FEBRUARY NEWS

Being increasingly nature-friendly; Effective lobbying; News in brief; Giving Dorset a view from Shaftesbury; Forthcoming meetings; National highlights. 

Being nature-friendly - what more can we do in Shaftesbury?

1. Collect information. Young local naturalist and assistant ecologist, Alex Chapman, wants 500 people to complete a 2-minute survey about garden wildlife in our Shaftesbury area.  Join in at https://forms.gle/LF1ERZ2wtH5aHbQo7
2. Help breeding birds. 14th-21st February is National Bird Box week. There's lots of information about nest boxes online - including details for making your own. Now is a good time to erect new boxes or give existing boxes a springclean.
3. BEE AWARE - Learn all you can from Brigit Strawbridge Howard, Shaftesbury's 'bee-lady'. Brigit will be sharing her passion and knowledge through online talks designed to make sure that we can sustain our 'bee-friendly' status after her move to Cornwall this year. She'll cover the importance of bees and other pollinators; the different habitats, behaviours & life cycles of Honeybees, Bumblebees & Solitary bees; the problems they all face and what we can do around Shaftesbury to help them. The four talks are on March 11th, April 8th, May 13th & June 17th: for details and to book a free place go to Planet Shaftesbury's page on Eventbrite
4. Appreciate and record local wild flowers. Shaftesbury Town Council will be extending the areas of roadside verge planted with wild flowers this year. There are pictures of what was achieved in 2020 and details of how to support the project here: https://www.planetshaftesbury.org/wildflowerverges
5. Boost bio-diversity at Breach Common by working alongside the 'Friends'. The group received a lot of encouragement during last month's consultation on the proposed work for 2021. An overview of their management aims and details for new volunteers are given at https://www.planetshaftesbury.org/breachcommon
6. Got land? Join this new nature network. The community farm, Shaftesbury Homegrown, is using a  camera to learn about the wildlife on their land. They are just one of the sites that will be joining others in a new nature network project being co-ordinated by Mariko Whyte. She is keen to connect with medium-sized (3-50 acres) land managers from the Shaftesbury area. Email mariko.h.whyte@gmail.com or phone her on 07999 533585.

Lobbying: we're in an emergency!

A group of volunteers are offering help twice over to those of us who seek to make sure that our MP (Simon Hoare in N Dorset or Andrew Murrison in SW Wiltshire) keeps the climate & ecological emergencies on their agenda.

• A training session in effective lobbying is being offered to us on Zoom, on 25th February at 7.30pm, by Laura Burley of Greenpeace's political lobbying network. RSVP for the link, email Mandy_Greenwood@hotmail.com 
• Sign up to receive a monthly email prompt with topical items and links to background information that can help you to draft a message conveying your concerns to your MP.  Email planetshaftesbury@gmail.com or for more details  https://www.planetshaftesbury.org/contactourmp

NEWS in BRIEF

New home needed for TerraCycle in Shaftesbury

Thanks to Laura Haskell who got us started, we have been able to deposit selected, sorted packaging from home cleaning products, confectionary, oral care, pet foods, and crisps into labelled wheelie bins. The otherwise non-recyclable waste avoids landfill, is cleaned and turned into pellets for reuse in things like park benches and children's play equipment, AND it brings in cash for local charities. It's a Win-Win-Win. But now the bins need a new location and support person(s). Ideally they'll be central, open for public access, but sheltered, and checked from time to time to make sure there's nothing in the wrong bin and full bins are emptied and the waste sent to Terracycle for processing. Laura can discuss finer details, email laurahaskell17@icloud.com   

Planting Shaftesbury's new trees & hedging

Any community planting activity is awaiting new guidance, expected after 22nd February. Meanwhile you can see the ambitious plans and maps for this year's planting at Ash Close Play Area, Barton Hill Recreation Ground, Castle Hill, Cockram's Field, and Mampitt's Cemetery at https://www.planetshaftesbury.org/treegroup 

Regenerative agriculture, trade policy & alternatives to meat

Local resident, ffinlo Costain, works to generate momentum towards sustainable mainstream agriculture. His recent podcasts feature interviews on these topics and more, find them at https://anchor.fm/farmgate/episodes/ALT-Meat---A-health--food-systems-perspective-eqek94

Shaftesbury Town Council

It is expected that we'll have a by-election to fill a councillor vacancy in Shaftesbury West this May (when we'll also have a referendum on the Neighbourhood Plan). Time to think about whether you might like to put yourself forward?

Beavers in Dorset

Beavers are herbivores that create wetland habitats that help wildlife. Following years of preparation, on 8th February a pair of beavers was released on enclosed National Trust land in Dorset. See details online https://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/BeaverProject Find out more through an online discussion on 24th February at 7pm, hosted by Planet Purbeck. Details https://www.planetshaftesbury.org/event-details/beaver-fever-online-meeting

Stop Portland Waste Incinerator - update

Good news: on 18th January Dorset Council [DC] appointed Adrian Lynham, Head of Waste & Resource Management at WYG (Tetra Tech) Ltd  as the experts Case Officer for the Council. The Minerals and Waste Planning Manager explained this is because there has never been such a complex, extensive and high-profile planning application to DC before and they require specialist support to consider the matter properly. Once Tetra Tech have reviewed all the documents and reported back to DC it's likely there will be a request from DC for more information from the applicant, Powerfuels Portland and then there can be public consultations. This cycle may be repeated. The work continues ... 

Dorset Community Energy

A project going live in Bridport next month will be the first example in England of households supplied through the existing grid with locally generated renewable electricity at lower cost (9.5p/kWh) than standard grid prices. The project will start with 60 households supplied with wind energy from an existing 50kW wind turbine, but one or more 250kW ground-mounted PV arrays could be added later. Read more here http://www.dorsetcommunityenergy.org.uk/projects/energy-local-bridport/energy-local-bridport-phase-2/

Dorset Climate Action Network (Dorset CAN)

Planet Shaftesbury is connected to this newly-established and rapidly-developing Dorset-wide network of environmental organisations, parish & town council representatives, and individuals. Any of our participants can join in at one of their new regular get-togethers on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 7pm. Join people from across Dorset who want to do something positive about the Climate & Ecological Emergency and help their communities to be more resilient. The monthly meetings will always be accessible from the Planet Shaftesbury homepage, first one 24th March. You can also ask to be added to the list of those receiving email updates by emailing dorsetcan@gmail.com  

Three opportunities to offer a Shaftesbury perspective!

St Mary's School site

Dorset Council proposes to create a new school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) on the former St Mary’s School site near Shaftesbury. Let them know what you think of this compared with other possible uses of the site and comment on management of this site and its connection to the wider community of Shaftesbury. The consultation closes on 18th March and is at https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/business-consumers-licences/dorset-property/current-building-projects/former-st-marys-school-site-shaftesbury.aspx

Dorset's Local Plan

The plan sets out to guide future development that will meet needs for additional housing, employment and community services up to 2038, at the same time as protecting our natural environment and responding to climate change. It's a big ask and will take a couple of years' work. Dorset Council is looking for feedback on this first stage from many different perspectives. You can find the plan and consultation process here https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/planning-buildings-land/planning-policy/dorset-council-local-plan.aspx Planet Shaftesbury weekly zoom meetings are providing some opportunities to discuss the plan and we're collaborating with the Dorset CAN response. Join us online, or email to make specific contributions or to arrange to review/endorse the composite response: emaildrdavidbrown@gmail.com

Young people & climate change

Forthcoming meetings

Join in Planet Shaftesbury's weekly Zoom meetings, held every Thursday for about an hour from 7.30pm. Find details of any special topics for discussion as well as the joining link on the website homepage.

You'll also find details and joining instructions for other meetings. As well as bees and beavers mentioned above, topics include XR South-west planning (23 Feb), a Friends of the Earth Climate Action Groups networking call (24 Feb), a Community Energy webinar offered by Power for People (24 Feb), and Sustainable Dorset's AGM (27 Feb).

National & international: selected highlights

The Economics of Biodiversity: the Dasgupta Review, published at the beginning of February, called for changes in how we we think, act and measure economic success to protect and enhance our prosperity and the natural world. It was commissioned by the Treasury and produced by an economist. It can't not make a difference to government thinking! It is available in full - and in usefully abridged and headline versions -  here:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/final-report-the-economics-of-biodiversity-the-dasgupta-review

The What Next? Summit will bring together hundreds of community activists already making change happen, for a bigger impact. It's described as a space to empower us to create our own future, tap into our imagination, make new connections and share knowledge to build a stronger movement. Includes a wide range of events and workshops online over 3 weeks from 3-20 March. Offered by the Transition Network and partners including the Permaculture Association, all free of charge. https://nudj.app/event/503

Earth Day,  on 22nd April, has been marked by environmentalists around the world since 1970 and this year participation will be more than 1billion people. Their reach is clear from the website's news page https://www.earthday.org/news-and-stories/   Planet Shaftesbury will be getting together in some form but have no plans as yet - ideas invited to planetshaftesbury@gmail.com 

The next monthly newsletter will be distributed in the third week of March. If you have news to share please send it to planetshaftesbury@gmail.com