Latest news with #LincolnshireWildlifeTrust
BBC News
13-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Belton House supports No Mow May campaign
Gardeners at a National Trust property taking part in the No Mow May campaign have said they "can't praise it highly enough."The national initiative urges people to let wildflowers bloom for the entire month, which creates a habitat for pollinators and a food source for birds and animals, according to Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. Belton House, near Grantham, is letting part of their grounds grow wild. Damian Mitchell, head gardener, said: "It's a fantastic opportunity to see what you've got lying in the seedbank of your garden." May marks the onset of summer and is the start of the wildflower season, national charity Plantlife said. The gardening team at Belton House, near Grantham, said visitors love to see the contrast between the landscapes. Mr Mitchell added: "We still have those lovely, manicured lawns that people expect at large houses, but then as they move out into the wild areas they see all of these fantastic blooms and insects."We don't have any negative comments, because people really get what we're doing." A spokesperson from Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust said: "Increasing insect numbers and biodiversity is an important part of tackling climate change. "Changing the way we treat our gardens is one of the best ways we can all get involved." About 97% of flower-rich meadows have been lost since the 1930s, according to Plantlife. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
01-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Lincolnshire bat smaller than a 20p coin nursed back to health
A bat that weighed less than 20p coin after getting stuck inside a museum has been nursed back to life and released into the Simpson, who runs Lincolnshire Bat Rescue (LBR) with his wife Julie, rehabilitated the male pipistrelle after it became trapped in a glue trap inside the Joseph Banks Centre in Horncastle. Mr Simpson, who lives in Croft, cared for the bat, who he named Joseph, for almost a week before it was able to rejoin the colony at Banovallum House nature reserve."He was about a year old and 3.9g in weight, which is substantially less than the weight of a 20p piece," Mr Simpson said. 'Close to death' Mr Simpson, whose volunteer bat rescue covers the whole county, said he picked up the bat at around 23:00 BST on 17 April after receiving a call from the centre."The bat was grossly underweight and close to death."We are told it had been found inside a room with biological specimens in it, and was stuck to a fly paper trap that was used to keep a room free of flies."I worked on keeping it alive and rehydrating it."The ideal weight of the bat should have been around 5.5g, Mr Simpson said the bat could have been stuck to the glue trap for three days, and that his weight was "awful". He taught it to eat mealworms after initially feeding it puppy milk formula."He turned around really well and was excellent at flying." A social media post by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust stated: "Bat detectors picked up both common and soprano pipistrelles in our gardens and along the river."It is highly likely that this little bat is already well acquainted with the Banovallum House nature reserve, as it offers perfect feeding grounds with a wealth of insects for colonies in the area."Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
New Lincolnshire mayor must 'embrace nature', say wildlife groups
Wildlife and conservation groups say it is "essential" that the new Lincolnshire mayor embraces nature and supports environmental including The Woodland Trust, National Trust, RSPB and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust issued the call to the mayoral candidates ahead of Thursday's organisations said the mayor must shape a "greener, more resilient future", including building climate resilience, cutting emissions and restoring wetlands and Killeavey, from National Trust, said: "It's about recognising the power of nature and the power of the environment to people's lives." Paul Learoyd, chief executive of Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, said it was an important opportunity for Greater Lincolnshire."We hope the new mayor will embrace nature and see it as part of the solution to many of the issues we face as an area," he Learoyd said he hoped the mayor would also bring together areas such as food, farming and added: "This is an opportunity for the whole of Lincolnshire to work together and the Wildlife Trust has a history of working with local authorities from the Humber down to Gibraltar Point in the south of the county." Ms Killeavey said the Sandilands Nature Reserve, which is under construction on the site of a former golf course, was a "great example" of how conservationists have worked closely with local authorities."National Trust's investment here, along with all the partners and local authorities, is going to make a massive difference to people's lives," she said."When this is completed in a few months everyone will have access to really good quality nature - this will benefit everything from people's health to the local economy."She said she would be contacting the new mayor once elected to invite them down to Sandilands. Candidates' views Sally Horscroft, from the Green Party, said: "If we are to cut climate emissions and improve our environment, we must learn to work with nature", adding that it was vital to recognise the importance of nature to our candidate Marianne Overton said she had been a "staunch supporter" of Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust for many years, and was strongly in favour of natural solutions wherever possible. She said she was also an advocate for "solar on roofs, not farmland".Jason Stockwood, from Labour, said: "If elected, I will put protecting and enhancing our coast, countryside and natural environment at the heart of our region's future."Rob Waltham, Conservative, said: "By balancing growth with green investment we can achieve our goals of protecting and enhancing nature and wildlife for our area."He said his aim would be to plant more trees and create new nature reserves, along with off-road cycle BBC has contacted the remaining candidates for their views. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. POSTCODE LOOKUP: Check if there is an election in your areaSIMPLE GUIDE: Everything you need to know about the local electionsGET IN TOUCH: Tell us the election issues that matter to youFULL COVERAGE: Catch up on all our election stories
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Adders are 'dying of stress'
Adders could face near extinction in the next 10 years as the snakes are slowly "starving to death and dying of stress", according to a wildlife James, countryside warden from the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, said people should leave the UK's only venomous snake "well alone" once they have emerged from hibernation in the said the reptile had become a "victim of its own infamy" and urged the public to give them space and to "keep them chilled".A 2019 study found that adders – protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 – could disappear from the British countryside altogether by 2032. Mr James works on the Heathland Nature Reserve around Woodhall Spa and said adders were "in desperate need of help".He said the reptiles hibernate from October and emerge in this time, they bask in sunlight, shed their skin, build up their body temperature and can often be process is the adder's "critical period", according to Mr James and, if they are disturbed, they will not eat because of stress."They're surviving on the previous year's fat reserves," he said."They're slowly starving to death." 'Keep them chilled' Adders, according to Mr James, "suffer an enormous amount of stress".He said, no matter how tempting it can be to get closer to one, people should refrain, give the snake "a wide birth" and leave it alone."They need peace and quiet," Mr James said."Look then leave. Keep them chilled."Adders can be found in England, Scotland and Wales, but not in Northern are distributed across much of Europe and Asia and within the Arctic from the University of Reading in 2019 said adders could "all but disappear from the UK countryside by 2032".Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Damaged cargo ship being towed to Aberdeen
A cargo ship involved in a crash with an oil tanker in the North Sea is being towed to Aberdeen. The impact between the Portuguese-flagged Solong and the US-registered tanker Stena Immaculate in the North Sea, off East Yorkshire, on 10 March triggered an explosion and fires, which have since been extinguished. A crew member of the Solong, a Filipino national, is missing and presumed dead, while the ship's Russian captain is charged with gross negligence manslaughter. Owners of the cargo vessel Ernst Russ confirmed it was being towed to Aberdeen and the Coastguard said the vessel, which was being hauled by a tug, would arrive in the Scottish port "later this week". Chief Coastguard Paddy O'Callaghan said: "Salvage of the Solong has progressed to enable its relocation to the Port of Aberdeen for safe berthing." He said the Stena Immaculate "remains in a stable condition with salvage ongoing". A spokesperson for Ernst Russ said the cargo vessel would be "fully assessed by specialist marine assessors and insurers" after it arrives in Aberdeen. They said: "We are very aware of the efforts and assistance from all those acting in the response. "We want to thank everyone who has responded urgently and gallantly to this incident." Burnt tiny plastic pellets, known as nurdles, have been washed up along the east coast in the aftermath of the collision. Nurdles are balls of plastic resin used in plastics production. Ernst Russ admitted they were held in containers on board the Solong and had been released during the intense fires, which took a week to bring under control. According to conservation groups, the nurdles are not toxic but can have a devastating impact on animals if they are eaten. Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust said a "clean-up operation has been underway for several days". "Sadly the plastic pollution has been extensive at Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve, where the shorebird sanctuary for rare and vulnerable species such as little tern and ringed plover is set to come into play from 1 April," the charity said in a social media post. "Our priority at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has been to clear this area ahead of the breeding and nesting season, when it is critical that the birds are not subject to disturbance." It urged visitors to the site not to touch the debris. Mr O'Callaghan said HM Coastguard was continuing "to support local authorities which are leading the onshore response to pollution, including plastic nurdles, in Norfolk and Lincolnshire." Rescuers saved 36 crew off both ships, with one sailor from the Solong - Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38 - missing presumed dead. The Solong's captain Vladimir Motin has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter. The 59-year-old from Primorsky, St Petersburg in Russia is due to stand trial in January 2026. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Race to clear ship-crash plastic found on beaches Concern in resort as crash ship pellets wash up Cargo ship crash captain to stand trial next year Search for ship collision crew member called off HM Coastguard
