 | Donate and Help Our SchoolsHelp Gardenbirdfeeder help our primary schools by donating what you can to our School Wildlife Fund. We are launching a scheme to provide any nursery, primary/junior school with equipment for a nature garden. It could be some Schwegler Nest boxes, a Hedgehog, Insect or Frog habitat, guidebooks a Butterfly feeder or a selection of a few items! the more donated the more we can distribute and for every sale Gardenbirdfeeder will donate £1 to the fund.At Gardenbirdfeeder we acknowledge the importance of interacting children and wildlife together and by providing wildlife products we can help children understand the importance of caring for the UK's wildlife and they can have first hand experience of this from their own school also.Are you a school who would like to receive wildlife equipment? then write to us (Gardenbirdfeeder School List, 6 Chelwood Mews, Lostock, Bolton. BL64BF) and we will add your school to our list. Please note we are only including Nursery, infant, junior primary schools in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland).If you would like to donate then please do so via the donate button at the bottom left of the home page...thankyou. The donate button goes via PAYPAL and you can use any card you wish Debit, Visa ,Mastercard, Amex etc |
 | Red Squirrels- A Native Mammal well worth protecting.The RSST (Red Squirrel Survival Trust) are at the forefront in the battle to conserve populations of our native Red Squirrels in the areas where reds are seriously endangered. These areas include northern England and South Scotland in particular. The following is taken from the RSST website.'There is a widespread misconception that red squirrels are confined to the National Trust reserve at Formby Point but this is not the case. They are found in a much wider area: along a 25 kilometre stretch of the coast, including the urban areas, from Crosby in the south to Southport in the north, and in isolated woodlands inland up to 10 kilometres from the refuge area in West Lancashire. In addition, there is a separate, smaller population, centred on the Earl of Derby’s estate at Knowsley Park to the east of Liverpool, which extends north and north-east through St. Helens and into Wigan. In fact, the designated refuge area covers a larger area of 410 hectares in 25 ownerships, the largest of which is Natural England’s.Sadly, from 2006 to 2008 a squirrelpox outbreak decimated the local population and spread swiftly, reducing the refuge area population from approximately 1,000 to approximately 100-150 red squirrels. Despite this dramatic setback there have been signs that the red squirrels of Merseyside are fighting back! There has not been a single squirrelpox case recorded since December 2008 and the areas first affected by the disease in 2006-07 began to be recolonised in 2008. What’s more, there are already signs that red squirrels may be experiencing a good breeding season. Crucially there is a strong will among all the partners to restore the local red squirrel population and excellent community and volunteer group support. We have found across the country that volunteer support is essential for successful red squirrel conservation'.Go to the Red Squirrel Survival Trust website and become a friend of our native Reds. Click on the image that will take you to the RSST website. |
 | Hedgelaying for WildlifeIf you are considering a new fence for your garden then if feasible consider planting a hedge as an alternative. Apart from being more attractive than wire, concrete or wooden panels, hedges offer an extra habitat for garden birds, small mammals, amphibians and insects.If you already have a hedge that is established but not layered then its worth while considering laying the hedge. Laying the hedge may look hard but it is relatively easy for anyone to carry out. Hedges are layered as they provide the best scenario for the hedge to develop and become denser over time. This provides not only a secure boundary but also a habitat for birds and wildlife.Planting a new hedge and leaving it to grow in to a satisfactory size takes time. However putting up a temporary wire fence then planting the hedge in front can solve the problem. The fence can be removed as the hedge reaches an acceptable height and width.The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers offer courses to anyone for a fee who would like to learn how hedges are layered. Click the image to the BTCV website for more information.(Top image) Shows a partly layered "Privet" hedge and the hedge before work started.(Middle images) Close-up of layered privet hedge showing the 35 degree angle that the hedge has been laid at. Over time the hedge will get denser as the cut stems grow more shoots at the cut base.(Bottom Image) Close-up of hedge after layering. A wire fence and 5ft fence posts secure the boundary between gardens until the hedge is established. |
|
