Current Projects
Ov
er the past year we have undertaken work for a number of organisations and businesses, individuals, parish councils and Stroud District Council. These relatively small pieces of contracted work are all based around improving green spaces for wildlife, directly supporting our charitable purposes.
W
e are currently working on a project to help conserve Rodborough Common, working with Stroud District Council, National Trust and Natural England (Rodborough Common Conservation Programme).
Both Rodborough and Minchinhampton commons are Sites of Special Scientific Interest as they have such a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Rodborough Common is a particularly important European limestone grassland site and receives a higher level of protection as a ‘Special Area of Conservation’.
We will be running wildlife based family activities every Wednesday morning for four weeks in August. The sessions are
Week 1 Minibeasting;
Week 2 Pond dipping;
Week 3 Pond dipping at a different site;
Week 4 Family walk.
The Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Project aims to engage with and support individuals in Gloucestershire who are currently dealing with circumstances that are potentially causing barriers to work and move these people closer towards education, training, volunteering or work, including self-employment.
This programme is a unique partnership of community based organisations, managed by Gloucestershire Gateway Truston behalf of Gloucestershire County Council.
Our exciting new project, Wild Classrooms aims to focus and support outdoor learning. It is based around getting children outside to observe and experience seasonal changes and cover elements of the science curriculum. It can also be easily adapted to a more sensory approach to experiencing nature and act as a stimulus for creative projects. Every participating group gets a copy of our original A2 full colour monthly wildlife calendar, a class set of A4 children’s notebooks, Teacher’s/Leader’s notes and up to three visits from Tamsin, our Wild Classrooms’ Project Officer.
Woodworking for health and wellbeing
The Green Health Team has been really busy in the past few months working on a number of projects.
At the beginning of November the patio area at The Exchange was completed, creating an outdoor space for people to enjoy.
The group have now moved onto building and constructing two hardwood oak benches, both to be installed at the Wild About Kingswood project where we are working in partnership with Kingswood Parish Council.
Bench making for Queen Elizabeth II Field
Since we began our conservation work at Queen Elizabeth II Playing field in Dudbridge back in September 2016, we have been very busy! We have been working on the pond area, which was gradually being taken over by brambles, alder and bulrushes. The area has now been completely cleared, leaving only a few brambles as a hedge because they are so beneficial for wildlife.
Hedgelaying and clearing, Cam
Work at the Rackleaze wetland site has continued with volunteers involved in the annual comfrey cutting. This year for the first time some comfrey areas were cut by scythe as can be seen here.
This annual management helps us to keep control of the comfrey that, if untouched, would out compete other wildflowers at the wetland.
Creating a new Sensory Garden in Stratford Park
We are working in partnership with Stroud District Council and other community groups to create a new Sensory Garden in Stratford Park.
We have secured funding and plan to start working with volunteers on to the site on Wednesdays in May/June for a year.
Please get in touch with us if you are interested in joining the team.
