Summer’s almost ended, and (meteorological) autumn is nearly here. Flowers and leaves may soon be gone for the year, and our summer visitors leaving but the coming two months offer the prospect of lots of birds coming in for the winter to join our resident species, and there will still be plenty of insects to look out for. To find out more, follow this link: http://www.southnottswildlife.org.uk/content/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/month-ahead-sept_oct-2021.pdf
Monthly Archives: August 2021
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has been fighting to protect wildlife from the threat posed by a new sand & gravel quarry proposed for Barton in Fabis – directly across the River Trent from our much loved Attenborough Nature Reserve – since at least 2017.
Whilst we accept that sand and gravel extraction is needed in our county, this allocation is one of the most ecologically damaging we’ve dealt with and we’ve objected to it from day 1 – working closely with local residents, community representatives and members of the Save the Ancient Valley Environment (SAVE) campaign group.
Our efforts alongside the community have resulted in significant and welcome modifications to the planning application, illustrating the importance of us continuing to fight wildlife’s corner but this proposal still poses a threat to wildlife both on the Barton-In-Fabis side of the River Trent and at our much loved Attenborough Nature Reserve and risks disruption and disturbance of people’s enjoyment of a number of vital wildlife areas.
Our Nature Recovery team are currently preparing our official objection to the proposal but given the importance of the sites in question and the strength of feeling within the local community we are asking our supporters to help directly by responding to the official planning consultation by the 10th September 2021.
Having cared for Attenborough Nature Reserve for over 50 years and having only recently been backed by members and supporters to take ownership of the site the prospect of damaging disturbance to its wildlife and of impact on people’s enjoyment of this cherished site is a real cause for concern.
Our key concerns for wildlife
The proposal will result in loss of and damage to areas of designated Local Wildlife Sites (LWS). This is unacceptable given that Nottinghamshire has such a low level of protected habitat and the urgent need to reverse the ecological crisis by ensuring that 30% of land can support nature.
The proposal could have a negative impact of Schedule 1 protected breeding birds recorded within the proposed quarry site
Designated LWS’s including Clifton Wood may be affected by noise disturbance – a real concern for both breeding birds and bats. We are also concerned that the noise modelling data doesn’t enable us to assess the full impact of the noise pollution on species or particular sites.
Birds overwintering at Attenborough could face a double blow due to the loss of important grazing habitat on the Barton-in-Fabis side of the river.
Follow this link for guidance https://www.barton-in-fabis.net/wp/?page_id=214
Coming up localy
There will be a special puppet performance for children 11am to 2pm this Monday 23rd August on The Hook Nature Reserve. Follow the nature trail, see what you can spot and discover the puppets. Flyers available at Mona Road entrance to The Hook.
Handmade Theatre has been funded by Lady Bay Arts Trail.
Also Nick and Jackie Sparrow is holding an official Butterfly Conservation charity garden open day on bank holiday Saturday 28th Aug 1 to 5pm at 20 Trevor Road, West Bridgford. Tea and cakes etc. £3 to get in. Hopefully there will be some butterflies joining us on the day.
Winter Wildlife Talks
South Notts Local Group is delighted to announce it`s Winter Wildlife Talks programme will be returning again this autumn. It will be on ZOOM again this year enabling us to draw in speakers from around the country and make the talks accessible to people across Rushcliffe and elsewhere for that matter.
As with the venue based talks we are still looking to provide a varied range of wildlife related topics and we start on the 7th October with one about the Wildflowers of Verges and Reserves with Gerald Ponting, followed by Gardening for Butterflies on Nov 4th with Max and Christine Maughan. After that we will be going to Scotland, South Africa and deepest darkest Kirklington. For full details of the six talk programme (and details of how to book) follow this link http://www.southnottswildlife.org.uk/content/?page_id=234
You will need is a laptop or tablet (with an internet link) and the ZOOM app downloaded (you will not need a ZOOM account). Links will be stated on the ticket.
So join us on a dark evening for a taste of summer from the comfort of your own home.
Nature Conservation in Rushcliffe
Rushcliffe has had a nature conservation strategy in place since 2003 and one of the key was to try and ensure that the Strategy was more than just good intentions. So over the years the Steering Group has been supporting, promoting, cajoling and on occasion despairing of nature conservation and wildlife protection in Rushcliffe.
There is certainly more going on in the Borough now, sometimes as a result of initiatives by a committed individual/dedicated group – as evidenced for example by the Rushcliffe Barn Owl Project, Friends of Bingham Linear Park, Wild Things Keyworth (Hedgehogs), Grizzled Skipper Project and East Bridgford Wildlife Group. And behind that is the commitment of organisations such as Notts Wildlife Trust and Rushcliffe Borough Council in supporting these initiatives but also with their own activities and projects. But in the end time and commitment by motivated individuals (professional and volunteer) is a big driver for taking things further.
The current range of local actions can be gauged from the following http://www.southnottswildlife.org.uk/…/2020-RNCS… and the list of Rushcliffe sites currently classed as nature reserves http://www.southnottswildlife.org.uk/…/2020-RNCS-Nature…
Is it enough ? Clearly more can be done, indeed more needs to be done, as there have always been counter pressures from development, changes in land use and now the impacts from climate change. Probably at the moment we are, at best, holding the line.
So what are YOU prepared to contribute ?