DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING

DOWNLAND NEWS FOR THE VOLUNTEER THYMES RANGER SERVICE ISSUE 91 | SPRING 2021 DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING CHAIR’S CORNER

I struggled to know what to say to everyone this time around. Volunteering has been so quiet. What on earth is there to talk about? On 25 January the VRS committee held a Gently my wife reminds me. Scepticism. zoom meeting to discuss the finer details At least I’ve done the responsible thing for the AGM, due in March. A very and stayed indoors. Self-aggrandism. pleasant and productive meeting, but a committee meeting on Zoom is hardly Like I had a choice. I was immobile most newsworthy stuff. This year is the 40th of the time. Reflectivism. anniversary of the VRS, so it is important Can’t wait to get back at life though. to mark the occasion at the AGM. Futurism. But what to say now? I note down a few Editor’s Note Ah, but ‘gently’ the specialist said. bullet points. Respect. Specialism. If the last year has shown us I wrote: ‘Share a personal perspective’. anything, it’s that we can all get And we are still in the middle of this some strength and solace from our thing. Realism. I badly hurt my back a couple of months natural surroundings. As a member ago! The cause? Lockdown activity! Now get on and write something. of the Comms Team at South Downs Breaking up concrete, resulting in Journalism. National Park it’s been astonishing to a slipped disc. Those who know me see that even when access to nature Return to ‘normal’ is often a slow, will know that I am always over doing and inspiring views is restricted to challenging and emotional process. Not things. But this has been really painful digital means alone it can still resonate being stupid and hurting yourself in the and difficult. I’ve been pretty much with so many people. completely laid up. Very painful. first place, much more sensible. We’ve made it a priority to try and I wish all volunteers well. I hope that you Particularly in the current situation, being bring a little bit of the National Park are all finding your own ways through unwell has been an emotional roller to those people who are missing it or the current situation. Looking forward to coaster, as I guess it has for many people. can’t get outside, through imagery and seeing some of you at the AGM, albeit Latterly, one of the very few physical film, virtual walks and social media. via a video link. things I have been able to do, with the From the feedback we’ve had it has help of prescription drugs, is walk. Stay safe and keep connected. been greatly appreciated. Photography Carnegie © James I only live half a mile from the South © Daniel Greenwood STEVE BROOKMAN, CHAIR OF THE VRS At the time of writing we’re still in Downs. As part of my recuperation COMMITTEE national lockdown but we’re all hoping I’ve been walking a lot with my wife. that the spring will lift us with the extra Half a mile at first and then on to more light, sunshine and warmth. We can ambitious walks. Recently, to give the only hope it will get us on a path to UPDATE FROM THE walks focus I’ve shown her some of the some sort of normality soon. local sites we as volunteers have worked VOLUNTEERING TEAM on. We’ve talked about what those sites We’re all looking forward to you are like in full summer and the fact that getting back to volunteering tasks we must go back in better times, and en masse but it’s wonderful that so We all know the difficulties of the past year, so let’s focus on what better weather. many of you have managed to send we have to look forward to. The days are getting longer, primroses in content for this edition. Thank you Above all I realised how much I owe – as ever it’s a pleasure to read your are in full flower and the butterflies are taking to the wing again. the place I live in for my current sense contributions and to help put together It’s the perfect time to do a spot of microvolunteering. In this issue of optimism and speedy recovery. Even Downland Thymes for your enjoyment. when ill, during a lock down and in the I’ll be talking more about the UK-wide National Parks project to Don’t forget when you do get out promote species recording through iNaturalist. pouring rain, the Downs inspired me to there again – try to take some video ‘get going’ again. footage of tasks for others to see. The National Parks volunteering officers are Microvolunteering has been a key area I really hope it can be adopted and honed Is that newsworthy? I’m not sure… but usual reviews, photos, poems and local working together to promote iNaturalist as of work in our volunteer development to help people in future to understand the isn’t our respect for, and connectivity to interest stories are also most welcome. a phone app that can be used by anyone strategy, alongside projects which include spread of species. If natural history tells us the world we live in the most pressing We look forward to seeing what you visiting the South Downs or any other youth volunteering. The events of the past anything, it’s that it won’t be the same as it issue right now? After months of feeling send in to [email protected]. National Park. One of the great things about 12 months have made microvolunteering is now. iNaturalist is its artificial intelligence, which far more relevant with the advances in sorry for myself, today I spoke to my In the meantime stay safe and enjoy Wishing you well and looking forward to can help towards a species identification technology allowing this kind of small-scale consultant who advised that I could do the spring! seeing you soon. ‘a little’ extra physical something. Great! regardless of your level of knowledge. For (but high impact) volunteering to continue DANIEL GREENWOOD, SDNPA VOLUNTEER Optimism! CHARLIE HELLEWELL, EDITOR, more detail about iNaturalist and to find out unabated. In terms of identifying species, DOWNLAND THYMES how to get involved in the National Parks DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Yes, I think. Back to it! Hubrism. UK iNaturalist project, go to Page 14.

2 3 DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING

WINNER!

HIGHLY Stansted House © Mark Seaman COMMENDED

Winter at the Seven Sisters © Roger Kiernan Photo competition: Seasons of the South Downs FROZEN WINTER DELIGHTS

Thanks to all of you who a year’s family membership to his local entered our new VRS photo Wildlife Trust. competition! Highly commended went to James WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tolson for ‘Winter in North Stoke’ which We asked you to showcase the first of our beautifully captured the light and COULD YOU DO BETTER? challenges ‘Seasons of the South Downs’ movement of the snow drifting at the We know we have a talented bunch of photographers out ‘Winter’. What a gorgeous snowy set of side of a track, almost evoking the shapes there. Can you capture something that will embody ‘Spring’ in snaps you have sent in! of the downs themselves. Also to Mark the South Downs? You don’t need a fancy camera, a phone Seaman for his wintry image of ‘Stansted HIGHLY The Downland Thymes editorial team pic is welcome too. As long as the photo is taken in the South House’ which combined the charms of Winter in North Stoke had a really tough job choosing a winner Downs National Park you are free to photograph anything that COMMENDED cultural heritage in the South Downs with © James Tolson but we thought it had to be ‘Winter at might feel Spring-like in the beautiful Downs. It could be lambs the farming landscape, neatly framed by the Seven Sisters’ by Roger Kiernan, who gambolling, a chalk stream in full flow, your favourite view, spring trees. A huge well done to James and Mark. really captured the seasonal chill at this wildflowers or your family out for a walk. To enter our ‘Spring’ section of Seasons of the South Downs photo iconic spot. We particularly loved the rays competition, send your photo(s) to [email protected] by The images shown here today will make See the full terms and conditions here. Please remember to get of sunshine breaking through the cloud, their way in to the Authority’s image library people’s written consent if taking their photo for this competition. midnight on Friday 28 May 2021. the finely grained layers of chalk and the and may be used on the website, Instagram Good Luck! talon like structures at the base of the cliffs. and other press. We will of course credit Many congratulations to Roger who wins the photographer. 4 5 DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING

8

1

3

5 7

CHANCTONBURY RING, AN 9 ICONIC SOUTH DOWNS WALK Images © Mick Heywood There are many great walks in the South Downs National Park, but only a few reach “iconic” status! According to Mick Heywood, is one of those.

1 Inhabited during the Bronze Age, 3 Turn left as you leave the car park and 5 To your right you are looking up the 6 There are eight target lifts still in place 7 At the top of the hill take the right As you approach Chanctonbury Hill, the Chanctonbury Ring has been an walk about 100 metres, immediately scarp slope to the top of Lions Bank, hidden behind a large mound as path and follow it for half a mile or views really open up to your left across the Iron Age fort that has also seen service as you have a choice, if you go straight we will be walking up there shortly. After well as the fire control room. The SDS and so until it meets the SDW. Turn right and Weald – you can see the North Downs, a Roman Temple. The Ring’s current fame forward, you can shorten the walk to about around two miles you will come to a large local grammar school as well as the SDNP follow the SDW to Chanctonbury Hill. You BlackDown and a host of villages stems from a crown of Beech trees planted four miles. The path in front of you, climbs display board telling you about the Steyning Rangers are trying to maintain the area and should now have spectacular views over the After passing Chanctonbury re-join in 1750. It is also said to be one of the most the scarp slope and leads you to the South Downland Scheme (SDS). The SDS was keep a sense of the history of the place. If channel looking towards the Isle of Wight to 9 the SDW and follow the path down haunted places in and, if you walk Downs Way (SDW) National Trail footpath, launched in 2007 when the Goring family you have time, you can have a look inside, the west. Normally there are red kites flying towards the village of Washington. You backwards seven times around it on a dark however we want to turn left and walk decided to set aside 67 hectares (165 acres) it is still possible to find expended bullets in about as well, to keep you company. You will now descend steeply down a grassy or moonless night without stopping, the through a farm yard. The area is being tidied of the Wiston Estate in the South Downs the earth mound behind the targets. should also be able to see , slope through the woods. Look out for an Devil will appear and offer you a bowl of up, but there are still some “odd” vehicles National Park (SDNP) for the benefit of the which is one of the largest Middle Iron Age As you leave the range, look to your left and unmarked path on the right as you go down porridge and if you accept, grant you your lying about, a tram for instance. I would love community, the land and its wildlife. Turn right hill forts in Europe. The earthworks date follow the path up the steep hill. At the top the slope, just after a clearing. This path dearest wish but the price is he will take to know how that got there. on the track and as you start to walk uphill, back to 250BC of the hill there is a bench where the SDS descends to a track, which leads you back your soul. you can see examples of what the SDS are Continue on the track, to your left has put some poetry in a tin. These “poetry To keep the chalk grass land healthy, to the car park. Enjoy the walk through the doing, with community orchards on your Now, I have never tried this, but I can say 4 you get glimpses of Wiston House sites” are dotted around the SDS, but if you 8 the normal “grazers” are augmented trees and after a mile or so you should be right. After half a mile or so, you pass into that whatever the weather, this walk is always and Estate. The estate is mentioned in have time and the weather is nice, here’s with other animals not often associated with back on the road where you started. an open field and keep going forward and worth it, offering superb panoramic views the Doomsday Book. The Goring family a good place to stop and have a rest and the South Downs, so you may come across this will take you up to a disused rifle range. MICK HEYWOOD, VOLUNTEER RANGER, over and into Hampshire. There are have owned the estate since the 1700’s. refreshment and take in the views across long horned cattle and New Forest ponies. The Steyning Rifle Range was first used in CENTRAL DOWNS many routes you can take, most will involve a It was Charles Goring who planted the Steyning and the Downs towards East Keeping the chalk grassland trim creates a the late 19th century to train army volunteers. steep climb to the top. ring of beech trees at Chanctonbury Ring. Sussex. Suitably refreshed, walk through the thriving habitat, home to species unique to Please note: At the time of going to The last shots were fired in the mid 80’s and Although the estate remains in the Goring gate and turn left, walking up the well-made the South Downs such as the round-headed press the current Covid-19 restrictions My walk starts in the Chanctonbury since then the whole area has been kept as a family, the House has been leased out track. As you climb, keep taking the right rampion, orchids ranging from the burnt state that you should only take exercise 2 Ring car park, located at post code conservation area. to various tenants, it was the HQ for the track. You will pass an area that has been orchid and early spider orchid to autumn in your local area. If Chanctonbury BN44 3DR. This will be a seven-mile circular Canadian Army in WW2, the Foreign and set aside for mountain bikers, so you do not lady’s tresses, and butterflies including the Ring is not your local area please save walk, encompassing beautiful views and Commonwealth office have leased the want to stray into this area! Adonis blue and chalkhill blue this walk for a time when you can some interesting sites. property for the past 65 years or so. spread your wings further. 6 7 DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING

SPRING UP THE DOWNS A crusty green and white Hoar, grass and hair frost Soon to be lost. As Spring’s warmth slowly thaws Winter’s blight. The dawn sun turns the water silver. Then orange and bright. Longer days and less night. From beneath the earth bulbs. Seeds start to push and fight. To work their way to sun and light. To appear yellow, blue, red and white. Floating and rolling banks of fog and cloud. Only brief glimpses allowed. Of the valleys and the Downs. From High n’ Over, Ditchling Beacon, Beachy Head. Seven Sisters cliffs to drool over. EBERNOE Ouse, Cuckmere, Adur, Arun and Rother. Have flooded plains. No bother to migrant birds to feed and wade. COMMON From their northward journey made. Ebernoe volunteers The green Downs splashed with sheep and a laying a hedge © Colin Booty white gambolling dot. RESERVE Occasional deer skittish with fear not so easy to spot.Cows and calves munching the turf. Badgers setts to see, their earth paths clear. Close to the National Park boundary in northwest Sussex Rabbit burrows also suddenly appear. is , a National Nature Reserve owned Walk for an hour. and managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT). On the top and sea afar. According to the ‘Flora of Sussex’ bats including the rare barbastelle and Stop for a thermos of tea. it is ‘perhaps the most interesting Bechstein’s, important populations of More walking thereafter. CELEBRATING woodland on the Weald clay in deadwood insects and at least 1,000 To a Pub for a pickle sandwich and a jar. Sussex’. It’s an example of a habitat species of fungi. Long afternoon tramp back to the car. which has been almost completely In recent years the National Park Through woods, and over a stile lost from Sussex – a wood pasture rangers and VRS have helped Or a kissing gate. OUR WONDERFUL where cattle roam, feeding in the with various aspects of habitat That always makes me smile. glades and under the trees. However, management. These include scything Along farm tracks, muddy lanes and a chalk path. there is also evidence of industrial use bracken in one of the old rews* which Heading home with a warm tired glow. with a rare example of a small scale WOODLANDS SWT had opened up to improve For a meal and a warm bath. 18th century brick and tile kiln, and conditions for flowers such as wild A few pictures of the sights to show. The trees and woodlands within the is the subject of the accompanying associated clay pits, and a Furnace daffodils, bluebells, primroses and National Park are often overlooked article. There is so much to celebrate Lake associated with the Wealden BY ROGER P. READ, JANUARY 2021 pignut. However, probably their when you think of the Downs. This is about our trees and woods, from iron industry in the 16th century favourite task has been laying a a pity when you consider the jewels those ancient trees such as the Queen hedge along the boundary between that we have from the Hangers in the Elizabeth oak in Cowdray Park and the Geologically, the reserve is basically flower-rich old grassland and the west to the elms in Brighton. Kingley ancient yews in our churchyards to a story of two parts. The northern half neighbouring farmland. This went well Vale (the largest yew forest in Europe) the coppices and woods throughout is on Weald Clay, slightly acidic and in the winter of 2019/20 but, like so in the south and Alice Holt forest park the National Park that have supported inclined to be very wet and sticky in much else, COVID-19 disrupted plans in the north. Together with the Weald, so many rural crafts and industries. winter. The southern half is a ‘head’ for the 2020/21 season, but with luck the woodlands have a far richer The SDVRS has been part of this deposit, sandy material transported some hedge will still be laid in the biodiversity than the chalk grassland heritage so why not share your from the Greensand escarpment a winter. that so encapsulates the Downs experiences and knowledge with all of few kilometres to the south under periglacial conditions. The underlying themselves. us by writing a few words about your COLIN BOOTY, VOLUNTARY RESERVE geology, of course, affects the favourite wood or special trees? Send MANAGER, EBERNOE COMMON. The South Downs Volunteer Ranger plants present and, along with the through to [email protected]. Service (SDVRS) has carried out tasks variety of habitat, results in a rich *Rew – An old English word for in many of these woodlands, one TERRY DOYLE, VOLUNTEER RANGER, flora including 68 species which are hedgerow. Also ‘hay-rew’ or Cuckmere Haven at sunrise of which is Ebernoe Common and WEALDEN HEATHS indicators of ancient woodland. It is ‘hedge-rew’. Ebernoe Common Reserve © Tom Sigler © Colin Booty home to important populations of 8 9 DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING With restriction on our movement due to Covid-19, I turned to my garden for suitable photographic subjects. I saw an awful lot of aphids and thought they would be interesting to photograph and investigate. What I learned was fascinating...

Aphids are true bugs (Hemiptera order) as If food is plentiful and the host plant is not they have a straw like proboscis that enables overcrowded aphids remain wingless to them to suck sap from plants. In large conserve their energy as wing production numbers this damages plants, and they can is protein intensive. However, when food also carry destructive plant viruses. These resources run low or the host plant gets soft bodied, pear-shaped insects, measure over-crowded, they grow wings to fly to APHIDS 3mm at most. Nymphs look like little adults. pastures new. However they have no control Common names include greenfly and over flight and may end up wherever the blackfly, and they can be other colours wind takes them, some are lucky to land on including yellow, orange and grey and suitable host plants, many are not. appearances can be quite different. Aphids have a mutualistic relationship with In optimum conditions it has been calculated some ant species. By sucking sap from plants that a single aphid can produce millions of aphid excrement contains sugar. Sugar is a offspring. At the start of a season, newly nutrient highly valued by ants, so they will hatched females reproduce themselves herd aphids and protect them from predators without fertilisation, males not needed! They to safeguard their sugar supply. Some ant save time in the reproductive process by species go further by carrying aphids’ eggs giving birth to live young rather than laying laid at the end of summer into their burrows eggs. During the spring and summer all to protect them. When the warm weather these births are pregnant females that can returns, they carry their eggs out to the replicate the process giving birth to the next aphids’ favoured plants to create a new herd. generation of live new fertile females. This So, what value are aphids to nature? The best goes on and on, so their numbers increase answer I can give is they are at the bottom of exponentially without a male in sight. the food chain and should they disappear an Aphids will freeze and die in the winter so unknown number of species higher up the when the temperature cools, they give birth chain may disappear creating untold damage to some males. When the males are sexually to our fragile ecosystem. mature, they mate with the females, who If your plants become overwhelmed with then produce eggs that will survive the winter aphids, please use soap solution to remove and carry on the species. The eggs hatch them not insecticides likely to kill other species. into more female aphids in the spring, and the process starts again. The males die off in ROGER KIERNAN, VOLUNTEER RANGER, the winter like the females. SEVEN SISTERS Images © Roger Kiernan © Roger Images

10 11 DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING MARTYRS: HIDDEN HISTORY ON A SOUTH DOWNS GOLF COURSE Like many of you, as well as helping as a volunteer, I enjoy walking in the National Park. But I also have another passion which takes me to some very interesting and scenic areas of the downs: golf. We are blessed with many beautiful golf This was grim reading but it nonetheless courses in the National Park and, at the motivated me to do some research. eastern end, a few of these are situated The Lewes Martyrs were a group of 17 on top of the downs, affording wonderful Protestants who were burned at the stake views across a wide and extensive in Lewes, East Sussex, England between vista. One such course is Lewes Golf 1555 and 1557. These executions were part Club, sitting next to Mount Caburn and Images © Martin Cowell of the Marian persecutions of Protestants providing breathtaking and panoramic during the reign of Mary I. views in all directions. © Alan Jones THE STONE STILE AT WEST MEON CHURCHYARD On 6 June 1556, Thomas Harland of It is little wonder then that although I have Woodmancote, Near Henfield, West There is popular footpath on purpose of this hole-in-the- chalk slope on the other side makes a nice frame for a photo played this course many times it is only Sussex, carpenter, John Oswald (or the boundary of our garden wall (it is certainly not a source which is definitely not an of gravestones but I’m sure recently that, in my many attempts to find Oseward) of Woodmancote, Near that crosses the old brick of ready cash) but it could “official” route. that’s not its real purpose. a poorly hit golf ball on the eighteenth and flint wall of West Meon allow a small dog through. You Henfield, husbandman, Walkers wearing skirts rather If anyone can throw any light fairway, I discerned what appeared to be churchyard. At that point, there can walk alongside the wall Thomas Reed of Ardingly, Sussex and than trousers sometimes go on this design of stile or knows an obelisk of some description, perhaps is an unusual stile in the churchyard for a few Thomas Avington (or Euington) of Ardingly, that way or dog-walkers with of others, I would be interested 15 to 20 foot tall, almost hidden by that I have never seen metres and then step over it Sussex, turner, were burnt. larger or less athletic animals to hear from them. overgrowth, looking somewhat forlorn and anywhere else. at a point where it is lower. that they don’t want to lift over forgotten and standing in what appeared Richard Woodman and 9 other people However, this then involves MARTIN COWELL, VOLUNTEER No-one seems to know the the stile! Anyway, the hole to me to be a most unlikely spot just 50 were burned together in Lewes on 22 slithering down a steepish RANGER, WESTERN DOWNS yards from the middle of the 18th fairway. June 1557, on the orders of Edmund Bonner, Bishop of London — the largest Having finished my round of golf, I single of people that ever took wandered back to the obelisk, intrigued place in England. Somehow, knowing the and bewildered. Closer inspection names and occupations of those involved revealed it to be a memorial to the ‘Lewes DID YOU KNOW? makes it more poignant. What I had not Martyrs’. I had a vague memory of being realised is that the celebrations in Lewes told of the Lewes Martyrs by a Lewesian on November 5th commemorate both the © Alan Jones friend some years ago. I read the plinth Martyrs as well as the . with interest. TOAD IN THE HOLE AND The obelisk was erected in 1901 and an The text was just about legible and read: Related web sites: annual service is held at the foot of the PEA THROWING IN LEWES “In loving memory of the undernamed memorial. The Sussex Martyrs seventeen protestant martyrs who, for ALAN JONES, VOLUNTEER RANGER TripAdvisor Lewes Martyrs Memorial Did you know that the town of Lewes competition, which has been filmed their faithful testimony to God’s truth were, EASTERN DOWNS hosts the annual international Toad by TV crews from around the world. during the reign of Queen Mary, burned to Lewes Bonfire history page in the Hole competition? Not to be Locals are unclear as to the origins of death in front of the then Star Inn now the confused with the famous sausage the event, although some estimate it Town Hall.” and batter dish, the game involves has been going on for over 40 years. throwing brass coins at a small table In 2003 the world record was set with a hole in it. The competition at the competition, when a pea was takes place in the Town Hall in Lewes thrown a whopping 38.7 metres! The every April and normally attracts over wind and the softness of the peas 40 teams. The game is undergoing a (frozen ones are allowed) are said to revival; in recent years people from be important factors for competitors East Sussex have been exporting it on the day of the competition. around the country. The town also TOM REYNOLDS, SDNPA APPRENTICE, hosts the annual World Pea-Throwing BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR

© Ben Barker, Flickr, CC Lewes © Anne Katrin Purkiss 12 13 DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING

Youth action, Truleigh © Daniel Greenwood

VISIT: UK National Parks iNaturalist Project Download iNaturalist app for iPhone and Android Seek app

Microvolunteering with the National Parks SOUTH DOWNS This year all 15 UK National Why aren’t we using iRecord? The National Park will also benefit from Parks are working together to raising ecological awareness among visitors. iNaturalist is preferable to iRecord in Visiting groups and families will be able to HEATHS ARE establish a microvolunteering promoting this kind of species recording use the app to learn about new species and project on iNaturalist. as it is more interactive and accessible for habitats. This could be a huge step forward those who are recording for the first time. in promoting responsible behaviour among This project will aim to increase awareness SPRINGING TO LIFE Hesworth common That is not to criticise iRecord which is a visitors. It also allows more people to of species in National Parks using the © Olivia French vital resource for species monitoring and become involved as volunteers through the software iNaturalist. Though it will have a conservation in general in the UK. Steps micro-task of submitting a species record. ownership by telling friends and family to strong visitor focus, the project can provide are being taken to ensure the two pieces of I recently joined the Heathlands Re-united team (HeRe) in November remember to stick to paths, keeping dogs a long-term, highly rewarding experience software don’t compete with each other. 2020 as the new Communications and Engagement Officer. for anyone interested in species monitoring. How can I find out more? out of vegetation and under control and iNaturalist is easy to use and quick to pick Of course it’s been a strange time to start of the heathland habitat as it springs to bagging and binning dog poo. This allows The officer leading on the projecthas up. For someone visiting the National Park a new job, even more so working for a life. As part of the project, we’ve been the young of rare ground nesting species What is iNaturalist? recorded this video outlining the plans for the first time looking to support with National Park when we are told to stay revamping the Serpent Trail guide. Wealden such as the Dartford warbler the best and potential ways volunteers could be iNaturalist is a website and app which you species monitoring, iNaturalist makes it easy. at home and limited on how far we can heath Ranger Kate has been busy replacing chance to survive. If you are lucky enough involved in future. As well as this, stay tuned can submit species records to. Species It also has the amazing iNaturalist Seek explore. During this latest lockdown, I’ve all of the 500+ way marker disks along the to photograph some heathland wildlife in for an iNaturalist training session that I will records require a basic organism type, a app partnered with it which can generate an been using my daily exercise outing to get trail in all weathers. As well as an updated the coming months, we would love to see be delivering for volunteers on Wednesday location and a date. You can submit records identification just by using your phone’s in- to know my local heaths and sections of the logo and waymarker for the trail, the your photos! 5 May at 11.00. over the website or from your phone or built camera, without actually taking a photo. Serpent Trail with my dog. direction will now be colour coded, with the Why not go one step further and become tablet using the app for iPhone or Android. ‘Tail route’ from Haslemere to Petersfield As with all of the National Park engagement, a Dog Ambassador? You can help us When will the project begin? marked in purple, and the ‘Head route’ from How will this benefit the Heathlands Reunited activities have largely educate people and encourage responsible Petersfield to Haslemere in green. Watch What happens to the National Park? Species records are being submitted all the moved online, running virtual walks with behaviour so that this beautiful place we love this space for the launch of the new trail species records? time but we are planning for a full launch in the Wealden Heath Rangers so that visitors can be enjoyed for generations to come. If you look at iNaturalist you can see that the guide soon! April, in time for Microvolunteering Day on can still get their fix of the Park and the The species records are aligned by location most observed species is Himalayan balsam. I hope to meet lots of you on the South 15 April. heathlands, previous walks can be found on As many of you will know, now is a and will automatically be filed in the project This is an invasive species which many of you Downs heathlands soon! the website here. The heaths are beautiful crucial time for the heathlands. March by location. This data will then be sifted by know well(!). Having a distribution map that If you have any further questions or all year round but as the rusty coloured to September marks ground nesting bird OLIVIA FRENCH, HEATHLANDS REUNITED staff and volunteers to ensure accuracy and is maintained by the public will be a great comments please get in touch by email. bracken and iron rich puddles give way to season on our heaths. You can help to COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT to avoid duplication with species records help to understand its impact. You can say DANIEL GREENWOOD, SDNPA VOLUNTEER green again it’s a great time to get out and spread the word about our Take the Lead OFFICER. submitted to iRecord. the same for many other invasive species. DEVELOPMENT OFFICER enjoy the tranquillity and beautiful sounds campaign encouraging responsible dog If a rare species is submitted, its location is automatically protected by the software.

14 15 DOWNLAND THYMES SPRING

Plants in the Park

Town Hall Clock, Adoxa moschatellina Credit: Wikipedia Credit: Adoxa moschatellina from Thomé, Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz (1885) A SPRING CURIOSITY One of the advantages of walking with a wildlife group, be it your local RSPB or Sussex Wildlife Trust etc. is the extraordinary wealth of knowledge that resides in many of your fellow walkers.

This was how I was lucky enough to be in colour and I’m sure I wouldn’t have of it in the central and western areas of introduced to a miniature but charming noticed it if it hadn’t been pointed out to the National Park although there is a little plant known as the Town Hall Clock, me. It flowers around April. It has five tiny large colony on the path leading up from Adoxa moschatellina. It’s a carpet-forming flowers at the top of each stem, but in a very Jevington church in the eastern Downs. perennial rhizome but interestingly it is not unusual arrangement; four facing outward I hope more people will look for it in closely related to other plants so is the only at right angles to each other like the faces of future and appreciate its quirkiness. member of the Moschatel family. a clock and the fifth facing upward. Take a hand lens! They are pollinated by tiny flies and It does rather hide its light under a bushel KATE FRANKLAND, VOLUNTEER RANGER, nocturnal moths. It is a plant of damp, shady being only up to 12cm high and green EASTERN DOWNS woods so there are many more records

Downland Thymes: News for the Cover image: Bluebells © Charlie Hellewell / South Downs Volunteer Ranger Service. SDNPA Issue 91, March 2021. © SDNPA. All images © SDNPA unless stated The information contained in this newsletter was, Design: The Way Design (2166) as far as known, correct at the date of issue. Web version only. The South Downs National Park Authority cannot, however, accept responsibility for any error or omission.

16