On my early morning dog walks I have been looking at the world with improved eyes for a day or so. This is because on Friday evening we went to the AGM of the Woodland BATS group in Sudbury. This organisation was set up last year with the aim of encouraging biodiversity around the town. (BATS stands for Biodiversity around Town Scheme; and while the creation and preservation of habitats for bats is probably included in the programme, general encouragement of the natural environment is the goal.)
The group has made good progress and now has a tree nursery in Chilton, close to the edge of the airfield where the Chilton Woods Development is planned. The community woodland which is intended to be part of the scheme will need community participation to develop and maintain it, and the group is certain to be involved with this. Close to the nursery Woodland BATS is also now caring for a large pond with the aim of supporting and encouraging related wildlife, and has discovered great crested newts living on the site.
One of the goals of Woodland BATS is the development of a circular bio-diversity trail around Sudbury which could run to 12 to 14 miles in length. I think that this is a great idea, which could give everyone in the town and the surrounding villages a real sense of ownership with regard to the green edges of the town which can as we know become litter strewn and uncared for.
After the business of the meeting there was a simply riveting talk with wonderful slides by conservation expert Peter Beale. This demonstrated how biodiversity is encouraged in established woodlands by thinning the canopy to allow light to penetrate. This assists the growth of plants, which may have been lying dormant in the dead earth under the trees, and insects, birds and mammals that need the plants for survival are able to live and flourish. Just one example of this is the Silver Washed Fritillary butterfly, pictured above with the violets which are the required source of food for its caterpillars.
If you want more information about the group, which I understand will welcome working and non-working support, you should contact the chairman Peter Clifford on 371798.
Meanwhile, in Great Waldingfield the Branchlines project continues to fund-raise very successfully with a view to establishing the Great Waldingfield Community Woodland. Unfortunately at present there has been no progress with regard to resolving the problem of archaeological remains in one potential site. Another field has been identified but there is now a problem reaching an agreement on price that is acceptable to the providers of grant money. At the time of writing the County Council, which is the owner of the land in question, is seeking a price way above that considered reasonable by the District Valuer. A way out of this impasse is being sought.
The group has made good progress and now has a tree nursery in Chilton, close to the edge of the airfield where the Chilton Woods Development is planned. The community woodland which is intended to be part of the scheme will need community participation to develop and maintain it, and the group is certain to be involved with this. Close to the nursery Woodland BATS is also now caring for a large pond with the aim of supporting and encouraging related wildlife, and has discovered great crested newts living on the site.
One of the goals of Woodland BATS is the development of a circular bio-diversity trail around Sudbury which could run to 12 to 14 miles in length. I think that this is a great idea, which could give everyone in the town and the surrounding villages a real sense of ownership with regard to the green edges of the town which can as we know become litter strewn and uncared for.
After the business of the meeting there was a simply riveting talk with wonderful slides by conservation expert Peter Beale. This demonstrated how biodiversity is encouraged in established woodlands by thinning the canopy to allow light to penetrate. This assists the growth of plants, which may have been lying dormant in the dead earth under the trees, and insects, birds and mammals that need the plants for survival are able to live and flourish. Just one example of this is the Silver Washed Fritillary butterfly, pictured above with the violets which are the required source of food for its caterpillars.
If you want more information about the group, which I understand will welcome working and non-working support, you should contact the chairman Peter Clifford on 371798.
Meanwhile, in Great Waldingfield the Branchlines project continues to fund-raise very successfully with a view to establishing the Great Waldingfield Community Woodland. Unfortunately at present there has been no progress with regard to resolving the problem of archaeological remains in one potential site. Another field has been identified but there is now a problem reaching an agreement on price that is acceptable to the providers of grant money. At the time of writing the County Council, which is the owner of the land in question, is seeking a price way above that considered reasonable by the District Valuer. A way out of this impasse is being sought.
