Listened to an episode of “The Infinite Monkey Cage” (BBC Radio Four) about Fungi (listen to it on BBC Sounds). But the edited highlights are

The earliest fossils of fungi date to 1 bya, therefore Fungi seem to have been around before plants and animals had eveolved, Indeed Fungi are held to be closer to animals than plants and there are an estimated 3 to 6 million species on the planet (barely 10% have been documented). Fungi evolved in the icean and may have moved onto the land alongside plants, indeed may have made it possible for plants to exist on land. There are plants dated to 425 mya that show fungal connections. Fossil fungi have been found the size of a house.

The DNA of fungi is as diverse as that of a Flea and an Elephant and fungolgists have somewhat implausibly identified 23,000 different ways fungi might go about reproducing ! A distinguishing feature of Fungi is that they put themselves into their food, whereas plants and animals put food into themselves.

I have mentioned before how fungi can be active predators by setting traps and “hot pursuit, but to these we can add “harpooning” nematodes and poisoned baits. Alternatively there are parasitic fungi that take control of an insect hosts, in effect the zombie insect becoming part of the fungus.

As part of West Bridgford Open Gardens Nick Sparrow is opening his garden on behalf of Butterfly Conservation on the afternoon of Saturday 29^th July. The Sparrows have made their garden an urban haven for butterflies and other wildlife. All are welcome.

For full details follow this link. http://www.southnottswildlife.org.uk/content/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/N-Sparrow-Open-Garden.png

An interesting new initiative by local Bradmore residents Graeme and Eileen Radcliffe has been a while in the planning, but the initial phase has now begun with the rewilding of Mere Meadow at Bradmore. Horses have been moved to other fields in the village, public footpaths mown and the central area left to nature, whilst awaiting seeding of additional native meadow plants and flowers at the appropriate time. Care will be taken not to disturb the surrounding hedgerows, which support a variety of birds.

The next phase will be the pond and surrounding shrubs and trees. A key element will be an island in the middle of the pond to encourage wildfowl to nest and bring up their yioung in comparative safety! Another part of this project will be a small number of memory benches, so that local residents and walkers may listen to birdsong and relax and quietly enjoy the calming sound of nature.

The Radcliffe`s are fortunate to have advice on their plans from knowledgeable local residents who have studied the local bird life and evaluated the meadow and hedgerow flora, whilst another resident is a wetland specialist. But in addition they will be talking to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and other similar bodies to provide expert advice and potentially explore what grants may be available.

The meadow is on a public footpath and visitors are welcome. For information you can incorporate the site in a walk– either along the footpath from Rushcliffe Country Park to Bradmore and then straight down the lane opposite the exit from the footpath or from Bunny up the Green Lane to Bradmore and the meadow is on your left just before you reach the village – look for footpath gate.

This link is to an info pack produced by the Radcliffes`s Mere Meadow info pack

This is a directory of nature-based activities and Green Spaces in Rushcliffe, and is for social prescribers and healthcare workers who want to find activities for their patients, as well as individuals who are looking for an activity to get involved in. Besides using to to give yourself and family ideas of opportunities localy, if you know of any local group/activity that would seem to fit the bill please encourage them to put themselves forward for inclusion, the more the merrier. The BGB is online on https://www.rushcliffehealth.org/green-book