- Narroways Millennium Green Trust Meetings are held once a month in the St.Werburghs area -The next meeting is at 8.00 p.m. on Monday 15th April 2002 at The Miners Arms on Mina Rd., St.Werburghs. All are welcome.
- Wildlife Observations
Spring has well and truly sprung. Recently there have been some fine sunny days.
Red foxes are often seen on allotments locally and they are hopefully making a come back (although there are rumours of persecution by one local individual) We hope to find out more about the local small mammal population by surveying local cat owners while trying to encourage them to adopt one of the methods for reducing the deadliness of their pets.
Loads of sightings of Jays in recent months with 6 seen flocking together on 16th March and a dead one seen recently. I watched a few Goldfinches feeding on Teasels on an abandoned allotment near the tunnel. There have been a couple of tantalizing reports of owls heard on Narroways in February. A Heron was seen descending down to the pond in the Community Gardens on 16th March and a Chiffchaff was the first summer visitor recorded this year. It was calling loudly from an Ash tree by the stoney path on 24th March. The British Trust for Ornithology are asking people to record migrant birds that they see and of course we are always interested in any local sightings - just email us.
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Site Improvements.
The 4 cast iron marker signs and the 3 interpretation boards were put in position on the 23rd February 2002.They were placed at the entrances to the site and look really good, hopefully giving visitors useful information and really marking Narroways as special place. Sadly, one of the boards seems to have been hit with a hammer but otherwise we have had only positive feedback.
Naomi and Steve have been liasing with sculptor Julian Warren over the artwork we will place on the hill. It is a great looking design - a metal bench incorporating themes of the railway track and local wildlife. It is going to be erected on the hill on Sunday 7th April and will need 8 people to move it!
We have been contacted recently by educational organisations wishing to use Narroways and the group as a source of study. Chris showed a group from Plymouth University around the site and Des and Harry met with an Open University researcher, Dr. Monica Degen.
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers did some major bramble control in February/March. They will also be involved in plans to manage the Ash wood to make it even better for wildlife.
- Ashley Vale Action Group (AVAG) donated money for a Mulberry tree for the Community Orchard.The Narroways volunteers planted it in March - now we can sit back and wait for those juicy berries!
- Narroways Hill is used occasionally by other groups but the trustees should be contacted (via St.Werburghs City Farm or our email address) for any Organised Group Activities (beyond the usual dog walking, blackberrying, picnicing, sledging, didgeridoo playing sort of stuff) The main reason is to preserve the wild environment and protect the wildlife there.
- The next Volunteer Work Day for Narroways will be at 10.30 on Saturday 20th April. It is always on the 3rd Saturday of each month and is a great way to get involved and do something practical. Meet at 21 St.Werburghs Park. (But note we need all spare hands to move the new sculpture to the top of the hill at 11.00 on Sunday 7th April.)
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The Narroways Website carries Records of Animal Species observed in the area. Please contact us if you see anything interesting in or around Narroways. Please mention which date you saw this and any details you can give including just where you saw it.
- Continued thanks to Sweet, Hemmings, The Millennium Commission and The Countryside Agency for funding for site improvements.
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