Archive for June, 2010

Visitors to the Park will have spotted notices advertising the Trust’s application to Central Bedfordshire Council for a premises license. This will allow us to hold events in four grassed areas within the Country Park. These are:

• The grass between the Centre and the small lake in front of the café
• The overflow car park
• The large meadow used for Woodworks
• The large meadow used for car parking for large events.

 The license will allow us to carry on with activities as usual; the likes of Woodworks and our tribute night as well as anything that requires a marquee, such as weddings and some of our successful corporate events.

 Whilst we currently don’t have plans to hold any new or different events in the Park, the license will bring us into line with Central Bedfordshire Council’s requirements and give us some flexibility to run additional events in the future should opportunities arise.

 More information Sue Harrison

Volunteers enjoy a newly completed bench seat

Work continues at the Grange Estate, north of Willington at the heart of Bedford River Valley Park.  At the beginning of March pupils from Willington Lower School planted over 100 trees and later in the month Forest Volunteers constructed two oak benches supplied by Podington saw mills and also installed six bird boxes.  Later, in May volunteers put in two more benches and a new pedestrian gate which will allow access to the new woodland once the entrance path has been surfaced in the autumn.

“All these works are making the Grange Estate more accessible and attractive” said Darren Woodward, Project Officer with the Forest Team. “Good paths, gates and places to sit all help to make the Grange somewhere most people will be able to get to”.

Money from the Forestry Commission will soon pay for more volunteer tasks; if you fancy taking part, please get in touch with Darren or keep an eye on the events page of the Bedford River Valley Park web site.

Darren Woodward

Tel: 01234-762603, 07946 577590

It may sound a little obscure, but this is a real milestone for the Forest Centre and Country Park. ISO 14001  is an  internationally-recognized standard for environmental management systems that is applicable to any business or organization, regardless of size, location or income.  The ISO 14000 environmental management standards exist to help organizations minimize how their operations negatively affect the environment.

An environmental management system demonstrates sound environmental performance to everyone we deal with – suppliers, investors, insurers, local authorities and of course all the visitors who enjoy the Centre and Country Park. Not only does it demonstrate our commitment to the environment in our work, but it also saves us resources and therefore money.

We hope our environmental management system will have many benefits including:

• the identification of opportunities for cost savings, by reduction of waste and improvement of energy efficiency  
• improvement of  access to funding sources and insurance
• improved image to our customers who can be confident in our green credentials.

Cetti's Warbler in the Millennium Country Park (image Don Morris)

From a position of around zero three years ago, the Country Park’s population of Cetti’s warbler, Cettia cetti, has grown hugely. Whereas in May 2008, there was talk of there perhaps being an individual in the Wetlands, they are now singing in several areas.

This isn’t a bird you’re going to see flocking around the Lakeside Cafe; indeed it’s the kind of slightly frustrating species whose song is piercing and, once you’ve recognised it, difficult to mistake, but it’s almost impossible to see. It’s only those who are very lucky or who are prepared to watch for very long periods who stand a chance of getting a really good view.

Worth a visit to the Park if only to hear it.

More information about Cetti’s warbler (RSPB web site)