conservation – Page 8 – a spark in your veins

12th February 2013

MoD close footpath – permanently

MoD notice that footpath is closed permanently

Steve e-mailed me to say that the MoD has closed the footpath next to the former Cottage Hospital on Shooters Hill, without any consultation and at very short notice. There is a notice about the closure of the footpath at one end of the footpath which has been completely blocked with fencing at each end.

Steve wrote:

Just to let you know about a permanent footpath closure next to the Red Lion Lane bus stop and the former Castle Wood Day Hospital, now social housing just below Red Lion Lane on Shooters Hill.
Closure took effect on Monday 4 February and was done without any public consultation. The footpath is well established and I first saw a notice about closure on Friday 1 February.
The notice which is from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation gave the phone number 020 8781 3157 for the Estates Team Leader. The reason for closure is litter and nuisance to residents on the M.O.D. estate; also the footpath is on land owned by the M.O.D. but then so too is Woolwich Common!
The litter problem is not new and could be dealt with by the M.O.D./Greenwich Council and the Neighbourhood Watch could address any nuisance issues.
Followers of e-shootershill might want to challenge this decision and get it reversed.

The blocked path is shown on the Google Map snippet below. As Steve says it is an established path, frequently used by members of the public. My rambles round the area often include the path as part of an alternative to Red Lion Lane. This way down to the bottom of Red Lion Lane near the Shooters Hill Campus has a very open, rural feel and passes close to the embankment of the former miniature rifle range shown in the 1914 OS map of the area. Although it is MoD land it is open to the public at both ends and the path closure won’t prevent general access to the area. Quite a lot of land in the area is MoD owned, including Woolwich Common.

I tried a number of times to get through to the Estates Team Leader on 020 8781 3157, but always got an answerphone. However I did manage to talk to Chris at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation via their Aldershot office. He explained that the path had been closed because of nuisance caused to local residents by schoolchildren gathering there after school – it had become a local meeting place – and there were also concerns about food and litter dropped there. They had checked their records and confirmed that the path was privately owned by the MoD and had consulted the local council before putting up a notice saying the path would be closed. He also pointed out that Red Lion Lane provided a nearby alternative route.

If we want to express concern about the closure and ask for the path to be reopened we can do so via e-mail to dioopssouth-lms13d1@mod.uk, and we can always contact local MP Clive Efford on clive@cliveefford.org.uk. I have an increasing collection of letters from Clive on House of Commons headed note paper so I’ll be interested to hear what he thinks about this.

22nd January 2013

Woodlands Farm: February Half Term and Conservation Activities

Woodlands Farm seem to be very busy organising events for the public. I’ve received three communications from them recently, two about conservation related events and one about activities for children during the February half term break.

Hannah, the farm’s Education Officer, sent me details of the half term activities. Her e-mail included the flyer below and the activity details.

Tuesday 19th February ? Felt Making
10am-3pm 50p
Did you know that felt is made from sheep?s wool? Join us at Woodlands Farm as we make some amazing felt flowers, butterflies and other animals using just wool. This is a fun and messy activity which everyone can enjoy. No need to book just come along.

Wednesday 20th February ? Get Wild in the Woods
11am-3pm FREE
Come and join us in the woods as we learn how to survive in the wild. Have a go at shelter building, wild cooking over a fire and learn what animals need to survive. Age 6+. No need to book just come along.

Friday 22nd February ? Help the sparrows: Build a Bird Box Day
10am-2pm £5 per box
Help the birds in your garden by putting up a bird box for them ready for the nesting season. In London the number of house sparrows is dramatically decreasing so make a box to encourage them back into your garden. Booking is essential for this event, to book call 020 8319 8900.

Woodlands Farm is located on the borders of the London boroughs of Bexley and Greenwich. At 89 acres, it is the largest city farm in the UK. Our priorities are education and conservation, and we are part of the Natural England Higher Level Stewardship Scheme. Our education programme attracts visitors from pre-school to third-age groups. The Trust aims to involve local community groups, schools, volunteers and businesses in farming and conservation, helping to bridge the current town-country divide. We are open 9.30am-4.30pm, Tuesday-Sunday (except Christmas Day). There is no entry charge except for special events, though donations are always welcome.

Nearest tube: North GreenwichNearest BR: Welling

Buses: 486 and 89

We are a farm so sensible shoes and clothing are recommended! We do allow dogs, but please note that these must be kept on a lead and not taken into any farm buildings.

Hannah Forshaw

I also received information from Lorraine, the farm’s Wildlife Officer, about a Winter Wildlife Walk to find out about the farm’s hedges, thickets and fields which is scheduled for Sunday 3rd February 2013 at 10.30am, and future Conservation Workdays at the farm. The workdays will provide an opportunity to get involved with hedge laying.

The farm is covered in snow at the moment, and a lot of the animals are in the barns. Even Aerial the farm cat is snuggled into the hay for warmth. I’m glad to see that a shelter has been built for Bob the pony so he can get out of the cold, though his thick coat should help keep him warm.

8th December 2012

Farm Conservation

Cynthia and Bella at Woodlands Farm — Cynthia and Bella

Conservation and improvement of biodiversity are central to what Woodlands Farm is trying to achieve, and their efforts have been recognised by accreditation to Natural England’s Higher Level Stewardship Scheme. Their conservation work includes management of grazing land as traditional hay meadows, restoration of farm woodlands to benefit wildlife and the laying of new hedgerows. If you’re interested in learning how to lay hedges using traditional methods then go along to the farm at 10.30am tomorrow, 9th December, when there’s a Farm Conservation Volunteer Workday.

There’s also a chance to find out more about the farm’s conservation work on Sunday 16th December at 11.00am when they are holding a Farm Conservation Walk. As their poster, included below, says:

Join our Farm Manager and Wildlife Officer for a walk around Woodlands Farm to look at wildlife habitats across the farmland and to find out about how we manage the farm for the benefit of wildlife conservation.

£1 per adult, 50p per child, farm volunteers free.

Please book in advance. You will need sturdy footwear and suitable outdoors clothing. Please leave a contact number when booking so we can reach you if the weather is unsuitable. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at the Education Centre.

The farm’s new neighbour, the Equestrian Centre, is close to completion – the project plan on their fence shows that building work ended in October. It is a state-of-the-art facility, with a well-equipped equine therapy centre, stabling for up to 24 horses, a deep, swim-through pool for horses and an indoor dressage arena with spectator seating. There was a lot of local opposition to the plan to build the centre on Metropolitan Open Land, and concern about its impact on the farm’s conservation work. I’m sure the farm will be monitoring this closely, and on the plus side maybe they now have a nearby buyer for their hay.

There are also safety concerns about horses crossing the busy Shooters Hill Road – a new crossing has been built, though it looks to me more like a Pelican than a Pegasus crossing – and worry about the ecological and other impacts of horses riding through Oxleas Wood.

It is expected that Hadlow College, who will be running the centre, will move in during spring next year. However before they start using the facility one of the council’s conditions is that:

a community use scheme shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The agreement shall allow for a minimum of 82 hours of community access each week and set out how residents of the London Borough of Greenwich will have priority access to the community facilities.

It’ll be interesting to see whether, and how, things change after the farrm’s new neighbours move in.

20th August 2012

Woodlands Wildlife

Lorraine, the Wildlife Officer at Woodlands Farm sent me an e-mail with details of their forthcoming wildlife surveys and walks, part of their Heritage Lottery Funded Farm Conservation project. Lorraine wrote:

Please find attached information about upcoming Wildlife Surveys and Bat Walks at Woodlands Farm, including the following surveys and walks:

Butterfly survey – 24th August at 11am
Reptiles surveying – 3rd September at 2pm
Bat walk – 6th September at 7pm
Dormouse nut hunt – 10th Sept, drop by 2-4pm
Bat walk – 25th September at 6.45pm

We will also be setting out kit across the farm for Reptile Surveys on Monday 20th August, starting at 2pm.

If you would like to join us for one of the wildlife surveys or bat walks, or to help with the reptile work, please get in touch (contact details below).

Best wishes

Lorraine

Lorraine Parish
Wildlife Officer

The Woodlands Farm Trust
331 Shooters Hill
Welling, Kent
DA16 3RP

Tel: 020 8319 8900
Email: wildlife@thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org
Website: www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org
Charity Number: 1051680

There are some more new farm animals to see at Woodlands: as well as the rare Irish Moiled cattle, there is a new British White calf. Clover gave birth on the day before the Olympics opening ceremony, and her calf has been named Olympus.

Clover, the British White, and her new calf Olympus

19th August 2012

Eaglesfield Pond Tidy-up on 26th August

The Friends of Eaglesfield Park are holding the second of their monthly meetings at the Lilly Pond on Sunday 26th August from 11.00am to 1.00pm. They are looking for help with the maintenance of the pond and its surrounding wild flower meadow, and there is an opportunity to do some pond dipping. Madeleine from the Friends e-mailed me the details:

Responding to enthusiastic suggestions by members of the local community attending the opening of the restored pond, we have begun meeting regularly on the last Sunday of the month between 11.00 am and 1.00pm and would like to invite anyone to join us to help with weeding, planting, litter clearing and pond dipping activities.
Our first “Tidy up/Pond Dipping Session” was on 29th July but sadly only 4 FOEP committee members arrived. Although the sun did make an appearance, the weather was very unsettled and we finally abandoned our efforts due to heavy rain. However, before the rain, we were delighted to welcome a family with young children who enjoyed the opportunity to try out pond dipping. They were very successful, including 8 newts and various other “things” yet to be identified. We are all beginners as far as pond dipping is concerned and pictures and charts are not always very helpful! If anyone has any experience or knowledge of identifying pond creatures, we would be very pleased to have the benefit of their expertise!
The wildflower meadow has certainly changed since it was seeded in March. With so much rain everything has really grown fast, and we need to make sure the unwanted weeds and brambles are removed. In early autumn the meadow will then be cut down and raked off to allow the wildflowers to develop for next year. Unfortunately about a third of the meadow was not seeded in Spring due to the volume of rain we received making the ground unworkable. We hope to complete the seed planting in early autumn and again the area will need good preparation (digging, weeding, raking, etc).
Keeping to our commitment to meet up on the last Sunday of the month, we have planned another “Tidy Up/Pond Dipping Session” on Sunday 26th August – 11.00 am – 1.00 pm (weather permitting). Even if you are unable to help with gardening, why not come and have a go at pond dipping – it’s great fun for all the family – we have the fishing nets! Come and see us – even if you are just walking your dog! We would very much like to hear your suggestions regarding the future development of the park and how we can best ensure the unique environment of the park and the newly restored pond and meadow area continue to flourish and provide a haven for wildlife and a space for contemplation and tranquility for local residents and visitors.
We really do need your help though! Without the very basic management, the pond and meadow could soon, once again, become overgrown, unattractive and unable to sustain the variety of flora and fauna we are aiming to establish. Please join us. Whatever time you can spare will be appreciated. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding Eaglesfield Park, we would like to hear from you – email: foepse18@hotmail.com.

Eaglesfield Park must have the juiciest blackberries around at the moment, and lots of them in the lower part of the park, so it’s well worth a forage. You can also see the first Lilly flower on the recently refurbished Lilly Pond!

First Lilly flower on Eaglesfield Park Lilly Pond

10th August 2012

Hay harvesters urgently needed at Woodlands Farm

Woodlands Farm desperately need help tomorrow to get their hay harvest in while the sunny weather lasts. Dr Barry Gray e-mailed me this afternoon saying:

We desperately need members of the local community to help us to get our hay harvest in before the weather breaks. The hay is now cut and dried, and we expect to start baling from midday on Saturday, (tomorrow). We need to shift about 4000 bales of hay from the fields into the barns. You will need to be in reasonable health with no allergies to hay! If you can spare a few hours, your help will be most appreciated. Please either ring the Farm on 0208 319 8900, or come direct to the farmyard at 331 Shooters Hill from 11am tomorrow. Please bring garden gloves if you can although we do have a supply of gloves at the farm. We also have face masks.
Please try to help out and make this a true community event. Even if you are confined to making tea, all abilities needed!
Barry Gray
Chair, Woodlands Farm Trust)

So if you can spare an hour or two head down to the farm.

14th July 2012

Midnight Megawalk on the Green Chain

View towards Central London from Green Chain Walk in Eltham

Keen walkers among you will jump at the chance of a 22 mile night hike along the length of the Green Chain Walk from Crystal Palace to Erith, arriving at Shooters Hill in time for sunrise. Ian Bull who’s organising the “Midnight Megawalk” sent me the following details:

* Friday 20th July – The ‘Midnight Megawalk’.

A very leisurely 22 mile stroll over the most popular sections of the Green Chain Walk from Crystal Palace to Erith, but with a difference, the walk is nocturnal!

Meet outside Crystal Palace railway station at 22.30pm. After the first five miles we enter woodland for a pitch black stroll. Quite amazing! By the time we get to Eltham we’ll see wonderful views of London at first-light. This was so good last year that we spent about 20 minutes watching. At 05.00, after much more dark woodland we arrive at Shooters Hill for sunrise, and there’s no where better to see it as the view extends right over Essex and the estuary. The rest of the walk is almost entirely in woodland and I assure you, it does look lovely at that time of the morning. We arrive at Erith and the Thames at about 07.30 for plenty of trains home.

The walk was very successful last year but I must stress that the event is wholly unofficial and just for fun. If you take part you do so entirely at your own risk. For further information please contact Ian Bull – ianbull at btinternet dot com

Ian is also organising the seventh daylight version of the walk for Saturday 29th September and will send more details when they are available.

Interactive map from Green Chain Walk web site — Map from Green Chain Walk web site – click to go to interactive map

13th July 2012

Bat Walks at Woodlands Farm

Another opportunity for bat enthusiasts, following the successful Shrewsbury Park bat walk, Woodlands Farm are holding a series of bat walks over the next few months, part of their recently launched Heritage Lottery Funded Farm Conservation project.

The walks will be held on the evenings of:

19th July at 8.30p
14th August at 7.45pm and
6th September at 7.00pm

and will cost £1 per person. Contact the farm Wildlife Officer, Lorraine, on 020 8319 8900 to book a place, or e-mail the farm at wildlife@thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org

Incidentally this weekend is the Bat Conservation Trust‘s Sunset/Sunrise Survey weekend. This is a survey that anyone can take part in, and doesn’t need any specialist equipment such as a bat detector. Details are on the BCT website:

The Sunset Survey couldn’t be easier! Simply spend the evening in your garden and watch out for any bats that fly past. Record how many bats you see, which species they are (if you think you know) and, most importantly, which direction they are flying from.

The Sunrise Survey involves going out just before dawn to look for bats swarming before they return to their roost. If you have already done the Sunset Survey and saw bats flying past, you should walk in the direction from which most of them seemed to be coming.

This survey is aimed at beginners and is an excellent way of contributing to the monitoring programme if you don’t have any previous experience of bat surveying.

I’ve heard that one of the bat species that can be seen at Woodlands Farm is the Daubenton’s Bat, which hunts its insect prey over the ponds there. So here, to whet your appetite for bat viewing, is a fascinating clip from Springwatch of Simon King filming Daubenton’s Bats hunting.

4th June 2012

Opportunities for Wildlife Enthusiasts

Woodlands Farm are offering anyone interested in local wildlife the opportunity to be trained in ecological surveying and to take part in the monitoring of key species at the farm, they announced at a Launch Event last Thursday.

The Launch marked the award of a £38000 grant to the farm from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a Farm Conservation project, as their web site says:

The Woodlands Farm Trust is delighted to have received £38,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for an exciting new Farm Conservation project in Shooters Hill. Through the HLF funded Farm Conservation project, The Woodlands Farm Trust will be working with local communities and volunteers to increase awareness of the farm’s biodiversity and local conservation priorities, and to inspire local people to become actively involved in biodiversity conservation, This will include working with volunteers to to survey the farm’s biodiversity, and to establish a long-term monitoring programme and conservation management plan. The Trust will also be inviting local community groups to take part in wildlife and conservation activities at the farm, and will hold a series of public walks and talks on the wildlife found at Woodlands Farm.

In a presentation about the project, Lorraine Parish, the farm’s new Wildlife Officer said that the farm intended to survey and monitor species of conservation importance such as bats, birds, butterflies, dormice, dragon flies, great crested newts, moths and reptiles. As well as training wildlife enthusiasts in surveying techniques, they will run a programme of public events such as wildlife days, bat walks, moth mornings and nut hunts. The results of the work would contribute to London and local Biodiversity Action Plans.

The new project complements the farm’s work in sustainable farming, exemplified by their acceptance into Natural England’s Higher Level Stewardship Scheme.

The launch event was opened by the new Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, David Grant, and attendees included local MP Clive Efford, journalists from local newspapers and representatives of the Heritage Lottery Fund and local conservation groups such as the Plumstead Common Environment Group and Greenwich Wildlife Advisory Group. Following the presentations the audience was led on a tour of the farm by Dr Barry Gray, Chair of the Woodlands Farm Trust.

The first stop on the tour was to visit Cynthia the Oxford Sandy and Black Pig and her newly born piglets, just a few days old – lots of aaahhs here. There were also seven new Gloucester old spot pigs from Mudchute Farm.

Cynthia the Oxford Sandy and Black Pig and her new piglets

Oxford Sandy and Black Pig piglet feeding

Next stop was a chance to see one of the traditionally laid hedges bordering the farm’s fields, and hear about the hedge laying craft from some of the farm’s volunteers who lay the hedges themselves. An excursion through Clothworkers Wood, where some of the trees are over 300 years old, took us to one of the farm’s wild-flower embroidered hay meadows, again managed for conservation and habitat preservation. It was here that we saw an example of the magical missile-repelling Corky Fruited Water Dropwort! The tour concluded with refreshments by the dipping pond, accompanied by newts and other water creatures, and a visit to the farm’s beehives.

Anyone interested in becoming a wildlife surveyor should contact Lorraine, the Woodlands farm Wildlife Officer at wildlife@thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org or phone 020 8319 8900.

There are more pictures of the Woodland Farm animals on Flickr here.

18th May 2012

Ivy Clearing in Shrewsbury Park

The Friends of Shrewsbury Park are looking for volunteers to help clear ivy from some of the trees in the park this Sunday, 20th May 2012 at 1.30pm. They are meeting, providing it’s not raining, at the junction of the Green Chain Walk with Dothill. Their e-mail which was forwarded to me said:

20th May 2012, 1.30 – 2.30pm

Will you help us clear ivy from some of the trees? Although ivy is not directly harmful to trees, control is needed where the ivy either obscures attractive bark or adds weight to an ailing tree.
•If the branch canopy becomes thin and allows sufficient light to enter, the ivy will develop into its arboreal form. Fraxinus (ash), a naturally thin, open-crowned tree may suffer heavy infestation, and for this reason ivy on ash trees is often controlled
•When trees are grown for their stem or bark, such as birch and some acers, the stems or trunks should be kept free from ivy
•One problem with very old or damaged trees is that the ivy may hide cavities which, in time, could gradually enlarge and possibly affect stability.

We are not clearing ivy from the ground as ivy is beneficial to wildlife. As ground cover in woodland, ivy greatly lessens the effect of frost, enabling birds and woodland creatures to forage in leaf litter during bitter spells.

We will be cutting back the stems to the ground. Because of the proximity to the tree’s roots, it will not be possible to dig out the woody stump. Regular cutting of the stems to ground level may weaken the ivy over time, but is unlikely to kill it.

We are meeting at the junction of the Green Chain Walk with Dothill. Please bring stout gloves and secateurs and/or loppers.

If it is raining, we will not meet.

Look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Best wishes
Kathy

There’s no dog show in the Friends’ event list for this year, but Kathy has circulated details of a dog show at Eltham Park South on Saturday 16th June, starting at 12.00 noon.