On Sunday 23rd October, Boxted Wildlife held their first activity day as part of the ‘Boxted Birds, Bees and Bugs’ project (The B4 Project). Boxted Wildlife are a voluntary working group, working on behalf of Boxted Parish council to conserve and enhance biodiversity (the amount and variety of Wildlife) within Boxted and its immediate surroundings.
The group have existed since mid-2021 and have been working on the newly acquired Boxted Village Green, to make it a beautiful, peaceful and welcoming green for the village as well as other initiatives within the village.
Work on the Village Green is also intended to improve the biodiversity by implementing a planting and landscaping plan that is conscious of, and preferential for native plants and animals. The new green was imagined as not only a tranquil space for residents to visit and appreciate their surroundings, but also as a welcoming site for all manner of native species of birds, bugs and bees.
Providing a gateway to the village from the surrounding Area of Natural Beauty (AONB). Areas of native wildflower were laid out and the ground for them prepared, meanwhile swathes of flowering bulbs were planted alongside hedges and around trees to keep to the planting plans from the original planning consents.
More recently hedgerow planting of native hedging species has been undertaken to fill in gaps in poorly maintained sections of historic hedging and to extend hedge coverage around the green to make it a move tranquil and sheltered space as well as to provide additional shelter and habitat for a range of animal species.
The B4 project, which was launched this summer is funded by the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Sustainable Development Fund. The B4 project aims to engage the local community to explain what the group has been doing, outline what it hopes to do in the future and to encourage local residents either to join in with our activities, or to take some of the ideas home and introduce them into their gardens.
The Activity day on 23rd October was the first of a program of events, with this one specifically aimed at families, with many activities provided for children including a wildlife quiz and treasure hunt as well as other hands-on fun.
The treasure hunt, which led participants around the green to answer a series of questions about a variety of Birds, Bees and Bugs was very popular with over 70 people taking part, despite the sometimes-torrential rain. That did not however seem to dampen their spirits.
In one hedge row a “Mini-Beast Hotel” was being built, and adjacent to that a Stag Beetle Pyramid was also constructed, providing two great environments for all manner of insects and critters to make themselves at home. Because of their easily accessible location, they’re available for all those who helped build them to come and check on them whenever they want and see who’s moved in.
Boxted Wildlife were generously assisted by Emma Black, Countryside Projects Officer from the Dedham Vale AONB, who supervised the building of these two great habitats on the day.
A number of other activities were held under the shelter of marquees, with leaf rubbing (tracing and drawing of leaves) and owl-pellet dissection being some of the most popular for youngsters. Weaved willow bird feeders were also being constructed by a small group of weavers, despite not being the quickest of tasks, several were made throughout the event and sent out to gardens to be filled with fat-balls for feeding birds.
Attendees also contributed to a Boxted Wildlife Map, by marking where they live in the village and what wildlife environments they have in their gardens or local public spaces. It was fantastic to see so many people in attendance, and all of them enjoying themselves despite the weather. We would like to thank everyone who attended and welcome them back soon to another event.
The next event in our program of events will be a talk entitled “Gardening for Wildlife” presented by Dr Chris Gibson, a local ecologist and conservationist. This talk promises to be a very well-illustrated insight into how small changes in gardening practices can have big impacts on improving the health and wealth of wildlife in our gardens. It is intended for adults and older children.
This will be held on Tuesday 29th November, at the Boxted British Legion Club, Straight Road, Boxted. The talk will start at 7:30pm, doors open from 6:30pm.
For younger children and following the fantastic feedback from Sunday’s Activity Day, future family activity days will be held. Stay tuned for more information regarding a potential date in January, that will be publicised locally through newsletters, emails and social media.
Follow Boxted Wildlife on facebook (Facebook.com/BoxtedWildlife) or send an email to BoxtedWildlife@gmail.com if you would like to be updated directly on future events or have any other enquiries. Boxted Wildlife is always open to more volunteers, please get in touch.