Holme Valley Parish Council is pleased to share the latest update on the Urban Nature Reserves project, highlighting local work to support wildlife and biodiversity across the parish.
The newsletter includes updates on the swift nesting project in Netherthong, activities with pupils at Netherthong School, and ideas for wildlife-friendly planting in gardens.
You can read the full March newsletter below.
March Newsletter
At what has been a rainy start to the year it is encouraging to learn that many of us are making plans for the spring and a couple of sunny days has raised our spirits.
We have had a great response from residents in Netherthong who would like to help the swift colony by putting up additional nest boxes. We have already received swift boxes from Action for Swifts Trading Ltd, delivered in person by Jim who built them in Norfolk, but we are still waiting to hear from Openreach about when they will be able to install them.
Cllr Morgan has been to talk to some of the children at Netherthong School, who are excited about putting up swift boxes on their school building. The pupils have taken ownership of a five-chamber swift box which will be installed on the gable of the school and have already devoted two school assemblies to learning about these remarkable birds.
The school is now fundraising for a call box to encourage swifts to the new nesting sites when they return, and the children are also planning to plant insect-friendly plants to improve the birds’ food supply. They are keen to help spread the word about swifts in the community.
We should all be thinking about beneficial plants in our gardens. Native plants that offer food and cover are one of the most important things gardeners can do to support wildlife.
Team Wilder, a project led by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, is encouraging everyone to think about the nature benefits of their garden. They have created a simple game that anyone can play to help think about the beneficial elements in their garden.
Please get in touch if you have ideas for communal nature-based activities. A bat walk and talk is being planned for later this spring, with more details to follow.
To sign up to the mailing list for an email copy of the newsletter please visit the Urban Nature Reserves page via the link below: