January 26 Mill Lane Meadows

Happy new year to you all, I hope you all managed to get out for some lovely frosty walks over the festive period!

Just before Christmas, I walked around Mill Lane Meadows with my rescue dog Luna (who of course was wearing her festive attire), and it was a beautiful day – the red kites were out in full force, and we saw a lovely little kestrel perched on the power lines. The birds of prey are thriving there. Talking fauna – I will be setting up some refugia at MLM with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Amphibian and Reptile Group (HIWARG) in the coming months for surveys. This will help us understand what species we have, and how we can improve the habitat for them on site. It is exciting, and I will tell you more about our findings as the year progresses! We are also welcoming some corporate volunteers to site on Thursday 29th January, where we will be working on the dense hedgerow to the right of the back field. We plan to trial out some scalloping – a traditional technique that involves creating crescent-shaped chunks of vegetation at intervals along the hedge. This enhances biodiversity by providing varied conditions along the hedgerow, for example shaded areas, areas with increased

sunlight and enhanced wind protection. Please be aware that parking may be limited that afternoon.

Finally – remember to keep an eye out on the notice board for any updates on works on site or volunteer party tasks!

Gemma