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Welcome to Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge- FOD+AG
Our aims are: To monitor, work with and influence the Downs Committee, Bristol City Council and all those involved in the management, maintenance and improvement of the Gorge and Downs. To protect and enhance the Downs and the Gorge for the benefit both of all its users and its wildlife. To consult with, and represent, the views and aspirations of all users. Activities: We run a full programme of talks, walks and events as well as volunteer programmes such as wildlife monitoring and deep litter clean-ups. We are developing projects, for example in association with UWE, a bridge over Bridge Valley Road. Our quarterly newsletter features reports on our activities, articles to inform, provoke and entertain as well as views from members. see the 'how to join' page form membership details. comments... 29th June 2020 Public Forum Statement Zoo Parking. The Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge wish to express disappointment that the long running debate about permission for Bristol Zoo to use the Ladies Mile site for parking seems no closer to being resolved and that a new deal to extend the practice still further is being considered. The Friends group have consistently acknowledged the contribution that the Zoo makes to the life of the city as a premier visitor destination and supported the Downs committee in the good governance of the Downs. However, that acknowledgement and support was predicated on the notion that eventually the practice of parking on Downs green spaces would discontinue. It was our understanding that Bristol Zoo Gardens had committed to ‘phasing out’ parking at this location. One of FODAG’S founding principles enshrined in our constitution is to; “Preserve, conserve and enhance the overall and several distinct environments within the Downs and Gorge for the benefit of all legitimate users.” As an organisation we find ourselves at odds with our own constitution if we continue to support any further extension to the car parking arrangement. The Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge request that any final decision be deferred to allow public debate in an open forum. Robert Westlake Chair. 4 June 2020 HOW CLEAN ARE OUR PLAYGROUND’S? The Downs Children’s playground near Suspension Bridge Road, along with all other City parks remains closed to our kids. This is on Government advice to help combat the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. But is this really justified, could this ban be lifted particularly as our youngsters seem more resilient to the virus. Is there a case to permit this group to once again enjoy active play? If a new study by HomeAdvisor.com is to be accepted then our playgrounds should remain closed. Our play equipment is far grubbier than we might think. The study found that high-traffic areas on playgrounds like rock-walls, baby swings and seesaws each have 9 million colony-forming units (CFUs) per square inch. That’s 52,000 times more bacteria than your toilet seat at home! Another major problem area is the slide {or slider if you speak proper Bristle} at a playground. That has an average of 6 million CFU/sq. in. at both the top and the bottom. ‘Kids racing down the slide at an outdoor playground may actually encounter around 60,000 times more bacteria than they would at the top of the slide at the local fast food joint or other indoor play area,’ the study notes. Why the disparity between locations? Because indoor playground are cleaned and disinfected regularly. That’s not the case with public parks. As for the methodology used in this study, researchers tested 11 different pieces of playground equipment at three different playgrounds, including an indoor playground, using sterile swabs provided by a laboratory. Common household items like toothbrush holders, bathroom faucets, dog-food bowls, toilets and more were also given a bacterial headcount to establish comparison values. Tips to protect kids from germs and bacteria on the playground. It’s impossible to create an antiseptic world for kids. If we try to, our kids will likely be very susceptible to who knows what later in life because they haven’t built up any resistance. The reality is kids get dirty and that’s as it should be. Every autumn, when the kids go back to school, they get sick and it works its way through their system. That’s actually a good thing. But if you’re concerned about excess bacteria on playground equipment, heed the following advice: Use hand-sanitizing products from dispensers on playground sites. When you get home, have your kids wash their hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after playing. This is especially important before meals. Have your kids play on equipment that sits in the sun. Ultraviolet light kills bacteria. Shaded equipment is more likely to have higher bacterial counts. RW Source material HomeAdvisor.com 1 June 2020 Litter The Downs have never been busier. Thousands have been enjoying the fine weather and wide open spaces to escape from Covid-19 lock down. This image shows the aftermath of the accumulated litter for just one day, all the Downs bins were like this on the last day of May and this despite daily emptying. Wherever possible if a bin is full please take your litter home with you. Depositing rubbish around a bin is an offence. 1 June 2020 Parents call for new playground for The Downs ‘preferably near the Water Tower'. 'There is no play equipment within reasonable walking distance for most families living in Clifton Down'. Parents living around Clifton and Durdham Downs have called for the authorities that run the famous open space to give over some land for a children’s playground. A campaign and petition has been set up to gather support for the idea, after the Downs Committee said they would consider it - but only if there was a groundswell of parents who said there was the demand for it. There is a children’s playground on the Downs - but right down on the southern end of the green space, near the Observatory and the Clifton Suspension Bridge. That playground is more than a mile as the crow flies to the start of the Downs at the top of Blackboy Hill and Whiteladies Road. Local councillor Carla Denyer said that was too far to expect young children to walk, and asked parents living in the areas surrounding the Downs, like Clifton, Redland, Westbury Park, Sneyd Park and Stoke Bishop, to sign the petition to show a playground on The Downs is needed and would be used. There is no play equipment within reasonable walking distance for most families living in Clifton Down ward, the area around Whiteladies Road,” she said. “There is an excellent set of play equipment at the other end of the Downs, near the Suspension Bridge. However, this is a mile and a half from the top of Whiteladies Road, which is too far for most young children to walk,” she added. The Downs are managed by the Downs Committee, a group made up of a mixture of councillors and members of the Merchant Venturers, who are jointly responsible for maintaining and improving the Downs for the enjoyment of all the residents of Bristol. Cllr Denyer (Green, Clifton Down) said that parents wrote to her to ask for a new playground, and she wrote to the Downs Committee to suggest it, and to ask for the Downs Committee to agree to 'yield the land' - set aside some of the land there for a project to build one. They have said that they would consider it, but first they need to see that there is sufficient demand,” Cllr Denyer said. The proposal is for a new children’s playground to be set up on the Downs, ‘preferably near the Water Tower and cafe on Stoke Road’. She said that the petition was started during the coronavirus lockdown, at a time when play equipment has been cordoned off by the council to reduce the risk of infection. She said that the idea is for a new playground to be installed and used when it is safe to do so. Hundreds of parents have signed the petition in less than a week since it was set up by Cllr Denyer. "I am really pleased that the petition has already got nearly 300 signatures and is still growing. I hope this will help show the Downs Committee that there is significant local demand," she said. "Outdoor play is so valuable for children’s development and wellbeing, and it’s important to have it near where children live so they can reach it safely and easily," she added. 26 May 2020 Downs Wishing Tree. The Downs has recently acquired its own wishing tree which is essentially an individual tree which has been chosen specifically, and is used for offerings and wishes. These trees are identified as having a special traditional, spiritual, or cultural significance. Generally, people will come to these trees and make offerings (in the form or notes, flower, coins, and more) to have a wish granted, or a prayer heard. Local and Green News : Below is an excerpt from the latest newsletter from Clifton Climate Action Campaign. To find out more about their campaigns and future plans then please refer to their website here https://www.cliftonclimateaction.org/ 20 April 2020 Can the Corona Virus Change Our Society? A big question about the coronavirus pandemic is how much change it will leave in its wake. Are we in the midst of a massive, potentially revolutionary transformation of society? Or are we experiencing an intense but relatively short shock that will change our society in the short term but leave it fundamentally intact? Over the years historians have identified four critical categories of events that have had the potential to reshape society - lethal pandemics, major wars, state failures, and revolutions — Each of these events, in their own way can level the playing field and pave the way for a new order.— but how far-reaching the transformation is depends on what happens in the coming months and how quickly we are able to bounce back. We may get an effective vaccine in the near future, we may avoid a world-wide depression like the 2008 financial crash, where normal life is disrupted, there’s a lot of suffering, but in the end, we gradually return to normal. Inequality in our society and the general electoral preferences of the majority may get tweaked a little, but nothing really changes in any significant way. The doomsday scenario is that this turns into something much more serious, where we have a hard time getting a handle on dealing with the virus or how we cope with economic repercussions on a global scale. If it turns into something more like the Great Depression, then really all bets are off and the potential for radical sweeping change becomes, much higher. Should we experience persistent high unemployment and an unsustainable debt, lots of businesses failing and destabilization of the financial sector then we may well see significant levels of state intervention and regulation in the private sector, much more protection for workers who are unemployed or for people who will need help regaining their footing. The health care sector would likely be transformed as it falls under tremendous financial and political pressure. When we do finally come through this pandemic the government will need to face the other real challenges of the future. What are we going to do about the challenge of artificial intelligence and automation to our jobs, how are we going to deal with the huge problem of our ageing population and social care and what are we actually going to do about saving our planet from climate catastrophe? Some aspects of the way our government works will need to change fundamentally. But there may be one silver lining, and that will be to shift the focus of politics away from populism and towards greater competence. Perhaps the Indian author and political activist Suzanna Arundhati Roy sums it up best. "Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.". This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next." RW Statement from Bristol City Council 6pm 23rd March 2020 "If you are taking exercisein one of our parks please be sensible and take notice of the government’s advice around social distancing – make sure you are two meters or more away from other people at all times. We all have a duty to protect the vulnerable. If as a city we do not do this, then the government is likely to put tougher restrictions in place – and we do not want this happen, as parks and green spaces are so important to people’s mental health.” We are closing some facilities. These new measures include temporary closure of: Leisure centres St Nicholas Markets Blaise Nursery retail outlet Bristol City Council run park cafes and kiosks at Ashton Court, Blaise Estate, Oldbury Court Estate, Canford Park, St George Park and Hengrove Play Park Toilets on all sites Hengrove Play Park play equipment Cabot Tower All parks car parks – Ashton Court Estate, Blaise Estate, Oldbury Court Estate, Snuff Mills, Eastville Park, Redcatch Park and Netham Park St Andrews Park paddling pool Netham pavilion Ashton Court miniature railway Bowling greens as well as removal of goalposts and ‘last man standing’ cricket The golf hub at Ashton Court We are seeking residents’ cooperation to stay away from other facilities. Facilities residents should not use include: Children’s play areas in parks Wheels parks and multi-use games areas Park shelters Sport facilities for formal or informal sports To protect members of the public from undue risk, anyone who has tested positively for coronavirus or who is self-isolating should stay at home. The Bristol City Council website now has a hub page with all the latest up to date information. A reminder all group volunteering activities in Bristol’s parks are cancelled until further notice, in view of the latest advice individual volunteering in parks (litter picks etc) is also discouraged (stay at home as much as possible). Anyone who has spare time and wishes to help the community should register on the CanDoBristol website to be added to the list of volunteers the city will be able to call on in the coming weeks and months. Be safe. Important Information Following Government advice Bristol City Council Parks Department has banned all volunteer activities in our Parks. This is with immediate effect. The implication of that decision for the Downs is that until further notice FODAG will no longer be organising or participating in any walks, talks, conservation projects litter clearing events or planting schemes. Check website for regular updates. If you require further information or seek clarification please contact FODAG chair Robert Westlake, in the sub-menu of the home page you can fill in the contact form. FODAG Facebook page We are looking for a volunteer to keep our Facebook page up to date. The current editor is resigning but is happy to talk through requirements with anyone able to take it on. It is not too onerous a job and it is a useful tool to attract members and keep people informed with what is happening on the Downs. Please contact Joan, the Membership Secretary using the form on the 'How to Join' page. December blog: I feel family – it’s that time of year. Many feet of all sorts and sizes are walking across me. Most often on the paths, which is generally good for my well-being. I sense new balls, new bikes and laughter. Some slow walking, some fast and yes, running. I feel good to be used. I’m generally in good shape, thanks to the Downs team but I have one or two running sores because it has been so so wet this month. I can feel them; you can see them. I know they’ll heal given some dry time and given the Spring. Most of me is fine. R.H. November 2019 When is Winter? by Robert Westlake If you have ventured out across the Downs in recent weeks you could be forgiven for thinking that winter is already upon us. In fact, technically in late November we are still in the final throes of autumn and even this can be a little confusing because if you live in the UK we do in fact have two dates when winter officially starts and it all depends on whether you are using a metrological or astronomical definition. The metrological definition is the simplest to use as it splits the seasons into four distinct three-month segments and is based on the Gregorian calendar. Every year winter begins on the first of December and ends at the end of February with spring officially starting on March the first. With the astronomical system things are less clear because the first date of winter falls on the date of the winter solstice which can vary from year to year. This year for instance the winter solstice falls on the 22ndDecember but it can occur between the 20thand the 23rdbut most frequently happens on the 21stand runs until March 20ththe date of the spring or vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere. The winter solstice marks the shortest period of daytime light and the longest night when the north pole is at its maximum tilt from the sun. Whatever the confusion around the dates there can be little doubt that it feels like winter is here. Long gone the heady days of summer and the vibrancy of autumn to be replaced with seemingly unending dank, dark and gloomy days with only around eight hours of daylight. The changing of the seasons certainly makes for timeless variety and there is always something to look forward to on the Downs. The ever-changing landscape, kicking through the leaves in autumn, the promise of spring, or warm summer evenings; there is always something to delight. Even in the depths of winter there are still things to enjoy on the Downs, even at night and the dark night skies across the Downs provide a unique opportunity to study the wonders of our universe. Did you know that the Downs is a designated dark skies location and in December we will again be supporting an event to study the night sky? Weather permitting you can join us and learn more about the night skies at our Christmas Star Party. Astronomy experts from the Bristol Astronomical Society and the Explorer Dome will be on hand with an array of telescopic equipment to explain more about our solar system. {Full details of this event can be found on our events page} Friends of the Downs Volunteers needed for The Star Party organised by the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project on Tuesday 3rd / Wednesday 4th / Thursday 5th December* | 7.00pm – 9.00pm *You need to be free for all three evenings. If the weather is unsuitable on the 3rd then we will try and run the star party on the 4th and if it’s cloudy or rainy on the 4th then we will try to run it on the 5th. We need STEWARDS from 6pm for the Star Party, please. Volunteer to Robin using the forms below. Friends of the Downs stewards help with coffee/biscuits. Remember to dress warm. Please make clear which days you are available. Stewards usually get a chance to look through a telescope or two! Mid-Autumn in FOD+AGLand by Martin Collins- As October brings its autumnal transformations to the Downs and Gorge what is there to catch the eye, quicken the pulse or warm the heart? As always, but worthy of repeating, eyes wide for the glory of autumnal colours just beginning to put in an appearance – yellows, golds, bronzes and reds are starting now to infiltrate the greens of summer gradually setting alight the landscape before the skeletons of trees reveal themselves for another winter. Early in the month, in fact from now, for bronzes I would recommend Saville Road with its avenue of grand horse chestnuts, but be quick, this year, before blustery winds strip their leaves, and in the longer term because of the threat to this species of a mixture of leaf miner, fungal infection and bacterial attack, which like Dutch Elm Disease during the mid 20th century, might decimate the nation’s populations of another iconic feature of the UK countryside. It might be of interest to know that recent replacements in this avenue have used the Indian horse chestnut which appears to have some natural resistance to this blight. The added bonus of a stroll through the current avenue, particularly to those with children, is the glut of beautiful conkers studding the grass verges. Now too, yellows and golds are prominent contrasting spectacularly with a spectrum of green memories of summer as well as the richer, darker evergreens. For these try the Promenade. Here the bonus is slightly longer term where return visits up to and into early November will be rewarded by the gradual transition from copper and green through to rich browns, golds and reds making the journey through both space and time quite magical. Elsewhere the more long-lasting islands of berried holly and hawthorn and the hipped wild roses with their cloaks of old man’s beard are a constant reminder of the time of the year. And what is FOD+AG up to against this background. Well, in addition to the ongoing scrub clearance working parties around the ramparts of Observatory Hill and the Monthly Deep Litter clearance sessions this year we have a new venture. With the generous help and sponsorship of Axa, a rolling display of photographs of Downs and Gorge can be watched through the window of the AXA building at the top of Blackboy Hill. This might reinforce our oft-repeated plea to residents of, and visitors to, Bristol of go to see what a gift to body, mind and spirit we possess on our doorstep. COME & JOIN US Volunteering Opportunities on the Downs Could you Help Support the Downs. The Friends of the Downs & Avon Gorge is a friendly volunteer organisation dedicated to the preservation of this precious open space. You could help us to help the Downs. There are many interesting opportunities for volunteers to contribute, even a few hours will make a difference. We cover a range of activities, helping with the goats, monitoring butterflies, litter picking, walks and talks, conservation projects, maintaining structures and much more. We are also looking for specialist skills in marketing, computer skills, committee work and managing our social platforms. You don’t have to be a member to volunteer, but we always welcome new members. It is just £10 to join. Students join for free. If you want to know more about us, you can contact us via the How to Join heading. September 2019 Deep Litter Picking with the days getting cooler and the leaves turning to glorious colour this signals the return of Deep Litter Picking on the Downs. A chance to get involved and make a difference. This month the planned area of attack is St.Monica's to the Seven Sisters Pines, including the Granny Downs. The weather may be wet, especially underfoot and suitable clothing and footwear are recommended. It's a 10am start on Saturday 28th September and all new wobbles are asked to arrive 15 minutes early to go through Health and Safety and form filling. If you are interested please sign up with Martin using the forms at the bottom of the Events page. September 2019 Help Spread the Word Friends Of The Downs and Avon Gorge have published a new leaflet in order to promote and increase our membership. We are looking for some help in delivering these to households that are close to the Downs and might attract new people to join us. The next area that we will be focusing on is Redland and Clifton. If you have some spare time and would like to help us deliver to about 8 or 10 streets then we would love to hear from you. Please write to Derek using the form on the 'contact us' page in the sub-menu of the HOME page and he will deliver to you the leaflets and list of streets. Many Thanks. August 2019 Lyme disease and Ticks by Robert Westlake This summer there has been heightened awareness about Lyme disease with the number of people diagnosed across the UK increasing at a rapid rate, suggesting the infection could in fact be three times more common than the current estimate… As of last month, 4,083 cases had been detected. The early symptoms of Lyme are a distinctive circular rash which may appear from 3 to 30 days after being bitten by an infected tick. The rash is often described as looking like the bull’s eye on a dartboard, with the infected area reddened with slightly raised edges. The size of the rash can vary enormously, typically 6 inches but can be much bigger or smaller and you may develop more on other parts of the body. One in three people may not develop a rash at all. Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms are similar to many other conditions. In the early stages flu like symptoms are commonly reported, tiredness, muscle and joint pain, headaches, fever, chills and neck ache. More serious symptoms can develop weeks, months or even years later. Advanced symptoms typically are, painful and swollen joints, severe headaches, problems affecting the nervous system, the heart and the membranes surrounding the brain. If you know, or even suspect you have been bitten by an infected tick it is important to see your GP at the earliest opportunity. Make sure you mention that you have spent time on open grassland or woodland and you think you may have been bitten. Your doctor will arrange blood tests to confirm a diagnosis for Lyme disease. Antibiotics may be prescribed ahead of the blood test results. How you get Lyme disease If a tick bites an infected animal carrying the bacteria {Borrelia burgdorferi} the tick can then become infected and then transfer the bacteria to humans by biting them. Not all ticks are infected. Small mammals, mice voles and birds can carry the tick but larger mammals are also susceptible. Ticks do not jump or fly but climb on to you when you brush up against something they are on and then bite into your skin to feed on your blood. How to protect against Lyme disease There is currently no vaccine to prevent Lyme disease. The best way to prevent the condition is to be aware of the risk and to take sensible precautions.
July 2019 Volunteering on the Downs by Terry Hannan Volunteering on the Downs is mostly a positive experience, it is both rewarding for oneself, the environment and the Community at large. I say mostly because this has manifested itself to me in sharp contrast over the last few months. Firstly, I was closely involved in the renovation of the wooden Cabman Shelter situated close to the White Tree roundabout. This had fallen into disrepair and was in need of a bit of TLC. So, with a commitment by FODAG to fund the repairs, this long overdue work was able to be completed by a team of Friends of the Downs volunteers. Secondly, on a less positive note early one bright Saturday morning during one of my regular monitoring visits to inspect the Goats (something I have been doing for many years). I was faced with a situation which although we had theoretically planned for, I had never come across before. I found one of the goats not behaving as usual, it was led down and allowed me to approach it without moving away. Luckily, we had in place the facility to summon the help of a Bristol Zoo Vet, who was able to decide what action needed to be taken. This means that we are now down to two of these amazing creatures, who over the last five years have done a suburb job in helping conserve the landscape of this unique habitat. We can only hope that the powers that be will decide to restore the herd to its former levels, to enable these majestic animals to continue their important and necessary work. June 2019 Luke Hudson- Summer Storms: The strong winds in the middle of the month had a big impact, particularly as the trees are in full leaf, acting like sails to exaggerate the impact of sudden gusts. One of the biggest trees in the Granny Downs Lime avenue lost a huge limb. When it fell, it was so large that it took out part of a cherry tree and a birch in the neighbouring copse. The bought is now lying on the ground, and on its own would make a substantial trunk. The Downs Rangers have cut away the side branches but it is not yet clear what they will do with the remainder. It is probably too large to leave as is, but most likely they will leave some as a nature habitat. Fortunately mature trees are generally able to survive this as witnessed by several of the Horse Chestnuts on the Downs. Litter clearance: Meanwhile good news is that Snow and Rock at the top of Blackboy Hill, are now organising monthly litter clearances on summer Sundays. It is great to see local businesses engaging with the Downs under their own initiative. If you wish to get involved the next one is on the August. For more information go to ellis-brigham.com/rubbishwalks. Bristol wins share of multi-million pound parks fund. Bristol has been awarded almost £1 million to help transform the future of the city’s parks and green spaces. See the full story in the 'associated information' sub-section of the home page. Tim Clarke, May 2019 As you wander over the Downs enjoying the many trees in glorious spring blossom (the horse chestnut trees with their pink or white ‘candles’ are particularly stunning) you may also have noticed areas that have been cleared of scrub as part of the Downs’ Scrub Management Plan. Whilst a certain amount of scrub is very beneficial for wildlife providing feeding and breeding habitat for birds, insects and other invertebrates if unchecked it can quickly dominate other plants, wildflowers, etc and encroach on open space. One of the late Richard Bland’s many legacies for FOD+AG has been passing on his enthusiasm for monitoring and recording the wildlife of the Downs and Gorge to others. Richard understood that these cleared areas provide an opportunity to record the emerging plants that had long been suppressed by the scrub, and he initiated a programme of botanical surveys. The programme is being managed by Martin Collins. The programme started this month and I have been accompanying my wife, Heather (a keen amateur botanist), on a survey of one such site on Clifton Down, cleared last year. It has been amazing to see the variety of spring flowers and plants coming through on this roughly circular patch approximately 25 metres in diameter. Heather identified 28 different species of plants, and it was especially pleasing to see flowering varieties such as native bluebells, field pansy and common sorrel appearing, amongst the returning bramble, thistles and regenerating tree species such as ash and elm etc. We’ll be back there again very soon to check on their development and to see how many additional species have come through. Our records will be passed on to Martin for inclusion in data for all the cleared areas being monitored on the Downs. New tree trail launched An under-explored corner of the Downs will be looking its best this month as a host of native and exotic trees will be blossoming on an area of Durdham Down near White Tree roundabout. Known locally as ‘the Granny Downs’, it is said to have been where the residents of a nearby old people’s home were brought out on sunny days to sit and enjoy the trees.The trail takes visitors on a gentle 1.1km (0.7 mile) route to discover 17 trees, including familiar natives such as the English oak and ash, to the more exotic tulip tree, silver maple and red chestnut, with the laburnums, horse chestnuts, hawthorns and cherry trees, now in flower. The trail was launched by the Lord Mayor of Bristol recently (April). Robert Westlake, chair of the Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge said: “The Granny Downs Tree Trail has been very much a labour of love for all concerned. Sadly, one of those who laboured long and hard to bring this project to fruition is no longer with us. Richard was our vice chairman and founder member of the Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge - he was instrumental in the development of this tree trail. His love of the Downs and its wildlife is enduring. I’m so very pleased that we have been able to collaborate with the Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project to complete the trail in Richard’s memory, thereby sharing Richard’s passion for trees with visitors to the Downs.” The trail was completed with funding from the OVO Foundation and Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge, and is the fifth in a series of nature trails for the Downs. A pdf copy of the Granny Downs Tree Trail can be found under 'associated information' in the 'home' section of the menu and can be picked up from Café Retreat on the Downs. You can also request a postal copy by emailing mleivers@bristolzoo.org.ukor call the Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project at Bristol Zoo Gardens on 0117 903 0609. April 2019 A Downs Blog- Martin Collins April 2nd, and in just 2 days there have been wild fluctuations of temperature, bright sunshine and torrential rain, scudding flotillas of cloud and skies blue from horizon to horizon, breathless stillness and buffeting westerly winds. Through all of this the downs and Gorge are, of course, a picture and well worth a visit whilst the magic transformation that is spring is in full swing. March went out on a sad note for FOD+AG with the death of another of the Gully’s feral goats, although this time the result of natural causes or old age! So now there are 3. If you haven’t yet met them, they are a handsome sight and represent an unusual attraction for anyone interested in wildlife and in the ways in which it is possible to work with nature to our mutual benefit. Please note, however, that these animals are not domesticated and that if you are accompanied by a dog on a walk through their enclosure the dog should be on a lead and under close control. April 1st is the first day of the official butterfly monitoring scheme nationwide. This year (FOD+AG’s 10th consecutive year of data collection for UKBMS) the beautiful weather, and the prospect of significantly cooler, cloudier and wetter conditions for the remainder of the week, allowed me to enjoy a spectacular parade of these delightful harbingers of spring. In contrast with April 1st 2018 when no butterflies were recorded, you can already see all 5 of our native species which overwinter as adults – red admiral, comma, small tortoiseshell, peacock and brimstone - in residence, together with speckled wood, large white and orange tip On my transect walk through and around the Gully, brimstones took pride of place numerically with both males (an intense sulphurous yellow) and females (a much more demure creamy yellow) flickering across the, still wintry, landscape. March 2019 A Downs Blog- Robin Haward At the end of February this year’s dead hedging was finished. Phew, major work but fun and useful. As we worked on the last session it was slightly warmer than August with clear blue sky....this made a change as we have done dead hedging in a blizzard. Lovely hearing a song thrush singing as we worked – and great to meet people who stopped and asked what we were doing – and when we explained there was total support and understanding of the effort to gently nudge the runners out of the wild flower meadow. At the other end of the Downs the granny downs are looking wonderful. It’s a great place to explore and marvel at the superb trees – especially the massive large leaved lime at the side of the path.... Richard Bland thought this might have been 200 years old. Of course because of the clay digging in the past the area gets pretty damp underfoot quickly .... so when you are admiring the coming buds on the trees take care. [Note: there is a public guided walk of the Granny Downs tree trail (completed in memory of Richard Bland) on Saturday May 4th a.m. or p.m. Book through Mandy Leivers of the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project – it’s only a fiver. mleivers@bristolzoo.org.uk December 2018 A Downs Blog - Robert Westlake You would think that as the year comes to its inevitable close that activities on the Downs would be conducted at a more leisurely pace, but not so, the winter months can be just as busy for the Downs operational team and for our own band of steadfast volunteers. FOD+AG members carry out regular winter litter patrols, conservation projects, goat monitoring, infrastructure maintenance as well as regular walks and significant events like the December Star Party. The Downs is one of the few public open spaces that for now at least retains its own operational team and during the winter months staff brave the often-inhospitable weather conditions that regularly prevail across the Downs. Even biting winds and slanting rain fails to dampen their enthusiasm as they go about their daily tasks. Winter is when many of the important conservation tasks and tree maintenance works take place. Litter clearance, goat welfare checks and scrub clearance ensure the team is kept busy all winter. Winter is of course football season, and work to facilitate both the Downs League and the University League occurs twice a week. It requires no small effort to mark twenty-four plus pitches and transport and assemble around the Downs ninety-six uprights and forty-eight crossbars. Tying off forty-eight football nets on a cold and frosty morning can be an onerous task. Even a relatively simple task like cleaning the dressing rooms is a significant operation. Imagine what the aftermath of nearly six hundred muddy players, substitutes and referees all plastered in mud is like. The Parks Department who have operational responsibility for the day to day activities on the Downs are to undergo yet another restructuring exercise. Managers face an uphill task as they try to balance providing an acceptable parks service with continuing budget challenges. The end to austerity has not yet reached Bristol parks. FOD+AG are members of the Bristol Parks Forum and supports a new initiative to consider new ways of managing all our parks. Aided by external funding a Foundation is to be set up in a joint effort with Bath parks. The Foundation will have the advantage of applying for funding sources not currently available to the City Council and will play a key role in taking parks provision forwards. The initiative is heavily accented on volunteer involvement and BCC are looking to recruit a Volunteer Coordinator and to appoint charge-hands from within the current staff compliment to work with volunteers across the City. November 2018 A Downs Blog – Luke Hudson Oreo, my Greyhound Saluki cross, has sadly managed to catch TB. As a result of which he is not being let free to run across the main Downs, and is confined to short walks around the Granny Downs, the triangle of land to the east of Westbury Road and south of the White Tree Roundabout. I wonder if there is anybody out there who could comment on the origin of this peculiar name? Autumn is not just the season of mellow fruitfulness but also of decay, the vast majority of it caused by fungi. While I captured the beautiful little mushroom above on the Granny Downs, I also found big bracket mushrooms on the foot of a nearby beech tree. This is a worrying sign as last year we lost one of the largest beech trees and that was also afflicted by fungal attack. Hopefully in this case correlation is not causation. Also on Oreo and my travels we wondered briefly off the Downs on to Elm Tree Lane, which runs down behind the old maternity hospital near Blackboy Hill. I was very pleased to notice that, when so much local history has been erased, there are still three Smooth Leaved Elms on the eponymous road. I’m a little too young to remember the glories of the English Elm pre Dutch Elm Disease, but this unusually resistant subtype gives a taste of what they must have looked like. From their size I suspect they were planted to replace those lost in the 1970s. If anybody knows anything about their history, or has photos of elms around Bristol, I would love to hear from them at fodagcontent@gmail.com. The Downs Committee This is a group that manages The Downs and makes decisions about the area and events held there. Members are Merchant Venturers, councillors and council officers. You can look at agendas, minutes and reports from Downs Committee meetings here Richard Bland At the end of last month, we heard the very sad news that FOD+AG founder member and vice-chair Richard Bland had passed away. Richard had been poorly for some time but finally succumbed to bowel cancer on the 30thOctober. In response to the City Councils aspiration to achieve Green Flag status for the Downs Richard along with a small group of equally passionate individuals formed the Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge. Needless to say, with considerable input from the group the award was achieved at the first attempt. Richards considerable contribution to the Downs over the past eleven years cannot be overstated. Richard conducted literally hundreds of fascinating walks and talks, had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of the Downs and Gorge and knew more about the Downs trees and plants then anyone. Richard served as a committee member from the beginning and worked tirelessly to ensure the Downs remained as a premier destination. We have lost a true gentleman from our organisation but can take comfort that when we walk across the Downs his legacy will be all around us. FOD+AG committee. 28 October not long now to the AGM 7.00pm Wednesday 21st November ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. Redland Green Bowling Club the agenda is in 'additional information' in the drop down menu from the 'home' button. Guest speakers. Susan Sanctuary: Parks Foundation and Paul Wood: New Hotwell in the Avon Gorge {1730} History & Survival. We hope to see you there. 12 September the FOD+AG Summer Social is being held on 26th September at the Cafe Retreat, Starts at 5.30pm with a short walk led by Francis Greenacre: ‘A Social History of the Downs in a short, easy walk towards the SW taking in parish boundary markers and a turnpike milestone, forgotten quarries, Roman Road remains, agricultural fairs, horse-racing, Bristol's first flight All England Cricket, golf, sheep, World War 2 together with loos, concerts, bicycles and even converted horse-boxes and their uncertain future.’ The walk will run until about 6.15pm The social will also start at 5.30pm and will be in full swing by the return of the walkers. Delicious Food from Gayle and her team at the Downs Cafe and a licensed bar. A good chance to meet other members - especially new ones - and discuss the Downs. We will ask for voluntary contributions! 18 August A recent Downs Committee planning application to demolish the old toilet block at Circular Road and replace with a more modern facility and a small cafe has been withdrawn. The reason given is that the planners have asked for some amendments to the original plan. The intention is to resubmit a fresh application in the near future. 25 July A week on the Downs Dutch Elm Disease This summer is hotter and drier than the summer of 1976, which saw the peak of the Dutch Elm Disease killing the great Wych Elms that had been planted in 1880 on many of the Downs avenues. It is no surprise that this summer more and more of the young elm trees suckers, mostly some 20 years old, are turning brown and losing their leaves. There is certainly much more of it about than in any other year this century. The disease is a fungus which is carried by a beetle that lays its eggs under the bark of the Elms. The fungus destroys thin layer of tubes between the bark and the timber laid down the previous year. The impact so far is moderate. 17 July A week on the Downs Two special plants this week. Ragwort is in full flower, often towering over the grasses, a brilliant yellow which can be spotted a long way off. But it is poisonous to cows and horses, and the hay from the Downs can’t be sold unless the ranger can guarantee that it is Ragwort free. It grows readily on waste site, and must be removed from anywhere around the Downs to ensure that it does not spread. The small white flower that has sprung up all over the Downs since the last mow, which looks a bit like Cow Parsley is Burnet Saxifrage- a silly name as it is related to neither. It is one of three late flowering umbellifers, Carrot which is rare on the Downs and Upright Hedge Parsley, which has a prickly stem, whereas the Burnet Saxifrage is smooth, and has seeds with burrs on them like Cleavers. 9 July A week on the Downs National Meadows Day. The Downs has one of the finest wildflower meadows in the land, and to celebrate this ten members set off at 10.00 on Saturday 7 July determined to find 80 native species in sixty minutes. We had tick-lists of what we hoped to find, though at the start we felt that the dried-up nature of the meadows would make our task impossible. We discovered almost at once that the tick list was out of date- having been created two weeks before, and we soon had over ten new species. We found most of the specialities- Yellow-wort, Centaury, Bee orchid, Thyme, and were surprised by Welted Thistle and Agrimony. The former scrub sites were very productive, and totting up when the hour came round I had 71 species, but Jon, who knows his grasses, had 90. In a normal year we could probably have found twenty more. “Proposed Café at Sea Walls: FOD+AG position The Friends of the Downs support the principle of seeking income sources that will ensure that the Downs remain well-maintained in future. They support the replacement of the toilet block at Sea Walls, (which is a converted remnant of the American Army’s mess hall), by a café with toilets and a small display area. The proposal is supported by time-limited grant fund, and has a very tight budget. It will enhance the facilities available to the public without damaging the splendour of the site and will provide a small display area to assist the work of the Avon Gorge and Downs Trust which FODAG will be able to use. Mandy Leivers has been closely involved with the development of this project, and is happy with it. We are all clear that it would have been better if the opportunity had been used to create a Downs Visitor Centre at the site, but funding is very limited. We have made a public comment on the application which reads “I am writing on behalf of the Committee of the The Friends of the Downs and Gorge. We welcome this application as it will improve the facilities at this iconic site and help to ensure the financial future of the management of the Downs. We are concerned that thought be given to the about the following areas. 1 The capacity of the drainage system. 2 The relationship between the café and the ice-cream concession. 3 The security of the site especially after dark. 4 The preservation of the site as an official Dark Sky site. 5.The visual impact of the Solar panels.” 15 June A Week on the Downs- Lime trees in bloom The lime trees have just come into bloom, and their scent will waft across the Downs for the next two weeks. Bees can become intoxicated with their nectar. There are at least four different species. First the old Common Limes, with large down hanging flowers, and lots of shoots around the bottom of the trunk, and big smooth leaves. Then the Small-leaved Limes, whose light green flowers are held upwards, and change the colour of the whole tree, with small smooth leaves. There are also some large-leaved Limes, with down-hung flowers and big furry leaves that are often dished, and finally a few Silver-Leaf Limes with big leaves that are white underneath. They have tended to grow faster than the other species and form a more-shapely tree. 1 June A week on the Downs- More on trees. I made a mistake- the Bristol Tree of the Year 2018 competition is open to organisations. So please help the Friends of the Downs choose a tree to nominate. The deadline is 1st September 2018. Please send any proposals to Richard, using the contact form on the events page, with a photo, and a reason for the nomination. The Tree Forum will create a short list and then there will be a chance to vote between 15th October and 15th November, The winner being announced during National Tree week, 24th Nov – 2nd Dec. The Downs has hundreds of magnificent trees to choose from 24 May A Week on the Downs- Tree of the Year Competition A Bristol Tree of the year competition has just been launched by the Tree Forum. Anyone, group or individual, can send in their nomination with a photo of the tree and a short note on why the tree deserves to be nominated as Bristol Tree of the year. Deadline Sept 1. A short list will be drawn up, and the winner will be announced during National Tree week Nov 24- Dec 2. There is an application form on the Tree Forum website (bristoltreeforum.org). There are at least 81 species of tree on the Downs, many are veterans, and many magnificent. Choose your favourite tree and send a form in. 11 May A week on the Downs- The end of the Monkey Puzzle. The Monkey Puzzle tree on the Zoo banks has just been felled. I have known it all my adult life, and it has never seemed to change, though it was obviously dying since last summer. They are magnificent trees from Chile. They were introduced to Britain in 1795 by our ambassador who slipped a few of the nuts he was eating for dessert into his pocket. They were around when the Dinosaurs were. This tree had a girth of just two metres, which a common English tree would achieve in less than eighty years. But I was able to count the annual growth rings and it was close to 150 years old. In the last fifty years the circumference was increasing by only 6 millimetres a year, compared with the 25 mm a year of an Oak tree. A week on the Downs May 3 White Tree We got some publicity from repainting the Small-leaved Lime at the Whitetree roundabout. Radio Bristol carried it, and we sent pictures round the social media site. One or two cars honked in appreciation, I assume. Someone asked why the originator didn’t just put up a signpost, which is a good question but one that can’t be answered 250 years after the event, and one thing is certain- the tree is still painted and the sign post would have long gone. It is fun to do something just because it has been done hundreds of times before by our forebears, and it is a vivid illustration of two important ideas. One is that History Rules, OK? as a previous generation would have expressed it. The other is that human beings are creatures of habit, and this is constantly expressed in the rituals that govern our lives. A week on the Downs Funderland have left. They cleared out with great efficiency, but must have had a pretty miserable three weeks, the wettest and coldest Easter holidays for some years. The free car parking area had to be closed off because of conditions, but there was only one day when parking demand outstripped supply, and visitors mounted the pavement on Roman Road and filled the grass area there- luckily without doing serious damage. And the Zoo emergency car park off Ladies Mile was not used once. The Downs are for People have issued a press release pointing out that the Zoo has not got a License from the Downs Committee, and there has thus been no agreement for the rent the Zoo is to pay for the use of the space. Last year they paid £7500 for the use of the site, which probably brings in at last £500,000 in parking charges. At a time when the Parks department budget is being cut this is absurd. 9 April 2018 Ben Skuse of the Downs Rangers explains the annual Maintenance of the football pitches Every year is different but it is certainly the case that right now all of the Down (including the pitches) is as wet as we have known it for this time of year. In order to maintain play (twice a week) through the winter we carry out spiking and chaining operations that help alleviate standing water and saturation problems. The Football pitches are reseeded at the end of every season. We also add soil into any lower or eroded areas and sand at times. Income from both Saturday and Wednesday Footballs is an essential revenue in the context of Bristol parks seeking to become cost neutral, likewise events. However the down side to this is that despite our best efforts at recovering the surfaces there is going to be more visible damage in places. 2 April 2018 A week on the Downs March was an interesting month, with three cold spells interspersed with two warm ones. The Zoo did not use its emergency parking area as it was far too wet, and visitor numbers too low. The Conservation Sunday team removed Ivy from a line of veteran Limes trees in Westfield Park. Funderworld rides whizzed through the night sky, but I doubt the visit will have made much profit, which is a shame. The twelve frost nights put spring on hold, though Blackthorn finally appeared in bloom a fortnight late at the end of the month. Trees almost all remained bare, but as their buds swelled their colours began a subtle change. And right at the end of the month someone burnt out a car at Sea Walls, a reminder that not everyone who visits the downs is there for pleasure. 19 March Sign the Petition Our public parks and open spaces are much loved and used with an estimated 2.6 billion visitors each year but they are also suffering from severe cuts to parks services made by local authorities as they seek to balance their books. To make this worse the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) now want to abandon their hugely successful Parks for People programme that invested millions of peoples lottery money into improving parks and local facilities. Heritage Lottery Fund are currently consulting on this change in funding so help us to convince them to rethink and keep this precious funding so our parks can be protected and continue to be enjoyed by everyone. We'll be handing in the petition to the consultation before it closes on March 22nd. The link to the Heritage Lottery Fund consultation is: https://g4-emea.yougov.com/vFqMLPG37gDzPL follow this link for the petition https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/promoted/protect-heritage-lottery-funding-for-parks?utm_source=email&utm_medium=blast&utm_campaign=8_3_2018_fl_park_kick&bucket=email-blast-8_3_2018_fl_park_kick 15 March .A history of the Downs avenues by R L Bland available in Associated Information Richard Bland has written another fascinating article on the history and flora of the Downs. As a taster, here is the beginning 1 Introduction The avenues on the Downs have not previously been considered in historical detail. There are in existence 21 different avenues with a combined distance of 9400 metres, and 890 trees of 21 species. There are four main sources of information about their past. There are photographs, but very few of them, and it usually impossible to judge the species. There are artists pictures which are often more concerned with creating a dramatic effect that accurate recording. There are maps, some of which ignore trees altogether, and some are imprecise. And there are the existing trees themselves whose girths give a reasonable idea of their probable planting date. 1 March 2018 A week on the Downs 46: Frozen Spring It is the first day of Spring, and we have a Red Weather alert for blizzard conditions. The temperature has climbed steadily during the day from minus four to minus three. Snow on the Downs is a reminder of how bleak an environment it was in years gone by, empty of life except for 800 sheep, huddled presumably in whatever shelter they could find, the Downs surface potholed with unfenced quarries. But snow also protects plants from the severity of the frost. The cold weather stops the progress of spring, but does not reverse it, and Purple Plum blossom is already out, common in our streets but present at two places on the Downs. This tree is a variety of Cherry Plum, a small tree of the prunus family with white bloom, often mistaken for Blackthorn, and it normally flowers at the same time as the Purple Plum, but this year will be late. 22 February The Story So Far What has FOD+AG ever done for us? read the Story So Far in the Associated Information page. As part of our 10th birthday celebrations Martin has collated the key events and asks what will we achieve in the future? 22 February A week on the Downs 45: Budbreak We tend to judge the onset of spring by when flowers come into bloom; they are both obvious, and beautiful. But for many trees the key event is not coming into flower, but coming into leaf, a process known as Bud-break. Deciduous trees appear to hibernate once their leaves fall, but in fact there is a constant process of development of the buds that were laid down in the summer. Most trees have two sorts of buds, the leaf buds and the flower buds. The former, in particular the ones at the tip of a previous shoot, are going to expand often with great rapidity as the tree grows. The flower buds are more complex, some male, some female; the job of the males is to produce enough pollen to ensure that the female flowers are pollinated, and they soon fall to the ground. The female flowers then have the very complex process of creating a nut or an acorn or an apple in the short summer ahead. It may be cold now, but buds are already swelling, often changing the colour of the tree as they do so. Take a look. Saturday 24th February 2018 Big plans for Deep Litter Clearance. There are 3 areas which could do with our attention this month. Martin has come up with a master plan to attempt to cover the adjacent areas simultaneously. This will require: a large turnout, 3 leaders each with a team, at least 2 meeting points. This means that before you volunteer on this occasion, we would ask you to read the following carefully and then make clear when you contact us, which of the 3 areas you are opting for, or if you have no preference and can give us the flexibility to assign you where you will be most needed. Please be certain to consider the brief notes on the terrain you would encounter in each of the sites 1. Woodland edge outside goat compound from Sea Walls to Gully entrance then across road to wildflower meadow along the Circular Road. Pros: are the flatness of the terrain, probably manageable by a slightly smaller group; Cons: there could be some sex litter in a small part of the route. Proposed Meeting Point - Sea Walls 2. Through the area within the goat compound +/_ down the steeply sloping tract between the southern goat fence at Sea Walls and the cliff edge to the bottom gate and back up the gully via the two main paths, the rocky outcrop and look-out meadow. Pros: suitable for volunteers with mountain goat in their ancestry, to clear area usually only covered by more intrepid goat monitors; Cons: precipitate in many places, probably not manageable if it's wet. Proposed Meeting Point - Sea Walls 3. Black Rock quarry and Gully quarry (plus optional stretch up to and into Great quarry; Pros: on site parking in BR quarry, flat terrain* , litter access eased by scrub & Buddleia clearance (BRQ) and (GQ); Cons: additional risk of rock falls, * some sloping and shelving at west end of BRQ if attempted, probably manageable in 90 minutes (especially if no-one ventures as far as Great quarry), requires motorised transport to Car Park , off Portway (A4). Proposed Meeting Point - Black Rock Quarry Car Park. if you are interested please contact Martin using the form on the Events page. 15 February 2018 Report on Conservation Sunday Winter programme, 2017-2018. There have been five meetings to date. 18 members have helped on at least one occasion, and we have done some 74 man hours of work. Three |