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Press Release23/11
5 September 2011For immediate use
Heathland restoration walks at Greenham Common
Rare birds and unusual butterflies are among the wildlife to
benefit from expandingthe heathland around Greenham Common this
winter.
On Sunday 18 September, the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife
Trust is leadingtwo walks, at Crookham Common East, and the Old
Bomb Site in BowdownWoods, to give local people more
information.
Jacky Akam, West Berkshire Living Landscape project manager with
the localWildlife Trust explains: Lowland heath is a nationally
important habitat and very rare,which is why were linking up the
remaining fragments around Greenham Common.
Contractors will be at the Old Bomb Site in Bowdown Woods in
December to clearscrub and young trees to link the fragments of
remaining heath with the larger areason Greenham Common.
Seeds of heather and other heathland plants that are lying
dormant in the soil willrevive in the cleared areas to regenerate
typical heath habitats, says Jacky. Thiswill help ground-nesting
birds like the nightjar, woodlark and Dartford warbler to feed
and nest across a larger area, hopefully increasing their
numbers.
The Wildlife Trust is continuing with heathland restoration work
started last winter atCrookham Common East. This revival of the
heathland was so successful thatnightjar and woodlark were recorded
here for the first time in several years.
Hilary Cole, West Berkshire Council's Executive Councillor for
Environment &Leisure,says: The walks will provide a great
opportunity for local people to enjoy thewonderful local wildlife,
while learning about the benefits of expanding the
importantheathland around the Common."
Both of the two-hour walks on Sunday 18 September will be led by
the Wildlife Trust
and West Berkshire Councils Countryside Service.
The Crookham Common East walk starts at 10.30am from the
Crookham Commoncar park. The Bowdown Woods walk starts at 2pm from
the Old Bomb Site car park.Booking information from Jacky Akam,
01635 500886,[email protected].
Ends
Images of heathland wildlife are available from
[email protected].
ContactsWendy Tobitt, Media & Campaigns ManagerTel: 01865
788318
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
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Mobile: 07748 641452Email:[email protected]
Notes to editors
Work at Crookham Common East and Bowdown Woods
Areas where work will be carried out will be clearly marked out
on site, and maps areavailable on the West Berkshire Living
Landscape page on www.bbowt.org.uk. Theexact timing of work during
November and December depends on the weather andcontractors
availability.
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust
(BBOWT) is one of
47 Wildlife Trusts across the UK working to achieve the shared
aim of securing abetter future for wildlife. BBOWTs vision is to
create a region rich in wildlife andappreciated by all. BBOWT
manages 80 nature reserves across the three counties,works with
other agencies and individuals to help safeguard the wider
countryside,and aims to inspire people to take action for wildlife.
BBOWT has over 52,000members. Find out more at
www.bbowt.org.uk.
The Wildlife Trusts is a partnership of 47 local Wildlife Trusts
across the UK, plus
the Isle of Man and Alderney. The vision is an environment
richer in wildlife foreveryone and it is the largest UK charity
dedicated to conserving all our habitats andspecies, with a
membership of more than 800,000 people including 135,000
juniormembers. The Wildlife Trusts campaign for the protection of
wildlife and invest in thefuture by helping people of all ages to
gain a greater appreciation and understandingof wildlife.
Collectively, the Trusts also manage more than 2,200 nature
reservesspanning over 84,000 hectares. For further information
please visitwww.wildlifetrusts.org.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.bbowt.org.uk/http://www.bbowt.org.uk/http://www.bbowt.org.uk/http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/mailto:[email protected]://www.bbowt.org.uk/http://www.bbowt.org.uk/http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/
