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Category: Environment

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The return of guided walks at Hillhouse Wood

Two Guided Walks Return to Hillhouse Wood

Guided walks return to Hillhouse Wood

After a gap of three years, guided walks return with two great walks to enjoy with Steve Hallam in the next few weeks.

  • Spring Flower Walk on 23rd April, and
  • Dawn Chorus Walk on 7th May.

Spring Flower Walk

The last Spring Flower walk took place in 2019 in the company of Storm Hannah! Despite the weather, 22 folks assembled for the walk and thoroughly enjoyed themselves; the comic highlight possibly being when Steve was pretty much blown over by the force of the wind! The walk is normally conducted at a gentle pace (storms permitting).

In a typical year you are likely to see the following flowers:

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Winter Bird Walk 2022 – will you see a Waxwing?

Waxwing
Waxwings migrate from the boreal forests of continental Europe to spend their winters with us in search of rowan and other berries.

Winter Bird Walk 2022

The first guided walk at Hillhouse Wood since 2020 takes place on Saturday 26th February when Steve Hallam leads the Winter Bird Walk 2022.  Walkers should meet at the Old Church at 10 am (weather permitting), wearing stout footwear and warm clothing & with a warm drink in a flask.  They can expect to see a range of resident woodland and meadow species as well as some winter visitors, the Woodland Trust lists the following as the top-15 winter potentials:

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Climate Emergency Declared

West Bergholt Parish Council declares A CLIMATE EMERGENCY

Climate Emergency Images

On Wednesday 26th January 2022 West Bergholt Parish Council agreed the following motion:

“THAT THIS COUNCIL BELIEVES THAT A CLIMATE EMERGENCY SHOULD BE DECLARED AND THAT THE PARISH COUNCIL WILL TAKE ACTION EITHER THROUGH ITS OWN WORK OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHERS IN THE PARISH TO CUT CARBON EMISSIONS, MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING AND IMPROVE NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS ALL IN THE WIDER INTERESTS OF FUTURE GENERATIONS”

Climate emergencies are being declared internationally by governments and locally by public organisations. This is to draw attention to the effects of human activity, resulting in an ever-warming planet and its potentially catastrophic effects on natural environments, wildlife and human habitats. These can be manifested by a rise in temperatures, rising sea levels and deteriorating conditions for all life

Around 75% of UK councils have declared a Climate Emergency. Colchester Borough Council voted unanimously to declare a climate emergency back in July 2019. Internationally COP 26 has reaffirmed the need to:

  • keep global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees, and
  • reduce the amount of carbon released into our atmosphere to achieve this.

What does this mean for the residents of West Bergholt?

Environment
  • Are you concerned about the deterioration of our natural environments and diminishing wildlife levels and habitats?
  • Do you want to do more than simply re-cycle your plastic, paper and glass?
  • Do you have ideas about how we could individually or collectively reduce our carbon footprints or improve local wildlife environments?

If so, we are asking for volunteers, across all age groups to join, or maybe lead, a new Working Party forward. They will help produce a strategy and a plan and initiate workshops.

Communicate, generate ideas imagery
  • We need people with communications skills; they will help spread the word by writing articles for the web and other social media.
  • Your organisational skills will ensure we have regular meetings and workshops; also talks from external speakers etc..
  • Your ideas will help to produce a strategy for local action; also a plan for those initiatives we can achieve in our village. Funding for initiatives is available from the Government and ECC and many other organisations to help with green projects.

Email Laura, our Parish Clerk, at [email protected] to join us. Once she has your contact details, she will send you further information on the first meeting.

Please join us to help improve the future; to safeguard as far as is possible an environment that future generations can enjoy.

Some interesting web sites for further information:  

Press contact: Cllr Bob Tyrell, Chairman: Climate Emergency Working Party, West Bergholt Parish Council

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Green Homes Grant – Are You Eligible?

CBC Offers Green Homes Grants

Green Homes Grants flyer

Parish Councillors have had early notice of Green Homes Grants. This comes as they are taking part in an Essex-wide series of workshops to understand how communities can come together to assist with climate change and carbon reduction initiatives.

Warmworks are managing the project; their role is to check resident eligibility & guide applicants through the process. They will also arrange for installers to deliver the works and inspect them afterwards.  The scheme is open until the end of March 2022.

Who Can Benefit?

Up to £10,000 is available for those who own their property. Up to £5,000 is available for renters when the landlord pays a minimum of one-third of the cost. The grants are available to those who:

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Environment & Highways 14th October 2021

Highlights of Environment & Highways Meeting on 14th October 2021

Plan for the Environment to support diversity

The Environment & Highways Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 14th October 2021 with topics including:

  • Handymen have been busy including cutting grass, dealing with a trip hazard in New Church Road,
  • Concern about overgrown Hall Road pond,
  • Hopkins Home building site,
  • Lorkin Daniell hedging & safety concerns, and
  • Orpen Hall tree replacement.
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Fairfields Farms start their harvesting

Fairfields Farms Tractors and Other Vehicles on the Roads and Lanes

Fairfields Farms Potato Harvester
Harvesting Potatoes at Fairfields Farms

Fairfields Farms are now starting to harvest their potatoes and maize. This means that you will be seeing an increase in agricultural vehicles on local roads for the next month. Operations will typically be underway between 7 am – 8 pm (or a little later if weather pressures demand it).

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Environment & Highways 9th September 2021

Highlights of Environment & Highways Meeting on 9th September 2021

Environment - butterfly on flower

The Environment & Highways Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 9th September 2021 with topics including:

  • Handymen undertook activities from tree -trimming to churchyard-tending. Additional help required October – November. Their new vehicle is now in operation,
  • The Cherry trees at Orpen Hall are dying, what to do?
  • Environmental plan, volunteers needed to maintain ponds. Hall Road pond overgrown,
  • Problems & surveys on Colchester Road.
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