February Edition

Thank you for reading the February edition of our newsletter. We've shared updates on some of our ongoing projects here and would like to encourage you to take action on our campaigns. Please leave your comments and suggestions, and share this newsletter with your contacts!

Have your say on the Strategic Local Plan (SLP)

We need your urgent support to protect the green spaces in our area. The Strategic and Local Plan (SLP) will determine how new housing and commercial developments unfold in Gloucester, Cheltenham, and Tewkesbury, crucially impacting nature conservation across half the county.

The councils are welcoming your comments on various topics, including climate and nature. Let's make a difference to our environment! Together, we can influence positive change, reversing wildlife declines and ensuring a sustainable future for Gloucestershire that benefits both people and nature.

?? Click the link to share your thoughts.

Return of the Pine Marten – Special Talk

Our Pine Marten Project Officer, Jamie Kingscott-Edmunds , delivered a fascinating talk on the vision and work of Project Pine Marten at our head office at Robinswood Hill. Check it out here.

Completion of Rain Garden at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital

We've installed a rain garden at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust , as part of the Gloucester and Cheltenham Waterscapes project, funded by our project partners RSA Insurance. Our CEO, Andrew McLaughlin and the MP for Gloucester, Richard Graham, spent a rainy afternoon planting it up before it's plumbed in and put to work!

Watch the 98-second video here.

Discover more about rain gardens at the link

Roots for a Wilder Future

Roots for a Wilder Future, a project funded by The Ernest Cook Trust , will allow Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust to work with five primary schools each year, delivering a free programme of activities on school sites designed to enable pupils to learn about and benefit from being in nature and to support schools in developing their outdoor learning curriculum. Keep checking back for updates on this wonderful project.

This year we're delighted to be teaming up with:

St. Thomas More Catholic School, Saint John’s Church of England Primary School, Hester’s Way Primary School, Rowanfield Junior School, Christ Church Primary School.

To find out more about Roots for a Wilder Future, head to our website.

Hedge Planting at Kilkenny Nature Reserve

Our staff and volunteers have been busy planting a new hedge as part of the Recovering Adders on the Cotswold Escarpment project at Kilkenny Nature Reserve, funded by Natural England through their #SpeciesRecoveryProgramme.

The adder is an often misunderstood but wonderful species that have sadly been in huge decline across the country and now have protected status. The Recovering Adders project is focusing on enhancing habitat for these enigmatic reptiles who call the grasslands and woodlands of the Cotswolds home.

Watch the video to find out how something as simple as this hedge will provide multiple benefits to adders and other species.

Find out more about our recovering adders project here.

Orchards Planning and Planting Workshop’s Video Highlights

Check out the highlights video from our Orchards' Planning and Planting Workshop at Birdwood! It's the first part of a fantastic series of free workshops, teaching you the ins and outs of orchard planting and management.

This workshop is part of our Severn Treescapes: Orchards Through the Seasons project funded by Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) grant, with thanks to Wye Valley National Landscape .

The Severn Treescapes project is led by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and funded by the Trees Call To Action fund. The fund was developed by Defra in partnership with Forestry Commission and is being delivered by National Lottery Heritage Fund. Match funding provided by Gloucestershire County Council, Herefordshire County Council, Worcestershire County Council and Severn Trent. Additional support provided by the Environment Agency and Ourboretum.