Environment

Kerry Blackbourn's uncle took a number of photographs in 2008 whilst flying over Bassingham. The photos have been sent in to The Witham Staple and some of them are included below. Kerry has more photographs, if you are interested please contact her by e-mail: kerryblack@tiscali.co.uk

High Street and surroundings....

Church and the centre of Bassingham from the west...

High Street from the south west....

River Witham and the southern end of Bassingham....

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Christmas & New Year Refuse Collection 2008 / 2009

Collection days will change for everyone this Christmas and New Year. To make sure you know when to put your wheeled bins out, please refer to your collection calendar or cut out and keep this table.

   Usual Collection Day	     			Revised Collection Day

Monday 22nd December	Saturday 20th December
Tuesday 23rd December	Monday 22nd December
Wednesday 24th December	Tuesday 23rd December
Thursday 25th December	Wednesday 24th December
Friday 26th December	Saturday 27th December
Monday 29th December	No Change
Tuesday 30th December	No Change
Wednesday 31st December	No Change
Thursday 1st January 2009	Friday 2nd January 2009
Friday 2nd January 2009	Saturday 3rd January 2009

Always have your bins out for collection by 7.30am on collection day as collection times may vary.
Normal collections will resume from Monday 5th January 09

Side Waste
As in previous years the District Council will collect side waste left at the side of the green lidded wheeled bin and the black wheeled bin on the first collection AFTER Christmas only.

If in doubt please call our Refuse Hotline FREE on 0800 174499

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Supplementary Waste Collection Service (Update)

North Kesteven District Council are to spend the £50,000 from Lincolnshire County Council (given to offset the Saturday supplementary waste service) on mobile covert CCTV equipment, to be sited where fly tipping is a particular nuisance.

NKDC have also decided to cut the cost of the bulky waste collection service, from April :3 items are being reduced from £12 to £6 and 4-6 items will now cost £12. This will be reviewed after one year as the LCC contribution was a "one-off" sum.

Cllr. Pat Woodman NKDC Bassingham Ward [WS Apr 2006]

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Bassingham Supplementary Waste Collection "the Skip" is to end!

The Supplementary Household waste collection service in Bassingham on the second Saturday of each month is to end. This service will cease on the 31st December 2005, therefore, the last collection will be on Saturday 10th December. [WS Nov 05]

Saturday Supplementary Waste Service - Response from District Councillor Following Objections from Users About Plans to Discontinue the Service

This service has been operated by the Lincolnshire County Council for a number of years but they have now announced that it is to end in December. The Audit Commission recently criticised the county council for this service as it only served a limited number of villages and was not considered value for money. The Audit Commission was also critical of the fact that the waste went to landfill and was not recycled. The County Council have invited North Kesteven District Council to continue this scheme by making a one-off financial contribution, which would pay for the service for one year; or North Kesteven District Council may use the contribution for other services connected with disposal and recycling. North Kesteven District Council have not, as yet, made a decision regarding this money but are concerned that however it is used it will benefit the whole of the District equally.

It is worth commenting that North Kesteven District Council presently operates one of the best recycling schemes in the country with 50% of waste being recycled. The decision regarding the County Council's financial contribution to North Kesteven District Council will be reported in the next edition of the Witham Staple.

Cllr Pat Woodman NKDC [WS Nov 05]

Lincolnshire County Council Household Waste Recycling Centres
Domestic waste can be taken to the waste recycling centres
around the District free of charge.

Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC)
There are four local Household Waste Recycling Centres where you can take additional recycling and bulky household items such as fridge/freezers to, for recycling and disposal. They are:

Great Northern Terrace Lincoln

April to September
Monday to Friday - 8am to 6pm (incl bank holidays)
Saturday & Sunday - 8am to 4pm

October to March
Open everyday - 8am to 4pm
Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Mareham Lane Sleaford

April to September
Monday to Friday - 8am to 6pm (incl bank holidays)
Saturday & Sunday - 8am to 4pm

October to March
Open everyday - 8am to 4pm
Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Pottergate Leadenham

Monday to Friday - Closed
Saturday & Sunday - 8am to 4pm

Eagle Road Whisby

Monday to Friday - 8am to 4pm
Saturday - 8am to 12pm
Closed Sunday

Please note that these Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) are for household waste only. It is an offence to bring waste from your business to these sites.
Contact: Environmental Services Division. N.K.D.C.

Bulky Collection Service
North Kesteven provide a collection service from domestic properties to collect your old or broken domestic items such as: beds, washing machines, televisions or similar.

The charges (2006) are:
£6 for up to 3 items
£12 for 4 to 6 items

£17 per item for fridges and freezers (no concessions)

There are concessions if you receive an income related benefit.

Contact:
Environmental Services Division. N.K.D.C.
Kesteven Street, Sleaford. Lincs. NG34 7EF
Tel: 01529 414155 or 01522 699699
Fax: 01529 318394
waste@n-kesteven.gov.uk

www.n-kesteven.gov.uk

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The waste skip is available for domestic and garden waste (trade waste NOT accepted) on the second Saturday of the month at Bassingham Village Car Park between 8.30 am and 9.20 am.

The following are NOT PERMITTED:

waste from any trade or business, fridges and freezers, asbestos, car batteries, tyres, liquid wastes, cookers, washing machines, tumble driers, microwaves, waste from stabling of animals (manure, straw, wood shavings), hardcore, soil and rubble. Domestic fridges and freezers can be taken to a Household Waste &Recycling Site or a collection can be arranged through the District Council as for other bulky household waste. For further information contact North Kesteven District Council (Tel: 699699). [WS June 2005]

Domestic fridges and freezers can be taken to a Household Waste & Recycling Site or a collection can be arranged through the District Council as for other bulky household waste. For further information contact North Kesteven District Council (Tel: 699699).

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Recycling Banks

Residents are reminded that, although all households now have the green recycling bins, it still makes good sense to take newspapers, tins and bottles to the village recycling banks, since the particular parish council derives income from them. The more we put in, the greater the financial return to the villages. [WS Oct 02]

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Hill Holt Wood [your local environmental social enterprise]

Update

It's been sometime since we last contributed to the magazine and I hope that once again it will become a regular monthly feature. There have been lots of things happening at the wood in the last year as it continues to be a thriving and expanding Social Enterprise, now employing nearly 30 full time Rangers. One of the major developments has been the construction of our Woodland Community Hall, this includes a two storey super-insulated timber framed building that includes much needed office space, kitchen and state-of-the-art composting toilets! It also includes a twelve-sided conference hall made from rammed earth and a cafe area which will seat about 60 people. Interesting features include a double reciprocal roof, the timbers being felled at Skellingthorpe Woods by ourselves and a 'green roof ' which contains a unique planting medium where individual bags are used to create micro-climates that are easily moved and tended. In early June a twelve-sided mosaic is being laid in the rammed earth hall to mirror the twelve parishes that helped set up Hill Holt Wood. This is being created by Bassingham Mosaic Group facilitated by Arts NK who are also designing a unique circular boardroom table and chairs. We hope to have the facility finished by mid-June so any visitors can not only have an interesting walk around the wood but will also be able to purchase a cup of tea and other refreshments.

Another major project that we have become involved in is the Future Jobs Fund programme. This is a Government fund to support the creation of jobs for long term unemployed young people and others who face significant disadvantage in the labour market. We currently have between 40 and 50 people on the programme mainly from the Gainsborough area which suffers from a high level of unemployment. These people are working both on community projects in that area and also as part of the team at Hill Holt Wood. The calibre of people has been excellent to such an extent that we are taking at least 3 people on full time after their initial 6 month contract, a measure of the scheme's success.

We are still managing the Watch NK contract which sees both the Rangers and students doing community orientated work including litter picking, pathway maintenance and grass cutting and we also do garden maintenance for the vulnerable and elderly.

If anyone out there is interested in Green construction or Environmental conservation then we are running free short courses on several weekends in the future, please ring the wood on 01636 892836 to book your place or alternatively visit the website www.hillholtwood.com for more information. As you can see there is a lot going on at the moment and the added bonus is that we get to work in a beautiful ancient woodland where the emerging springtime leaves and flowers are making the area all the more magical. Do come and have a walk round and see it for yourself, we are open 7 days a week from 8.30am until sunset. Oliver Woodman Site manager.

[WS June 2010]

Local Company Leads The Way In Social Enterprise

Hill Holt Wood has become the first Social Enterprise in the East Midlands to be awarded the Social Enterprise Mark. The award winning business, based on the Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire border will act as a champion for the Mark and aims to inspire other social enterprises in the East Midlands to achieve it. Hill Holt Wood CEO Karen Lowthrop remarked "We are delighted to receive the Social Enterprise Mark which identifies companies who trade for people and planet”, “This mark is a very visual way of informing our customers of the wider social, environmental and community impact dealing with social enterprise can offer and allows us to take advantage of an ever increasing trend in ethical and fair consumerism.”

Based near Norton Disney directly off the A46, Hill Holt Wood is an environmental social enterprise operating from a small; 34 acre woodland. As a community owned business Karen and the Hill Holt Rangers are running a self-sustaining and socially aware organisation with the aim of helping both the environment and the local community. Hill Holt Wood is also a place of learning for around 50 students who learn a diverse range of valuable skills, ranging from eco-building techniques and construction to woodworking and numeracy.

The program offered at the wood has been proven to help reduce youth crime and has received multiple national awards in recognition of its work. This is an exciting year for the Social Enterprise with the opening of the ground breaking Community Woodland Hall this coming September. The architect designed building pioneer’s modern design with eco-build techniques. This new building in the heart of ancient woodland will provide the local community with a unique venue for a variety of events and functions such as weddings and conferences.

[WS July 2009]

It has been a long time since I have put pen to paper for parish magazines about Hill Holt Wood. I began to feel a bit 'stale' after a number of years and, possibly a little repetitive. Now we have moved on and we have much news to recount and potentially a new project.

Hill Holt Wood is now an award winning social enterprise, nationally recognised, employing twenty staff and with a turn-over in excess of 400,000. Karen is now the project director and I am a volunteer director and occasional consultant to the business. Locally Hill Holt is a partner in the North Kesteven Local Strategic Partnership and I chair the 'Great Place to Live, Work and Visit' theme group. Last year we took over the maintenance of the Stepping Out walks and this year we became the countryside services provider for the District. Look out for our 'Watch NK' vehicles in your area as this service expands. With our house completed we are now moving onto the community building working on the design with the University of Lincoln and Simons Design followed by construction involving the Lindum Group. What has in fact triggered this article is the 'new idea', Stapleford Woodland Park. Two years ago I applied the Hill Holt Wood concept to Stapleford and sent out a concept paper to various organisations. I was pleasantly surprised by the very positive response leading to a working group chaired by the Forestry Commission Regional Director, funding from SEEM and now a feasibility report. The final stage is to take this feasibility report to the local communities for their view and then back to the Steering Group to decide the next step.

There will be a public meeting for the Witham villages to be held at the Haddington and Auborn Enterprise Centre at 19:00 on Monday 9th October. Following a short presentation on the concept we will open the debate to questions and contributions positive or negative. Beckingham, Coddington and Stapleford will all have their own meetings as villages so close to the site. All are welcome. Please do come to hear about this exciting idea.

Nigel Lowthrop (Hill Holt Wood) [WS Oct 2006]

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…..As you may be aware, we have been inundated with VIP and media visitors recently. Our little project is increasingly being recognised by a wide range of agencies as providing a successful model.

We are having a Woodland Fayre on Saturday June 5th, complete with trade stands, catering, demonstrations and entertainment. This event is being held in partnership with the Permaculture Association of Britain and follows a national conference on sustainable woodland management the day before. The lack of parking space at Hill Holt prevents vehicle access to the wood for the Fayre. We are therefore offering minibus collection from aft the Witham Staple villages, and Swinderby, South Scarle and Collingham. The minibus is included in the entry fee of £5 for adults and £2 for children. Alternatively there is car parking at Newark showground in the car park close to the A46 round-a-bout with mini-bus ferry service. A number of woodland experts attending the conference are staying for the Fayre to provide workshops and demonstrations. Throughout the day there will be guided walks covering all aspects of the work at Hill Holt.

Hill Holt Wood, your local environmental social enterprise, has just appointed a fifteenth member of staff. If you have not been to the wood for a few while, I am sure that you will find loads of changes.

The bird song is exceptional at the moment — an indication that despite (I would suggest because of) all the activity the woodland is thriving.

For more information about the fayre, membership or any aspect of the project, telephone 01636 892836.

Nigel Lowthrop [WS June 2004]

…..The project has successfully completed its first year as a social enterprise and continues to expand, hence the long gap in my scribbles. We are now providers for the Learning and Skills Council with a contract for E2E, or entry to employment, provision for 16 — 18 year olds. As our staff numbers rise, we have been joined by our first two local residents, Damien Swain from Norton Disney and John Wood from Collingham. They join Mark, Di, Margaret and Mike to complete the team. Abe and Alan have been promoted to senior rangers to help co-ordinate nearly 40 participants. The car park is now hardly big enough for our staff and official visits.

Jackie Seckar, the county manager for the Duke of Edinburgh Award, has moved her office to the wood in the new IT building. This building is again of straw and to avoid any further laying of concrete it is on stilts!

Our June conference was a great success, attracting very senior participants and leading to more visits to the wood. DEFRA hosted an inter-regional conference and hill Holt was one of three sites to receive a visit. Representatives from Spain, Finland, Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary spent a Saturday morning at the wood and we are proud that hill Holt is being recognised as a project of possible European significance.

Visitor numbers are increasing again as everyone gets used to the A46 and a recent Sunday saw 70(!) visitors and a crowded car park. The norm is nearer to a more manageable 20 spread through the day. We have even had the tourist office at Newark requesting information as they are receiving lots of enquiries.

Nigel and Karen Lowthrop (01636 892836) [WS Nov 2003]

See also The Permaculture Garden at Hill Holt Wood, Norton Disney

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Bassingham – Best Kept Village 2003

Congratulations to the people of Bassingham for winning their class in the Best Kept Village Competition (page 4). This shows what can be achieved by pooling efforts in a common endeavour. The aims of the competition are particularly interesting and include: ‘making the village a more pleasant place to live’. It’s not then about turning the village into a municipal park nor - thank goodness -‘daffodillifying’ the country verges outside the village!

One hundred and twenty three villages entered the annual competition to find Lincolnshire’s Best Kept village in 2003. Bassingham has been judged Lincolnshire’s Best Kept Village in Class Two, for villages with a population between 501 and 2,000. Greatford was the winner in Class One, for villages with a population of under 501, and Scotter won Class Three, for large villages. Winning villages receive a framed certificate from competition sponsors Calor at a presentation evening to be held in November.

Lincolnshire’s Best Kept Village attracts the highest level of support of all the competitions of this kind in the country and is sponsored by Calor with support from the county’s local authorities, Pennells of Lincoln and Tucann Design and Print. The main aim of the competition is to encourage people who live in Lincolnshire to take some control over the appearance of their village, helping them to look closely at how they can improve their surroundings, making the village a more pleasant place to live. The judges look for well-balanced, pro-active caring communities which, irrespective of size, have made the best of local opportunities to maintain and enhance the quality of life for all residents.

Congratulations to everyone in Bassingham for your contribution to our success in the competition. [WS Oct 2003]

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Crop Spraying And Public Safety

The Government is currently [2003] running public consultations on safety issues related to agricultural pesticide crop spraying and public safety. Detailed information can be obtained from the Pesticides Safety Directorate (Tel: 01904 455738) or www.pesticides.gov.uk The Witham Staple Editor also holds a copy of relevant information which readers are welcome to consult. Final date for submissions was 31st October. [WS Oct 2003]

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Bassingham Village Tidy-Up By Volunteers

Following the success of the clean-up in June, it is planned to repeat this ..in ..September. Anyone interested should meet in the car park at 9.30 am. Gloves and bags will be provided. This is an ideal opportunity for children to join their parents and take part in something that is both fun and beneficial to their village at the same time. Anyone wanting more information is asked to contact Steve Gilman . Hope to see you there!

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Witham St Hugh’s Development (progress to July 2003)

Over the last few months many of you will have seen the major changes occurring around the Witham St Hugh’s area, due, as you know, to two significant developments. Firstly, the A46 dualling with a new roundabout at the end of Camp Road. The major work on the A46 is now almost complete, with only minor changes still to occur, especially around the Camp Road roundabout. Secondly, the start of work on the new part of the village at Witham St Hugh’s. This is continuing with the work most obvious to most people being along Camp Road. The new road layout is coming on well with some traffic disruption ongoing. When finished, there will be several routes of access into the new housing cells, along with better entry and exit to the Swinderby industrial areas. Unseen to most travellers are the continued laying of major sewer and waste drains for the new houses, the new road infrastructure for the village and erection of builders advertising signs. The first new homes should start to appear later this year, probably around September, subject to planning consent. Names of the builders have not yet been made public, but many of the big names in home building have shown significant interest. The traffic congestion on Camp Road will still give concern for several years as the new homes go up, not just from the deliveries but also the new home owners. A 40 mph speed limit will continue to be enforced, with an eventual permanent limit of 40 mph replacing the old national limit

When everything is completed at Witham St Hugh’s, there will be over 800 homes in the village; these will be served by shops and a primary school, along with a doctor’s surgery and potentially a public house. This is a big event in our region, using the real estate of the former domestic site of RAF Swinderby for the benefit of the community. [WS Jul 2003]

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Farming and Meadowland Flowers

Summer is y-cumen in,

Loudé sing, cuckoo!

Groweth seed and bloweth meed

And spring’th the woodé now -

Sing, cuckoo! Anon

Some things in this whirling, alarmingly unsteady world remain reassuringly unchanged. It is surprisingly heartening to realise that the anonymous medieval poet who wrote the lines above would easily recognise today many of the welcome signs of early summer: the call of the cuckoo, of course, and, as he says, the new crops sprouting in the cultivated soil and the woodland trees in full new leaf.

Sadly, though, he might have to look a bit harder than in his own day to find fields full of meadowland flowers, that were clearly so familiar to him. Yet it is only in the last fifty years or so that our stewardship of the land and the countryside has often so wantonly failed to cherish and protect the wonderful plant, animal and bird life that was our natural heritage. Even nearby, we have watched with very mixed feelings as one of the few local fields where each year corn marigolds have miraculously appeared was lost for ever under the concrete and tarmac of the new west-bound carriageway of the admittedly long-awaited A46 improvement. Such is progress..

But all is not lost. Recent new trends in land-management together with the imminent major overhaul of the EU Common Agricultural Policy may well both help redress the balance and even retrieve some of the losses of the past. Let’s hope so.

Stan Underwood [WS June 2003]

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Now daisies pied and violets blue,

And lady-smocks all silver white,

And cuckoo buds of yellow hue

Do paint the meadows with delight,

The cuckoo now on every tree Sings cuckoo, cuckoo.

William Shakespeare

Four hundred and ten years after Shakespeare wrote those lines, they still have a familiar ring to them - provided you realise that lady-smocks are what in this part of the country are called cuckoo flowers, while Shakespeare's cuckoo buds are what we know as cowslips! And they still exist, of course. Sadly, though, what has changed is the rural landscape in this part of Lincolnshire: these days you have to know where to look to find a meadow, let alone the meadowland flowers. We can just about imagine - and some can still remember - how lovely green fields once came down to the banks of the Witham and the Brant where cattle stood in the shallows among the yellow irises and the dragonflies. Much of the pastureland that remained only thirty years ago has gone under the plough in a quest for ever greater yields of arable crops and, as we now realise, for even bigger harvests of EU subsidies. But things are about to change: the newly agreed EU Common Agricultural Policy could bring a major shift in the management of the countryside; farmers will no longer be so concerned with tonnage yield per acre, and will also be paid to nurture and protect the natural environment. Perhaps one day we shall again see lady-smocks and cuckoo buds painting the meadows with delight.

Stan Underwood [WS April 2005]

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Bassingham Primary School- environmental projects 2003

Our Changing World’ Exhibition Tuesday 8th April [2003],

Along with three other local schools, we were invited by NKDC to take part in the official opening of the exhibition at Whisby Nature Park. Representatives of Bassingham Environmental Company (BEC) set up a display and gave a short presentation on their roles within the company, and the environmental projects the school ahs been involved in over the years. Johnny Ball, the well-known TV presenter, officially opened the exhibition and presented a scientific show. He had an excellent rapport with the children and they thoroughly enjoyed the day. Part of the BEC work also recently involved tidying up the wildlife area and the school grounds one Saturday morning in March.

‘Walk to School Week’ We shall once again be supporting this Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership initiative. Walking to school has many benefits, including reducing congestion outside schools, providing a safer and healthier option for children, and generally improving the local environment. The official Walk to School Week’ starts on Monday 19^th May. More information and materials for children will be available nearer the time.

‘Bikewise’ training scheme: with road safety in mind, Year 6 children will once again take part in this scheme in May and June. Watch out for them at the Bull Seat crossroads in Bassingham between 3.30 and 4.30 pm.

What’s happening in school: work is progressing well on the new ‘outdoor classroom’ for the Foundation Stage children. Hopefully, the project will be completed ready for the summer term and the children will have access to outdoor work throughout the year, come hail, rain or shine!

Spring is in the air for Years One and Two. The children have been carrying out project work on ‘Spring’ and ‘Easter’, and have also designed and made some fantastic models inspired by ‘The Iron Giant’.

Years Four and Five recently carried out a ‘Traffic Trail’ in Lincoln. They visited the traffic light video unit at City Hall and carried out various surveys in the city centre. Did you know that Broadgate is the busiest road in Lincolnshire? — even busier than the A1!….

Contrary to popular belief, there are still places available in school in most year groups. Please contact the school for a brochure and further information. Visits are very welcome. Please contact the school (Tel: 788395). Paul Hickman Headteacher [WS May 2003]

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The Village Pond, Sands Lane

Carlton Le Moorland

As is often the case, only the threat of losing something makes us realise its true value. Before the rains in late July, a minor tragedy struck Carlton le Moorland’s village pond. Low water level and a period of warm weather resulted in critically low oxygen levels, and the fish began to die Thanks to the efforts of David Merchant, a pump was hired to oxygenate the water, and a worse tragedy was averted.

The pond is once more a safe environment for the Great Crested Newt. This rare protected species enter the pond in spring to spawn, leaving for dry land in late summer, when it hunts on land before hibernating for the winter. During this phase it needs shelter from predators (notably cats), and this it finds in the rough vegetation around the pond.

When the pond was restored in 1995, Roger Wardle, the wildlife adviser, stressed the importance of keeping such rough areas for the benefit of the many amphibians, birds and insects there. To many people, this is an eyesore that needs to be ‘tidied up’, but to make it into a park would destroy its wildlife value. These days there is not always ‘somewhere else’ for many species to go.

Recently, I made an inventory of plants in this area and identified over seventy, including many ‘wild flowers’. Many of them flourish because of the low maintenance of the area. The insects that depend on them, including now rare grasshoppers, and butterflies such as the Meadow Brown, Comma and speckled Wood, and which in turn provide food for birds, shrews etc, would vanish if the plants were lost. Let us remember the words of Gerard Manley Hopkins:

“What would the world be, once bereft

Of wet and wilderness? Let them be left,

O let them be left, wildness and wet;

Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.”

Besides, thanks to the Great Crested Newt, it would be a serious criminal offence to do otherwise!

Jeremy Hutchinson [WS Sep 02]

The Village Pond, the Sands: it is necessary to carry out some management of the pond, including cutting back brambles along pathways and overhanging vegetation around the east corner, so that the water’s edge is visible. This was recommended by Roger Wardle of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group when the pond was restored in 1995. Since then, general maintenance has been carried out voluntarily by local people, particularly various members of the Merchant family. Advice from English Nature about protecting the habitat of the protected Great Crested Newt species has been followed and all maintenance will take this into account.

Please contact David Merchant (Tel: 788231 or 789657) or the Clerk if you would like further information about how the pond should be managed or would like to join the working party during the weekend of 22nd and 23rd February, when maintenance work Will be undertaken by volunteers.

Our pond and its surroundings are a rare and attractive feature of the village as well as providing a natural habitat for wildlife. Margaret Hutchinson Parish Clerk (Tel: 788489) [WS Feb 2003]

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Seasonal Changes

Because of the unusually warm weather we had in this country towards the end of last year, the seasonal changes to plant and animal life appear to have been markedly delayed and autumn 2001 was about two weeks behind autumn 2000. The absence of any early hard frost meant that the leaves stayed on many trees and hedgerows well beyond what we would normally expect. Most people will have noticed and enjoyed the lovely autumn colours which continued to bedeck the gardens and the countryside for weeks on end. It almost began to feel like the prolonged colourful ‘fall’ of New England instead of old England!

Over the last three decades, scientists have produced dear evidence that spring has been beginning earlier and earlier, heralded by trees coming into leaf, the appearance of flowers, butterflies and frogspawn and the arrival of migrant birds. However, it is important to remember that there are and always have been yearly fluctuations within these longer-term trends. Even so, the pattern can be seen for instance from the average daytime temperature for February: between 1961 and 1990 it was 3.8° C, compared with 5.8° C for the period 1998-2001.

The Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, has joined forces with the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology to assist their work in monitoring and evaluating changes to nature’s events. According to the Trust, it is climate change that poses the biggest threat to what little remains of our woodland heritage. By monitoring variations in nature’s calendar, it will be possible to demonstrate how these changes are affecting our wildlife habitats. There are already 11,000 registered recorders throughout the country looking out for not just the first cuckoo — of course¹— but the first sight or sound of the chiffchaff or the turtle dove, the swallow, house martin, swift and others; the first buds to burst on common native trees — ash, elder, oak etc; the first sign of particular birds building nests; the first sightings of bumble bees, queen wasps and a variety of easily identified butterflies. The recorders are mostly ordinary non-specialists, interested enough in these natural phenomena taking place in our gardens and surrounding countryside to note when they see them happening.

Perhaps you too would be interested in recording some of these changes in spring and again in the autumn — it even has the status of an ‘-ology’ - ‘phenology’ — and would be happy to record, not everything, but just those seasonal changes you manage to note. The Woodland Trust will send you, free of charge, a recording sheet that is very easy to use. You can see all the details on a fascinating website with beautifully produced wildlife features at www.phenology.org.uk , or by contacting The Woodland Trust, Autumn Park, Grantham NG3I 6LL (Tel: 01476 590808). Remember, you don’t have to be an expert to understand and enjoy the wonders of the natural world here in Britain.

Stan Underwood [WS Feb 2002]

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Environment Agency - Flood Risk Awareness.

In spring of 2005 The Environment Agency sent letters to most Parish Councils in our district informing them that our area has been identified as being within a vulnerable, at risk area for flooding. To help parishioners to be prepared for flooding the Environment Agency are considering [May 2005] introducing a Flood Warden Scheme for each parish and seeking volunteers for training. Those interested should contact their Parish Clerk or the Environment Agency.

Flooding Emergency – Sand Bag Supplies

In response to last summers flooding emergency, NKDC have supplied empty sand bags to our villages and these are being stored in the Witham Office in Bassingham. In the event of a flooding emergency NKDC will arrange for a bulk bag of sand to be delivered to the car park at Bassingham Village Hall. The sand bags can then be collected from the Witham Office and taken to the Village Hall car park to be filled.

If you require any further information regarding this, please contact the Witham Office on 788569 or Environmental Services at NKDC on 01529 414155

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Historical Flooding – (Wet winter / spring of 2001)

Talk about rain! In 1795 the River Trent burst through the sandy banks at Spalford and 8,000 hectares of land to the west of Lincoln was flooded, in a contemporary report we read:

‘... the water forced an immense breach, the size of which may be judged from the fact that eighty loads of faggots and upwards of four hundred tons of earth were required to fill up the hole...’

In the spring of 1947, major flooding was caused by heavy rainfall on land already covered for weeks by the heavy snow and ice of the previous winter.

Again, in 1958, much of our area was heavily flooded when 180mm fell here in under five weeks. Over 3,000 hectares of land along the Rivers Witham and Brant lay under water.

Thankfully, however, the Upper Witham Internal Drainage Board flood defences [much improved over recent years] seem generally to have held fast this winter! [and during subsequent spells of high rainfall].

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The Changing Agricultural Scene

Part 1

Over the last 30 years we have seen many changes in the countryside. The most contentious was the removal of hedgerows in the 1970s to accommodate the large farm machinery in order to improve efficiency. The sad outcome of this was the removal of natural habitat for wildlife.

However, not all the changes to the countryside have damaged wildlife. The desire of EEC to be less dependent upon imports of vegetable oil led to plant breeders introducing higher oil-yielding varieties of oil seed rape. Not everyone welcomes the huge expanse of yellow flowers seen in late April and May but the plant produces huge quantities of nectar that is very attractive to bees. The flowers also attract the pollen beetle, and millions of these insects are available for insect-eating birds in late spring and early summer.

Welfare considerations and pig breeding improvements have resulted in pigs being reared outdoors for the first time in the early 1990s. Outdoor pigs are now a common sight in this area, and nationally 35% of sows are kept in fields; this compares with 4% in Denmark, 1% in Holland and 0% in Ireland.

More recently, we have seen the supermarkets forcing down the price of milk supplied by farmers to below the cost of production. The price fell from about 26p per litre in the 1990s to 17p per litre three years ago. Have you noticed that the dairy herds in Norton Disney, Thurlby, Haddington and Bassingham have all gone and it is now rare to see a dairy cow in Lincolnshire?

The changes to the EU Common Agricultural Policy will mean very significant changes to the countryside in this part of the country over the next 2 years. In next month's edition of The Witham Staple we shall look at the likely impact on the land and on wildlife.

Alan Haines [WS May 2005]

Part 2

We are likely to see significant changes in the way that the farmland around our villages is farmed over the next two to three years. These changes are being brought about by the Mid-Term Review of the EU Common Agricultural Policy. This review has brought about a structural reform of European policy and this is too complex a subject to explain in such a short article.

Last month I mentioned that dairy cows could no longer be seen in our villages. Over the next two years we are likely to see fewer beef cattle, as English beef will have to compete with South American and Eastern European, beef where the same welfare and feeding regulations do not apply.

For cereals, farmers will have to rely upon world prices for their crops. The price of wheat and barley is now £63-£65 per ton and it is not economic to grow it for this price in the United Kingdom. This surprisingly low price compares with over £100 per ton two years ago. World stocks of grain are at their lowest level for over 30 years, and some analysts suggest that stocks are the lowest since the 1940s when we had bread rationing! Cereal stocks are measured in the number of days supply remaining immediately before the next harvest, and the world is now down to 32 days. The common perception that there are grain and butter mountains in EU stores is a myth. The last figure that I saw for milk powder was 40 tons (1 lorry load) and that would not go very far in an emergency.

So what does this mean for the land around us? Wheat and barley cannot be grown at a profit, and we are likely to see a reduction in the area planted. Some fields will be left fallow, others will have 2- or 6-metre field margins uncultivated. Spring barley will be grown on some fields with the stubble being left over winter. More peas and beans are likely to be grown as they put nitrogen into the soil and will reduce the amount of fertiliser needed for the next crop. Wildlife should benefit from this change with the wide field margins and over winter stubble suiting skylarks, yellow hammers, barn owls and lapwings in particular.

Next month we shall look at what is meant by "energy crops".

Alan Haines [WS June 2005]

Part 3

In the last two articles I have mentioned that we are likely to see less barley and wheat grown in this area and that we had already lost dairy cows and were likely to see fewer beef cattle. Also under threat is sugar beet. The plan being discussed at the moment is for the price paid for sugar beet to fall by 32% over the next three years. If this price cut is implemented then analysts expect the number of sugar beet factories in the country to be reduced to 2. My guess is that the two that will be retained will probably be Whissington, Norfolk (the largest and most efficient sugar beet factory in Europe) and Newark. It is possible that the area of sugar beet planted will fall by 90%. Although this will not affect wild life in this area to any great extent it will have a significant impact upon the Pink Footed Geese. Over 80% of the world population of Pink Footed Geese overwinter in East Anglia and their main source of food is sugar beet tops.

So what is going to replace the wheat, barley, dairy cows and sugar beet?

The high price of oil will encourage farmers to grow energy crops. A field of willow for coppicing was planted in Norton Disney in May and will add to the bio-diversity of the area. This willow will be harvested in three years time and will be burnt in one of the Trentside power stations. This must be the first time that willow has been planted on such a scale since the basket making industry was in it's prime in the 1800's.

With the price of oil at over $50 a barrel it is economic to use oil seed rape for making diesel. Oil seed rape contains 40% oil but only 30% is extracted to enable the residual product to be sold as cattle feed. A manufacturing plant is being built at Middlesborough to convert vegetable oil to bio-diesel and this will be the largest plant in Europe producing 240,000 tonnes of diesel per year (one tanker train every working day). If the manufacturing plant uses locally produced vegetable oil, then a huge area of oil seed rape will be needed. We are likely to see even more fields of yellow next spring and there is also the possibility of seeing more fields of light blue linseed, again for the oil content.

Alan Haines [WS July 2005]

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That Reminds Me: The above article by Alan Haines in recent Witham Staples stirred some happy memories for ninety-year-old Mr Frank Hoare. As a young man, after initial training at Usk Agricultural College, Frank worked for a large aristocratic country estate, where he started a milk round in a little Singer van.

He was later to work for many years as agent and commercial traveller for animal foodstuffs firms and came to know well the farms and farmers in this part of Lincolnshire. "I was startled by the capability of Lincolnshire farmers, spotless farmyards, beautiful straight lines of high-class crops, fine horses and generations devoted to improving farming methods and crop results. My Lincolnshire farmer friends have an undeniable right to respect. It was only a few who were seduced by the prospect of large numbers [of poultry] kept in cages or deep litter."

[WS June 2005]

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Lincolnshire Smallholding & Self-Sufficiency Club

Do you live in or around Mid-Lincolnshire? Are you a smallholder or interested in aspects of smallholding or self-sufficiency? Would you like to meet likeminded people to share ideas, or ask or give advice? We are establishing a Smallholding & Self-Sufficiency Club in Mid-Lincs.

You don't have to be a smallholder or be self-sufficient. Anyone who is involved, or aspires to be involved, in any aspect of smallholding or self-sufficiency is welcome to join. Your interest might be, poultry keeping, goat keeping, organics, beekeeping, growing vegetables, permaculture, living simply, green energy, traditional crafts, homebrew, cheesemaking, etc. Or perhaps you have already started to live 'The Good Life' by keeping a few hens and aspire to more! You might just like to learn more about smallholding and self-sufficiency and meet with likeminded people.

We aim to meet once a month. You will be assured of a warm welcome and an informal atmosphere. Would you be interested?

Also, any ideas/suggestions you have about a club would be most welcome. Perhaps you might be interested in helping to set up and run the club - the more helpers we have the easier it will be! If you are interested in joining, please let us know by email or phone.

Telephone Naomi: 01507 450 443 or e-mail Debbie: lsssc@tesco.net

Website address is: www.lsssc.org.uk

We would be happy for anyone to come and give a talk about any subject our club covers.

Pat Gardiner and his wife who have lived self-sufficiently since 1997, have agreed to come and give a talk at one of our meetings about self sufficient living and livestock husbandry. They have the website, Self-Sufficiency in Style. Please pay it a visit!

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A Plea to Farmers and Landowners

As a new resident of Witham St Hughs and of Lincolnshire, I attended a meeting organised by The Witham Staple with several other new residents who are interested in bringing our growing community together.

I would have liked to suggest an occasional Sunday morning walk to visit some of our lovely country pubs, but one thing has stopped me. I am a fairly agile person, although not a spring-chicken and I have tried in vain to follow public footpaths in this area. Even the dogs refused to go through stinging nettles, brambles, ditches and deep ploughed fields where the footpaths should be.

It would be brilliant if farmers and landowners helped keep these paths clear so that maybe families and the less able-bodied people can enjoy the wildlife around here or manage a short stroll through the fields to the riverside.

I hope that farmers do not think all walkers leave gates open, trample crops and let dogs worry livestock - only a few mindless, irresponsible people do that and spoil things for everyone else. Let us all enjoy what we have and appreciate our countryside.

Marie Edmead, Witham St Hughs. [WS Oct 05]

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Explore, Discover, Experience The Countryside

North Kesteven’s Countryside team are kicking off the New Year by bringing the countryside indoors - to The Natural World Centre at Whisby!

Wood turning, creating your own countryside creature or simply enjoying a walk in the fresh air - these are just some of the things you can do when you visit Countryside, North Kesteven’s exciting exhibition from 19th January to 6th February.

Featuring the district’s delightful network of Stepping Out walks, come and find where the best places are to explore the district, discover its jewels and experience the many places to visit!

The exhibition will be launched on Saturday 19th January when Countryside Promotion Officer, Theresa Hobbs, will be on hand to answer all your countryside questions. Kids, (or even grown ups!) will be able to make their very own countryside creature or try their hand at wood turning with Watch North Kesteven ranger, Alan Eley.

Theresa will also be organising guided walks around the nature park for those keen to get started on their New Year’s walking. She will be providing details of lots of Countryside North Kesteven guided walks and activities to keep you and your family busy throughout the year.

The Natural World Centre is open daily from 10am. To find out more please telephone the Centre on 688868.

[WS Feb 2008]

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Witham Staple Web Editor can be contacted by e-mail: info@withamstaple.com