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If you would like to receive these newsletters by email please let
Rachael know on
rdaniels@gwentwildlife.org
Stop Press
GWT has been dragged kicking and screaming into
the 21st century and is now able to accept credit and debit cards
over the telephone for course bookings, membership renewal and other
payments (although Direct Debit payments remain the preferred method
for membership subscriptions as it maximises your contribution to
Gwent’s wildlife). You’ll soon be able to make donations to our
appeals on-line too.
GWT AGM – Wednesday 7th October 2009
All our welcome to this year’s AGM – being held on
Wednesday 7th October at the Glen yr Afon House Hotel, Usk, at 7pm.
This year, we are very pleased to have Professor Simon Haslett from
the University of Wales, Newport, coming to talk to us on ‘The
Severn Estuary: its past and future’. You’ll also be able to hear
from our new Chief Executive, Dr Richard Park, who will be
presenting ‘Challenges & Opportunities for Gwent Wildlife Trust’.
Tea & coffee will be served.
For more information or to let us know that you are coming, please
call GWT on 01600 740600 or email info@gwentwildlife.org.
The Great Golden Nut Hunt
This autumn, the People’s Trust for Endangered
Species (PTES), together with Natural England, is asking members of
the public to help save endangered hazel dormice (Muscardinus
avellanarius) by taking part in the third Great Nut Hunt. This
nationwide survey will enlist people’s help to search their local
woodlands for tell-tale signs of gnawed hazel nuts to determine the
distribution status of this rare mammal. To encourage would-be
‘nutters’ to take part in the survey, PTES has hidden 21
specially-commissioned nuts, 20 in silver and a single gold one,
across counties in England and Wales to celebrate the 21st
anniversary of the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP).
Nutters of all ages and their families who want to participate will
need to register in advance and the survey packs will be available
to download from the PTES website later this month:
www.greatnuthunt.co.uk. The project kicks off officially on Friday 9
October, but will run throughout the autumn and winter months.
Organic GWT Hay for Sale
Gwent Wildlife Trust has around 700 small square
bales of organic hay for sale, made on our Pentwyn Farm nature
reserve. They were made with no rain on them and are being stored
under cover. Price before November 1st is just £3 per bale. Buyer to
collect from Pentwyn Farm nature
reserve in Penallt. An organic license is available on request.
For more information or to organise a purchase,
please contact Tim Green, Farm and Wildlife Development Officer on
01600 740600 or email
tgreen@gwentwildlife.org.
A chance to meet Sir David Attenborough
Monday 26th October 1pm at The Chepstow Bookshop
A once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the wildlife legend that is
Sir David Attenborough, as we welcome him to The Chepstow Bookshop
to sign copies of his newly released book “Life Stories.”
If you can’t make it along to the signing to meet Sir David, please
let Matt as the bookshop know on 01291 625011 or shop@chepstowbooks.co.uk
and he can reserve a signed, dedicated copy for you – a perfect
Christmas gift. No ticket required.
GWT Events 2009
Here are the last few events for 2009 for which
places are still available. Please note that once advertised by
email, places go fast – so if there’s something you fancy, please do
get in touch as soon as you can to secure your booking. To book,
please call GWT on 01600 740600 or email info@gwentwildlife.org.
Forest School Taster Session for Adulds
Tuesday 29th September, 10am to 2pm
Magor Marsh *Please note
the change of venue from previously advertised
Forest School enables children to learn through enjoyment,
exploration and respect for their environment. Why not come along
and find out more and see how its done?
Helen and Kathy (our Community Education Officers) will be
explaining the ethos of the Forest School teaching and taking you
through some of the activities including cooking on an open fire
(weather permitting). Come and have some fun on our beautiful nature
reserve here at Magor Marsh.
You will need waterproof clothing, sturdy footwear and a packed
lunch (bring a burger to cook on the fire!). Marshmallows and
popcorn provided.
Cost - £2 for members, £4 non-members.
Fungi – the Forgotten Kingdom
Sunday 4th October, 11am to 3.3pm
Pentwyn Farm Nature Reserve &
New Grove Meadows
Local fungi enthusiast Sheila Spence will lead you in an exploration
of some of the Trust’s local meadows and nearby woods, including a
short indoor tutorial. You will learn the basics of species
identification and how to record fungi in the field. This
comprehensive one-day course is aimed at the adult beginner with an
interest in learning more about Kingdom Fungi! Terrain may be uneven
and the weather unpredictable so you will need to come equipped with
stout footwear, warm and waterproof clothing. Bring a small
collecting basket.
Cost - £15 for member, £20 non-members.
Wyndcliffe & Pierce Woods: an Ecological & Historical
Introduction
Saturday 10th October, 11am to 4pm
Wyndcliffe, near Tintern
Gwent Wildlife Trust President and author of ‘ Wye Valley ’ (New
Naturalist 105), George Peterken is a noted ecologist. This course
is an opportunity to accompany George on an ecological and
historical introduction to the woodlands of the lower Wye Valley .
You will identify different tree and shrub species and will learn
about their habitats and management. Feel free to bring your copy of
George’s book to be signed.
Cost - £3 members, £6 non-members.
Feed the Birds Day
Saturday 17th October, 1pm to 3pm
Magor Marsh Nature Reserve
This is a Breathing Places event all about our feathered friends.
A FREE fun afternoon for all the family making bird feeders and
other bird related activities. No booking required.
Introduction to Dormice
Sunday 25th October, 9.30am – 11.30am
Croes Robert (Cwmcarvan),
near Monmouth
If all wildlife were as cute as Dormice, the Trust would have 20,000
members and everyone would want to work in conservation! This course
is a chance to meet these elusive mammals and to gain an insight
into how they live and the work the Trust does to conserve them. The
site is steep and slippery with uneven terrain
Cost - £3 members, £6 non-members.
Hedge-laying
Thursday 26th November, 10am to 4.30pm
Pentwyn Farm Nature Reserve, Penallt
Hedge-laying is a traditional art, which is falling out of use in
modern times. A well-laid hedge is a multi-functional and attractive
landscape feature: it offers stock proofing, enhances the wildlife
potential of the area and helps to perpetuate a declining rural
practice. Kevin Williams runs his own business called Greenwise and
carries out environmental conservation contracts including hedge
laying, fencing and tree planting. This highly practical course will
provide you with the basic skills needed to lay a hedge in the
traditional local style using hand tools. This course is suitable
for beginners aged 14 years and over. Children must be supervised by
their parents or guardians. It will be labour intensive on rough
terrain, so make sure you bring suitable outdoor clothing and plenty
of lunch!
The site has slopes and uneven ground. A physical activity using
hand tools
Cost - £22 members, £30 non-members
Hedge-laying
Saturday 28th November, 10am to 4.30pm
Springdale Farm Reserve, near
Usk
Details as above.
Cost - £22 members, £30 non-members
Nature Detectives (for adults)
Tuesday 15th December, 10am to 12pm
Magor Marsh, near Newport
Who better than ecologist, wildlife photographer, wildlife tour
leader and trustee of the Gwent Wildlife Trust, Chris Hatch , to
teach you the fundamentals of wildlife identification? Learn the
hidden signs of wildlife to make every walk in the countryside a
more fascinating experience. You will learn to recognise various
animal prints and the fundamentals of dropping analysis, amongst
other wildlife signs. This course is aimed at beginner adults,
wishing to learn a bit more about their environment. This site is
largely flat with boardwalk access to many areas.
Cost £4
Next year…
As you can imagine, we’re busy sorting out our
events programme for next year – keeping all the old favourites and
adding some new, exciting events. But this is your membership
organisation – what would YOU like to do and what would YOU like to
see? Let us have your ideas as soon as possible and if we can find a
suitable leader and a venue, we’ll see what we can do for you. Ideas
on a postcard (or by email) to djackson@gwentwildlife.org.
Wildlife Gardeners Wanted
Those of you who have visited the
Magor Marsh reserve in recent
weeks, will have seen the beginnings of a garden beyond the new fish
sculptures, by the car park. This is planned to be a wildlife garden
for the pleasure and instruction of both the visiting school
children and other visitors, especially those who might perhaps
experience difficulties in getting to other parts of the reserve.
The garden has been largely cleared and a path laid as a result of
hard work by the Green Key team. However, we are now hoping to put
together a team of volunteers to continue the planning and
development of the garden for the years ahead. All skills will be
welcome, from those bursting with creative ideas, to those who would
enjoy the satisfying occupation of a few hours weeding!! We’re also
looking for a leader/organiser for the team.
It is certain to be a very exciting project and, hopefully, the
results will be able to be appreciated for many years. If you would
be interested in joining the team, please get in touch with our
Volunteer Officer, Val Jackson on 01291 68940 or email her at
VJackson@GwentWildlife.org.
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