Conservation Volunteers of St.Mellons & Trowbridge
​
Welcome to our first quarterly newsletter! Every season we will share updates on how we have been helping wildlife and our green spaces in St Mellons and Trowbridge. We’ll also share what wildlife is out and about in our local area.
It’s been a busy year so far! In January, we had a hay rake of the meadows at Hendre Park. Raking and gathering up the grass cuttings encourages wildflowers to grow as well as creating habitats for species like grass snakes to hide in. In February, we were back at Hendre Lake to plant the beginnings of a hedgerow as well as a new oak tree at the war memorial.
In March, we were once again at Hendre, clearing vegetation along the path west of the lake. This work has made the path accessible again and safer to use for all visitors of the lake. We created a big habitat pile with the cuttings and created a dead hedge with the branches. Later that afternoon, a few of us learnt how to identify and do bumblebee transect surveys with Tom from Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
A huge thank you to all of you, our volunteers, who have joined us (rain or shine) in making a positive difference for our wild spaces!
We’ve got plenty more coming up over the next few months, read on to find out more about our exciting events!
Happy Spring!
Kayleigh, Alan, Nicola, Sally, & Julia
Spring has sprung in St. Mellons & Trowbridge!
​
Spring has been showing off so far this year with lots of sunshine! This has been good news for early emerging pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, and the wildflowers they rely on.
I’ve seen many speckled wood and a few peacock butterflies around St. Mellons as well as plenty of buff-tailed queen bumblebees. I also saw my first brimstone butterfly of the year this week. I’ve been enjoying the stunning clouds of blossom adorning many of our local trees and hedges too.
I recommend a visit to Cath Cobb at the moment! This patch of ancient woodland next to Tesco is flourishing with carpets of wood anemones and lesser celandines with a few bluebells showing too. The flowers we planted here last year are also blooming. Check out the beautiful snake's-head fritillaries. It’s wonderful to see our hard work paying off!
Look out for the great crested grebe pair out on the lake at Hendre who are nesting. Listen to the beautiful spring birdsong in our natural spaces, including the ‘chiffchaff chiffchaff’ sound of the chiffchaff that have now returned.
​
Our upcoming events…
​
Wildflower Planting - 19 April
Join us next Saturday to plant wildflowers at Hendre Lake. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun, including children, to help feed our important pollinators!
City Nature Challenge
Our local City Nature Challenge 2025 is taking place on Friday 25 April at Hendre Lake. We'll record all the wildlife that we see using the iNaturalist app and find out their identification too. We will also be doing some water testing for the Great UK WaterBlitz during this weekend.
Dawn Chorus Walk - 10 May
Join the Community Rangers and CVST volunteers for a special early morning walk around the serene Hendre Lake. Immerse yourself in the enchanting sounds of the dawn chorus.
Hendre Lake Open Day - 21 June
Join the Community Rangers and CVST for a fun-filled day at Hendre Lake!
This free event offers a fantastic opportunity to explore the beauty of the lake, learn about local wildlife and connect with your community.
CVST AGM & Special Guest - 24 June
Join us for our Annual General Meeting where we will vote in the committee for the next year. It’s also a chance to learn about what we do and ask any questions. The event will include a fascinating talk from a special guest!
Details TBC
