19 Mar 2020 In these difficult times, Eynsham's Nature Recovery network is growing impressively.
We had been planning to announce the Second Nature Recovery Day for the middle of April but, who knows, we may still be taking our solitary walks through the spring landscape rather than coming together to restore it. Sadly, all the workshops and talks in March and at beginning of April have had to be postponed. But the Nature Recovery network is growing impressively and we can continue to restore nature in our family groups and as individuals.
Charlotte Holmes and Andy Goodwin have set up a new Willow Coppice Group. They have planted a swathe of willows at Peace Oak and now have a site to plant many more, which they are planning to do this weekend.
Charlotte Holmes and Andy Goodwin with a fine collection of willow wands.
The Garden Club has joined the Nature Recovery Network and is offering to publicise it at their plant sale on 16th May. If anyone has wildflower plants or garden plants for pollinators or seeds that they want to donate, they will surely be 'the bees knees'
The Garden Club is hosting a talk by Pauline Pears on August 12th 7.30pm Village Hall: Growing a Healthy Garden without Pesticides
The Allotment Association has also joined the Nature Recovery Network and is offering space to create a communal garden (please email if you'd like to join).
A study by Prof. Dave Goulson of Sussex University shows that allotments store more carbon than farmland soils and have the potential to lock up even more. They also support more wildlife and are more productive than conventional farms. Allotment Chair Andy Swarbrick talks of the possibility of restoring the wooded area around the allotment for wildlife and of creating a wildlife pond. So, watch this space for a new Allotment Biodiversity Group emerging!
Coming soon to the Market Garden: the paperback of The Garden Jungle, Dave Goulson's book about biodiversity in the garden and allotment.
The Carnival Committee have offered space in the pavilion to Eynsham Nature Recovery for an exhibition and information.
Other News:
Silvia Bogazzi writes:
"We really enjoyed the Saturday build your bird box activity organised at the Peace Oak Association.
First I struggled to get my son out to join the activity, but once he hammered in all the nails and had completed the pre-prepared bird box he wouldn't want to leave and wanted to build another one and another one and... We also managed to fix an old one and this is now in the big fir hedge at the back of our garden waiting for a robin to claim its occupancy!"
Alex Rylett building his first bird box
"I hope the same workshop can be offered also to the Beavers and other scout groups. Or the Eco club of Mrs Emmett that takes place at primary school on Friday lunch time!"
Peace Oak Association has created a new pond for wildlife (see their web page for pictures). Eynsham's bird surveyors have been out in the village and beyond as have the surveyors of veteran trees.
Eynsham's intrepid birders taking the waters
Finally, at Long Mead we have more bird box kits as well as survey materials for water surveys (ie pond-dipping), hedgerow surveys, and garden bug-hunting. We are trying to think of safe ways for families and individuals to entertain themselves in their isolation and do their bit for Eynsham Nature, either in their gardens or further abroad. Let us know if you think this might be interesting and how it might work.