERING FROM THE GOLDEN YELLOW THE TYPICAL STYLE WITH GOLDEN YELLOW AND BLACK BANDS 1UEENS OF THE SIMILAR BUFF TAILED 4HE MALES HAVE EXTRA YELLOW HAIR ON have a buff tail and males and workers have a buff margin their faces and bodies. Both the white-tailed and buff-tailed to their white tail. They have a less fussy diet so you will spot bumblebees are accomplished ‘nectar robbers’; biting holes THEM VISITING A HUGE VARIETY OF mOWERS IN THE BASE OF THE LONGER mOWERS WITH HARDER TO REACH NECTAR PENNY PENNY
FRITH FRITH
Tree bumblebee Bombus hypnorum: Common carder bee Bombus pascuorum: A more recent visitor to the Avon area due to climate #OMMON BY NAME BEAUTIFUL BY NATURE THE COMMON CARDER CHANGE THIS SPECIES IS NOW ONE OF OUR MOST COMMON is the only common bumblebee to be almost entirely ginger bumblebees. As the name suggests the tree bumblebee coloured. The carder bees gather or ‘card’ moss and dry CAN BE OFTEN FOUND IN WOODLAND CHOOSING NEST SITES OFF GRASS TO MAKE THEIR NESTS 3EVERAL OF THE OTHER CARDER BEES the ground such as in old bird nests. It stands out from the ARE IN RAPID DECLINE IN "RITAIN BUT YOULL STILL SEE THIS ONE others with its brown / black / white pattern. buzzing around.
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife SPOTLIGHT ON...
Guest members
The Glasson Family ???
The Glasson family are amongst our very first members – the first family membership in fact. Jean Glasson recently sent us a copy of a welcome letter, dated 1 January 1980, together with a membership card – numbers 10 to 15. We met Jean and David, together with son Brian, to look back at their years as Trust members.
y mum always had programme – maybe inspired by all of the local community. She feels that a huge interest in those years of playing up there in the this is part of a strong growth over Mnatural history,” said woods!” Brian agreed. “It was just part the years of increased local interest Brian. “She was the person that many of our upbringing – mum influenced and the formation of groups, like BET locally would come to, to identify plants all of us in our interest in the natural and YACWAG, to protect and manage and birds. We grew up here in Backwell, environment. I grew up and moved away wildlife areas. “But,” she added “what with the Quarry and the woods behind but returned to the area in 2002 and does concern me is the ever-continuing us, where we played from morning renewed my membership of the Trust. I growth of development that doesn’t take til night on weekends and holidays, really enjoy exploring the Trust reserves, account of the natural environment.” building dens, climbing trees.” It was an and they’re good places to pause and It’s a comforting thought that under idyllic childhood, by all accounts – “a reflect. And that’s necessary when you’re her influence such thoughts have bit of a Gerald Durrell My-Family-and- rushing through life – to slow been passed on to at least two further Other-Animals household” he added, as down and let the landscape generations. Jean reminisced about adders basking come to you. on the back terrace, rescued squirrels and a rare ring ouzel in the orchard. He is now Head of Strategic She described the delight of watching Planning and Housing for peregrines and ravens in the old quarry, South Gloucestershire and and finding orchids there, including spoke passionately of his the very rare yellow bird’s nest orchid. awareness of a need for In 1987 she alerted the Trust to the the natural environment potential loss of an area of limestone to be considered alongside grassland when it was threatened by commercial drivers, and the Quarry’s expansion. This resulted in the real challenges of doing the transplanting of the area to a local so in the current economic churchyard, as well as to a Trust nature climate. reserve. Jean is one of the founder “The children all grew up with members of the Backwell an interest in natural history, and Environment Trust, a local the grandchildren too,” Jean said. “ charity which manages two My daughter runs a forests schools woodlands with the support
Wildlife SUMMER 2015 Folly Farm –
Folly Farm, then and now how it all began The old buildings
Chris and Alison Johnson were two of the first people employed by the fledgeling Trust in 1980 (see page 8) and one of their greatest legacies from those early years is Folly Farm. Alison recalls how this flagship Trust site was identified and secured for the future.
remember that in 1985 By 1986 the 250 acres of Folly Farm, Chris was on a field with all its buildings, belonged to Avon Ivisit to the Chew Valley Wildlife Trust. At that point I became and unexpectedly came volunteer residential warden. My remit across a farmland area with traditional was to harness the enthusiasm of local wildflower meadows. Back in the office, volunteers and begin organising work he realised the area had been earmarked days. There were many jobs for volunteers in the old meadow surveys carried out to do, including running repairs on around the county in 1979 in the run- some of the old buildings to make them up to establishing the Trust in 1980. He weatherproof and secure. Wildlife and immediately saw that it was something historical surveys were set in motion, unique. Chris visited the farmer, who told Alison in the Trust office, 1983 especially finding out more about the him the estate was up for sale. He then original ferme ornée (ornamental farm) tracked down Lord O’Hagan, the owner, which had been part of the 18th century and asked if he would be willing to sell magazine (issue no 22). landscaping of the Sutton Court Estate. this, the Folly Farm part of his estate, And then out of the blue a letter Community and student groups came explaining why this area of traditional arrived. It came from a firm of solicitors, to work on the farm. An Earthkeepers farmland was so special. who had a client, who wished to programme was set up by a local teacher. Lord O’Hagan was interested and remain anonymous, but was interested Volunteers were trained to take visitors on sympathetic about the land being in preserving ‘traditionally managed guided walks or lead work days. Regular conserved for its beauty and wildlife value, farmland’ and willing to donate £200,000 Open Days were organised, with walks, although Chris had to admit that the Trust to a suitable site. That was a true Eureka demonstrations and activities for families, had no money to buy the land! But he was moment, the timing was amazing and to giving members and local people time to convinced that it could be raised if given this day no-one knows who that client find out more about the reserve. There was time. Folly Farm was valued at £230,000 was. Chris wrote a description of the something very special about and the Trust was given just three months site – and the client became the Trust’s being involved in those early to achieve this target. Staff were mobilised first major donor. It was an enormous days as part of the Trust. for a fundraising campaign, with a special achievement! HAMMER
DESIGN
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife AVON WILDLIFE TRUST
th special 35 anniversary appeal Help us tell the story of our unique nature reserves To celebrate our 35th anniversary Avon Wildlife Trust is asking you to donate £15, or whatever you can afford, to improve information signs on our precious wildlife sites. Our nature reserves boast some of the country’s rarest AND MOST BEAUTIFUL WILDLIFE SPECTACLES BUT MANY OF THEIR INTERPRETATION BOARDS ARE WORN OUTDATED OR VANDALISED 4O HELP US IMPROVE INFORMATION ON OUR NATURE RESERVES STARTING WITH THE THREE IN MOST NEED SIMPLY VISIT avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/35appeal or call 0117 917 7270 to make a donation. Thank you for your generosity. Installation of new interpretation boards at any of our nature reserves will be subject to the amount of money raised through this appeal. Who’s who at the Trust 3IMON +ING President Community team -ARK #ARWARDINE Vice President 2OBIN -AYNARD Director of Community Programmes -IKE $ILGER Vice President *ULIE $OHERTY Community Groups and Partnerships Philippa Forrester Vice President Manager +ATE -ARSH Learning Manager Trustees +ELLY "RAY Communities and Nature Senior 2OZ +IDMAN #OX Chair Project Officer $R 3TEVE .ICHOLLS Vice Chair -ATT (ARCOURT Communities and Nature Project Officer +ATHERINE &INN Treasurer -ATT #RACKNELL Feed Bristol Project Officer Cecile Gillard Secretary 2ICHARD 7RIGHT Feed Bristol Community Grower* Anthony Brown Charly Crump My Wild City Education Officer* -ARTIN "RASHER %MMA "ENTON Therapeutic Horticulturist* 0ROFESSOR *USTIN $ILLON Alan Dorn Finance and resources team Lesley Freed *ANE $AVIS Director of Finance and Resources Dilys Huggins &REINY -ILES Finance and Resources Manager 0AT 3ANDY Finance Officer 0ROFESSOR *ANE -EMMOT 3AM 0ULLINGER Grant Development Officer* .IGEL -ORRISON Angela Davies Membership and Administration Officer* Staff Claire Davey Membership and Administration Officer* Dr Bevis Watts Chief Executive *ENNY (OLMES Membership and Administration Officer* 2OY #ATFORD Site Assistant – Trust Office* Conservation team $R ,UCY 2OGERS Director of Conservation Programmes Communications and marketing *ADE !LICE 0REDDY Marketing Officer *ANICE 'ARDINER Conservation Programmes Manager* Anna David Conservation Advisor Folly Farm Centre Chris Giles Head of Land Management !NDREW ,UND 9ATES Folly Farm Centre Director (FF) Bernie D’Arcy Reserves Manager 3TELLA 0AGE Front of House Manager (FF) (maternity leave cover) *OE -C3ORLEY Reserves Officer 3ARAH "OLTON Office Administrator (FF)* -ATT #OLLIS My Wild City Officer %LLEN -ANNION Resident Couple !RTHUR .EWTON Consultancy team 3ARAH $ALE Principal Ecologist * part-time -ARY 7OOD Senior Ecologist ,AURA -URRAY Ecologist
SUMMER 2015 Wildlife Postscript
Through the Trust, I’m proud to have been able to do my bit to look afer my wild life
Knotgrass moth caterpillar
found myself involved TO MY BOSSES AT THE TIME SO ITS NO REAL with the Trust from the EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT MY INVOLVEMENT IVERY START IN AND with the Trust helped launch my career. if anyone still has a copy of .OW AS THE 4RUST TURNS YEARS )M STILL ISSUE OF THIS MAGAZINE YOULL lND AN shooting sections for international wildlife ARTICLE BY ME ON LOCAL DRAGONmIES THE films on our reserves. Working with the subject of the PhD I was doing at the Trust has shown me the value of our local TIME AT "RISTOL 5NIVERSITY wildlife even on an international stage. )N ) JOINED THE ""# .ATURAL 4HATS WHY THE 7ILDLIFE 4RUSTS -Y WILD LIFE (ISTORY 5NIT AND BEGAN TRAVELLING CAMPAIGN SO RESONATES WITH ME /+ SO THE WORLD SEEING SOME OF THE MOST I’ve managed to build part of my career on spectacular wildlife you could ever LOCAL WILDLIFE BUT ITS ALSO THE VALUE OF THAT imagine. It would have been all too local wildlife to my soul. This is where I easy to have been seduced into live and this is the wildlife I can see every thinking that British wildlife was day and get to know at a deeply personal SECOND RATE BUT WORKING WITH THE Steve LEVEL 4HROUGH THE 4RUST )M PROUD TO HAVE 4RUST KEPT ME GROUNDED AND MORE THAN THAT IT CREATED been able to do my bit to look after my wild life. And UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MY mEDGLING CAREER AS A WILDLIFE )M NOT ALONE 1UITE A FEW GLOBE TROTTING CAMERAMEN film-maker. I worked on the first ‘blockbuster’ series THAT LIVE IN THE 3OUTH 7EST LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN TO ABOUT "RITISH WILDLIFE The Living Isles AND MANAGED IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN THEIR OWN NATURE IN THEIR OWN TO IMPRESS SOME OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED CAMERAMEN BACKYARDS WHICH IS WHY WE DECIDED TO MAKE 7ILD !VON in the business with the wildlife on a number of Avon n A MINUTE lLM SHOWING ALL THE DIFFERENT FACES OF LOCAL 7ILDLIFE 4RUST RESERVES n NIGHTINGALES SINGING ON EASY TO wildlife that I’ve come to love over the years. SEE BRANCHES NOT EASY AS ANYONE WHO HAS TRIED TO SEE 4HAT WE COULD MAKE SUCH A lLM IS TESTAMENT TO THESE SKULKING BIRDS WILL KNOW WILD HONEY BEES NESTING YEARS OF HARD WORK BY THE 4RUST AND NOW AS in a hollow log. I even managed to find all the different vice-chair I can also admit to a glow of pride to ICHOLLS N
E life stages of glow worms on our Lower Woods reserve. see how far the Trust has come. V TE
S All these cameramen were very complimentary about me
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