Hello
I am writing on behalf of Flat Holm Island society.
In Cardiff Council's budget proposals for 2013/14 it is proposed to “Cease Operation of Flat Holm Island and Consider Options for its Disposal”.
Flat Holm Island is a valuable community and educational resource to the People of Cardiff and surrounding areas. The island is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Local Nature Reserve and a Special Protection Area, because of the maritime grassland and rare plants such as Rock Sea-Lavender, Wild Leek and Wild Peony. During Spring and Summer the island is also home to a significant breeding colony of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and is also home to slow worms, common lizards and Peregrine Falcons. Historical features on the island include the remains of a cholera hospital and Victorian and WWII gun batteries.
The council are proposing to cease operation of Flat Holm Island at a time when they planning to increase the spending on Senior Management at the council by £1.1 Million!
We would appreciate it if you could bring this matter to the attention of your members and encourage them to show their support by doing the following:
Show your support by signing our petition at:
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/cardiff-council-save-flat-holm-island-2
Write to Cardiff Council voicing your concerns - consultation@cardiff.gov.uk
Cardiff Council
County Hall
Atlantic Wharf
Cardiff
CF10 4UW
You can also follow our progress by liking our Save Flat Holm Island facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/SaveFlatHolmIsland
www.flatholmsociety.org.uk
I hope that you are able to support us and pass this message on to your members.
Kind regards
Jo Morgan
Grants and Fundraising Officer
Flat Holm Island Society
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Sunday, November 25, 2012
2 New events for the Programme
2 new outdoor events are now are on the programme and will have details in forthcoming newsletters
Reserve the dates...
Sunday April
21
The
trees of Cefn Onn park with tree expert Tony Titchen
Saturday May 18
Brynna
Woods with Mark Steer
Reserve the dates...
Why Life is Tough For Tits in Bute Park
Dr Peter Ferns (formerly of Cardiff University, but just as active a researcher in retirement) entertained the first Joint meeting of theWWTSW, University Wildsoc and the Cardiff Naturalists Society
The talk was a summary of the research he has been doing in the past few years on the breeding success (and lack of it) of the Bue Tits and Great Tits in the northern section of the park, and comparisons with the results from other researchers in other areas.
The simple answer is lack of catterpillars, the detail behind that will be published in due course
The talk was a summary of the research he has been doing in the past few years on the breeding success (and lack of it) of the Bue Tits and Great Tits in the northern section of the park, and comparisons with the results from other researchers in other areas.
Picture used courtesy of Gianpaolo
Bottin, Used under licence
The simple answer is lack of catterpillars, the detail behind that will be published in due course
Monday, November 5, 2012
Underwater photos: Britain and the Maldives
Award winning photographer and local expert on marine life Cate Barrow once again entertained us with a fantastic talk illustrated with stunning images of underwater life.
Cate entertained us with a series of pictures from home and way. The fascinating collection of shapes and forms is a delight for a photographer and Cate takes her time to capture these delights in full technicolour.
She started her talk with a description of the techniques and equipment before showing us pictures from UK waters which may be cold and a little cloudy at times, but we still have some wonderful creatures.
Off to the warmer parts of the world and to reefs and open water and things got even more spectacular and to many of us frightening with some stunning coral, polyp and shark pictures such as this one taken by Cate and shared here with her permission of a Bull shark with 10/17 mm lens at Beqa Lagoon Fiji March 2010
For those of you who are not photographers, a 10/17mm lens is a wide angle lens that makes things look further away than they really are so this is incredibly up close and personal with the shark
As usual Cate's talk was not just a visual spectacular, but informative as well. The descriptions she gave us of the measures taken to ensure she protects the environment whilst getting the pictures was fascinating.
You can see more of Cate's pictures on-line HERE and a write up of one of her adventures with sharks HERE.
If you would like to hear more why not join us as she has already offered to talk to us again.
Cate entertained us with a series of pictures from home and way. The fascinating collection of shapes and forms is a delight for a photographer and Cate takes her time to capture these delights in full technicolour.
She started her talk with a description of the techniques and equipment before showing us pictures from UK waters which may be cold and a little cloudy at times, but we still have some wonderful creatures.
Off to the warmer parts of the world and to reefs and open water and things got even more spectacular and to many of us frightening with some stunning coral, polyp and shark pictures such as this one taken by Cate and shared here with her permission of a Bull shark with 10/17 mm lens at Beqa Lagoon Fiji March 2010
For those of you who are not photographers, a 10/17mm lens is a wide angle lens that makes things look further away than they really are so this is incredibly up close and personal with the shark
As usual Cate's talk was not just a visual spectacular, but informative as well. The descriptions she gave us of the measures taken to ensure she protects the environment whilst getting the pictures was fascinating.
You can see more of Cate's pictures on-line HERE and a write up of one of her adventures with sharks HERE.
If you would like to hear more why not join us as she has already offered to talk to us again.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Invasive Plant Species in Britain
Professor Denis Murphy of the University of Glamorgan gaves us a fascinating insight into Invasive Plant Species in Britain: a Historical, Scientific and Socioeconomic Perspective
The talk focussed on the 4 "worst" plants, the infamous Japanese Knotweed (left), Himalayan Balsam, Rhododendron ponticum and
Giant Hogweed and explained how they got here, the problems that they cause to people and property and the actions that can be take or are being considered in dealing with them. For instance the Japanese Knotweed Psyllid Aphalara itadori which is being considered as a biological control against the plant.If you are interested in reading more about non native species you may find this website useful DEFRA GB Non-native Species Information Portal
When it comes to these some of our local ancestors must take some blame ... for Japanese Knotweed the database records Location of first record: Glamorgan
But as Denis reminded us - just 12,000 years ago Britain was an ice covered wasteland. So all our plants and animals are non native if you think long enough
The Wonderful World of Worms
Teresa Darbyshire of the National Museum of Wales gave us an excellent short talk after our AGM on The Wonderful World of Worms: Marine Bristleworms (Polychaetes) & Their Importance
This was an interesting talk and I had never realised how important these creatures were in understanding the marine environment around us in Wale. There is information about this work available on the Museum Website at http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/160/
Having seen some wonderful pictures Teresa was happy to answer a number of questions and key amongst these were questions about identification and she told us that there are plans for an on-line system similar to the excellent website about British Bivalves..
What website you ask... well here it is http://naturalhistory.museumwales.ac.uk/britishbivalves/Browse_taxa.php
This was an interesting talk and I had never realised how important these creatures were in understanding the marine environment around us in Wale. There is information about this work available on the Museum Website at http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/160/
Having seen some wonderful pictures Teresa was happy to answer a number of questions and key amongst these were questions about identification and she told us that there are plans for an on-line system similar to the excellent website about British Bivalves..
What website you ask... well here it is http://naturalhistory.museumwales.ac.uk/britishbivalves/Browse_taxa.php
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Radyr Court Road
One of our members has brought to our attention a proposed development of 48 houses on a greenfield site that will will be destroyed and replaced with a 48 dwelling housing estate, and the lane that will suffer 13 times the traffic.in her words "I walk
along this little woodland area often and would be devastated if they build all
over it."
It's clear from the location of this development that the view from Hailey Park which we regularly visit will be compromised by this development
A campaign website has been set-up at http://www.saveradyrcourtroad.org.uk/
They are looking to get people to sing an on-line petition and need at least 50 local people on the petition, then they will earn the right to address the Planning Committee in person to make their feelings known. But they would like many, many more, to demonstrate how much the local community values its rural surroundings.
Regards
Andy
It's clear from the location of this development that the view from Hailey Park which we regularly visit will be compromised by this development
A campaign website has been set-up at http://www.saveradyrcourtroad.org.uk/
They are looking to get people to sing an on-line petition and need at least 50 local people on the petition, then they will earn the right to address the Planning Committee in person to make their feelings known. But they would like many, many more, to demonstrate how much the local community values its rural surroundings.
Regards
Andy
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