SUPPORTING NATURE

Many of our projects aim to support our local environment, improve biodiversity and enhance our enjoyment of our beautiful villages

In February 2023, a group of volunteers planted 100 tree saplings in a field on Elcombe Farm in Uley; with the enthusiastic support of the farmer who owns the field. Some children from Uley School planted the first few.

In January 2024 a group of volunteers planted 50 tree saplings in a space on Mill Farm between Uley and Dursley, and 50 in a space on Owlpen Manor Estate - with the support of the respective landowners. The species were Oak, Silver Birch, Sweet Chestnut and Black Alder.

In October '24 volunteers that included CUCAN members helped a project organised by ''Wild Dursley'' to plant 300 Violet plug plants on the south side of Cam Long Down.

The project is attempting to bring back the Pearl Bordered Fritillary butterfly (and associated insects) to the Down, which was abundant until about 1980 but then disappeared. The reason is thought to have been due to the disappearance of its favourite food plant, the common violet.

 Wild flowers compete more successfully with grass if the soil fertility is poor, so management that lowers the soil fertility results in more wild flowers. Insects are more successful if island patches of wild flowers are separated by short distances, or by wild habitat such as hedgerow, so there is a linking 'corridor' of nature.

In support of the Uley Parish Council Biodiversity Policy, adopted in February '24, four 'islands' have begun to be managed to promote the growth of wild flowers.

Two small patches are within the village, where nearby residents have volunteered to take responsibility for their management (consistent with pedestrians' safety, dogs fowling avoidance, and maintaining clear road visibility for vehicles):               

                1. Next to the Uley Shop

                2. Above Sheeps Pool

Two larger areas, identified as ''unimproved limestone grassland'' by the ecologist from Cotswold Glorious Grasslands, Lorna Baggett, when she conducted a survey (so especially suitable for wild flowering):

                3. The area known as Uley Common
                4. The bank on the Millennium Green

   (with the support of the Millennium Green Committee).

Uley Common

This small remnant of a once much larger Common is the triangular area next to the field just north of Hetty Pegler's Tump.

Uley Common has been brushcut by volunteers during several mornings in November '24, and the cuttings raked into a brash pile along one edge (which also becomes a useful habitat).

Millennium Green Bank

 Lorna Baggett's report of the wildflower species she observed on this bank during her survey is here.

On a day in April '24 six volunteers brushcut a part of the bank, and then raked the cuttings off the area into brash pile lower down the field.   Further brushcuts and raking have been done during December '24 and January '25.

Hedges weakened by annual flail cutting revive and thicken up if they are laid manually by traditional methods.  One Cucan volunteer attended a Tree Council online course during summer '24, and after it, a practical hedge-laying day. The Tree Council (the organisation that manages 'trees outside woodlands', in parallel with the Forestry Commission which manages 'trees within woodlands') has a national project to restore hedgerows. Thousands of miles of hedgerows have been lost since the end of WW2, and also weakened by annual flail-cutting. If restored and improved, they provide invaluable habitat for birds, small mammals, insects, and still smaller organisms - those creatures which have disappeared in such large numbers causing the nature loss crisis. Thriving hedges usually have borders either side of grass and wild flowers, which together with the hedge itself are excellent biodiverse habitat.

A useful local project could be to:

1. do a local hedgerows baseline survey; 
2. replant hedgerows that have been lost (it is legal to plant a hedge where one can be shown on earlier maps to have existed before, but not otherwise); 
3. carry out traditional hedge-laying on weakened hedges or parts of hedges (which promotes low-level bushy growth from the ground up).

In the same way that three copses were planted by CUCAN volunteers in '23 and '24 (sourcing saplings and guards from Gloucester County Council) the hope is to plant some hedge during winter '24/25, and to strengthen by manual hedge-laying weakened sections of existing hedges.

CUCAN is soon to become more involved in an exciting project in Coaley!

The recreation ground in Coaley is entering a long phase of regeneration following extensive public consultation. This regeneration should provide a rich, natural environment where everyone can enjoy the outdoors, play freely and creatively with their peers and follow their interests. The aim is for a more naturalistic, wildlife-friendly space with more trees, wildlife-friendly planting, wildflower/meadow areas and improved habitat around the edges. More information about the project can be found here.