Well, it's been a while... The good news is that this is because, between us all, we've been wonderfully busy! Firstly, we've finally managed to update our website to better reflect what we do, how we do it, and with whom (pic of homepage above, for your delectation, in case you haven't already spotted it). Hopefully, it will be more user-friendy from now on but it's a continual learning process for us, so please be gentle! And secondly, I'm hoping to keep a bit more up-t0-date in adding posts to our news blog - we shall see but the intention is definitely there.
So, what have we been up to of late? Workshops, BioBlitzes, activity designing, event-attending, people-meeting, WI group-informing, Citizen Science-exploring, talking, and lots of lovely biological recording. Oh, and me personally, I spent a fair bit of last summer peering at pollinating insects down a microscope or via my clever little camera - that proved interesting, although I have to admit that one black, hairy fly can look very much like another...
Much of our time has been spent with a group of fantastic volunteers from Penwith Landscape Partnership, who have formed themselved into the Penwith Wildlife Recorders Group. The group meets at least weekly, and we've had the priviledge of providing our own ID training for them - introducing them to various taxonomic groups and different habitats, and arranging for external experts to pop along to talk about projects, deliver bespoke training or to impart their own knowledge. The latter has included NPMS (National Plant Monitoring Scheme) training from Plantlife's Rachel Murphy, BeeWalk training from Richard Comont from The Bumblebee Conservation Trust, and a closer look at spiders with Tylan Berry, and at bees and other Aculeates with Will Hawkes.
Similarly, we've been continuing to work regularly with the Dynamic Dunescapes Cornwall team (and the new Cornwall Dunes Recording Group), again delivering ID training, as well as guidance on structured monitoring. It can be tough, being out on the dunes, seeing numerous interesting species, and spending time with wonderful, enthusiastic staff and volunteers but needs must!
We've also been involved in a several BioBlitzes and similar recording events, with our favourite having to be Tehidy BioBlitz, delivered with Resilient Orchards Cornwall CIC. The event focused on Tehidy Orchard and its environs within Tehidy Country Park. The weather was on our side, the company was great, and we had an all-round wonderful couple of days. You can read all about it in the event report (link below).
We're hoping to be able to deliver the Tehidy BioBlitz again this summer, presuming we can collectively suss the logistics involved, so watch this space!
So, we've being doing all sorts of interesting and rewarding things, and we continue to do all sorts of interesting and rewarding things, especially now that the warmer months are upon us. As well as getting to spend good times with the Dynamic Dunescapes and the Penwith Wildlife Recorders gangs, we're about to embark on a series of workshops with the G7 Legacy for Nature Recovery project (China Clay area), are in the process of designing a programme of Introduction to Ecology workshops (Penwith area), will soon be delivering our annual workshops for students at University of Exeter (Penryn), as well as working on much more - it's all go but we wouldn't have it any other way!
Oh, and we have a brand new flag, of which we are rather proud...
