Mossland article in Lancashire Life

Please click here for the Mossland article as featured in Lancashire Life.

Trailblazers careers on Rock FM

Lancashire Wildlife Trust project Trailblazers has got some new friends at Rock FM. The Lancashire radio station invited the Trailblazers team in to act as a corporate client for a group of students from St Mary's College in Blackburn.

Trailblazers jumped at the opportunity and asked the students to produce a short commercial advertising their current vacancies for v placements. The Trailblazers team gave out the brief to two competing teams who had just a couple of hours to come up with the finished commercial from scratch.

Experts from Rock FM were on hand and Adam from the breakfast show even came by to give the students a bit of help. The two finished products were both incredibly good and really impressed the Trailblazers team, but only one could be picked as the winner.

St Marys College Winning Commercial (mp3)
St Marys College Runner Up Commercial (mp3)

Listen out for the winning one getting air time on Rock FM in the coming week. www.rockfm.co.uk

If you are interested in applying for the v placement advertised in the adverts then click here for more details.

Book Review - The Carbon Fields

'The Carbon Fields - How our Countryside can save Britain' by Graham Harvey (Publisher - Grassroots) After his book 'The Killing of the Countryside', which won the BP Natural World Book Prize, I thought it would be difficult to repeat that success. However, I believe 'The Carbon Fields' deserves the same critical acclaim. It aims to bust some myths about the world of food and farming and proposes a simple, natural solution to today's most pressing problems - high food prices, rising carbon emissions and ill health.

The book is well researched but extremely readable, as you would expect from the man who is the Agricultural Story Editor for that great British institution - 'The Archers'.

As a farmer's daughter and someone who is passionate about nature conservation, this book certainly made me think long and hard about some beliefs I had about food production and gave me hope that there might be ways in which wildlife can be sustained in our drive to be more productive.

The final chapter is a call to action to all of us consumers and producers of food, to decide if we want healthy, life enhancing food, which does not cost us the earth, or not.

If anyone out there is minded to test out this approach to land management, we, at the Trust, would love to talk to you.

Reviewed by Anne Selby, Chief Executive

We have negotiated a 30% discount for our supporters. This can be claimed by ordering online at www.grassrootsfood.com or by telephone to 01278 683066. Please quote the code LWT09 to obtain your discount.

Biodiversity Benchmark award for Springfields

Geoff Gill EHS&Q Director at Springfields (centre) receives
the Biodiversity Benchmark from The Wildlife Trusts’ Corporate Relations Manager, Howard Park and Fundraising Manager Clare Kenny

Representatives from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts recently went to Springfields at Salwick, near Preston, to present the company with the Wildlife Trust’s Biodiversity Benchmark. This is in recognition of the impressive environmental management performance of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s Springfields site.

Following an audit against The Wildlife Trust’s Biodiversity Benchmark, Springfields Fuels Limited was recommended for certification, making the site not only one of a handful of industrial sites in the UK to successfully gain the coveted Benchmark, but the only nuclear site to have achieved the award. The certification demonstrates that Springfields satisfied the scheme’s rigorous criteria for managing the site carefully to protect and enhance the habitat for native plants and animals within the constraints of its business.

Deepdale Wood, part of the Springfields Nature Trail

“We are very proud to have gained recognition from The Wildlife Trusts,” said Geoff Gill, Springfields’ Environmental, Health, Safety & Quality Director, who received the Benchmark Certificate from Howard Park, The Wildlife Trusts’ Corporate Relations Manager. “Springfields has always taken its environmental responsibilities very seriously and now the site has received national recognition for the management of its local biodiversity.

“Not only is the Biodiversity Benchmark hugely important from a moral point of view, but it also makes a powerful statement to the outside world about our commitment to conservation and to green principles. We are lucky enough to have custody of a site which is pleasant to work on and which provides ideal habitat for many species which are either protected, or of ecological importance. This is both a privilege and a responsibility.”

Advice and support on various ecological aspects is provided by the local Lancashire Wildlife Trust. John Lamb, Conservation Officer for the Lancashire Wildlife Trust was employed to survey areas of woodland and wetland at Springfields as part of the site's working towards the Biodiversity Benchmark. Mr Lamb explains: “I didn't know the area before surveying the site but it didn't take long to discover that Springfields is a special place for wildlife. Not only does it have populations of Great Crested Newts, which are of international importance, but the site supports ancient woodland that has been there since at least 1600AD and may be derived from the original woodland cover that colonised the area after the ice-age retreated around 10,000 years ago. So far 150 plant species have been recorded in Deepdale Wood, and the species list for the wetland areas is over 110."

On presenting the award, Howard Park from The Wildlife Trusts, said: “It is encouraging to see how a busy industrial site can be managed as a haven for wildlife and as a valuable community asset. It just goes to show that with effective environmental stewardship of the land, nature can thrive - this does not happen by accident, it requires a great deal of commitment and hard work by Springfields and its partners. Springfields is one of the first organisations to achieve the Biodiversity Benchmark and I hope it will encourage more organisations to follow their example.”

Springfields was the first nuclear site in the UK to put a Biodiversity Action Plan in place to manage the site’s environmental areas. Springfields contains two Biological Heritage Sites, Deepdale Wood, which is the only area of semi-natural ancient woodland in the Fylde and the site’s ponds on the Nature Trail. The Nature Trail is visited by hundreds of schoolchildren each year and provides a safe haven for the protected species of the Great Crested Newt and slowworms.

Wild About Your Garden

©Jo Stephens BBC

On the eve of his new BBC1 show Wild About Your Garden (www.bbc.co.uk/wildaboutyourgarden), celebrity gardener Chris Beardshaw throws his support behind The Wildlife Trusts’ Living Landscape (www.wildlifetrusts.org) campaign. 

Wild About Your Garden is based on an idea close to the heart of The Wildlife Trusts and our vision for A Living Landscape: it is about using gardens to extend the habitat of the wildlife all around us.

©Jo Stephens BBC

Chris says: “You don’t have to stand in a landscape or in a garden for very long to realise the potential for wildlife. The concept of A Living Landscape as one habitat is certainly something that I support. In a way this is what the programme is about, it’s about creating the right sort of plot to help wildlife survive.”

For Chris wildlife and gardening go hand in hand.  He automatically considers wildlife in the gardens he designs. 

“For me plants have always been about creating habitats for wildlife.  I don’t always particularly make a point of it though.  If I say ‘we want to get wildlife in here’ people sometimes conjure up a vision of an unruly messy railway embankment-type place, but it really doesn’t have to be like that.  Wildlife doesn’t mind if it’s in a formal pond or a less formal pond, as long as it can get in or out of it, it doesn’t mind a jot,” he says. 

Ask Chris about his favourite wildlife moments and he says there were so many it is almost impossible to say - a bit like asking him about his favourite plant: “when confronted by a plant you realise the delicacy and beauty of the subject. Similarly sometimes it’s not until you have actually seen the red squirrel on the feeder that you put up in the garden you created that you think about how incredibly special this all is.  Red squirrels are certainly one of the most charming of all our native wildlife they are so special, with such great personalities...but for me it wasn’t just about the wildlife, it was much more, it was all about the people too.  We really enjoyed working with all the people in the six gardens we helped create and we had huge amounts of fun. But in two of the families in particular, there was such a change.  There was one family that said that they felt that they weren’t functioning that well as a family unit and it was the wildlife interest that brought the family back together. It changed the dynamics in the whole family and the father said that now we have something to talk to each other about as a family.”

Chris gave us three tips for wildlife gardeners: 

1. Have a flower in flower every day of the year.

As long as it is a nectar deliverer it will help give you a base level of invertebrates.  And it warms the hearts of gardeners at the same time. 

2. Get some water into the garden in some shape or form.

This is especially good if you want to encourage children into wildlife gardening. It doesn’t have to be elaborate and it doesn’t have to be unsafe – it can be as simple a puddle somewhere on the patio - but wildlife will be drawn to it and so will children.

3. On climate change gardening the most important thing to do is not panic. 

Plant species that enjoy the conditions in your garden and then they will be adept at adapting to changes including prolonged weather like rain or frost. 

©Jo Stephens BBC

Wild About Your Garden starts on Wednesday 19 November on BBC1 at 8.30pm.  In the New Year look out for the 45-minute version of the programme which goes into the issues in more depth.

Don’t drop the Marine Bill, Mr Brown

Halloween Celebrations at Penwortham Education Centre!

The Penwortham Environmental Education Centre Halloween event is back by popular demand, and this year it's even bigger and better!

The events are taking place on Thursday 30th and Friday 31st October, from 6.30pm - 8pm. The evening is set to be a huge success, boasting a spooky story to set the scene, followed by an outdoor adventure through the haunted trail. Who knows who you might meet?!

As a special treat for those who are usually considered too young for the event, the education centre is also hosting a Hallowteenies Halloween party, on Thursday 30th October 5.30-6.30pm, especially for the under 7's.

All events include a fancy dress competition and indoor games to ensure everyone, young and old, has a 'spooktacular' Halloween! For more information about the event, or to book your place, contact the Penwortham Environmental Education Centre on 01772 751 110.

BRIAN'S LUCKY DAY

Brian Marsh was the lucky winner of a Rohan waterproof jacket kindly donated by Outfit, at the Wildlife Trust's volunteer conference. Brian attended with his wife Lyn, as they are both enthusiastic volunteers at the Trust's Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve near Rufford. Brian called at Outfit's Southport showroom to collect his prize. (SEE IMAGE - PHIL WHITAKER OF OUTFIT ON LEFT, BRIAN MARSH ON RIGHT).

The Conference took place at UCLAN in Preston and all facilities were laid on by the university at no charge to the Trust.

VOLUNTEER CONFERENCE & AGM

4 October 2008

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside reinstated their annual volunteer conference on the 4th October 2008.  The event was held at the prestigious Harrington Building, which is part of UCLAN in Preston.

UCLAN very kindly agreed to let us use the building free of charge for the day and the facilities included a large lecture theatre as well as rooms for our workshops.

We had a wide and varied choice of workshops, which included:

• Wildlife Photography run by Jason Smalley of Wildscape was "well presented and gave excellent advice"
• Wildlife Policing with Duncan Thomas, the Wildlife Police Officer for Lancashire - "shocking but compelling" was a quote by one of the volunteers
• Sustainability run by Charlie Jackson at the last minute as our original speaker was taken ill, so a big thanks to Charlie for "saving the day".
• Slow Worms run by Lorna Bousfield of Amphibian and Reptile Group, South Lancashire.
• Living Landscape a Local Perspective run by LWT staff John Lamb and Dave Dunlop and gave the audience a chance to try it themselves.
• Dragonflies run by Graham Jones, a great quote said "gave me the confidence to have a go".
• Lancashire's Fabulous Ferns was run by Jennifer Newton MBE and was extremely popular Jennifer brought in a number of sample ferns to look at.
• Mosslands run by Mick Weston and Martyn Walker again of LWT, one of the comments received was "a great double act"!!
• Sound of Sopranos run by Sue Dunning of LWT and Pat Waring of Ecology Services UK and was enjoyed by all who attended.
• Tales of the Riverbank given by our own Helen Laycock which was said to have given "excellent information on the species and their life cycle".

The event was well attended by both volunteers and staff, with around 100 people enjoying the selection of the workshops, lunch and at the end of the day 'goody' bags with items having been donated from our sponsors.

There were various displays for the volunteers to look at throughout the day and they had the chance to see what was happening throughout the trust.

Stephanie Hilborne, CEO of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, came up from Newark to speak to the volunteers on Living Landscape and said of the event "the audience was great - upbeat and responsive".  Other speakers included Tim Mitcham, who gave a Trust update and Graham Jones who spoke about the new "Wildlife Counts" project.  Our trustees thought that the AGM was really well attended and gave a good overview of the year's developments.

We would like to pass on our thanks to all of the sponsors who helped make the day possible.

And finally, a massive "thank you" to our volunteers who attended on the day and made it such a success.

Live on Air!

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust recently took to the airwaves on the newly launched community radio station, Preston FM.

The Trust’s Wildlife After Schools project will be spreading the word about wildlife! Their show, The Wild Side, aims to educate Preston FM’s listeners how their local wildlife can be interesting and exciting.

The first of the fortnightly shows went out live on Monday 6th October and was packed with interesting discussion topics, delivered in a fun and appealing way. The soon-to-be trademark “Wildlife Quiz” in the show challenges the hosts to test their wildlife knowledge and invites listens to text in the answers.

The Wild Side is currently looking for guests, so if you have an interesting story to tell about wildlife, or maybe an interesting occupation, then get in touch with the WASP team and tell them why you should be a guest on their next show! Call Dan on 01772 751138 or email dmcdermott@lancswt.org.uk.

To listen to the show, tune in to 103.2 FM or listen live at www.preston.fm between 4pm and 5pm on 20th October and 3rd November.

Bankers escape the office!

Nine enthusiastic staff from the Royal Bank of Scotland broke off their office shackles on Thursday 18 September to muck in for wildlife at Seven Acres Local Nature Reserve!

The nine staff, from offices throughout the northwest including Bolton, Horwich and Manchester helped staff from Lancashire Wildlife Trust undertake a number of practical tasks on Seven Acres to help improve its value for the local community and the resident wildlife.

Andrew Mather - Business Support Consultant - Royal Bank of Scotland

One of the tasks the group undertook was installing a new seat overlooking a pond on the reserve. The pond is a wildlife haven and has regular visitors including the grey heron and kingfisher and so will offer a great vantage point for members of the community. The RBS staff also installed a section of fencing alongside a series of steps which will help make the path safer for less mobile park users.

The staff from RBS, normally used to managing projects and providing business support really showed their commitment for local wildlife by getting knee deep in a smelly pond to clear back some of the vegetation which has been reducing its value for wildlife. The pond, which is home to newts, toads and a range of dragonflies will benefit immensely from the hard work which will be great for school educational visits and site users.

Andrew Mather, Julie Fennell, Stuart Unsworth of RBS with James Hall of Lancashire Wildlife Trust

James Hall, Senior Project Officer for Lancashire Wildlife Trust said, 'I was extremely impressed with the work the group put in on the day. Despite some of the work being really messy everyone was really enthusiastic and it is great to see companies allowing their staff to participate in activities like these which will benefit the local community'

Simon Rother, RBS Manager at Bolton, said 'I had a very enjoyable day - if a little hard work! I have learnt more about conservation today than in the last few years'

The day was part of a scheme The Royal Bank of Scotland deliver called Community Cashback Awards. In addition to the volunteer efforts of the nine staff, RBS also presented the Lancashire Wildlife Trust with a cheque of £500 which will be used to help improve Seven Acres Local Nature Reserve as a community resource and a wildlife haven.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust will be celebrating Red Squirrel Week between 4th and 12th October

The Trust is a leading partner in the protection of Red squirrels. One of their last remaining strongholds is in the Formby area of Merseyside, where we work to encourage them to thrive and prosper. Our efforts have been set back by the recent outbreak of Squirrelpox, which is carried and spread by Grey squirrels. The population of Reds has been halved by this disease and local people have joined us in efforts to exclude Greys from these areas. Events to celebrate National Red Squirrel Week are:

Sat 27th September - Spot the Squirrel – enjoy a relaxed walk around the Red Squirrel Trail, learn about our Red Squirrels and see if you can spot them . 09:30 hrs – Lifeboat Road, Formby. Meet in the car park, booking essential – call Sally on 0151 920 3769

Sunday 5th October – Get Sponsored for Sefton’s Squirrels – Come on our 5km family friendly sponsored walk on Formby’s coast between Lifeboat Road and Victoria Road. Click here to download a sponsor form.

The sponsored walk above will take you to the Family Fun Day (below) . Why not do both together?

Saturday 4th & 5th October – Red Squirrels Family Fun Day – Red Squirrel crafts and activities for all ages. No need to book just come along and join the fun. 11:00am to 3:00pm National Trust, Victoria Road, Freshfield.

Saturday 4th to Sunday 12th October – The Great North Squirrel Quest – Help us create a snap shot of where red and grey squirrels are across the north of England. Download survey forms from www.saveoursquirrels.com – News & Events.

Rare Black Fox

The media have been buzzing with excitement this week after a rare black fox was seen in the Chorley area.

Within hours, we fielded calls from BBC radio and television and numerous newspapers.

Graham Jones, our Reserves Manager, was featured on BBC's Northwest Tonight - see the link below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7624314.stm

It's currently the BBC's most popular news download!

The black fox was filmed by a member of the public and is the first to be seen in the county in living memory.

We were alerted to the possibility that the black fox might exist, by a call to the office three weeks ago, with a corroborated sighting, also in the Chorley area. However, no pictures were available.

The black fox was originally bred from the more normal red strain, in order to supply the fur trade. Some were released into the wild, but have always been rare because of their commercial value until the genetic strain became regressed. They are more common in North America, where they have not been hunted to the same extent.

Mythology tends to ascribe unlucky tendencies to any black creature: cats, dogs, crows etc. However, there is no evidence that the black fox has any such attributes. It is simply a genetic rarity and we hope that public interest will not disturb it unduly.

WILDLIFE TRUST ACHIEVES SUSTAINABLE WOODLAND MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION

In order to receive the Annual Management Grant from the Forestry Commission through the English Woodland Grant Scheme, the Wildlife Trust had to apply for the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme (UKWAS), which is the UK's certification scheme for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). In April 2008 we were audited under the Small & Low Intensity Managed Forest (SLIMF) category, which takes account of nature reserves, community and urban woodlands.

Minor Non-conformances and Observations were raised by the auditors, SGS and subsequently dealt with by Trust officers. In August 2008 the audit was approved by the FSC and the Trust was awarded the UKWAS. The certification will last for 5 years.

A total of 306 hectares of woodland on our nature reserves are now certified, as follows:

Astley Moss, Leigh;
Aughton Woods, Lancaster;
Boilton Wood, Preston;
Booths Plantation & Howick Hall Woods, Penwortham;
Cross Hill & Salthill Quarries, Clitheroe;
Dean Wood, Rivington;
Foxhill Bank, Oswaldtwistle;
Freshfield Dune Heath, Merseyside;
Haskayne Cutting, West Lancashire;
Heysham Moss, Lancaster;
Longworth Clough, Belmont & Bolton;
Lord’s Lot Bog, Carnforth;
Mere Sands Wood, Rufford;
Moor Piece, Bashall Eaves;
Pleasington Old Hall Wood, Blackburn;
Red Scar/Tunbrook Woods, Preston;
Summerseat, Ramsbottom, Bury;
Warton Crag, Lancaster; and
Willow Farm Wood, Gregson Lane.

For further information contact:

John Lamb
Senior Conservation Officer (Lancashire)
The Barn, Berkeley Drive, Bamber Bridge, Preston. Lancs. PR5 6BY

mailto: jlamb@lancswt.org.uk
direct dial & voicemail: 01772 317240

TRUST STARTS NEW BUTTERFLY MANAGEMENT PROJECT

Dr Jennifer Newton

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and N. Merseyside is pleased to announce the commencement of a butterfly management programme at Warton Crag with the aid of a grant from the Lancashire Environmental Fund.

Warton Crag is a hugely important site both locally and nationally in supporting populations of several rare butterfly species. UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species of concern are the High Brown Fritillary, the Northern Brown Argus and Pearl-bordered Fritillary while the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary is listed as a species of conservation concern. The mosaic of habitats favoured by these species are under constant threat of encroachment by scrub and dense bracken stands, and require continual management work to safeguard the success of these species. This project will focus on enhancing and maintaining existing areas of suitable habitat as well as restoring areas of grassland now dominated by scrub.

The High Brown Fritillary, which is the key focus of the project, lay their eggs within bracken litter in close proximity to violets, their larval foodplant. Management is therefore aimed at encouraging the growth of violets on the edge of bracken stands. The project will aim to carry out scrub clearing work, coppicing and bracken management. It is also hoped to trial new practical management techniques as well as purchase equipment to increase the efficiency of the work and ensure the extended areas can be managed adequately within current resources beyond the time frame of this project. This will be carried out alongside the current programme of grazing which also forms a key part of the management prescription for the site.

By maintaining the existing areas of habitat in favourable condition through additional management work and the creation of additional suitable habitats in close proximity, it is hoped to enable the site to support larger and hence more viable populations of these rare species. Management for High Brown Fritillary will also benefit both Pearl-bordered and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries while grassland management should benefit the Northern Brown Argus whose larvae feed on Common Rock-rose. In addition it will increase the areas of species rich grassland and associated limestone outcrops, itself supporting a number of r are plants such as Limestone Fern, Angular Solomon’s Seal and Dark Red Helleborine. This habitat also supports other notable invertebrate species such as moths Cistus Forester and Least Minor, both of which could benefit from this project.

Much of the work will be undertaken by volunteers through practical working party days, while more specialist work will be delivered by trained volunteers or staff members. The project will be supported by the Trust’s Heritage Lottery Funded Volunteer Project, which itself aims to promote opportunities and engage and support new and current volunteers. Through the engagement of local volunteers it is also hoped to strengthen links with the local community, raise awareness and build a strong core of support to assist with management and monitoring in the future.

High Brown Fritillaries can been seen during July and August, although usually only seen on warm, sunny and relatively still days, so if you are planning a visit to the Crag in the hope of catching a glimpse of these very special butterflies it is worth checking the weather forecast beforehand. The species can also be easily confused with the commoner Dark Green Fritillary which is also present on site, however if you are lucky enough to see one close up, the patterning on the underside of the wing is diagnostic.

RUN FOR YOUR WILDLIFE! You've seen it on the television, now YOU can take part in a sponsored run (or stroll if you prefer!)
	SUNDAY 8th JUNE 2008
Be part of the Doitforcharity run series and take part in the Manchester event whilst raising funds for the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and N Merseyside. The 2008 Doitforcharity.com Manchester 5km will take place at Heaton Park - register your interest today and make sure you are part of it! www.doitforcharity.com/lancswildlifetrust.aspx Information about the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and N Merseyside and sponsor forms available from Clare. tel. 01772 324129 ckenny@lancswt.org.uk
	SUNDAY 18th MAY 2008
General entries for the BUPA Great Manchester Run are now closed but we have 25 guaranteed places secured, one of these could be yours! Come and join in this exciting, mass participation, televised event which forms part of the Manchester World of Sport 08 campaign, the single biggest year of sport in Manchester since the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Entries, information about the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside and sponsor forms available from Clare. Tel. 01772 324129 ckenny@lancswt.org.uk

Help us win Britain’s biggest sea battle since Trafalgar!

Joan Humble MP (Blackpool North & Fleetwood) has added her support to The Wildlife Trusts' call for a Marine Bill in the next Queen's speech.

Mrs Humble added her signature to one of our Petition Fish in Jubilee Park, Cleveleys, at the first of our 'Cool Seas Roadshow' events at the start of Marine Week.

Rosie Cooper MP (West Lancashire), Tony Lloyd MP (Manchester Central) and Paul Rowen MP (Rochdale) have also sent signed scales to add to those of Dr Brian Iddon MP (Bolton South East) and Gordon Prentice MP (Pendle).

Our MPs have also been signing up to a House of Commons Early Day Motion (EDM No. 1833) calling for a Marine Bill to be brought before the House.

It reads as follows:
That this House welcomes the ongoing campaign by Wildlife and Countryside Link, a coalition of environmental organisations, including the Marine Conservation Society, the RSPB, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, the Wildlife Trusts and WWF, for a comprehensive Marine Bill; notes the continued public and cross-party political support for such a bill; welcomes the publication in March of the Marine Bill White Paper A Sea Change; believes that with the utmost urgency the United Kingdom needs a new approach to managing and protecting its marine resources, wildlife and cultural heritage; further believes that the Marine Bill must be based on a system of spatial planning to reduce conflict between the many users of these seas; further believes that the Bill must include reform of inshore fisheries; further believes that, given the extraordinary richness of wildlife in UK seas, the Bill must put protection of wildlife at the heart of marine policy through measures including the designation of a network of marine conservation zones; and calls on the Prime Minister to include such a bill in the 2007 Queen's Speech.

At the time of writing it's been supported by:
Mrs Janet Anderson MP (Rossendale & Darwen), Mr Jim Dobbin MP (Heywood & Middleton), Mr Lindsay Hoyle MP (Chorley), Mr John Leech MP (Manchester Withington), Mr Ian McCartney MP (Ince & Makerfield), Mr Eddie O'Hara MP (Knowsley South), Dr John Pugh MP (Southport), and Mr Ian Stewart MP (Eccles).

Bernard the Gurnard joins the call for a Marine Bill

The Petition Fish campaign, launched in June at the House of Commons, aims to demonstrate public support for a Marine Bill. Such has been the success of the original campaign that The Wildlife Trusts are now launching an online version featuring Bernard the Gurnard, a fish frustrated by the wait for a Marine Bill.

Bernard is a Red Gurnard, a bottom-feeding fish which lives in sandy areas around the UK coast. Gurnards have two unusual features: they can walk (using slender 'fingers' - actually fin spines - to creep along the seabed) and they can 'talk' (they grunt and croak, perhaps to communicate with each other).

To see Bernard the Gurnard, click the icon below

Lancashire Wildlife Trust is leading the fight against destructive new planning laws

At 9.00am today, protestors from the Wildlife Trusts joined a gathering outside St Paul's Cathedral in London. As part of the Planning Coalition group, the Wildlife Trusts have made a planning application to the London Planning Office, proposing that a new waste incinerator be built on the site of St Paul's Cathedral. This has been done to highlight the fact that, under present legislation the general public would have the right to protest at such a travesty, whereas under the laws proposed by the present Government, they would not have that right. Waste incinerators are highlighted as one of a list of affected developments which includes nuclear power stations, airport expansion and major road building. Sites of Special Scientific Interest are nature's equivalent of Grade 1 listed buildings and, shocking as it may seem, WildlifeTrusts regularly encounter major development proposals which threaten our most valued and important national wildlife treasures. Peter Mallon, Communications Officer for Lancashire Wildlife Trust, said : "People don't realise that these new laws would take away their fundamental right to protest at the largest and potentially most damaging forms of development. We are giving everyone the chance to tell the Government to rethink this disastrous idea before it's too late." Planning Disaster, a coalition of Britain's leading environment organisations, represents over 5 million people. The coalition has published a joint statement 'Making Planning Better', which sets out how the Planning White Paper should deliver sustainable development - that is, economic and social development which respects environmental limits. The Coalition has made it easy for the public to make their voice heard, now, in the Government consultation. All they need to do is send the Government an email via the website www.planningdisaster.co.uk. The deadline is 17th August. The Planning Application will be withdrawn from the Corporation on Tuesday, to avoid wasting public funds on processing the spoof.

Brian Iddon, MP for Bolton South East, and Gordon Prentice, MP for Pendle, have supported The Wildlife Trusts' call for a Marine Bill in the next Queen's speech.

The Wildlife Trusts launched 'Petition Fish' to MPs at an event in the House of Commons on June 5^th. Dr Brian Iddon MP and Mr Gordon Prentice MP both attended the event and signed a 'scale' on a giant Petition Fish to demonstrate their commitment to the Marine Bill. Throughout the summer The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside and other Wildlife Trusts around the country will also be collecting signatures on Petition Fish. The completed Petition Fishes will be brought back to Westminster in the autumn.

The Marine Bill White Paper (launched in March) is an important step towards better protection for UK seas and marine wildlife, but there's still a long way to go. Government has pledged to deliver a Marine Bill during the current Parliament, but serious delays in the Bill's development may have put it at risk. The Wildlife Trusts are urging MPs to help keep the Marine Bill afloat by pledging support for the Bill and by conveying the importance of the Bill to the new Prime Minister. We are very pleased to have Dr Iddon's and Mr Prentice's support. It is vital there is the necessary political will to introduce a strong Marine Bill in the Queen's Speech in November.

Stephanie Hilborne, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts says:

"Like climate change, the destruction of marine wildlife is an urgent global issue and the UK Government must take a lead by protecting our own seas. We cannot delay marine legislation any longer - the urgency to protect marine biodiversity is unquestionable. The 2007 Queen's Speech must include commitment to the enactment of a Marine Bill. The Wildlife Trusts' Petition Fishes will help keep the Marine Bill in the public eye and make sure it gets onto the statute book."

The UK's seas are extraordinarily rich in wildlife, home to more than 44,000 animal and plant species - around 50% of our biodiversity. However our seas are poorly protected compared to terrestrial habitats and under increasing pressure as offshore activities proliferate and climate change alters marine ecosystems. One of the key demands of The Wildlife Trusts' campaign for a Marine Bill is the creation of Highly Protected Marine Reserves where all fishing and other damaging activities are prohibited.

For more information about the wildlife of the Irish Sea, click here

Dr Brian Iddon MP with Stephanie Hilborne

Mr Gordon Prentice MP with Stephanie Hilborne

Parking Donations

The Trust has now installed a "parking donation" scheme at Mere Sands Wood. The suggested fee will be £2 per day, with an option to give a £20 annual donation.

The donation is entirely voluntary and goes directly towards maintaining the car park and visitor facilities at Mere Sands Wood for the benefit of all visitors. The suggested donation is the same for members and non members alike. Unfortunately we are unable to offer free parking as a member benefit, as this would be viewed as a significant member benefit and we would be forced to pay 17.5% VAT on all membership subscriptions (approximate cost to the Trust - £70,000)

A similar voluntary system has been implemented at other Wildlife Trust Reserves in other parts of the country and is working very well. We will monitor the system this year and make any necessary adjustments in the future. A wooden 'badge' that should be displayed on the dashboard of your vehicle will acknowledge the Annual Donation of £20. The shape for 2007 is an oak tree. This will be valid until 31st January 2008. Each badge will be valid for one calendar year, beginning on 1st February. Badges purchased at any other time of the year will still expire on 31st January - visitors should decide whether to purchase an annual pass or separate tickets until the following year.

If you have any further enquires, please telephone Nick Fowler-Johnson on 01704 821809

The Wildlife Trusts' pilot podcast - now live!

It can be downloaded from the homepage of The Wildlife Trusts

THANK YOU! The appeal deadline has arrived and we have reached our target! A huge thank you to everyone who has supported this appeal, we are overwhelmed by your generosity. It is not too late to give and be part of this project - all extra donations received will go directly towards the restoration of the Brockholes site for wildlife. more info Thanks to your help, the purchase process to secure the site is now underway - watch this space for more details. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SENT A CONTRIBUTION We have received hundreds of cheques from our Members and Supporters so far. Our escrow agents, Birchall Blackburn Solicitors, have tried hard to cope with the volume of work, but some of you may not have seen your donation pass through your bank account yet. Please bear with us - the remaining cheques will all be encashed soon. If you have a particular concern, please call Kevin Brown on 01772 324129. We would like to thank the partners and staff of Birchall Blackburn Solicitors, who have been inundated with your cheques and who have performed beyong the call of duty to record all the donations, bank and administer them.

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Latest Offer: You can now buy the latest handsets from the UK's leading networks from our new partner - Dial-a-Phone. For a limited period only Dial-a-phone has offered The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside an introductory rate of £50 for every subscription made via our webshop.

The long-awaited Birds of Lancashire & North Merseyside will be published in February 2008 and can now be ordered. Click here for more details

FOXHILL BANK IS IMPORTANT FOR WILDLIFE BUT HOW IS FOXHILL BANK SPECIAL TO YOU?

The new gateway to nature in Bolton
£1.2 million was invested by East Bolton Regeneration to create the Environmental Resource Centre. The building is located on a brownfield site on Bury Road, just a few minutes drive from the town centre, with some car parking available. It will be the Greater Manchester office of the Wildlife Trust and will be officially opened in the next few weeks, with a series of events involving local schools, community groups and environmental enthusiasts. Supported by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, the Trust has been operating within Bolton for 17 years, but the larger premises and improved facilities will enable the scope of its work to be broadened. more info

HRH Duke of Gloucester at the Wildlife Trust
His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester paid an official visit to the headquarters of Lancashire Wildlife Trust at Cuerden Valley, Bamber Bridge, today. He was accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, Lord Shuttleworth and Lady Shuttleworth, and the Mayor of Chorley, Cllr Mary Wilson and her consort Cllr John Wilson.

Environmental Resource Centre to open soon

£1.2 million was invested by East Bolton Regeneration to create the Environmental Resource Centre. The building is located on a brownfield site on Bury Road, just a few minutes drive from the town centre, with some car parking available. It will be the Greater Manchester office of the Wildlife Trust and will be officially opened in the next few weeks, with a series of events involving local schools, community groups and environmental enthusiasts. Supported by Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, the Trust has been operating within Bolton for 17 years, but the larger premises and improved facilities will enable the scope of its work to be broadened.

The landmark building comprises a fully resourced classroom, conference room and resource room with an exhibition space. All of these facilities are available to the local community, schools and businesses.

Environmental credentials

The Environmental Resource Centre has transformed a key gateway site that was once a disused petrol station into an environmental centre for Bolton and in particular for those living in East Bolton. The building sits on the edge of Seven Acres Local Nature Reserve, which has been developed to provide an important local amenity for walks and leisure time relaxation, as well as a conservation area for wildlife in the heart of an urban regeneration area.

The building's striking architecture and design incorporates a number of environmental principles and adheres to the philosophy of sustainable development:

Using natural resources

• The building utilises natural ventilation systems and maximises natural light.
• Solar panels on the roof should provide all hot water requirements during most of the summer months and significantly reduce the amount of other energy sources used for water heating during the winter.
• The heating system has been designed so that it can be served by a ground source heat pump. When funding is secured this can be installed, allowing the building to be heated by geothermal energy. The electrical installations have been designed to allow the installation of a small wind turbine at a later date.

Re-using materials

• The building re-uses materials wherever possible. For example the roof has been constructed using tiles that were once on a Preston factory that had to be demolished.
• The carpet tiles have been manufactured from recycled materials.

Using eco-friendly materials

• Western Red cedar timber used for the external cladding, which has been sourced from sustainable forests.
• Although much of the building has been built with new materials these were selected during the design process to limit the impact on the environment in terms both of their use of natural resources and the manufacturing process.
• The glass for the windows is thermally toughened so that it is warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Saving energy

• Each room has its own individual thermostat to make sure the building is never over-heated unnecessarily.
• The underfloor heating provides an efficient system, which can be served by a ground source heat pump.
• Heating is currently provided by a high efficiency gas boiler, which monitors both inside and outside temperatures to provide water at the correct temperature to the underfloor system.
• When fitted the ground source heat pump will be able to provide approximately three KW of heat energy for every 1KW of energy used to pump fluid through the system. This represents a very significant reduction in CO2 produced as a result of heating the building.
• Solar panels for water heating also help to reduce energy requirements and CO₂ emissions.
• The building is highly insulated, providing very good heat retention characteristics.
• The front of the building is south facing and large windows in the entrance area and exhibition space allow heating through solar gain, with shading to prevent excessive heating during the summer months.

Community facility

The Environmental Resource Centre will provide a unique facility to hire for exhibitions, training workshops and meetings as well as providing a space for educational and community activities.

It is hoped that an environmental theme will run through all of these activities, for example, with schools using the classroom facilities to learn about the different species that can be found in Seven Acres Local Nature Reserve.

Seven Acres Local Nature Reserve

Seven Acres is a haven for wildlife, situated just less than two from the busy town centre of Bolton and at the centre of the East Bolton Regeneration area. The site covers 67 acres and combines 10 different habitat types including heathland, acid grassland, open water and broad-leaved woodland.

70 different species of bird have been recorded at Seven Acres, including Kingfisher, Dipper, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Song Thrush.

Butterflies are another prime species, with 18 different varieties recorded.

Seven Acres is a vast green space in the heart of an urban area, which offers opportunities for the local community and wildlife. Access has been dramatically improved so that people can come together to enjoy a while range of activities available from a casual stroll through the area, to planting for the future, to bug hunting!

The Environmental Resource Centre is considered the home base for Trust operations for the area, with access from this into the vast garden of Seven Acres. This is an area for people to come together and explore their own potential.