New cycle routes progress; Shaftesbury's bees; Spring time concerns; Opportunities for outreach; Dorset climate action network update; Other news in brief; Forthcoming meetings; Wider perspectives 

Getting on your bike?

The town's new circular route for cyclists and pedestrians is now signposted. It takes in viewpoints, Breach Common, 3 schools and play areas, useful for both visitors and residents. Allow about 2 hours to walk it. The town council is seeking feedback: the leaflet which will promote the route is not publicly available but you can link to a preview copy. Offices are open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 1pm on Friday. Tel: 01747 852420 Email: enquiries@shaftesbury-tc.gov.uk

'Thank you' to those in the Planet Shaftesbury network who helped to establish this new route. Their focus is now shifting to work alongside Sustrans on the re-signing of local route 253 which is to become the North Dorset Cycleway, all part of enhancing cycle connections between the town and our surrounding countryside & neighbouring settlements. One of our Sustrans volunteers says "What is helping is that I bought a new bike to fit a motor kit! It has been worth it because it all adds up to only about a third of the cost of an electric bike. I'm another year older and it's already coming into its own on the hills!" If you want to explore this option for yourself we can put you in touch, email planetshaftesbury@gmail.com

The buzz around Shaftesbury continues

Brigit Strawbridge Howard, Shaftesbury's popular 'bee-lady', has now given two of the four planned online talks providing us with the know-how to sustain the town's 'bee-friendly' status after her imminent move to Cornwall. April's stimulating talk covered Bumblebees. The session was recorded: those who missed it can watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOUVP5AQgr8. You may also want to check out the Bumblebee Conservation Trust which has many resources on its website http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/. 

Future talks are on May 13th, dealing with the life cycles and habitat needs of Solitary bees and then, on June 17th, the problems all bees face and what we can do in our gardens and open spaces to help them. You can see more details and book a place at Planet Shaftesbury's page on Eventbrite.

Ecologist Mariko Whyte will replace Brigit as the contact person for bee enthusiasts and for bee-friendly initiatives around the town, to get involved contact her by email: mariko.h.whyte@gmail.com. 

There is no charge for any of her talks, but you can choose to make a £3 donation or buy Brigit's book 'Dancing with Bees' at http://beestrawbridge.blogspot.com/.  Brigit would be delighted!  

Springing into action?

Do less gardening and help the birds, bees and other pollinators by letting the wild flowers in your lawn bloom. Plantlife is promoting No Mow May and then at the end of the month inviting us to join in a survey to find out about wild flowers and capacity for feeding bees in the UK. Details at https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/nomowmay 

As hedgehogs emerge from hibernation some of us are keen to join with the Dorset Mammal Group to ensure that our local hogs thrive. But how many are out there, and where? To report sightings, or register an interest in joining our group, contact  mariko.h.whyte@gmail.com . Mariko is compiling a map which will go onto our website and give us an idea of numbers in different parts of the town.

The carbon content in peat is enormous and it's released into the atmosphere if peat is extracted for compost. Compost suppliers failed to meet a voluntary target of eliminating peat extraction by 2020 and now the government is under pressure from The Wildlife Trusts  (petition here) and others to impose an immediate ban. Don't wait. Go peat-free. And if it doesn't say peat-free it probably isn't! 

Shaftesbury's young trees and newly planted hedgerows need watering during dry spells. Additional volunteers to help at Barton Hill and Ash Close would be very welcome. Find details of the planting in these areas at www.planetshaftesbury.org/treegroup - scrolling down to find maps. If you would like to help please email planetshaftesbury@gmail.com 

The Friends of Breach Common are moving beyond the winter's work of coppicing, hedge laying, bramble clearance and pond digging to plan their summer activities. To get involved in restoration works which are both boosting biodiversity and increasing access for local people, contact John Rutter at breachcommon@outlook.com

Keen to spread the word in our area?

Climate Outreach is a charity with a focus on how to communicate effectively around the issues we face. In February they produced a guide specifically for councillors in rural areas. We might find it a useful resource this year. The summer's public events are providing outreach opportunities for both the short and long term. Could Planet Shaftesbury put an information stall or stand together? How about street theatre? Or do you like planning and organising behind the scenes? Many options here:

The Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show is back this year, 18/19th August. The organiser, James Cox, writes:

Of course, this year the highest priority has to be to run a successful safe event alongside COVID restrictions. However, beyond this, we're continuing to work towards being a greener Show and Showground. This year at the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show we will have:·         

• Water refill points alongside our own branded reusable bottles which can be purchased·         
• Wooden knives & forks alongside bio-degradable cardboard picnic boxes·         
• As much rubbish as possible recycled upon leaving the Showground

In the future we hope to implement a Green Education Area which includes an Environmental Wildlife Garden Area which would stay on Turnpike Showground throughout the year. We hope as we move forward to build our office onsite (currently a portacabin) and will include solar panels with one of our aims being to adapt Turnpike Showground into a green event venue.

James would like our support, would you like to get involved? (The idea of a wildlife garden at the show has previously been very popular.) For this year he has offered a space for a stall or stand without charge - what could we do with that? See current show details here https://gillinghamandshaftesburyshow.co.uk/ and contact planetshaftesbury@gmail.com to be put in touch with others keen to respond to these possibilities.

Sustainable Living will be the theme for talks and stalls at Shaftesbury Town Hall during the Fringe Festival between 27th-30th August. You could become involved in design and coordination of the event (email Georgie on hello@myrtleandmarigold.co.uk) or to be one of those giving a brief talk, or join others to cover a stall: email planetshaftesbury@gmail.com.

Great Big Green Week will take place 18-26th September 2021 and is expected to be the largest event for climate and nature ever seen in the UK. Co-ordinated by the Climate Coalition, it's a week of celebrating action on climate change. There are resources for participating groups on the website https://greatbiggreenweek.com/  This is an opportunity to reach out locally whilst putting pressure on government in the run up to COP26. Share and discuss ideas with others through the Forum on the website or at one of our weekly zoom meetings.

Dorset Climate Action Network (Dorset CAN) 

Planet Shaftesbury is part of this alliance between local environmental organisations, council representatives and individuals who all want to accelerate our collective response to the climate and ecological emergency (CEE) in Dorset. Dorset CAN is still building its capacity but has already engaged with, and sometimes challenged, BCP and Dorset Councils. It is enabling work teams to come together (so far, on energy, land use & food, transport), assembling a library of case studies of inspiring local projects/initiatives, holding monthly general meetings, producing a newsletter, and a website is in preparation.

You can see the April newsletter which includes Shaftesbury Homegrown as a community farm case study here:  https://mailchi.mp/a16044b8316e/dorsetcan-feb-4995622 

NEWS in BRIEF

Newsletter news!

Newsletters are sent out by email monthly to those who've subscribed through the website. Unfortunately in February & March distribution was affected by a change in the technology we're using and some subscribers were missed. Apologies to those affected, we believe we've addressed the issue. And to provide more resilience in future, we'll hold newsletters from February 2021 onwards on the website with other information available from the 'Resources' tab on the website. If you miss an issue - through a technical glitch, or an email being bounced, or the message going into spam - you'll now be able to catch up.

Solar farm next door to Gillingham?

Low Carbon is a renewable energy investment company which is currently investigating a site close to Ham Common and Gillingham for a solar farm. Local people are being consulted prior to any application for planning permission. You can find out more information and offer feedback on the proposals here https://fernbrooksolarfarm.commonplace.is/  

Elections & Referendum on May 6th 

Many different polls are taking place on May 6th, reflecting the postponement of public votes last year. The emphasis here is on Shaftesbury and Dorset; if you're in Wiltshire you'll also be voting for representatives on the Unitary Council.

• Referendum: Yes/No to adopting Neighbourhood Plan. If adopted it can influence the outcome of planning applications in the local area. Shaftesbury's plan is on view at the Library and there's an information point at the Town Hall,  Wednesday 21st and Tuesday 27th April, 11am to 1pm. 
• Election of Police & Crime Commissioner. Details of the five candidates for Dorset at https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/pcc.dorset.2021-05-06/dorset-police/ (You could ask candidates for comment on the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill currently being considered by parliament.)
• Town & Parish Council Elections There is one vacancy on Shaftesbury town council (West Ward) and two candidates, Virginia Edwyn-Jones & Mike Madgwick, who have both provided comments for our network - available in the website Forum. 

Have you completed the garden wildlife survey yet?

This 2-minute survey is helping Alex Chapman, budding ecologist, to add to his information about garden wildlife in our Shaftesbury area and can support our work for pollinators, hedgehogs and more. Join in at https://forms.gle/LF1ERZ2wtH5aHbQo7 

Funds to support land-based studies

The Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show has established a Student Support Fund  for up to £1500 per year. Applications are invited from anyone in neighbouring areas who is in training to enter a land-based career - such as agroecology or horticulture. 

Forthcoming meetings

Planet Shaftesbury's website includes further details for these upcoming events on its homepage. 

• Our own online informal meetings by Zoom take place weekly on Thursdays, usually starting at 7.30pm. All welcome. 
• The Cranborne Chase Landscape Partnership is hosting a series of online talks on Monday evenings. Topics include landscape features (19th April), elm trees (26th April) and farmland birds (10th May).

• Dorset CAN hosts a general meeting each month on the 4th Wednesday. The meeting on Wednesday 28th April at 7pm will include presentations and discussion around activism and the scope for fitting our own participation around the circumstances of our lives

• ‘Back to the Future: a Time of Renewal’ is a Zoom poetry conference on Saturday May 8th. Hosted by Dorset-based poetry magazine ‘Tears in the Fence’.  Three sessions, starting at 10am, begin with ‘Realignment With Nature’, followed by ‘Healing and Renewal’ at 2pm and ‘New Beginnings’ at 7pm.

Selected wider perspectives

Soil biodiversity is at the centre of achieving sustainable development goals: human health, safe food, and climate change are linked to soil biodiversity. World Soil Day (5th December) saw a new campaign and report to 'Keep soil alive, Protect soil biodiversity'. Yet we have created a system of agriculture where we cannot sustainably grow the amount of food we need without poisoning the land and water we grow it with. You might want to sign a petition asking the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to create a task force in charge of transitioning global agricultural practices away from pesticides.

The Climate & Ecological Emergency Bill (CEE Bill) has been prepared by a team of scientists, academics, lawyers and campaigners working together—and guided by current science—to call for urgent, far-reaching and necessary actions from the UK Government to tackle the climate and ecological emergency. It was introduced in Parliament last September by Caroline Lucas. It then had a brief discussion in a 30-minute session in February when she noted that: we are not set to meet our future targets and the targets themselves do not properly account for our emissions on a consumption basis. In the year that the UK co-hosts COP26, our responsibility to show “honest and bold global leadership” on climate and nature could not be greater. The CEE Bill Campaign team now has support from more than 100 MPs and will persevere with using every opportunity in this Parliamentary session and beyond to get MPs debating it. If you haven't already, add your support, and find resources to help you write to your MP at their webpage.

Wellbeing of Future Generations is the aim of a bill powered by The Big Issue and introduced through the House of Lords. Similar legislation has already been adopted in Wales. The process will be slow but support for such long-term thinking is building. To find out more and add your support go to  Today For Tomorrow

The next monthly newsletter will be distributed in the 3rd week of May. If you have news to share please send it to planetshaftesbury@gmail.com