July 2008

bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/

Welcome to this month’s newsletter. Summer has finally arrived (let’s hope it lasts!) and we’ve got tonnes to report on. Check out this month’s Do One Thing, read about our fantastic SWAT projects and our exciting city festivals which attracted thousands of people.

Do One Thing – Plant a butterfly hedge

Plant the right shrubs and flowers and you’ll notice a lot more visitors. One of the best plants for butterflies is blackthorn, or sloe, which makes a really good hedge. It has pretty blossom in the spring and sloes in the autumn, so there’s plenty of seasonal interest for you too.

If you plant even a small blackthorn bush as part of your hedge or let it grow into a small tree, you can expect to see black and town hairstreak butterflies, brimstone moths, feathered thorns, lesser yellow underwings, double square spots and many more.

SWAT – Springwatch Action Team

On the 7th and 8th June Springwatch Action Teams around the UK rolled up their sleeves and took on the challenge. Working with BBC Learning, BBC local Radio in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, groups of volunteers from different backgrounds, ages and levels of experience, came together to form their own Springwatch Action Teams and create Breathing Places.

With expert support from our many conservation partners – over 123,000 square meters of land was transformed, 11,500 plants and flowers were planted, and 6,000 volunteers got their hands dirty (plus another 9,000 people came to cheer them on!). All in all, a very successful weekend! Thanks to everyone who took part. Find out about your local SWAT on our website

Festivals

This year, our Breathing Places cities across the nation celebrated a fantastic year of action, with seven of them hosting great summer festivals.

Thousands of people flocked to festivals held at Brighton, Bristol, Derby, Newcastle, Gateshead, Glasgow and Southampton. Bristol even had a launch concert on the Friday night featuring stunning footage from a variety of wildlife films, all set to music from the Emerald Ensemble.

If you don’t want to miss out, there are still two festivals yet to take place. The first is in Newham at Central Park on 12th and 13th July, where, last year, 50,000 people turned up. Derry/Londonderry will be holding the final festival in Brooke Park on Saturday 2nd August, so go along to these if you live nearby or fancy a day trip to Newham or Londonderry.

Have a look at our festivals page to see what happened.

Partner of the month - Southwark Council

Lots of people might have dismissed the overgrown corner of Surrey Square but Jon Best, Ecology Officer in Southwark Council, saw its potential as a haven for nature. His dedication to improve the site for local people and wildlife persuaded the SWAT team that they could make a difference.

From that moment onwards Jon and Southwark Council, with help from a whole host of other wildlife partners, showed fantastic commitment to the project. While Deborah McKenzie, Parks Community Outreach Officer, managed a fantastic Springwatch event attended by over 600 local people, Jon rolled up his sleeves and got stuck in with the transformation work.

So it’s thanks to all the SWAT volunteers, but especially Southwark Council that local people now have a new space for nature and the community.

Upcoming Events - Beachwatch

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

Watch out for Beachwatch on The One Show – in the week beginning 14th July. And visit our website during that week to find out about beach based wildlife events and activities.

Remember, now that the weather is nicer and the summer holidays are fast approaching, you can check out our database to find wildlife events happening near you.