Funding update on Haydon Batch project

Somer Valley Rediscovered has been working with Radstock Town Council and other partners to secure funding from the West of England Combined Authority Green Recovery Fund for five key greenspaces in the Radstock, Westfield and Midsomer Norton area, one of which is Haydon Batch.

The funding will be used for nature recovery projects such as grassland restoration and the management of woodlands and watercourses, It will benefit a whole host of wildlife at Haydon Batch and the four other sites; Waterside Valley in Westfield and Midsomer Norton Town Park, Wellow Brook Walk and Staddlestones Open Space in Midsomer Norton. The grant will also fund improvements to make the sites more accessible including welcoming entrances and better paths which will enable more people to enjoy the sites and to spend more time in nature.

For Haydon Batch, this means that Radstock Town Council will be able to start implementing improvements which have been identified in the masterplan such as removing selected areas of scrub to ensure the grassland remains in good condition, formalising some of the entrances and paths, and creating interpretation boards giving information about the wildlife and heritage of the area. The grant will enable more events and activities to take place on the Batch, such as the very popular bat walk that took place in September. There will also be opportunities for people to get involved through practical conservation volunteer tasks and monitoring wildlife. For more information, please contact the SVR Project Manager, Miriam Woolnough Miriam_woolnough@bathnes.gov.uk or council@radstock-tc.gov.uk

BAT WALK

On Thursday 22nd September over 20 people including both adults and children attended a bat walk at Haydon Batch. The walk was led by Miriam Woolnough, from the Somer Valley Rediscovered

project and began with a talk about bats and their ecology. As bat calls are inaudible to the human ear bat detectors were handed round enabling everyone to ‘tune in’ to the bats. After a stroll around the Batch and as the light was beginning to fall a few Pipistrelle bats were detected. Pipistrelle bats are our smallest and most common species in the UK and come out at dusk meaning they can be seen as well as heard on a bat detector. Towards the end of the walk and once it was completely dark, more Pipistrelle bats were detected.

There are 18 species of bat in the UK and we know from previous surveys that several species of bat are present on the Batch, however on this particular evening only the Pipistrelles chose to show themselves! Bats will be preparing to hibernate from late October onwards and won’t be on the wing until springtime. However, more bat walks are planned for next year.