Hmm …

Zeiteist on invasive non-native species

Heh! Must have caught the zeitgeist, since the SG launches tough action to tackle alien invaders with the Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy for Great Britain not long after I made this earlier post linking to the 2004 SNH report.

The good news is that a clear framework for instigating rapid responses when invasive species are detected will be developed. Should it have the same status as the lifeboats? There are arguments both for immediate action (species spotted just before seed dispersal) and for management by volunteers (without whom a lot of biological, horticultural and conservation work wouldn’t get done). Of course, my ulterior motive is that volunteerism and community should trump business interests :)

The bad news is that there appears to be Himalayan Balsam seedlings on the Water of Leith.

Bat boxes…

Advance notice that there’s an evening event: fixing bat boxes in Harrison Park, 7pm Tuesday 24 June.

I’m just collating images for a flyer, and saw BTCV’s The Urban Handbook indicate that boxes should be positioned as high as possible. We are going to need people with a head for heights…

Site the boxes as high as possible in sheltered areas, where they are exposed to the sun for part of the day. There should be a clear flight path to the box entrance. A large tree can house up to three boxes. Attach with aluminium nails or straps. Boxes should not be disturbed, so check for occupancy by watching at dusk for bats to emerge.

Bat boxes are likely to be particularly valuable at sites where there is an ample food supply of insects, perhaps near a pond or waterlogged ground, but few existing mature trees or buildings for roosts.

• Exploded image of bat box construction from BTCV

Lots of The Urban Handbook look interesting

Easter Craiglockhart and some other links

Lovely walk up Easter Craiglockhart Hill yesterday. It’s a local nature reserve (why a local nature reserve?) and very diverse and interesting, too. Marsh, open water, mature woodland with 250 year old beeches, and grassland are all nestled in 15 Ha of Craiglockhart Woods. Knowledgable and friendly guide led the group round.

Woodland biodiversity - expanding our horizons (PDF)

Other publications:

Growing Nature – The Role of Horticulture in Supporting Biodiversity authored by Ken Thomson of the BUGS project inter alia. Expect a post on this soon…

Survey of Giant Hogweed, Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam on five major Lothian rivers. River Almond, River Esk, River North Esk, River South Esk, River Tyne. Not heartening…

Development of a forest habitat network strategy in west lothian confirms that remnant patches of ancient woodland in West Lothian still contain dispersal-limited core woodland species, and promotes planting of woodland close to ancient sites. One (of three) Core Ancient Woodland Areas is around Hopetoun. How does that mesh with the NCN (map on p29)?

Quick catchup…

Been a productive week or so at the plot:

• French beans, spinach, beetroot, turnip, coriander in
• Tidied up the plot
• Staked the redcurrants - they’re looking much happier now.

I think I’m winning against the horsetails in two of my beds. I’ve been picking the shoots and runners out most weeks from the broad beans and onions. I’ve noticed that the runners are getting thinner, so maybe they’ve exhausted themselves.

Such a lot of weeding…

…for the beans and onions. On the way into the allotment on Sunday, I noticed the alpine strawberries had flowers out, so checked the summer-fruiting ones. Removed the mulch and weeded the bed, and found that all 10 plants are still going (some more than others). Mulched around them with chopped up comfrey and grass. The plot’s looking neater.

Guided walk in Craiglockhart Woods, Saturday 24 May

Craiglockhart Woods were designated a Local Nature Reserve in 2005, and incorporate a wide range of habitats including grassland, marsh and a pond. As well as seeing the woods in their spring-time best, there will also be a chance to learn about local history.

Flier for Craiglockhart Woods walk

Images of Easter Craiglockhart Hill on the Craiglockhart Community Council pages

Local Nature Reserve page

Craiglockhart Woods Group pages

Lothian Conservation Volunteers go meadow raking on 1 June 2008

April showers

After a sunny day spent looking after the daughter, I headed off to the allotment at 6:50. Cue big fat raindrops; I got soaked before getting halfway there, so headed home. What makes it worse is that we went down the plot today, and saw that the weeds are growing big and fast. Add to the need to get my beds in order, and I really can’t waste an evening…

First rhubarb of the year

new herb bed and my bike

horsetails of doom

First planting of broad beans (Claudia Aqualdulce)

Quite chuffed about the beans, but I do need to get a slug trap set up. Last year I lost a lot to slugs, and the nibble marks on these tiny bean plants are goading me into action. It also means I need to get some more beer for the plot …

Two horsetails from Hell have appeared by my blue shed, and I spotted the first standard horsetail. Made up for this by pulling my first rhubarb. Still small and awfy green, but tasty.

Was called an holistic gardener by a neighbour … kinda nice but also a bit sarky. Anyway, I’ve taken down the crappy chicken wire fence and added some subtle boundary markers: a small raised bed (30cm x 40cm), some red and white bricks to emphasise the corner and a few pieces of wood that’ll be made into the edges of a longer raised bed. Planted two rows of coriander (variety for leaf) in the small raised bed, and in the nascent one some parsley close to the lavender, and transplanted several crocus (?) bulbs.

Have decided where I’ll put one of the French Bean tepees: where the larger raised bed is languishing. Just need to dig the area and make a bean trenche. The comfrey’s coming along well and a few nettles are poking their heads up, so I’ll dig a hole, put down some newspaper then some comfrey and nettles, and cover it up. Still need to think of where to put the second tepee, and am in two minds about putting it between the blackcurrants and comfrey, as it’ll cast some shade on the blackcurrants.

In the nick of time…

Finished my response to the consultation on a draft Scottish Climate Change Bill. Most things look sensible; usual caveats about issues of business competitiveness creating softer targets.