Vale Wildlife Group (1994)

 

The Vale Wildlife Group (covering specifically Ashton Vale in the BS3 area) was set up in 1994 after I discovered that Avon wildlife trust had declared it a "wildlife deprivation area".

On my first night I was face-to-face with the largest hedgehog I had ever seen and while watching it two barn owls flew so low overhead I could see all the face and feather details. Returning into the house I looked out to see a pair of foxes strolling up the road. There were so many butterflies, moths and beetles and other insects that I lost count and when I saw the woodpecker as well as all the other local birds including sparrow hawks and buzzards I said to myself "This is the kind of wildlife deprivation area I can live with"!

Remember this was all within a day of moving in. I kept local records and found frogs, toads, newts wall lizards and much much more. Avon Wildlife told me that as I was not a member my records were of no interest (it was that blunt). Oh, bats of course and otters not to mention deer and badgers.

I was called in to remove an adder (they are still in the area) from a garden and various other things. The biggest problem was that locals were decidedly anti wildlife. I just could not understand it and a few efforts to re-invigorate wildlife were damaged by local residents.

 When Yanley Quarry was going to be turned into a park area for locals I was asked to set up a wildlife area complete with pond and received a copy of the wildlife survey team report to help me work things out.

The Quarry company  had nothing but negativity from locals (to create a park and wildlife area??) and I endured three years of harassment and more just for being involved (unpaid I might add).

When I sought permission to "re-wild" the old coal-pit area in South Liberty Lane the word spread -as did local anger.  Willow wands were planted to create a small wooded area but these were pulled up by locals and some were thrown into my garden -a warning I suppose?

Thankfully those people either moved on or passed away and I would hope that the younger, newer locals would be far more happy to re-wild the area or at least encourage more wildlife and help educate youngsters -they are after all going to be the ones looking after our environment in the future.

For 2023 if I can get council cooperation, I want to carry out a survey of the old coal yard and see whether a plan to plant willows and some fast growing conifers can be formulated -but that really requires local help.