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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: Open spaces
Poor biodiversity score contributes to Bexley’s 29th out of 33 placing in annual London parks report
The 2019 Good Parks for London report makes sobering reading for Bexley, which has been ranked 29th of the 33 Boroughs and City of London after scores were added up across ten different criteria. One of these was ‘Supporting Nature’, … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, Biodiversity Action Plan, BNEF, Environment, Open spaces, Parks, SINC
Tagged BAP, Bexley Council, biodiversity, Good Parks for London, open spaces, parks, SINC
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Golf course second haven for Heather in Bexley
Bexleyheath Golf Course, running downhill from Mount Road to the A2, is a Borough Grade 1 Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, almost certainly on account of harbouring the only Heather (Calluna vulgaris) in Bexley outside of Lesnes Abbey Woods, … Continue reading
Posted in Bexleyheath, Heathland, Open spaces, Recording, SINC
Tagged Bexleyheath Golf Course, Broom, Green Woodpecker, Harebell, Heather, Wood Sage
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How Bexley Council voted yes to concreting Crayford Marshes Green Belt and yet another designated wildlife site
Back on February 16th a majority of Bexley Council’s Planning Committee voted with the chief planning officer’s recommendation to approve the Roxhill ‘Strategic Railfreight Interchange’ scheme on the southern part of Crayford Marshes, termed the landfill and agricultural area. This … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Bexley Council, BNEF, Crayford Marshes, development threat, Environment, London Wildlife Trust, Open spaces, Planning, Uncategorized
Tagged Alan Deadman, Alan Downing, Ben Thomas, Bexley Council planning committee, Corn Bunting, Crayford Landfill and Agricultural SINC, Crayford Marshes, June Slaughter, Roxhill, SINC, Skylark, Slade Green Community Forum, SRFI, Stef Borella, Strategic Railfreight Interchange, Susan Clark
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Now Bexley rips out mature shrub beds
Mature shrubs in Bexley parks and verges are not just being cut back to the ground to save having to do any more trimming for a few years, but are being dug up completely. Two of the latest cases involve … Continue reading
Important parks survey – deadline extended to 6th May
Do get your Friends Group to respond to this survey as increasing numbers of parks come under threat ……. NATIONAL FEDERATION OF PARKS AND GREEN SPACES The umbrella organisation amplifying the voices of the 5,000-strong Local Friends Groups’ movement throughout the … Continue reading
Posted in Old Farm Park, Open spaces, Parks
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Old Farm Park group eyes biodiversity improvements, as it emerges Council’s 12m strip won’t protect SINC area
Save Old Farm Park campaigners announced some time ago that they would be looking to increase the park’s wildlife value whether the sell-off of the eastern half by Bexley Council went ahead or not. We can report that some initial … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley Council, development threat, Old Farm Park, Open spaces, Parks, Planning
Tagged Bexley Council, Cllr. Peter Craske, copses, London Wildlife Trust, planning, SINC, UKIP
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Now Bexley Council officer recommends building on 10% of Crayford Rough, a wildlife site of regional importance.
The onslaught against the most valuable wildlife sites in Bexley is set to continue this week as the planning committee meets on 14th April to consider an application to redevelop the old Electrobase industrial site between Hall Place and Crayford … Continue reading
Posted in Bexley, Bexley Council, Biodiversity Action Plan, BNEF, Braeburn Park, Common Lizard, Consultations, Crayford, Crayford Rough, development threat, Environment, Open spaces, Planning, Plants in Bexley, Reptiles and Amphibians, SINC, Slow Worm, Uncategorized
Tagged BAP, Bee Orchid, Bexley Council, Bexley Council Core Strategy, Bexley Council planning committee, Bexley SINC review, Common Lizard, Crayford Rough, Crayford Strategy and Action Plan Bexley Council July 2005, London Plan, Metropolitan SINC, NPPF, Pyramidal Orchid, Slow Worm, Yellow Vetchling
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Final statutory consultation on sale of 4 green spaces – object by Jan 14th.
Bexley Council plans to sell Wilde Rd East, Wilde Rd West, West Street small park, and half of Old Farm Park in Sidcup for development. The final statutory consultation is now open and the Council’s website is now saying the deadline … 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