From Kings Heath Park Throughout the Rea Valley, Mistletoe can be seen at Kings Heath Park (Lime on Vicarage Road), Highbury Park (Poplar), Moor Green Lane (Robinia), near Holders Pavilion (Rowan) and within the grounds of St Edwards RC School at Greenlands Road (Poplar TBC), Selly Park; a Willow host on the banks of the Rea collapsed a couple of years ago, the cluster disappeared within days. However the Flora for Birmingham and the Black Country, suggests that "Atmospheric pollution possibly contributes to the scarcity of this species in B&BC....", although the plant is possibly under recorded, Mistletoe seems to be increasingly present throughout the Rea Valley, the tree lined corridor may filter air pollution more effectively. - this sprig was taken from a broken cluster at Kings Heath Park 1900 postcard This cluster is on a Robinia at Moor Green Lane Richard Mabey's Flora Britannica informs us that Mistletoe is one of the "last surv...
Opportunities here for combining leisure, education, work/life skills, and so on.
ReplyDeletePerhaps through forest school, gaining involvement of local schools in surveying and redesigning the area. Features to include wildlife observation structures: boardwalks, bird hides, canopy inspection, selectively felled trees, ...
Designing lots of learning and interpretative points along the way would give people a reason to detour through that patch. Making it possible to hold events would be even better. So things like the gathering circle at Moseley Bog would help.
Finding ways of developing local skills in earth/timber construction and woodland management would also be a plus.
Great ideas, many thanks. I'm hoping we can provide more details at the Stirchley Park Midsummer event on June 21st.
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