This January we were very fortunate to benefit from some superb work organised by the Lancashire and Westmorland Hedgelaying Association, who ran a four-day course on traditional hedge laying at Hermitage Field Community Meadow. The project, with funding from the National Grid Landscape Enhancement Initiative (LEI), was arranged by Sandra Silk at Forest of Bowland …
A smart new line of fencing has been installed on Hermitage Field by local fencing contractor Chris Killilea, who has done an excellent job. The work was made possible thanks to funding from Halton Lune Hydro and Rural Payment Awards/Countryside Stewardship. We have been able to replace the lower line of fencing which runs parallel …
Hermitage Field Community Meadow has been given an ‘Action for Nature’ community group award by Lancashire Wildlife Trust. The award was one of several given to different community groups in Lancashire at the annual Wildlife Supporters Day. The awards are designed to recognise community groups who go ‘above and beyond for nature and their community …
Over the summer we were delighted to receive a request from the British Standards Institution (BSI) in Lancaster asking if some of their workforce could donate a volunteering work day to the charity… and the answer was yes! The team were kept busy raking hay, clearing Himalayan Balsam, digging docks, collecting seed, planting plug plants into …
As part of the Connecting People with Nature project, we welcomed a super group of volunteers to the meadow on a glorious sunny day in August. The group enjoyed photographing wildlife, learning about meadow life and how meadow plants are useful to wildlife, farm animals and humans. The group collected wildflower seed to add to …
We were delighted to welcome a wonderful group of ladies from Nelson in Lancashire to the meadow as part of the Forest of Bowland Connecting People with Nature project. This project, funded by the Heritage Lottery and The Ernest Cook Trust, focuses on bringing people from cities into the countryside. The ladies were inspired by …
Earthworms play a vital role in creating and maintaining soil ecosystems. But which species of earthworm are present in Hermitage Field Community Meadow? That was the question we hoped to answer on the 3rd of May when we welcomed Kieran Derek Browne, from the Earthworm Recording Scheme, to teach us how to survey for earthworms …
What lives in the meadow? That was the question for experts, volunteers and visitors at Hermitage Field’s first Bioblitz on 9 July. Wildlife watchers – both experts and novices – wandered through the meadow identifying as many plants and animals as possible. The weather was ideal, with warm sunshine before heavy rain arrived in the …
Join us for a fun event in Hermitage Field Community Meadow on Sunday 9 July between 1.00 and 4.00pm. We’ll be finding and recording as many living things as we can in this special meadow. Why not bring a picnic lunch to enjoy beforehand? Free, but booking is essential. Email hetty.byrne@lancashire.gov.uk or phone 01200 448000 …
Hermitage Field Community Meadow volunteers and trustees attended a very special Coronation Tea on 10 May, to celebrate the coronation of King Charles. The event, held at County Hall in Preston, brought together organisations from all parts of Lancashire’s environmental spectrum, and was intended to reflect King Charles’s deep interest in the environment – and …
