As some of you will know there has been a terrible outbreak of phytophora ramorum around where I live. I know this is being acted upon, the forrestry commision has brought in contractors to speed up the felling, the ranger assures me area's were screened for nesting prior to work continuing (but wouldn't say by whom, he also readily admits to being more focused on it's status a a great mountain biling location, as this is why he got the placement to begin with, however the FC have now started to pressure him to create more of other events, such as walks etc), it had started prior to the breeding season.
Anyway thats the back drop, my concerns are for next year's breeding , there will be a lot less suitable tree's available next year, especially for hole nesters (there are woodpeckers GS and green and nuthatches) as well as the usual resident birds, we also do well for migrants (willow, wood, gropper, redstart and recently discovered flycatchers(pied+spotted)). I know the birds are busy with this years, but the scale of felling and replanting by next year will have removed a significant patch of forestry, alot of which has the more suitable tree's in.
What I am looking for inforation on how to gather and mobilize a local group to create and place nest boxes, not only in affected area's but in parts that are so far untouched by the diseaese, and as there are no bike trails, are mainly used by locals. I noticed on another recently opened footpath a couple of boxes, but have been unable to find out who has placed them. There is no local group for Neath Port Talbot, but there is a west glamorgan group, in winter almost every other house has feeders in the garden, so think there would be strong local support.
Any pointers and information would be greatly appreciated.
It's both what you do and the way that you do it!
You cannot fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren. William Henry Hudson (1841 - 1922)
I don't have any direct experience of setting up a nest box group but would suggest a letter to the local paper or papers might get some interest, or even lead to a piece in the paper about the project. You could also work with the local RSPB group (if there is one) and teh Wildlife Trust in the area to get the word out.
Good luck!
David
Hi mpiekp,
Could you try to recruit a school or a youth group in the area? You could "sell" it as a hands on experience of making nest boxes and so on. Also some retailers of timber are quite happy to give offcuts of suitable wood etc when it is set up with young persons in mind.
I'm not sure what goes on in your neck of the woods but up here we have a "Supported Employment Team" run by the council for people with special needs and they have supported workshops that make planters and benches etc. for parks and cummunity areas. If you can locate some such function in your council they might be interested.
Good luck
Jenni
God gave us two ears and one mouth for a very good reason!
Jenny some good idea's there thank you, am sure there is a simular thing in the area, but they are possibly to far away from here to be interested, but it takes no time to drop them a note.
I "Got Going" this week by giving the "Stepping up for Nature" campaign a plug on my "Nature Watch" programme on our community radio station in Llandudno. If any of you have any ideas of bits I can use to help the campaign every week do let me know!
If any of you in North Wales have an event, for instance, that I could tell folks about or any general tidbits just flag 'em up.
The programme goes out on Wednesday afternoons and I think we do have a few listeners!!
Cheers all!
Hi Folks, Sorry that appeared twice but just as I was posting it last night everything went haywire then seemed to freeze - couldn't get back in.