River action Plans for 2011-12 on-line

A little late for their intended dates, but welcome non the less are 2 documents that the CNS received recently

These are the River Rhymney and Nant Fawr Corridor Appendices 2011-2012 and the River Ely Valley Action Plan Appendices 2011-2012 

A search of the Council website has failed to turn these documents up there, but they are very informative and interesting documents and are therefore pleased to make them more accessible via our blog and website.

A description of the overview of all of the three rivers (The Taff is obviously included in the strategy) and the action plans and the 2010/2011 update documents for all three projects can all be found HERE

If anyone can turn up a link to the 2011/12 documents properly I'd be pleased to hear about it, please add a comment to this posting and we can update things as necessary

Regards
Andy

Mary Gillham to be featured in Botanic Gardens exhibition

At the Christmas event we had in celebration of Mary's 90th Birthday I was asked for copies of pictures of Mary for an exhibition in the Botanic Gardens of Wales

Those there will note that none of the awful pictures I took were suitable and I made arrangements to get a better picture of her. For those who were there I think you will agree this is much better

This one has been chosen and will be in the exhibition, but we thought you may like to know more about the event

Here is what we know so far

Hi Andy,

We are in the process of writing the official introduction for our exhibition, but I can give you some advance info. We have a working title now, 'Inspirational Botanists - Women in Wales', the exhibition will be held in the Gallery at the Botanic Gardens (opposite the gift shop) for the month of March with the official opening on March 8th to co-incide with International Womens' Day. We will focus on 11 women:

1. Lady Caroline Wilkinson 1822 - 1881 Amateur botanist and artist from Gower

2. Eleanor Vachell 1879 - 1948 Amateur botanist from Glamorgan

3. Mary  A.E. Richards 1885 - 1977 botanist, Merionethshire

4. Elsie Wakefield 1886 - 1972 mycologist, Swansea and Gower

5. Irene Vaughan 1889 - 1993 field botanist and County recorder Carmarthenshire

6. Prof Lily Newton 1893 - 1977 phycologist, prof of botany Aberystwyth

7. Janet Macnair 1903 - 1975 amateur botanist Monygomeryshire

8. Ann Connolly 1917 - 2010 professional botanist, Lleyn and Bardsey

9. Dr Mary E. Gillham 1921 -  botanist, naturalist and writer, Welsh Islands

10. Dr Helgi Opik 1936 - plant cell biologist and senior lecturer Swansea

11. Dr Dianne Edwards Palaeobotanist, Cardiff

12. Dr Lynne Boddy Mycologist, Cardiff

13. Dr Natasha de Vere Plant researcher, NBGW

Yes, I know I said 11, two have been removed from the list as there was insufficient information available to include them, and as neither of them were 'mine', I can't recall who they were. 

Sorry Andy, I will find out!

If that's whetted your appetite look in here at the blog a little closer to the date and we should have more information

Bute Park Goings on

Here are two photos from Bute Park from one of our members (Jane Williams)

The first is an excellent picture of Autumn cobwebs in Pontcanna Fields

The next an intriguing Wooden Woodpecker in Bute Park.itself

It can be found in the "wild" part of the woodland on the river side of the field adjoining the ambulance station... just up from Blackweir, but you'll need to look carefully

Some recent bnews from the park is that the dippers are busy around Blackweir - previously they nested in the banks of the feeder canal but last year they settled inside the fish pass where they produced young. Jane comments "Luckily we didn't have any heavy rain and floods to flush them out - but I hope they don't do it again this year, they might not be so lucky"

Something for your diary. The Friends of Bute Park are running events in the Education Centre in Bute Park on Saturday 28 January - Big Garden Bird Watch Day. There will be bird spotting forays, quizzes and the RSPB will be there setting out their stall, and making bird boxes and fat feeders.