Spaces for Nature

We also had Suez at Ockwells yesterday! We got up to some more tree planting, cutting back brambles from our bluebell patches and digging some invasive rhododendron. Again, this invasive species control and understory planting is vital work in woodland management and contributes to the Biodiversity Action Plan's (BAP's) Woodland Habitat Action Plan (HAP). Great work all!

Channel Assist came and planted around 300 tress at the edge of Braywick Nature Reserve by Margaret's Bridge last week.

Rangers Maddie and Tom had a great morning of Yellow Rattle seeding on Battlemead Common last week with Donald Reid Group and Green The UK.

🌼Yellow rattle is known as the 'meadow maker' as it is semi-parasitic on grasses, allowing space for wildflowers to break through, and are therefore not fully reliant on photosynthesis for energy.

🌼When the seed pods dry out, they make a distinctive 'rattle' noise.

Winter 1 (W1) – October, November, December

This quarter marks the start of our winter season – Practical Conservation.

Tree Planting

Any tree or hedgerow planting that has been identified as needed during the summer observation starts around November. This is done over winter as the whips (young trees) will be in their dormant stage and will not be too stressed by the transfer, in addition to the extra moisture in winter soils.

Park Management

We are undertaking management tasks throughout our reserves and parks - for example, laying fresh woodchip on paths through Braywick LNR to prevent them becoming muddy/boggy as they mulch down over the wet winter months.

Invasive Species Control

We now undertake invasive species control for plants such as Laurel and Rhododendron. This is important, as without this management, these species would outcompete and over shade our natives and can cause a decline in biodiversity.

Engagement

Our main forms of engagement during the winter are community events (pumpkin carving, yule decoration making) and volunteer practical conservation days (tree planting). Volunteering is done by both local groups and corporate volunteer days. Look out on our social media for events coming up!

Summer 2 (S2) – July, August, September

This quarter marks the end of our summer season – Engage and Observe

Engagement

We are busy planning and running Braywick Nature Festival, Saturday 5th August, a family friendly event with music, talks, food, and nature inspired activities. This allows us to connect, and reconnect, with local families and wildlife groups - spreading awareness of our work at the centre and inspiring a larger group of people to enjoy what the borough has to offer.

School Visits

The school visits at Braywick Nature Centre drawing to a close towards the end of July, allowing our team to focus more on the Biodiversity Action Plan, site visits and planning for the coming winter and practical conservation/land management season.

Observation and Planning

The team will be conducting site visits to assess whether the previous winter management (tree planting etc.) has been successful, while noting down works to be done in the coming winter.

Battlemead

After a hay cut and collect mid-July, aftermath conservation grazing will start with cows. In addition to trampling, cattle have large mouths and are non-selective grazers, creating areas with longer and shorter sward height and enhancing the diversity of the grassland. The cows will stay on East field until October where they will be replaced with sheep for the winter. Sheep have smaller, more selective mouths, useful for targeting the smaller broad-leaf species in the more open sward and preparing the grassland for spring flowering species.

Invasive Species Control

As summer continues, we must still undertake invasive species control for plants such as Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam. This is important, as without this management, these species would outcompete our natives and can cause a decline in biodiversity.

Bird Nesting Season

We are nearing the end of the nesting season for many UK native birds. Hedgerows are an important habitat during this time with over 30 species using various hedge heights and types for nesting; Robins prefer nests on, or close to, the ground and Bullfinches favour nests over the 4m mark. Therefore, it is crucial to leave hedgerows uncut during this time (March – August), with active birds’ nests protected by law under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. We do not cut our hedgerows during this period, and if you are wanting to trim your own hedges, you must check carefully for active nests as we reach the end of August and September.

This year's Plasticblitz with Thames 21 was super successful. We collected 2 full bags of litter from along the Cut starting at Braywick Nature Centre and ending at Lidl in Maidenhead.

Our weirdest find was a Nerf gun bullet INSIDE a glass wine bottle!

However the most common items were cigarette butts and full dog poo bags. Please remember to take your rubbish home with you or put into a bin, out of respect for others using the space and for the wildlife who's home you are in.

We also conducted water quality testing at 3 points along the river.

Last week we were joined by volunteers from PwC for some tree care at Ockwells Park. Last year we planted 3980 trees and these need year round maintenance from the Natural Environment Team and volunteer groups.

We have another busy planting season ahead this coming winter. If you would like to bring your team to a corporate volunteering day, please contact bnc@rbwm.gov.uk and if you would like to come individually of with your family, see our side tab of local volunteering and conservation groups for opportunities.

Summer 1 (S1) – April, May, June

This quarter marks the start of our summer season – Engage and Observe

School Visits

The influx of school sessions begins to increase as part of our environmental and outdoor education strategy, reaching around 4 days a week in late May and June. Providing this space for children to learn about nature, ecology, and their connection to it, is vital as they grow and form the next generation of researchers, councillors, CEOs.

Invasive Species Control

As the borough begins to burst with life and leaves, we must undertake invasive species control for plants such as Hemlock (pictured), Japanese Knotweed, and Himalayan Balsam. This is important, as without this management, these species would outcompete our natives and can cause a decline in biodiversity.

Bird Nesting Season

We are well into the nesting season for many UK native birds. Hedgerows are an important habitat during this time with over 30 species using various hedge heights and types for nesting; Robins prefer nests on, or close to, the ground and Bullfinches favour nests over the 4m mark. Therefore, it is crucial to leave hedgerows uncut during this time (March – August), with active birds’ nests protected by law under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. We do not cut our hedgerows during this period, and you must check carefully for active nests either side of the season.