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If the council said it was going to concrete/tarmac/pave over Danson Park, there would be uproar. But vastly more greenspace/wildlife habitat in the Borough has been lost to cars in recent years.Why the loss of front gardens matters - to cut flood risk, reduce health-harming heat, restore our depleted nature, and raise resilience.
Lunchtime online discussion on Thurs 14 Nov. FREE.
Front gardens on the frontline - CPRE London - Tickets
cpre-london.eventcube.io
Front gardens on the frontline at Tickets and Information
Bexley RSPB autumn/Christmas fair this Saturday.This content isn't available at the moment
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it, or it's been deleted.
CROSSNESS NATURE RESERVE WORKS AND FUNDRAISER (tickets still available)From Site Manager, Karen Sutton.
Contractor activity over the next couple of weeks:
I wanted to make you aware that there is work going on this week on both Crossness sites, but access remains open as usual.
28/10 saw the start of remedial work on the Crossness Southern Marsh to assist (non-public) safe access across the fields, so you will see work going on in the distance, but nothing impeding access. And 29/10 sees the start of a phased fencing project beginning with replacement of fencing in the grazing paddocks at the east of
the reserve. There are a further two fencing projects to come later, involving fence replacement down Public Footpath 2 as it runs from the Protected Area south to Eastern Way, and then a more extensive replacement project in the paddocks on Crossness Southern Marsh.
Fundraiser this Saturday (2/11):
I look forward to seeing those of you that are attending the Save Crossness Nature Reserve (SCNR) fundraiser this Saturday at Lesnes Abbey Lodge.
**** Three tickets left as of 31/10 if you'd like to come along to hear the Wild Bexley presentation by Ralph and Brenda Todd (founder of Bexley RSPB); a presentation from me about what Crossness Nature Reserve special, and from Laurence Pinturault from the SCNR campaign about the threat from Cory and the public inquiry process (hearings begin next week) and ultimately the reason the group is raising funds and running this event. There will be an opportunity to purchase raffle tickets, JD Swann's signed Best Beaks, and to purchase some wildlife-themed items (including artwork from the artist that created the RSPB logo) and non-wildlife items that are collectable and/or would make great Christmas presents. All monies raised help SCNR fight the development threat.
Buy your tickets here and I look forward to seeing you on Saturday: Wild Bexley at Lesnes Abbey Lodge event tickets from
TicketSource
<https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/scnr/wild-bexley/e-bvjgkq>
BBC launch 'Your Voice, Your BBC News'
The BBC has launched 'Your Voice, Your BBC News' asking for people to suggest issues that they'd like to see the BBC reporting on. This was brought to my attention by a member who has taken the opportunity to submit something on the Cory threat to Crossness Nature Reserve, and suggested that others might like to do the same in an effort to get a bit of news coverage about the issue. If this sounds of interest, please see details here: Your Voice, Your BBC News: Tell us what issues matter to
you - BBC news:
<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd0z0y2z3mjo>
THAMES21 VOLUNTEERS DONATE WELL OVER 400 HOURS OF TIME FOR BEXLEY COUNClL-OWNED THAMES ROAD WETLAND IN THE LAST SIX MONTHSThe numbers have now been added up for our accounting period of 1st April to 30th September 2024.
The Site Manager and two other regular volunteers put in 293 hours at the site, with 23 other people contributing a total of a further 102 hours. In addition, the Site Manager put in almost 48 hours of admin time on planning, writing reports, managing the site photograph collection, research and social media work/event promotion.
Whilst this is down on the 563h 49m for 1/10/23-31/3/24, it is significantly higher than for previous corresponding period of 1/4/2023-30/9/2023 when it was 213h 3m. We usually do less work in the summer period, but this year have been battling to push back stands of Reed, which left to their own devices will reduce the diversity of species at the site, as well as speed up its drying out. This has meant continued cutting, taking care to avoid disturbing nesting birds.
I thank everyone who has helped during the last 6 months, whether once, a few times or (semi-)regularly. It all helps, both with the practical work and with Thames21 funding bids.
We're already given just over 100 hours for October, but more assistance is always welcome given the amount of work that needs to be done over the winter. To book for our next staff-supported event on November 8th, when we will have a van full of equipment and are therefore able to cater for more attendees, please go to:
book.plinth.org.uk/e/jyHfDWO68FBjh72gDdBv
A few of us are also at the wetland most other Fridays. Check with "Ray Hudson" <rayhudson28@gmail.com> as providing sufficient tools can be an issue given that we have no nearby/on-site storage.
Chris Rose.
Volunteer Site Manager.
Free indoor monthly eco-market. Saturday November 2nd.11.00-15.00
Freemantle Hall, 51-75 Bexley High Street, Bexley Village DA5 1AA
Run by tghe not-for-profit Wasteless Market company. Shop from a range of eco-friendly makers and suppliers.
Ecofriendly household cleaning and bodycare products. Refill station so you can cut plastic consumption by re-using your own containers.
We will also be running our recycling for charity collection, taking materials not collected by Bexley Council, which are then sold to raise funds for good causes. See wastelessmarket.com/recycling for details of what we can accept for recycling, and the charities we support.
Join in with our toy, book and plant swaps.
Our website also provides details of our other re-fills and recycling collection events in Bexley.
wastelessmarket.com
CHARITABLE RECYCLING STATION Our Recycling Station is a drop off point for your hard to recycle items. We're diverting waste away from the incinerator and raising money for charity Recycling for chari...
Category Archives: Crossness Nature Reserve
Crossness Nature Reserve – new programme of events announced. Potential new members welcome. Possible first record of Bearded Tit breeding at the site.
Upcoming Crossness Nature Reserve events – enjoy, learn and help manage one of Bexley’s finest wildlife sites. This Saturday afternoon (15th July), there is a Kids Go Wild event on the nature reserve, where your children or grandchildren might like to … Continue reading
Odonata survey training event adds Red-eyed Damselfly to Crossness roster
Some ten plus Red-eyed damselfly (Erythromma najas) seen on the Southern Marsh at Crossness by attendees at the June 3rd Dragonfly and Damselfly identification workshop led by London Wildlife Trust’s David Courtneidge, brings the total number of species recorded at … Continue reading
Free training available for Dragonfly and Damselfly survey volunteers
The London Wildlife Trust is offering a free Dragonfly and Damselfly identification and ecology workshop at Thamesmead Football Club /Crossness Nature Reserve on Saturday June 3rd, for anyone willing to do a monthly survey at a site, or join LWT’s … Continue reading
Nature history – Bexley conveniently forgets about previous Skylark policy
Over the last year Bexley Council has approved building on two of the three known Skylark nesting sites in the Borough – the only Skylark breeding habitat on Erith Marshes, and on part of the main breeding site at Crayford … Continue reading
Bexley RSPB visit to Crossness nature reserve, 21st Feb 2017 – report and pictures
Ralph and Brenda Todd’s report on the latest birdwalk they have led, this time at Crossness on Erith Marshes. Good variety of birds seen including, for some, glimpses of a Bearded Tit. http://www.bexleywildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/RSPB-Bexley-Group-Walk-Crossness-February-2017.pdf
Updated CHECKLIST AND ACCOUNT OF THE ODONATA (DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES) OF THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BEXLEY (6th edition) published
This updated guide to the 19 species of Dragonflies and Damselflies of the London Borough of Bexley, compiled by Chris Rose with additional records and photographs from Ralph Todd, Ian Stewart, Karen Sutton, Martin Petchey and Wren Rose, provides information … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Crossness, Crossness Nature Reserve, Danson Park, Dragonflies and Damselflies, Recording, River Cray, River Shuttle, Thames Road Wetland
Tagged Chalcolestes viridis, Crossness, Damselflies, Danson Park, Dragonflies, Dragonflies and damselflies of Bexley, Foots Cray Meadows, Lamorbey lake, London Borough of Bexley, Odonata, Odonata of Bexley, River Cray, River Shuttle, Thames Road Wetland, Willow Emerald Damselfly
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Bexley butterfly highlights of 2016
A round-up of key butterfly observations in the London Borough of Bexley during 2016 Principal contributors – Steve Carter, Joe Johnson, Mike Robinson, Chris Rose and Purnendu Roy. Summary: As envisaged in the 2015 report, White Admiral was confirmed as a Bexley … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Butterflies, Crayford, Crayford Marshes, Crayford Rough, Crossness, Crossness Nature Reserve, East Wickham Open Space, Erith Marshes, Hall Place, Hollyhill open space, Invertebrates, Joydens Wood, Lesnes Abbey Woods, London Wildlife Trust, Martens Grove, Parish Wood Park, Recording, River Cray, Thames Road Wetland, Uncategorized
Tagged Bexley butterflies, Bexley Butterfly and Moth Group, Brown Argus, Clouded Yellow, East Wickham Open Space, Green Hairstreak, Marbled White, Painted Lady, Ringlet, Silver-washed Fritillary, Small Copper, Small Heath, Small Tortoiseshell, White Admiral
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Concern over public footpath maintenance around Crossness
Dear Friends of Crossness Nature Reserve, I have been getting a lot of complaints about the state of Footpaths 1 and 2 between the nature reserve and southern marsh/Eastern Way, and Footpath 2 that runs east-west from the nature reserve … Continue reading
Posted in Crossness, Crossness Nature Reserve
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Another important Bexley Wildlife site to be built on.
Disapointed but not surprised by Bexley’s Conservatives giving planning permission on yet another important wildlife site. Below Ralph Todd’s verbal presentation. Visual presentation they convinced me… 3. The letter sent to those of us who wrote to oppose the application. Jonathan Rooks … Continue reading
Online Borax Fields petition launched as Friends of Crossness NR and BNEF slam Cory claim that the rarer something is in Bexley, the less important it is to protect it.
Following a second, but still grossly inadequate ‘ecology report’ from Cory ‘Environmental’s Riverside Resource Recovery arm – that once again misses out red-listed breeding birds, and offers no credible onsite ‘mitigation’ or creation of off-site ‘compensatory’ habitat for the losses … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, Biodiversity Action Plan, Bird watching, BNEF, Crayford Marshes, Crossness Nature Reserve, development threat, Erith Marshes, Extinction, Invertebrates, Planning, SINC, Sustainability
Tagged Bexley Natural Environment Forum, Borax fields, Chris Rose, Cory 'Environmental', Crossness, Friends of Crossness Nature Reserve, petition, Ralph Todd, Ringed Plover, Riverside Resource Recovery Ltd, Save our Skylarks, Skylark, sustainability
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