Kate’s and Ethan’s Meadow
A protected wildflower meadow in a local nature reserve Why are we doing it? It’s a fact that’s now often repeated that we have lost 97% of our wild flower meadows since the Second World War (Professor John Rodwell 1980). This statistic was given in 1980s and there is concern that even more has been […]
Wildlife Group meeting – 6 April 2023
NOTES (Action points highlighted) 1 – Introductions – Lynn, Vicki, Nicki W and Carl, Nicki L, David, Judith, Kate 2 – Updates a. Owl-Kestrel Connect Project – Lynn explained the background to the Owl-Kestrel Connect Project. This is a partnership project across a much wider area, working with other local environmental groups. £20K grant from […]
Going Wild – Nicky’s Hedgehog Heaven
– Hedgehog snuffling in a garden (British Hedgehog Preservation Society) – TDEG member, Nicky, shares her success in encouraging hedgehogs to her local garden. Just a few simple measures and Nicky and her partner have created a `hedgehog heaven’. In this post, Nicky shares their secrets and explains why she believes it is so important […]
Wildlife Sightings – October – February 2023
February sunset over Manchester Road, Tideswell (Steve Elliott) As I type this at the end of February, it feels like spring is just around the corner. Nature has been waking up throughout this month – we can see the first signs everywhere. So far (touch wood) we have not had a very severe winter – […]
Going Wild in our Gardens for Climate Action
There are plenty of ways you can take action against climate change in your own garden, and most of these actions benefit our local wildlife as well. The Wildlife Trusts have produced a really useful list of things you can consider. Read more here. Their ideas focus on the following issues: Reducing your flood risk […]
A little bit of untidiness can go a long way
On a crisp, sunny winter’s day, it is hard to beat a bit of tidying up in the garden. It gets us outside, it feels like we’re achieving something, and we are getting the garden ready for the start of spring. But there is now lots of evidence that suggests we can do more for […]
Encouraging Bats in our Gardens
Going Wild – How can we encourage more bats in our gardens? When we first came to Tideswell (25 years ago), I can remember sitting at the top of our back garden on late summer evenings (possibly with a drink in hand) and watching bats flying around our houses. Lovely to see. Sadly, we […]
Flowers for Pollinators
Poster by Josie (1st Tideswell Cubs) Dark green fritillary, near Litton (Alison Rooke) Poster by Alice (1st Tideswell Cubs) May is a great time to be thinking about flowers for pollinators. Many of our insects, including bees, butterflies and moths, depend on flower nectar and pollen for their food. In return, these insects pollinate the […]
No Mow May
Get creative with the mower (Gillian White) Mow an intriguing path through your meadow (Andrea Mitson) We would like to encourage everyone interested in TDEG’s “Going Wild” project to join in with this national campaign by the charity, Plantlife. No Mow May asks us to simply set aside all, or even just a small area, […]
Plant trees and shrubs for wildlife
Woody shrubs and climbers provide food for wildlife, including berries, fruits, seeds, nuts leaves and nectar-rich flowers. So why not plant more trees and shrubs in your garden and see who comes to visit? The Wildlife Trusts have some excellent suggestions for the best trees and shrubs for wildlife, and spring is one of the […]
