Winter 2012/13 saw a mega flooding event on the reserve lower meadow and last summer the meadow was a sorry sight. This summer the area looks considerably better, follow this link for a fuller report.

One of the most useful things people can do is to record the wildlife they see around them – visiting a reserve, walking the dog or even just in their garden. Such information can provide a small but helpful contribution to the bigger picture in the area. Often people go for the more obvious groups perhaps on birds or butterflies, but some go for more specailist categories including in one instance the very esoteric plant galls !

For a full report on wildlife recording please follow this link.

A big thanks to all the people who grew plants, donated DVD`s, records and cakes and the trusty stalwarts who turned up to help on the day. Overal we took in £923 (including donations and, quiz sheets etc) however a member is organising the sale of CD`s via Music Magpie and that should bring in over £200 and there are still record sales via E Bay to be sorted so we hope for a final figure of over £1,200 before expenses a similar figure to last year. 

In effect  we have had a decline in sales on the day, but that has been counteracted by growth online (very modern). The decline is particularly noted in plant sales and the cafe, this seems to be related to a gradual drop in footfall over the years. Things like sales of cake and DVD`s have held up and sale of records on the day is up (probably due to specailist collectors who don`t buy plants, but might eat cake !).

Still the point of the Fair is not just the amount of money that we raise, but that it can be used to help Notts Wildlife Trust provide matched funding and help NWT release project funds, so the money is worth significantly more than the headline figures. Again a big thanks to everyone who lent a hand.


Our latest local group newsletter, for spring 2014, is now available to read online or download as-printed. Features include: an appreciation of the life of Dennis Heffernan; a well-illustrated review of Bingham’s butterflies; this year’s spring fair; the future of our newsletter.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust have submitted a Planning Application for proposed work at Skylarks Nature Reserve, which is to integrate the newly-acquired land with the original reserve and to make habitat improvements. The planning application number is 14/00706/FUL and the plans are on Rushcliffe Borough Council’s planning website at www.document1.co.uk/blueprint/ Please take a look at them and feel free to comment if you wish – hopefully in support!

We have recieved notification that the application has been passed by the council, so another milestone for the project has been passed and the winter months should see some major engineering works at Blotts Pit as some parts of the site are re landscaped to create wet meadows, ponds and reedbeds.

We held our local group Annual General Meeting and Talk in West Bridgford on Thursday 24th April. The newly-elected South Notts committee is: Gordon Dyne (Chair), Valerie Holt (Vice Chair), Jackie Glenn (Secretary), Neil Pinder (Treasurer), Margie Richards, Geoff Fyles, Neil Glenn, Judith Booth, Graham Leigh-Browne and Cally Martin. The following documents presented to the meeting are available:

• Chair’s Report (PDF)
• Treasurer’s Accounts (PDF)