FIELD NOTES
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE
HERTFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY
ISSUE 6
NOVEMBER 2004
Muntjac Deer / Swallowed-Up
In search of the Mottled Grasshopper / Here today, gone tomorrow?
Ringing of Farmland Birds / Dormice at Haileybury / Baldock Bypass - planning for wildlife
EDITORIAL
The projected survey work by the Society on Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust nature reserves got under way in 2004, with a few sites being recorded for species groups for which the Trust did not feel it held enough information. This programme of work is being arranged between the Trust and the Society's Records Committee. The aim, ultimately, is for all the Trust's reserves to have up-to-date information on the key species groups of importance for each reserve. Many of these reserves were established 25 or more years ago, and, even if some idea was had of the importance of the species in them at the time, there is always an ongoing need to update this information. It is a kind of "Painting the Forth Bridge" exercise - especially in these days when traditional management arrangements are increasingly hard to sustain, and climate change looks like bringing in major changes anyway. Some changes in populations can be very rapid indeed, and unless those who are able to do the recording carry out regular monitoring, species can decline rapidly without our knowing about it.
It has to be said that 2004's attempt at recording was not entirely as fruitful as we had hoped. This was partly as a result of poor communication about the objectives for the season, but other problems, as always appear to be lack of time and opportunity, and to some extent a lack of people to do the recording.
This is important work, and so if you feel you might be able to help any of the Recorders with their survey work, please get in touch.
We will publish dates of projected survey visits in 2005 in the next issue of "Field Notes".
"Ed"
Getting involved!
In the last issue, I asked if anyone wanted to get involved more actively with promoting the Society.
We have been under-whelmed by responses, but just in case anyone might read this for the first time, can I re-iterate that the Society needs someone, or more than one person, who can take on the job of setting up displays and taking them to events.
If you feel you have the skills and time to help with this, please let the Society's Committee know.
We also asked for someone to take on the role that Patricia Baker held for many years: contact with the Society's valuable library collection at Imperial College Library. No takers yet, so is there anyone out there, who maybe works in London, and who would be prepared to visit once or twice a year and link with the College Librarian?
Material for the "Hertfordshire Naturalist"
Stuart Warrington is sorting out the copy for next year's "Hertfordshire Naturalist".
We are especially looking for articles which focus on one or other sites of interest around the County. Something on the changing wildlife of your local patch, maybe?
Our journal is the only place that these kinds of things are written up for future generations.
Send to Stuart Warrington, preferably in electronic format.
Address: 8 Redwoods, Welwyn Garden City, Herts. AL8 7NR (tel.: 01707 885676)
Email: stuart.warrington@nationaltrust.org.uk
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