Your seasonal guide
Winter in the countryside It will come as little surprise to those who know me that winter is not my favourite time of year. I do not like the lack of daylight, nor the damp and the mud. I dislike the cold, although winters now are often not cold enough. Regular, crisp, fresh mornings seem…
There is a lot of outrage over hedge cutting. This gives me so much hope, as it shows a level of emotional investment in these wonderful habitats. Often, this frustration is justified, but sometimes it’s a little misplaced. Let’s have a closer look…….. Is it natural to cut a hedge? I often hear that it…
Formerly used for Gravel extraction, now important for many rare and declining species of wilslife. Andover is fortunate to have Rooksbury Mill Nature Reserve, nestled between the A303 and Watermills Park. The site started life as part of the Rooksbury Estate. In 1969 it was used for gravel extraction, before being filled, converted to a…
Recording first, and what platforms to use. When creating a new nature reserve either on a large scale, or just creating a wild area in your garden, or improving a wild area, it is best NOT just to get stuck straight in! To truly know if your conservation project is working, or not, you need…
Many Andover residents know of Ladies Walk it’s a stunning area with views right across town. The walk was planted with an avenue of trees in 1863 to commemorate the wedding of The Prince of Wales to Princess Alexander. The trees are very mature and some are rotting providing habitats for invertebrates, fungi and bats,…