Lilliput Park - February work mornings

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 February work mornings will be on Tue 6th and Sat 24th. 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.

Primrose Bank Workday, Chipping Sodbury - 3 February

This workday is to clear brambles to help spring flowers has been organised by the Southwold Group of Avon Wildlife Trust on behalf of the Frome Forum. Please wear outdoor clothing, gloves and stout footwear.

Meet at 10am on the east side of Wickwar Road, Chipping Sodbury near the zebra crossing by the entrance to the Frome Valley Walkway.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Season's Greetings from everyone at
Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve

Lilliput Park - December work mornng

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

The next work morning will be on Tue 5 December. 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.

After that the Conservation Group is going to be taking a well-earned Christmas break until February, when the work mornings will be the 1st Tuesday and the 4th Saturday in each month.

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

Great planting morning on Sat 18 November

Despite the drizzle, nine volunteers turned up and we set to work with a will, planting 34 new trees in less than two hours. We were planting replacements for the main canopy of the wood in anticipation of ash dieback disease affecting us over the next few years.

Paul Hulbert and Claire Young get stuck in

We have two more planting mornings at Wapley over this winter - Sunday 18 February and Saturday 17 March. Please come and join us - more details will appear here a couple of weeks before the event.

Excellent Owl Prowl at Wapley!

We had a brilliant Owl Prowl at Wapley Bushes this evening with Ian McGuire of Wild Owl TV. We saw four tawny owls clearly as they flew over us, and we think we heard a few more. An extra bonus was seeing some bats as well. We had around 50 people there, with lots of children - just what we had hoped. 

Thanks go to Ian, to the organising volunteers from Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, to South Glos Council for sponsoring the event, and to Dodington Parish Council for their continuing support for the Nature Reserve. 

Wapley Bushes work morning – woodland planting - Sat 18 November

This winter we will be carrying out three work mornings planting young trees in the main woodland. Our entire area is at risk from ash dieback disease, and because the main canopy of the wood is ash we need to plant new trees of various other species to take over when the older trees eventually die.

We will also be doing general maintenance work and tidying up the reserve prior to the winter season. Please wear walking or wellington boots.

Meet 10 am at the Shire Way entrance to the Nature Reserve.
(Organised by Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, financed by Dodington Parish Council)

Friends of Ridge Wood Woodland Work Morning - Sunday 19th November

Work days are a fantastic way to make a contribution to the future of this important local nature reserve, and they are great fun. Suitable for all abilities. New volunteers always welcome, just turn up.

Meet 10.00 am at Melrose Close entrance to woods. (see map here)

Lilliput Park - November work mornings

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

The September work mornings will be on Tue 7 November and Sat 11 November. 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.

New date for Wapley Owl Prowl

The Owl Prowl at Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve, which had to be postponed on Friday evening due to high winds, has now been rescheduled for Friday 10 November at 7 pm.

This Owl Prowl will be led by well-known local expert Ian McGuire. Ian's owl prowls are a night-time walk in woodlands for all the family where you can learn about British owls through his iPad video presentations and through the evening he will be calling wild tawny owls in the hope that one will call back and possibly fly in for everyone to view.

Owl prowls are suitable for all age groups from 5 to 95 and usually involve a limited amount of walking. They are fun and fascinating and will leave participants much more aware of how amazing owls are and what they need to survive in the wild.

No captive owls are used at this event but Ian's success rate for calling in wild owls is approximately 60% so the anticipation of seeing a wild one is always very great. We're hoping that the tawny owls we saw last time on the edge of Wapley Common may put in an appearance once again.

Fri 10 November, meet 7 pm at the Shire Way entrance to the Nature Reserve. Please wear sensible footwear and bring a torch.
(Organised by Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, sponsored by South Gloucestershire Council)

Dodington Dog Walk at Wapley Sat 21 Oct also CANCELLED

The Dodington Dog Walk at Wapley tomorrow morning has also been cancelled for safety reasons due to forecast high winds.

Owl Prowl Friday 20 Oct POSTPONED

This evening's Owl Prowl at Wapley Bushes is being postponed due to forecast high winds.

We have a provisional date of Friday 10 November at 7 pm - we will confirm here.
EDIT - THIS NEW DATE HAS NOW BEEN CONFIRMED

Sorry for any inconvenience - we will be at the gate this evening to tell anyone who doesn't know it's cancelled.

Kingsgate Park Nature Reserve Ponds Workday Sunday 29 October

We shall be undertaking maintenance of this important amphibian site including the cutting back of vegetation. Please wear gloves and wellington boots.

Meet at the Scott Way entrance to Kingsgate Park, Scott Way, Yate, BS37 4NW, 10.00am (parking is available at the entrance of Shackleton Avenue).

This replaces the session on 7 October which had to be cancelled for safety reasons, as the area was muddy and slippery after overnight rain.

Dodington Dog Walk at Wapley Bushes - Sat 21 October

Meet 10 am at Shire Way entrance to Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve

Explore our area with your pet, or just come along for a walk!

(organised by Dodington Parish Council)

Owl prowl at Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve - Fri 20 October - POSTPONED

NOW POSTPONED DUE TO FORECAST HIGH WINDS
 
This Owl Prowl will be led by well-known local expert Ian McGuire. Ian's owl prowls are a night-time walk in woodlands for all the family where you can learn about British owls through his iPad video presentations and through the evening he will be calling wild tawny owls in the hope that one will call back and possibly fly in for everyone to view.

Owl prowls are suitable for all age groups from 5 to 95 and usually involve a limited amount of walking. They are fun and fascinating and will leave participants much more aware of how amazing owls are and what they need to survive in the wild.

No captive owls are used at this event but Ian's success rate for calling in wild owls is approximately 60% so the anticipation of seeing a wild one is always very great. We're hoping that the tawny owls we saw last time on the edge of Wapley Common may put in an appearance once again.

Fri 20 October, meet 7 pm at the Shire Way entrance to the Nature Reserve. Please wear sensible footwear and bring a torch.
(Organised by Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, sponsored by South Gloucestershire Council)

Friends of Ridge Wood Woodland Work Morning - Sunday 15th October

Work days are a fantastic way to make a contribution to the future of this important local nature reserve, and they are great fun. Suitable for all abilities. New volunteers always welcome, just turn up.

Meet 10.00 am at Melrose Close entrance to woods. (see map here)

Lilliput Park - October work mornings

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

The September work mornings will be on Tue 3 October and Sat 14 October. 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.

Kingsgate Park Nature Reserve Ponds Workday Saturday 7 October

We shall undertaking maintenance of this important amphibian site including the cutting back of vegetation. Please wear gloves and wellington boots.

Meet at the Scott Way entrance to Kingsgate Park, Scott Way, Yate, BS37 4NW, 10.00am (parking is available at the entrance of Shackleton Avenue).

The Wild Owl TV Garden – A Wildlife Haven in Suburbia - Fri 6 October

A fascinating illustrated talk by local expert Ian McGuire, who shows what can be done in an ordinary suburban garden. There will also be displays from our local wildlife groups.

Fri 6 October, 7.30 pm at Dodington Parish Hall, Finch Road, Chipping Sodbury
(Organised by Dodington Parish Council)

Report from Wapley Bushes Workday 10 September

We had a busy work morning, with 8 volunteers. We did our annual task of clearing the seasonal stream through the wood, so that the winter rains won't overflow and change the nature of the surrounding woodland. One tree had fallen across the stream - it wasn't too big, so we cut it up and moved it away from the stream.

Cutting vegetation to clear the stream

Before - the stream's in there somewhere!

After - the stream is now visible

We cut through almost as much ivy as wood

Translucent bracket fungus

We also cut back vegetation near the young fruit trees in the Lower Meadow, carried out a litter pick and trimmed back overgrowth on the approach from Sergeant's Farm Bridge.

Here are some dates for your diary - details will appear on this blog a couple of weeks before each event:

• The Conservation of British Owls – illustrated talk - 7.30 pm Friday 22 September at Yate Library
• Talk about the Wild Owl TV Garden – A Wildlife Haven in Suburbia - 7.30 pm Fri 6 October at Dodington Parish Hall, Finch Road
• Owl Prowl at Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve - 7 pm Fri 20 October
• Wapley Bushes work morning – woodland planting - 10 am Sat 18 November