DARK DAYS BRIGHTENED
OUR AIM IS TO PROTECT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE HABITAT IT PROVIDES FOR WILDLIFE ALONG THE RIVERSIDE
Sunlight this November was scarce and more gales were forecast for the day of our meet this month on 29th, so work was completed early to avoid the threatened storm.
Bright yellow Hazel leaves remain on a young Hazel tree (Corylus avellana) on the river bank.
Hazels, once old enough to produce nuts and shelter, form ideal habitat for the Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). The trees do well along the riverside here and in species rich hedgerows. Provided the thickets are dense, grow several meters tall, are diverse and continuous enough to allow foraging on a variety of fruits, nuts and flowers and contain nesting material such as Honeysuckle
bark, Hazel Dormice may well return. They are an endangered species and becoming more so as their habitat is destroyed or 'tidied up' - we hope to preserve the existing habitat and increase its value.
