|
[ Volunteers ] [ Clients ] [ Work ] [ Programme ] [ Latest News ] [ Pictures ] [ Archive ] [ Policy ] [ Links ]
|
BTCV
COMMUNITY NETWORK NEWS - Radio 4
Appeal
In
February's Radio 4 Appeal, environmentalist and writer Jonathon
Porritt made a passionate plea for support for BTCV:
"Today, you can support an army of people who are willing
to take responsibility for local green spaces. Your donation is
crucial in keeping conservation volunteers active across the UK – in
thousands of parks, woodlands and allotments." The recording
is
also available on-line from http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/appeal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
BTCV CONSERVATION
HOLIDAYS
Your chance to change
the world
Unique events designed to help our
partner organisations in the UK and overseas achieve what they
couldn’t otherwise do. With
dedicated leaders and a group of like-minded participants, the holidays
of course give you a fantastic experience but the real value is in the
legacy left.
Mad, Bad and Dangerous
|
| BTCV’s
Health and Safety policy?
No, Lord Byron, as described by his lover Lady Caroline Lamb, and
whose journey through rural southern Albania in 1809 is the
inspiration for one of our most inspiring and ground-breaking projects
yet – real cutting-edge ancient history!
We’re working with the Albanian National Trust (ANT) on two
distinct projects:
the recording of ancient carved stone inscriptions in UNESCO
world heritage site Gjirokastra;
and the first stages in developing a new long-distance trail
following the ‘mad, bad and dangerous’ Lord Byron’s journey,
inspiration for the work that made him famous, Childe Harold’s
Pilgrimage. |
 |
Something old,
something new, something Bulgarian and everything green – BTCV
team top picks for 2010:
|
|
|
Pomorie,
Bulgaria, 3-10 September
We'll be continuing our work constructing artificial stone and
wooden islands for nesting sandwich terns, common terns and avocets.
This holiday isn't all about birds, but as Bulgaria's
most important migration bottleneck site, it's certainly a good place to
find them. The area also has a rich archaeological heritage, and is
still home to the traditional methods of salt production that built the
town of Pomorie.
Between jolly and sociable days wading in the sea creating safe
artificial nesting sites, there'll be plenty of time off to explore the
area, and the best of Bulgaria's golden beaches. |
Harz National Park,
Germany,
16-27 August Variety
of work relating to restoration and maintenance of habitats and access,
in wilderness forest in far East of Germany, steeped in mystery and
tradition, and home to an unholy alliance of witches and naked sledgers.
|
|
|
|
Chateau de Fressin, France,
10-17 July Celebrate
14 July with our own castle to storm!
Bringing back to life an overgrown 17th century castle
with a local community organisation who have complemented it with a
medicinal plant garden. It’s
a hop onto the Eurostar in London and a lifetime away in an hour. |
| Skaftafell, Vatnajokull National Park,
Iceland,
projects through July and August
Building and repairing mountain trails and camping out under
the midnight sun. Serious
upland trail building that’s always been popular, now even better
value and more important than ever thanks to that business with the
banks! |
|
|
|
Parque
Natural do Litoral Norte, Portugal,
7-17 July Brand
new project. Slipped in
between rivers and sea, the park plays host to unique sand dune habitats
and amazing beaches. Our
work is protecting the delicate sand dune ecology and preserving the
area’s naturally high biodiversity. |
Something for the
Weekend?
Hedging in the
Blackdowns, 5-7 February
You don’t have to dedicate your life to conservation – or
even your hard-earned two weeks. We’ve got some great weekend projects like one in the
stunning Blackdown Hills. Lower
Mackham Farm is a privately run smallholding situated in the middle of the
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Devon Somerset border.
The farm is used for Forest School trips and other education
activities. Unique geology
creates an exceptional environment where rare plant, insect and
invertebrate species can flourish. We’ll
be laying one of the many hedges on the farm.
Satisfying, fun, educational – and home in time for tea on
Sunday.
For
more details of these and other fantastic projects in Cameroon, Estonia,
Italy, Japan, Romania and the USA, see www.btcv.org.uk. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From:
BTCV
COMMUNITY NETWORK NEWSLETTER
BTCV believe that actions
speak louder than words.
During the UN Climate Change summit, 3,000 delegates from governments
all over the world gathered. BTCV’s Carbon Army is responding by carrying
out 3,000 days action – one for every delegate at the summit. Some are
volunteering at BTCV local food growing projects to reduce the carbon impact of
food miles while others are helping to conserve urban green spaces to keep
cities cool. Joining BTCV’s Carbon Army is frontline action on climate
change and directly enables YOU to make a difference.
You are not just making a hot air statement and as a Carbon Army member you’ll
be taking direct action and making a difference to your community and the
planet. Join our Carbon Army today and find out how to join a local BTCV Carbon Army
action day. You could sign our letter to the UK government, donate essential
funds or write a letter to your local paper or MP. Visit the Carbon Army
website to see photos and videos of our army in action www.btcv.org/carbonarmy
What’s the nation’s favourite park or green space?
Vote for your favourite Green Flag award-winning site.
Are green spaces in Gateshead more gorgeous than in Glamorgan? Does Birmingham
have more beautiful parks than Bradford? Are the cemeteries in Cheltenham more
cherished than in Chelmsford? Do people prefer to admire the allotments in
Aylesbury rather than Accrington?
If your local park or green space stands out from the rest then visit the Green
Flag Award Scheme website www.greenflagaward.org.uk and vote by going to the ‘Get
Involved’ section.
If your favourite park or green space isn’t listed then why not nominate it to
win a Green Flag Award telling us why you think it deserves to win. The site
that receives the most votes by September 2010 will receive a special award at
the Green Flag Award Scheme’s annual awards ceremony in Autumn 2010.
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GREAT
WOOD - GREAT EFFORT!
| After
working on what must have been one of the worst days that the group has ever
experienced, we would like to take the unusual step of thanking everyone for
displaying 'grit and determination' in the face of atrocious conditions on 29
November!!
We will remember this day when we return for a maintenance visit in the
spring/summer! Here is the photographic evidence to prove just how awful
it was. |
 |
|
|
Planting in the wet at Great Wood School!
|
David C. and John putting the
finishing touches to a Rowan in rather wet conditions!
|
 |
|
|
Screening the concrete eyesore,
a Scots Pine in the foreground |
New shrub layer planting to help
create a wildlife corridor to and from Great Wood itself |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HEDGEROWS
|
Our
hedgerow management work is just a small part of what is happening across the UK
- some 41% of hedgerows (101,665 miles) are now managed through environmental
schemes and around 13,000 miles of hedgerows have been restored in the last 10
years. We are doing our bit!
For
more information on the recently introduced Campaign for the Farmed Environment,
a voluntary approach to looking after farm landscapes and wildlife organised by
the farming industry, rather than the compulsory set-aside approach originally
put forward by Defra, please visit www.cfeonline.org.uk.
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LANCASTER
DISTRICT CVS AWARDS 2009
Lancaster
District Council for Voluntary Service presented their Volunteer
Achievement Awards 2009, at The Platform, Morecambe, on Tuesday 2 June, as public recognition for voluntary effort.
Maggie was our nomination and she received her certificate from the
Mayor, supported
by Laurie, representing our group at a
very pleasant do.
 |
 |
|
Maggie's certificate |
Maggie and Laurie enjoyed refreshments |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VISIT
TO RSPB LEIGHTON MOSS - SUNDAY 17 MAY
2009
Leighton
Moss was the site of the group's very first task 25 years ago, so it was fitting
that one of our anniversary celebrations should be a guided walk there.
Our RSPB guide was Jim, who gave us an
insight into the management of the 80 hectare site, particularly the reed
beds. By the reedbeds a bearded tit was seen and we watched and heard a
reed warbler. Several swifts were circling above us. From the
public hide a visiting spoonbill could be seen beyond some gadwalls. We
didn't hear or see a bittern but Jim pointed out an area where they were known
to nest.
Afterwards
we greatly appreciated deliciously hot soup in the cafe after our rather chilly
walk but thankfully the rain had held off. No doubt we will be
visiting Leighton Moss again to enjoy the birds and surroundings at other times
of the year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LANCASTER
GUARDIAN ARTICLE 10 APRIL 2009
A
COMMUNITY group helping to improve the environment around the Lancaster district
celebrates 25 years of success this year. Lancaster and District Conservation
Volunteers (LDCV) was set up in 1984 as an autonomous local group within
the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV), and is now a member of the
BTCV Community Network (www.btcv.org.uk). Its membership of enthusiastic
volunteers has worked effectively for 25 years to improve the quality of the
local environment for community benefit.
The
group is largely funded by the work that it carries out for clients in the
public, private and voluntary sectors. These include local authorities, national
charitable organisations, private landowners and farmers and local schools. This
income is supplemented through fundraising which includes the sale of the group’s
own ‘No Puffin’ stickers which have been particularly successful in
Shetland.
Work
carried out by the group includes tree planting and maintenance, hedgerow
restoration and management, drystone walling, ponds and school nature reserves,
orchard management, footpath management and fencing. Recent work has
included woodland work at Penhale Gardens in Heysham, hedgerow management at
Belmount Farm in Slyne and tree planting at Whittingham Orchard near Longridge,
as well as a tree plant at Great Wood Primary School in Morecambe, a site they
have been involved with most of the past 25 years – and where it was thought
apt to plant an anniversary tree. Joint programme organiser David
Alexander said: "The LDCV have appreciated the regular opportunity to work
with the school and for the local community environment over the years. "It
has been very satisfying to help manage the small but locally important Great
Wood and other trees that have been planted in the school grounds."
The
group’s new programme began this month and includes drystone walling in the
Arnside/ Silverdale AONB, together with regular management work at school and
farm sites.
Mr
Alexander said: "We try wherever possible to build in regular follow-up
maintenance work, rather than undertake one-off jobs and then simply walk away
with little or no aftercare taking place. "This has allowed the group
to build up a number of regular sites where volunteers can see the results of
their growing land management skills over time."
The
group will be celebrating its anniversary with a special visit to RSPB Leighton
Moss on Sunday May 17, which ex-volunteers are welcome to join. For
further information about LDCV, please contact David or Elizabeth Alexander on
01524 412938, 7-9pm (answerphone available) or go to www.ldcv.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
25TH
ANNIVERSARY TREE PLANTING
On
1 March, at the front of Great Wood Primary School, we planted our Anniversary
Tree, a Field Maple. We chose to plant it here as we have been involved at
this site for most of the past 25 years. At the same time we also planted
other trees for the school including varieties of Mountain Ash and a variety of
Cherry.
Great
Wood, behind the school, is shown on the 1910 Ordnance Survey map surrounded by
fields. We are glad that Great Wood community appreciate our support in
managing Great Wood. We are all custodians for its future.
The
children enjoy using the Wood to support their learning. Recently,
reception children went on an expedition to the Wood and discovered a 'dinosaur
egg'. It was taken back to the classroom, where it grew and grew before
hatching!!!
John
Ross, headteacher, has said the school values the fact that it is a volunteer
group who maintains the Wood and appreciates the time and effort put in by all
our volunteers, past and present, during the past 25 years. He would also
encourage former pupils to think about and help maintain the Wood for future
generations of children.
David
and Elizabeth Alexander have said how much the LDCV have appreciated the regular
opportunity to work with the school and for the local community environment over
the years. It has been very satisfying to help manage the small but
locally important Great Wood and other trees that have been planted in the
school grounds. Volunteering for environment management to improve local
communities can be very rewarding as well as helping you to keep healthy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'A
Cut above The Rest'
This
is a free DVD about hedgerow management and the options available, the life
cycle of a hedge and the many different types of hedges that occur. It
encourages the landowner to 'read' a hedge before deciding on a course of
action.
It
is available from Natural England's Enquiry Service, tel. 0845 600 3078, or enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk.
Clips from the DVD can be seen on http://www.hedgelink.org.uk/index.php?id=41.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
