Environmental News Lakeland park welcomes iconic squirrel Wildlife-friendly Silverdale Holiday Park in Cumbria has provided a local hospice with a £2,250 windfall – by offering a new home to a giant red squirrel.
the UK. But when the online hammer finally fell in mid-August, there were celebrations when the winner was revealed as local parks group chief Michael Holgate.
Named Mawson, the ten-foot tall timbercarved squirrel was for many years a familiar feature at the entrance to a plush Windermere hotel, the Langdale Chase. In spring 2017, however, the hotel's owner Thomas Noblett sold the business – and its new owners served Mawson with his marching orders.
And thanks to Michael, Mawson will now remain in his native Cumbria and enjoy a sea view from the entrance to Silverdale Holiday Park near Arnside. "It's a great result because our park has long had a red squirrel as its logo, and works closely with local nature groups to protect the colonies which thrive here," said Michael. "Many people expressed their dismay when Mawson disappeared from the hotel entrance as he had become something of a Lake District landmark."
Thomas offered to take custody of the landmark sculpture, and had the idea of using Mawson to help raise much-needed funds for St Mary's Hospice in Ulverston. So he entered Mawson into an online auction which sparked fierce bidding from across
"But now his future in Cumbria is assured, and he will still be on view to the public
Wildlife Adventure Park's Discovery Day
Children went wild at a Lancaster holiday park this August when they tackled a series of challenges to help heighten their awareness of the natural world. It all took place during a wildlife discovery day at Moss Wood in Cockerham which was attended by a line-up of Lancashire-based charities and organisations. Aimed at both youngsters and grown-ups, activities included supervised pond dipping sessions, and the chance for children to build their own bee and bug hotels. Bodies such as the RSPB and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust explained to guests how they can identify and help protect the county's native animals, birds and plant-life. Hungry visitors also enjoyed tasting locally-produced foods from exhibitors, including goats-meat burgers from Cockerham Boers, and honey from hives tended by Lancaster Beekeepers. The beekeeping organisation also helps maintain three traditional timber hives on the park which, in the summer months, are home to more than 100,000 honey bees.
from the road. Best of all, Mawson has allowed us to donate a substantial sum to a very worthwhile cause as he takes up his new role as Silverdale Holiday Park's mascot," added Michael.
Parks Praised As Wildlife See Their Hedge Fund Flourish More than 300 holiday parks which took part in an ambitious hedgerow conservation project have been praised for creating and managing a wealth of new wildlife habitats. With the year-long project now complete, an audit has revealed that just over 360 miles of hedges are now flourishing on parks taking part in the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme. The figure is based on feedback provided from parks by the scheme's wildlife assessors, and represents a length of greenery stretching from London to Edinburgh. Professor Bellamy's green awards are given annually to parks making exceptional efforts to protect the natural world – and each year, an extra challenge is thrown down. Honey bee conservation has already featured, and was followed in 2017 by the call for parks to plant new hedging and ensure that existing hedges are wildlife friendly. Rufus Bellamy said he was "genuinely taken by surprise" at the scale of what the assessors found on the 300-plus parks which pledged to take part in the project.
issUe 35 l october 2018
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