This message is to bring you up to date with some wildlife developments in BS3.
1. The annual BS3 Winter Garden Bird Count is underway and I hope you are taking part.
2. Our first butterfly count took place in 2017. Early in the year, we asked ‘how many butterfly species are to be found in BS3’? A detailed report is in draft, but the answer is 16. We will repeat this BS3 Butterfly Survey in 2018 and beyond, starting with distribution of the 2017 report, probably in January.
3. We continued to work with Avon Wildlife Trust on My Wild Bedminster around the twin aims of raising peoples’ awareness of wildlife and encouraging them to make parks, streets, gardens and other places more hospitable to wild animals. As well as involving lots of local people and organisations, our efforts in 2017 were supported by the South Bristol Voice. Its monthly articles allowed us to reach a wider audience and to share information about hedgehogs, slow worms, various insects and more. The Voice published pictures taken by local people, including children. We expect to maintain this collaboration in 2018.
4. Reductions in BCC services including park and green space maintenance are beginning to bite and will become more apparent in 2018. The impact of this on wildlife, as on other park uses, is as yet unknown. Time will tell, but it would be useful if BS3 Wildlife Group members kept an eye on their local green space to assess whether wildlife is suffering from increasingly poor management or is flourishing from benign neglect.
5. It’s been suggested that BS3 Wildlife Group might become slightly more formal – so far, it’s just been an information exchange. An advantage of ‘formality’ might include a raised profile and a larger membership. Also, if the group wanted to seek funding for a project, it would need to show that it has officers and a constitution. We could launch this ‘new’ group in January 2018 with as much fanfare as possible. There are no current proposals for a funding bid, but it might be wise to sort out structures well before hand. What do you think about this idea?
6. It’s a couple of years since we refreshed the circulation list of the BS3 Wildlife Group, so it’s time to do it again. If you want to be part of the group and take part in activities, or even just stay informed of the project, contact
benbarker@blueyonder.co.uk
and say something like ‘Please keep me on the BS3 Wildlife circulation list.’ It would also be useful to know if there are aspects of BS3 wildlife that particularly interest you.
and say something like ‘Please keep me on the BS3 Wildlife circulation list.’ It would also be useful to know if there are aspects of BS3 wildlife that particularly interest you.
7. You might have friends who might join the group, so please spread the word.
8. Any other thoughts are very welcome.