2017 saw landscape walks; a study weekend devoted to conservation in the AONB; a photographic exhibition revealing the secret life of ‘Underwater Morecambe Bay’; lectures on ‘AONB signs & markers’, ‘Tidal Bores’ and ‘The Secret Life of Bees’; open days at the three reserves (Coldwell Parrock, Coldwell Meadow and Teddy Heights) and an amazing 5-day event telling the Story of Silverdale. Congratulations and thanks to our Events Coordinator, Peter Standing, and his team of volunteers for putting on such a varied and interesting programme.
Thanks must also go to our volunteers, who turned out in all weathers to manage the woodland and grassland habitats of our three reserves. Spring and early summer were particularly busy times, as the weather conditions resulted in a sudden spurt in vegetation growth, but all the hard work paid off and we were rewarded with lovely displays of violets, cowslips and orchids. Our nest boxes proved popular too – with tawny owls rearing three young, blue and great tits nesting in good numbers and, for the first time, two marsh tits taking up residence. We were delighted to receive over £1400 from the Co-op Local Community Fund and this was earmarked for new information panels for our reserves.
We were also pleased to be able to support projects by the following local organisations through the Grant Fund that we run jointly with the AONB Partnership:
- Swifts in the Community
- Wildlife Trust for Lancashire
- RSPB
- Westmorland Red Squirrels
