BBOWT Soldiers On! 

We have had to cancel our events till the end of May but it may be possible to restart in June or July – please check on bbowt.uk.org for the latest news on planned walks at Aston Clinton Ragpits on 14 June, Bacombe Hill on 27 June, Dancersend on 11 July and Pitstone Fen on 19 July. Of course you can use any of our reserves at any time for healthy exercise and enjoying nature though there are some parking restrictions. There was no plant sale in May so please help prepare for the one on Sunday 18 October by getting plants potted up during the summer. BBOWT like all charities has lost a lot of income while the expense of reserve maintenance, grazing animals and administration by a skeleton staff in Oxford continue – donations to help keep us going will be gratefully received online.

Many people are enjoying walks close to home and spending more time in their gardens. Conservation organisations are very interested in hearing about the animals and plants you are finding away from the wildlife hotspots where most records are made. Why not make your time outside more interesting and enjoyable by trying to identify the things you see and, where possible, take photographs? You can then report your sightings to organisations like Upper Thames Butterfly Conservation (for butterflies and moths), Bucks Bird Club or the Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre and add to the knowledge about wildlife distribution in the county. An internet search will produce websites for these organisations. BBOWT is also interested to hear about your wildlife sightings and any special places you find, whether they are our nature reserves or elsewhere.

Richard Birch, BBOWT Chilterns Group