How to discover the best of this season’s wildlife bonanza
Meet the inspiring everyday heroes supporting nature’s recovery
Learn how to make space for nature whatever your budget
After a long and frosty winter, punctuated by several harsh cold snaps, the arrival of spring feels positively joyous. Nature’s bounty has emerged once again, flushed with the happy hues of fresh life. Tis the season to be hopeful. And in this spring issue of Wild Life, we’ve packaged that hope into 32 pages as we celebrate a range of people who are leading the way to nature’s recovery.
Wildlife champions can take many forms. From a band of determined villagers protecting migrating toads to a prominent artist donating his proceeds to conservation (page 11).
On page 18, we look at five inspiring individuals who have supported the Trust’s mission in varying ways, either by giving up their precious time, donating their valued skills, or raising vital funds for local wildlife.
We then reflect (on page 22) on the success of our incredible marine project, Secrets of the Solent, which has come to an end after four years and which was only made possible by the thousands of people who got involved with it.
Cover image Courting great crested grebes © Wang LiQiang
Our new President, Megan McCubbin, discusses on page 30 how she hopes to inspire and empower people to make a difference for nature. And if you know someone, or a group of people, who already has, why not consider nominating them for one of our Wilder Awards? See page 17 for more details.
At the Wildlife Trusts, we believe we need at least one in four people taking action for wildlife for it to bounce back. We’re extremely grateful to have over 27,000 members – plus many more supporters and friends – devoted to our aim of helping nature’s recovery. This collective effort is, undoubtedly, having an impact and I’d like to thank you for being a part of the mission.
Debbie Tann, Chief Executive Twi er @Debbie_Tann
Please pass on or recycle this magazine once you’ve finished with it.
any time by contacting Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust at:
Email membership@hiwwt.org.uk
● We manage over 60 nature reserves.
● We are supported by over 27,700 members and 1,200 volunteers.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is registered with the UK Fundraising Regulator. We aim to meet the highest standards in the way we fundraise.
Telephone 01489 774400
Address Beechcroft House, Vicarage Lane, Curdridge, Hampshire SO32 2DP
For more information on our privacy policy visit hiwwt.org.uk/privacy-notice
4 Your wild spring
The best of this season’s nature, including spring courtship rituals.
8 Reserves spotlight
Celebrating 30 years of Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve.
10 Wild news
A round-up of the latest Trust news, successes and updates.
14 What’s on
Find out what wildlife-themed events are taking place soon near you.
16 Team Wilder
We explore the various ways you can become part of Team Wilder.
18 Action for nature
We meet five people who have taken action on nature’s behalf in different ways, either donating their time, funds, or skills.
22 Celebrating the Solent
We reflect on the success of our marine project, Secrets of the Solent, and map out more marine restoration ambitions.
26 Woodland wildflowers
From bluebells to wild garlic, discover six places for finding woodland wildflower displays this spring.
28 Wildife gardening
Advice on creating a wildlife-friendly garden on a budget from garden writer Kate Bradbury.
30 My wild life
Megan McCubbin, the Trust’s new President, describes how a childhood spent among wildlife shaped her career.
best of the season’s wildlife and where to enjoy it.
These great crested grebes are midway through an elaborate, synchronised courtship dance.
Thanks to your support, we’ve been able to help wetland species, like great crested grebes, thrive in our two counties. Learn more about how your membership is helping wetland wildlife by visiting hiwwt.org.uk/habitats/wetlands
The twentieth century was kind to great crested grebes.
Gravel extraction for house building and industry has created numerous inland lakes where the grebes now nest.
At the same time, W.H. Hudson, a pioneer in nature conservation and author of Hampshire Days (1903), campaigned for the protection of grebes from the demands of milliners for their decorative plumage.
Today, throughout Hampshire there are former gravel pits where grebes play out their elaborate courting rituals. In spring, when their plumage is at its finest, rich chestnut ruffs are puffed out in gorgeous displays of dipping and bobbing.
If sufficiently impressed with one another, the couple will rise to their full height and dance in synchrony, cheek-to-cheek, on the water. In time, a suitably enamoured pair will move into their nest, floating safely in the reedy margins of the lake shore.
Having once been a great rarity, great crested grebes can be seen wherever there are lakes, including our Blashford Lakes and Testwood Lakes nature reserves.
The Isle of Wight has fewer opportunities for seeing grebes, but these beautiful birds are moving into the Eastern Yar valley where the growing network of nature reserves is rejuvenating this natural floodplain.
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve
Created from flooded gravel pits, this popular birdwatching reserve in the New Forest is home to thousands of birds all year.
Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve
As well as great crested grebes, lapwing, oystercatcher, and redshank roost on these lakes near Southampton.
There’s something distinctly classy about our native daffodils. They are demure in appearance with delicate trumpets in shades of egg-yolk and lemon.
Centuries of inbreeding and selection have created thousands of varieties of garden ‘daffs’, but none can compete with the quiet charm of the true native, which are smaller and more delicate.
Once abundant and hand-picked for markets, wild daffodils have become much
Toadspawn comes in long strings of eggs, whereas frogspawn is laid in clumps.
rarer in England and Wales since the 19th century due to habitat loss.
The Trust’s main office in Curdridge is set in the heart of the Hamble’s daffodil country, where woods and meadows are flushed in spring by their dainty heads.
Daffodils have an affinity with quality habitats; side-lit slopes in the woods of the Wealden Hangers and in blackthorn scrubs where New Forest waters reach into ancient farmland.
On the Isle of Wight, native daffodils can be found in hedgerows and copses in the West Wight, while in north Hampshire, skeins of bulbs trace the streams through Pamber Forest.
So, let’s celebrate nature’s joyful herald of spring and take note of these happy, bobbing wildflowers! The challenge is not in finding them but in discerning the natives from their cultivated cousins.
Early spring is a key time for amphibians. As the weather gradually gets warmer and the days lighter, frogs and toads will begin migrating to their breeding ponds to lay eggs.
But how do you distinguish between frog and toad spawn?
The key thing to remember is frogspawn is laid in jelly-like clumps, typically in shallow water.
Toad eggs, meanwhile, come in long chains that look like a string of pearls draped over pond vegetation.
Witnessing these eggs in nature is a fascinating wildlife experience, but avoid the temptation to move or collect spawn. Doing so could inadvertently introduce amphibian diseases to wild populations.
The happy, humble dandelion is often seen as a nuisance weed, but its cheerful flowers are a key early nectar source for pollinators.
The belly markings of great crested newts are unique to the individual.
Listen for a woodpecker drumming in woodland. The birds drill holes in rotten, hollow trunks and branches for nests, food and to claim territory.
If you’re lucky enough to have a pond in your garden, or one nearby, there’s a chance you may spot a great crested newt right about now.
In spring, these amphibians – the UK’s largest newt species – leave their terrestrial winter habitats of woodland, hedgerow, marsh, and grassland and return to their birth pond to breed.
These newts earn their name from a wavy, jagged crest that males develop along their back and tail in spring to lure a female mate.
It’s not all about looks, though. Males also perform elaborate courtship dances that are designed to waft pheromones towards passing prospective partners.
If a female is suitably impressed and
mating is successful, she will later lay approximately 200 eggs wrapped inside the leaves of pond plants.
Viewed from above, great crested newts have dark brown or black skin with small, wart-like bumps.
Their flanks feature white speckles, while their striking, bright yellow-orange bellies sport irregular black blotches that, like our fingerprints, are unique to the individual.
Great crested newts grow up to 17cm long and are a European protected species. Their populations are in decline, largely due to the loss of suitable pond habitat.
To find out more visit our website at hiwwt.org.uk/wildlife-explorer
One of the most common dragonflies you’re likely to see at a garden pond. If not in your garden, see them at Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve.
Many of these small warblers are summer migrants from Africa. Listen from March as they sing their name in woodland at nature reserves like Roydon Woods.
These brightly coloured butterflies with leaf-like wings are among the earliest to appear in spring. See them in gardens and at Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve.
Southern hawker
Brimstone
Chiffchaff
the fruits to London.
Even the local coronation celebrations for King George VI were postponed for a fortnight because the ceremony landed during the strawberry picking season.
It then transitioned to become a working clay pit.
The pits ceased operating in the mid-70s and the site was abandoned, essentially becoming a playground for intrepid local children.
Thirty years ago, on 18 June 1993, TV naturalist Chris Packham cut the ribbon at Swanwick Lakes to declare the nature reserve open to the public.
The largely wooded, wildlife-rich nature reserve has since become one of the Trust’s most popular.
Asked why, senior reserves officer Chris Lycett, who has worked at Swanwick Lakes for over seven years, described the reserve as a brilliant place for nature beginners.
“There are lots of common species to see at Swanwick Lakes, plus a few rare ones,” he said. “You’ll find a good mix of wonderful woodland wildlife with birds like nuthatches, treecreepers, chiffchaffs, blackcaps, marsh tits and woodpeckers.”
The nature reserve’s suite of lakes and ponds also hosts kingfishers, herons and plenty of dragonflies and butterflies, including uncommon species like the downy emerald and white admiral.
Great crested newts enjoy the endless
supply of deadwood habitat and will now be moving into their breeding ponds.
Reptiles, meanwhile, such as common lizards and grass snakes, like to bask on the reserve’s south-facing hills and turfed banks in early spring.
At a similar time, the reserve explodes with a bloom of wildflowers – primroses, cowslips, and bluebells – before eyecatching orchids emerge in early summer.
“Swanwick Lakes is a very accessible nature reserve and with its mosaic of habitats, there’s a good chance of seeing interesting wildlife throughout the year,” added Chris.
Prior to becoming a nature reserve, Swanwick Lakes was formerly a prominent strawberry growing site.
The whole area became so significant for its strawberry production that Swanwick railway station was built in the late 19th century specially for exporting
Evidence of the nature reserve’s varied history are still visible today.
In 2022, an o er was spo ed for the first time at Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve. This promising sighting is good news for the reserve and for the species.
is much-loved nature reserve celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Once a prestigious so fruit growing area and then working clay pits, Swanwick Lakes enters its fourth decade as a fully-fledged nature reserve that flourishes with all kinds of wildlife. And in spring, nature here bursts into life.Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve is a brilliant place for wildlife beginners.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to NATS and everyone who has visited, learned at, and supported Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve over the past 30 years.
Location: Sopwith Way, Swanwick, Hampshire, SO31 7AY
OS Maps grid reference: SU 507 099
Parking: Limited parking available, but the car park closes at dusk. No parking on Sopwith Way.
Nearest train station: Swanwick station (30 min walk).
Facilities: Toilets (including accessible toilet and baby changing facilities) at education centre, although not always available for public use.
Relict strawberry furrows remain, while brick paths run through the reserve that point to former conveyor tracks used for transporting clay to the nearby brickworks.
It wasn’t until the early-90s when the Civil Aviation Authority constructed the building which now sits next to the nature reserve – the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) centre – that Swanwick Lakes’ transformation begun.
A partnership between NATS and the Trust was established (and is still going strong to this day) and led to the creation of the 89-acre nature reserve.
An area of the reserve called New Hill was created from the building spoils of the NATS centre – these days it offers ideal grassland habitat for reptiles and wildflowers.
Aside from the wealth of wildlife found at Swanwick Lakes, the nature reserve also has a thriving on-site outdoor education centre.
It was one of the first education centres
Trusts nationally and is one of three within our Trust.
The centre offers a range of outdoor learning programmes for schools, preschools, and further education groups.
Dawn Preston is one of the Trust’s education officers and started working at Swanwick Lakes in 2010.
Every year she welcomes up to 2,000 children and young adults to the nature reserve, where the woodland become the classroom.
Dawn said: “Swanwick Lakes has such brilliant teaching spaces because it’s not all about one highlight species – it never ceases to amaze me how excited kids get about everyday wildlife like woodlice.
“Getting to see so much wildlife in the woods, or the dipping pond or in the wildflower meadows inspires awe and wonder and provides a gateway to caring about nature.
“My hope is that helps to influence the choices young people make in the future about what they do for a living, how they travel and what they eat because if you don’t care about nature, you’re not going to want to protect it.”
We hope you’ll join some of our familyfriendly events that take place throughout the year at Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve and help us celebrate its 30th anniversary.
Getting around: Waymarked trails, mostly flat, compacted gravel. Other paths off these trails are unsurfaced and often wet and muddy. One steep slope through the meadow at New Hill and one that divides the reserve. Sloping paths for maximum of 40m on blue and red trails.
Downy emerald: This hairy dragonfly with a green-copper sheen and bright apple green eyes can be seen near ponds and deciduous woodland in spring and summer.
Kingfisher: Watch out for a flash of electric blue as a kingfisher skims over the lakes and ponds.
Orchids: The reserve’s woodland pastures and wildflower meadows feature common spotted, pyramidal and southern marsh orchids during summer.
Bring a woodland wildlife tick sheet to the nature reserve, plus a pair of binoculars, and see how many species you can spot.
Visit the adjacent Brickworks Museum to learn more about the history of the clay pits that now form Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve.
Explore the nearby River Hamble on a paddleboard or by kayak with the Paddle Centre in Swanwick. Equipment can be hired with an instructor or for solo adventures.
nature reserve’s varied history are still visible to this day.”Kingfishers can be spotted darting over the waters at Swanwick Lakes.
All the latest news from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Our mission to restore the Solent’s precious seagrass meadows continues full steam ahead with almost 20,000 seeds planted in the last six months.
Last October, with the help of our dedicated volunteers, we hand-planted 500 biodegradable hessian pods –containing a total of 13,500 seagrass seeds – on the shores of Seaview on the Isle of Wight.
These were common eelgrass (Zostera marina) seeds, which is one of the two main seagrass species generally found in the Solent.
We’re planning to return to this restoration plot this spring and hope to discover new seedling growth.
Also in October, we continued our sustainable collection of dwarf eelgrass (Zostera noltei) seeds – the other main species – at Farlington Marshes near Portsmouth.
We moved the seeds to specialist aquariums at the University of
Portsmouth (UoP), our scientific project partners, where they could develop safely.
Once the seeds had fully matured, we returned to Farlington in February and planted some of them in new areas of the mudflats. We hope this will encourage fresh growth of this special marine habitat.
Alongside our volunteers and partners Boskalis Westminster and UoP, we’d like to thank the Isle of Wight Distillery and Wightlink for their support as well as everyone who has sponsored a seagrass seedpod. It’s only thanks to this collaborative action that we can make seagrass restoration possible.
You can follow the latest project updates at hiwwt.org.uk/seagrassrestoration, plus find out about our latest marine restoration project in the Solent on page 18.
The number of seagrass species in the Solent, though only two are commonly found.
■ Seagrass is a globally threatened marine habitat and one of the most important on Earth. These coastal meadows are home to amazing wildlife and store huge amounts of carbon, making them a key natural solution to the climate crisis.
■ Seagrasses are the only fully marine flowering plants in the world. They live, pollinate, and reproduce in seawater but are restricted to shallow coastal areas with sufficient sunlight to grow.
■ In the UK, it’s estimated we’ve lost up to 92% of our seagrass in the past century. Since launching our Solent Seagrass Restoration Project in 2021 we’ve planted tens of thousands of seagrass seeds along the Solent’s coastline.
Our conservationists were elated in December when hidden remote cameras captured evidence of pine martens breeding in the New Forest.
The incredible footage of the oftenelusive mustelids included shots of youngsters, in a huge boost for one of Britain’s rarest mammals.
Previously, pine martens were thought to have survived only in northern England.
With the species now well established in the New Forest, successful breeding is another promising sign for their future.
The evidence was uncovered in the second year of a long-term study led by Forestry England and Wild New Forest, with support from the Trust, to understand how pine martens are recolonising the area.
Having reviewed over 60 hours of trail camera clips, Trust staff were rewarded with five separate video clips of pine martens.
Ecologist Jo Gore, who painstakingly reviewed many of those clips, said: “The opportunity to discover that pine martens are living successfully in the New Forest has been very rewarding.”
British painter and environmentalist Kurt Jackson has generously donated the proceeds from one of his paintings, Hogweed Visitors, to the Trust.
The painting, which featured in Kurt’s recent exhibition at Southampton City Art Gallery, raised £3,500 to support wildlife and wild places in our two counties.
Kurt said: “I’m delighted my paintings can help raise awareness, and also the funds necessary for the valuable work the Trust is involved in to continue.”
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Kurt for supporting conservation, it will make a huge difference.
Dennis Bright, a barn owl enthusiast, photographer and long-term supporter of the Wildlife Trust, has produced a stunning new book about these birds of prey.
Valley of the Barn Owls features a beautiful collection of over 100 photographs Dennis has taken of barn owls while studying them in the Test Valley for more than 30 years.
A village community that set up a volunteer patrol group to protect a nationally important toad crossing are now working with the Trust to further protect wildlife.
Concerned villagers from Newton Valence near Alton began nightly patrols in 2015 to help toads across a hazardous road during the amphibians’ annual migration to their favourite breeding pond.
Since then, the community have persuaded their local council to introduce a temporary road closure each spring to protect the thousands of toads that cross the country lane.
The group have since been working with the Trust to carry out an ecological survey of the pond to generate a management plan to enhance the area for wildlife, especially the significant toad population.
As well as being a first-class photographer, Dennis has played a key role in barn owl conservation in Hampshire during that time.
Only 250 copies of the hardback book are available. Each copy costs £25 and comes signed by the author. To purchase a copy, contact Dennis directly on 07472 134724.
Much-loved TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh has become a wildlife gardening ambassador for the Trust.
The legendary Hampshire-based broadcaster will support the Trust’s new Wildlife Garden Get Together initiative, which aims to inspire people to attract more nature into their gardens.
By encouraging people to open their gardens to friends, family or their local community, we hope the ‘Get Togethers’ can inspire others to make their own outdoor spaces more wildlife friendly.
Gardening guru Alan said: “Making gardens more friendly for wildlife does not have to mean rewilding your outdoor space into an unruly jungle.
“By simply making small changes in your personal oasis, you will quickly be
rewarded by seeing the array of wildlife that comes to visit and makes your garden their home.”
If you’re not ready to open your garden, why not sign up to a free Wildlife Gardening consultation with one of our friendly and knowledgeable Wilder Garden Champions?
The consultations, which can take place in person or over the phone, provide ideas and advice for making space for nature in your garden.
Find out more about wildlife gardening at hiwwt.org.uk/wildlife-garden-gettogether
Across rural Hampshire, there are properties that are disconnected from the main sewer system. Instead, these properties use private ‘off-mains’ alternatives such as cesspits, septic tanks, and sewage treatments plants. These vary in how they store, treat, and release waste and aren’t usually a cause for concern when working well.
When something goes wrong, however, people and wildlife are put at risk. Off-mains systems that are incorrectly
We’re thrilled the FatFace Foundation has agreed to support our vital seagrass restoration work in the Solent with a multi-year grant.
Over the next three to five years, and with the support of the Foundation, we’ll continue to develop our Seagrass Champions volunteer programme.
Our volunteers and local communities are at the heart of our work and protecting and restoring this precious marine habitat just wouldn’t be possible without them.
Thanks to FatFace Foundation, we will train and upskill even more people to take action to help us create a wilder Solent.
sized, sited, or maintained can produce sewage pollution that damages homes and gardens. Moreover, this pollution encourages the growth of algal blooms that can decimate wildlife – especially in our precious chalk streams.
Fortunately, such disasters can be avoided with a little know-how. System owners are responsible for ensuring frequent emptying and regular maintenance. Care over what gets ‘flushed’ is also key – oil, bleach, food waste, bathroom wipes, and drain cleaner can all cause difficulties
The Septic Smart project, which forms part of our Watercress and Winterbournes scheme, aims to address this issue. We’re raising awareness about how off-mains systems can impact the environment, and how to keep them safe and effective.
Learn more by visiting hiwwt.org.uk/ septicsmart or by emailing us at winterbournes@hiwwt.org.uk
We’re delighted to welcome Fawley Parish Council, New Milton Sand and Ballast, and Southern Car Storage as the Trust’s newest Corporate Members.
A huge thank you to Tapnell Farm on the Isle of Wight. The family-friendly park has confirmed the Trust as one of its chosen charities to support for 2023.
After two years online, we were delighted to hold our 2022 annual general meeting (AGM) in-person in November as we welcomed over 80 members to join us in Ashburton Hall in Winchester.
During the formal business, members approved the appointment of TV presenter Megan McCubbin as our new President following the retirement of outgoing President, John Collman.
Members also approved the appointment of Springwatch star Chris Packham as a Vice-President and the Special Resolution to amend the Trust’s Articles of Association.
Following positive feedback from attendees, we have re-booked Ashburton Hall for our 2023 AGM on Saturday 14 October. Look out for more details in the summer issue of Wild Life
You can view recorded highlights of the
2022 AGM, which includes presentations by our CEO Debbie Tann and other Trust staff, at hiwwt.org.uk/agm
Conservationists from the Trust helped to successfully release 200 native white-clawed crayfish into a secret site in the River Itchen.
The captive-bred crustaceans - one
of the UK’s most endangered species –were released by experts from the Trust and Bristol Zoological Society to bolster wild populations. BBC’s Autumnwatch programme filmed the event in October
and the episode is available on iPlayer. Learn more about our work to support the long-term future of white-clawed crayfish at hiwwt.org.uk/southernchalkstreams
Conservationists release the crayfish while Countryfile film downstream.
Here’s a guide to a selection of our wildlife walks, talks, activities and courses throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from April to July. Find out more about the events listed here, as well as many others, by visiting hiwwt.org.uk/events
Tue 4 Apr | 10.30am – 12pm
Wildlife Tots (Swanwick Lakes)
A monthly indoor craft and story followed by adult-led outdoor activities for preschool children under 5 with their parents and carers. Future sessions on 2 May, 13 Jun and 4 Jul. Wildlife Tots sessions also take place at Testwood Lakes and Blashford Lakes nature reserves.
Location: Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve, SO31 7AY
Price: Suggested donation of £5 per child
Thu 6 Apr | 10am – 12.30pm
Guided walk at Newchurch
Moors Nature Reserve
Join our beaver recovery officer, Izzie Tween, for a guided walk around Newchurch Moors Nature Reserve to learn more about the place where we hope to release beavers.
Location: Newchurch Moors Nature Reserve, PO36 0NL
Price: Donation suggested
Sat 8 Apr | 10.30am – 12.30pm
Wildlife Watch (Blashford Lakes)
A monthly group session for children aged five to 15 years old who love nature
to take part in fun outdoor activities from crafts to bat hunts along with their parents and carers. Future sessions on 13 May, 10 Jun and 8 Jul. Wildlife Watch sessions also take place at various other locations across Hampshire.
Location: Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve, BH24 3PJ
Price: £5 per child
Fri 14 Apr | 9am – 5pm
Drop in at Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve any time during the day with the family to collect a scavenger hunt tick sheet and borrow a discovery set to help you find 30 natural things. Also taking place on 1 Jun and 28 Jul.
Location: Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve, SO31 7AY
Price: Donation suggested
Thu 20 Apr | 3.40pm – 6.10pm
Intertidal survey (Ryde)
Sign up to this intertidal survey at Ryde on the Isle of Wight to discover and record the marine life that exists on the shore. The data you collect is vital to expanding our understanding of coastal wildlife.
Location: Ryde Esplanade, PO33 2HE
Price: Free
Fri 21 Apr | 4.30pm – 7pm
Intertidal survey (Hill Head)
Sign up to this intertidal survey at Hill Head near Lee-on-the-Solent to discover and record the marine life that exists on the shore. The data you collect is vital to expanding our understanding of coastal wildlife.
Location: Hill Head, Hove-To Car Park, PO14 3JT
Price: Free
From Fri 21 Apr | 10am – 12pm Forest
Join us for a six-week introduction to the Forest School programme, allowing children aged between two and five years old to explore, discover, create and learn in the woods! Sessions run every Friday morning except 5 May.
Location: Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve, SO31 7AY
Price: £39 for a six-session programme
Sat 29 Apr | 2pm – 4pm
Lakes)
A monthly meet-up for people aged 12 to 18 interested in the outdoors to learn practical skills and discover wildlife. Future sessions on 27 May, 24 Jun and 29 Jul. Similar monthly sessions also take place at Swanwick Lakes and Blashford Lakes nature reserves.
Location: Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve, SO40 3XP
Price: £5 per child
Isle of Wight. Learn about our rewilding plans and sample some produce from the neighbouring Nunwell Home Farm, an ambitious regenerative farm that lies next to the reserve.
Location: Wilder Nunwell, PO36 0JQ
Price: Donation suggested
Sat 20 May | 2.30pm – 5pm
Join our beaver recovery officer, Izzie Tween, for a guided walk around Newchurch Moors Nature Reserve to learn more about the place where we hope to release beavers.
Location: Newchurch Moors Nature Reserve, PO36 0NL
Price: Donation suggested
Tue 16 May | time TBC
Join us for a guided walk around our Wilder Nunwell Nature Reserve on the
This city-wide event in Southampton encourages locals to get involved in our Wilder Southampton project to help nature flourish. From guided wildflower walks to wildlife gardening sessions and organised litter picks, there’s something for everyone. Find more details on our website.
Location: Throughout Southampton
Price: Free
Sat 3 Jun | 4.10pm – 6.40pm
Sign up to this intertidal survey at Freshwater on the Isle of Wight to discover and record the marine life that exists on the shore. The data you collect is vital to expanding our understanding of coastal wildlife.
Location: Freshwater, PO40 9US
Price: Free
Wed 5 Jul | 5pm – 7.30pm
Sign up to this intertidal survey at Lepe in the New Forest to discover and record the marine life that exists on the shore. The data you collect is vital to expanding our understanding of coastal wildlife.
Location: Lepe Beach Car Park, SO45 1AD
Price: Free
Wed 5 Jul | 4.45pm – 7.15pm
Sign up to this intertidal survey at Colwell on the Isle of Wight to discover and record the marine life that exists on the shore. The data you collect is vital to expanding our understanding of coastal wildlife.
Location: Colwell Bay Car Park, Freshwater, PO40 9RR
Price: Free
The Trust’s Wilder 2030 Strategy recognises that, to turn the tide for wildlife, we need many, many more people on nature’s side.
Science suggests that if one in four of the population were to take concerted positive action, this would create the momentum needed for significant social change. And since launching our strategy in 2020, we’ve been amazed by the
We know that people who have a deeper relationship with nature are more likely to take action to look after it. We also know sometimes it’s the smallest spark that can light a lasting passion for wildlife. We want to give more people the chance to notice and experience our incredible local nature and that’s why we share stories, pictures and videos and we invite people to join us on our nature reserves or at events.
By paying attention to the wildlife around us, we can start to build a connection that benefits our health and wellbeing, and the vitality of our natural world.
number of people stepping forward to be part of ‘Team Wilder’.
How you get involved is entirely up to you – many people support our work with donations or by giving their time as volunteers, allowing the Trust to do more. Others choose to take action in their own lives or communities, for example, by turning their garden into a wildlife oasis, leading change in their workplace or
school, or banding together with others to change their streets from grey to green.
The Trust can offer help and guidance on how you can help wildlife. We can also connect you with like-minded people, who could provide the inspiration to help you take your next step for nature.
Here are four ways to support the Trust’s mission to lead on nature’s recovery in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
We need more people on our team if we’re going to help nature recover. By adding your support or using your voice, you can help change the fortunes of wildlife.
By becoming a member of the Wildlife Trust, taking part in a campaign or
adding an action you’ve taken to our online map, you’re joining a loyal army of people standing up for nature across our two counties.
We’re all part of Team Wilder and together we’re far more powerful than alone.
Volunteers, like this group pulling up Himalayan balsam, are vital to our work.
Many of you contribute your time, skills, knowledge or money to help nature thrive. Our incredible volunteers, champions and leaders are taking on important roles, with support from the Trust.
Whether it’s practical conservation tasks on our reserves, leading change in your community or using your green
fingers to help other would-be wildlife gardeners, you are giving so much and helping us reach so many more.
There are so many people across our two counties who are making a difference, including our donors and corporate funders, and the people we train and advise each year, from teachers to farmers and landowners.
Every other year we host our Wilder Awards ceremony to celebrate those everyday heroes among us making a crucial difference for wildlife and the environment. Nominations for this year’s awards, which will be presented at Lakeside North Harbour in Portsmouth on Thursday 7 September, can be submitted from now until late June.
If you’d like to nominate yourself or someone else, a group or an organisation who you think deserves recognition, find out more by visiting: hiwwt.org.uk/wilder-annual-awards
Anyone can become part of Team Wilder. It doesn’t ma er whether you’re an individual, a local business, a school or a community group, as long as you are keen to help nature. If you’d like to find out how you can get involved, please email wilder@hiwwt.org.uk or visit our website for more information.
At the heart of Team Wilder is a group of committed, inspiring individuals who are helping to create and shape this incredible movement.
We welcome different talents, expertise and perspectives to ensure our team is as strong as it can be. Our Trustees, advisory group members, ambassadors and partners are amongst those whose energy and ideas are helping us grow and evolve.
Retired schoolteacher Pam Rogers has been a regular volunteer with the Trust since 2010.
The 68-year-old volunteers religiously at Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve near her home in Portsmouth every Tuesday.
“It’s quite full on, physical work but myself and the other volunteers are here without fail every week, come rain or shine – they call us the ‘Farlington Faithful’!” says Pam.
Among the tasks Pam gets involved with are cutting back brambles to keep the footpaths open, erecting barbed wire fencing, litter picking and helping to move the reserve’s grazing cattle.
“One of the things I enjoy most about volunteering is meeting new people from all different walks of life,” she adds.
“I’ve also learned new skills, for example, how to use a brushcutter and how to lay a hedge. They haven’t trained me to use a chainsaw yet, but I’d love to add that to my repertoire one day!”
Pam, who taught geography and is also involved in the Trust’s outdoor education programmes, also values her time spent volunteering for ‘making sure there’s enough nature left for folk to enjoy’.
On what advice she’d give to anyone considering becoming a Wildlife Trust volunteer, Pam says, “Just come and see if it’s for you. If nothing else, it’s a chance to make friends and stay active!”
Growing up in Sussex, Michael Sharman always had an affinity with nature and the great outdoors. He was a keen walker, bird watcher and mountaineer.
He later moved to Kingsclere in north Hampshire with his wife, Gloria, and in the early 1960s the pair became loyal members of the Trust’s Andover community group.
Michael regularly joined volunteer work parties, both with the Trust and other groups. He planted trees locally and even convinced Kingsclere Parish Council it was important to mow the recreation field more carefully to conserve the wildflower meadow.
When Michael and his family relocated to Pamber Heath, he joined the Basingstoke group and became an important member and also group treasurer for a time.
He got involved with coppicing in Pamber Forest and led wildlife walks where he was always happy to share the use of his telescope. He received the Dutton award for his efforts.
At home, Michael took joy in creating a wildlife-friendly garden – he cherished wild orchids and the birds that visited his garden.
Sadly, Michael passed away in May 2022 aged 86 and his parting gift to his beloved natural world was to leave a gift to the Trust in his Will.
As with all gifts in Wills bequeathed to the Trust, Michael’s legacy represents a powerful way to make a difference to essential conservation and education work.
His wife Gloria says of her husband’s heartfelt donation, “Michael thought it important to conserve the countryside for wildlife and for future generations.”
People are the lifeblood of any charity. From the volunteers and fundraisers to community groups and ambassadors, the Wildlife Trust movement would not be possible without the added support of those who care about the natural world. We believe that for nature recovery to happen, we need one in four people acting on its behalf. Over the next few pages, we meet five incredible individuals who have donated either their time, skills or money to benefit local wildlife. is is a celebration of people taking action for nature.Michael Sharman Le a gi in his Will
Twenty-four-year-old Theo (right) is a marine biologist and award-winning marine wildlife photographer based in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Since discovering a passion for underwater photography as a teenager, Theo has spent much of his spare time diving with his camera off the Isle of Wight’s coast capturing the extraordinary array of marine life that exists in the Solent.
Recently, Theo has generously donated dozens of his images and video material to the Trust to support key marine projects and outreach events.
“I grew up hearing of the Trust’s work locally and became interested in projects such as Secrets of the Solent and their volunteering opportunities,” says Theo.
When councillor Neil Gwynne was elected the new Mayor of Romsey Town in May 2022, he generously declared Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust as one of his two chosen charities to support.
Since then, Neil has helped raise vital funds for the Trust via mayoral charity events, such as a concert at Romsey’s Plaza Theatre in October that raised over £1,500.
He admits opting to support the Trust was ‘a fairly obvious choice’ given Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve lies on the edge of Romsey.
“With the New Forest on one side of the town, the Test Valley to the north and the Solent to the south – not to mention a nature reserve within walking distance of the town centre – many people in Romsey regularly spend time in the natural world,” he says.
Specifically, Neil also notes the impact of the local Wilder Romsey community group who are involved in ‘urban rewilding’ in the town.
He says, “I look upon the group as a bridge between those very keen and knowledgeable enthusiasts, and the residents who might otherwise not think about the natural environment.”
Neil has planned further fundraisers for this March, including another concert at Romsey Abbey and a dinner dance in the town hall, while he also hopes there will be a rerun of the Plaza Theatre concert.
“Obviously, I hope to raise a lot of money!” he adds.
“As a photographer I see working with the Trust as an excellent opportunity to use my images to really make a difference.
“I hope the marine wildlife photos and videos I provide can be used to inspire and educate local communities to discover our wild seas.”
As well as donating his photography, Theo has also got stuck in as a volunteer seagrass seed collector for the Solent Seagrass Restoration Project and gave a public talk on the Solent’s marine biodiversity at a Trust event last year.
Theo recently won the Most Promising British Underwater Photographer and British Waters Wide Angle categories in the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2023 awards for his image of the Isle of Wight’s chalk reefs.
See the winning image and more of Theo’s stunning photography on Instagram: @theovickersphotography
If you’re interested in supporting the Trust beyond your membership and would like to find out more about how, visit our website at hiwwt.org.uk/get-involved
Paulina Brissenden Wilder Bramley group leaderPaulina (left) is a founding member of Wilder Bramley, an ambitious Team Wilder community group that aims to improve the environment in their village to benefit wildlife and people.
The group formed in February 2022 following a chance meeting of several like-minded wildlife lovers from Bramley who were keen to start a nature group in their village.
With support from the Trust via a funded pilot programme with Basingstoke & Deane Council, the group have made some impressive progress in their first year. Bramley resident Paulina, who is a
client services manager for a telecommunications company, says, “The highlight for me must be the community bee garden and wildflower area that we created in our local recreation grounds.
“We turned areas of lawn into patches of nectar-rich plants for pollinators and other insects. The engagement from the community, local businesses and organisations has been amazing – we received hundreds of bee-friendly plant donations and residents watered and maintained the plants throughout the year.”
The group also organise nature-themed walks and volunteering events for locals
and, going forward, are looking at more ways to enhance wildlife in the village.
According to Paulina, ‘nature is a peaceful place of refuge’.
The 33-year-old adds, “Now more than ever we know that access to green spaces and encounters with wildlife are vital to our physical and mental health.
“Nature is inspiring, joyful and fascinating and I am very passionate about making it accessible to everyone.
“After all, if you don’t have access to or don’t know something exists, how can you appreciate or care about it?”
Bar a brief hiatus for maternity leave, Rachel has project managed Secrets of the Solent since its launch in 2018. She knows the project as well as anybody and over the past four years has proudly overseen some incredible achievements. Her and her team’s efforts have helped to safeguard the future of marine life in the Solent.
Our
marine project, Secrets of the Solent, ended in December 2022 a er four years. Its
Shining a spotlight on our local marine wildlife and habitats, Secrets of the Solent has been inspiring people and communities for the past four years.
The project – funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund – has used art, videos, intertidal surveying, talks and volunteering to help people discover the wonders that live in the Solent, bringing them to life in exciting and compelling ways.
To support the long-term protection of the Solent’s precious waters and wildlife, the project has encouraged us all to make sustainable lifestyle choices at home, at work and in our hobbies, while also supporting greater protections for the Solent.
Working in a team of four, my role as project manager has been to guide and support all areas of the project, ensuring they’re fun and impactful while helping to spread our key messages about the Solent to communities, tourists, and businesses.
It has been a challenging role, but one that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and am very proud to have completed.
celebrated
project manager, Rachel Bryan, reflects on her highlights, the project’s legacy and how an exciting new marine project is a worthy successor.PHOTO: THEO VICKERS
The level of interest in our volunteering programme, Marine Champions, was simply amazing.
Our diverse team of 240 champions has supported all areas of the project, from giving talks and engaging with the public to creating a photobook and appearing on BBC Countryfile
Dedicating their time, energy, and enthusiasm, they’ve helped us reach a wider audience in an informative and passionate way. They’ve encouraged others to learn about the Solent’s wildlife and foster an appreciation for it.
Since 2018, our champions and other volunteers have given an astonishing 3,372 hours of their time. The champions have created their own community that supports one another, welcomes new volunteers and, most importantly, wants to share its knowledge with everyone.
We’re truly thankful to all our wonderful champions for everything they’ve done. We couldn’t have made Secrets of the Solent such a success without them.
£70,110 worth of volunteer time given to record the wildlife of the Solent.
We’ve run several creative projects during Secrets of the Solent. Each used a different artistic process and media, but with same overall aim: to connect people with wildlife through art.
In the project’s beginning, we worked with environmental sculptor Trudi Lloyd Williams, who created an immersive sculpture to go alongside our marine litter exhibition.
During lockdown, members of the public knitted, crocheted, and weaved an array of marine species to raise awareness, and then renowned street artist ATM painted a series of six marine murals around the Solent for us.
In our final year, professional portrait photographer Tom Harrison told the inspiring stories of several people who work and volunteer on the Solent, while local artist and illustrator, Hannah Horn, created a giant map of the Solent showcasing all its wonderful wildlife and habitats (far left).
There have been so many highlights from Secrets of the Solent. The project has inspired thousands of people, which has led to real action being taken to protect nature. Being a part of that has been so special. When thinking of all the project’s achievements, it’s impossible to choose a single favourite. So, here are three!
Each of these projects has helped us tell the story of the Solent and captured the imagination of a wide, and often new, audience.
What better way to learn about the wildlife living in the Solent than taking part in an intertidal survey on its shores?
Our surveys capture a snapshot of the marine life found in the low, mid and upper regions of the intertidal zone where the land meets the sea.
We run surveys at 12 sites around the Solent each year to build a long-term dataset that highlights population trends (increases or declines in wildlife) and alerts us to the presence of new species.
Over the past four years, volunteers and Marine Champions have helped make these surveys a huge success. In fact, the surveys proved so extraordinarily popular that people had to be placed on waiting lists to join them!
We also offered training in survey leadership, techniques and health and
179 people trained in marine biodiversity and intertidal surveying.
safety, and several Marine Champions have successfully taken on survey leader roles.
The more people we have taking part in surveys helps us build a strong evidence base to champion local marine wildlife and influence decision makers. This is a fantastic example of citizen science in action.
While I am, of course, sad that Secrets of the Solent has ended, I’m optimistic for the Solent’s future.
Legacy is an important part of any project, and it’s something we’ve been striving towards since the beginning. It can be hard to quantify legacy, but we know fostering an appreciation in
124 young people from five schools and groups taking action for the Solent’s marine wildlife.
something is a great way to garner long-term support and actions that help protect it. I hope our Marine Champions, and everyone the project has reached, will continue their passion for the Solent.
Secrets of the Solent has taught us about people’s deep interest in the marine environment and the different ways we can engage and convey our message. We’ve used this to help design and develop our next marine project, which will continue the journey begun during this one.
In November 2022, the Trust joined forces with nine other influential organisations on a new five-year project to restore some of the Solent’s most imperilled marine habitats. The Solent Seascape Project is the first of its kind in the UK to initiate seascape-scale recovery.
Seagrass meadows, oyster reefs, saltmarshes and seabird nesting zones will be protected and restored after the project secured a $5 million grant from the Endangered Landscapes Programme (ELP).
By actively restoring and connecting the Solent’s seascape, we’ll provide nature-based solutions to many of the issues currently affecting it and the people who depend on it, as well as helping to fight the impacts of climate change.
We hope you’ll support this new marine project as keenly as you have Secrets of the Solent, and we look forward to sharing some exciting updates as it progresses.
Find out more about our marine conservation work at hiwwt.org.uk/wilder-solent
Extraordinary marine life like these dahlia anemones can be seen during intertidal surveys.
hen it comes to woodland wildflowers, there’s one plant that hogs the headlines – and it’s easy to see why! Bluebells are undeniably beautiful, carpeting the forest floor in a swaying sea of violet-blue petals. They flower around April and can be an indication that you’re standing in an ancient woodland. But they aren’t the only wildflowers that grace our woodlands each spring. You could find the ground coated with wild garlic, scenting the air with that unmistakable aroma, or wood anemones with star-shaped flowers balanced atop long slender stalks. Combine these colourful carpets with the soundtrack of singing birds and you have an idyllic spring scene. Just a note of caution, spring woodland flowers are very sensitive to trampling so please stick to marked paths whenever visiting these precious sites.
We’d love to know how your search went. Please send us your best photos by emailing webmarketing@hiwwt.org.uk or tweeting us
@HantsIWWildlife
1 Roydon Woods Nature Reserve, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Bright carpets of bluebells light up the ancient woodland floor beneath the crisp green beech canopies at this enchanting New Forest nature reserve. These woods are perfect for wildlife enthusiasts too, with good opportunities for birdwatching especially.
Where: Near Brockenhurst, SO42 7UF
2 Pamber Forest Nature Reserve, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
The forest floor at this ancient woodland reserve in the north of Hampshire is happily flushed with wildflowers in spring, including wood anemone, wild daffodils, and primroses. A cacophony of birdsong also erupts in the forest at this time of year.
Where: Pamber Heath, RG26 3EQ
3 Flexford Nature Reserve, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Dazzling patches of wood anemone, Solomon’s seal, wood sorrel, celandine, marsh marigold and bluebells can be found dotted through the woodland at this urban reserve. Swathes of ramsons (or wild garlic) also line the woodland paths in spring.
Where: Chandler’s Ford, SO53 1SZ
4 Eaglehead & Bloodstone Copses Nature Reserve, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Fabulous displays of spring flora lie in wait at this ancient woodland reserve on the Isle of Wight. All the usual suspects occur here like bluebells, primroses, and ramsons, as well as more unusual specimens like moschatel and toothwort.
Where: Near Brading, PO36 0NT
5 Shadwell Wood, Essex Wildlife Trust
The oxlip is a precious gem in a treasure trove of wildflowers gracing the floor of this ancient woodland in north-west Essex. Oxlips are only found in a few pockets of woodland in the UK, where their beautiful clusters of yellow flowers can be seen popping up in April.
Where: Saffron Waldon, CB10 2NB
6 Lower Woods, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
One of the largest ancient woodlands in the south-west, rich in wildflowers like bluebells, wild garlic, and wood anemones. As well as early purple and greater butterfly orchids, keep an eye out for the understated flowers of herb-Paris.
Where: Near Wickwar, GL9 1BX
Rather than buying plants grown in peat-based compost and plastic pots, grow them from seed in your own compost and an upcycled container. Take cuttings and dig up and divide plants to propagate more, and if you have too many why not share them with friends and neighbours who might return the favour? It’s a good idea to save seeds rather than buy fresh every spring, but don’t forget how good birds are at farming — if you’ve ever watched a goldfinch feeding on knapweed seed you’ll know that half of it ends up on the ground to grow into next year’s larder. Look out for berrying seedlings such as holly and hawthorn at the base of fences or other spots where birds like to perch, and — with the landowner’s permission — dig them up to grow for free in your garden.
It’s not just gardening that can be done cheaply. Want a log pile? Keep an eye out for neighbours doing tree work and ask if you can have a log or two. Want a new bird box? Find instructions online to make your own. Other ways to help wildlife require no money at all: let grass grow long around the edges, avoid cutting back plants and start a nice open compost pile at the end of the garden. Nature costs nothing, we just have to let her in.
Get more tips for helping nature at home from wildlifetrusts.org/gardening
Kate Bradbury is passionate about wildlifefriendly gardening and the author of Wildlife Gardening for Everyone and Everything in association with The Wildlife Trusts.
Grow annuals from seed
Pollinator-friendly favourites like sunflowers and cosmos are easy — simply sow in pots of peat-free compost and plant out in early summer.
Make new plants from old Dig up herbaceous plants like nepeta and cranesbills and use an old bread knife to slice the rootball in two, with intact stems. Replant and water well.
Take so wood cu ings
Cut 10cm shoots from shrubs like lavender, remove lower leaves and push into pots of moist, gri y compost. Cover with a plastic bag sealed with an elastic band and keep on a bright windowsill for eight weeks.
Make a log pile Neighbours pruning or cu ing down a tree? Ask for some logs! Piled up in a corner or beneath a bench they provide an easy, inexpensive habitat.
Let an area of grass grow long, allow leaves to pile up in borders, deadhead and cut back less.
Make your own habitat boxes
From bird and bat boxes to hedgehog feeding stations and even “toad abodes”, there are plenty of instructions online on how to make your own bespoke wildlife homes.
Grow your own bird food
Home-grown bird food is free: avoid cu ing back seedbearing plants like lavender, knapweed, grasses, sunflower and Verbena bonariensis, and watch the birds flock to feed from them.
Birds make great farmers. Keep an eye out for holly and hawthorn seedlings, o en found at the base of fences or other ‘perches’. With the landowners permission, dig them up and plant in your garden!
Conservationist and TV presenter Megan McCubbin became the Trust’s new President last November. Here, she tells us why she’s so excited to take on the role and how her experiences growing up have shaped her career and fuelled a passion to protect the environment.
My earliest wildlife memory is hard to pinpoint because I was very lucky that wildlife was never something I had to visit. I was surrounded by it 24 hours, seven days a week. I would be out exploring every evening after school, every weekend and every summer holiday; essentially any opportunity that I got! I didn’t know what I wanted to do in my future career at that time, but I knew
that nature was always a safe space that I could go and just be myself.
My bedroom was some sort of miniature natural history museum with all kinds of animal artefacts. I had an ostrich egg and a warthog skull on one shelf with my praying mantids on the other; just to name a few of my favourites. I would go out to watch the badgers and stay up late to listen to
the tawny owls. These experiences all happened in my early years and my zoologist-themed bedroom was my little bubble.
Growing up I had quite a few people who inspired my passion for wildlife Chris [Packham], my stepdad, is certainly one. I met Chris when I was two years old and he helped to raise me alongside my biological parents. He was doing
The Really Wild Show at the time. His career continued to expand and if he was travelling on a film shoot and could take me, I went. I was really lucky I got to travel around the world, and see the most incredible landscapes, cultures and species that opened my mind. I’ve got so much respect and admiration for him.
Another hero of mine is the late Rob Stewart. He was a shark activist and filmmaker who made several documentaries, including Sharkwater, which exposed the illegal shark fin and meat industry. He sadly died in a scuba diving accident while filming in 2017. I followed his work closely and to me, he was this passionate, determined individual who saw an environmental injustice and took action to make it right. He was, and always will be, a huge inspiration.
I can’t talk about people who have influenced my life without mentioning Jill Robinson who is an absolute superhero. By chance, she discovered a bear bile farm whilst on a tour in southern China. After witnessing that cruelty, she started her charity, Animals Asia, and has since rescued hundreds of bears from bile farming and is working with governments to change legislation. She does it all with such grace and integrity, and I think she’s an amazing, unsung activist.
Becoming the new President of a massive organisation like Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is not something I took on lightly. I wanted to make sure that I could devote my time to it 100%, but of course, I happily said yes. I was thrilled by the invitation! I recognise the responsibility of my new role and it is an absolute honour to work with the Trust on a mission that’s so important to me.
Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is home for me. It’s where I grew up. It’s a place that I love and it’s a place that has some amazing wildlife. But it’s also a place where improvements are needed for the benefit of the environment and local biodiversity. If I can help support that change by using my voice and by rolling up my sleeves and getting stuck in, then I am all in!
In taking on this role I thought to myself ‘what can I do to help?’ and ‘how can I best apply my skills to benefit the Trust?’. And, ultimately, I hope I will help to empower people from all over the
two counties to use their voices for the benefit of the planet and for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
I’m dyslexic and I struggled with science and maths at school. It wasn’t that I couldn’t understand these subjects, I just couldn’t learn them in the conventional way and I needed the confidence to learn them in my own way. I had to change my mindset in my approach to science, and I believe that’s made me a better science communicator. I hope I can bring that skill to this role and engage with a diverse group of minds; perhaps people who, like me, didn’t always believe that an environmental career or simple passion for nature is possible.
I can’t wait to get stuck into my role and help the Trust with its conservation work, community projects and so much more. Together, hopefully we can make people realise that, yes, you may only be one person, but you can make a lasting difference.”
Megan hopes to empower people to use their voices to benefit wildlife.
“Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is home for me. It’s where I grew up. It’s a place that I love and it’s a place that has some amazing wildlife.”
This spring and summer, we’re asking you to have a go at making more space for nature by getting involved with our Wildlife Garden Get Togethers.
Open your garden to friends, family or your local community to inspire others to make their gardens wildlife friendly and raise vital funds to protect local nature. You can also sign up for a free wildlife garden consultation from one of our Wilder Garden Champions.
“Each wildlife-friendly garden, no matter the size, contributes to a mosaic linking urban green spaces with nature reserves and the wider countryside. This is vital for nature’s recovery across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.”
Alan Titchmarsh, broadcaster and wildlife gardening ambassador
Register to receive your free Wildlife Garden Get Together pack:
