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    VickyGw
    Mar 05, 2021
    Edited: Mar 05, 2021

    Missing Wildlife!

    in Greening Kingsmead

    So, we have now received the map showing the wildlife potential of the various parts of Kingsmead and it has been a bit of a shock. We anticipated that the Kings Mead would have the highest wildlife designation and that Cromwell Road allotments would at least feature as a wildlife habitat but No!

    We can't produce the map due to copyright but there are several designations:

    Green - protected* because they are habitats for endangered species

    Purple - not protected yet but have a high chance of becoming a 'Green'

    Orange then yellow then cream - no habitats and suitable for development with decreasing wildlife interest as you lose colour vibrancy


    So, key surprises:

    The Kings Mead North of the railway line is designated purple with a couple of very small Green areas

    The part of Hartham Common in Kingsmead (NW of the lock keepers cottage) is mainly yellow with a small patch of purple

    The Pines is purple

    Cromwell Road is orange


    Why are these surprises? Because several of the KNP know that there are slowworms/greater crested newts or other protected wildlife living in these areas.


    The Herts and Middsx Wildlife Trust collate the information that informs the designations. So, we are asking everyone; if you know/see protected wildlife within Kingsmead please register it onto Irecord as below. Ideally with a photo (and a better one than mine).


    https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/


    Principal, non plant species to look out for are bats, slowworms, grass snakes, greater crested newts or otters plus a depressingly long list of birds, bees, insects. moths and other wildlife all detailed in the listing at:


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_species_and_habitats_of_principal_importance_in_England


    So, if you're out for your daily constitutional and spot some interesting wildlife please make sure you log it on the Irecord site.


    Photo is a slow worm enjoying a Tamworth Rd garden

    * Protected under Section 41 of the NERC Act


    20 comments
    20 Comments

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    dave.willis
    Mar 08, 2021

    Hello everyone. My name is Dave Willis and I am the People and Wildlife Officer for King's Meads. My project is funded by the National Lottery, Thames Water and the Environment Agency. I'll be giving the talk later this month, but please do get in touch with any questions about King's Meads and what HMWT are doing.


    Really great to see people taking such an interest in the biodiversity of the area, and the wildlife richness of the reserve is well known, rest assured. My particular area of interest is reptiles and amphibians, and I have been recording them since last year. I am very keen to keep an eye on common lizard and common toad populations on site, for example!


    Water vole and wetland bird surveys are regularly taking place, along with mapping of the flora. Dragonfly and butterfly surveys are also planned once restrictions lift. We are also really helped by the regular visits to the site by incredible photographers like Stuart!


    Would be happy to include information in my talk about encouraging reptiles and amphibians. Great to see people looking after slow worms. They are our longest lived lizard, and that photo seems to show a male, if anyone was interested!


    So, hope to see many of you at the talk, and please do get in touch with me at the trust if you have any questions or comments;

    dave.willis@hmwt.org


    Like

    stuart.fox62
    Mar 06, 2021

    I have logged on i record the Short Eared Owl that has been resident over the Winter. HMWT should have loads of records and information as they manage the site. I am sure the Trust and Dan who is the Warden could help.


    Like

    V
    VickyGw
    Mar 06, 2021

    BTW - Hertford Civic Society (HCS) have a talk organised on wildlife in Kingsmead on the 24th March 2021 8 p.m. Once I have permission from HCS I will post the details on our events page

    Like
    V
    VickyGw
    Mar 06, 2021
    Replying to

    Details of the talk are now on our meeting calendar WILDLIFE ON YOUR DOORSTEP : HERTFORD'S NEAREST NATURE RESERVES - Zoom talk on 24th March 2021 8 p.m.

    Like

    B
    bcrystall
    Mar 06, 2021

    Years ago - some of you may remember - Transition Hertford organised a local speaker on permaculture to come and talk at Mudlark's allotment in the summer. We had a screen and projector etc and it was a great, well attended event.

    Maybe one way to encourage allotmenteers to go pesticide free would be to hold a similar event when allowed later in the summer, with Mudlark's agreement obvs, and invite an expert on growing without pesticides to talk. Invite every one at the allotment. It would be a great opportunity to advertise the idea and benefits it brings, and could get a lot of local growers onside, maybe? What's the view?

    Like
    B
    bcrystall
    Mar 06, 2021
    Replying to

    @VickyGw Sounds great. Id love to know more about encouraging those creatures

    Like

    dave.willis
    Mar 08, 2021
    Replying to

    @bcrystall lots of microhabitats and weedy areas! Limit pesticide use and dig a pond. Further useful information here;https://www.arc-trust.org/garden-dragon-watch

    Like

    V
    VickyGw
    Mar 08, 2021
    Replying to

    @dave.willis The allotment rules prohibit ponds

    Like

    K
    Karen J
    Mar 06, 2021

    Thanks Vicky. I'll do that.

    Like

    K
    Karen J
    Mar 05, 2021

    Thank you Liz. I'll do a bit of research and come back to you - and your daughter.

    Like
    V
    VickyGw
    Mar 06, 2021
    Replying to

    Hi Karen


    I think Alex Daar (Cllr, sits on the Hertford Town Council allotment committee) has been working on getting glysophate and slug pellets banned. may be worth getting in touch with her

    Like

    alexandra.daar
    Mar 06, 2021
    Replying to

    @VickyGw sorry not very familiar with how the techs work so maybe repeating myself🙂 Yes I am interested in increasing Green practices across all allotments in Hertford. I raised this issue at the Community Services Committee last year and questions were added to the recent survey to allotment holders. The survey results are back and discussed at the recent meeting. At the next one in the summer we are going to review the rules for allotments. I will look at how we can get this proposal on the Agenda. In the meantime it will really help if you can get the support of your own local councillors that sit on that committee Sue Barber, Rosemary Bolton and Stuart Hunt.

    Like

    dave.willis
    Mar 08, 2021
    Replying to

    @alexandra.daar if you would like to have your allotments surveyed for reptiles and amphibians, please let me know and I will arrange a visit by Hertfordshire Amphibian and Reptile Group!

    Like

    L
    lizmcgarry395
    Mar 05, 2021

    My daughter who has an allotment and myself will support you!

    Like

    L
    lizmcgarry395
    Mar 05, 2021

    Apparently they're not prohibited in the allotments and yes they should be.

    Like
    K
    Karen J
    Mar 05, 2021
    Replying to

    Really! I feel a petition coming on. I will look at the national picture re allotments - unless anyone already knows - and I am more than happy to take this issue up!