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HELP CLEAN UP THE LOWER RIVER CRAY CORRIDOR !Join FRIENDS OF THE CRAY AT CRAYFORD on FRIDAY 4th APRIL
to tackle litter along the banks of the lower Cray,
Meet 10 a.m. at the junction of Footpath 106 and Barnes Cray Road (see graphic below).
All welcome, no particular skills needed.
Equipment will be provided. Wear appropriate clothing for being out in the open and avoiding stings from Nettles and scratches from Brambles, and bring something to drink.
Photo from last month's session when the group was joined by Bexley Councillor Geraldene Lucia-Hennis
Best wishes
Sarah
THAMES ROAD WETLAND TEAM WELCOMES CHINESE STUDENTSWORK REPORT
Thames21 did its bit for international relations on a sunny 14th March when six Chinese students studying design at Goldsmith's College came down to help out. They have been taking an interest in water pollution issues.
A further nine volunteers turned out, giving a grand total of 15, who delivered 66 and a half person hours of work, mainly clearing all the previously cut and raked up Reed/fragmented debris/silt piles (as well as creating a few new ones).
Suckering shrubs were thinned out in an open area of the Thames Road bank, to benefit reptiles, which was also the objective behind brushcutting Bramble in the south-west corner,. Additional Bramble cutting by the railway will help conserve nice patches of Common Fleabane and Spearmint in a boggy area at the foot of the embankment.
Three of the 'domestic' attendees were new recruits, two of whom said they would come again.
Thanks are due to Thames21 staff member Michael O'Neill brought the van full of waders and other equipment.
Five volunteers were out on 21/3, when the brushcutter again proved invaluable. We were able to significantly reduce the extent of a bramble patch that had spread to the point where there was only a one-horse-width space left between it and the top of the Wansunt riverbank, which was consequently suffering heavy erosion. Four horses were grazing in the Reedmace/Rush beds at the time. They were quick to move in on the fresh grass once we had raked away the cut material.
Reedmace in the east ditch was thinned out with the pole-saw to improve it for Dragonflies and Frogs. Buddleia and Rose by Thames Rd, including stems impinging on the adjacent pedestrian footway, were pruned back.
WILDLIFE
The Blackthorn is now in flower, as are a number of the blue and plum-purple Grape Hyacinths (Muscari neglectum). A volunteer saw a Snipe on a Saturday visit. Our first ever Green Woodpecker within the official boundary of the site was recorded on the 14th.
On the 21st two Chiffchaffs were calling. Coltsfoot was still in flower by the railway end gate. London rarity Hound's-tongue, a biennial, continues to survive in small numbers at the east end, in the same place I first found it in the summer of 2018. It is now re-sprouting and there are also several seedlings. But it doggedly 'refuses' to spread, apart from the odd one that comes up by the nearby roadside fence. I've distributed seeds by hand, and planted out extra plantlets grown from seed at home, but to no avail.
BOOK NOW!
Our next staff-supported event is on Friday April 11th, with Thames21's Michael O'Neill. Book here: book.plinth.org.uk/e/jyHfDWO68FBjh72gDdBv
Chris Rose. Volunteer Site Manager.
LESNES ABBEY WOODS - WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SESSIONSEvery WEDNESDAY 10am to 1pm. Meet at the north side of the Lodge by the yard entrance.
Next Wednesday session will be 26th March.
AND ......
The first SUNDAY of each month 10am to 1pm. Meet outside CHESTNUT'S COFFEE KIOSK at 10:00 am. The group then collects tools and equipment from the yard that is opposite the toilets.
Next Sunday session will be 6th April.
Note: these events tend to involve fairly active work and may require walking with tools to remote parts of the woods, so a reasonable level of fitness is required.
All tools and materials provided.
Ffi see: www.friendsoflesnesabbeyandwoods.com/get-involved/conservation
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Hear about, and get involved with the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme (NHMP).FREE event. In-person at London Zoo or online attendance.
FFI / to sign up go to:
www.zsl.org
Learn how a national-scale camera trap survey contributes to effective conservation action for hedgehogs and other UK species.
LONDON NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY EVENTS IN MARCH INCLUDE TWO FIELD MEETINGS IN BEXLEYThe LNHS welcomes non-members at events on a 'taster' basis.
Thursday 13/3. 19.00-20.00. Finding London's Ferns. The history, identification and conservation of native ferns of London. FREE. Book at Eventbrite:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/finding-londons-ferns-by-henry-miller-tickets-1071940746629?aff=ebdsoporgp...
Saturday 15/3. 11.00-15.00. FREE. Join Dr. Mark Spencer, one of the capital's foremost botanists, to look at wild Daffodils in Lesnes Abbey Woods and seek out other ancient woodland indicator plant species. Contact Mark at hotfungus.hotmail.com to reserve a space. Note that although no explicit limit has been set on the number of attendees, there may be one in practice if large numbers of people ask to come along.
Sunday 30/3 - FREE. Crossness Nature Reserve with George Kalli. For early migrants and waders. Meet Belvedere railway station at 10.00. Aiming to finish 14.00. Bring lunch.
For more info. about the LNHS, including membership details, please see: lnhs.org.uk/
Finding London’s Ferns by Henry Miller
www.eventbrite.co.uk
Henry Miller will introduce the native ferns of London and guide us through their history, identification, and conservation.
Category Archives: Consultations
New budget consult: opportunity to support open space ‘maintenance’ reductions over sell-offs, plus more recycling and new energy-saving/light pollution measures
Bexley Council is consulting on further budget-savings proposals which could save open spaces, increase recycling and cut carbon emissions and light pollution, thereby benefiting wildlife and people. The deadline for responses is February 20th. It’s important that as many of … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, BNEF, Budget, Consultations, Environment, Land sales, Light pollution, Litter, Open spaces, Parks, Recycling
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Open spaces sell-off protest photocall – Sunday 8th Feb, Danson
Open Spaces sell-off: News Shopper PHOTOCALL – AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE WANTED! – Sunday 8th Feb., 10 a.m. Danson Park boathouse. Please ‘share’ with your local contacts. The News Shopper is now picking up on this story and is … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Bexley Council, BNEF, Budget, Consultations, Environment, Land sales, Open spaces, Parks, vegetation management
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Do you subscribe to Bexley Bulletin?
It seems these days that we have to keep a very close eye on the activities of Bexley Council – consultations, planning applications affecting important wildlife sites etc. The best way is probably to follow the Council’s weekly Bexley Bulletin. … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, Consultations, Planning
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Crib – possible answers to other budget questions with environmental implications
Our followers will know that we are encouraging people to vote ‘disagree’ to Question 22 in the Council’s budget consultation, which closes on January 9th. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/strategy2018 But there are several other questions with environmental implications that may cause people to … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, Budget, Consultations
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Open spaces sell-off – Council refuses FOI request to release list
Bexley Council is proposing to ‘dispose of’ 27 open spaces, which it has admitted includes some parkland, in the period to 2018, and is consulting on doing so in its current budget questionnaire. It has declined several written requests to … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Bexley Council, Consultations, Housing targets, Land sales, Open spaces, Parks, Planning, Volunteering
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Latest outbreak of excessive ‘vegetation management’ sparks ‘Key habitat features’ list move
Several complaints about a ‘scorched earth’ approach to vegetation management along the River Shuttle over the past couple of weeks, have been relayed to noted local bird recorder Ralph Todd of Bexley RSPB, and further dismay was expressed by a … Continue reading
Open space sell-offs – just say ‘no’ in budget consult (deadline Jan 9th)! Council still won’t provide list of sites. Adopts standard ‘party line’.
Despite a number of requests to different people within the Council from various local campaigners, prompted by the ‘BexleyWildlife’ web platforms and Bexley Natural Environment Forum, the Council is still refusing to make public the list of 27 sites (a … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Bexley Council, Budget, Consultations, Environment, Housing targets, Land sales, Open spaces, Parks, Planning
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BNEF: ‘GLA infrastructure to 2050’ plan is another 93 pages of ‘have your cake and eat it’ implausibility
The LONDON INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN 2050 – A CONSULTATION closed on 31st October 2014. It describes the amounts and types of infrastructure that is thought to be required to cope with a population that the authors believe will reach over 11 million … Continue reading
Posted in BNEF, Consultations, Environment, GLA, Housing targets, Open spaces, Parks, Planning, Sustainability
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Thames river crossings seminar for campaigners – Nov 18th, City Hall
Thames river crossings seminar hosted by Darren Johnson, Green Party Member of the London Assembly The Green Party is the only party operating in Bexley that is publicly opposed to the new road crossing proposals (Beckton-Gallions Reach, Rainham-Belvedere) currently being … Continue reading
Erith Quarry – any further decisions on SINC status must be subject to public scrutiny
Erith Quarry, a Grade 1 Site of Importance for Nature Conservation in the Borough, is the subject on an impending planning application for up to 600 houses, which would see a substantial area of important grass and scrub-land disappear. In … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, Consultations, Erith Quarry, SINC
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