LWT LOUTH AREA GROUP CHAIRMAN’S JOTTINGS NOVEMBER 2018

SPEAKER MEETING 23 NOVEMBER 2018

The Group’s last meeting of 2018 will be at 7.30pm at the Nichol Hill Methodist Church in Louth on Friday 23 November. This is the annual Nancy Loft Memorial Lecture when the Chief Executive of the Trust, Paul Learoyd, will talk about 'The Work of the Trust’. There have been some dynamic forward-looking developments recently, so this is an ideal opportunity to learn about what is happening and what will happen in the LWT.

DONNA NOOK SEAL UPDATE AND VISITING CONDITIONS

At 2000hrs on Friday 16 November the count was 334 Bulls, 1058 Cows and 943 Pups.
I have taken the information below from the LWT website for your information. Please abide by these regulations that have come into force to manage the high volume of visitors who flock to Donna Nook. As ‘locals’ we should try to visit during the week. I find the best time is mid-afternoon when there is a better chance of seeing Pink-foot geese, Brent geese and Golden plover swirling in the sky.
There is a one-way traffic system. The main car park is privately operated and charges £5 per car (all day parking) on weekends, and £4 per car on weekdays. They offer catering facilities and portaloos but there is no disabled access. This car park only opens during seal season - late October through to December. 20% of the car parking fee is kindly donated to the Trust to help with the upkeep of the nature reserve and protection of the seals.
Stonebridge car park has limited parking and is maintained by the Environment Agency. From here there is easy access to the viewing area and privately-owned catering facilities.
The Seal Viewing Area can be accessed from either car park.
Formal traffic management will be in place on the four busiest weekends (10-11 Nov, 17-18 Nov, 24-25 Nov, 1-2 Dec) with official traffic personnel on site.
They will enforce:
· A one-way system
· No stopping
· Speed restriction
· Blue Badge holders in the designated (Stonebridge) car park

50 YEARS OF LAG – LONG TERM PLANNING
In January 2020 the Louth Area Group will reach its 50th year of existence. I am seeking ideas as to how the half century should be celebrated – possibly with some sort of exhibition. The LAG archives only consist of copies of programmes and some committee minutes. Consequently, I shall be delighted to hear from: -
1. Long standing LAG members who have pored over photograph albums of the period 1970- 2010 to see whether they have pictures that they would permit to be used in a display.
2. Members who have ideas for a low-key event or events that could mark this 50-year point.
3. A person or people who would be prepared to research documents held at LWT HQ, Horncastle.
4. A volunteer or volunteers who would be prepared to manage any planned event or events.

Best wishes
Ray Woodcock Chairman Louth Area Group








Many thanks for this.
Count me in please.
Sorry, I won't be able to attend.
ReplyReply allForward




















































Page 1 of 1

Louth Watch Group

Help us to celebrate  the 70th anniversary of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.

Louth Watch Group are planning an art and craft event based on the natural world.

We will be meeting at Spout Yard Gallery in Louth on 18th November.  

The meeting starts  at 2.00pm. until about 4.00pm.

The event is free.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

We hope that you can join us

Information Coffee Morning Saturday 10th November

LOUTH AREA GROUP OCTOBER CHAIRMAN’S JOTTINGS

SPEAKER MEETING 26 OCTOBER

We start our programme of speaker meetings at 1930hrs on Friday 26 October in the Nichol Hill Methodist Church, Louth. Dr Vin Fleming from the Nature Conservation Committee will tell us about Earthstars, Brittle Gills and Puddockstools. These are not witches who might be around at Halloween; they are the names of fungi that can be found during the Autumn.

The entry fee, including refreshments, remains at £2.50 whilst children are welcome and have free entry.

 

THE INFORMATION COFFEE MORNING SATURDAY 10 NOVEMBER

Our annual fund-raising event will take place at the ConocoPhillips Room in Louth between 1000hrs and noon on Saturday 10 November. There will be a chance to buy Wildlife Trust Christmas cards and calendars plus the opportunity to view presentations as well as having a coffee and a chat. LWT Warden James Forrester will have a collection of various woods to be found in Snipe Dales whilst Biff Vernon will show us some of the art work that was on display at the #200Fish exhibition.

There will be a Raffle! However, we do need prizes. If you are kind enough to donate a prize, please bring it along to the LAG indoor meeting on 26 October or let me know onlag2104rww@aol.com and I will arrange to collect it.

 

ASSISTANCE REQUIRED ‘LAPWINGS’ DELIVERY LOUTH

A volunteer is required to deliver 18 copies of the Lapwings magazine three times a year in the Ramsgate/ Eastgate area. Please contact Louise Scott on ryndle38@hotmail.com if you can help.

 

 ‘THE LOST WORDS’ SUCCESS

You may remember that last month I provided information about the splendid, ‘Lost Words’ book that was being delivered to all state schools in Lincolnshire. Three of us were pleased to deliver 18 of these books to schools within the LAG area where they were very well received.

Best wishes

Ray Woodcock Chairman Louth Area Group

LOUTH AREA GROUP VISIT TO LWT RESERVE WOODHALL SPA 30 SEPTEMBER

The first day of wintry weather did not deter over 30 people from many sources coming along to be enthralled by LWT Warden Kevin James as he described how the land went from farmland in 1941 to an RAF airfield. The base was the home of many Lancaster bomber squadrons including 617 – the Dambusters. We stood by the recently constructed war memorial which commemorates the 458 men who did not return home. I think that we were all saddened by the loss of life and some people were rather surprised to be reminded that most of these men would have been under 23.

Post-war the airfield eventually became a sand and gravel extraction site and the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust bought the premises a few years ago. When the contractors left they took their pumps with them so what appeared to be sandy heathland rapidly became wetland and reed beds.

Kevin and his team of volunteers from the Horncastle Area Group assisted occasionally by contractors have a long and short-term programme to manage the site to make it look ‘natural’. Their efforts have been rewarded as wild fauna and flora slowly populates the area. One long-time, unwelcome insurgent is the Piri-piri burr which is native to New Zealand. It colonises ground very quickly and its burrs become entangled around insects and the feet of birds. The plant came to the airfield on the knapsacks of RNZAF personnel in 1944!

Our enthusiastic guide has a many facetted role. He tends a flock of black Hebridean sheep and a small herd of Lincoln Red cattle. He uses hydraulic engineering knowledge to manage the water levels to control the reeds, as well as having the overall management of this and other sites.

We did see a dozen or so species of birds including Egyptian geese and a tree full of Cormorants.

However, bird watching was not on list on Sunday. Nevertheless, the two large lakes are a haven for wild fowl and passage migrants. I shall be returning in the Winter months to spend some time in the hide. Contact me on lag2014rww@aol.com  if you would like to come along.  Ray Woodcock

LAG CHAIRMAN’S JOTTINGS SEPTEMBER 2018

Our Autumn field trip will be to the LWT Reserve Woodhall Spa Airfield on Sunday 30 September where LWT Warden Kevin James will give us a guided tour. We will meet at 1000hrs at the main gates on the B1192 Tattershall Road through Woodhall Spa town. The nearest post code is LN4 4JT and the OS Map reference is TF 206608.

We shall be on site for about 2 hours, there are no loos once you leave Woodhall Spa. For the most part the going is flat along the old main runway where wheel chairs can have a good run.

There will be lots to see so bring your telescopes and binoculars as well as your fauna and flora ID guides.

Work parties will take place from 0930hrs at Rigsby Wood on 14 October and on 28 October at Swinn Wood.

INFORMATION COFFEE MORNING SATURDAY 10 NOVEMBER

EARLY WARNING AND SEASONAL SCROUNGING

Our annual fund-raising event will take place at the ConocoPhillips Room in Louth between 1000hrs and noon on Saturday 10 November. There will be a chance to buy Wildlife Trust Christmas cards and calendars plus the opportunity to view displays as well as having a coffee and a chat.

We shall have a Raffle! However, we do need prizes. If you are kind enough to donate a prize, please bring it along to the LAG indoor meeting on 26 October or let me know on lag2104rww@aol.com and I will arrange to collect it.

‘THE LOST WORDS’ – A REMINDER

Since 2010 common countryside words like acorn, wren, kingfisher and conker started to disappear from children's books. Earlier in the year the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust set up 'Crowdfunder' campaign to raise £5,000 to help bring these lost words back to life. In fact, you may well have contributed to the campaign. It was intended to buy every primary, junior and special school in Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and North-East Lincolnshire a copy of a wonderful book.

The book, 'The Lost Words' written by Robert MacFarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris, is a joyful celebration of nature words and the natural world they invoke. It is set out in an ideal way to share these words across the generations. LWT will also supply a copy of “An Explorer’s Guide to The Lost Words” to each school to help teachers get the most out of the book.

SUCCESS AND HELP

You may be aware that the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has been successful in reaching its fundraising target. But, the fundraising target didn't include funds to cover the costs of postage. Now comes the task of delivering the books to the schools!

Members of the Louth Area Group have arranged to deliver books to several schools in the area. However, those listed below still need to be visited. If you have an affinity with any of these schools, you may care to deliver a copy of the book to ‘your school’. Please let me know the name of the school by 25 September on lag2014rww@aol.com and I will let you have more details.

Best wishes

Ray Woodcock                Chairman Louth Area group

Louth Kidgate Primary Academy	North Cockerington Church of England Primary School
Louth Lacey Gardens Junior School	North Somercotes Church of England Primary School
Louth St Bernard's School	North Somercotes, Somercotes Academy
Louth Academy	Fulstow Community Primary School
Louth Cordeaux Academy	Utterby Primary Academy
	Grainthorpe Primary School
Legbourne East Wold Church of England Primary School	Grimoldby Primary School
Donnington-on-Bain School	Scamblesby Church of England Primary School

Report on Watch Group Treasure Hunt in Hubbard's Hills 16-9-18

After a short shower early in the afternoon the day became warm and sunny.

Prior to families arriving, the Treasure Hunt clues were laid as a trail through Hubbard's Hills.

They were discreetly tied to trees, bushes, benches etc

Each family was given a sheet of instructions. They were sent off to find each clue and to answer the natural history question at that site. There were twenty clues to find, spread throughout the Hills. All the questions had multi choice answers and ranged from being very simple to more challenging.

When the families had found and completed the questionnaire, they were able to compare their replies with the answer sheet.

Each child (twenty in all) was then able to chose some 'treasure', an animal eraser pencil or a packet of glittery stickers.

All the families seemed to enjoy the Treasure Hunt.

Thanks  are due to Louise who compiled the clues and questions and also hid them in the Hills.