Wildlife Surveys

  • 17th May: 09:30 - 12.00  Aging Trees!

Learn how to age trees without cutting them down!  We will be looking for the oldest trees on Normandy Common of different species.  Please meet at football pavilion car park, possibly with a calculator and if you have a flexible tape measure of 3-6m, that would be amazing!

  • 7th June: 09:30 - 12.00   Wildflower survey.

With the support of our amazing local botanist, we will be surveying the grassland areas of Normandy Common.  Normandy Common is on a Bee-Line, one of the national bee highways and so it is important to know about the wildflowers that can help support these and other pollinators.  If you have wildflower identification books or sheets, do bring them; though there will be a variety supplied.  Meet at the football pavilion.

  • 19th July: 09:30 - 12:00   Big Butterfly Hunt on Manor Fruit Farm

We will run a Butterfly Conservation Big Butterfly Count on Manor Fruit Farm.  This helps to monitor the variety and numbers of selected butterfly species using the identification sheet from the website.  Come and learn how to do the Big Butterfly Counts, so you can do one anywhere you are walking between the 18th July and 10th August.  Meet at the MFF car park.

  • 9th August: 09:30 - 12.00 Big Butterfly Count on Normandy Common.

We will run a Butterfly Conservation Big Butterfly Count on Normandy Common, aiming to cover the grassland areas such as the football pitch, horse ride and around the tennis courts and play area.  This helps to monitor the variety and numbers of selected butterfly species.  Come and learn how to do the Big Butterfly Counts, so you can do one anywhere you are walking between the 18th July and 10th August.  Meet at football pavilion

 

Conservation Work Parties

  • 22nd March: 09:30 - 12.00  Bamboo removal

Bamboo is a very invasive species and if it is not removed will spread and spread.  As it is not native, and we do not have any wild pandas on Normandy Common, there is not much that eats it, so we get to cut it back and start to remove it.  The area will be checked for nesting birds and other wildlife prior to any work being done.  If there is time we will also clear the brambles and parts of the ditch alongside the football pitch.  This is primarily to ensure that the bridges are not bramble fests and water can flow underneath.  Again, work will be done carefully to avoid disturbing wildlife.  Please meet at Cricket Club car park.  Please do bring gloves, loppers, rakes, spades and wheelbarrows if you have them and can bring them.  Thank you

  • 12th July: 09:30 - 12.00  Removing non-native species only found in summer

There are quite a few non-native species on Normandy Common that are only visible in the spring and summer months.  Many are garden escapes, but in order for native species to grow we need to remove these escapees!  So please bring gloves and digging tools and come and join us.  Please meet at the football pavilion.

  • 30th August: 09:30 - 12:00  Managing the flower meadows on Normandy Common

The wildflower meadow areas around the tennis courts and play area need annual management.  The best way is to cut the grass/wildflower mix after the wildflowers have set seed and then to rake up the cuttings and use them to make habitat piles.  Please bring gloves and rakes. Meet at the football pavilion.

August/September - Pond Management:  Date will be sent out by email, on the Facebook Group  https://www.facebook.com/groups/normandywildlifeandconservation  and WhatsApp Group (https://chat.whatsapp.com/GB0DHMJHQWk0Zjztbgss6U)

There are some highly invasive non-native pond weeds in Normandy Pond.  These need to be carefully removed and bagged up and disposed of.  Leaving even a little (or having a bit on boots and letting that go in another pond) will spread the weed more.

If time allows, we will also be removing some of the reeds from around the pond to reduce the spread of the weeds and maintain the open water.

Conservation Planning Meeting

28th August, 7:00pm at the Royal British Legion:    Conservation Sub-committee Meeting.

all are welcome to join us as we discuss the work done over the last few months and plan the autumn to winter work parties.  If you would like to be on the Sub committee, please do email clerk@normandyparishcouncil.gov.uk