JUNE newsletter 2019

We have a new committee!
 
We are now a team of 3! Alex and Georgie joined Wild About Datchet in May. Collectively we've got plenty of ideas about how to engage the village in wildlife conservation.

MP Adam Afriyie is Wild About Datchet!
 
A note from Hannah:
 
This Tuesday 4th July, I travelled to Parliament to meet the Conservative MP for Windsor Adam Afriyie. We had a very positive and open conversation about the environment. He's really pleased that we've set up Wild About Datchet! He's agreed to put us in touch with some people at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to talk about improving green infrastructure across the Borough (e.g. creating wildlife corridors, planting more trees).
 
He also listened carefully to my concerns about the draft Environment Bill and what's going to happen to environmental laws after we leave the European Union. He was quite excited about the idea of building green bridges to enable wildlife to cross over roads! If you're interested to know more of the details regarding the environment bill then let me know. My article about our meeting will soon be posted on the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust's website: https://www.bbowt.org.uk/blog/hannah-needham.
 
He's easy to talk to and made me feel very welcome. He's optimistic about the future and tried his best to reassure me that we're going to be world leaders in environmental laws. We didn't totally agree on everything, but that just made it more fun! Overall it was constructive and it seems to have opened up some opportunities to help local wildlife across the Borough.

Wild About Datchet Bird Survey
 
On Saturday 25 May, Brian and Liz Crathorne came to Datchet to undertake a bird survey at the Willowfields and the Land at Mill Place. The results of the survey can be found below - a whopping 25 species of birds were recorded!
 
The Crathornes, experienced surveyors who volunteer for the British Trust of Orinithology, also recorded some interesting observations about the site (see notes below). Their comments echo those of the Windsor and Maidenhead Conservation Volunteers who came to view the area in February. Both groups agree that the unkempt nature of the land is good for biodiversity. The dense scrub provides habitat for birds while the unmown grass is a haven for invertebrates.
 
We were joined by a good crowd of people and gained some new members! Thank you to Alison from the Datchet Village Society for your help advertising the event. ​