Encouraging a biodiverse parish
MWN and Wolds Hedgehog Rescue Centre visited Molescroft Primary School by on the 5th June 2024, this generated a lovely write up in the Molescroft Primary School July newsletter, which you can download here.
Molescroft Wildlife Network accepted a kind invitation from Molescroft Grange Community Allotments to visit their allotment site.
Molescroft Grange Community Allotments was set up on a four acre field on Molescroft Farm Estate that was too small for the large machinery used in modern arable farming. The allotments are managed by the not-for-profit arm of the main farm, Molesfarm Community Projects. This business also receives funding for transport to Open Farm School Days for disadvantaged children, and the initial startup funding came from the National Lottery’s “Awards for All” in 2012.
We discussed how the allotment community are working to improve biodiversity on the site, whilst keeping the allotments productive and showed an impressive wildflower meadow area, and a rapidly establishing pond ecosystem that was buzzing with inverterbrate activity. MWN members old and new had a fantastic walk around the allotments, and look forward to working with the Molescroft Grange Community Allotments in future.
After a visit to the Molescroft Grange Community Allotments this week by MWN, it was only fitting that the daughter of one of our founding members released a wonderful book “This Allotment” edited by Sarah Rigby.
This Allotment brings together thirteen brilliant contemporary writers in a glorious celebration of these entirely unique spaces: plots that mean so much more than the soil upon which they sit.
We know that not everyone wants to talk about politics, or the election, but one of the best ways to campaign for change that impacts biodiversity, and our local wildlife landscape, is to let those who are keen to secure your vote, what your expectations are for them.
The Yorkshire Rewilding Network has a great piece about how to engage over the election cycle!
YRN would like your help to tell every political candidate in Yorkshire:
Read the full article here. And don’t forget your photo ID on polling day!
If environmental concerns feel overwhelming, engaging in personal eco-action can be a constructive approach. Springwatch and the Open University are interested in a piece of citizen science research with people their sharing experiences of eco-anxiety and eco-action. Volunteers are invited to explore, participate, and contribute to making a difference.
This initiative aims to foster a deeper connection with nature through various transformative actions. From hands-on activities to mindful moments in nature, discover practical ways to manage eco-anxiety while contributing to environmental protection and enhancement.
Check out the Springwatch page, or download the Mindful Moments booklet online.
Save the date: 13th June
Join MWN and the Hull Natural History Society as we participate in a bioblitz of St Mary’s Graveyard to support Caring for God’s Acre in their “Love your Burial Ground” week.
Please see more details about the event on the CFGA website.
Tophill Low Nature Reserve is having its annual open day on Sunday 9th June.
Admission to the reserve is FREE for this event. The day will start at 10am and finish at 4pm with a whole range of conservation organisations taking part. There are twenty five organisations that will be setting out their stalls and be able to tell visitors all about the work that they do in the area and further afield. Organisations such as Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, East Riding countryside service, In Focus optics and Experience Community highlight the range of information available.
For more information see the Tophill Low Nature Reserve website.
30 Days Wild is The Wildlife Trusts’ annual challenge event, where everyone involved does one wild thing a day throughout the month of June.
For more information check The Wildlife Trusts website.
Did you complete No Mow May? Your wildflowers and pollinators appreciate your effort in transforming your lawn and local green spaces.
But the work doesn’t have to stop here. Consider dedicating a part of your garden to let nature thrive in June as well. Whether you decide to maintain different grass lengths, watch out for wildlife, or mow selectively, you can continue to make an impact for wildlife and biodiversity.
Check out Plantlife’s guide to keeping the garden a wildlife haven: https://www.plantlife.org.uk/let-it-bloom-june-no-mow-may-is-over-whats-next/
Gardens hold huge potential to address the climate and biodiversity crisis, yet they are increasingly being covered with plastic, paving, and other materials that reduce their ecological value. Urban areas are witnessing a decline in biodiversity due to habitat destruction.
Across the UK a shift from green spaces to concrete and plastic has led to the disappearance of hedgehogs, pollinators and other key species, highlighting the consequences of such changes. Urban gardens, parks, and balconies can mitigate these effects by offering habitats for wildlife, linking ecosystems, and helping regulate urban temperatures. They can also act as carbon sinks, absorbing pollution and providing a buffer against climate impacts.
Efforts to preserve and enhance urban green spaces can make a significant difference. Planting pollinator-friendly flowers, maintaining wild gardens, and creating specific habitats for wildlife can transform gardens into biodiversity havens. This not only supports wildlife but also connects people with nature, fostering a greater appreciation and awareness of the environment.
Protecting and nurturing our green spaces is crucial in combating the climate and biodiversity crises. By prioritizing gardens and natural habitats over concrete and plastic, we can create a more sustainable and resilient urban environment for both wildlife and humans.
These themes are explored in an excellent article in The Guardian, where author of One Garden Against the World: In Search of Hope in a Changing Climate, Kate Bradbury, has a “Long read” summary of her new book.