Encouraging a biodiverse parish
Friend of MWN, Anthony Hurd who is Programme Manager (Growing Green and Blue Health) for the HEY Smile Foundation, has released an August Newsletter. We’d encourage you to sign up to receive regular updates direct to your inbox, but in the meantime you can read the latest newsletter about what Andy and the HEY Smile team have been up to in the local area.
The Pesticide Collaboration is a UK-based coalition that unites health and environmental organizations, academics, trade unions, farming networks, and consumer groups. Their mission is to significantly reduce pesticide-related harm in the UK, aiming for a healthier future. The group engages in advocacy, research, and campaigns to promote safer and more sustainable pest control methods. They work towards influencing policy and raising public awareness about the dangers of pesticide use and the benefits of alternative solutions.
They are calling on the UK Government to phase-out the use of pesticides in publicly-run areas. This, in practice, will mean that pesticides would not be permitted for use in the streets, playgrounds and green spaces of our villages, towns and cities.
Please sign the petition if you agree with their aims! https://pesticidecollaboration.org/go-pesticide-free/
Wild About Gardens has a great set of wildlife guides, that are applicable to the green spaces that you may have access to at home.
Take your pick from the following guides:
Lawns, ponds, worms, molluscs, bats, bees, beetles, hedgehogs, butterflies, swifts, swallows and martins.
Well that’s assuming there is some at some point!
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has you covered though, for all kinds of nature related summer fun in the last month of summer.
Check out their full set of summer suggestions on the YWT website.
Priority ponds are waterbodies that have a particularly high conservation value: usually because they support important freshwater species or rare community types. These ponds can be permanent or seasonal waterbodies and can span a wide size range: from one metre squared to two hectares.
Volunteers can now get involved by conducting a Priority Pond Assessment Survey (PASS) to identify a potential priority pond.
For more information check out the FHT Priority Ponds Scheme pages.
Beverley Guildhall is hosting a short film showing, from Klosk Tyrer, showcasing Beverley Westwood throughout the seasons. More details on opening times are here.
Look under leaves, search under stones and turn over twigs on the hunt for interesting insects.
A great looking event from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust!
Sign up at Eventbrite.
Butterflies are an important indicator species for biodiversity health, and because their short lifespans is quick to respond to environmental changes such as global heating.
Butterfly Conservation is running its annual Big Butterfly Count again this year, a UK-wide survey aimed at helping assess the health of our environment simply by counting the amount and type of butterflies (and some day-flying moths) that can be seen. Please take some time out to take part in this vital annual count (and if you snap any good shots be sure to get them uploaded to iNaturalist too!).
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.
