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Haddenham: Open for Nature Day
The New Life in the Old West Project in conjunction with the local community held an Open for Nature Day at Fairchild’s Meadow, Haddenham June 2023 – to encourage local people to discover local wildlife and find out how they can support much-loved species!
The purpose was to :-
- LEARN from the experts on hand to showcase the wildlife that’s living in the local area.
- ENJOY tailor-made talks, tabletop displays and hands-on activities.
- TAKE PART in guided bumblebee walks, botanical surveying and uncovering the species found in the overnight moth trap.
- TALK to wildlife organisations and local groups who’ll be sharing their ongoing work to support wildlife within Cambridgeshire.
- DISCOVER how to set up small mammal traps with the Cambridgeshire Mammal Group.
The event is took place at Fairchild’s Meadow, Chewells Lane, Haddenham, Ely, CB6 3SS (Grid reference: TL 46651 75785 and What3Words: ///legroom.fortnight.losses ).
Fairchild’s Meadows consists of three fields at the end of Chewells Lane in Haddenham. Access is possible from Chewells Lane, from a bridleway off Station Road or from Hinton Hedges Lane.
The three fields are managed quite differently, but always with wildlife and biodiversity as the focus. The Meadows feature a wildflower meadow, a pond, peaceful seating areas and numerous walking opportunities.
The Meadows are managed by a working group of volunteers who meet around 4 times a year to discuss and implement management of this special place. New volunteers are always welcome, please do get in touch if you would like to join the team. The New Life in the Old West Project has been working with the local community to improve local habitats for wildlife.
The Open for Nature event consisted of:
- RSPB ‘Operation Turtle Dove’
- The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire
- Bumblebee Conservation Trust
- Cambridgeshire County Moth Recorder
- Cambridgeshire Mammal Group
- Haddenham Conservation Society
- Haddenham Wildlife Friendly Village
- Ann Sherwood (local ecologist)
- Hilary Conlan (pollination expert)
- HistoryNeedsYou
Peter Bates from East Cambridgeshire Climate Action Network, who attended the event. is hoping that other local communities in East Cambridgeshire will run similar events in their local communities.
Pictures from the day :-
What is New Life on the Old West?
New Life on the Old West will deliver wildlife habitat enhancements in green spaces and surrounding countryside within areas close to the Old West River in the Cambridgeshire Fens.
The project will create a series of small-scale habitat improvements – ponds, scrapes and wildflower meadows – in the arable landscape, the extensive ditch network and community green spaces. Together, these improvements will create a more resilient landscape in the Cambridgeshire Fens; connecting dispersed species and habitats, while creating demonstration sites for others to learn from.
The project will help ensure that a wider range of people can access and enjoy the local fenland countryside. Through a diverse series of events and a dynamic volunteering programme, we’re building a stronger connection between people’s green space assets and the biodiversity on their doorstep.
The Project is managed by Cambridgeshire Acre.
