Author: Steve Goodwin
January 2013 Newsletter
Thursday, 10th of January, 2013 – Hedgerow (14.00 – 16.30)
We will be concentraing on shifting the pile of chippings generated by the Council contracyors felling the diseased beech. If time or resources permit, we may make a start on cutting back the bramble in the Hedgerow Extension.
As always, all tools and equipment is supplied but you can bring your own gloves if you want.
Sunday Nov. 18th 2012: Inauguration of the Jubilee Copse, Down Grange Meadow
The new Jubilee Copse in Down Grange Meadow, Kempshott is one more step in the enrichment of green spaces in Basingstoke. This new area of planting complements the adjacent copse created in 2008 and marks Kempshott’s contribution to Her Majesty the Queen’s Jubilee Year.
To mark the occasion the Mayor of Basingstoke, Cllr. Biermann and the Lady Mayoress inspected the work carried out and added the last spade of soil to the planting The whole project was then given a blessing by the Reverend Kelvin Taylor of St Mark’s Church.
The Mayor and Mayoress, who are both keen supporters of nature conservation, were conducted round the Down Grange Meadow site and heard details of the biodiversity restoration work that has been carried out over the last five years.
This latest development, to create the next generation of mixed woodland on the site, has combined planting material from the Woodland Trust, young elm saplings (part of a national Elm Conservation Project trialling the reintroduction of disease resistant strains of elm across the country), two specimen trees ( a rowan and a whitebeam) donated by the Kempshott & District Residents Association and bushes of hazel, hawthorn, blackthorn and elder grown by the Group.itself.
Over a dozen Worting St Thomas Scouts volunteered to plant the whips and small shrubs for us – despite pretty wet weather through most of the first half of November. Thanks guys! Pictures are here>>>
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- Steve was able to give the Mayor & Lady Mayoress a conducted walk round Down Grange Meadow prior to the inauguration. Both were both interested in the work the group is doing.
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- Mayor & Lady Mayoress talking to Steve Goodwin talking just before the cerremonial planting
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- In the background are representatives of Worting St Thomas Scouts who helped in the planting of the actual copse. They did a sterling job depite the first time they turned up on site, two thirds of the copse was under water!
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- The Mayor saying a few words during the inauration
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- Many thanks go the Kelvin and members of his congregation who have provided support to the group. Kelvin did the honours when we planted the Community Copse in 2009.
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- …. and a nice letter from the Mayor
Seen a Stoat?
In November a Council worker (keen naturalist so we are pretty confident he is right) saw a stoat on the northern edge of the Meadow.
A section of the long grass by the northern belt of trees was in the process of being cut for the year; which meant that inevitably some of the vole population was being sacrificed for the greater good of the remaining very healthy population. Not only did we get Red Kites investigating the proceedings at close quarters, but a stoat as well.
We don’t know if it was a passing youngster looking for a new home or an established stoat who already had a ‘territory’ on site. Either way, welcome to the feast!