Back in August, the local magazine “Wetherby Matters” featured a two-page article about the East Keswick Wildlife Trust.
The two pages are included below.
To see the latest issue of the Wetherby Matters magazine, go to http://emagazines.hibu.com/wetherby.
Corrections to details re- Frank Shire’s Quarry above: “magnesium limestone” should read “magnesian limestone”, “Broomrape thistle” should read “Thistle Broomrape”.
Elliker Fields Community Work Party
Thank you for your support so far.
Management work has now begun.
Please join our work party or just come and have look at the plans.
Sunday 15th September 11am to 3pm
All ages are welcome
Wear sturdy footwear or wellies and bring gardening gloves and loppers if you have them.
The Trust has been successful in obtaining a grant to plant a mixed native species hedgerow along the southern boundary of Ox Close Wood. This will help prevent spray drift and encroachment into the wood from the adjoining intensive farming. Work will commence in the winter.
Please come along and join the planting work parties. Phone 01937 574140
The Trust is applying for a landfill grant from Green Leeds to replace the post and rail boundary fence with a native mixed species hedge.
We need your help.
Southern boundary of Ox Close Wood along which a new hedge is to be created.
We need to prepare the site for planting in the winter months. All ages would be most welcome to join us. No experience required; just a love of the countryside and good company. Please contact us to join our weekly work party.
On the 18th May the Trust held a short, informative roadside verge walk to look at the variety of wild flowers and to see which verges might benefit from better management. Since then we have consulted with the Leeds City Council in order to re-schedule the cutting regime of the better verges.
…. a close inspection of a roadside verge !
Then, on the 8th June members of the Trust visited Lincolnshire to witness the results of good roadside verge management. The day started with an enthralling talk by Mark Scofield, the leader of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust’s “Life on the Verge” Project. Mark recounted the origin of the project, it’s problems and it’s successes. After lunch we had a tour around the best examples of well managed verges which showed a tremendous variety of wild flowers and how this management obviates the need for verges to be cut more than once or twice a year.
Trust members examining well managed wild flower verges in Lincolnshire.
Villagers old and young of East Keswick and the nearby areas turned out in force to view the Wildlife Trust’s newest project: “The Elliker Fields”.
Plans and information where on display and some great feedback was given by the community for future plans. The comment below sums it up:
“The plans look great, it will be a fantastic asset to the village. Would love to see some point of interest for children along the path. Hidden sculptures to clamber on, perhaps from local materials. A picnic area. Hidden tunnels or den making area. Mown paths in the grass. Love the pond dipping plan. All sounds great.”
The Trust has broad plans for both the Elliker Field and the neighbouring wood but are always looking for more ideas so leave your thoughts and feelings below!
After hearing the Trust had signed a legal option to purchase the Elliker Fields, an adjacent landholder who has in the past applied for planning permission for his land has offered us his adjoining woodland and wetland pasture.
With an individual private donation we have been able put down a 10% deposit to sign an option for the purchase of this land, which if we are successful in raising the purchase price will extend the Elliker Fields Nature reserve by a further 2.5 acres. This will add greatly to the diversity of the present area under our management and ownership.
We now have 12 months to raise another £25,000 to make up the shortfall of funds available for this land purchase.
Can we do it again? We hope the community will again support us with our new fund raising project.
We will keep all informed of progress through the Trust website and village publications.
Elliker Field is on the left. The woodland and fen extension to the project are to the right of center.
We have been successful in purchasing this area of land
A big thank you to all the individuals, groups and associations that have supported East Keswick Wildlife Trust in their appeal to raise £25,000 to purchase the Elliker Fields.
We have been overwhelmed by your generosity and support, and you will be pleased to know that the Trust was able to raise the required funds and has completed the purchase of the freehold of Elliker Fields.
The Trust can now ensure that this important field will be safe for future generations to enjoy and will be managed for wildlife and the local community. We will continue to work with the village in developing a management plan for this site and we wish to hear your views. There will be a site meeting on Saturday 2nd of February so please join us. We will meet at 2pm at the entrance to the reserve between 21 and 23 The Paddock. We intend to walk the field, look at the Trust’s proposals and invite comments and ideas from the community. All welcome.
Follow our progress by joining the Trust and getting our biannual newsletter.
East Keswick Wildlife Trust has signed an option to purchase some strategically important land in the heart of our village for our community and future generations to enjoy.
Sadly, even Greenbelt land isn’t completely safe from the threat of development so we want to safeguard this land forever, particularly as it is rich in flora and fauna of a type that is rapidly disappearing from our countryside.
We want everyone to be involved so please come to a public meeting at 7.30pm on Monday 10 September in the Verity Room at the Village Hall and have your say. For further information, please call 01937 574140.