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Environment Last Updated: 24 April 2023

Environment

We review environmental matters at our meetings, as recorded in the minutes , and the full report to the committee is now published here :-

  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • January 2023
     
  • September 2022
  • July 2022
  • May 2022
  • March 2022
  • January 2022
     

    • With our environment being very much on the agenda, we are looking at how we can help locally. Some ideas and hopefully some inspiration as follows :-

    Flowers
    There's a new guide to wildflowers in spring from The Conservation Volunteers here

    A few years ago, we tried planting wildflowers on some of our green spaces. Sad to say, after the first year, they were mowed before they set seed and are now just a memory. Perhaps, to help the bees if for no other reason, its time to try again.

    More information (and inspiration) here on the Plantlife website
    And in a BBC report here

    Trees
    Chichester District Council will be one of five local authorities in England taking part in a new tree planting project with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), which aims to increase tree cover in rural and urban areas.
    The scheme will make trees and funding available to individuals, homeowners, schools, community groups, private landowners and tenant farmers.

  • Details of the scheme are on the CDC website here
  • And more about their Biodiversity plans here

    • There's also West Sussex County Council's 'Donate a Tree' scheme ... details here

    Once planted they do need watering in dry weather and it's not a service the Council provide. So if you are aware of a tree in need, please do keep it watered. Details of how much and how often are here

    Young trees need particular care during their first few years. You can find the outline of a "young tree maintenance programme" here

    Some more arboreal links :-

  • Tree Canopy Cover ... here
  • Oak Processionary Moth ... here
  • Threat to Beech Trees ... here
  • Link to Forestry England Newsletter ... here
  • Protection for sweet chestnut trees ... here

    • Fungi
    Autumnal information from Sussex Wildlife Trust

    Air Quality
    The District Council have produced a draft Air Quality Action Plan on which they would welcome your comments. Full details on their website here

    Bees
    If you want to know how we can all help our bee population, Jimmy Doherty's series on Channel 4 is a good place to start. It's available (free) on My4 and details are here

    In relation to this you may be moved to sign the petition regarding pesticides here

    Butterflies and Beetles
    Wild About Gardens have some colourful advice on planting for butterflies ... here
    And for beetles ... here

    Note that there's a mixture of landscape and portrait in these leaflets, so you may need to rotate the pictures using the 'rotate clockwise' controls at the top of the screen to avoid straining your neck :)