Author: mwn_admin

Our friends at Beverley Urban Gardeners are having an interesting event with Doug Stuart. For details see the flyer below!

You may remember the Bioblitz that was run on St Mary’s Cemetary earlier in the year, well the Guardian today has a lovely summary of the work that took part across the UK on behalf of our friends at Caring for God’s Acre. Read the full story, and peek into some fascinating biodiversity living in our churchyards! Article is here.

The Freshwater Habitats Trust has announced the start of the 2025 PondNet Spawn Survey, continuing its critical work monitoring Common Frog and Common Toad breeding patterns across the United Kingdom. This citizen science initiative, which began in 2012, has become an essential tool for understanding amphibian populations and identifying crucial breeding sites.

Following a record-breaking 2024 season with over 2,000 documented sightings, the survey continues to provide valuable data for national conservation efforts. The information collected contributes to the Record Pool, the UK’s primary herpetofauna database, supporting both local and national conservation strategies.

The survey’s significance extends beyond simple population tracking. Data collected helps identify Priority Ponds, which receive special conservation status based on their ecological value, particularly when Common Toads are present. These long-term datasets are proving invaluable for wildlife conservation planning and habitat protection.

Participants can submit sightings from any location – private gardens, community spaces, or wild areas. The survey typically sees its first recordings in the South West, with early breeding activity often documented before the new year.

Those interested in participating can find submission guidelines and view existing records through the Freshwater Habitats Trust website. Participants are encouraged to share their findings on social media using #SpawnSurvey.

Virtual Ecologies is an intergenerational learning project which aims to unlock local ecological knowledge, through free critical and creative response workshops, hands-on outdoor gatherings, skills development opportunities and unique experiences with artist-educators and natural scientists, for people of all ages across East Yorkshire.

All their events and activities are free of charge, with all materials, resources and hospitality included. Events include family workshops, field trips and guided walks, school enrichment days, communal wild space festivals, photography and journalling mentorships and more. Through these experiences, they aim to reduce rural and coastal isolation and remove barriers to access for engaging in creative exchanges.

It’s an amazing looking Lottery and Arts Council England funded project, with the first events already listed. Check out the website here.

It is lovely to welcome two new councillors to Molescroft Parish Council, we look forward to working with them to promote wildlife and biodiversity in Molescroft.

You can see the announcments of the appointment of Cllr Phil Briggs and Cllr Adrian Costello on the updated Molescroft Parish Website!

Humber Forest and East Riding of Yorkshire Council are marking National Tree Week (November 23 – December 1) with a series of activities across the region.

East Riding Libraries are hosting ‘Tree Parties’ featuring woodland-themed activities. North Bridlington Library will offer Woodland Friends Duplo Storytimes and Marvellous Microscopy sessions, while both North Bridlington and Hedon Libraries will hold woodland-themed Lego Art sessions. No booking is required for these events.

During the week, Humber Forest will plant over 4,000 trees at sites in Cottingham, Arram, and North Newbald. The initiative, supported by Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund, is part of the community forest network covering Hull, East Yorkshire, and North Lincolnshire.

The organization provides grants covering up to 100% of planting costs and five years maintenance for farmers, landowners, businesses, and communities interested in planting trees or hedgerows. Volunteers carry out the planting work, with many reporting benefits to their physical and mental health.

“At a time when our climate is truly in crisis, it is really helpful to be able to feel I am doing something to help,” says Gillian Darton, a tree planting volunteer with The Conservation Volunteers.

The Humber Forest team aims to plant over 250,000 trees by March 2025.

For Tree Party event information, visit www.eastridinglibraries.co.uk/whats-on and search “trees.” To learn about tree planting opportunities, visit www.humberforest.org or email humber.forest@eastriding.gov.uk.

The global decline in pollinator populations has become a pressing environmental concern, largely driven by human activities that reduce flower-rich habitats. But there’s good news for urban conservation efforts: new research from Warsaw suggests that small, cultivated wildflower meadows in cities can effectively support pollinator populations.

The recent study compared two types of urban meadows – artificially sown wildflower patches and natural meadows – examining their impact on three key pollinator groups: wild bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. The findings bring encouraging insights for urban planners and conservationists.

Key findings:

• Both meadow types supported similar plant diversity and pollinator species richness
• Butterflies showed a strong preference for natural meadows, appearing in numbers twice as high as in sown meadows
• Wild bees and hoverflies thrived equally well in both environments
• Small sown meadows proved just as effective as larger natural areas in supporting pollinator diversity

The research highlights an important solution for fragmented urban spaces: properly maintained wildflower meadows, even in small patches, can effectively compensate for the loss of larger natural habitats. This is particularly valuable for city centers, where space for natural meadows is limited.