SNJ September 2018

We had our second Stroud Swift Group meeting last night and I am so pleased there are lots of people like me who love the swifts! People have contacted us to let us know about nesting sites in Stroud, Nailsworth and Minchinhampton, and others who are doing building work and want some advice. If you are having scaffolding put up for some building work it is also the ideal time to put up a swift box. Our volunteers are designing and making swift boxes to sell in our eco shop later this year. We are looking for people who have equipment and skills to climb ladders and install boxes, please contact me if you can help.

New free resources available for Schools - as part of Stroud Valleys Project’s Wild Classrooms educational scheme, we are launching a series of academic year calendars covering plants and animals. The aim is to encourage children to get out and discover more about the wildlife where they live (specifically Gloucestershire but should be applicable to many areas).

The idea is that a class has a calendar, it can be one linked to their programme of study, for example flowers will link in with plant reproduction in Years 3 & 5, or just something of interest. Then each month the children have to go out and spot that month’s species. Most of the plants and animals should be relatively easy to see close to school, with perhaps a couple needing a bit more of an adventure! Every time someone sees one, they mark it on the calendar. It can take just five minutes a week or can become part of a bigger project for the year, but by the end, all the children should be able to identify 12 different species. For more information about the calendars or Wild Classrooms please contact Tamsin Bent, Wild Classrooms Project Officer at tamsin@stroudvalleysproject.org