BIODIVERSITY GROUP

Biodiversity: the huge variety of life within our environment. This group realise that plants and animals do amazing things. Plants capture carbon from the atmosphere, helping in the fight against increased carbon emissions. Established trees in woodland can communicate via fungal networks so that in their fight against drought and other extreme weather conditions they respond together by producing masses of seed when threatened. Animals help in the breakdown of dead plant material to improve the structure of the soil. Wilding greatly helps to accelerate this process.

In the biodiversity group we help to support plant and animal life. We plant hedges, trees and encourage and support others to do the same e.g. schools. We maintain our own planting through our own workshops or via the Conservation Group in Barton Farm Country Park. The group contributes towards the protection of areas of wildlife under threat through letter writing and protest. There is a monthly workshop to make owl and other bird nest boxes. If you have hedgehogs in your garden please protect them. They are a species under threat in Bradford-on-Avon.

For articles and information about Swifts see our Swifts Group page

If you feel you would like to help the group in any way please email us

THINGS TO DO

  • Peat-free compost in the garden, see more at Plantlife

BIODIVERSITY GROUP ARTICLES

March 2024 update

Results of the DEFRA hedgerow survey, which this group was involved in, show that legislation is due to be taken to Parliament as soon as time allows

Feb 2024 update

Mon 12th February: Biodiversity Net Gain enforcement starts. Most developers in England are expected to produce a 10% net gain

Jan 2024 update

Happy New Year! A great chance to volunteer: to help the Environment Group at St Laurence to create a wildflower meadow and a pond

Dec 2023 update

Wildlife that is to be found in Bradford-on-Avon: 38 people came to the talk by Chris Wardell, a wildlife enthusiast and photographer on Dec 12th

Nov 2023 update

What are you doing in your garden to help in carbon storage?  The world’s agricultural soils have the potential to store an additional 5 gigatons of CO2 per year

Oct 2023 update

The State of Nature Report 2023 indicates a continuing decline, with 16% of the 10,000 species assessed being at risk from being lost

Sep 2023 update

Next steps for Poulton Park, your views welcomed – Extraordinary Earth Day in Bath September 30th – Biodiversity group are responding to the Hedgerow consultation

Aug 2023 update

Bearfield Community Orchard plums and damson, apples soon + Find out which wildflowers attract the most insects + Hedgerow consultation till 20th September

July 2023 update

Local nature recovery strategies: A policy paper published June 30th 2023 explains what they are and why they are needed

June 2023 update

The river Avon at Keynsham scores very high on the chemical pollution test for Per- and Polyfluorinated substances (PFAS). These are known as ‘forever’ chemicals

Active Travel Group

Community Involvement Group

Energy Group

Sustainable Food & Drink Group

Zero Waste Group