Calderdale’s excellent Countryside newsletter is out and is full of great things to do.
Read the full newsletter online here
Here are just some of the items inside:
Volunteers: It has been another busy season for our volunteers with tree planting season well underway, sphagnum moss propagation and planting on going. This is as well as volunteers in the shop at Ogden Water and the people attending work parties and community days.
Tree planting in North Dean Wood: In the run up to Christmas, Jason took a group of volunteers to Copley to carry on with the tree planting in the wood. A good day was had by all, thanks to everyone who turned out.
Help swifts thrive – claim your free nest box today! Reserve your free swift box and installation today by emailing countryside@calderdale.gov.uk. Together, we can give swifts a brighter future—one nest box at a time!
Barn owls: Over the cold spell, barn owls have returned to the nesting box a Cromwell Bottom. It’s great to see them back again. The photo is low quality as it is taken off the monitor picture, but I thought it was worth including here.
Good news on funding! Funding has been secured from Natural England for work at some of our Local Nature Reserves. The funding is for an otter holt at Cromwell Bottom, owl baskets and box, biosecurity equipment to protect the white clawed crayfish at Jerusalem Farm, a polytunnel to expand the amount of sphagnum moss we can grow and little ringed plover shingle bedding.
Looking after birds in your garden: A good job for a sunny day in winter is to check the condition of birdboxes ready for spring. Empty out any bedding from the boxes and check that the wood is still in good condition.
Recycle your Christmas Tree at Ogden Water: There is still time to recycle your real Xmas tree at Ogden Water. If you have a tree outside your house either rooted or cut, why not drop it off with us?
Calderdale Sphagnum Project Update: The Calderdale Sphagnum Project is entirely funded by The National Lottery. In the few weeks leading up to Christmas, the volunteers have prepared over 1000 sphagnum plug plants – they should be in the ground at Ogden Water Nature Reserve before the end of January.