1. The Wild Roseland Group
In the Roseland Plan interviews and submissions, you as residents said how much you valued the beauty of the Roseland, its varied countryside, wildlife and flowers, the trees, hedges, lanes and footpaths, the streams, rivers, beaches and coastline, the views of the rolling fields and ridges, and its unique peace and calm.
Over and over again you said how important it was and, in essence, how you wished to conserve it, and how best to enhance the landscape and environment for the future.
With that in mind, the “Wild Roseland Group” has been formed by local people for local people. We are trying to assess what we have now on the Roseland and how residents’ wishes can be achieved.
At the same time, we intend to begin with two practical projects, the first involving the Roseland Primary Schools making Barn Owl boxes for local buildings. The spin-off from this would not only be of educational benefit for the children but could also make the Roseland once again the best place in Cornwall to see Barn Owls!
The second project would involve looking for spaces in each parish where wild flower areas could be sown i.e. hedges, green spaces, field and woodland edges, highway verges, or alongside footpaths, and then, following agreement, prepare the ground and plant a million seeds in the Autumn of 2016! This would not only look amazing but would benefit enormously Butterfly and Bee populations which would, in turn, increase pollination of flowers and crops across the Roseland.
Other projects in their initial stages are – Natural Habitat surveys of the Roseland; – the building of a comprehensive Roseland Flora and Fauna Database; – and favourite Roseland Nature walks. We are also hoping to collect photographic evidence from you, adults and children, with a view to holding an exhibition on “Wild Roseland.” We will tell you more about these projects in later articles.
If you are interested in contributing to any of these projects, or simply want to know more about us please contact me or look on The Roseland Plan website or Facebook page.
Our next two meetings will be at Ruan Reading Room at 10.00am on Monday, 4th January and on Monday 15th February. Please come. You will be most welcome. David Hall (01872 501429).
2. Next Roseland Plan Steering Group Meeting
7 pm Wednesday 20th January at Gerrans Memorial Hall. All are welcome.