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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
Book early for Crossness spring bird walk!
With the Spring migration getting underway there will be a Bird Walk at Crossness at 9am on Sunday 24th April. PLACES ARE LIMITED, SO BOOK NOW! Ralph and Brenda Todd will be leading the walk for us, and we are proposing … Continue reading
Spring migration underway at Crossness, one of London’s top bird sites
Spring migration is underway at the Erith Marshes Crossness Nature Reserve site, with Sunday 3rd April seeing some early migrants. Our first, and earliest, Sedge Warbler, was captured as part of the Dartford Ringing Group’s bird monitoring activities for the national BTO scheme. … Continue reading
Save our Skylarks! More than 50 protest at Cory plan to kick birds in conservation danger off Erith marshes and out of Bexley
Forty-six adults and eight children turned out for today’s ‘Save our Skylarks’ demonstration at Erith marshes, organised by members of Friends of Crossness Nature Reserve, at which our new campaign banner was unveiled and kites were flown with cut-out Skylarks … Continue reading
Posted in Bird watching, Crossness, Crossness Nature Reserve, Demonstration, development threat, Erith Marshes, Planning
Tagged Bexley Council, Cory 'Environmental', Crossness Nature Reserve, demo, Friends of Crossness Nature Reserve, Little-ringed Plover, planning policy, protest, Ringed Plover, Skylark
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Cory ‘Environmental’ doesn’t believe its own propaganda
Cory ‘Environmental’, the company that has submitted to Bexley Council – in the name of its Belvedere incinerator arm – a plan for two four-storey buildings to cover most of the former Borax fields next to Crossness Nature Reserve, has not … Continue reading
Posted in Belvedere, Bexley Council, BNEF, Crossness Nature Reserve, development threat, Erith Marshes, Grass Snake, Mammals, Planning, Reptiles and Amphibians, Uncategorized
Tagged Belvedere incinerator, Bexley Council, Cory 'Environmental', Crossness Nature Reserve, ecological survey, Erith Marshes, Great Crested Newt, reptiles, Water Shrew
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David Lindo, the ‘Urban Birder’, backs campaign to save Skylark fields at Crossness
David Lindo, TV personality and conservationist, who has come to prominence as ‘The Urban Birder’, and fronted the recent poll to select Britain’s ‘national bird’, has spoken out about the poor signal building on important wildlife habitat adjacent to the … Continue reading
Big turnout for Crossness bird walk on January 8th – full report and pictures
This event proved to be one of the most popular bird walks at Crossness on Erith Marshes, with 37 members and friends turning out to enjoy this great reserve. The recent history of Friends events at Crossness – especially where … Continue reading
Save our Skylarks ! String of marshland sites under renewed threat.
SAVE OUR SKYLARKS – DON’T LET THE COUNCIL BOOT THEM OUT OF BEXLEY! The future of the Skylark as a breeding bird in Bexley, and the survival of the Corn Bunting both here and in London as a whole – … Continue reading
Councillor Craske, just how important do you think our SINCS are?
As previously reported on ‘BW’ we still don’t have an actual date, or even a target date, for Bexley Council to sign-off the Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation review, despite a written reply on the matter from Community Safety, Environment and Leisure … Continue reading
LNHS experts have identified 132 species of invertebrate on Southern Marsh, including several scarcities
We have just received the final list of invertebrate species found on the southern part of Crossness at Erith Marshes at the joint meeting with Friends of Crossness Nature Reserve on 4th July, compiled by London Natural History Society experts … Continue reading