Another busy month with several important events to organize and celebrate!
Encountering the unexpected
This project is a recent development set up to engage people aged 60 and over, with nature that they can find local to them, as part of Nature on your Doorstep.
The project is delivered in sessions and I was part of the Seaside themed second session. This was a huge success, everyone really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. I could show my beach finds, gathered from surveying, and listen to others share their memories of the beach.
Conchology specialist Ian Wallace gave a talk on shells, both ones you could find on our beaches and many from the Indian Ocean. Something that fascinated me was a shell that had been carved. I had no idea that Cameos are made in this way, chiselling away the outer layers of shell.
30 Days Wild
Throughout June I have been completing the 30 Days Wild challenge, set by The Wildlife Trust, on my twitter account. The aim is to engage in some sort of ‘wild’ activity each day. This can be as simple as photographing an animal, to wearing animal themed clothes, or something bigger such as running an event. The idea is to get people more involved and more appreciating of nature.
World Oceans Day
At the Liverpool World Museum, we celebrated World Oceans Day over three days and the whole event was a huge success. On Thursday 8th June, we ran a stall alongside The RSPB, Surfers Against Sewage and Veolia. We interacted with over 300 people, informing them about species in our oceans and the dangers they face. Our plastic pollution display case fit in well with this event and having Veolia there to inform people how to recycle plastics was very useful.
On Saturday 10th June, Veolia returned to do storytelling based on a jellyfish and a plastic bag. This was a busy day with just under 300 people joining in. On Sunday 11th June I and Kate West ran a jellyfish making craft session to round off World Oceans Day. We interacted with 316 people, making around 100 jellyfish from paper bowls and assorted materials.
After the three days the interaction figures neared 1,000 people. That is 1,000 people better informed and more interested in our oceans. Whether it is through recycling, beach cleans or simply reading and passing on information to others, these people could make a huge difference.
Over at The Wildlife Trust
After high winds the Tern nesting rafts, which have been put out in the middle of the water at Seaforth, had unfortunately blown nearer to shore. This puts the chicks and eggs at risk as terrestrial predators such as foxes can then climb on board. I was part of the cavalry, armed with waders and a rubber dinghy, sent out to pull them back out to be anchored. We were able to count chick and egg numbers and unfortunately found some dead chicks.
Another amazing job I was tasked with was the feeding of some Red Squirrel kits. This little family had been displaced from their drey when the tree holding them was felled. The Wildlife Trust have an excellent set up for Red Squirrels like this, Rachel Miller does an incredible job of nursing the young until they are big enough to be placed in a pen. This pen allows them to adjust to the outside world before they are then released back into the wild.
Thanks for reading! Keep up with me daily by following my Twitter account!
Thank you as always to The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, my mentors and TCV.
Bye for now, Annan.