Wiltshire Wildlife, Spring-Summer 2023

Wiltshire Wildlife Magazine

June 2023 Number 132

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Trust.

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Printed on paper produced from pulp from responsibly managed forests. Printed in Wiltshire by www.MailandPrint.co.uk

Editor Kirstine Bowen

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust

Registered charity No. 266202

Patron Robert Floyd

Chair Mark Street

Council Members

Martyn Allez, Julian Barlow, Charlie Fattorini, Fiona Goff, Tim Gilson, Matt Jolley, Piers Maynard, Cora Pfarre, Sylvia Wyatt

Ambassador

Professor Sir John Lawton

Chief Executive

Dr Gary Mantle MBE

Head Office Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Ltd, Elm Tree Court, Long Street, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1NJ.

Telephone: 01380 725670

Email: info@wiltshirewildlife.org

Website: www.wiltshirewildlife.org

Power

Ihope that you enjoy reading our latest magazine. There have certainly been some big achievements over the past year, none of which would have been possible without your generous support, the professionalism of the staff and the service of all our volunteers.

If you, like me, watched the Wild Isles series, you may have noticed that there were clips of Wiltshire’s amazing wildlife and countryside in almost every episode. After watching the grassland episode, I visited our Lower Moor nature reserve and witnessed the start of the flowering of the snakeshead fritillaries at Clattinger Farm. They are such a unique sight, it is almost difficult to imagine that they are growing wild; it shows how easy it is to accept a new baseline for nature as each year passes, which is why it is so important to continue to preserve the best of what we still have.

Another interesting visit I had with some of our Wildlife Guardians was to Great Wood near Grittenham. The Trust has started the delivery of its new 2030 Strategy (p.6) with a bang. Thanks to a significant grant from Biffa Award, we have been able complete the acquisition of the wood (p.10) and thanks to your support for our ongoing appeal, we will be able to do further work to restore this ancient woodland over the coming years and make it even better for wildlife.

There has also been some big news with Gary Mantle announcing his retirement later in the year. You will find reflections from Gary overleaf (p.4), where he recounts some of the wonderful achievements from his 33 years at the helm.

Get in touch…

Email info@wiltshirewildlife.org or visit our website www.wiltshirewildlife.org

Phone us on 01380 725670

Post

You’ll read just how far the Trust has come under his strong leadership and with his pioneering approach to driving nature’s recovery in Wiltshire and beyond. I would like to record, on behalf of the Trustees, our heartfelt thanks for his leadership, and for being such a consistent champion for wildlife and nature in our county for so long.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate Pradeep Bhardwaj, our new High Sheriff for Wiltshire. His theme for his time in office is inclusion and the promotion of equality and diversity, all of which are core to the values of the Trust and central to the goals in our Strategy, namely to enable as many people as possible to take action for nature and to break down barriers that prevent access to nature.

This year, I built a hibernaculum in my garden, and I’m hoping the resident newts and toads from our pond will find their way into the maze of timber and rocks that we have buried under some soil. It is often a lot simpler than you think to provide more for nature in your garden, if you are fortunate to have one, and it is certainly very rewarding. Every small action helps.

Mark Street, Chair

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Reflecting on 33 years at the helm

By Dr Gary Mantle MBE, Chief Executive

After 33 years of dedicated service to the wildlife and people of Wiltshire, our Chief Executive Dr Gary Mantle MBE is retiring this summer. Over three decades, Gary has made a huge contribution to conservation, locally, nationally and internationally. We asked Gary to tell us about some of the Trust’s key moments during his time at the helm…

We launched a big ‘Water Campaign’ to raise concerns over the impact of groundwater abstraction on chalk streams. We set up a volunteer network of river monitors and a national water team who initiated action on invasive non-native species, surveyed rivers and built otter holts. Once extinct, otters are now found all across the county, and in just the past eight years, the Trust’s water team has enhanced over 40km of Wiltshire’s rivers.

Following the 1992 UN conference in Rio, where world leaders first agreed on actions to tackle the biodiversity and climate crises, the Trust initiated a programme of local action under the Local Agenda 21 initiative. This resulted in a more holistic people-based approach to tackling environmental problems; working with schools, community groups and concerned individuals to tackle waste reduction and recycling, encourage greater energy efficiency and wildlife gardening.

Visiting the Czech Republic to give a talk, I was astonished by the scale and success of grassland restoration there. A few years later, I returned with leaders of the other Wildlife Trusts. The movement-wide approach to nature conservation changed from preservation of protected sites to ecological restoration at a landscape scale. We pioneered ‘Rebuilding Biodiversity’, which became adopted nationally as the ‘Living Landscapes’ approach, seeking bigger, better managed, buffered and better connected areas for nature.

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Opening up the world of nature and inspiring the next generation to care for the environment has always been a priority for the Trust.

In 1992, the Trust appointed its first paid education officer. Since then, we have worked with tens of thousands of young people and now employ 67 full-and part-time staff across our education and wellbeing teams.

The Trust was the first organisation to benefit from the new Landfill Tax Community Fund thanks to the support of The Hills Group, and the first Wildlife Trust to secure a grant from the new Heritage Lottery Fund. This funding has enabled us to create habitats, engage communities, extend existing reserves and purchase exceptional sites such as Clattinger Farm, the finest example of a lowland hay meadow in Britain.

During the official opening of Blakehill nature reserve, a former military base, we talked about the need for precision grazing at its new farm yard, to protect and maintain our wildflower meadow nature reserves and deliver the biggest grassland restoration project in Britain at Blakehill.

We now have three successful farming bases, which are now an essential part of reserve management.

Photo: Eurasian Otter, WWT

Photo: Green winged orchid, Simon Smith WWT

Since its purchase in 2001, we have expanded and made major enhancements to Langford Lakes nature reserve to allow wildlife to flourish. It is now a premier bird watching site and our restoration of the River Wylye has encouraged spawning salmon, grayling and brown trout.

In 2012, a reed bed was built there by Wessex Water to prevent untreated sewage being pumped into the river when drains became overwhelmed, becoming a template for similar naturebased solutions..

Reports showing huge declines in insect abundance and diversity spurred us into launching a national Action for Insects campaign, which has led to nearly every Wildlife Trust taking urgent, practical action. Here in Wiltshire, we have carried out surveys, adjusted how we manage our reserves, and created butterfly banks, log stacks and wider woodland rides.

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I represented The Wildlife Trusts in meetings with the UK Prime Minister in preparation for the UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen (COP15). I hand delivered a giant ‘postcard’ with over 200 signatures urging the UK delegation to press for urgent action. In 2013, the Trust set up Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy. WWCE now generates over 6MW from solar panels.

The purchase of Lower Moor Farm gave us the opportunity to set up our first Care Farm. Lakeside Care Farm provides naturebased opportunities for young people with a range of complex needs. The childcentred approach of activities in nature has had a profound impact and the messages of gratitude from families and carers are incredible. We have since opened The Willows Care Farm at Mill Farm, near Melksham, and we plan to set up a third in south Wiltshire.

It has been a privilege and joy to have dedicated so much of my life to the Trust. I have been blessed by working with some of the most extraordinary people. It has been humbling to see the dedication, professionalism and personal care invested by our staff and volunteers, even through difficult times.

Seeing the difference that the Trust has made to the wildlife and people of Wiltshire fills me with hope, and the knowledge that we can all do something about the nature and climate crises.

I have seen that you are never too young to start; never too old to care. We all have different gifts and motivations. Your contribution is never too small to make a difference.”

Photo: Pearl-bordered fritillary, Gary Mantle

Photo: 10 Downing Street, WWT

Photo: Dr Gary Mantle MBE

Our new strategy

James Ravine, Head of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications

A Wilder Wiltshire

This spring, we published our ‘Wilder Wiltshire’ strategy, which will shape our work until 2030. This new seven-year strategy sets out how we will restore nature rapidly, and at scale, and inspire people to live more sustainably. Whilst the strategy sets some clear and challenging goals, it builds on the success of the first 60 years since the Trust was founded. The strategy will enable us to deliver our vision of a sustainable future for wildlife and people.

To help achieve this vision, we will lead by example in delivering nature’s recovery, connecting communities and generations with the natural world, and empowering them to take meaningful action for nature and mitigate the impacts of climate change. At the same time, we will continue to work with others who share our vision.

Photo: Coombe Bissett DownWWT

Our Goals

We have set ourselves three goals for what we want to see by 2030:

Nature will be in recovery

By 2030, Wiltshire and Swindon's habitats, species and natural processes will be in recovery and 30% of land will be managed for nature.

To achieve this, we will lead by example by:

•Doubling the area of land owned and managed by the Trust to 2,400 hectares.

•Restoring species abundance and diversity across Wiltshire and Swindon.

•Restoring natural processes on our land and in rivers.

People will be taking action

By 2030, people will be taking informed and meaningful action for nature and the climate and benefitting from having nature in their lives.

To achieve this, we will:

•Empower 1 in 4 people to take significant and transformative action for nature.

•Help improve the health and wellbeing of people through their engagement with nature.

•Provide opportunities for all children and young people in Wiltshire to experience the joy of nature and kindle a lasting interest in wild places.

Nature will be valued

By 2030, nature will play a central and valued role in helping to address local, national and global problems.

To achieve this, we will:

•Get nature and climate at the heart of decision making.

•Create and promote nature-based solutions with partners to address the climate and nature emergencies.

•Support sustainable, healthy, productive and resilient ecosystem services across Wiltshire and Swindon.

In our full strategy, you can read more about how we plan to deliver on these goals over the next seven years and how we will measure our success.

Photo: Lapwing, Gary Mantle

Photo: WWT

Photo: Wildlife march, Penny Dixie

The success of TakingAction for Insects

By Samantha Stork, Head of Conservation

In 2021, we were awarded a large grant by the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund to take action across our nature reserves for invertebrates It is now time to catch our breath and reflect on what we’ve achieved; the result is astounding.

We had a clear vision from the start. In 2019, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust took part in commissioning a report Insect Declines and Why They Matter. Read the report at www.wildlifetrusts.org/actionfor-insects. We wanted to demonstrate how it can lead to action and offer opportunities for others to learn.

This was a complex project, pulling together different strands of our work. We aimed high, promised a lot, and our fantastic team of staff, volunteers, contractors, and consultants delivered.

The project was split into four distinct sections: Surveying and Monitoring, Woodlands, Grasslands and Freshwater.

Surveying and Monitoring

How do we know if we’re doing the right thing, in the right place, in the right way? We wanted to complete a rigorous assessment of the invertebrate communities on our nature reserves. Our Ecological Project Officer, Michael New, developed a programme of training events and surveys with an overwhelming take-up from volunteers. We are extremely grateful for the number of experts and specialists who offered their time at no cost, providing an opportunity for both our volunteers and staff to

improve their identification skills. From beetles, bees and butterflies, to ants, spiders and earthworms, over 4,500 species records have been added to our database, with new and rare species discovered. To name only a few of the highlights, at our chalk grassland sites, we recorded rugged oil beetle, large scabious mining bee, hornet robberfly, Roman snail, and butterflies like the dark green fritillary and Adonis blue.

Our lowland grassland reserves also produced some super finds, including the marsh fritillary butterfly, devils-bit jewel beetle, glow worm, lesser emperor dragonfly and moths like the spectacular Clifden nonpareil, as

well as the nationally rare downland villa fly. At freshwater sites, we found the tawny longhorn beetle, Desmoulin’s whorl snail, and the nationally scarce bog bush cricket.

Michael has left a legacy of a programme for future years, ensuring the work continues and this project acts as a baseline to identify trends and monitor the impact of our work.

Woodlands

We worked across four of our woodland nature reserves, focusing on opening up the canopy to let light into the woodland floor through thinning, coppicing and ride widening.

Adonis blue

Photo: Maxine Stringwell

This will encourage plants essential to the lifecycle of invertebrates such as pearlbordered fritillary butterflies at Blackmoor Copse. At Sandpool, we left high birch stumps to attract the large belted clearwing moth.

Grasslands

The project’s conservation workers have worked extremely hard to create a scrub matrix across our grassland and meadow sites for many species such as solitary bees and the rugged oil beetle. Seed from Trust meadows was harvested and sown to enhance the grass sward at Echo Lodge and Upper Minety Meadows, and a new invertebrate strip was created at Blakehill nature reserve.

Freshwater

It was our water team who got the chance to deliver two of the most visually striking projects for freshwater invertebrates. On the Western Arm of the Hampshire Avon we regraded the steep-sided banks to create a more gradual slope for marginal vegetation to develop. We also reconnected the river to the floodplain, creating a wonderful matrix of wet habitats to support invertebrates such as mayflies through all lifecycle stages.

At Southwick Country Park in Trowbridge, we worked with Wiltshire Council to create three scrapes that will be seasonally wet, transforming a uniform field into a diverse habitat for invertebrates.

The project’s success has been acclaimed widely and won this year’s Conservation Project of the Year award from the Wiltshire Life Awards, sponsored by Ramsbury Brewery.

Downy emerald

Downland villa fly

Black-and-yellow longhorn

Wasp spider

Carabid beetle training

Saving Great Wood

By James Ravine, Head of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications

We are delighted to announce the creation of a new nature reserve, Great Wood, one of the few remaining large ancient woodlands in Wiltshire, extending to 175 acres near Lyneham.

Ancient woodland now covers just 2.5% of the country. As one of the 20 largest ancient woodlands in the county, protecting Great Wood for nature will bring huge benefits to both wildlife and people once restored.

Great Wood includes probably the largest collection of wild service trees in the country, as well as fantastic stands of oak, with some trees probably more than 200 years old, making it nationally important for conservation.

What happens next?

This long-term project will restore Great Wood to its former glory. Large swathes of conifers, which currently cover a third of the woodland and do not support much wildlife, will gradually be replaced with a mix of native broadleaf trees.

We will create more space for the rare wild service trees to flourish. With the help of volunteers, we will create glades, widen paths, coppice trees and remove invasive plants to improve the health of the woodland by encouraging fresh growth and providing more woodland marginal habitat. A much more diverse understorey of plants will spring back; more light reaching the woodland floor will enable huge carpets of bluebells to bloom again.

Many more bird and butterfly species used to be found at Great Wood. The more diverse habitat will attract back beautiful birds such as nightingale and willow warbler and butterflies including the purple emperor and pearlbordered fritillary. Sadly, the dainty wood white butterfly, which once thrived in Great Wood, has been absent from Wiltshire for many years; our

surveying and habitat improvement will help us reintroduce this rare species to the woodland.

Ponds in woodlands provide homes to a huge variety of wildlife. With droughts becoming more common, ponds will be key in increasing resilience to climate change, helping sustain Great Wood’s bird, mammal, amphibian and insect residents. We will restore Great Wood’s existing large pond, which has become overgrown and too acidic due to conifer needle fall, and create a second. The Great Crested Newt population will grow and a host of dragonflies will dart across the ponds.

A step in the right direction

Landscape-scale nature recovery is key to achieving our goal of 30% of Wiltshire managed for nature by 2030, double the current level. Acquiring Great

Photo: Great Wood tree canopy

Wood is a big step towards the target of doubling our own land managed for nature by 2030, but the project goes much further than the boundaries of Great Wood. The reserve is part of the Braydon Forest area and close to two other Wiltshire Wildlife Trust woodland nature reserves. We will work closely with local farmers and other landowners to connect Great Wood to other nearby ancient woodlands and hedgerows as part of a wider nature recovery network.

Community engagement

Establishing a programme of education, wellbeing and engagement activities is another exciting part of this project. There are no public rights of way in

Great Wood and we can control access, making it a rare resource for education and vulnerable groups to relax and learn. From the new Natural History GCSE, to forest school, guided walks and eco-therapy, we will provide a host of engaging activities. There will also be plenty of opportunities for our members and the local community to visit the woodland through volunteering and guided walks and events.

Help us restore Great Wood

We thank our long-term supporter Biffa Award, who provided most of the funding for this project through the Landfill Communities Fund, as well as other generous funders and

Please donate to our Great Wood appeal at: www.wiltshirewildlife.org/great-wood-appeal

those who have already donated to our appeal. Thank you so much!

With your help, our Great Wood appeal has so far raised over £70,000! We're nearly there, but we urgently need more support, as we have only nine months to complete the initial restoration project.

A £50 donation could pay for five native trees, which we would plant and look after, or could help us create habitat for rare butterflies such as the purple emperor. Can you help us reach our £120,000 target to secure Great Wood's future?

Photo: Nightingale, Amy Lewis

Photo: Purple emperor, Erik-Karits

Great Wood is a big step towards the target of doubling our own land managed for nature by 2030.”

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The Devenish

By Alex Atkinson, Conservation Lead South

Located

brown argus, and comma butterflies as you wander through the grassy areas of the nature reserve in the summer months.

Birds to spot include garden warblers and blackcaps, while buzzards wheel overhead.

volunteers. They carry out work such as hazel coppicing and ride widening to open up the woodland floor to sunlight, which allows ground flora to thrive and provides a better habitat for insects, birds and mammals.

chalk downland slope is well

The large beech trees along the road are more than 200 years old. As these veteran trees age, they create valuable deadwood habitat for many invertebrates, such as the spectacular rhinoceros beetle. The mixed woodland was planted about 40 years ago and we are already seeing secondary growth of our native species.

How is The Devenish being managed for wildlife?

The Devenish is maintained and enhanced with the help of Volunteer Warden, Richard Death, and a regular group of

The volunteers also remove dominating species throughout the woodland that inhibit the growth of other flowers, and plant wild garlic and bluebells. Whilst lower in the valley, seedlings and cuttings are spread in the meadows to encourage chalk grassland wildflower species such as orchids to grow.

Sheep also graze the nature reserve throughout the year, keeping the grassland in good condition by eating down the tougher grasses and ash saplings.

just north of Salisbury, The Devenish offers a wonderful mix of young woodland, mature beech woodland, chalk downland and meadow.

Photo: View from The Devenish, Sarah Marshall

Find out more about this nature reserve at: www.wiltshirewildlife.org/devenish

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volunteers

Thanks to the dedication, skills and energy of our wonderful volunteers, we are able to maintain and enhance our woodlands and other habitats to enable wildlife to

A special thanks goes out to our volunteer group at Ravensroost nature reserve for logging more than 1,300 hours in six months!

Come and join us for seeding and plug planting this

Joining one of our regular volunteer work parties not only provides an opportunity to help protect local wildlife, but it is also a chance to catch up with old friends, meet new ones and enjoy being outdoors.

Find the latest opportunities at: volunteering.

wiltshirewildlife.org

Photo: Langford Lakes, Ralph Harvey

Photo: Common spotted orchid, Rob Large

Photo: Brown Argus, Stephen Davis WWT

Photo: Rhinoceros beetle, ggallice

Photo: Oysters Coppice, Debbie Carter

Photo: Blackcap, Amy Lewis

Photo: Harebell, Kieron Huston

The lesser spotted woodpecker: Wiltshire’s woodland enigma

By Jonathan Cooper, WSBRC Project Officer

When we think of Wiltshire, we conjure an image of rolling fields and downland. Indeed, that landscape covers much of our county; but look a bit closer and you will find beautiful pockets of woodland. It is some of these places that the secretive lesser spotted woodpecker calls home.

The lesser spotted woodpecker is the smallest and least common of the UK's three species of woodpecker. This diminutive bird looks much like its larger cousin, the great spotted woodpecker. The two can be told apart, as the lesser spotted lacks a white shoulder and has no red under the tail. It is also much smaller, being around the same size as a sparrow.

The lesser spotted woodpecker is a bird of the treetops, often found feeding in the very highest branches. Despite their small size, they have territories of up to 100 hectares; sometimes covering multiple smaller woodlands. Within these territories, standing dead trees provide both feeding opportunities and nesting sites.

Across the UK, lesser spotted woodpecker numbers have plummeted by around 90% between 1967 and 2020, placing them firmly on the Red List of threatened species. The exact causes of these declines are unclear. However, it is thought that loss of open woodland habitats combined with increased removal of deadwood may have contributed to the rapid drop in numbers.

Within Wiltshire, we have sadly lost the lesser spotted woodpeckerfrom many woodlands; but they can still be found if you know where to look. A walk around Savernake Forest may yield a sighting of this elusive woodpecker and they can still be heard drumming in the spring in the Braydon Forest area (try Ravensroost Wood or The Firs nature reserves), although its 'drumming' is much quieter and less vigorous than that of the great spotted woodpecker.

It is clear that the lesser spotted woodpecker needs help. By working to link woodlands and ensuring they are managed in a way that compliments nature, we can help secure the future of this secretive, but charming bird in Wiltshire.

Find out more about the lesser spotted woodpecker at: www.wiltshirewildlife.org/lesser-spotted-woodpecker

Across the UK, lesser spotted woodpecker numbers have plummeted by around 90% between 1967 and 2020”

Photo: Stefan Johansson

New community orchard planted for wildlife and people

By Matt Callaway, Green Lane Wood Reserve Warden

At the start of the year, we were delighted to create a new community orchard at Green Lane Wood nature reserve in Trowbridge, thanks to generous funding by Shaw Trust.

Staff from Shaw Trust and volunteers from the local community joined us at the end of January for a superb day planting sixty fruit trees in celebration of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s 60th anniversary and Shaw Trust’s 40th anniversary.

It may be a few years before the trees start to produce any fruit, but that day will come around quickly. Once matured, the new orchard will not only provide habitat and a great food source for wildlife, but will also improve community wellbeing.

The orchard, aptly named Sloegrove Orchard after a former woodland name for Green Lane Wood in the 1600s, will comprise of mostly Wiltshire varieties of apple, but look out for plum, damson, greengage, pear, quince and medlar within the orchard, too. They will be available for all to enjoy once they have matured, so soon people will be able to go for a lovely autumn walk and forage for their next apple and blackberry crumble.

Once the trees start to bear fruit, the rare Bechstein’s bats, which live in the neighbouring wood, will forage on the insects that feed on the rotting fruit, and birds will also be able to feast on the fruit and insects. As the orchard ages, cracks and crevices will also develop within the trees, providing more roosts for the bat colony.

Come and see Sloegrove Orchard during your next visit to Green Lane Wood!

The Bloody Ploughman Apple is one of 13 different apple varieties that have been planted at Sloegrove Orchard. It has a beautiful crimson red skin and, as its name suggests, it has stained red flesh.

Photo: Orchard planting, Ellie Dodson

Nurturing Nature: Creating a new wave of wildlife surveyors

By Anna Cooper, WSBRC Citizen Science Project Officer

Our Nurturing Nature project is one of 20 projects that form the Cranborne Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership Scheme, made possible through funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Free training by experts

the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which covers 380 square miles of countryside, overlapping the boundaries of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset.

The habitats of Cranborne Chase include chalk grassland, chalk streams, arable fields, and small woodlands. This exciting project aims to create a new generation of biological recorders, by training over 100 new volunteers, with little or no experience in wildlife surveying.

We aim to use this data to improve our understanding of biodiversity in Cranborne Chase, and provide a new baseline of information, which we can use to inform future conservation projects.

Since February, we have been running a vast range of training activities for our volunteers, based both online and in-person, run by a variety of wildlife experts, nature organisations and local groups. More training is planned throughout May and June, and trainees have already started undertaking wildlife surveys within the Chase & Chalke area.

We have also been delivering many community events, including coffee and cake mornings, to reach out to local communities across Wiltshire, Dorset and Hampshire, in order to highlight volunteering opportunities and talk about the special landscape and nature of the Cranborne Chase AONB.

How to get involved

If you would like to sign up as a volunteer, simply fill out an application form at: www.bttr.im/cnmw2

Although some training has passed, all of our surveys have a training element.

Photo: Beetle, Steve Deeley

Reconnecting with Nature: The Power of Ecotherapy

By Imogen Jackson, Wellbeing Programmes Leader

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Ecotherapy is a powerful tool that allows us to reconnect with the natural world and improve our overall well-being.

A nature-based approach to healing

Far more than simply a walk outside, ecotherapy is a naturebased approach to healing, designed to facilitate an exploration of our relationship with nature. Research has shown that spending time in nature can reduce stress, anxiety and depression, while also increasing physical activity and improving overall health. However, developing a connectedness to nature and engaging with nature through simple activities has an even greater impact on wellbeing.

Wild Transitions

Positive impacts on well-being and the environment

Ecotherapy is not just about improving our own well-being; it also has a positive impact on the environment. By increasing nature connectedness, participants develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world and are inspired to take action to protect it.

Our courses and programmes

Here at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, we offer a variety of ecotherapy courses to help people reconnect with nature. We have a series of one-day Wild Beings events throughout the year, as well as longer, more targeted wellbeing programmes in Swindon and Bradford on Avon. Participants often report feeling more connected to nature and experiencing a greater sense of calm and well-being.

Learn about our ecotherapy courses and how you can get involved, by visiting www.wiltshirewildlife.org/ health or calling us on 07702 802961.

This April, we launched a new 10-week nature-based therapy programme, Wild Transitions, working with armed forces veterans to create a forest garden at Green Lane Wood in Trowbridge.

The two-year programme, funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, is in partnership with the Defence Gardens Scheme.

The aim of the programme is to provide a space for veterans to connect with nature, to improve their mental health and learn skills in the transition to volunteering and employment. Participants have the opportunity to work together to create a beautiful forest garden, as well as take part in other ecotherapy activities.

This programme is an important step towards recognising and supporting the needs of veterans, and we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on the individuals involved as well as the wider community.

The next programme is set to begin on 1 August, and we encourage any interested veterans to get in touch with us to find out how to get involved.

Find out more about the programme at:

www.wiltshirewildlife.org/ wild-transitions

Photo: Mandalla heart

Photo: WWT

Expanding The Willows

By Dean Sherwin, Care Farms Manager

Since opening in November 2020 with eight students, an office, a classroom, a kitchen and a toilet, The Willows Care Farm has grown considerably. We now have 39 students attending each week and the site infrastructure has developed accordingly. We also have two outdoor field shelters, a polytunnel, tool store and workshop, raised beds, the ever-growing Willow World and

two pig paddocks with housing. Our major development this year has been a new office and staffroom, which has been generously funded by the Garfield Weston Foundation. Our old office in the main stable block has become an additional indoor space, enabling us to support and nurture more children and young people in nature-based activities.

The triple aspect windows in the office have created long sightlines across the site and as I write this I can see one child barrowing soil, another trimming the dead hedge around the fire circle, one playing in the mud kitchen, one heeling in some hedgerow trees, plus a little lunchtime cricket game.

Wonderful!

Enquire about corporate volunteering to help improve our care farms and nature reserves by contacting lukem@wiltshirewildlife.org

Join in with Wildlife Watch

By Ali Nott, Wildlife Watch Coordinator

We are thrilled to have launched two new Wildlife Watch groups this year, which means there are lots more opportunities lined up for children and families to meet others who share a love of the outdoors and to develop a real connection to the natural environment.

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust now has five active Wildlife Watch groups, which usually meet on a Saturday morning once a month: Lower Moor in the north of the county, Salisbury in the south, Green Lane Wood and Calne to the west and Pewsey to the east.

Wildlife Watch groups give children aged 4-13 the opportunity to discover local wildlife and get stuck into practical activities such as bat walks, pond dipping, creating homes for wildlife and campaigning to protect our environment. Children have lots of fun being nature detectives and making new friends whilst making a real difference to wildlife in Wiltshire.

We are looking to set up new Wildlife Watch groups in Swindon and Langford Lakes. If you are interested, contact Ali Nott at alin@wiltshirewildlife.org.

Interested in joining or setting up a group? Find out more at: www.wiltshirewildlife.org/ watch

Photo: Tom Marshall

Please donate to help us pay for new facilities that will enable us to help more children

Wiltshire’s Wilder Side: Nextdoor Nature

By Josh Rogers, Team Wilder Community Empowerment Officer

The ambition of getting one in four people to take action for nature sits at the heart of our new strategy and #TeamWilder approach. To kick-start this new approach, we have launched a twoyear project called Nextdoor Nature.

The Nextdoor Nature project aims to bring communities together to help nature flourish where they live and work. Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project will provide people with the advice and support they need to lead real change for nature in

their own neighbourhood by helping to create new green spaces and activities for everyone.

Meeting this goal has meant incorporating new strategies; stepping back from our usual approaches, reaching communities traditionally left out of the conversation and allowing them to lead this change for themselves.

A great example of this has been taking place at Bemerton Heath in Salisbury. Having spoken to local groups and listened to their ideas about what they want to do to

improve green spaces and engage with nature, we have developed a number of ‘Big Green Conversations’. These conversations will bring together community members with experts, local decision makers and possible funding to help turn ideas into reality.

Allowing communities to take control, and creating feelings of ownership and pride over our shared natural spaces is embedded in this project. It is a time for us to empower communities and support their development.

Six years of Building Bridges

By Daisy Matthews, Building Bridges Support Worker

After six extraordinary years, the Building Bridges Programme has come to an end. The programme, which has been jointly funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund, has supported adults across Swindon and Wiltshire to overcome their

barriers and develop skills to achieve and sustain employment. This local programme has been part of the wider national Building Better Opportunities Programme since 2016.

Since the start of the programme, Building Bridges has supported

over 100 people who were considered to be furthest from obtaining work, due to factors such as a long-term health condition or disability. During their time on the programme, they have been supported through weekly activities carrying out conservation tasks, wellbeing walks in nature and one-to-one support.

We are delighted that over 50% of the participants have gained employment or a volunteer placement and 80% have gained new skills and/or qualifications that will help them find employment.

Photo: Building Bridges, Pollarding at Langford Lakes

Photo: Penny Dixie

Extension of the Swindon Forest Meadows project

By Neil Pullen, Swindon Conservation Lead

Over the past two years, we have partnered with Swindon Borough Council to deliver the Swindon Forest Meadows project. The partnership has been a real success, creating new areas of woodland, scrub and grassland at Mouldon Hill, new woodland and river restoration at the Rivermead Flood Storage area, and supporting community projects throughout Swindon.

A fantastic band of volunteers come together in all weathers to create and manage habitats and to record the wildlife seen. However it is not just the wildlife that has benefitted; over the past few years, so many people have accessed local green spaces as a boost to their physical and mental wellbeing.

Following its success, we are delighted that Swindon Borough Council has agreed to extend and expand the project. We look forward to working with new communities and welcoming volunteers from across Swindon to create and maintain spaces for wildlife and people.

A major focus will be on enhancing the wildlife corridor running from Mouldon Hill Country Park through the River Ray Parkway and on providing access to nature for more communities.

Follow the Swindon Forest Meadows Facebook page for updates.

Could you be our new Treasurer?

Would you like to make a difference by helping us tackle the biggest conservation priorities in Wiltshire? We are now looking for a new Treasurer to join our Trustee Board to oversee the Trust’s financial management.

Managing our finances wisely and efficiently is a key part of ensuring that your generous support achieves as much for conservation in Wiltshire as possible. Being Treasurer of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust provides an opportunity to gain fascinating insights into all the Trust’s exciting work.

Chairing the quarterly Finance Committee, the Treasurer’s responsibilities

include monitoring and advising the Trustees and senior management on the Trust’s financial performance, providing budget guidance, working with our Finance Department and Auditors to produce our accounts, as well as participating in the broader strategic management of the Trust.

We are looking for someone with knowledge and experience of finance, and enthusiasm for the natural world. It would be preferable if you held an accounting qualification with knowledge of the Charity Framework. The role requires a minimum of approximately 10 days per year but, for those with more time, there are further opportunities.

To apply or discuss the role, contact our Head of Finance & Resources at louiseh@wiltshirewildlife.org

Photo: Barn owl, Andy Chilton

Photo: Raybrook tree planting, Glynis Hales

My wild job

In this regular feature, we take you behind the scenes to meet some of the wonderful staff that work at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, each doing their part to help the Trust achieve its vision of a sustainable future for wildlife and people.

Lane Wood and Biss Wood are my second home and are extraordinary places to visit.

What does an average day as a Reserve Warden look like?

How long have you worked for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust?

I have been involved with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust in different capacities for almost nine years. I started straight out of university as a trainee in practical conservation. We did a lot of training such as practising chainsaw tasks, fencing, mending gates and wildlife surveying work. I feel extremely privileged and proud to have then landed a job with the Trust after my year placement.

For four years, I was an estates worker based at Langford Lakes, helping look after the 40+ nature reserves that the Trust manages, alongside a small team and some amazing volunteers. I now work more locally, which I adore, as I can finally cycle to work. Green

Every day is different for me, so it’s hard to say what the average day looks like, but usually meeting up with volunteers to carry out a practical task like erecting a deer fence or, as we are now, planning our survey work for the summer. I carry out all the day-to-day management of the site, the woodland work, including coppicing and maintaining the paths. My job is to manage the work programme, plan out what we are doing and when, and to manage the implications for the wildlife.

What do you like best about your job?

Working with the volunteers at Green Lane Wood. I like to think I look after my volunteers, but it is certainly the other way around. They are a wonderful group of people and it is a pleasure to work alongside them.

I also really enjoy the changing seasons in the woods; even week to week, the changes to the ground flora, the trees and the fungi are always wonderful to watch. Spring is certainly my favourite time in the woods though, as it is a chance to wind down from the hard graft from the winter work, enjoy what we have achieved and soak in that warm sunshine through the new buds of the trees… utter bliss.

How do you live sustainably?

My family and I try our best to be ‘green’ and sustainable every day. We cycle or walk as much as we can to school or into town. We are vegetarian at home and lucky to have an allotment nearby and a greenhouse at home to grow lots of amazing fruit and veg. Our garden is full of perennial flowers, with a ‘no dig’ regime and no pesticides at all. We embrace the ‘weeds’ as much as we can, leaving the dandelions to flourish in the very small front lawn.

Matt Callaway –Green Lane Wood Reserve Warden

Photo: Brown long-eared bat, Hugh Clark

Updates from our Young Ambassadors

Waste Free February, by Kody Bowler

It was fantastic to once again be involved in Waste Free February this year with the Trust. Focusing particularly on our recycling and food waste, my family of four just about managed to squeeze our month’s rubbish into a single black sack!

Throughout February, I was also lucky enough to get involved with promoting the initiative on various platforms. To kick off the month, I produced a promotional video involving other young ambassadors Izzy, Charlie, Mary and Anna, where we shared our ‘top tips’ for reducing waste around the home. This was watched over 1,000 times on

Citizen Science, by Anna Cooper

Ireally enjoyed being a Young Ambassador for Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, as I got to mix with younger people who are also passionate about wildlife.

After joining as an ambassador in November 2021, I had the opportunity to write guest blog posts on topics I’m interested in and collaborated with other ambassadors to create awareness campaigns and videos.

Since graduating from the University of Southampton with a BSc Biology degree in 2021, I have worked in the ecology sector, up until November last year, when

I was lucky enough to secure a role at the Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre.

I am now the Citizen Science Project Officer for the Nurturing Nature project, based on the Cranborne Chase AONB. I really enjoy my role, as I meet with local volunteers to undertake training in wildlife surveying techniques and collect biological records, which will be used to inform conservation projects in the future. I feel I am really making a difference in my current role, and being a Young Ambassador was a great addition to include on my CV when applying.

Instagram and Facebook and helped to recruit more participants - and to top it off I also got my 15 minutes of fame!

In early February, I was invited to visit the Melksham Community Larder - a fantastic initiative to redistribute surplus foods back into the local community. It was interesting to talk to the volunteers there and we were joined by BBC Points West, who were keen to spread the message about reducing food waste sent to landfill. You can watch the full interview at: www.bbc.co.uk/ news/uk-england-wiltshire64574252

Well done to everyone else who got involved. Let’s keep these small changes going!

If you are aged 16-21 years and want to find out more about becoming a Young Ambassador, visit: www.wiltshirewildlife.org/be-a-young-ambassador

Photo: Anna Cooper

Photo: Kody Bowler, BBC Points West filming

Social media highlights

We love hearing about your sightings and experiences with nature!

Our social media community is a great place to shout about Wiltshire’s wildlife. Here are some of our recent highlights.

New and improved website!

By Eleanor Dodson, Digital Marketing & Communications Officer

We are pleased to introduce our brand new and improved website!

The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust website now offers a much better user experience, with mobile friendly display and a more streamlined online donation process. You may also spot some exciting new pages, such as our habitat and species explorer listings.

The website has also been made more accessible, with the addition of an accessibility menu and alt descriptions on images for visually-impaired readers. We hope this makes our website easier to use for everyone!

Timothy Woolf: Chaffinch in flight

Vijay Patel: A fox crossing a frozen lake at Lower Moor