Dean Meadows Group are hosting two one-day courses in useful management skills for landowners or gardeners by Andrew Williams who is an experienced tutor and a committee member of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Hedge Layers Association: 1. Practical hedge laying instruction day on Saturday November 24th 2012 Andrew teaches the Midlands style… Read More Courses in Hedge Laying and Hurdle Making

The latest Recorders’ newsletter is available from the SEWBReC web site (download pdf file). It’s well worth a read.  This issue’s contents include Wildlife haven in West Glamorgan Botanical highlights in 2012 Canada Tips & Quarry Pools, Blaenavon Blaencanaid Raven Roost Update Rare Fungus in Dingestow Wildboar in Gwent Recording around Ebbw Vale Wasp Spider… Read More Gwent-Glamorgan Recorders’ Autumn Newsletter

Flora locale run events for anyone involved in the design, management and restoration of wild plants and habitats for biodiversity, landscapes and people, whether on a farm, smallholding, village green or garden.  Here’s a selection from their autumn programme: Good practice in managing ancient trees  – Wednesday 17 October Location: Burnham Beeches, Slough    Course Ref:… Read More Flora Locale Workshops

Monmouthshire Meadows Group supports the road verge campaign started by Plantlife. Many of our members are concerned about the mowing regime applied to our roadside verges by Monmouthshire County Council.  Although some lanes have been left uncut, other lanes were cut very early this year.  My own single-track lane has just been cut (at the… Read More Plantlife Road Verge Campaign

Pond Conservation are running the Million Ponds project which aims to create a network of new ponds across the UK for the benefit of endangered freshwater plants and animals.  They are looking for sites for new ponds, and Wales Pond Officer Anna Bransden has sent the following request for help: “You may already be aware… Read More Million Ponds Project – Looking for Sites

Our annual autumn get-together this year will be on Thursday 18th October at The Priory in Monmouth, 7pm start.  This is a great chance to talk to like-minded people, find out more about managing your own grassland, and how other members have fared in this unusual summer. The theme is establishing new and conserving old… Read More Autumn Meeting Thursday 18th October

Saturday 13 October 2012, Mackenzie Hall, Brockweir 2pm – 5.30pm The Autumn meeting of the Parish Grasslands Project in Brockweir is all about wood, and how to make the most effective use of trees on your land. The agenda includes: The trees. Introduction to meeting and the trees of the parishes. The main trees in… Read More Wood from the Trees: Parish Grasslands Project

Tim Green of Gwent Wildlife Trust has gathered meadow seeds from their lovely meadows at Pentwyn and New Grove using the jointly owned GWT/MMG seed harvester. Some of this seed will be available for us to distribute to MMG members in a few weeks time once it has been dried.  Priority will be given to… Read More Meadow Seed Distribution 2012

A working party is needed at Ty Mawr convent on Sunday 9 September.  MMG have agreed to cut and rake the wet meadow in exchange for the seed that Gwent Wildlife Trust is collecting for us.  Members who came to the Bioblitz day at Ty Mawr in June will know that this is an interesting… Read More Get your working boots on!

A message from Sara Senior who is looking for hay: “I am searching for hay made from flora rich meadows for my rescued horses and wondering if you could help me.  I was previously purchasing hay from someone with a wonderful old meadow but unfortunately they developed a ragwort problem with seed blowing over and… Read More Hay Wanted