Birds at Henleaze
We had this message from one of our members:
‘I’m a member of Henleaze Swimming Club and swim in the flooded quarry at Henleaze during the summer. In recent years the club has formed a Wildlife Group and ……..the latest HSC email contains the following bird survey which might interest you.’It did indeed and is attached. It would be great if others followed HSC and surveyed their park, allotment whatever and then shared the information. And not just for birds. What about mammals, insects and plants. How many different types of ladybird can you find in your churchyard?
It’s Your Neighbourhood Scheme
A message from Martin Grant, (BS13): ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood is a free scheme run by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to recognise and value the work of local community groups in improving green spaces, be it a park, community garden, alleyway, verge or stream. Almost any outdoor site being looked after by the local community qualifies for the scheme. Each group or project taking part is visited annually by a RHS assessor who offers advice on progress in three areas: community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening/planting achievement. The assessor allocates a ‘level’ to each group/project with a written report on what has impressed and what might be done to improve. The levels are: 1.Establishing; 2.Improving; 3.Developing; 4.Thriving and 5.Outstanding.
Sign up here http://southwestinbloom.org.uk/Its-Your-Neighbourhood.aspx . The closing date for 2022 is 8 April. Apart from filling in the application form (it only takes a few minutes), there are no other administration requirments.Manor Woods Valley Group joined in 2021 and was awarded level 5 ‘Outstanding’. We were pleased to show the assessor around Manor Woods Valley LNR on a sunny July morning and also to be presented with our certificate at an informal ceremony on one of our volunteering work party sessions.’
Well done Martin and the Manor Woods Group. We’d be pleased to hear how other Bristol groups get on with the RHS scheme. Meanwhile see the attachments showing the award ceremony and the certificate.
Hello BS10
We now have a group of students from Bristol University who have undertaken to audit green spaces in the BS10 area. They will be seeking to identify the green and blue spaces and contact ‘custodians’ (eg church groups, schools, allotment associations and park supporters) to ask about wildlife and any recent or proposed habitat improvements. This data will be written up and distributed in order to promote good practice and link people up across that neighbourhood and city.
We’ve already identified examples of excellent pro-wildlife activity. We want to celebrate this and encourage others to follow suit.
If you live in BS10, or have connections there, please get back to Wildlife News and we’ll put you in touch with the student team.
Similar activity is underway in other districts. We are hoping to distribute an updated version of the BS9 audit with the next Wildlife News. Other areas are in the pipeline. The updating of the BS3 audits should start in a month or so.
Cilly Season?
Many of you will know about Community Infrastructure Levy or CIL. This is a sum paid to BCC by developers to off-set additional pressures caused by their developments, eg extra pressure on roads, schools and green spaces. This is £millions a year across Bristol.
15% of CIL is set aside for ‘local’ projects awarded by six committees of local councillors. Details can be found on line, but the best way is to contact your local councillors if you have a possible project in your neighbourhood. They will be able to tell you if your idea is eligible and practical things like closing dates. Invite them to your park or other green space and explain what you have in mind. The committee will be considering lots of application forms, but your chances probably increase if at least one person at the meeting has a good, first-hand understanding of what you want the money for.
How Lively is Your Cemetery?
Danni Sinnett, Professor of Sustainable Built Environments at UWE, alerts us to another blog based on research by her and her colleagues. This time, it’s into cemeteries. To find out more go to http://blogs.uwe.ac.uk/sustainable-planning-and-environments/new-research-suggests-that-cemeteries-provide-many-of-the-same-benefits-as-green-spaces/
Bat Talk
You are invited to join Dr Emma Stone on Monday, 28 February (19.30 – 21.00). She will discuss her work in Malawi which looks at the dynamic interrelation between ecosystems, society and poverty. She uses both bats and spotted hyenas as models to assess the impacts of urbanisation on biodiversity and the risks to human health from the wildlifetrade, consumption and cultural use as a function of increasing urbanisation.
Book via: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/african-bat-conservation-dr-emma-stone-tickets-268113222867?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Bristol Wildlife Groups’ Website
Work on this is progressing and I’m hoping to have further information by the next newsletter. As I understand it, each Wildlife Group will be invited to say something about itself. There will also be links to audits and Facebook pages as appropriate. Incidently, our combined total for the eight Facebook pages (so far) now exceeds 4000.
One problem with the website is that although in some areas there is an acknowledged person or group that represents that neighbourhood, that’s not the case everywhere. Please let me know if you are willing to be a contact person for your Wildlife Group. It’s even better if we can establish a small team in each postal district that will work together on this and other local projects.
Are YOU up for it?
Applications for funding
See Wildlife News 04:22. These are beginning to come in. Good! Keep ’em coming. Application form attached.
Please pass this newsletter on to friends and neighbours and invite them to join the circulation list. Let me know if you want to drop out.
Bristol Wildlife 
