Newsletter
December and ongoing
For those of you that are interested in our biodiversity, I have very good news:
Today (Monday 22nd October 2010) Alison Hunt (a staunch eco warrior), Barry Aelion (a tree warden) and myself (an amateur ecologist and Secretary of our site), all plotholders on Albemarle, met up with Derek Richardson, Chief Ecology Officer of Manchester City Council, Kenneth Wilson of Manchester Leisure (our Landlords) and two representatives from GMPTE (one of whom was an ecologist) who are developing the old railway line to accommodate the Metro Line
The main point of discussion was the two ponds and a bog pool that was promised to us 12 months ago (the mitigation measures that should have been put in place before draining operations began). We did not get the ponds, and a lot of our wildlife has been lost.
We received some frogspawn in late spring, which was distributed around the site to those plotholders that had ponds. I can advise that if you get frogspawn in your ponds, they love fish food – pellets, flakes, they don’t mind.
The second point of discussion was the woodland habitat that adjoins our site.
It may be a nuisance to some plotholders, as the trees suck out all the moisture and most of the nutrients in the soil, also they shade the plot. But the leaves they cast are good for the soil. We can possibly agree a rebate for those plots most badly affected
This habitat is inhabited by a wide range of birds and bats, including Soprano Pipistrelle bats and great spotted woodpecker. The Metro (GMPTE) would cut down all the trees and plant saplings (“cut down one tree, replace with three” is their motto, as if three saplings can replace a mature tree). Saplings would not support our nesting birds, our woodpeckers or our bats.
And the third point is the one closest to my heart. That our site is special. We have a thriving wildlife habitat on our site. We have a growing colony of sparrows. Sparrows are now endangered due to a disease, which is devastating their population. When did you last see one of these birds in your garden? It used to be our commonest bird, but is now getting rare. However, on Albemarle Allotments it is thriving. This is only the beginning – in mid summer, where have you seen so many different butterflies – Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoishell, and so many moths and insects? Wildlife does not exist in a vacuum.
Go and take a look at Plot 71. It is always buzzing with insects, because the tenant grows flowers amongst her crops (or is it the other way round, she grows crops amongst her flowers?). Without the insects we wouldn’t have the birds, and so on.
Our site may be full of weeds, nettle, grasses, bramble, (to name just a few). but without them we also wouldn’t have our biodiversity
My good news is that Manchester City Council have now agreed that Albemarle Allotments are the first site in Manchester to be designated:
“a site that promotes healthy eating, a healthy lifestyle and the active preservation of biodiversity”
How Good Is That!!
There is more, about the ponds and bog pool on the embankment, which is still ongoing, and will be reported on shortly.
Regards,
Joan
Today (Monday 22nd October 2010) Alison Hunt (a staunch eco warrior), Barry Aelion (a tree warden) and myself (an amateur ecologist and Secretary of our site), all plotholders on Albemarle, met up with Derek Richardson, Chief Ecology Officer of Manchester City Council, Kenneth Wilson of Manchester Leisure (our Landlords) and two representatives from GMPTE (one of whom was an ecologist) who are developing the old railway line to accommodate the Metro Line
The main point of discussion was the two ponds and a bog pool that was promised to us 12 months ago (the mitigation measures that should have been put in place before draining operations began). We did not get the ponds, and a lot of our wildlife has been lost.
We received some frogspawn in late spring, which was distributed around the site to those plotholders that had ponds. I can advise that if you get frogspawn in your ponds, they love fish food – pellets, flakes, they don’t mind.
The second point of discussion was the woodland habitat that adjoins our site.
It may be a nuisance to some plotholders, as the trees suck out all the moisture and most of the nutrients in the soil, also they shade the plot. But the leaves they cast are good for the soil. We can possibly agree a rebate for those plots most badly affected
This habitat is inhabited by a wide range of birds and bats, including Soprano Pipistrelle bats and great spotted woodpecker. The Metro (GMPTE) would cut down all the trees and plant saplings (“cut down one tree, replace with three” is their motto, as if three saplings can replace a mature tree). Saplings would not support our nesting birds, our woodpeckers or our bats.
And the third point is the one closest to my heart. That our site is special. We have a thriving wildlife habitat on our site. We have a growing colony of sparrows. Sparrows are now endangered due to a disease, which is devastating their population. When did you last see one of these birds in your garden? It used to be our commonest bird, but is now getting rare. However, on Albemarle Allotments it is thriving. This is only the beginning – in mid summer, where have you seen so many different butterflies – Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoishell, and so many moths and insects? Wildlife does not exist in a vacuum.
Go and take a look at Plot 71. It is always buzzing with insects, because the tenant grows flowers amongst her crops (or is it the other way round, she grows crops amongst her flowers?). Without the insects we wouldn’t have the birds, and so on.
Our site may be full of weeds, nettle, grasses, bramble, (to name just a few). but without them we also wouldn’t have our biodiversity
My good news is that Manchester City Council have now agreed that Albemarle Allotments are the first site in Manchester to be designated:
“a site that promotes healthy eating, a healthy lifestyle and the active preservation of biodiversity”
How Good Is That!!
There is more, about the ponds and bog pool on the embankment, which is still ongoing, and will be reported on shortly.
Regards,
Joan
