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The Hart - April 2022

An update on the South Wiltshire Horseshoe Bat Project, how you can help with the Chase & Chalke Hands-on Heritage days in early April, find out about our bird box giveaway for parishes as well as news of some of our latest ‘Dark Sky Friendly’ award winners and a job vacancy with the Chase & Chalke team

Bird boxes? Where, and how do I get my hands on some…?

We know that many parishes across the AONB have plans for events around the Queen’s Jubilee weekend and the extra bank holiday. If you’re looking for something that’s free, suits all ages and is hands-on for your parish fete, street party or community event please get in touch with us.

We have just taken delivery of some amazing bird box kits for you to put together for blue, marsh and coal tits.

They’ve been made locally and can be pre-arranged to be picked up from our offices or we can organise to get them to you - full instructions will be provided. Please email us at info@cranbornechase.org.uk and we will tell you more.

Greater horseshoe bats enjoying life in the Nadder Valley thanks to conservation efforts

The full article can be found on our website

The South Wiltshire Greater Horseshoe Bat Project was launched in October 2020, to focus conservation action upon greater horseshoe bats in South Wiltshire. Cranborne Chase AONB has provided a grant to support the project through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme. Here, Gareth Harris from the Wiltshire Bat Group tells us about two notable successes in 2021 in the Nadder Valley.

One element of the project was to monitor a small stone mine which confirmed it was in use by a number of rarer bats including the greater horseshoe. The mine had been fitted with a metal grille in the 1990s to prevent disturbance to roosting bats, but this was now in need of urgent repair. The grille was replaced during mid-summer, to avoid too much disturbance, and the following winter it was great to see hibernating bats such as greater & lesser horseshoe bat in residence.

The project also started a programme of acoustic bat surveys across the Nadder Valley, deploying bat detectors to nearly 40 locations, delivering over 225 nights of surveys, and generating over 215,000 sound files of 13 species of bat, ranging from common & widespread species such as soprano pipistrelle, Daubenton’s bat and noctule bat, to rarer species such as greater horseshoe, lesser horseshoe, barbastelle bat, Leisler’s bat and Nathusius’ pipistrelle.

These data massively contribute to the knowledge of the importance of the area for bats. Further information on the aims and objectives of the project, the project partners as well as the first year report can be found on the website here. To get in touch with Gareth to find out more about the project email southwiltsghbproject@gmail.com

Photo courtesy of Daniel Hargreaves, shows the greater horseshoe bat with its characteristic nose.

Volunteers needed for ‘Hands-on Heritage Days’ in Cranborne on 9 & 10 April

We’re still on the lookout for more volunteers to help us at the Ancient Technology Centre in Cranborne on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th April. Our ‘Hands-on Heritage Days’ will be bringing the story of Cranborne Chase to life through arts, crafts and re-enactment activities, including ancient weapons displays, storytelling, a piece of prehistoric art and more!

If you would like to get involved, fill out an online application form using the link below, and then select the event on the list of volunteering opportunities. It promises to be a wonderful weekend!

First ‘Dark Sky Friendly’ Awards to be handed out this Spring

We have farms, a scout group and even a recreation ground with awards winging their way to them this Spring. With thanks to the work of local businesses and parishes, we’re pleased to hand out our first Dark Sky Friendly Awards.

Astronomer Steve Tonkin has been haring around the AONB looking at lights over the winter months to help people to improve their night time lights and to help them make the most of being in an International Dark Sky Reserve for tourism opportunities. Reducing artificial light at night and installing the right lights in the right place is hugely important for local wildlife, it reduces energy consumption and saves money.

If you’d like to find out more about the awards and how the AONB may be able to contribute to the costs through grant funding, please get in touch with Steve at stevetonkin@cranbornechase.org.uk

Local farmer Peter Shallcross wins Conservation Project of the Year at the 2022 Wiltshire Life Awards

Congratulations to Cranborne Chase AONB based farmer Peter Shallcross who has been working tirelessly to re-introduce the iconic elm tree back to the Wiltshire countryside.

Peter was awarded the Conservation Project of the Year at the 2022 Wiltshire Life Awards. Peter has been propagating & growing hundreds of disease resistant trees on his farm and sourced and imported hundreds of elms from Europe and has been selling them at cost to farmers and landowners across Wiltshire. Last year he planted over 200 trees on his farm and gave more than 100 to his neighbours in the Nadder Valley Farmer Group.

Plantlife and the Wylye Valley Farmer group were finalists for their ‘Saving Wiltshire’s Juniper’ project.

Deadline of 9 April to respond to the Government’s Landscapes Review

The consultation closes on Saturday 9th April. Cranborne Chase AONB is putting together its response with the Partnership Board. This is an opportunity for people to shape how protected landscapes will deliver benefits for people and nature for years to come.

These are national landscapes, have your say, get involved:

• Read the Government’s response here

• Respond to the consultation here

Dorset Buttons: The Rise and Fall of a Cottage Industry

Our friends at the Museum of East Dorset are hosting Anna McDowell, Dorset button maker and textile artist on Thursday 28 April at 7pm who will deliver her fascinating illustrated talk, on the history of this local cottage industry started by Abraham Case on the 1600s to its demise two hundred years later.

For more information and tickets, visit the Museum of East Dorset website.

What a hoot! New barn owl box up and running thanks to our practical conservation volunteers

Roland our Chase & Chalke Ranger got to work this week with our practical conservation volunteers to help relocate a barn owl that had taken up residence in the roof of a small building up at the National Trust Fontmell Down Forest School.

One of our very handy volunteers built a new box and we’re pleased to say it was installed this week. They will be keeping a close eye (from a distance!) to see if the barn owl is pleased with its new home.

We have a whole host of volunteering opportunities that are wildlife and nature based coming up this year so check out our Chase & Chalke Volunteer Hub for more information.

We’re hiring - check out our latest job vacancy

The Cranborne Chase and Chalke Valley Landscape Partnership is looking to recruit a Project Support Officer to join us until June 2024, working 22 hours a week. The closing date for applications is Monday 2nd May.

We are looking for a knowledgeable, experienced and enthusiastic team member to support the delivery of the Chase & Chalke Scheme. This is a varied role working with the team, as well as partners and stakeholders across all projects, and includes financial administration, office administration, and other project support duties.

For more information and to apply visit the Wiltshire Council job website.

Funding for the Chase & Chalke Landscape Partnership Scheme comes from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thank you to National Lottery players for making our work possible.