Please join expert Rupert Higgins of Wessex Ecological Consultancy and members of Wapley Bushes Conservation Group to explore the path and linear woodland alongside the railway. We saw several notable plants here last year, and we want to find out what else is along this well-used pathway just across the railway from Wapley Bushes. This event is sponsored by South Gloucestershire Council.

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00 am.

A small band of enthusiasts – the Lilliput Conservation Group – is spending a couple of hours on oneTuesday and one Saturday of each month,tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

The next work mornings will be on Tue 5th June, Sat 23rd June and Tue 3rd July. Then we shall be having a summer break until September.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear.

You can check out the Lilliput Conservation Group on Facebook for more information.

A small band of enthusiasts – the Lilliput Conservation Group – is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday and the fourth Saturday of each month,tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

The May work mornings will be on Tue 1st and Sat 26th. Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear.

You can check out the Lilliput Conservation Group on Facebook for more information.

Take an evening stroll through Ridge Wood and experience the sounds of spring with Ed Drewitt.
Ed is a freelance naturalist and is a regular contributor on BBC’s Springwatch and The One Show etc. Further info on his website here.

Meet at Quarry Road entrance to woods – 7:15pm ( see map here )

Pay on Arrival – Adult £3.00 Child – £1.50
No need to book, just come along!

We shall be carrying out a general spring clean by the River Frome and at the Kennedy Way Pond nature area.

Meet at the Kennedy Way Pond, Link Road, Yate Shopping Centre, 10.00am (parking is available at the two car parks on either side of Link Road, BS37 4AY).

The weather seems to be bringing in some birds that are unusual for our area. Craig Lewis spotted a pair of Red Kites above Maisemore, just off Shire Way yesterday:

Photo by Craig Lewis

They stayed around for quite a while and gradually moved off heading north.

What’s more Craig also spotted a Hoopoe early this morning at Kingsgate Park – that’s quite a rarity, the RSPB reckons that only about a hundred make it to our shores each year. In case you see it, here’s what they look like:

Source: RSPB

Meet at 10.00 am at the Melrose Close entrance to woods (see map here)
Jobs to suit all abilities, gloves and tools provided
Finish at 12:00 noon approx.

Find out more from the Ridge Wood websit

We shall be undertaking reserve maintenance on this local grassland and wetland nature reserve such as path clearance plus litter picking. Please wear walking or wellington boots and bring some gloves.

Please meet at the bridge on the reserve, west of Oak Close, north Yate, BS37 5TN, 10.00am.

We had a good work morning on Saturday 17 March, despite the bitter cold and snow flurries. Although there were only four of the regular volunteers, we were joined by 19 guides and 3 adults from the First Westerleigh Guides, who meet at Abbotswood Primary School.

The guides planted 48 Yellow Archangel plug plants, a typical flower of ancient woodlands and hedgerows, and did a big litter pick. Their spring cleaning even unearthed a metal backplate from a washing machine, that someone had been using as a slide. We were very impressed by the girls’ energy and enthusiasm.

Meanwhile the volunteers concentrated on tree planting in the woodland. The priority task was to put in 10 large Wild Service Trees, a tall deciduous broadleaf that is quite rare in the UK. By the time we had done this time was getting on, and we decided to pack in to avoid getting frozen.

Five volunteers returned again on Wednesday 21 March and planted the smaller young trees – 8 each of Oak, Broad Leaved Lime and Black Poplar. Although there were more of them they were easier to plant than the Service Trees – they only needed a simple “T cut” rather than a large hole for the roots.

So that completed our Wapley planting programme for the winter – 100 tree in all that will provide the replacement high canopy when ash dieback disease has eventually taken its toll.

A small band of enthusiasts – the Lilliput Conservation Group – is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday and the fourth Saturday of each month,tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

The April work mornings will be on Tue 3rd and Sat 28th. Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear.

You can check out the Lilliput Conservation Group on Facebook for more information.