Black Poplars

The rarest tree in the Valley is the Black Poplar and there are only a few of these magnificent trees left, and they are old with a limited lifespan. Black Poplars grow in hedgerows and on a few of our commons. The nearest ones to my office are at Thornham Parva where these two specimens grow along a green lane opposite the church.

Black Poplars are very distinctive. The bark is gnarled and covered in burrs (the black in their name refers to the bark).

The twigs are also a good identification feature - they curve downwards and have a flicked-up tip.

The reason why there are so few trees left is that they are no longer producing viable seed. There are separate male and female trees and these are now so far apart that the seed never gets fertilised. We are trying to get a new generation going by growing young trees at our nursery in Thrandeston.

Each year we supply about 50 saplings to landowners with suitable land along the Valley so that these wonderful trees can remain part of the landscape.

One bit of sad news during the week was finding a dead otter at the entrance to Thornham Walks. It was probably killed by a car. The Enviroment Agency has taken the body to Cardiff University where a post mortem will be carried out.

More soon.

Working with Local Communities

We work closely with many communities along the Waveney Valley. It is probably best if I set out a few examples to show the range of schemes we get involved with.

This winter we have been working with Palgrave Parish Council and Mid Suffolk District Council to restore the large pond on Palgrave Village Green. Over the years it had become hidden by bushes and young trees that had grown up on its banks. We arranged for a contractor to come in and coppice the growth so that light now gets to the pond and it is again a focal point in the village. The trees and bushes will now be maintained by coppicing every few years.

We have helped several communities develop circular walks and cycling routes around their parishes. Examples include Diss, Harleston and Wortham & Burgate. We have helped waymark the routes and produce walks leaflets for the parishes. At Wortham & Burgate we have also produced walks information boards.

Our volunteers have also helped manage churchyards for wildlife, for example at Scole and Thorpe Abbotts. And we have opened up neglected areas in parishes for the benefit of local people and wildlife. Here are some of our volunteers mowing and raking Scole Bridge picnic site.

If your community is interested in working with us on an environmental scheme please give me, Mark Timms a call on 01379 788008.

Warm weather over the weekend has tempted several butterflies out. I saw my first Comma and Brimstone butterflies on Sunday and heard my first Chiffchaff singing on Saturday.

Woodlands Spring to Life

March is the time of year when woodlands burst into life after closing down for the winter. Things are a bit slow this year after the long, cold winter with Snowdrops still in flower.

However the first Primroses are out and in the next week or two Wood Anemones will appear in some of our woods but only those that have been around for hundreds of years (ancient woods).

Far commoner is the Lesser Celandine - a member of the buttercup family - that is already coming into flower.

A less obvious plant is the Dog's Mercury with green flowers but it is found in many of our woods round here.

A few warm days this week have tempted out the first butterflies and bumblebees. A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was flying around on Monday.

And in another few days our migrant birds will be returning from Africa: listen for the first Chiffchaffs.