Not just one Great Big Dorset Hedge; Two sustainability events at Shaftesbury School; Youth conference; What do people want to talk about?; The conversation continues - forthcoming events; Supporting local wildlife; Other news in brief; event & web-links |
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Developing the Great Big Dorset Hedge This Dorset-wide project promotes the benefits of hedgerows including - as wildlife refuges and corridors linking other habitats such as woodlands, rivers and gardens
- for flood / run-off reduction, soil retention and carbon sequestration.
The group aims to liaise with the general public, landowners, councils and existing volunteer groups to encourage hedge conservation and planting projects.They'll also link with larger groups such as The National Trust, CPRE, Dorset Wildlife Trust. Thanks to Julie Leah for sharing the information that there are now specific proposals to discuss and refine at their next meeting. A key suggestion is to assess the condition of hedges and seek to fill in gaps along the east-west walking route, the Jubilee Trail. The work could then be extended to include north-south recreational paths that follow rivers, including the Stour Valley Way. The maps above indicate the possible routes and the stars show where there are existing tree planting groups. One comment from the project team is that work along these lines, coupled with 2022 being a Jubilee year, might help the GBD Hedge initiative catch the attention of a wider audience. Could additional Shaftesbury people get drawn in? Residents of newer estates where there are few significant trees and where pre-existing hedgerows were conserved but could offer more for biodiversity? Shaftesbury Hedgehogs' group? More members of our local Tree Groups? Those keen to draw attention to water quality in the Stour catchment area? Other walking groups? The online meeting is this week, on 26th May, and is open to all (details on website). |
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Looking forward and Choosing our future These two remarkable events at Shaftesbury School both succeeded on the back of much careful preparation and the combined resourcefulness of the school and our network. Both were based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and raised the profile of the challenges and opportunities we all face this decade. They gave Planet Shaftesbury a taste of what can be achieved through collaboration with the school. Looking Forward on 11th May engaged more than 200 9-14 yr-olds in TED-style talks, workshops and seminars, and sent them back to their schools challenged to solve an existing environmental problem. Groups of students were enthused at the prospect of designing a wildlife-friendly garden, improving recycling rates, installing a living wall, and more. Their ideas will be developed back at their home school and recorded on video: a legacy of the event and a provocation for change to happen. Shaftesbury 2030: Choosing our future gathered more than 100 people of all ages from across the local community on 19th May. The films and talks went smoothly according to the programme still on our website - thanks to the commitment of our speakers who variously provided their presentations ahead of time, arrived early to test them out, covered for a last minute forced absence, and stuck to our tight timetable. Afterwards participants had an informal supper during which their conversations were steered towards considering: - What will we (individuals, households, businesses, community groups) have chosen to do differently if the town is progressing towards the SDGs by 2030?
- How can the Shaftesbury area support us to make these sustainable choices?
A selection of the questions raised was put to the panel of our speakers by the school's Alex More and the session was closed by Robin Walter of Planet Shaftesbury. The event was well covered by the Alfred Daily the following day, (find the report at 13.17). None of us was able to experience all the talks: personal reflections on the event have been added to the website in a blog by Richard Foreman who invites others to contribute their different perspectives by adding comments. THANK YOU to Alex for inspiring and supporting us throughout our collaboration on these events and THANK YOU also to the students who made sure that things ran so smoothly on the 19th. There will be further collaboration with Shaftesbury School, if you'd like to become involved please email Karen Wimhurst c/o planetshaftesbury@gmail.com |
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Youth climate conference Dorset Climate Action Network is publicising a youth conference scheduled for 7th June. It offers opportunities to talk to MPs and Councillors, make a difference, make your voice heard! For more information and to join in please contact Jenny Morisetti at DorsetCAN@gmail.com or Maya Turner at YouthDorsetCAN@gmail.com |
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Launching a conversation During preparations for the Shaftesbury 2030: Choosing our future event, those involved talked of launching a conversation about lifestyle choices and changes across our area. How did the conversation go? What did people want to talk about? Alex More, chaired the stimulating panel discussion. This isn't a complete record but these points made in response to questions raised indicate the broad spread of people's concerns. - Mark Chivers: a next step could be to ask people about the climate-friendliness of amenities close to where they live
- ffinlo Costain: a regenerative approach to farming involves land-appropriate uses, e.g. keeping chickens amongst trees
- Lucy Barfoot: eat local & seasonal produce, support local smallholders and our markets
- Cheering broke out when someone asked 'What if we had a cycle path to Gillingham and a pedestrianised high street?'
- After a question about bio-buses Alex More suggested a study of the school's carbon footprint - including for students' travel
- Caz Dennett: write to our banks and pension fund providers, add to the pressure to disinvest from fossil fuels. Use Paris-aligned benchmarks for sustainable investing.
- Jocelyn Elson-Riggins: Biodiversity = natural functioning of the planet = vital to life in oceans & on land. Nature-based solutions sustain a self-regulating Earth.
- Julie-Ann Booker: young people can hold older generations to account. Richard Ecclestone: young people have agency: solar panels on Ludwell school were installed after pressure from pupils.
- Sioban Boyce, Georgie Faulkner-Bryant & others: focus on what's important or beneficial to people, use the community - locally grown food, repairing clothes, free bus, or whatever - climate change shouldn't be a divisive issue.
Several questions were not put and indicate additional areas of interest. Securing changes to the national planning system. Improving local transport options. Community energy. Other questions asked 'What next?' - see below! |
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Shaftesbury 2030: conversation continues - forthcoming events
Fashion Act Now (FAN) is an independent activist group that evolved from Extinction Rebellion's campaign to boycott fashion. They challenge the values that underlie the fashion industry and the role clothing businesses play in driving unsustainable economic growth. Co-founder Sara Arnold spoke at Hawkers Farm on 20th May, a Dorset Art Weeks event hosted by Jenny Morisetti of Hawkers Re-creatives. The conversation that followed highlighted opportunities for our local charity shops to tap into growing interest in upcycling secondhand clothing, and welcomed both the launch of monthly Repair Revolution Cafes at Shaftesbury Town Hall on 5th June and a possible sustainable fashion show to be hosted at the school.
Want to explore setting up an electric car club or a climate emergency centre? Like to find inspiration from films created by WWF? Or just need time to reflect on local projects and priorities? All happening at Planet Shaftesbury meetings over the summer: find background information through the links below and meeting details on the website. There will be an extra Planet Shaftesbury meeting to support wellbeing (a midsummer-ish reflective gathering possibly outdoors) next month. Open to all, details to be added to the website soon. The Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show on August 17th provides an opportunity to engage with families having a day out. Planet Shaftesbury is likely to share a stand with Dorset Climate Action Network and Greener Gillingham. We have many materials that were to have been part of our stand at the Spring Countryside Show. To get involved beforehand, or to add yourself to a rota for assembling the stand on the 16th or for the day itself, please email planetshaftesbury@gmail.com. Have you made some changes around your home, garden or allotment that help you to maintain a more sustainable lifestyle? Other people might like to hear about your experiences. During the Dorset Greener Homes event several local homes are open to visitors. We need homes with accessible low-budget adaptations, as well as some with hi-tech innovations. Visits can lead to conversations about the fun and challenges of more sustainable lifestyles - all with interested people who aren't trying to sell you anything. Takes place this year 1st-9th October. To find out more and find out if you want to take part as a host email Rachel c/o planetshaftesbury@gmail.com. |
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Supporting local wildlife Hedgehogs: Shaftesbury Hedgehog Group ask that we all do at least one positive thing to help our local hedgehog population during this breeding season. (Don't worry if you hear a racket, this is what they're up to!) Make sure foraging hedgehogs can pass through your garden (a 13cm square hole at the bottom of fences or walls is all that's needed); ditch pesticides and poisons; check areas carefully before strimming or mowing; provide an easy route out of ponds and pools; create a wild corner where they'll shelter and natural food; put out a saucer or plant tray with water for them. Report any recent hedgehog sightings to the group so that they can be added to a map of our hedgehog hotspots. You can email the group with information or to ask to be added to the newsletter list: shaftesburyhedgehogs@gmail.com Plantlife is concerned about the availability of food for insects and is asking the public to conduct a survey of the number of flowers in a one metre square of our un-mown lawn or green space sometime between 21st-30th May. Link to join in is below along with further tips from them on boosting garden wildlife. |
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Other news - in brief Shaftesbury Town Council hosts the Annual Town Meeting on 31st May. This is when townspeople can hear reports about the past year from the council and its committees (including on their Sustainability Action Plan). This is followed by reports from our Dorset Councillors and feedback from local organisations (which could include Planet Shaftesbury). The meeting also provides an opportunity for informal questions and comments. 7pm at the Town Hall. Dorset Council has used its newsletter to promote the Dorset Greener Homes event this year. They have also produced a spring progress report on implementing their Climate & Ecological Emergency Strategy (link below). Dorset Climate Action Network (D-CAN): the group with a special interest in energy is planning an event (possibly in 2 parts) which will focus on energy security for Dorset, to include future requirements that will reflect increased electricity demand and information about alternative sustainable energy sources. Details will be added to the website as soon as available. Scheduling of the global biodiversity convention, COP15, due to be held in Kunming, China this summer has been affected by local Covid lockdowns and may be relocated. Meanwhile HumaNature is a new campaign from Population Matters which emphasises that we must all see ourselves as an integral part of nature, not separate from or superior to it (link below). |
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The next monthly newsletter will appear around the end of the 3rd week of June. If you have news to share please send it to planetshaftesbury@gmail.com |
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