The group recently were awarded a small Wild Weekend for Wales Grant from Keep Wales Tidy and B&Q. The grant enables us to perform several small but hopefully significant biodiversity actions on the LNR.
The first part is for materials to make habitat boxes for various animals including bat, small bird, dormice and an owl box. We know there are bats here already and an owl has been heard, but it is not known if the European Protected Species dormouse is present here. The boxes will allow us to monitor them for their presense. We will inspect the boxes twice a year, and as they are so protected, once we find evidence we can no longer touch them (a handling licence is required). If we do find them, this will affect the management of the woodland sections of the LNR.
The second part is to be able to sow small areas of native wildflower seeds in places of the LNR that have been ravaged by Himalayan balsam. These will be in areas away from the main meadow. One of the plans for this year is to cut the meadow after the flowers and grasses have finished flowering, but then rake it all off after first allowing the seeds to naturally drop back to the soil. we will also drag some of the freshly cut plants to bare areas to re-establish areas previously lost to Himalayan balsam.
No comments:
Post a Comment