WILDSPACES! Programme of Events 2008

Practical conservation tasks and volunteer activities and/or training will be taking place throughout the spring and summer at most Local Nature Reserves. For information or to book a place please phone or email Miriam Woolnough, tel: (01225) 477612.

Dormice Volunteers required!

Are you interested in taking part in dormice surveys? "Dormice on your Doorstep" project officer Sally Pattison would like to hear from you if you would like to help. You would be checking dormouse nest boxes with an expert to find out where these attractive small mammals are living. If you are reasonably fit, happy working on steepish slope, sometimes in the rain!) Volunteers are particularily welcome in the parishes of Englishcombe, Burrington, Upton Cheyney and Colerne give Sally a ring on 01454 862215

Events in the Cam Valley

The Cam Valley Wildlife Group (CVWG) run range of walks, talks and conservation task days in and around Midsomer Norton and Radstock. For details click >
Find out more about Local Nature Reserves in Bath and North East Somerset

Avon Frome Partnership Events
Summer walks 2008
Supported by Bristol Living Rivers Project

Weds 13th of August,2008. 10.30am
A 6 Mile walk from the Brockeridge Centre, Frampton Cotterell to Iron Acton. Free refreshmnets from 10am and at Iron Acton
Sat 13th of Sept,2008. 10.30am
A five mile walk from Chipping Sodbury taking in the Cotswolds Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty. Meet at the car park on Wickwar Road, Chipping Sodbury

Rock On

Rock&Fossil Event on the Railway Path at Saltford,
Bank Holiday Mon. 25th of August.2008
Local experts will be on hand to show you specimens and you are invited to bring along interesting rocks, fossils and minerals to be identified. For details contact Simon Carpenter 0117 900 2193

Creatures of the Night

Thursday 25th of Sept.2008.
A two hour evening walk around Carrs Woodland Local Nature Reserve,Twerton,Bath. We'll be looking for bats,owls and moths. The walk is free but please book.
Contact Miriam Woolnough for details 01225 477612

Nature in the City Sun.

5th of October 2008.10am-4pm
Avon Valley walk with Friends of Troopers Hill,Friends of Eastwood Farm,Nature in the City and Bristol Living Rivers Project.
Info 0117 922 4429
Focus on ...

Gardens

Is your garden good for amphibians, snakes, and lizards.?
These groups of animals need all the friends that they can get if they are to survive the perils and challenges of modern life. Gardens can be safe refuges for these animals and can be made even better with a little fine tuning of your gardening practice.
Make room for a compost heap. This will allow you to turn garden waste into rich compost as well as providing warm breeding grounds for slow worms and grass snakes. These animals will help you control slugs and snails organically.

Piles of woody waste from shrub pruning in a quiet corner are excellent cover for newts, toads and lizards in the summer and will eventually rot down into manageable compost, which can be used for your roses.

Piles of stones and rocks and dry stone walls will encourage amphibians and reptiles such as toads, newts, slow worms and frogs to over winter and in the summer linger to eat garden pests which could attack seedlings and vegetables.

If you are lucky your pond could be visited by grass snakes, attractive brown snakes with a yellow collar. Grass snakes are harmless to pets and people but will hunt garden pests and small pond creatures. Toads, frogs and newts may well breed in a garden ponds provided they do not contain goldfish which will predate them.