Page 5 - Wildlife News December 2015
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Children learn about College Lake’s special geology. (Michael Iseard) SPOTLIGHT on Panasonic
Follow us on social media one of BBOWT’s corporate supporters
Chalk(hLiizllCbhliulde). Tunnel vision Electrofishing in action. The Wildlife Trust provides companies such as Panasonic
(Jim Higham) (Judith Hartley) UK with unique opportunities to support their local
While there is still more to be communities while helping us to look after their local
The race is now on to make done to safeguard habitat Stunning fish wildlife.
it happen; we need to raise along the HS2 route, the Amazingly, Panasonic not only makes generous
£105,000 to cover the purchase Government has confirmed a Pike, bream and gudgeon donations, such as high-tech equipment for our Woolley
and ongoing management by short tunnel extension under were among fish caught Firs Environmental Education Centre, but its staff dig deep
18 December. You can donate the Chilterns which will spare in the River Cherwell in too: taking part in family events at Wildmoor Heath, Berks,
through our appeal page: three ancient woodlands: Banbury’s Spiceball Park as raising funds through dress-down days, and helping the
virginmoneygiving.com/fund/ Mantles Wood, Sibley’s part of a project overseen Trust with business communications.
yoesden Coppice and Farthings by BBOWT in conjunction Panasonic UK is one of BBOWT’s leading corporate
Wood. BBOWT is one of a with Banbury Town Council. supporters, having worked with us since 1992 and donating
number of organisations to The survey used electric more than £38,000 in this time. Hundreds of staff have
have campaigned for the shock technology to discovered wildlife on their doorstep in ways they couldn’t
extension. Read more at temporarily stun the fish have imagined when they joined the business!
bbowt.org.uk/hs2 to allow identification. The Large areas of Wildmoor Heath nature reserve, just a
data has informed a riverside few miles from the company’s HQ in Bracknell have been
Campaigning at makeover, including removal cleared of scrub, allowing heather to regenerate which in
Number 10. of some trees to encourage turn provides new breeding and nectar habitats for the
(Woodland Trust/Phil Formby) a greater variety of riverside silver-studded blue butterfly.
plants. The project has won Reptiles including common lizard, grass snake and
an Environment Agency grant adder are seen here. Rare heathland birds such as the
of £31,000. Dartford warbler that perches and sings atop gorse bushes
and the elusive nightjar that skulks beneath bracken are well
December 2015 established on the nature reserve – a credit to the hard work
of Panasonic volunteers on their team-building work parties.
Getting stuck into scrub-bashing isn’t to everyone’s
liking, but the Panasonic staff are happy to hammer through
their lunchbreak, making bird boxes and bug hotels, many of
which are sold to raise funds.
During the last few years the company has taken a keen
interest in the development of BBOWT’s environmental
education work, having generously donated an interactive
whiteboard, Toughbook rugged computer, a TV screen and
cameras to Woolley Firs.
This handy kit is now used by children and teachers at
the centre where children can save GPS-tagged pictures
and other information about the plants and animals they’ve
identified outside. Then, back in the classroom, the data is
uploaded and viewed in Google Maps on the interactive
whiteboard.
“Having the generous support of Panasonic has made the
world of difference for schoolchildren visiting Woolley Firs,”
says Dr Kate Dent, Head of Conservation and Education in
Berkshire. “Children love being able to examine bugs close up
under the microscopes, and using the whiteboard to access the
internet and report their sightings.”
BBOWT welcomes local companies to support community
and wildlife projects. Contact Sarah Thorn to find out more:
sarahthorn@bbowt.org.uk
Clearing scrub on Wildmoor Heath. (Emily Gould)
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