Page 4 - Wildlife News December 2015

Groecokslogy (Caroline Jones)

College Lake, BBOWT’s flagship nature reserve will be able to display these and use them in our
in Buckinghamshire, has a history stretching education work.
far beyond the mists of time! Located in an
old chalk quarry, the site has been offering up “We also have an impressive collection of
prehistoric specimens and geological mysteries for historic tools and agricultural equipment which
decades and is likely to do so for many more. It’s will form part of the exhibition. New interpretation
a great place to learn about geology and how soil displays will help visitors gain a better
creates wildlife habitats – no wonder more than understanding of the ways the land was cultivated
3,500 schoolchildren visit every year to learn about in the past.”
the site’s past and its wildlife. As well as enhancing current collections at
We are therefore delighted to have been the popular nature reserve, visitors – particularly
awarded a grant of £74,100 from the Heritage schoolchildren – will enjoy interactive
Lottery Fund in recognition of College Lake’s experiences reaching into the site’s prehistoric
educational importance. The grant will be used to past to see how its formation and use has
develop Earth Explorers, an exciting new project created the environment we can see today. Earth
that will investigate the geology and agricultural Explorers will be up and running in 2016, offering
heritage of the site, which was a farm before a first-hand experience of one of the region’s few
quarrying began. geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Christopher Williams, Head of Conservation and
Education for Buckinghamshire can’t wait to get Find out more about College Lake,
started: “For the last 30 years we’ve been collecting including visitor details, at:
fossils and specimens from the chalk, and now we bbowt.org.uk/collegelake

NEWS IN BRIEF

Volunteers rewarded Sam Prior and Ed Bonn Business boost Greater butterfly-orchid. We need your help!
post-marathon. (Peter Creed)
Congratulations to Roger (Cat Prior-Holt) Thank you to Grundon Following last year’s acquisition
Frankum (pictured below left), Waste Management who Orchids chalk up record of Yoesden, Bucks, the Trust
who received the Lifetime Romantic runners donated £43,159 towards is hoping to purchase three
Achievement Award at this interpretation boards and The annual orchid count adjoining plots of land to extend
year’s conference. Roger Love is in the air of our nature access improvements at Aston Clinton Ragpits, the reserve by 3.5ha. The land
recently retired as warden reserves! Sam Prior and Ed within West Berkshire, Bucks, recorded another includes woodland and a further
of Hungerford Marsh and Bonn, two tree surveyors from and to Vine House Farm impressive year. The old chalk swathe of chalk grassland that
has volunteered with the Oxfordshire, both proposed for donations towards pit supports seven species is home to many rare butterflies
Trust for a remarkable 35 to their girlfriends at one our work. National Grid, of orchid. While the total and wild flowers.
years. Also collecting awards of the Trust’s reserves. Sam Panasonic UK, Sophos PLC number (24,089) was slightly
were representatives of the chose Dry Sandford Pit, near and NatureBureau have all down, it was a record year
Hosehill Lake-based Theale Abingdon for his romantic renewed their corporate for white helleborine (130)
Area Bird Conservation Group gesture, while Ed opted for memberships, while Taylor and greater butterfly-orchids
(centre), who were voted Sydlings Copse near Oxford. & Francis, Amdocs UK Ltd, (297), which are spreading
Volunteer Group of the Year. To celebrate their ‘wild’ Hyundai Motor Vehicle to new areas of the reserve.
Lloyd Garvey (right) from West romances Sam and Ed recently UK, Vodafone, Costain and Yellow-rattle, a wild flower
Berkshire was voted Volunteer ran the Loch Ness Marathon, Thames Water completed that helps to suppress more
of the Year. raising more than £1000 for successful work parties. aggressive grass species, is
BBOWT. Well done guys! also spreading, boding well
Volunteer Award winners. Thames Water work party. for future years.
(credit) (Stacey Doran)

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