Situations Vacant
Education Officer
Are you interested in natural history, the environment and education? Then you may want to find out more about our teaching vacancy at the Wash Study Centre at Gibraltar Point.
Honorary Treasurer
We are looking to appoint a new Honorary Treasurer in succession of Mr Bob Prentice, who will be retiring.
Car park closure
The car park at Scotton Common is closed until further notice due to waterlogging. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
15 December 08
Martin Simpson - Benefit Concert
7.30pm, Friday 9 January 2009
The Plowright Theatre, Scunthorpe
Widely acknowledged as one of the world’s most technically gifted acoustic and slide guitar players, Martin Simpson is making this special appearance in his home town in celebration of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust’s 60th anniversary.
Martin has strong links with the Trust through his elder brother, Geoff Trinder. Martin's love of wildlife and the natural world, was nurtured in and around the Scunthorpe area by his father and Geoff, when he was growing up. It promises to be a great concert and will hopefully raise a significant amount of money to help the Trust continue with it's vital work.
Martin Simpson was the Winner of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2008 for Best Album (Prodigal Son) and Best Original Song (Never Any Good). For more information visit MartinSimpson.com
Tickets are £12 from the theatre box office: 01724 277733
YouTube link to Martin Simpson
November 2008
Trust celebrates 60 years
On Tuesday 2 December, founder member and Trust President Dr Ted Smith CBE was joined by current Trustees and staff to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
On 2 December 1948, a small group of people formerly set up what was then called the Lincolnshire Naturalists Trust. One year later, the Trust was responsible for the management of the new Gibraltar Point nature reserve, had 131 members and an income of £82.00. Sixty years on, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has 96 nature reserves covering 2,800 hectares, 25,000 members and an estimated 1,500 volunteers all giving their time to help conserve wildlife from the Humber to The Wash.
> Read the press release to find out more
December 2008
Marine Bill in the Queen's Speech at last!
On 3 December 2008 the Queen announced that Government will introduce the Marine & Coastal Bill this session: "My Government will bring forward measures to protect the environment for future generations. A bill will be introduced to manage marine resources and to create a new right of public access to the coastline."
The Bill, now called the Marine & Coastal Access Bill, proposes an ambitious new approach to managing the marine environment which will include establishing Marine Conservation Zones, a Marine Planning system, inshore fisheries reform, streamlining of licensing, establishment of a Marine Management Organisation (for England and UK matters) and coastal access provisions.
This is a long awaited and much needed step forward, enabling the UK to comprehensively plan, manage and protect its seas. Thank you to everyone who has helped on the campaign.
The Marine Bill is vital if we are to save underwater wildlife such as sunset corals, sea fans, basking sharks and seahorses. At the moment less than 0.001% of our seas are highly protected from damaging activities. The Marine Bill will provide us with the legislation to allow us to designate Marine Conservation Zones which will protect our unique marine wildlife.
December 2008
National Wildlife Award for former Trust Director
A prestigious conservation award has been presented to former Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Director, Stuart Crooks. The Christopher Cadbury staff medal, which is awarded once every three years, is for services for the advancement of nature conservation in the British Islands. It was presented by Aubrey Manning, President of Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts at The Wildlife Trusts Annual General Meeting on 26 November at the Belton Woods Hotel near Grantham.
> Read the press release to find out more about the award
> Read Stuart's reflections on a career in nature conservation
November 2008
County Pond Survey
The first counts of ponds in Britain took place at the beginning of the 20th century and recorded 1.2 million ponds. So many have been lost through drainage, infilling and neglect that it is thought that there are now only about 400,000 ponds. However, small ponds still make up the majority of waterbodies in the UK and they are of great value to wildlife. It has been suggested that ponds are in fact the most important freshwater habitat: at a regional level ponds support considerably more species, more unique species and more scarce species than other waterbody types (e.g. rivers and streams). And this includes garden ponds.
Many people have garden ponds but little is known about where they are or how good they are for wildlife. The Lincolnshire Biodiversity Partnership has launched a Ponds and Amphibians Survey to gain an understanding of the distribution of small ponds in the county and their biodiversity value. This is the first step in being able to identify priorities for conservation management.
Anyone can take part in the survey – of their own pond or of ponds that are accessible from public rights of way or from public land such as village ponds.
Success at the Show
Thanks to everyone who visited our “water and wetland” themed marquee at the Lincolnshire Show this year. Our marquee was a hive of activity with people looking at freshwater invertebrates, pond dipping virtual style, colouring-in water drops and encouraging people to make a pledge to save water (our apologies if it was your child who pledged not to have any more baths or brush his teeth!) or just throwing bean bags at a large frog!
We were delighted to win the prize for the best stand in the Countryside Area and were presented with a silver cup by the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society President, Richard Parker. Thanks all the volunteers and staff who helped make our stand a success. If you didn’t make it this year, perhaps we’ll see you there next year when we will be celebrating 60 years of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.
June 2008
Tour the wild fenland
You can how discover the wildlife and history of the wild fenlands, centred on the Trust reserves Baston Fen and Thurlby Fen, with a brand new website.
Or you can visit the fens in person using the "Gateway to the Lincolnshire Fens" tour guide leaflet. The leaflet takes you on a driving tour of the area exploring the landscape, wildlife and history and is available as a download on the website.
> Go to lincsfenlands.org.uk for more information.
June 2008
What do you love about the marshes?
The Lincolnshire Coastal Grazing Marshes Project is looking for ways to enhance people's experience of the Marshes and is planning to make a bid for Heritage Lottery Funding in support of this.
We would like your help in finding out about the various people who visit and live within the Marshes and any suggestions you have for improving people's visits to the Marshes.
> Visit the marshes website to find out more and fill in the online questionnaire.
May 2008
Country Park on the East Coast
Views are being sought on proposals to develop a country park on Lincolnshire’s east coast, between Sandilands and Chapel St. Leonards. The proposed country park would be designed to provide high quality facilities for visitors and better protection for wildlife. The park would cover approximately eight kilometres of coastline and up to 35 square kilometres of coastal countryside.
It is hoped that the area can be developed over the next five to ten years and beyond. Among potential developments are a visitor or heritage centre, networked observatories, interpretation points and improved parking and recreational facilities.
Have your say by taking part in the public consultation by filling in the questionnaire.
April 2008
Tree Felling at Snipe Dales
Visitors to Snipe Dales Country Park may have noticed the effects of red band needle blight on the Corsican pines. The impact of the disease is cumulative, with no known cure. A programme of felling has taken place to remove diseased trees starting alongside the paths and tracks. In spite of the large and heavy machinery being used, great care was taken to preserve young native trees and shrubs.
The impact of this large-scale felling has had a dramatic effect on the appearance of Snipe Dales, however, it will quickly benefit our wildlife. Natural regeneration of native broadleaved trees has already been seen.
The long term plan for the Country Park is to transform the pine plantation into a broadleaved woodland. THe felling of the Corsican pines, combined with the planting of nature hardwoods and natural regeneration, was planned to take place over a long period of time. Now the disease has struck, the timescale has had to be markedly compressed.
November 2007
Car Parking Season Tickets
A combined car parking season ticket for Gibraltar Point and Snipe Dales is available for £7.50 for 12 months.
The season ticket is available at the Snipe Dales Office, Gibraltar Point Visitor Centre or by post from:
Banovallum House, Manor House Street, Horncastle LN9 5HF
Please make cheques payable to Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.
Mark your envelope CPST and enclose a stamped addressed envelope.
February 2007
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
> Further information.
20 February 06
Stop Climate Chaos
Climate change is real and happening now. Launched in September 2005, Stop Climate Chaos is the biggest climate change coalition that this country has seen. Eighteen campaign groups including the Wildlife Trusts have joined forces to demand action on climate change. The new coalition wants the government to slash the UK's global warming gas emissions and make fighting climate change a key part of its plans to deal with global poverty. The new movement believes politicians have so far failed to take anything like sufficient action to tackle the threat. The choices made in the next five or ten years will determine the extent of the devastation faced by future generations. With coordinated action and the mobilisation of its massive supporter base Stop Climate Chaos aims to become a potent political force for action.
> See the Stop Climate Chaos website for information on climate change.
September 2005
