RSPB Events This Weekend In UK

The RSPB run an amazing number of wildlife events throughout the year, all over the country.

Fancy getting out and doing a spot of wildlife watching this weekend?

RSPB events happening this wekeend (March 31st and April 1st 2012) include:

* Date With Nature Heron Watch, Hertfordshire
* Geltsdale Black Grouse Lek Watch, Cumbria
* Peregrines @ Vyrnwy, Wales
* Caper-watch, Scottish Highlands
* Nesting Choughs on the Lizard, Cornwall


Find out more, plus find other events on the RSPB website

Also, don't forget the Dumfries & Galloway Wildlife Festival starts this weekend and runs through to April 15th, lots of events happening, visit the festival website for more details:
www.wildlifefestival.org.uk

Wildlife Centre Huntly Peregrine Wild Watch

Not-to-be-missed wildlife centre set for new season  

Spring is here and it’s time to get out and about and enjoy some fun, fresh air and fascinating fauna!
And if there’s one place where you’ll be guaranteed to get all you want from a day in the great outdoors, it’s the Huntly Peregrine Wild Watch.

Run by Forestry Commission Scotland, the centre is easily accessible on the A96 between Elgin and Aberdeen, and is the place to go if you want a peaceful, relaxing place to watch some of Scotland's amazing native wildlife – or if you want some fun, family focused activities.

Angie Smith, who manages the centre, said: “It really is a hidden gem of a place that offers an outdoors and wildlife experience that we reckon is unique in the North East. We get visitors here from all age groups – from under 5s to school groups to the over 70s – and there’s something that’ll suit everyone. You can go pond dipping or take part in some family orienteering, be creative or enjoy the walks and the amazing scenery. Or you can bring a picnic and just sit and relax.

“But most of all, this is the place to come if you want to experience some stunning wildlife. ‘Our’ peregrines are the stars of the show – this has been a nesting site for 30 years and since we set up Wild Watch in 2003 19 chicks have been hatched and flown the nest. But there are over 40 species of bird and animal living here in their natural surroundings. How many do you think you’ll be able to spot?”

As well as walking the site and seeing what you can spot with your own eyes, you can also take advantage of the remote viewing cameras and the screens in the hide and at the visitor centre.

As well as the peregrines you can keep a look out for red squirrels, pine martins, roe deer, foxes, sparrow-hawks, and loads of woodland birds…..and newts, frogs, common lizards and much, much more.

Friendly wardens and volunteers are always on site to help bring you closer to the wildlife that is all around us but rarely seen.

The centre is open seven days a week from 1 April until early September and is accessible to all.

Modest entry charges are applicable –and all funds raised go towards sustaining Huntly Peregrine Wild Watch.
The charges are: adults £3, children (5-15) £1, family ticket (two adults and unlimited children) £7, individual season pass £10 and family season pass £20.


For more information about the centre and what’s on offer, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/huntlyperegrines

Sand Dune Forest In Wales Re-opens Trail

Leaflet sheds light on new-look woodland trail  

A new leaflet is available for visitors to Pembrey forest to coincide with the re-opening of the Pines Trail following essential management work.

The trail was closed for three months while Forestry Commission Wales thinned out some of the trees in parts of the 1,000 hectare forest to improve the habitat for the wildlife and rare woodland flowers.

The new trail leaflet explains the history of the forest and gives visitors useful information on the trail and what they can see if they walk along it.

Pembrey is one of Britain ’s sand dune forests, woodland that is unusual and has become an object of great interest to naturalists.

Forestry Commission Wales Community Ranger Jonathan Price said, “The Pines Trail is a breathtaking walk of about five to six miles where you can witness sand dunes, sea views, butterflies and wildflowers.The forest is home to many rare botanical species such as bee orchids and evening primrose, 31 species of butterfly, many migrant songbirds as well as birds of prey which include sparrowhawk and goshawk.”

The new leaflet is available around the Pembrey and Pembrey Country Park Visitor centre areas.

More information on the woodlands of Wales is available on www.forestry.gov.uk/wales

Wildlife Festival Event This Weekend

The Dumfries and Galloway Wildlife Festival starts this weekend (March 31st) and runs through until April 15th.

There are loads of events scheduled over the coming two weeks of the festival and many of them are free of charge.

Here's our pick of the first events:

The Early Birds

Saturday 31 March, 10.00am - 12.00noon, Newton Stewart

Join Cree Valley Community Woodlands Trust (CVCWT) staff for an introduction to early spring woodland birds and bird song. Suitable for beginners.
Cost: Voluntary donation to CVCWT.
Meet: High Camer Wood picnic site, NX366733
Further information: Pete or Linda, CVCWT Tel: 01671 401423, enquiries@cvcwt.org.uk

Find out more on the festival website at:
http://www.wildlifefestival.org.uk/index.htm

It's Wild Garlic Time...

Spotted on a visit to a Cumbrian woodland last week... loads and loads of ransoms (otherwise known as wild garlic) carpetting the woodland slopes....

Nature Watch - The Countryside in April

Wildlife Watching In April
This month look out for:
*Badgers - out and about more now that spring has truly sprung; you might see some cubs emerging from the sett too. Badgers can be found pretty much anywhere that there's some woodland on a hill, even close to the edge of towns.

Birds In April


*Arrivals - plenty of birds are now arriving back to the UK's shores including swallows swooping and diving in the sky, as well as swifts and warblers

Flora In April
Spring is a great time for spotting wild flowers including:
*Bluebells - the masses of beautiful blue flowers carpet woodland floors this month, usually peaking towards the end of April.
*Cowslips - a pretty yellow 'upright' flower, often found in meadows.
*Snakeshead fritillary - a rarer sight than most wild flowers as there are reportedly only around 30 'significant colonies' of these pretty flowers in the UK.*Dawn chorus - this is the time of year that birds are at their most vocal as it is, of course, the breeding season. If you fancy an early start (usually between 4am and 5am) then there are events all over the country where you can join a guided walk and learn to identify the various types of birdsong.
*Cuckoo - the 'traditional harbinger of spring' - its distinctive call can be heard all around the country this month.
*Ospreys- these birds arrive back to the UK in March/April and by the end of April the female will usually have eggs in the nest, the chicks putting in an appearance in May.
*Black Grouse - see its impressive 'lekking' mating display this month in parts of Wales & Scotland.

Living The Dream

Johnsons Living The Dream With Remote Forest Enterprise  

Just as Concorde was making its first commercial flight, another fledgling enterprise was preparing for take-off in the forests of deepest mid-Wales.

George Johnson bought Coed Trallwm woodlands, near Abergwesyn, Powys, in 1976 with the ambition of turning the 165-hectare commercial conifer forest into a thriving rural business for his young family.

With the help of grants and advice from the Forestry Commission, the Johnsons slowly set about transforming the remote forest and assorted old farm buildings into a business that would provide a secure future for their children, Mary and Will.

Thirty-five years on, George and his wife, Christine, are the proud owners of a multi-purpose forest complete with a mountain bike centre and café for walkers and cyclists.

The evolution of Coed Trallwm into a successful commercial enterprise and valuable tourist asset to the local economy set the standard for forest design that is followed by Forestry Commission Wales today.

Rachel Chamberlain, Operations Manager for the Forestry Commission Wales Grants and Regulation team, said, “George’s long term vision to create jobs and opportunities in the rural economy – both through timber production as well as recreational activities – is the perfect model of sustainable woodland management. With the help of Better Woodlands for Wales grants over the past 35 years, he has successfully taken on a commercial conifer woodland producing high quality timber and added tourism and mountain biking. We’re delighted to have just approved his management plan for the woodland for the next five years, so we look forward to Coed Trallwm going from strength to strength.”

The secret of the Johnsons’ success is to have created a wild destination for adrenaline junkies and those seeking quiet relaxation, while embracing best practice in woodland management which delivers employment and income.

Several derelict buildings were converted into eight self-catering holiday cottages during the 1980s, along with a reflexology treatment room.

A visit to the Forestry Commission Wales centre at Coed-y-Brenin, North Wales, provided the inspiration to invest in a mountain bike trail in 2001 to attract visitors to the cottages and, with the addition of a café, parking and toilets, as well as the other biking essentials such as showers, bike wash and maps, the trail centre was born.
Coed Trallwm has now established itself as a location for all sorts of activities, hosting walking, mountain biking and enduro events. The centre has also been used for meetings by groups such as vintage car clubs, Women’s Institute and the National Trust.


Coed Trallwm’s new-found status as a recreation magnet is underpinned by a solid commercial business which generates up to 10,000 cubic metres of timber every year for local sawmills such as BSW at Newbridge, or for biomass and round fencing.

“Managing the forest as both an attractive place for walkers and cyclists and as a productive forest has equal importance,” said George. “Some areas of the forest are being slowly converted to Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF), which involves gradual thinning of different sized trees to create an interesting, productive and attractive woodland with trees of different ages and sizes. But we still re-stock around 10,000 trees a year after felling so it’s important to make it clear to holiday guests, who may not understand what’s going on, that this is a working forest, while at the same time try to minimise the impact on their enjoyment.”

Balancing these conflicting demands has become a real family affair. While son Will and son-in-law Chris oversee the forestry side of the business, daughter Mary and Harri, who are due to be married in May, took over management of the recreation facilities in 2009 and, with the help of a new website, have raised the turnover by 20%.

George said, “Coed Trallwm now supports three families, including Christine and me. With the support of Forestry Commission Wales – and a lot of hard work over the years – we are finally living the dream we had all those years ago.”

Wildzone Cumbria

When people think of Cumbria they often think of just the Lake District National Park but there's much more to this great county, tucked away in north west England.

Wildzone Cumbria is a really useful website that provides ideas and inspiration on:
* where to go to see Cumbrian wildlife
* what you can see this month in nature and wildlife
* upcoming wildlife and nature events in Cumbria

Plus much, much more.

To plan your Cumbrian wildlife Adventure visit the Wildzone website

Dumfries & Galloway Wildlife Festival 2012

Don't forget -the popular 2 week Dumfries & Galloway Wildlife Festival is back in 2012 for its ninth year. With more than 80 events packed into the festival there's something for everyone.

The Wildlife Festival runs from 31st March through to 15th April and there are some new events lined up - including a Wild Food Forage in Langholm with a cookery demo and free lunch - as well as all the favourites such as the badger watch and many activities for families.

Wild & Green has holidayed in this gorgeous but often over looked part of south west Scotland and the scenery is absolutely stunning - the area has great walking, forests, varied and spectacular wildlife, brilliant beaches and is lovely and quiet - highly recommended!!


Find out more on the Dumfries & Galloway Wildlife Festival website

Date With Nature 31 March - 2 Sep

Date With Nature - There are lots of wildlife and nature based activities and events taking places throughout the country, the majority from March to September, though others go on into the autumn.


To find out about events near you Wild & Green has pulled together the following links:

* The RSPB have lots of Date With Nature events this year

*Wildlife Trusts are organising events - find your local group on their website

* If you live in or near the New Forest (or are visiting the area on day trips or hols) then you might want to take a look at the  New Forest National Park's Date With Nature website

Woodland Walks In Wales

 Woodland walks a stone’s throw from new seating area  

Trekking to the summit of Penpych mountain or strolling along one of the many trails to visit the waterfalls hidden in the surrounding woodland can be an exhausting and exhilarating affair.

Now, Forestry Commission Wales has made life easier for visitors to regain their breath after enjoying a bracing walk in the countryside near Blaencwm, in the Rhondda Valley.

Visitors to the Welsh Government woodland can pause to take in the wonderful scenery around them after the Commission installed a new stone seating area at the picnic site beside the car park.

The car park, which is free for visitors to the woodland, was tarmaced two years ago and is very popular among locals and visitors who take healthy walks along the woodland trails, such as the Loops and Links.

Forestry Commission Wales Community Ranger Mike James said work to improve the car park and the waterfall walk had been going on for the past two years.

“The car park and picnic area provide a superb base for visiting the surrounding waterfalls and the summit of Penpych, which is a major landmark in the area,” he said.

The stone seating areas will be more robust and long lasting than the old wooden benches, which used to get vandalised or weather with age, and have already proved popular with residents.

Eddie Richards of Blaencwm said, “The picnic area is a well used local amenity and the new seating will encourage more visitors to use the area for exploring the forest and waterfalls.It’s a lovely place to sit after a walk in the woods, and the old benches and barbeques needed replacing.”


More information on the woodlands of Wales is available on www.forestry.gov.uk/wales

Forest Diary -Spring Is In The Air!

Forest Diary, Get Ready To Explore The Forest This Spring (13/3/2012)

"With spring in the air the New Forest is gradually waking from its winter slumber, boasting 145 square miles of stunning wildlife and habitats to enjoy. With so much to see and do in the forest, myself and the other rangers at the Forestry Commission have teamed up with local partners to launch the 2012 New Forest Events Calendar which is packed full of activities for all the family.

If you are keen to get out early in the season and make the most of all that the New Forest has to offer, we’ll be kick starting our activities with our ‘Jump into Spring’ events. Taking place over two weeks (Saturday 31 March to Sunday 15 April) they offer an opportunity to discover the range of birds that live locally. Starting at Bolderwood car park, these events will have fun and challenging activities for adults and children alike.

Keen ramblers will enjoy our brisk eight mile ‘Bluebell Walk’ on Sunday 15 April to admire nature’s blue carpets in peak season. For a shorter walk there’s our one mile circular ‘Wild Flower Discovery’ stroll on 13 May - join us to find out about our local plants and the customs that surround them. If it’s a pub lunch you look forward to at the end of a walk, then our six mile ‘Forest Explorer Pub Walk’ starting at Linford Bottom car park on 1 May could be the perfect choice. Or, if history is your interest, we’ll be taking a step back in time on our ‘Gliders and Typhoons’ walk in May, visiting the former RAF Homsley South airfield.

Children will have fun learning all about wildlife at the New Forest Reptile Centre on 25 and 26 May, where we’ll be joining the National Park Authority and partners to stage a 24 hour ‘National Park Bioblitz’! It’s a chance for us all to work together to record as much wildlife as we can in the New Forest.

Finally, visitors looking for a little adventure of their own can take advantage of the varied walking and cycling trails featured in ‘The New Forest – your essential guide 2012’ publication that will be out in April. We have included a favourite bike ride in the New Forest which is suitable for all abilities. You will also find information about our walking trails starting at Forestry Commission car parks. From deer watching to river strolls, visitors will be able to experience the fascinating sights and sounds of the New Forest along these circular waymarked walks.

There truly is something for everyone this year. To find out more about Forestry Commission events, please contact us on 02380 283141  or visit www.forestry.gov.uk/newforest. Alternatively, look out for ‘The New Forest – your essential guide 2012’ which will be available from Easter at all main Forestry Commission car parks in the New Forest, as well as campsites and visitor information centres, or, if you live locally, through your door!"

Zoe Cox, Ranger 

Wildlife Update

Foresters Plan Pleasant Surprise For Sleeping Dormice  

Dormice sleeping in a Monmouthshire woodland can look forward to a pleasant surprise when they wake from their hibernation in the spring after Forestry Commission Wales transformed their home as they slept.

Foresters have been busy giving Slade woodland, near Magor and Rogiet, a makeover to create the ideal habitat for the tiny creatures, which are so rare they are protected by law.

Conifer areas of the Welsh Government woodland have been thinned and broadleaf trees retained to improve its structure and create small open spaces to allow in light and encourage the growth of new trees and more shrubs, in which the dormouse feeds.

The work was carried out under a dormouse licence and will also improve the biodiversity of the 148-hectare woodland, which is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS), for other animals and birds.

Dormice are generally found in broadleaved woodland with a thick shrub layer. They are easily recognisable by their small size, bright golden colour, large eyes and bushy tail, but there are fewer than 30,000 left in the UK.
The work was carefully timed to take place while the dormice were still active and able to move away easier, and any heavily shrubbed areas were avoided during the latter stages of the operation, as this is where the dormice would be hibernating.

Forestry Commission Wales conservation manager Rosalind Codd said: “It was essential to carry out the work during times of least impact on the dormice, so the areas most favoured by them had to be completed first.
Thinning at this time doesn't mitigate all damage, but it reduces disturbance greatly as once dormice are hibernating we can't find them and they won't move, making them very vulnerable during any work.”

Retaining overhead “corridors” in the woodland canopy was also important, since dormice rarely travel on the ground. During the day, they sleep in small nests they have made themselves and spend the night foraging among the treetops.During the spring, dormice eat flowers and pollen, then in summer they move on to fruit and in autumn they eat nuts, especially hazelnuts.

Other measures designed to protect and improve the dormouse habitat included stacking the felled trees, which will be used for stakes and biomass, in sparsely vegetated areas to minimise disturbance and retaining broadleaf trees, especially those with honeysuckle and ivy.

“Honeysuckle is important for dormice as the flowers provide food at a time when few other things are available. They also use the shredded bark as nesting material. Honeysuckle is also important for other species such as butterflies and moths,” said Rosalind. “Retaining plants such as ivy is important for the bats using the woodland, and also dormice use ivy as a summer nesting site and it’s a good source of insects for dormice.”

The thinning operation took several months to complete and more thinning will continue on a regular basis to improve the woodland’s biodiversity and to restore it back to its native broadleaf state.

Spot Scottish Wildlife

Glen Loy Wildlife, Banavie, Fort William, Scotland




Glenloy Wildlife offers exclusive wildlife holidays in the majestic Lochaber region of the West Highlands of Scotland. Based in scenic Glen Loy, some 7 miles from Fort William, you will be treated to comfortable and cosy accommodation in Glenloy Lodge, with all meals and transport provided during your stay.

You can explore the many habitats in the area, which include native oak woodlands, Caledonian pinewood, rivers, lochs and coast. Wildlife in the area includes red deer, pine marten, black grouse, golden and sea eagle as well as more elusive species such as otter, basking shark, whale and wildcat.

Glenloy Wildlife is family run by naturalists Jon and Angela Mercer. Wildlife holidays are tailored for all ages and levels of experience and limited to a maximum of 10 people. Pick up from Fort William bus or rail station available.

www.glenloy-wildlife.org.uk

Where to See Mad March Hares

The Countryfile magazine email newsletter is free to receive and packed with lots of useful and interesting articles about the great British countryside and coastline, including where to see Mad March Hares in the UK, follow the link below to dicsover more:-


http://www.countryfile.com/countryside/mad-march-hares-where-see-them?utm_source=Responsys&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=NLT_CFIL_01-03-2012_Silver-Travel

Rural Escapes - The Old Gypsy Wagon

Old Oak Gypsy Wagon, Penyrallt Home Farm, Pentrecwrt, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire

Stay in a traditional romany bow top wagon restored to its former glory and now a wonderful retreat away from the hectic pace of everyday life!

At Penyrallt Home Farm in West Wales you have the opportunity to relax in your very own gypsy caravan and log cabin on an organic working dairy farm.

Set away from the farmhouse and main buildings, along its own little lane, down past the pond you'll find the wagon and cabin with beautiful views of the Teifi Valley framed by the old oak tree.

Find out more on the wildlife & eco friendly holidays website Wild & Green Escapes

Eco Friendly Clamland Cottages in Cornwall

Higher & Lower Clamland, Trebullett, Launceston, Cornwall

Clamland is a Cornish small-holding centrally situated within the east of the county some three miles south of the ancient capital of Cornwall - Launceston. The cottages and farmhouse are set within fields and woods and approached via a private road.

In 2009 two lovely Victorian stone and slate barns were converted to create two eco-friendly holiday homes, a one bedroom and a two bedroom cottage.
Clamland has been in the family for 35 years and during that time the owners have worked to make the holding as wildlife friendly as posssible, planting woodlands and creating ponds.

None of the three houses on site use any oil or gas, the two holiday cottages have air source heat pumps and PV panels while the farmhouse has a biomass boiler with PV panels and wet solar panels.

Find out more on the eco and wildlife friendly holidays website Wild & Green Escapes

Have A Eco Friendly Holiday

Go Wild & Green

If you're looking for eco friendly holiday accommodation, from a rural retreat in a farmhouse B&B to green-award-winning self catering cottages in spectacular settings, then visit the Wild & Green Escapes website for lots of ideas and information.

What's on the website?

• eco friendly holiday accommodation, much of it enjoying spectacular wildlife pretty much on the doorstep!
• wildlife operators, experts who know the best places to spot the best wildlife - from dolphins to eagles and much, much more
• our seasonal nature watch - what's happening in nature and the countryside now, what to look out for, from birds and animals to flowers and trees
• wildlife events information - check out our Wildlife Calender for year round info on top wildlife events in the UK, plus you'll find details on upcoming wildlife events via this blog!



Holiday cottages in amazing locations!

• ideas and inspiration for wildlife watching and eco friendly holidays - from How To Be Green On Holiday to our top spots to wildlife watch

Want to plan a wild and green holiday for you and your family?

Visit Wild & Green Escapes!

Looking for a Welsh cottage to escape to?

Penyrallt Fach Holiday Cottage, Penyrallt Home Farm, Carmarthenshire

Seeking peace and quiet? Somewhere to get away from the hectic pace of normal life? Green fields, old woodlands, clean air and sparkling seas? And a friendly welcome?

Penyrallt Fach is a holiday cottage which has been converted from the old piggery - though you wouldn't know it today - on an organic dairy and sheep farm situated above the Teifi Valley, a few miles from Llandysul.

A small complimentary welcome hamper containing organic and fair-trade items, a fresh home-baked cake and flowers from the garden will be on the table on your arrival!

Find out more on the eco and wildlife friendly holidays website Wild & Green Escapes

Signs of Spring

The weather is all over the place at the moment - mild, sunny spring days one minute, heavy rain and gales the next - so typical of spring!

There's a lot going on in nature at the moment with animals, birds, trees, shrubs and flowers all starting to welcome spring.

Things to look out for this month include:
* mad March hares
* hawthorn buds appearing
* snowdrops, crocus and daffodils.

To find out more about nature in March you can:
* Visit the Nature Watch page on our Wild & Green Escapes website
* Head to the Woodland Trust's Visit Woods page and download their free spring fact sheets

Forest Diary - Date With Nature

The Forest Diary - lending a hand in the forest (29/2/2012)

"As you venture through the New Forest, whether it be exploring the area and wildlife or taking a leisurely stroll, you may meet either myself or one of my ranger colleagues. As Forestry Commission rangers, it’s our job to help ensure that you enjoy your time here and that the forest itself is looked after for future visitors.

Our role is extremely varied so no two days are ever the same, but one thing you can guarantee is our passion for the job. There are six Forestry Commission rangers working in the New Forest, but we’re also supported by an enthusiastic force of volunteer rangers plus our other colleagues and partners.

Together, we are all keen to share our knowledge and love of the forest with you. You can find me out in the forest taking care of the trails and cycle paths to make sure they’re safe for visitors, or perhaps you’ll spot me at a Forestry Commission event, supporting the team to ensure it runs smoothly and being on hand to provide people with information about environmental conservation in the New Forest.

One project that I’m heavily involved in and that is particularly special to me is our New Forest Reptile Centre. Here, we help protect rare snakes and lizards and encourage the re-introduction of these animals across the country. We have created special outdoor pens at the centre which provide a natural home to the sand lizard, smooth snake and venomous adder. These reptiles can be difficult to see in the wild as they are rare and very secretive, so the Reptile Centre is a great place to see them close-up.

I’m also working with partners to get ready for this year’s ‘Date with Nature’ project which starts on 31st March. A Date with Nature takes place at the Reptile Centre and gives visitors the unique opportunity to view live footage taken from the nests of breeding birds of prey. Our wildlife staff have been busy identifying goshawks nests that would be suitable for filming and assessing the impact of the recent cold weather on goshawk numbers. The population of these birds has steadily been building in the New Forest, but it’s important that we keep monitoring their nests to safeguard them during forestry operations.

A Date with Nature is a joint venture between The RSPB, the Forestry Commission, New Forest National Park Authority and Carnyx Wild and will run daily from 31st March to 2nd September.

Visit http://www.newforestgateway.org/ for more information about a Date with Nature in the New Forest, or speak to one of our Rangers out and about in the forest!"


Richard Daponte, Ranger