Wild Tees July 2019

Inside: 1 Enjoy a look back W on five fantastic W years of River Tees W Rediscovered! . T July 2019.indd 1 E E S W I L D L I F E . O R G 19/07/2019 14:57:34

PwWewlcRwom.teetoethsiswisisOludeoliffWeild.oTeregTs. EI 02WelcomeW Content design & editing: C TI N GE Butitisimportanttorecognisethat,despiteseeingelementsofthenat-L DANIEL van den Toorn ural world all around us, the UK is still one of the most nature depleted D Dear Reader, Images: This issue seems to be full of successful endings, new beginnings and Photography as credited. All uncredited photos the tales of learning along the way. I’m very happy to see so many of permitted for use by Tees WILDLIA Valley Wildlife Trust. T the articles are from our amazing volunteers - they really are a talented lot and it’s fascinating to read about their different passions for wildlife! Printed by: E countries in the world. Measuring the losses of habitat and species NEWTON PRESS populations against a continuing backdrop of outward expansion in the Front cover: built environment, it is clear to see that our vision of who we will be S in the near future needs to be drastically reassessed. The big issues BARN OWL of our time - climate change, population growth, over-use of natural Photo by PIPPA MADDISON resources, plastics - may seem too big for the individual to handle, but Back cover: perhaps the best way to regain control of the situation is to make our FE FORI Couldyourgrocerusepaperbagsinsteadofplasticones?). pyramidal orchid by chris voices heard. We all need to become more vocal about what we will ellis M except from government, businesses and each other. All editorial and adver- Don’t leave it to someone else to speak for you - tell your supermarket tising enquiries to the that you won’t accept unnecessary plastics and packaging (I remove Tees Valley Wildlife Trust at the address below. as much as I can at the checkout and glory in the little rebellion), talk to The views expressed by G your neighbours about some joined up thinking on habitat (putting up the contributors to this bird boxes, raising fences off the ground to allow hedgehogs between magazine are not neces- sarily those of the editor A gardens, leaving small areas to ‘go wild’), talk to your local council or the Council of the about turning grass verges into wildflower meadows (and save the Wildlife Trust. expense of cutting every few months), talk to the small businesses who © Tees Valley Wildlife Z know you about little changes they can make to their environmental Trust, 2019. THE FUBartram [studentplacements,tvwt]/rachelmurtagh[teesvalleynaturepartnershipmanager,tvwt] policies (is your local pub, cafe or restaurant still using plastic straws? In many cases, it only takes a moment to become an influencer for N change, but the consequences of taking that time can have a much wider and longer lasting impact. And it feels good too! E Dan van den Toorn, Reserves Manager Contributors: Natural World UK / roy smith [saltburn in bloom volunteer] / lizzie hannah [volunteer, tvwt] / pippa TURE /CMargrovePark,Boosbeck,Saltburn-by-the-Sea,TS123BZ. maddison [volunteer, tvwt] / neil allinson [volunteer, tvwt] / Rebekah Stoves, Rebecca Best and Tom / AMY CARRICK [RIVER TEES REDISCOVERED OFFICER, TVWT] / kate bartram [east cleveland heritage officer, tvwt] / becky stanley [community wildlife officer, tvwt] WILD TEES is published by: Tel: 01287 636382 Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, Margrove Heritage Centre, E-mail: [email protected] Registered charity number: 511068 July 2019.indd 2 19/07/2019 14:57:34

A HISTORY OF HAZEL - A /EN0T3S look back at how entwined W our lives have been with 14 W RIVER TEES DISCOVERED - E 04this most useful tree. Amy oCnartrhiceklagsivt e5syuesaraslooof kW PIONEERING AT MAZE back PARK - Our apprentices help spread the ‘Our Bright this very successful project. . Future’ message to local T 07schools. 16 E G SALTBURN IN BLOOM - Learn about the increasing NATURAL WORLD - AT role of native wildflowers in 08amenity horticulture. HOME WITH NATURE - E I FUN AND GAMES! - Test your wits against our fiend- Every home can get closer ish puzzles. How many can 10you solve? to nature - and here’s how!S UNDER THE WATCHFUL W R EYES OF A BARN OWL - 18 A PICTURE OF HEALTH - I Read about our latest art installation created with Pippa Maddison tells us 12the help of local cubs and beavers. how volunteering with us L has helped her make a TEES VALLEY NATURE PARTNERSHIP CONFER- natural recovery. D U ENCE - Hear about the very 20 L 13successful conference at /CONT/MIMA. DIPPY ABOUT DIPPERS - I July 2019.indd 3 Neil Allinson, TVWT volun- teer, tells us about one of F his favourite birds. E 22 . LEARNING OUTSIDE THE O CLASSROOM - This sum- mers student placements R tell us what it’s like putting theory into practice. G 19/07/2019 14:57:36

04Our History is a W I History of Hazel L Volunteer, Lizzie Hannah, D follows the roots of the hazel tree through our human perspective. T E E S M A igntPhmsgirnea:oawloisjtwliebuat.oeuhcculrrtboptrabgAn,sml.unlvuiKtbtrtcakeohnoeyil:eevlreenadweepyctlvasl-whHeme.tewynaecaszt.sk@iell- OG ne unseasonably warm, sunny day in February, the Wildlife Trust’s A Kate Bartram, photographer Roy Smith and I, set out to explore Saltburn Gill; we were Z going to look at hazel trees. Ancient woods, like Saltburn Gill, are living history books, in which old I coppice stools give a clue to how our woodlands were managed and relied upon in the past; it turns N out that our walk through the woods was just the start of what, over the coming weeks, would E prove to be a fascinating journey through time, as we pieced together the story of this remarkable slender, pliant stems, little tree. and these were used by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers to The story of hazel reflects our changing relation- make fishing creels, baskets and ship with woods in general and trees in particular. hoops, and to stretch skins over for Amongst the first trees to colonize the British Isles shelter. Hazelnuts, sought by squirrels, at the end of the last Ice Age, hazel was part of the mice and birds, were also a valuable source of native wildwood that once covered most of the land protein and minerals for our ancient ancestors, eas- and its association with humans stretches back thou- ily gathered in autumn and stored for the lean winter sands of years. The tree tends to grow as several months. July 2019.indd 4 19/07/2019 14:57:37

Hazel leaves, usually the first to appear in spring, 05important consideration for Bronze and Iron Age last right through to autumn and were fed to cattle communities, who used honey to make mead and as fodder by Neolithic farmers, while the nuts were other alcoholic drinks. Then, in the earliest Neolithic W ground up and mixed with flours period, the discovery was made that the re-growth to make breads. Hazel cat- kins appear in February, shoots were more useful than the original tree, and W so are amongst the the long tradition of coppicing hazel began. first food plants for bees. This The earliest example of coppicing comes from W would have wooden track-ways in the Somerset levels, the . been an oldest dated around 4000 BC. Young trees are T repeatedly cut to near ground level to create what’s E known as a stool; new growth emerges and, after a E few years, the coppiced poles are harvested and the cycle begins again. Split hazel rods were used to make wattle fences and panels for houses, when daubed with clay. Anglo Saxons wove stems of hazel S through hawthorn stakes, creating W boundaries around their villages. I The Normans would transform L these boundaries into living hedges, weaving hazel through layered hawthorn saplings. During the Middle Ages, peas- D ants exercised their right of L ‘hedgebote’ - collecting long I hazel shoots for fencing and fuel. In the nineteenth century, a type F of hazel basket, known locally as E a corve, was used by miners to . haul coal. At Whitby, Robin Hoods O Bay and other fishing ports along R the Yorkshire coast, bent hazel rods were used in the construction of creel-type pots, for catching lobsters and crabs. In all, no fewer than 26 woodland prod- G ucts were traditionally made from hazel, ranging from peasticks and divining rods to baskets, hurdles, withies for roofs, barrel hoops and hedging stakes, to charcoal and fire- wood. Hazel was, quite literally, woven into the fabric of the daily lives of our ancestors. July 2019.indd 5 19/07/2019 14:57:39

06 But for the Celtic civilization of Iron Age Britain and around yourself, to protect against fairies, serpents W Ireland, trees were not just useful, they had a pro- and evil. As late as the eighteenth century, hazel rods were used to identify murderers and thieves. Perhaps found significance, perhaps none more so than the because of its magical reputation, hazel rods are still widely used for dowsing, a type of divination where a I hazel, sacred Tree of Knowledge, it’s nuts the ultimate Y-shaped rod is used to seek out water, oil, minerals or even grave sites. receptacles of wisdom. L The druids carried hazel wands, believing that con- D tact with the tree’s mercurial energy would impart magical and poetic inspiration. Hazel rods were used for divination (the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means) to T find suitable places for magical workings. Celtic reli- gious ceremonies were often held in woodland groves E and near to sacred water, such as wells or springs. This association of hazels with water remains alive in E Ireland, from where the most prolific legends come. S Connla’s Well and the Well of Segais, legendary Somewhere down the passage of time, the association between hazels and wisdom died away and it became sources of the Boyne and Shannon, were said to be a symbol of fertility. For many centuries it was custom- surrounded by nine magic hazels, whose ‘nuts of wis- ary to throw hazelnuts at the bride as she emerged dom’ fell into the water, imbuing it with special qualities from church to ensure the occasion would prove fruit- ful. Nowadays confetti is thrown. M and causing bubbles of inspiration to form. A In Ireland, hazel was a symbol of plenty and times of Like Maying, Nutting was a euphemism for courtship and licentious behaviour: ‘Plenty of Catkins, plenty of prosperity were commonly referred to as ‘times of babes.’ Nutting day, 14th of September, was said to be the day the Devil gathered nuts. By the late nineteenth G abundant nuts’. century, Nutting day had evolved into a popular day out, for which children were given the day off school, A a tradition which continued until the outbreak of the First World War. Z I N E The Gaelic name for hazel is cuill, coll, cal or even cow; it appears in many British place-names, particu- larly in Western Scotland. In fact, the Roman name for Scotland, Caledonia, comes from Cal-dun, meaning Hill of Hazel. The hazel was thought to stand at the border between As Britain became increasingly industrialised, the mar- the real world and the ‘other’ world of fairies, elves ket for coppiced hazel declined. But in woods managed and the like. In Northern England this entry point was for wildlife, like Saltburn Gill, the ancient woodcraft guarded by the goblins, Melsh Dick and Milkchurn lives on, used by conservationists to increase biodi- Peg. In some parts, a May Day custom was to cut a versity by allowing light to reach the woodland floor. hazel stick before dawn and to use this to draw a circle Have you got room for a hazel in your life? July 2019.indd 6 19/07/2019 14:57:43

07 Community Wildlife Officer, Becky Stanley, has been breaking new ground at Maze Park with her team of apprentices. W W W . PMiaozneeePrairnkg T at E E S Groups of young people from Middlesbrough have W been regularly taking positive environmental action to man- I age habitats and maintain infrastructure at Maze Park nature L reserve. This site is situated close to the Tees Barrage and provides a D haven for many important species of birds, butterflies and mammals. L I Groups, including Beverley School, Hollis Academy, Archway School F and students from local colleges, have all been gaining works experi- E ence through activities on the site. In the winter young people assisted in . necessary thinning of a mixed broadleaf woodland plantation, which was O planted by the Trust in the late 1990’s. R G During spring they erected bird boxes, planted wildflow- ers and improved public access into the woodlands. Each week our three full time apprentices carry out litter picking, cutting back vegetation from footpaths and other general maintenance, such as painting signs and fences. Summer plans include carrying out field studies to find out which species are using the reserve and installing a new brass rubbings trail which will help younger children to learn about the species using this site. The ‘Our Bright Future – One Planet Pioneer’ project will continue with funding from the Lottery’s ‘Community Fund’ until 2021, pro- viding training in environmental conservation for young people aged 14-21 who live in Middlesbrough. If you would like further information on training or volunteering for this project please get in touch; you can reach me at: [email protected] July 2019.indd 7 19/07/2019 14:57:46

08 Photos by kind permission: Lynda Parkes and Susan Cook Saltburn in W Bloom volunteer, I Roy Smith, talks L about the role of D native wildflowers in amenity horticulture. T E Over the last couple of dec- E ades Saltburn In Bloom [SIB] has S taken on planting and maintaining all of the beds in Saltburn, as well as many M of the planters, tubs and hanging baskets in A the town. Here in Saltburn our fairly harsh G climate of cold, salt- sprayed, winters and A dry summers, has meant that it is important Z to find the right plants for the right places. I Luckily, many native species have evolved N to survive and flourish in this environment E - something we, as gardeners, can take advantage of by integrating these plants and July 2019.indd 8 their cultivars into our planting schemes. As has been commented on in this magazine, we in Britain and the rest of Europe have seen a dramatic fall in the numbers of insects, inver- tebrates, birds and mammals over the last 30 years. Loss of habitat from urban development and over-intensive farming practices have led to the loss of hedgerows, meadows, woodlands and wetlands, as well as steadily declining soil 19/07/2019 14:57:52

fertility, to the point that where once an abundance of 09People over 50 years old might remember the days wildflowers supported a thriving community of wild- life, there is now a much degraded landscape. when going out for a drive meant a windscreen cov- ered in all kinds of dead insects. I was brought up in W Our entire eco-system and food supply chain are a town in the 1950’s, but I remember being about dependent on pollinators, so it makes sense to pro- tect what remains of our wildflowers. Collectively, if twelve years old, looking out of my bedroom win- W we do nothing, we are in danger of crop failure from dow late one night and thinking it was snowing in the the lack of pollinators. As gardeners, however, there are plenty of things we can do to help redress the middle of summer - but it was just a blizzard of moths W balance. flying round the street light! Not a sight I’ve seen for Over 200 species of solitary bees in the UK are reck- a long time. . oned to pollinate about 30% of all our food crops, so it is vital that we support these species with a range Until recently, wildflowers were often seen as perni- T of flower types over a long flowering period. cious weeds and the creatures that lived on them as A recent study has found that amateur gardeners pests to be eradicated. Now, some of us know better E and allotment holders are having a positive impact and, indeed, SIB hear from town locals and visitors on bee numbers. The research published in ‘Nature Ecology and Evolution’, found that allotments and alike, that British native perennials, such as foxglove, E domestic gardens had 10 times more bees than bellflower, cranesbill and sea thrift, are amongst parks, cemeteries and urban nature reserves. It was noted that among the plants most visited by bees their favourite native wild plants. S Above: Saltburn in Bloom volunteers taking advantage We are fortunate here in Britain to have a temper- W of a rare chance to down tools. Their efforts are much ate climate, which allows us to plant species from appreciated! around the world, so along with our native wildflow- I were ox-eye daisies, purple toadflax, purple looses- ers SIB also plant cultivars of our native species and trife, vipers bugloss, knapweed, scabious, campions, sea kale, valerian, borage and clovers. some nectar-rich plants from countries across the L globe like Buddleia (from China) and Verbena (South Moths are the often forgotten stars of plant polli- nation in the UK, with over 2600 species taking to America), both of which are a magnet for our native D the task - one hundred times more than butterflies! butterflies. Over the last thirty years the climate in Moths are especially important in pollinating a wide range of plants which flower at night, such as sea Britain has changed substantially with winters being L stock, valerian, evening primrose, perennial wall- less cold and summers lasting longer. This trend is flower, musk mallow and various campions. set to continue. Droughts have become worrying and I major weather events more frequent, so it is impor- tant that we put the right plants in the right places F - less stress for the plants and less stress for the gardeners! With careful selection and planning, it is E hoped that the gardens around Saltburn will continue to provide interest all year round, with a mixture of . hardy perennials, shrubs and bulbs and an emphasis on native and “wildlife-friendly” plants. O All the plant species mentioned in this article are R grown here in Saltburn and you can be sure that SIB volunteers will continue to strive to grow plants G suited to, and beneficial for, our environment. If we can all do our bit, the gardens and planters of the nation could be what saves the day. To know more about Saltburn in Bloom, includ- ing how to join our team, e-mail us at: saltburn. [email protected] or find us on Facebook and Twitter. July 2019.indd 9 19/07/2019 14:57:53

10Fun and Games: W 12 A Walk in the Woods 3 4 5 67 13 14 I9 10 11 8 18 19 12 15 L 16 17 D 21 22 23 20 24 25 26 27 28 T 29 30 31 32 E 36 33 34 35 37 38 E 42 39 40 46 44 43 41 48 45 S 49 50 51 47 M 52 53 54 A Cryptic clues G Across Down 1. Clank & throb - the noisiest tree in the woodland? (10) 2. Shrub is one in rising demand (5) 5. Perfect flower for Nursing Bees (11) 3. Father of Zeus confused by roman dogwood (6) 9. Labour to support bridge (5) 4. Wild rose one found that’s growing by the river (5) A 11. Ask yourself why less than five of these are climbing? (3) 5. Actor Nigel sounds like a prickly customer (8) 12. A Christmas cracker (6) 6. At the top of the tree, take cover (6) 13. Opening these leads to frustration (4) 7. Throwing these out only brings them back again (5) Z 15. Sounds like it isn’t, but it is! (4) 8. Unripe just (7) 17. She saw love-in-a-mist (5) 10. One car has both of these (8) 19. Shortly trim American fruit tree (6) 14. Nellie packed hers (5) I 20. Add straw and it makes a wall, add butter and it makes 16. Sounds like Evil Edna’s sucking on slice of lemon (4,3) a meal (3) 18. Disorganised flea fell off in the autumn (4) N 22. Even Swiss made no sense of dry bircher (4,6) 21. SS Bloomer sets erratic course for Hanami festival with- 23. Time Theresa took flower from ship (3) out Queen’s standard (7) 27. It’s ice cold around Pete! (6) 24. Your family tree wouldn’t be anything without these (5) E 28. Less sand than you’d expect (5) 25. Easily found in briers (7) 26. While assaying metal, received several beatings (6,7) 29. Almost lissom (6) 30. Be with me, a muddled Caucasian needing support (9) 31. Supporter of 6 down (4) 36. Highlanders miss this tree very much (5,4) 32. Dogs aren’t the only ones to do this (4) 38. Crazy church proceedings in this kind of house (4,7,4) 33. Tree has moved (3) 39. Elder grouse having senior moment (7,4) 34. I fled with ample syrup from this tree (5,5) 41. Confused groups of people (5) 35. Sounds like it’s not me (3) 44. Almost all of ladder collapsed (5) 36. To find Spanish loves, try Scarborough Yacht Club (9) 45. A definition of falling down (9) 37. Tree man erected after first cut (3) 46. Used in a stick-up (3) 40. Older and wiser (5) 47. Coxless pair row and row (5) 42. An indiscrete Latin bloomer (4) 48. A fruity lump (4) 43. Go lightly for breakfast, young lady (5) 49. Bad temper almost made Adam’s throat bulge (4,5) 44. Skiers love this tree (5) 52. Going mad in a tent, such fun! (8) 50. Pruning this tree is a fight every time (3) 53. Begin Sequence Analysis: 50, 1, 10...? (5) 51. Philip Pirrip had great expectations this would turn into 54. Burgeoning best friends (4) something tasty (3) July 2019.indd 10 19/07/2019 14:57:53

Quick clues 11 Across Down 1. Prickly bush that displays flowers before leaves (10) 2. A non-native tree, naturalised in some parts of Europe. W 5. A rambling woodland climber with beautiful scented flow- Very popular with pollinators (5) W ers in the Summer and red berries in Autumn (11) 3. Latin name for the dogwood (6) W 9. The only deciduous confer native to central Europe (5) 4. A lover of wetland areas and used by basket weavers (5) . 11. A climbing vine, with dark purple fruit (3) 5. The most common hedgerow tree (8) T 12. A nut tree favoured at Christmas (6) 6. The name for the top of trees (6) E 13. They comprise a hard shell and a seed (4) 7. The starting point for many plants (5) E 15. Formed where one branch meets another (4) 8. Gin (7) S 17. Part of the understory and a very useful tree (5) 10. The name of this tree comes from the old English for W 19. The genus of plums, cherries and the like (6) hard and tree (8) I 20. Old name for the nut of 17 across (3) 14. The thick main stem of a tree (5) L 22. They might sound like one of our edible fruit trees, but 16. A UK native. Few left after a certain Dutch disease (4,3) D really it’s for the birds (4,6) 18. Solar panels for trees (4) 23. The flowers of 5 down (3) 21. A general term for flowers on trees (7) 27. The black form of this tree is one of the most endangered 24. Why trees don’t fall over (5) in Britain (6) 25. Another name for fruit (7) 28. This tree has hairy leaf edges and a triangular nut with 26. A very recognisable tree with its white bark (6,7) prickly four lobed seed cases (5) 30. Its berries are known as ‘Chess apples’ in north-west 29. A most common tree in wet areas (6) England and eaten when rotten (9) 31. The trunk or stem of a tree (4) 32. Covers most of a tree (4) 36. Named for its highland habitat, this evergreen conifer is 33. Easily recognised with their black buds showing (3) the only true native form in the UK (5,4) 34. In the same family as 36 down, the sap can be used to 38. The fruit of this deciduous broadleaf tree needs to be make syrup (5,5) bletted before it is edible (4,7,4) 35. A common evergreen in church yards (3) 39. The common name of this deciduous upright shrub 36. Same family as 34 down; seeds are like helicopters (9) relates to the Dutch province of Gelderland, where a popu- 37. A contraction of 16 down (3) lar cultivar, the snowball tree, supposedly originated (7,4) 40. Its hollow stems make good pea shooters (5) 41. Scientific name of the Field Maple (5) 42. Related to roses (4) 44. A pioneer species that improves the soil it grows in by its 43. A prickly Christmas favourite (5) relationship with a nitrogen fixing bacteria (5) 44. The scientific name ‘tremula’ means to ‘tremble’ and 45. The name for trees whose leaves fall off in the winter (9) refers to the way the leaves flutter in the slightest breeze (5) 46. The sticky solution that leaks from trees like the pine (3) 50. The wood of this tree is too heavy to float in water (3) 47. Another name is Mountain Ash (5) 51. Found in fruit (3) 48. The plump fruit makes a good pie (4) 49. An ancestor of our nation’s most popular fruit (4,5) Answers and explanations of cryptic 52. A favourite roasted at Christmas (8) crossword clues on page 19 53. The Latin name for willow (5) 54. The beginnings of a leaf (4) How many Wordsearch L can you find? I F E . O R G July 2019.indd 11 19/07/2019 14:57:53

12 Under East Cleveland has a new land- W the mark with the erection of a giant barn I Watchful owl mosaic watching over our head- L quarters at Margrove Park. The mosaic was made by local artists Helen Gaunt and Derek D Eyes of Mosey, with the help of the cubs and beavers T a Barn of the 1st Marske and New Marske Barn Owl E Owl Scout Group. E The cubs and beavers worked really hard on S the creation of the mosaic and learnt a lot about barn owls along the way. The mosaic will hope- M fully raise awareness of the work we, and our A experienced barn owl volunteers, are doing to G maintain, and hopefully increase, the population A of barn owls in East Cleveland, with the support Z of many different landowners. I N The cubs and beavers recently voted on a name E for the owl; he shall henceforward be called Voldemort - meaning ‘Vole Killer’ (Vole-De Mort)!. A very apt name as over 80% of the diet of East Cleveland barn owls is made up of field voles. The creation of the owl was supported by funding from National Lottery players through the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Northumbrian Waters’ Branchout Fund, as part of the Barn Owl Nest Box Network project. East Cleveland Heritage Officer Kate Bartram, introduces a new team member - Voldemort the barn owl! July 2019.indd 12 19/07/2019 14:57:55

TEES NATURE 13Nature Partnership Manager, Rachel CONFERENCE 2019 Murtagh, tells us W all about recent successes for Tees W Valley Nature Inspire, Connect and Celebrate Partnership. W Following this we had some punchy presentations . introducing 2019 as ‘The National Year of Green Action’, kicked off by the Environment Agency and T followed by our own Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Garside, putting the spotlight on our recent acqui- E sition of Lazenby Woods. TVNP Chair, Timothy Crawshaw gave us some inspiration from the Rhur E Valley and, finally, to lead us into a creative after- Above: Tony Juniper CBE, the new Chair of Natural England. noon, a poetic reading taking us from the river Dee S to the river Tees – given by the Dee’s artist in resi- W The conference has gone from dence, Nicole Manley. I strength to strength each year and is fast establishing itself as the go-to event Over lunch the National Lottery Community Fund presented the Tees Valley Nature Partnership with for those working towards a greener future, both a massive cheque for over £280,000, funding our L locally and with growing national interest too. efforts for the next three years (more of that in a later article). The day was rounded off with an afternoon D This year, the Tees Valley Nature Partnership (TVNP) of artists’ talks, bursts of horticulture and clean air and Your Tees Catchment Partnership teamed up workshops. L again to run the event; with Teesside University and MIMA (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Leading straight on from the conference to a drinks I Art) hosting the morning and afternoon sessions reception, we had the great delight of welcoming respectively. Over 120 people attended the day, one of our countries most eminent environmental- F which had a mixture of interesting presentations and ists, Tony Juniper (now the Chair of Natural England), workshops, plenty of opportunities for attendees to Daisy Cooper (local representative from the UK E forge new links together and all rounded out with Student Climate Change Network) and Elinor Morgan some extremely yummy local produce provided by (Senior Curator at MIMA) to launch MIMA’s ‘Fragile . Elizabeth’s Kitchen! Earth’ exhibition, which runs through to the 26th Professor David Hill, Chair of the Environment Bank, September - well worth a visit! O was our keynote speaker for the morning. We were “The event was brilliantly organised, R all in agreement that this inspiring and thought- with some great content and we got G provoking talk helped set the tone for a great day a huge amount out of it. Thanks once ahead. Everyone then had a choice of attending again, I can’t wait for the next one!” various workshops, which included a look at two Alan Liddle, Friends of Stainton and exciting landscape partnership projects – River Tees Thornton Green Spaces Re-discovered, which is coming to an end (a sum- ming up can be found on page 14 of this issue of Wild If you’d like to know more about the conference Tees) and Discover Bright Water, a new project that or the work of TVNP, please visit our website at: is just staring out. teesvalleynaturepartnership.org.uk July 2019.indd 13 19/07/2019 14:57:55

14 Rivers River Tees Rediscovered Officer, Amy W not only Carrick, sums up a very successful project. I L shape D land- scapes, they also shape lives T E E S The Tees Valley Wildlife Trust was We ended up with a fabulous team of regular vol- fortunate enough to be a large part of unteers who, for no better reason than wanting to M the five year, HLF funded, River Tees do their bit, spent their free days taking on every Rediscovered Landscape partnership. We had challenge we could think of and contributing to some A four projects within the partnership; Honeypots great conservation tasks that will benefit the Tees and Educational spaces (led by me!), Wings of the Valley for years to come! Perhaps most memora- G Tees (led by Sarah Barry), Coastal and Wading ble of these have been: creating a nesting beaches birds (led by Jacky Watson) and Redcar Wildlife for waders, making dragonfly and butterfly bask- A (led by Dan van den Toorn). Being a part of this ing areas, helping out with the construction of the project has been excellent for the Tees Valley Portrack Marsh sand martin bank, endless weeding Z Wildlife Trust, re-engaging local communities with of the tern island, almost constant grubbing of bram- the river and the coast. ble to create more diverse wildflower grassland and revamping the entrance to Coatham Marsh. I All of our projects were based around four main N elements; practical conservation, education, engage- Even though the work has been tough and laborious ment and wildlife surveys. These were either in or at times, I truly believe we are reaping the rewards E around the River Tees basin, from the coast near now, especially in terms of all the lovely wildflowers! Redcar, as far as Darlington and over five River We have also benefitted by having so many keen lit- Tees nature reserves - Bowesfield, Preston Farm, ter pickers; whether it’s at South Gare or our nature Portrack Marsh, Maze Park and Coatham Marsh. reserves, we’re seeing so much less litter now, we sometimes don’t have enough to go around, which To have any success in a project like this, you need is a great problem to have! lots of willing volunteers! Every one of them has had the heart to succeed, overcoming challenges that As well as the practical side of conservation, educa- would have others running back to an easier life tion has been an important focus of our efforts; as - they went to watch birds in blizzards, chased but- everyone recognises (even the children themselves) terflies in the baking sun and regularly wrestled with we won’t succeed in a greener, more diverse future, hawthorn bushes that most definitely fought back! without those successive generations wanting to July 2019.indd 14 19/07/2019 14:58:00

15 W to track down the allusive grayling butterfly at Maze W Park and have had the unique opportunity to lurk W around our nature reserves at night….for bat surveys . of course! T E play their part. Many local schools have come out In truth, I could write a whole book on how much E to the coast and our reserves and enjoyed days out work we have all done over the past five years. S bug hunting, pond dipping, rockpooling, bird box This has been a great project to have been a part W making and learning about our fabulous River Tees of, working not only with each other at the Trust, I and its wildlife! But it isn’t only what we can teach but with so many other organisations and commu- L children, but being open to what they can remind us nity groups as well. We have reached more people D about looking at a world full of undiscovered lands to than ever before and have had a chance to grow as L explore, the mystery of its creatures and the chatter an organisation and learn about the great potential I of ancient animal languages. this area has to offer, not only for wildlife but for F the communities that value it more than we knew. E Survey work has also been vital in our project, Unfortunately, with every short-term funded project . without knowing what is here we can’t make plans people will move on and, sadly, Sarah Barry - our O to protect it. The ‘Tern Team’ have been out in all knowledgeable batwoman and consummate wild- R weathers carrying out bird disturbance surveys and life enthusiast - is moving on to new challenges. G engaging with local communities on how best we can She leaves behind an extensive and important back help our wading birds, especially during the breed- catalogue of bat records, an indelible body of work ing season. All visitors have been encouraged to and many friends. We have taken a lot from Sarah’s ‘wiggle around the waders’ (a secret dance that only passion, enthusiasm and knowledge about all things those in the know know…..) in an effort to reduced winged and beyond and wish her all the best in her bird disturbance and vital work has also been car- future endeavours. ried out further inland with thousands of bird boxes put up, ranging from standard tit boxes to barn and tawny owl boxes. Although squirrels and other unin- vited guests have been seen squatting in some of the boxes, there have been some great successes too; barn owl chicks being reared in one of our boxes, being one particular highlight. Not restricting our- selves to feathered flyers, we have also managed July 2019.indd 15 19/07/2019 14:58:03

NATURAL 16WORLD W IAt home with nature L We put a lot of effort into making our Window-mounted feeders D gardens wilder, and rightly so. But what about our houses and flats themselves? Even with no garden you can still feed the birds. A window-mounted feeder In a world where the wild places are gives them a helping hand and lets you enjoy their antics from your armchair. shrinking, every inch of space we can T make for nature is vital. E Whether it’s the joyful song of a robin drifting through House martin nest cups an open window, or the colourful flash of a peacock butterfly just beyond the glass, it’s always a delight to Invite house martins to move in under your eaves with a specially E glimpse the wild world just beyond our walls. made nest cup. They’re especially But our wildlife is in trouble. Natural habitats useful when martins can’t find are shrinking, becoming fragmented and isolated by enough mud to build their own. S roads and other developments. With every tree that Hanging baskets is lost, there are fewer natural cavities in which bats and window boxes and birds can roost and nest. Nature no longer has the space it needs to thrive. Wildflower-filled hanging Nature reserves are invaluable, but to keep baskets and window boxes make the perfect pit stop Mthese protected areas from becoming wild oases for passing pollinators. in an impoverished landscape, we need to use every single space to help wildlife. Our gardens, streets, Hedgehog holes A road verges and even houses can become part of Hedgehogs can travel over a wild network, creating vital green corridors and a mile each night as they stepping stones that connect larger wild spaces. forage and look for mates. A 13cm x 13cm hole in G Every home, new or old, can play a part. The your fence helps keep the Wildlife Trusts have a vision for future housing and hedgehog highway open. A work with some developers to make new builds as green as possible, with built-in features that complement the habitats around them. But existing Z homes can do their bit, too. With just a few mostly inexpensive adjustments, we can make our roofs, walls and even windows a little more wildlife-friendly. I From bee bricks and bat and bird boxes that provide safe roosting and nesting spots, to walls blooming with climbing plants, there are lots of great N ways to turn the outside of your house into a wildlife sanctuary. The best results will come when they E complement the surrounding landscape, so take a look at the habitats around your house and choose the best features for your location – bats are more likely to use a roost close to a hedgerow or line of trees, and birds need to be able to find enough food to feed their hungry chicks. Together, our homes and gardens take up more space than all of the UK’s nature reserves put together. So let’s make every inch count! Visit our website for handy guides to helping wildlife, from building bat boxes to attracting bees wildlifetrusts.org/actions 28 Magazine Name | Summer 2019 July 2019.indd 16 19/07/2019 14:58:05

17CLOSER TO NATURE Bat boxes Swift box W W By fixing a bat box to your Modern houses leave little W wall you can provide the space for swifts to nest, but . perfect resting spot for your swift boxes create a home local bats. It’s important to for these summer visitors. avoid directing any artificial Broadcasting a recording lighting onto the box. of their calls encourages them to move in. Window stickers T Placing stickers on your windows gives birds a better E chance of spotting the glass, reducing the chance of a E fatal collision. You can buy them or cut out your own. S Bee box W Bee boxes offer nesting space Green wall I for some species of solitary L bee. If you’re having work From a simple climbing plant D done on your house, you can to a trellis laden with different L even fit a built-in bee brick! species, a green wall adds colour to a house, creates vital July 2019.indd 17 habitat and helps regulate pollution and rainfall. Water butt I F Using less water helps keep E our wetlands healthy, so set up a water butt to catch rainfall. You can use the water to clean your car and water your plants. . O R GILLUSTRATION: SAM BREWSTER Magazine Name | Summer 2019 29 19/07/2019 14:58:05

18 Volunteer W I Spotlight L Regular conservation volunteer and keen photographer, Pippa Maddison, tells us D what volunteering means to her. T A Picture E of Health HE i, I’m Pippa and I have been volun- trimmed trees, made bird and bat boxes... the list S teering with the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust goes on. for about 3 years. I had recently left my job as a Piping Designer - a job which meant I was But it’s not all graft with Amy’s group! We have met stuck indoors for 8 hours a day in front of a com- other wildlife groups in the Tees Valley area, such as M puter, which didn’t suit me as I am definitely an the Friends of Fairy Dell, Linthorpe Cemetery and outdoor person. I had always been fascinated by Bluebell Becks, for a chat and a walk round their A our wildlife and was watching BBC Springwatch sites and to help with a few light jobs (they also gave one evening when they did a feature on ‘why us tea and biscuits, which pleased us all greatly). G not volunteer with your local wildlife group?’ and I thought ‘why not indeed?’ So I joined Amy’s This has been a very pleasant eye opener, I had no A Thursday group and I’ve never looked back. idea these green spaces existed in Middlesbrough’s urban sprawl and it is touching to see with what love Z Our work is ‘practical conservation’ which means we they are maintained for the public by these small help maintain the TVWT reserves, by creating and groups of volunteers. Furthermore, we’ve been I managing habitat. It also means getting your hands away on trips to visit places like The Cottage Pumping dirty and being out in all weathers, which is one of Station at Darlington (well worth a visit by the way; N the things I love about volunteering; that we’re so in a beautiful example of Victorian engineering) and touch with the seasons. In the 3 years I’ve known Photos by kind permission: Pippa Maddison E Amy, I think she’s only cancelled one session and that was due to the ‘Beast From The East’; knowing her I think she’d really have liked to have gone for it regardless, she loves a challenge! I’ve been involved with so many different areas of practical conserva- tion: wildflower planting, seed collecting, balsam bashing, hedge laying, meadow cutting (using the Billy Goat, which is not, more’s the pity, an actual billy goat, but the mother of all lawn mowers!). I’ve strimmed paths and hauled blackthorn to make dry hedges, helped to lay paths, dug and cleared ponds, July 2019.indd 18 19/07/2019 14:58:06

19for people going through this kind of difficulty. It gave me a day a week which was distracting, fun and sociable, out in the fresh air and daylight with lots of exercise. I was undergoing cognitive behav- W ioural therapy when I first joined Amy’s group and found volunteering to be naturally ‘mindful’. Anxiety W is all about what doesn’t exist yet, what might hap- pen and is called ‘what if’ worrying. Volunteering is W about being present in the moment and focusing on the task we’re performing. Also there’s always Amy . and my fellow volunteers to chat to and I discovered that if I was in a bad place before I went out, I felt T great when I got home. we’re going on a boat trip on the Tees soon. We’ve I am a keen amateur wildlife photographer and my E made campfires, had a Christmas BBQ and, every photography has also helped me through some diffi- E year, have had a volunteers Christmas party at the cult times. Volunteering has shown me new locations S Margrove Park HQ. I’ve also occasionally helped to see wildlife, places I wasn’t aware of before join- W other TVWT officers with educational groups and ing TVWT - I had never been to Bowesfield, Maze I been part of a coastal bird survey. park or Cattersty! Working on sites I already knew, L such as Coatham, helped me to know them better D I have generalised anxiety disorder and have suf- and to find new subjects to photograph. An unex- L fered from depression and chronic insomnia several pected bonus has been that I have learned a lot times - when I left work I was in a bad place, my about wildlife from my fellow volunteers. It has been anxiety was ruling my life and my insomnia was at a very educational experience and one of the main its worst. Volunteering for the TVWT has definitely rules of wildlife photography is ‘study your subject’. helped me with this; it provides so many benefits Learning like this, from others, has been one of the most rewarding parts of volunteering. I can’t recom- mend it enough! I Photos by kind permission: Pippa Maddison CRYPTIC CROSSWORD ANSWERS (no cheating now!) F E Across . 1. BLACKTHORN (Anag.), 5. HONEYSUCKLE (Honey + suckle), 9. LARCH (L-arch), 11. IVY (IV-Y or 4-why?), 12. O WALNUT (popular at Christmas), 13. NUTS (nuts!), 15. KNOT (sounds like not), 17. HAZEL (haze + L-ove), 19. PRUNUS R (prune-us), 20. COB (corn-on-the...), 22. BIRD CHERRY (Anag.), 23. MAY (Mayflower - a pilgrim ship from the 1600’s), G 27. POPLAR (not popular), 28. BEECH (sounds like beach), 29. WILLOW (willowy), 31. BOLE (another word for the trunk of a tree), 36. SCOTS PINE (Scots + Pine -to yearn for), 38. WILD SERVICE TREE (Wild + church SERVICE + TREE house), 39. GUELDER ROSE (Anag.), 41. ACERS (races anag.), 44. ALDER (ladder - anag.), 45. DECIDUOUS (trees whose leaves fall in Autumn), 46. SAP (also the name of a weapon, like a cosh), 47. ROWAN (row-and row), 48. PLUM (Anag.), 49. CRAB APPLE (crabby + Adam’s apple), 52. CHESTNUT (tent, such - anag.), 53. SALIX (SA + roman numerals), 54. BUDS (best buddy’s or buds) DOWN 2. LILAC (colour), 3. CORNUS (Cronus - anag.), 4. OSIER (rose + i - anag.), 5. HAWTHORN (Nigel Hawthorne), 6. CANOPY ( the topmost tree cover), 7. SEEDS (plant reproduction), 8. JUNIPER (unripe + just - anag.), 10. HORNBEAM (horn + beam), 14. TRUNK (elephants have them too), 16. WYCH ELM (witch + lemon - substitute + anag.), 18. LEAF (Anag.), 21. BLOSSOM (SS Bloomer - anag. minus Elizabeth Regina), 24. ROOTS (where you come from), 25. BERRIES (briers + easily), 26. SILVER BIRCHES (silver is assayed + birches - to hit), 30. WHITEBEAM (Anag.), 32. BARK (dog bark / tree bark), 33. ASH (has - anag.), 34. FIELD MAPLE (i fled + ample - anag.), 35. YEW (sounds like ‘you’), 36. SYCAMORES (SYC + Spanish for love), 37. ELM (male reversed after 1st letter of alphabet cut), 40. ELDER (respect your elders), 42. ROSA (sub rosa - ‘beneath the rose’ is to be confidential, the opposite leaves rosa, the latin for rose), 43. HOLLY (Holly Golightly - the main character in Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s), 44. ASPEN (Colorado ski resort), 50. BOX, 51. PIP (Philip Pirrip was called Pip in Great Expectations) July 2019.indd 19 19/07/2019 14:58:07

20 Ornithologist W and TVWT I volunteer, Neil L Allinson, tell us D about one of his favourite birds. T E E S M A G A Z I N DAIPBDPOIPYUPTER S Photos credit: Andy Rouse / 2020VISION E July 2019.indd 20 19/07/2019 14:58:08

21 As a boy, I first became interested in ornithology when a Robin nested in the old W Photos credit: Andy Rouse / 2020VISION dilapidated nest box on our garage wall, half hidden by an over-grown clematis. W My first bird book was ‘The Observer’s Book of British Birds’ and I’d look at W the pictures of birds that I’d never seen before, imagining what it would be like to see . them for real. T E The first time I saw a dipper it was even better than I’d imagined. It was from the bridge E over the river Ure looking upstream towards Aysgarth Falls and they were hopping around S on the rocks below me, doing what dippers do best, dipping (or bobbing). The jury is still out W on why dippers dip, but the reality is probably that they dip for different reasons in different I situations. Suggestions include: making them less conspicuous to predators, for courtship L or as a territorial display. Interestingly a number of other birds that are regularly seen by D running water display similar dipping movements. Common sandpipers bob and wagtails L wag their tails up and down. I F As the only passerines (perching birds of the order Passeriformes) dependent upon an E aquatic environment, dippers have a number of physical adaptations to their specialised . habits. They have more feathers than other passerines, making their plumage very dense O and helping to insulate them in cold water. They also have enlarged preen glands at the R base of their tail’s to keep their feathers’ heavily waterproofed - if you watch one emerge G from a stream you will see water droplets running easily off their plumage. Other important adaptations are in their eyes: they have an extra eye-lid or ‘nictitating membrane’, which may protect their eyes under water, and unusually strong eye muscles enabling them to focus better under water. In the 1980’s, I was lucky enough to work for the RSPB in Wales, studying how differences in the acidity of streams caused by acid rain and run-off from conifer plantations affects the abundance of dippers and their breeding success. One aspect of this was finding nests. Almost invariably, dippers nest over water and they even nest behind waterfalls or on moss covered boulders in mid-stream; under bridges is another favoured spot. On one occasion, watching from a hide, I saw a dipper ‘flying’ underwater in a crystal clear pool below a waterfall; it was feeding on aquatic invertebrates, picked from beneath the stones on the bottom. No wonder the dipper is my favourite bird! At most, there are only a handful of breeding pairs in the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust area, on the fast flowing streams of East Cleveland. Perhaps the best chance of seeing one locally is near the viaduct in Riftswood, upstream of Saltburn Valley Gardens. Last year I watched an adult feeding two recently fledged chicks there, on the side of the old mill race. I’m told that they have been spotted at the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust’s reserve at Brewsdale, but are also being looked for at Saltburn Gill, as an indication of improving water quality, since the filtration of the minewater has cleaned much of the ochre from the gill. Slightly further afield, look for them along the streams on the North York Moors or where I first saw them in the Yorkshire Dales. I wish you good luck if you go in search of the dipper, they really are worth the effort. July 2019.indd 21 19/07/2019 14:58:09

22Learning Outside W I L D T E E S Classrtoheom M A CG oming to the end of our second might not have previously considered. The inten- A year at York St. John University, tion of the event was to give children aspirations studying Primary Education, we had the with regard their education, which was particularly Z opportunity to take a weeks placement with Tees noticeable in Steve’s engaging workshop. Reflecting Valley Wildlife Trust, putting into practice our on our own experience, we rarely encountered such I well-rehearsed theories of ‘Learning Outside the opportunities. Teaching in this way adds such a lot of Classroom’ (LOtC). value to the experience that we are keen to transfer it to our own practice in the future. N We have been guided through a range of activities E to improve our own subject knowledge and to build Later in our placement we worked with Becky up a repertoire of activities we can use to engage Stanley, the Community Wildlife Officer and two pupils in LOtC in their local area. This began with local apprentices who were taking part in the One us accompanying the People and Wildlife Manager, Planet Pioneers project. We accompanied them on Steve Ashton, to deliver a workshop at a STEM a very steep 3 mile walk and involved identifying careers event in the local Inspire 2 Learn centre. This trees and shrubs, as well as tracking animals and event showed us the importance of giving learning a noticing the effects that they, as well as humans, context, particularly to secondary school children, so can have on the natural environment. Strategies to they can see how the skills and knowledge are rel- adapt the activities for pupils with special educational evant to everyday jobs in the Middlesbrough region. needs and a wide range of physical abilities were Beyond learning the content of the workshop, it also also covered, improving our own practice to ensure showed pupils some potential local careers they they are inclusive to all learners. We were then July 2019.indd 22 19/07/2019 14:58:13

Student 23given the opportunity to take part in the placements, Rebekah ‘Nest Box Network Project’, run by Kate Stoves, Bartram, where we dissected owl pel- W Rebecca lets to examine their feeding behaviours, Best and Tom nesting sites and the abundance of their W Bartram, preferred food across a variety of areas. tell us about We felt that this was particularly useful for W putting our own professional development, with theory into a growing understanding of how surveys . practice. are conducted and how this data can be “Teach- collated and made meaningful. This was a T good opportunity to experience an activ- ing outdoors ity that would help children appreciate the E adds purpose of scientific enquiry. so much “ In an already packed week, we next E value had the chance to work alongside Jacky S to the Watson, the Coastal and Wading Birds W experi- Officer, who demonstrated several effec- I ence! tive examples of LOtC at the Trust’s L Woodhill Meadows reserve, with particu- D July 2019.indd 23 lar focus on a sensory walk. These were all L ideas that we, as training practitioners, had I not come across before, but ones which F will be highly beneficial, particularly when E working with pupils in the outdoors; skills . such as the ability to observe, communi- O cate effectively, investigate and relax in the R natural environment. G These collective experiences have proven to be very instructive for our future practice and personal development, therefore giv- ing us all greater confidence in delivering educational sessions outside the class- room. We have all thoroughly enjoyed our time at Tees Valley Wildlife Trust and are keen to recommend it to others, as well as returning with our own schools once qualified. Thank you to all the friendly staff for passing on their experience of learning beyond the classroom! Do you work in the educational sector and want your pupils to reconnect with nature or develop their subject knowledge in a hands-on and experiential manner? Come and visit your local Wildlife Trust or get in touch via their website. 19/07/2019 14:58:17

24 W I L D T E E S M A G A Z I N PE H O T O SHOWCASE PYRAMIDAL ORCHID PHOTOGRAPHED AT COATHAM MARSH BY CHRIS ELLIS, 2019 July 2019.indd 24 19/07/2019 14:58:19