A date for your diaries – if you fancy a walk through woodlands looking for autumn minibeasts and migrant birds, then join Ian Boyd and Goodleaf Tree Climbing on Sunday 24th October at 11am. Ian will be looking for bugs in the woods, as well as migrant birds (leaving and arriving). Booking essential, please call Goodleaf on 0333 800 1188. Donation to Gift to Nature. Meet at the Oak tree between Appley Tower and the play park.
This coming weekend (4th & 5th September) is the Wolverton Manor Garden Show at Shorwell (for directions visit http://www.wolvertonmanor.com/find_us.php ), 10am-5pm both days. This popular annual event hosts craft stalls, plant nurseries, falconry, music, Elizabethan dancing and much more, in the grounds of Wolverton Manor. Adults £5, children free.
Gift to Nature will have a stall in the Conservation Marquee, so please do pop by and say hello.
The sun shone, the bugs buzzed, and all went well for the drop-in Arts day at One Horse Field in Totland, as part of the West Wight Open Studios Weekend.
Eccleston George, the team who make those fantastic sculptures and public art works in their own unique style, were there producing more of their quirky Nutshell Seats (as seen and in continuous use at the IW Festival!). Hannah George was teaching people the delights of origami design, and Ian Boyd of Gift to Nature was running around wildly waving a butterfly net …….(it’s ok, he’s trained and harmless).
A fair few invertebrates were briefly captured during the Bug Hunts, identified and then safely returned to continue on with their peaceful meadow lives. One of the local inhabitants making an appearance for the cameras was the striking (and completely sting-free) Wasp Spider.
A local joins in the meadow fun
Seen here is Nigel George chastising a recalcitrant nutshell – ok, not really……. it’s actually part of the design process known as ‘namp-staggling’ to add texture to the surface. Also shown is one of the finished ‘nut-free’ products!
Just you wait until the nutshell fights back!
N.B We cannot guarantee this product is nut-free
Family drop-in Arts day in our beautiful wildlife meadow. Earth casting with Eccleston George artists, origami and tree dressing. Plus wildlife activities which will include hunting for bugs, lizard, orchids and butterflies. FREE to all ages.
When: Sat 17th Jul 2010
Directions: behind Totland Rec Ground – turn right at Colwell Rd roundabout and follow signs.
Supported By; West Wight Landscape Partnership, Island 2000, IWC.
Diamond Isle is one of Gift to Nature’s most successful members, so far Paul has raised £1,349.11 by asking for voluntary donations from the visitors who watch his and Kitty’s captivating glass blowing demonstrations.
Paul supports the Troll Trail and Merstone Station Meadow, his donations have helped pay for meadow management, nesting boxes for the threatened Grey Wagtail replacing Elms lost to Dutch Elm Disease. There are also installations for people too, picnic benches and intriguing art all along the Troll Trail amuse and inform people as they travel. For more on the Troll Trail click here
Visit Paul’s website for a taster of what he can create here
No your eyes didn’t deceive you if you happened to be strolling along Appley seafront last Sunday – that WAS a 6 foot squirrel up in the trees.
Goodleaf Tree Climbing’s launch of their Appley climbing season (every Sunday during July and August 11am - 4pm) saw adults and kids having fun scaling the heights and joining in the Gift to Nature bug-hunting walk led by Ian Boyd.
Ian was also earlier seen up a tree waving a net around – it’s ok though, he wasn’t waving for help, but looking for bugs only to be found in the tree canopy!
A big Thank You to Paul and Abi of Goodleaf for supporting Gift to Nature!
Appley Tree Climbing
Summer 2010
Appley Park, Ryde Isle of Wight
Every Sunday from 11 – 4pm
Come and join Goodleaf for the start of summer tree climbing in Appley Park on Sunday 4th July from 11am to 4 pm. As well as our most excellent tree climbing taster sessions running from 11 am – 4 pm, our friends Eccleston George and Gift to Nature will be there too for some extra tree-y fun.
Ian Boyd from Gift to Nature will be running nature walks at 11.30am & 2pm, checking out the trees of Appley Park, the foreshore of the beach and getting up close to nature with some canopy sweeping & bug identification.
There’ll be the opportunity to make some origami sycamore seeds and fly them with Hannah from Eccleston George – if you go tree climbing, you’ll be able to try them out from the top of the tree.
Come and join us all – climbing costs £10 for a 1 hr session and on the 4th July, 10% of this will go to Gift to Nature. Plus, you never know; the giant red squirrel might make an appearance!
For more information, go to http://www.goodleaf.co.uk/NewsGoodLeafRecreationalTreeClimbing.aspx or call 0333 800 1188
Please note; tree climbers must be aged 10 & over and be supervised by an adult aged over 18. Appropriate footwear must be worn.
Much hard graft (and rain soaking of staff and volunteers) yesterday and this morning has yielded a transformation in one little corner of Seaclose Park. Down by the river, in our little meadow garden, you will find the Gift to Nature Hive. An oasis of calm amongst the bustle of the Isle of Wight Festival, with comfy sofas, stylish artist-made nutshell seats and lots of information about Bees.
If you’re at the festival, pop in to relax, we’re open from 11-6 Sat and Sun. You can also pick up some info on bees, make a donation and maybe even bag a freebie or two. You can also take your photo on our specially constructed “A-BEE Road” Zebra crossing – see how closely you can replicate the classic album cover!
If you want to support our bee conservation work on the Island, why not buy one of the exclusive Let it Bee T-shirts, available from all festival merchandise stands. Profits from the sales will help us plant and manage wildflowers and create other habitats for bees. You can also donate directly at The Hive, by texting the word NATURE to 84424 to donate £1.50 from your mobile balance or securely online at The Big Give website.
You can keep up to date with goings on via Facebook and Twitter throughout the weekend, and we’ll be posting images to Flickr as and when we can – some from Friday are there now.
The turf maze at Merstone is loved by all passing children (and many adults). It was getting a bit overgrown so the fantastic Green Gym were sent in to give it a thorough overhaul. They set to the daunting task of removing the old compacted chalk (well trodden down by thousands of users) and then put down the fresh white chalk.
The carved picnic benches and info board were also treated to a well received dousing of teak oil to ensure they remain in service for many years to come.
Gift to Nature sent out BeeWicks (little strings impregnated with Birdsfoot Trefoil, Self-heal and Red Clover seeds) to all Primary and Secondary schools to encourage the growing of bee-friendly food plants. Bishop Lovett Middle School will close next year so the last ever intake of Year 5 children are leaving a legacy of 40 saplings in the grounds. They’ve been busy planting native species such as Oaks, Silver Birch, and Sweet Chestnut and will observe and record them as part of their Science lessons. So the Bishop Lovett children decided they would plant their bee wicks around the base of each new tree, and will now tend and water them over the coming months. The Year Five group were really excited to be doing their bit for bees, and already had a good understanding of the problems facing bee populations. Well done to them all for their enthusiasm during the planting!
The BeeWick project was funded by the AONB’s (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) Sustainable Development Fund.
For more information on our bee projects please click on the link 
For anyone who feels like having a stroll this weekend, take your pick from forest, downs, bays or rockpools;
Red Squirrel Safari Quest – 22nd May
Collect your question sheet at the car park and follow the map and clues around the Red Squirrel Safari, hopefully spotting red squirrels bounding along the tree tops as you go.
Start: 2:00pm Parkhurst Forest car park Grid Ref: 479 900 Bus: 7,Gunville Forest Corner
Duration: 2hrs 2 miles Cost: Suggested £2 donation to Gift to Nature Contact: Sam Buck Tel: (01983) 200074
Booking not required
Over the Top – 22nd May
Departing Newport bus station, we walk over Mount Joy and Chillerton Down via Carisbrooke Castle then on to Shorwell. Here we take the No 7 bus back to Newport.
Start: 11:00am Newport bus station Bus: 7, Newport bus station
Duration: 3hrs 6 miles Cost: Donation to Gift to Nature (plus bus fare) Contact: Jon & Jill Buck Tel: 07970 875637
Booking not required
Darwin’s Origin Walk – 23rd May
Darwin wrote the first chapter of the Origin of Species on the Island -find out more in a walk along Sandown Bay.
Start: 11:00am Outside seaside entrance to Ocean Hotel Sandown
Grid Ref: 600 841 Bus: 2,3,8,10, Sandown High Street
Duration: 3.5hrs 5 miles Cost: Donation to Gift to Nature
Contact: Rowan Adams Tel: (01983) 298098
Booking advised
Rockpool Magic – 23rd May
Come and explore one of the best rockpool shores in the country the famous Bembridge Ledges. Bring a net and expect to get a bit wet (but only paddling).
Start: 11:30am Bembridge Lifeboat Station Foreland
Grid Ref: 657 880 Duration: 3hrs Cost: £2 Donation to Gift to Nature
Contact: Ian Boyd Tel: (01983) 298098
Booking not required
To mark the International Year of Biodiversity, the IW Biodiversity Partnership have organised a day of nature activities and a special award for Wight in Bloom;
Go Wild in the Woods
Come and Go Wild in the Woods as we take you through a fun filled day of wildlife activities from dawn til’ dusk during the half-term holidays on Wednesday June 2nd at Firestone Copse near Wootton.
The day kicks off with a dawn chorus for the early birds and ends with bat detecting for the night owls. There will be lots of other great activities in between including pondlife discovery sessions, woodland crafts, wild flower and butterfly walks, tree climbing and willow creature making to name a few!
We’ll also need your help with Island’s very first BioBlitz where you can get involved with recording all the species that we see on the day!
For more details visit www.wildonwight.co.uk
Wight in Bloom Wildlife Award
2010 is International Year of Biodiversity and as part of the celebrations the IW Biodiversity Partnership will be presenting awards to the three best wildlife friendly gardens in this year’s Wight in Bloom competition.
A wildlife friendly garden is one planted to encourage wildlife and may incorporate a range of flowers or habitats which ideally provide shelter and food for a wide range of species such as birds, mammals, insects and amphibians throughout the year.
So why not put your business, school, community space or own front garden forward and show us how you attract and help the Island’s wonderful wildlife?
For entry forms and more details contact the Wight in Bloom co-ordinator at the Parks and Countryside section, IW Council section on 823893.
Just a reminder to everyone that after a late start this year frogs and toads are now out in full force making their seasonal migration to breeding ponds to spawn – and in some places this involves large numbers crossing roads, so please do keep an eye out for them and drive carefully. Toads in particular have suffered a steep decline in recent years and are now on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).
Froglife help organise nationwide ‘toad patrols’ and provide advice so for further information please click on www.froglife.org/toadsonroads
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is launching a new project to promote ponds on the Isle of Wight. In partnership with the Environment Agency, West Wight Landscape Partnership and Kitbridge Enterprises, they are currently trying to find out more about newts on the Isle of Wight.
If you’d like to take part in a simple (and fun!) torch survey to look for newts the survey form is attached here.
For further info please look out for the article in our Spring Gift to Nature newsletter.
Just as we enjoy hearing from our Business Fundraising members, equally we’d love to hear from the Friends of Gift to Nature about their wildlife observations or things they’re doing to help conservation. Please do email us with anything you’d like to let others know about – whether it’s the wildlife you look after in your garden, a comment about a Gift to Nature site you’ve visited, or a sighting of a Mad March Hare – and if you have a photo even better. In fact, even better than THAT would be if anyone could produce a photo of a Mad March Hare helping the wildlife at a G2N site!
Heather Cooper kindly sent in these photos of the Painted Lady and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies she saw last summer. Remember the 2009 ‘invasion’ of Britain by millions of Painted Lady butterflies from North Africa? Who knows what the wildlife highlight of 2010 will be ……..?
