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Basingstoke Conservation Volunteers | |
| Hands-on help for local wildlife | ||
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Calendar of Events - November 2011 to February 2012
It is a good idea to contact the organizer or task leader of the events before attending so that
we can cater for numbers and arrange lifts if needed.
All telephone numbers are Basingstoke area (01256) unless the code is given -
you should also be able to contact the leader during the 2 days leading up to the task
on the leader's mobile phone (the number is in the newsletter).
Meet at 10am at the project site or at the toolshed at 9.30, unless other times are given.
The numbers are OS grid references of the meet up point for the projects.
Some of the sites are difficult to find, so if it's your first visit to a site,
we'd recommend meeting us at the toolshed and then following the leader
(who should know where he/she is going!) to the site.
Details in red are changes from the programme published in the newsletter.
Autumn is well and truly upon us now, so we're into the very heart of the conservation year.
As you'd expect, there's plenty of coppicing on offer, both in Pamber Forest and also the
adjoining Upper Inham's Copse. We are also returning to Newnham for the next stage in rescuing the
village pond to retain its colony of Great Crested Newts and working on a range of HWT "grazing project"
reserves to maintain their heathland habitat. Add in a splash of hedge-planting, and there's a really
good mixture to suit all tastes.
On the social side, we have a food evening and some silly pre-Christmas games planned. In the New Year, a
hearty walk to clear out the cobwebs and for the culture vultures a visit to the Museum of English Rural
Life. We're also squeezing in a bird watching walk. See you there!
Full details below ...
The tables below give a quick overview of when events are happening - click on the month
name in a table's header to jump to details of events happening during that month,
or click on the date to jump straight to details of that event.
Hover your mouse over the 
icon to get brief pop-up info on the event.
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| Colour key : | Social | Project | Meeting | Cancelled/moved | Residential Project | Multiple |
| October 2011 | |||
| social | Sun 2nd | South Coast | Bird watching |
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Early October is the prime time for birds to be returning to their wintering grounds after the breeding season.
Join us at a location on the south coast to see what is passing through on the way to warmer climes. Exact times and
meeting place will be provided a few days beforehand.
Contact on 01635 268482 for more details. |
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| project | Sun 9th | Noar Hill | Coppicing |
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Of all the places that we work, Noar Hill holds the record for the most species of orchid!
This unique reserve lies on the South Downs chalk and in times past was mined,
leading to a terrain of humps and hollows,
creating an array of habitats and thus allowing many different plant species to find their particular niche.
Today we will be coppicing hazel in the adjacent woodland to improve its wildlife value. Contact : on 01256 420818. |
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| meeting | Mon 10th | Red Lion Pub | Committee Meeting |
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It's time for us to organize the winter Events Programme.
All are welcome to join us at the Red Lion in Mortimer West End at 7:30pm.
Please note new date! |
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| social | Sat 15th | Dave's House | Photo evening |
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Dave is hosting a photo evening, starting at 7pm.
Everyone is welcome to bring along their own best pictures or to just turn up and enjoy what others have to show off.
Don't bring too many - just selected highlights please.
Photos should be on digital media - either memory-sticks and/or flash cards. Contact on 01256 420818 for more details. |
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| project | Sun 23rd | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
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It's high time we had another coppicing task in Pamber Forest, and today is the day.
We'll be continuing the work started on September 4th.
Contact : on 07971 036166. |
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| November 2011 | |||
| project | Sun 6th | Yateley Common | Scrub bash |
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A new programme brings a new reserve for BCV and HWT.
Today's task will be cutting and burning birch and gorse scrub on the open heath.
The site is excellent for Dartford warblers and nightjars and this work should help ensure the habitat remains ideal
for their nesting requirements.
Meet at Woodside car park, Yateley (SU 842 591) - map here. Contact : on 01256 420818. |
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| social | Sat 12th | Dave's House | Food evening |
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Dave is hosting one of our popular food evenings.
The theme for tonight is 'Small Islands' food, so there's plenty of scope to let your imagination flow.
Bring along a contribution (home made if at all possible) to share with others, who will do likewise.
Contact on 01256 420818 for more details. |
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| project | Sun 13th | Ecchinswell | Hedge planting |
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Following on from a survey of hedges in the Ecchinswell Parish,
HWT have been provided with funding to hopefully repair some of the hedges that are suffering from major gaps.
We will be working with HWT and possibly some other volunteers,
to plant new hedging plants into the gaps.
Exact meeting location is to be confirmed. Contact : on 07848 007947. |
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| project | Sun 20th | Newnham | Pond clearance |
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After the very successful task at this pond in January, when we were joined by some friendly local volunteers,
we're returning to help its colony of Great Crested Newts, under the guidance of an HWT management-plan.
To avoid too much disturbance to the newts, we only clear out a fifth of the pond from typha each winter.
If there is time, we will move to the other side of the green where a smaller pond is totally engulfed in typha, so we'll clear as much as we can from that too. Meet at the green in Newnham (SU 705 541) - map here. Contact : on 01635 49304. |
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| December 2011 | |||
| project | Sun 4th | Inham's Copse | Coppicing |
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We're making a welcome return to Inham's Copse, which butts onto Pamber Forest at its north eastern corner.
We'll be continuing the coppice rotation programme of recent years.
Meeting point is at the end of Early Lands in Silchester - parking is on the left after entering the woods (SU 625 615). Contact : on 07771 805000. |
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| meeting | Wed 7th | Digby's house | Committee Meeting |
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It's time for the mid-programme committee meeting, hosted tonight by Digby. Starts at 7:30pm.
Contact : on 01256 818092. |
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| social | Sat 17th | Mike's House | Silly Games |
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To celebrate the festive season, we are holding a silly games evening at Mike's house, from 7pm.
Please bring along a couple of ideas for games, plus some seasonal nibbles and your choice of drink.
Contact on 01635 268482 for more details. |
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| project | Sun 18th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
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Today we will be continuing the coppicing task started in September, near to the Honeymill Brook entrance to the Forest.
Let's hope the weather is a bit drier than on that occasion!
This is our traditional pre-Christmas task in Pamber, so why not bring along a few seasonal nibbles to enjoy around the fire at the end of the day? Contact : on 07425 160394. |
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| project | Tue 27th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
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Yes, it's radical. It is a BCV task on a Tuesday.
This is a bit of an experiment for us, but we thought the time between Christmas and the New Year can be a bit empty
and a day in Pamber Forest could be the ideal antidote to the excesses of the previous couple of days.
We will be coppicing at the same location as on 18th December. The success or otherwise of this task will determine whether it becomes a regular feature in the BCV calendar. Contact : on 01189 700155. |
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| January 2012 | |||
| social | Sun 8th | Local Area | Winter Walk |
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Join us for a New Year walk in the north Hampshire countryside, starting at 10am.
The route and meeting point will be announced a few days beforehand and I expect a pub lunch will be involved.
Contact on 01635 49304 for more details. |
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| project | Sun 15th | Velmead Common | Scrub clearance |
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This is another new site for BCV.
Velmead Common lies just east of Fleet and north of Long Valley, where we will be working in February.
HWT are restoring the heathland habitat on the common, aided by a herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle. This task will be to remove scrub which has grown up on a ditch, separating two sections of heathland. The scrub is made up of gorse, birch and willow and will be burnt on site. Meet just east of the Forester's Pub (SU 827 527) map here. Contact : on 01635 268482. |
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| social | Sun 22th | Reading | Museum Visit |
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Dave is organising a visit to the Museum of English Rural Life in Reading - entrance is free (donation requested).
See here for more information on the museum.
we plan to be there when it opens at 2pm. Contact on 01256 420818 for more details. |
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| project | Sun 29th | Inham's Copse | Coppicing |
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Today we will continue the job started on December 4th.
We'll be continuing the coppice rotation programme of recent years. Meeting point is at the end of Early Lands in Silchester - parking is on the left after entering the woods (SU 625 615). Contact : on 01256 420818. |
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| February 2012 | |||
| meeting | Wed 8th | Red Lion | Committee Meeting |
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At this meeting we will be planning the spring 2012 programme of tasks and social events. All welcome, starting at 7:30pm.
Contact : on 01189 700155. |
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| project | Sun 12th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
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The final visit to Pamber Forest in this task programme; we'll be coppicing once again.
Exact details of the meeting place and work location will be announced a few days before the task.
Contact : on 07848 007947. |
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| project | Sun 19th | Long Valley | Scrub bash |
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This task will be to remove scattered birch, willow and gorse scrub from the open heath,
to ensure it does not become too scrubbed over and fragmented.
The open conditions will allow the heathland plants such as sundews, lousewort and cross-leaved heather
to continue to flourish.
Meet in the lay-by on southern side of Aldershot road at SU 824 525, west of the Forester's Pub - map here. Contact : on 07971 036166. |
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| social | Sun 26th | Theale Area | Bird watching and walk |
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We're finishing off this programme of events with a walk around the Theale Gravel Pits, lead by Mike, starting at 10am.
There should be a good range of birds to be seen, both out on the water and in the surrounding countryside.
Full details and meeting place will be announced shortly beforehand. Contact on 01635 268482 for more details. |
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| March 2012 onwards | |||
| Full details for March onwards will appear in February ... | |||
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Basingstoke Conservation Volunteers | |
| Hands-on help for local wildlife | ||
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