Situations Vacant
Finance & Membership Assistant
A part-time position supporting our Finance and Membership departments.
Wash Week 2010
A week of events around The Wash and North Norfolk coast on 7 - 15 August 2010.
Explore the history, wildlife and culture of The Wash with guided walks, talks, family events and a boat trip.
From 11am until 5pm on Sunday 15 August at Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve, you can discover the Wonders of the Wash Join our big marine event of the summer with a host of fun activities designed to help you celebrate the wildlife of our coast and seas. You can enjoy marine arts and crafts and make your own marine animals to take home; create a sand sculpture; take part in scavenger hunts, go sea dipping and see real marine animals up close, and more. Free activities throughout the day at the Visitor Centre and on the beach.
> Download the calendar of events for Wash Week 2010 (260kb)
> Download the full Wash Week leaflet including a map of event locations. (1.57mb)
July 2010
Lincolnshire BioBlitz 2010
565 species of flora and fauna discovered at the Lincolnshire BioBlitz event.
More than 100 people took part in the fifth annual BioBlitz at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Headquarters, Banovallum House in Horncastle. On Friday 9 July and Saturday 10 July, naturalists and members of the public spent 24 hours searching for and identifying as many different species as possible.
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Public Relations Officer, Rachel Shaw, said: "We are delighted with how many species were recorded during the event. In 2010, the year declared by the UN as International Year of Biodiversity, it is a timely reminder of how much wildlife, how much biodiversity, lives in our towns and gardens.
"The grounds of Banovallum House include lawns, flower beds, mature trees, meadows, a pond and a small river but cover just one hectare. Within this small area, about the size of a rugby pitch, we managed to find and identify 565 different species in just 24 hours. All together, a total of 961 different species have been recorded in the grounds of Banovallum House. Many of these are species that are all around us but without making a special effort to look we just don’t notice them."
> Find out more about the BioBlitz
July 2010
Grimsby School wins Young Environment Award 2010
The Lincolnshire Young Environmentalist Award 2010 was awarded by Rt Rev John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln, to the Lisle Marsden C of E Primary School.
Sustainability and improving the environment both inside and outside the school runs through the ethos of the Lisle Marsden C of E Primary School. The gardening club has a very productive allotment where fruit and vegetables are grown organically by the children; the produce from the allotment is used in healthy cooking lessons to make things like strawberry muffins and rhubarb punch; there is a walk to school scheme; and an environmental area with a pond, bird table, bug hotel and planting with native species to encourage bees and butterflies.
> Read the press release
July 2010
Mole watching with Nick Baker
In the latest of our Wildlife Watch/Nick Baker webfilms, Nick introduces us to an unsual garden visitor - the mole. This is a rare chance to get up close to this elusive and rarely seen creature. Marvel at his flexible pointy nose and massive tunnel digging feet (that's the mole, not Nick!).
> Watch the film
July 2010
National award for Little Darters
The Little Darters wildlife adventure area developed by North Kesteven District Council at Whisby Nature Park has won a national award. Little Darters’ success in winning the children’s category of the Street Design Awards comes almost a year on from its opening.
Since August 2009, 20,000 children and families have experienced the great opportunities to look at nature as never before, with a pontoon link onto an island, viewing hide, lookout, cave, Lafarge pit and wildlife-themed play areas. There are investigative towers, periscopes for observing wildlife without disturbing it, feely boxes, an observation dome, rope bridges, sand and water activities and oversized bat and bird boxes that give children a bird’s eye view on the world.
As a family friendly and fully accessible facility, Little Darters is designed for – and in part by – children aged up to 12, with local schools being involved in the selection of play activities.
> Find out more about Whisby Nature Park
July 2010
Young Persons Design Challenge at Monks Wood
Last year, with a generous grant from Star Energy, Nettleham Woodland Trust (NWT) launched a Young Persons Design Challenge at Monks Wood, part of Ashing Lane Nature Reserve.
The Challenge was for young people from local schools and youth groups to design 'Thresholds' into and within the new woodland. The 'Thresholds' were a main entrance into Monks Wood and a bridge across a culverted ditch. Designs were received from Year 6 pupils at Welton St. Mary's Primary School, 2nd Nettleham Guides and 1st Nettleham 4th Lincoln Scout Troop. 57 children and young people took part and the designs were judged last December by a panel of 4 judges. The judges found there were so many good ideas across the entries as a whole that, rather than attempting to choose two winners, they could blend all the design elements to construct the Thresholds. Involving the community as a whole is fundamental to the development of Monks Wood and a core objective of NWT.
So, the judges' decision was that "everyone is a winner". The ideas have now been incorporated into two designs by a local architect and they will be constructed during the coming months. NWT organised a special Presentation event on 24th April at Welton Village Hall where each of the three groups received a beautiful wooden trophy made by local woodturner Len Grantham. British Hardwood Trees, who have supplied all the trees and shrubs at Monks Wood donated 3 nursery vouchers worth £15 to each group. Each young designer received a certificate. Rod Newborough, Woodland Advisor to NWT, made a model of the main Threshold.
The three groups were invited to make a Time Capsule and these will be buried underneath the main entrance Threshold when it is constructed. The trophies, vouchers and certificates were presented by Peter Marsh, operations manager at the Welton Field of Star Energy. A buffet lunch followed the presentations and it was a very enjoyable event. When the Thresholds have been constructed there will be an Official Opening of Monks Wood. Hopefully, this will be later in the summer.
The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has been working closely with the Nettleham Woodland Trust to develop the Ashing Lane nature reserve.
> Creation of a new nature reserve begins with tree planting dedication
> Visit the Nettleham Woodland Trust website
May 2010
Transforming Willow Tree Fen
At Willow Tree Fen nature reserve in South Holland the transformation of 114 hectares of farmland to a typical fenland landscape of reedbeds, shallow meres, seasonally flooded pastures and hay meadows is picking up pace. From 1 May, with the Higher Level Stewardship agreement from Natural England in place, some of the major work on the land can begin.
Fencing will be put in place, a new ditch dug and water control structures installed: ready to be re-wetted in the late summer/autumn. Over the summer, the site will be kept dry so the inevitable weeds can be kept under control and for re-seeding with 7 different grass species suitable for wet fenland conditions.
Developing the habitats at Willow Tree Fen will triple the area of wild fenland in the county and it is linked by waterways to other existing nature reserves. It's been made possible with financial support from Natural England, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership, Environment Agency and the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's members.
> Willow Tree Fen nature reserve
May 2010
Award for Wildlife Watch group
Last month, a group of young naturalists based at Whisby Nature Park received a special award from The Wildlife Trusts. Youngsters from the Whisby Wildlife Watch Group were awarded the Midlands Region Wildlife Watch Group of the Year 2009.
The Whisby Wildlife Watch Group meets once a month at Whisby Nature Park just outside Lincoln. Members Imogen and Lulu described some of the things they enjoy about Wildlife Watch:
"We all enjoy pond dipping and exploring the different habitats. We also thrive in seeing and hearing bats and moths in the early night and we were amazed to find that in one small owl pellet there could be up to three small mammal skeletons or five if the owl was greedy."
> Visit the Wildlife Watch website to find out how you can get involved.
Wildlife Watch is The Wildlife Trusts’ branch for junior members, and the Watch Group of the Year Award aims to recognise and celebrate the activity of Wildlife Watch groups across the UK.
April 2010
Lincolnshire coastal landscape to benefit
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded an earmarked first-round pass to the Lincolnshire Coastal Grazing Marshes as part of its Landscape Partnership (LP) programme. The grant of £904,500, including £47,100 development funding, will form part of a £1.7million project to help safeguard the unique natural and historic heritage of the coastal plain.
The Lincolnshire Coastal Grazing Marshes Project has been developed by a partnership which brings together interested parties from local authorities and agriculture, environment, conservation and heritage sector bodies. Practical and financial support will be available for local farmers in the conservation and management of grassland and livestock through a capital grant scheme and training programme; there will be opportunities, through a programme of activities, for local people and visitors to learn about the history, traditions and wildlife of this forgotten part of Lincolnshire; people will be encouraged to interpret the local landscape and celebrate local legends, customs and myths through art, creative writing and performance; and a series of nature and heritage trails, themed cycle routes and new horse-riding trails will allow people to explore the area and appreciate its unique charm and beauty.
Lincolnshire County Council will be the lead partner in the next stage; to develop these themes further and produce detailed proposals and project plans. Involvement of local communities will be essential in this process to make sure that the project incorporates people’s ideas about what is special and distinctive about the local landscape and its history.
> Visit the Coastal Grazing Marshes website (opens in new browser window)
April 2009
Car Parking Season Tickets
A combined car parking season ticket for Gibraltar Point and Snipe Dales is available for £7.50 for 12 months.
The season ticket is available at the Snipe Dales Office, Gibraltar Point Visitor Centre or by post from:
Banovallum House, Manor House Street, Horncastle LN9 5HF
Please make cheques payable to Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.
Mark your envelope CPST and enclose a stamped addressed envelope.
February 2007
