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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: Erith Marshes
KAREN CALLS FOR CROSSNESS PHOTOS
Thames Water is looking to promote and celebrate the wildlife sites, such as Crossness, that it manages within its estate. Site Manager Karen Sutton says: ‘Many of you send us your beautiful photos from around Crossness Nature Reserve and Southern Marsh, … Continue reading
Posted in Crossness, Crossness Nature Reserve, Erith Marshes
Tagged Crossness, Karen Sutton, photography, Thames Water
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CROSSNESS UPDATE, DECEMBER 2019. From Karen Sutton, Reserve Manager.
CROSSNESS UPDATE, DECEMBER 2019. From Karen Sutton, Reserve Manager . Dear Friends of Crossness Nature Reserve, I hope you have enjoyed all that autumn offers at Crossness, and are now getting ready for those crisp, frosty, winter mornings, which can … Continue reading
Crossness latest – new survey shows scarce invertebrates survived pollution incident
Crossness site manager Karen Sutton reports on events, wildlife, upcoming site maintenance activity and impending disruption to the Thames path arising from Environment Agency works. Events: Crossness hosted the ‘BEXLEY GREEN DRINKS’ on 11th Sept, which is the social and networking … Continue reading
Crossness news – incinerator, Water Voles, birds, butterflies, bees, bugs and upcoming events …..
Karen Sutton provides an update from Crossness LNR at Erith Marshes about the latest issues, wildlife and public events at the site …….. Crayford Marshes success, and Cory’s plans that will impact Crossness Nature Reserve: Back in 2016, many of … Continue reading
Crossness Nature Reserve – Kids Go Wild (Round one …)
We ran the first of two family events titled ‘Kids Go Wild’ on Saturday 15th July. Children and grandchildren got to try their hand at pond-dipping, where there was some friendly competition going on as to who could get the … Continue reading
Karen welcomes student visitors to Crossness Nature Reserve
I entertained some very enthusiastic (despite the rain) young naturalists at Crossness Nature Reserve last week. Students from Hertfordshire’s Simon Balle Academy came all the way over to south-east London when they heard about our Slow Worms. Two very clever … Continue reading
Posted in Crossness, Crossness Nature Reserve, Erith Marshes, Reptiles and Amphibians
Tagged Crossness, reptiles, student project
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Cory/Borax fields found to be of regional, possibly national, importance for invertebrates (post outline planning permission …..). Campaigner pressure appears to be paying dividends.
Further wildlife survey work, required by Bexley Council as part of its granting of outline planning permission for the building by Cory of large data centres on open fields next to Crossness Nature Reserve, has revealed them to be of … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, BNEF, Crossness, Crossness Nature Reserve, Demonstration, development threat, Erith Marshes, Uncategorized
Tagged Bexley Council, Bexley Council planning committee, Bexley Natural Environment Forum, Borax, Cory, Cory/Borax fields, Crossness, Friends of Crossness Nature Reserve, invertebrates, open mosaic habitat, planning, Shrill Carder Bee, Thames Gateway
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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