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Thirty years young!

we've come a long way since we began to champion wildlife in cities thirty years ago.

When we started, many of the more traditional naturalist societies thought it was radical, even dangerous, to allow the public free access to nature reserves. But we quickly proved that nature reserves could usually be open to all and in unexpected places too. We created the country's first urban nature park on Brandon Hill and today long grass, wildflowers and natural hedgerows are a feature of parks everywhere. We did this because we felt wildlife should be enjoyed by everyone. Now we have scientific proof that getting closer to nature can make us happier and healthier, we are bringing wildlife to people's doorsteps, creating wildlife-rich areas in community spaces and gardens where they will make life more liveable.

Our education centre at Willsbridge Mill was ground-breaking when it was launched in 1987. Today children spend most of their time indoors and green spaces are unfamiliar, even frightening. We're going back to our original thinking and planning a major programme to inspire every child in Avon about the natural world. This will mean using our centres, nature reserves and involve working in schools to ensure the next generation of children will enjoy exploring the great outdoors as much as playing computer games.

We'll be celebrating our thirtieth birthday in 2010 with a programme of exciting activities to get everyone involved with nature - watch this space!

Avon’s boundaries may have come and gone, but Avon Wildlife Trust is still with us and still catering for the special mix of urban and rural that identifies Bristol and its surroundings

	Dyrham Park walk

Wildflower Grasslands Project launch at Dyrham Park

After an Introduction by Chief Executive Steve Grainger and with presentations from members of the AWT Living Landscape Team and Natural England, the Trust's Wildflower Grassland Project got off to an impressive start in 2010 at Dyrham Park on 3 Feb.

With over 40 invited guests, including landowners, farmers, representatives from Local Authorities, Parish Councils and conservation organisations, the project launched in the north and east of the Avon region, bringing together and establishing a network of parties in the region who were keen to hear all about the Trust's landscape scale conservation project.

Last year, as the first step in a programme of work aimed at expanding and linking up the dwindling areas of WildflowerGrassland, the Living Landscape team contacted 125 farmers and landowners and surveyed over 1000 hectares of land. This was mostly around Chew Valley, Stowey Sutton and around Lansdown and St. Catherines Valley just north of Bath. This year will see the team surveying land and working with landowners in the Cam Valley, Bathampton, Cleeve Wood, Dyrham, Horton and Lower Wood areas of the region.

The event also included a guided walk around the grasslands of Dyrham Park. Many of those present were able to help the project in a very valuable way by drawing on large scale maps to indicate where they had local knowledge of grasslands that might benefit from the attentions of the project.

A grand day was had by one and all - despite the weather!

	nuthatch - D. Smith

Festival of Feathers 16 and 17 February 2010

Avon Wildlife Trust is holding a range of bird-friendly events during its February "festival of feathers".They run from Tuesday 16 to Thursday 18 February, 2010 at Folly Farm, Willsbridge Mill and Bristol Zoo.You can make a nest box or feeder and learn more about the birds which visit our gardens and open spaces.

The first, on Tuesday 16 February is a chance to build and decorate nest boxes for smaller garden birds like sparrows. There are two sessions at Folly Farm: from 10.30am until 12.30pm or 2-4pm. The cost is £6 per child, with a £3 charge for materials. Children should be 4 years plus. Adults are free and there is a play area for toddlers.

For further details contact Jo Morris, Folly Farm Centre, Stowey, Pensford, Bristol, BS39 4DW, 01275 331590, or email: info@follyfarm.org

The same event, together with the toddler play area runs at Willsbridge Mill on Wednesday 17 February. The morning and afternoon sessions run at the same time as Folly Farm and the cost is also identical.
To find out more and book a place contact Ruth Worsley or Alison Logan 0117 932 6885, email ruthworsley@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk