Present: Malcolm Still (Chair), Justin Bettey, Jennifer Cooper, Ian Hammerton, David Meade.

Apologies: Rick Bayne, Peter Fry, David Sharpe (B&Q).

Minutes of last Meeting

Allotment nature project: (Tredegar club)

MS is still clearing the site of brambles. Members of Dartford Road allotments helped out. The site was also visited by Diana Battaglia from the Regional Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens, of which the QED Allotment Group is a member. Another visitor with her was Ms Eri Nakajima from the Ministry of Environment, Government of Japan, who is in the UK researching allotments and community gardens.

News from Groups:

NW Kent Countryside Project:

Just Bin Campaign: Twenty bags of rubbish were collected by Brooklands Lake.

Guided walks: Jennifer Cooper took Willmington Parish Council on a guided walk through a nature trail in Oakfield Park. This was in response to the amount of work that the Countryside project had been doing in the area.

Brent and Rowhill schools: Potential projects for the Autumn are being looked into.

Longhill circular walk: Bids are being submitted for way marking and clearing.

Woodlands (Joydens Wood):

A Japanese organisation from London have approached the Woodland Trust. They are asking for help on the selection of 100 branches from Joydens wood. They want these branches to sculpt into models to celebrate their new year. IH is awaiting more details.

A consultancy has approached the Woodland Trust to see if they could bring their staff down to Joydens Wood for a days work / team building. The Woodland trust would supervise various projects that they may wish to undertake.

Dartford Wildlife Information Project

JB has now collated a list of 50 local groups and has contacted them asking for information on flora and fauna.

Biodiversity day

JB has been contacting local schools, which reside near to parks, such as Bean primary school. The main aim will be to take the children out to the local park to discover Biodiversity. The activities have not been decided but will probably include searching for and drawing of animals, birds and insects. MS stated that Peter Fry could incorporate his Bee Hive demonstration into this event. IH suggested contacting Joydens Wood School in a joint QED/Woodland Trust Project. IH also stated that he regularly give talks on Biodiversity to Schools.

Action: JB to contact Joydens Wood School and discuss the above idea.

AOB:

IH informed the group of help that secondary school students give to the Woodland Trust. This help rises from Community Work that many schools participate in. JB suggested that Tredegar allotments could possibly benefit from this.

Action: JB to contact local secondary schools

Next Meeting: 29th August 2001 6:30 Civic Centre

END: Return to the QED Biodiversity Group home page ...