Category Archives: FNW
Two-hour ‘dose’ of nature significantly boosts health
The Guardian and New Scientist report a two-hour “dose” of nature a week significantly boosts health and well-being, research suggests, even if you simply sit and enjoy the peace.
The physical and mental health benefits of time spent in parks, woods or the beach are well known, but the new research is the first major study into how long is needed to produce the effect. If confirmed by future research, two hours in nature could join five a day of fruit and veg and 150 minutes of exercise a week as official health advice.
Why not come and join us on our next nature walk on Saturday 22 June at Henley Park Meadows, Normandy.
Photo © 2009 Pomeroy under creative commons.
Christmas Party and Competitions
Thanks to everyone who came for making our Christmas party a wonderfully fun event again. As well as mulled cider, lashings of delicious food and great company, we had quizzes to test our knowledge on our local wildlife and our annual photo competition.
Christmas Leaf Quiz
Have a go at one of those quizzes now yourself…..
We collected and pressed 20 different leaves from deciduous trees from Normandy Common. Can you name them all? See below for the answers.
Congratulations to Linda Pike for winning our annual photo competition, decided by votes from the Christmas party attendees. This year’s theme was “autumn”, and here is the impressive winning photo.
Answers!
The answers to the above Christmas leaf quiz are:
1. Elder (Sambucus nigra)
2. Ash (Fraxinus exelsior)
3. Rowan or Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia)
4. Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur)
5. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
6. Field Maple (Acer campestre)
7. Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)
8. Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa)
9. Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
10. Grey Willow (Salix cinerea)
11. Spindle (Euonymus europaeus)
12.Goat or Pussy Willow (Salix caprea)
13. Alder (Alnus glutinosa)
14. Hazel (Corylus avellana)
15. Beech (Fagus sylvatica)
16. Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus)
17. English Elm (Ulmus procera)
18. Silver Birch (Betula pendula)
19. Lime (Tilia sp.)
20. Aspen (Populus tremula)
FNW at Normandy village fete
Thank you to everyone that visited the Friends of Normandy Wildlife stall at the Normandy Village Fete.
We had our display boards showing photos of wildlife in Normandy, and information about our past and future talks and key updates about Normandy wildlife. We brought nature to the fete by displaying skulls and nests which people may not have seen before – all species which can be found in Normandy.
We also had a competition for our younger visitors. Inspired by the real nests made by birds, they made nests of their own from clay, moss, feathers and more. Here you can see our two winning nests: the above by Vinny, and the one below a joint effort by neighbours Sara and Brooke. The young winners all received natural history books as their prize.
We had a wonderful day meeting you all and we hope you enjoyed our stall too.
Friends of Normandy Wildlife
Do you love the countryside in and around Normandy? Are you interested in all the wildlife there is in the area – some of which is nationally rare? If so, then the Friends of Normandy Wildlife (FNW) may be just what you are looking for!
Formed in 2014 by a group of local enthusiasts, FNW is an organisation set up with the aim of fostering an appreciation of the beauty and diversity of wildlife in Normandy and protecting it for the future.
The parish is important within Surrey since it contains a number of Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCIs) within its boundaries. The parish also boasts part of the Ash Ranges; this internationally important heathland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Protection Area.
We aim to record and report wildlife sightings across the parish and publicise Normandy’s wildlife to a wide audience, both in and around the village and through other influential wildlife bodies.
The Group is very friendly and welcoming and at present we have around 50 members. We are fortunate in that several of these are qualified specialists in ecology or wildlife biology who hold, or have held, senior positions relating to wildlife in national and international bodies.
Some members are local experts who belong to various Surrey and National wildlife societies; others just share an interest in nature and the environment and want to learn more about it together with friends and neighbours.