News archive

June 2008

Monday, 23 June 2008

Indoor Meetings - Update

Indoor Meetings - Update

Regrettably in recent times costs such as hire of St Philips hall in Tonbridge and guest speakers has increased. Unfortunately this means that costs for attending indoor meetings in the future will be increased from the present values, (RSPB member - £2.50, Non-member - £3.00, RSPB Concession - £1.75) to the following;
RSPB member - £3.00, Non member - £4.00, RSPB Concession - £2.00. This will take affect for meetings starting this autumn and is detailed in the about page on this site and in our forthcoming newsletter. However this still represents good value for money and a new season of exciting indoor meeting topics is now available for 2008/2009 starting in September. In the meantime why not help out at the RSPB's newest local reserve, Broadwater Warren. Dates for conservation work parties and all other indoor meetings and events are available from the Events section on this site or click the link below;


Thursday, 5 June 2008

RSPB Broadwater Warren turns up some wild surprises

RSPB Broadwater Warren turns up some wild surprises

This gathering of as much information as possible is always our first step in a project such as this. We have been doing surveys of everything from bats to archaeology, and our finds have included the first Sussex record of a strange toadstool called Fomitopsis that has the distinction of melting if burnt! The discoveries are helping us refine our plans for the reserve, which will be formally presented to Forestry Commission for approval prior to restoration work starting in the autumn.

The other key element helping to shape plans are the consultation responses that we have gathered over the past year through public events and correspondence. On Sunday 16 March, we held another 'Meet the RSPB' drop-in day at Groombridge village hall to keep local people up to speed with developments, and were pleased with both the steady flow of people dropping in during the day, and the clear level of support for the project.

That is not to deny that a few people have reservations about the plans - this is inevitable given that although the work we are doing has the strongest conservation basis and is a return to the original landscape and wildlife, it is still a major transformation for people who have only known the site in recent years. Change can be unsettling, and we intend to do what we can to ensure that everyone is kept appraised of our plans so that nothing comes unexpectedly for local people.

We plan to formally open the reserve in the autumn once a discreet car park is in place. In the meantime, people are able to visit the reserve, but it is recommended that they contact us first if they are not familiar with the site, as there are no facilities yet in place such as formal car parking or trails.

Anyone wishing to know more about the new reserve at this stage can call the new RSPB Wealden Office on 01892 752 430. We produce regular news updates and have recently created a visitor map of the reserve. Alternatively, you can download the information pack from www.rspb.org.uk/broadwaterwarren.

Caroline FitzGerald, RSPB Site Manager

Sunday, 1 June 2008

Volunteer working on tree roots

Broadwater Warren - Meet the team

You are invited to visit Broadwater Warren on 22 June to meet RSPB staff and volunteers who will be at the 'central crossroads' on the Reserve from 10 am to 4 pm to explain the plans for the reserve and answer any questions you might have. Just drop by at any time. There will be short guided walks for those interested.