What's on & News

 

 

 

Toads

 

Every year toads that spend the summer in the wood hibernate until spring. In late February or early March they emerge and move to the pool they were born in to breed. For the toads that move to Lulsley lagoon, this means that thy have to cross the road. They do this at night and often pause for a while on the tarmac, because this absorbs heat during the day and so is warmer than the surrounding soil. We would normally go out each evening and collect the toads and take them across the road to the pool.Over the ten years to 2007 the best year totaled in the region of 200. A good number you might think. Well last year we took part in an experiment, and we errected a mesh fence for 100 meters along the edge of the road. The idea being that this would block the toads route, they would try to move around this, and fall into the buckets dug into the ground along the fence line. This means that we did not need to go out each evening collecting toads and could simply collect them each morning. A much easier and safer option. The first toads were caught on 25th february and a total of 593 were safely moved across the road. So because of this sucess we are doing the same again this year. So the fence as been errected and the buckets dug in.

 

This year the first two toads were caught on 21st feb, I will add the numbers as I go. The date given is the date of the movement, the toads would normally be collected the following morning.

 

Flagpole

We have recently provide a replacement flagpole to our local church in Alfrick. It was broken during high winds. We felled a Larch and prepared it before a group of locals carried it just over one mile to the chuch. For more details visit our village website

Workparties

Volunteer workparties are the main way we get our management work done.

Volunteer work parties can be seen helping with management work, trying their hand at woodland crafts using traditional materials and methods. Why not join "The Friends of Ravenshill", no experience is required, just an interest in the environment and a desire to contribute to nature conservation.

If you would like to get involved or find out more, please contact us..

There is also a coppicing course held here at Ravenshill,

for details go to the organisers website

Village Show

Every year on the first saturday in September we hold the Alfrick and Lulsley Show. This great event atracts more than 3000 visitors and all the profits go to local good causes. To find out more visit the website