Monday 15 February 2021

British Wildlife, a great little magazine

My copy of the February edition of British Wildlife has arrived. If you don't already know it, I recommend that you subscribe to this wonderful little magazine. Always packed with information, there is more than enough to keep you going for the two months before the next one arrives.

What caught my eye this time was Wild Apples.

The eight page article by Richard Worrell, Markus Ruhsam and James Renny will tell you things you never knew about what most of us refer to as the Crab Apple tree. Wild Apple is to be preferred as the name, they say, because it underlines that it is a species native to the British Isles. It's been here since the last ice Age, apparently. 

Wild apple is recorded as having 93 species of associated invertebrates, the seventh highest of all British trees & shrubs. Kennedy & Southwood 1984

There's more than apples here though. There are two major article on Rewilding. The first, by Steve Carver and Ian Convery, sketches in the history of the rewilding movement and what it means in practice. I haven't finished reading it yet but I can tell you: this is good. There are things here we all need to know.

Then there are the regulars: Habitat management news; Wildlife reports; Conservation news and the four or five guest columns. 

Subscribe to British Wildlife. You won't regret it.



Friday 12 February 2021

Action Group February Report

Wednesday 10th February 2021

Paul, Julia & Phil met via Zoom 

This is a summary of our discussion

1. Phil has set up a Website (this one), a Facebook page and a Twitter account. The Burton Joyce Climate Action & Biodiversity Group on Facebook has 34 members. The Twitter timeline is reflected on the website (You will see it down the right hand side of the screen). Phil would be grateful for feedback on any of these.

2. Julia suggested asking village kids to design a logo for the group. Paul will set up a competition and publicise it to Scouts, Guides and the village school and more widely around the village.

3. We agreed to try and contribute an article to The Magazine (aka The Parish Magazine) each month. Julia will write one this month.

4. Julia is continuing discussions with the Parish Council about improving the village environment. One possibility is (re)creating a wildflower meadow at the Grove. Another idea is planters outside the village shops. Julia is going to look into a source for wildflower seeds and Paul volunteered to make some planters.

5. Paul suggested he could hold an Open Garden event when circumstances permit where we could publicise the group and our objectives, demonstrate ideas for wildlife friendly gardens and engage with the village, especially youngsters.

6. Julia recommended Friends of the Earth webinars and courses. You can find some details HERE

7. We agreed to follow up on a previous approach to Gedling Borough councillor Steve Smith about the Friends of the Earth Climate Plan for Councils

If you can help with any of these, please get in touch




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