Explore Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve in the company of experts who can tell you about our local flora and fauna.

Everyone welcome – meeting at the Shire Way gate. Please wear suitable footwear.

We had an excellent walk last week with Rupert Higgins of Wessex Ecological Consultants – he really made us look at the meadows in particular with new eyes.

Left is a bee orchid that we found in the Lower Meadow.

Our next event will be an afternoon Biodiversity Walk on Sunday 18 July, starting at 2pm from the Shire Way gate.

Experts in all sorts of flora and fauna will help us learn more about this fascinating area.

Please come and join us – no need to book, just turn up!

Please come and join our evening walk round Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve with Rupert Higgins of Wessex Ecological Consultants, the expert who has just revised the Reserve Management Plan. This will be an opportunity to find out about how the Reserve is looked after and our plans for the next five years. Everyone welcome – meeting at the Shire Way gate. Please wear suitable footwear.

Sure Start is the Government’s programme to deliver the best start in life for every child by bringing together early education, childcare, health and family support. Wapley has recently hosted two Sure Start forest skills training events and a Dad’s Group event.

As part of the Healthy Schools Initiative Abbotswood School is now joining in work with the Reserve’s Nature Journal, like the schools that took part last year.  As well as regular class visits to the reserve there will be a Parents Group session in June.

The Wapley Bushes Conservation Group and Dodington Parish Council are glad to see these community education programmes making use of the Reserve, the Common and the Picnic Site, which are managed to provide opportunities for conservation, education and recreation.

Tuesday 22 June 7pm – Evening walk round the Reserve with Rupert Higgins of Wessex Ecological Consultants, who has just revised the five-year Management Plan

Sunday 18 July 2pm – Biodiversity Walk with experts on various types of flora and fauna

Sunday 5 September 10am – Conservation Group Work Morning (ditch clearing etc)

It has been decided that future work mornings will alternate between Saturday and Sunday mornings to suit people who can’t make one or the other. Further work mornings will be held on Sat 20 November, Sunday 23 January and Saturday 5 March.

All events start from the Shire Way gate. More details will follow on all these events.

Rupert Higgins of Wessex Ecological Consultants has been busy revising the five year Management Plan for Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve.

You can find out more by joining us on a evening walk with Rupert on Tuesday 22 June. We’ll be meeting at 7pm at the Shire Way gate.

Our keen volunteers spent their Saturday morning clearing up litter on the meadows and in the woods. The good news is that there wasn’t a lot of it – half a dozen bin bags.

The bad news is that there were half a dozen or more fire sites with smashed glass, melted bottles and cans – all dangerous for children and wildlife. We’re talking to the Police and the Fire Brigade about the problem.

We’re having a Saturday work morning this week, especially for people who can’t make our usual Sunday morning sessions.

We will be doing a general spring clean of the Nature Reserve and cutting back some excess growth from the paths.

Please come and join us – we’ll be meeting at the Shire Way gate at 10.00 am. please wear suitable footwear, but we’ll provide the tools etc.

There are masses of bluebells at Wapley at the moment, particularly in the woods and hedgerows. The best place to see them is along the lower path in the main wood. Spring has really sprung!

It’s surprising what you can record with an ordinary mobile phone. This recording has just been slightly cleaned up and amplified using Audacity.