Practical conservation projects throughout south east Essex Autumn 2017

THE

SOUTH EAST ESSEX
CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS

(TCV Community Network)

Keep Britain Untidy!

No, I am not advocating dropping litter. I am suggesting that if, for example, you have a garden, try to resist the urge to tidy up: instead, leave some grass to grow long, leave nettles, leave ivy on walls and, in autumn, leave fallen leaves and apples on the ground.

Butterflies such as the speckled wood, gatekeeper and meadow brown (and scarcer species such as the small skipper, wall, marbled white and ringlet) all have caterpillars that eat common grasses, but only when they are left to grow tall.

Nettles are very important food plants for more than forty insect species, including small tortoiseshells, red admirals, peacocks and commas.

Ivy, being evergreen, provides very good cover throughout the year: blackbirds and wrens often build their nests in it and several species of butterfly hibernate among its leaves. It flowers in the winter, providing nectar when little else does.

In autumn leave fallen leaves to provide a place for caterpillars and moths to hide from predators, and leave fallen apples on the ground as butterflies preparing for hibernation will appreciate feeding on the rotting fruit.

The thoughtless urge to tidy up is often evident in public parks and in other ‘official green landscapes’ such as school and hospital grounds. Such areas, if kept very neat and tidy, with a traditional regime of close-mown grass and scattered trees, are relatively poor habitats for wildlife. Letting some of the grass grow long, leaving nettles, and planting some hazel, holly, foxgloves and primroses would be a boon for wildlife.

Roadside verges are a vital refuge for wild flowers (including rare species of orchid) that have been driven out of our intensively farmed landscape. Yet those verges are frequently ‘tidied up’ by Councils, destroying the plants. The charity, Plantlife, has campaigned to protect wildlife and nature on roadside verges e.g. by keeping the width of cutting to a minimum or by deferring mowing until rare plants, such as bee orchids, have flowered and seeded.

Farmers, if they are true custodians of the countryside, will leave ‘untidy’ areas (e.g. strips along field margins) uncultivated and unsprayed, allowing wild flowers and other plants (weeds) to grow that provide food for the insects on which farmland birds depend. This would also help bees and butterflies, which are in serious decline.

For the sake of our wildlife, keep Britain untidy.

Alan Last

Practical conservation projects throughout south east Essex Autumn 2017 Programme

The South East Essex Conservation Volunteers

(TCV Community Network)

All projects start at 10.00am at the designated meeting place. If you intend to arrive later, please arrange to meet on site. You are not required to stay all day, or even work all day! Don’t forget to bring some food and drink, to dress in old clothes and to wear stout footwear (preferably safety toe-caps). Please also bring work/gardening gloves. If you think you may have difficulties with directions, please phone Julian on 01702 258492.

N.B. Children under 16 years MUST be accompanied by a responsible parent/guardian.

September 3rd - St. Mary’s Nature Reserve, North Shoebury (Southend Borough Council)

Meet in the car park of St. Mary’s church, North Shoebury Road, North Shoebury.

General maintenance required at this site (path, litter clearance etc.) and meadow cutting/raking.

N.B. This may be a morning-only project.

September 17th - Hadleigh Country Park (Essex County Council)

Meet at the Hadleigh Park Office at the far end of Chapel Lane, Hadleigh (entrance to the office is near the bike shop).

Project unconfirmed.

October 1st - Butts Hill Pond, Canewdon (Essex Wildlife Trust)

Meet on site. Entrance to site is in Butts Paddock, Canewdon.

Project involves clearing reedmace from the pond edge and others tasks, if required. Please bring wellingtons or waders, if you have them (removing reedmace is a muddy job!).

October 15th - Doggetts Wildlife Area, Rochford (Rochford Parish Council)

Meet at the far end of The Boulevard (follow up road adjacent to Waterman Primary School).

Potential work includes path/pond maintenance and general site improvement.

October 29th - Dodd’s Grove (adjoining Belfairs Nature Reserve)

Meet at the end of Poors Lane South, Hadleigh.

Ground clearance to encourage biodiversity. Led by local wildlife expert Don Down.

November 12th - Hadleigh Country Park (Essex County Council)

Meet at the Hadleigh Park Office at the far end of Chapel Lane, Hadleigh (entrance to the office is near the bike shop).

Project unconfirmed.

November 26th – St. Laurence Orchard, Eastwood (Trust Links / Southend Borough Council)

Meet on site. The Orchard is on the corner where St. Laurence Way meets Eastwoodbury Lane.

Hedgelaying. We are gradually laying the perimeter hawthorn hedge at this site (we complete a few metres each year!).

December 10th - Canewdon sites (Finches Nature Reserve / Lion Creek (EWT))

Meet by the Anchor PH car park, High Street, Canewdon.

Coppicing around the pond at Finches and other winter jobs, as necessary.

Hopefully we’ll be cooking spuds on the bonfire for lunch. Please feel welcome to bring along some festive food to share.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas! Projects continue in 2018.

For further details and joining information, please contact the South East Essex Conservation Volunteers:

SEECV, c/o Charnwood, Anchor Lane, Canewdon, Rochford, Essex, SS4 3PB

Tel: 01702 258492 (Julian)

Email: Website: http://www.seecv.org.uk/