THE next meeting of the South Dorset Group of the Somerset and Dorset Family History Society is on Wednesday, February 13 at 7.30pm at the St. Francis Church Hall, Meriden Close.
The speaker for the evening is Alan Brown and his subject is Henry Orchard, Spitfire Pilot.
The following meeting, which is on Wednesday, April 9, will see Jane Ferentzi-Sheppard speaking on Migration within Dorset in the 1800s.
After each speaker there are refreshments, which are included in the admission price of £1.
There is also a help desk available for people having problems tracing their family trees. If you are interested in finding out more just turn up on the night!
I have received a copy of the latest newsletter from Lisa Gravett the People and Wildlife Officer at Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve and thought that you would love to read it.
Welcome to the second edition of the Lorton Meadows Wildlife Centre and Nature Reserve newsletter.
The past few months have, as usual, been a busy time on the reserve with lots of activities and events to celebrate the season of change.
We have many different species of trees here which all look wonderful as their leaves change colour and fall and the tree reveals its wintry outline shape.
It is not so easy to identify any tree specimen once the leaves have disappeared and for that reason the Wildlife Centre is currently showing a display of winter branches with a helpful identification sheet which can be taken away so you can have a go at naming some of the trees around you during the winter season.
Incidentally, it is thought trees shed their leaves for a variety of reasons to save water which would otherwise transpire from the leaves at a time when the tree may be unable to get water from a frozen ground, to protect the tree from storms and gales because the leaves act as a sail on a boat potentially pulling the tree over and also frosted, icy and damaged leaves could allow disease to enter the tree.
So, there are three good reasons to bare all over winter!
Disabled access to the reserve has been further increased. Several volunteer work parties assisted in the laying of a disabled pathway through the area known as Withy Wood.
This will allow a circular route around the wooded area and to the observation point at the bird hide where you can view a variety of the reserve's wild birds feeding at special feeding stations.
We are also hoping in the coming weeks to connect a video camera in this area so that live pictures can be relayed back to the centre for all to see.
The fortnightly winter work parties have been very well attended this season with up to 15 people coming along to help with various conservation tasks which have included clearing the two ponds, creating log pile wildlife habitats, cutting back and burning scrub and weeding the borders and tree nursery.
Some wildlife observed along the way have been several common frogs, a common lizard, a circling buzzard and a hunting kestrel. The kestrel bird box which is set high up on a tree near the centre will unfortunately have to be taken down.
Not only did a squirrel chew through the wire which was connecting a video camera to the box but the tree itself has become unstable and will have to be taken down. We are, however, hoping to re-site the box at another location nearby which the birds have used in a previous year.
There have been several family events which have been enjoyed by members of the local community.
The Tree Dressing morning took place to mark a celebration of trees anywhere in the public domain and their importance to us. One of the oak trees in the picnic area was chosen to hang bird treats and decorations made by the children and their parents.
The Christmas Crafts morning saw several children and their families making decorations all with a nature theme as well as making a nature collage for the gallery section in the centre which celebrates the children's art and craft endeavours.
We also enjoyed a visit from one of our local schools at the end of November where 50 children took an autumn walk around the reserve collecting seeds and berries and looking for evidence of mammal and bird activity.
The following couple of months will also be full of interesting activities and events for you to come along to. Details to follow soon.
8:28am Wednesday 6th February 2008
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