This month at Bromley Environmental Education Centre (BEECHE) we are celebrating all that we do to look after nature in Bromley.
November is an important time for conservation. As the start of the winter period it is the ideal time to begin our hard work maintaining and restoring habitats.
Our amazing volunteers support our conservation work by carrying out essential habitat management. This ensures we have the healthiest and most biodiverse habitats possible.
Why manage nature?
Many of our habitats are now fragmented and lack species which should occur naturally, for example beaver and wild boar and are losing others like hedgehogs.
It is critical that we manage our habitats to replicate historical and natural processes.
What do we do?
- We carry out a lot of maintenance
- Pond clearances
- Woodland coppicing
- Invasive plant removal
- Hedgerow management
- Meadow cutting
Thinning & Coppicing:
A management system used for centuries!
- Trees are regularly cut to create open areas in woodland
- Allows light in and promotes plant growth and insect activity
- Positive for overall biodiversity and carefully managed
Don’t worry, the trees grow back!
Pond Management:
Huge decline in the number of ponds in U.K. Ponds can naturally be temporary, gradually filling in over time. However not enough new ponds are being created so we maintain our existing ones. Too much shade, invasive species, pollutants and leaf litter is detrimental.
- Every pond is different
- Some ponds need to have trees removed
- Others need to have weed and reeds reduced
- We also create new hibernacula (hibernation sites)
Our Amazing Volunteers!
If you would like to get involved please visit your local Friends Group website or ask today: