DOWN TO EARTH in The City

NIA Meadow improvement proposals for 2016

Mary Vale Road looking towards Hazelwell across the Rea Valley Holders Woods from Holders Fields   Willow trees mark the bank of the old Rea A muddy ditch bordered by wild garlic on the old course of the Rea Most of the old channel is now silted up but can still be found in places The 'engineered' or canalised river today functions like any other river with deposition and erosion commanding the way Red Campion, seeded in the Queen Mothers' Plantation last winter (2015-16), should provide good flowers during spring 2016 Turkey Tail fungus on a Cherry log Great view across Holders Pebble Fields and Woods (Image by Sally Hunt) Welcome Walks from the Kensington April 2016

This tree will go down as a big loss to the natural world The Ancient Yew Group have provided the following information - "Hello Alf Thanks for the measurement and photos. My colleague Toby Hindson says "6.6 metres at ground, with much convolution and fragmentation in the horizontal section, as well as obvious signs of previous felling and subsequent regeneration...........it is safe and fair to say that the yew is estimated at 700-850 years old rather than the 500 previously given." Hope this is useful." Rather oddly a Mallard has decided this to be a good nest site - Mallards do odd things sometimes

This publication was updated in 2009. Harry follows the river from its source at Wasley Hills to its confluence with the Tame at Spaghetti Junction. The booklet is full of gems and provides snippets of information about the water course from past and present - many details remain current even in 2016. The River Rea in spate March 2016

The Ancient Yew Group have added this lost Yew to their web site http://www.ancient-yew.org/siteInfo.php?link=3045 A 'several' hundred year old Yew tree cut to a stump and if that wasn't bad enough it was then treated with a chemical to prevent re-growth.  The tree is in the grounds of Uffculme, former home of Richard Cadbury, in Kings Heath, Birmingham. Here the tree in its former glory; the growth was not particularly obscuring ot threatening and from this angle posed no danger to the nearby road.  There is much decay at the base, which is 10 feet, my feet, diameter at ground level, there was also much vigorous growth. Another former view of the tree, the crown growth perhaps belies its age. The Birmingham Mail reported the following on March 24th 2016 - "Outrage as 500-year-old Birmingham tree chopped down by health bosses.Park ranger demands answers after ancient Yew in Kings Heath is axed by Mental Health Trust. The park ranger has demand...

Branches fall from oaks quite unexpectedly - Kings Heath Park February 2016 Down To Earth family learning every Monday at Holders Woods - check out  https://www.facebook.com/groups/647804728621411/ The blogger Well rotted log at Centenary Woods, Cannon Hill NIA Primrose at Centenary Woodland, Cannon Hill Park Moody skies over Highbury Pines A wooded setting at Moor Green Allotments

 Veteran Tree features Old knobbly Oak at Highbury Dead wood and what lurks? Measuring and ageing trees Woodland flowers Flowers of meadow and wayside Bugs Breeding woodland birds Dawdling Woodland Walks The Dawn Chorus  Lesser Stag Beetle likes well rotted beech trunks Wood anemone Lesser stag Beetle larvae  Beech log pile Blackbird Robin