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
How interestIng that the Cromwell Road allotments have a greater biodiversity than the Kings Mead. It made me realise how much potential individual gardens have in encouraging wildlife.
How interestIng that the Cromwell Road allotments have a greater biodiversity than the Kings Mead. It made me realise how much potential individual gardens have in encouraging wildlife.
I totally agree and on the subject of encouraging wildlife, while it's more difficult to dissuade people from using chemicals in their own gardens, I have often wondered if things like pesticides, non-organic fertilisers and slug pellets are prohibited on allotments.
Hopefully, they are but if not, should they be?
Apparently they're not prohibited in the allotments and yes they should be.
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!
My daughter who has an allotment and myself will support you!
Thank you Liz. I'll do a bit of research and come back to you - and your daughter.
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
@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.
@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!
Thanks Vicky. I'll do that.
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?
Ben - I love this idea. I know there is at least one allotmenteer that encourages slow worms and GC newts by providing habitat and maybe the speaker could get some pictures from his allotment or said allotmenteer could have a 10 min slot on how he encourages wildlife by providing habitat
@VickyGw Sounds great. Id love to know more about encouraging those creatures
@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