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LATEST NEWS - March 2019
We have been busy of late with on-going chores in the village. Weeding and tidying and planting two new tubs by the notice board in Marford. We have received a grant of £500 from Gresford Community Council which has paid for another two tubs which we have now installed by the fountain at the crossroads. It is hoped that these will improve the appearance of that area, which at the moment is looking less than attractive. We also had a tidy up there and washed down the paving and benches.
The tubs are looking colourful now and are slowly getting established after some harsh treatment by the sun last year. We have planted summer flowering bulbs in them and have added more plants to the large planters by the notice board in Gresford.
JOBS TO DO...
We also intend to stain the planters again and install another water butt to enable watering in the summer.
We have also been busy with Duck food and Bee Houses!
In February local bee-keeper Lloyd Roberts, Community Councillor Beryl Blackmore and Lisa Jones from the Co-Op Community Team visited local primary schools and playgroups, representing IMAGE, to encourage local children to start feeding the ducks healthier food than just bread, and to explain about how they can help bees.
Lloyd, dressed in his ‘Bee Keeping’ suit, explained how important bees and other pollinators are to our environment, and Beryl involved the children in an activity where they chose ‘good’ and ‘bad’ food for ducks. It was great fun in all cases – the children engaged with the presentations and gave some excellent answers. Both they and the adults learnt a great deal. Each child was given a packet of duck food and information on how to feed ducks healthy food.
In early March, we held an event Welcoming Bees and Other Pollinators into Your Garden. This was on a drop-in basis and was very well attended by children and adults alike. Gresford Scouts played a big part in helping get materials ready and assisting younger children in the house-making. As well as being able to make the bee-houses, information was available on the best plants to use in gardens. Everyone who attended took at least one bee-house home and we are looking forward to seeing pictures of the bee houses when they are occupied later in the year. If you have a photo to share with us, please upload to our Facebook page: (https://www.facebook.com/imagegresfordandmarford).
Funding for the ‘Ducks’ project came from Co-Op funding and the Bee-House Workshop was paid for from IMAGE funds.
USEFUL WEBSITES
https://www.rhs.org.uk
Then just search ‘plants for pollinators’ or ‘making a bee hotel’. Good site with lots of information available
https://friendsoftheearth.uk/bees
This site is useful especially for resources. Great ‘family’ material
https://www.foe.cymru/bee-friendly-wales
Friends of the Earth has joined with the Welsh Government to launch a world-first initiative to protect bees and other pollinators in Wales. Bee Friendly (Caru Gwenyn) is a new accreditation scheme where communities, schools, universities, businesses and places of worship can achieve ‘Bee Friendly’ status. The aim is to make Wales the first pollinator-friendly nation in the world! You can also sign up to Bee Friendly to receive information, advice and printed and downloadable resources to help you save our bees.
LOADS MORE INFO HERE
Contact: www.imagegroup.org.uk or 07740941263 or email barbingledene@gmail.com
MORE TREES PLANTED SPRING 2018
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MORE NEW TUBS IN THE VILLAGE
Two more tubs have been purchased with the proceeds from this year's Scarecrow Trail. We instated them in November 2018
Would you be willing to adopt a tub?
There are several tubs around Gresford that IMAGE looks after. Would you help us out by adopting one? All you need to do is keep it tidy and watered. Please contact us via the website if you can help.
There are several tubs around Gresford that IMAGE looks after. Would you help us out by adopting one? All you need to do is keep it tidy and watered. Please contact us via the website if you can help.
MORE TREES AND FLOWERS IN GRESFORD!
Thanks to grants from Gresford Community Council, Keep Wales Tidy and our fundraising in the village, we have ,established a resting place, two more trees and bedding plants in an eye-catching feature by the notice board. We hope you like it!
Special thanks to Elton Watson, Senior Tree Officer, WCBC,
Special thanks to Elton Watson, Senior Tree Officer, WCBC,
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HAVE YOU NOTICED THE NEW TREES AROUND THE VILLAGE? THANKS to a grant from Keep Wales Tidy, we were able to purchase 8 more trees. WCBC also replaced 3 trees - one was damaged deliberately, the other two just didn't thrive. All the trees are pollinator friendly and will provide more colour in the area in which they are planted. Thank you to WCBC for planting them for us free of charge! |
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20th November was a proud night for IMAGE when many people including Ian Lucas MP and Lesley Griffiths AM gathered at The Gresford Trust memorial hall for the annual awards from the Wrexham Area Civic Society.
The restoration of the Victorian Drinking fountain was awarded first prize in the category of Landscape and Environmental Improvement!
Margaret Heaton and her husband Bob were architects and managers of the project. Margaret is pictured here receiving the award from Cllr Michael Morris.
(full story of fountain can be read on its own page on this website)
The restoration of the Victorian Drinking fountain was awarded first prize in the category of Landscape and Environmental Improvement!
Margaret Heaton and her husband Bob were architects and managers of the project. Margaret is pictured here receiving the award from Cllr Michael Morris.
(full story of fountain can be read on its own page on this website)
IMAGE receives £458 grant from Keep Wales Tidy. It will be used for tree-planting in the new year.
Thanks to IMAGE members, we can now see where we enter Marford from the direction of Rossett. The sign was completely concealed by overgrown hedging. It is now visible again!
Feeding or dumping?
This is just a few of many mouldy burger buns seen floating on the lake , 29th June.
Dumping bread in large amounts is not good for the ducks or anything else. There are real concerns about over- feeding the ducks , not least because it is encouraging rats....
Many of us got our first personal interactions with avian wildlife by feeding ducks at local parks or urban ponds, and knowing what to feed ducks can help provide the birds with a healthy diet so future generations can enjoy this activity safely for themselves and for the birds they want to feed.
There are many bird feeding myths related to ducks, including the idea that feeding the birds will inhibit their migration. In truth, many waterfowl species are year-round residents of city parks and similar habitats, and they will remain there whether or not they are hand fed.
Too much feeding, on the other hand, is unhealthy for the birds and can create excess waste and pollution that can destroy waterfowl habitats, while leftover, uneaten food can attract rodents and foster disease. Birds that are fed too often can also become aggressive and may become a nuisance if they overpopulate a small area.
It is important to realise that waterfowl are capable of fending for themselves and do not require human handouts to survive, no matter what the season nor how much they may seem to beg for treats. Individuals who do want to feed the ducks, however, can do so by offering nutritious treats to supplement the birds’ wild diet.
What Not to Feed Ducks
The most common items fed to ducks and waterfowl are also the least nutritious and most unhealthy: bread, chips, crackers, popcorn and similar bread-type products and scraps.
Feeding ducks bread is bad because the food has little nutritional value and can harm ducklings’ growth, pollute waterways and attract rodents and other pests. Similarly, ducks should not be fed any products that are spoiled or moldy; different types of mold can be fatal to waterfowl. Fortunately, there are many other types of food that can be offered to ducks, geese and swans as part of a healthy and nutritious diet.
Good Foods for Ducks
The best foods for ducks are those that provide the nutrients, minerals and vitamins the birds need for healthy growth and development. Many of these foods are similar to the natural seeds, grains and plants the birds will forage on their own. As omnivorous birds, ducks will eat a great deal of different foods, and the best foods to offer ducks include:
Cracked corn
Wheat, barley or similar grains
Oats (uncooked; rolled or quick)
Rice (cooked or uncooked)
Milo
Birdseed (any type or mix)
Grapes (cut in half)
Frozen peas or corn (defrosted, no need to cook)
Earthworms
Mealworms (fresh or dried)
Chopped lettuce or other greens or salad mixes
Vegetable trimmings or peels (chopped)
Duck feed pellets or poultry starter pellets are another great option, and they can be purchased from farming or agricultural supply stores.
Tips for Feeding Ducks
If you do choose to feed ducks and waterfowl at local ponds occasionally, the best tactic is to visit rarely so the birds are not getting excess food that would be unhealthy for them or their environment. Other tips for feeding ducks, geese and swans include:
Stop feeding if the birds appear uninterested or are leaving the food uneaten, and avoid feeding the birds if other visitors are already offering treats.
No matter what foods you provide, only offer foods in bite-sized pieces the birds can easily consume without choking or struggling.
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Dumping bread in large amounts is not good for the ducks or anything else. There are real concerns about over- feeding the ducks , not least because it is encouraging rats....
Many of us got our first personal interactions with avian wildlife by feeding ducks at local parks or urban ponds, and knowing what to feed ducks can help provide the birds with a healthy diet so future generations can enjoy this activity safely for themselves and for the birds they want to feed.
There are many bird feeding myths related to ducks, including the idea that feeding the birds will inhibit their migration. In truth, many waterfowl species are year-round residents of city parks and similar habitats, and they will remain there whether or not they are hand fed.
Too much feeding, on the other hand, is unhealthy for the birds and can create excess waste and pollution that can destroy waterfowl habitats, while leftover, uneaten food can attract rodents and foster disease. Birds that are fed too often can also become aggressive and may become a nuisance if they overpopulate a small area.
It is important to realise that waterfowl are capable of fending for themselves and do not require human handouts to survive, no matter what the season nor how much they may seem to beg for treats. Individuals who do want to feed the ducks, however, can do so by offering nutritious treats to supplement the birds’ wild diet.
What Not to Feed Ducks
The most common items fed to ducks and waterfowl are also the least nutritious and most unhealthy: bread, chips, crackers, popcorn and similar bread-type products and scraps.
Feeding ducks bread is bad because the food has little nutritional value and can harm ducklings’ growth, pollute waterways and attract rodents and other pests. Similarly, ducks should not be fed any products that are spoiled or moldy; different types of mold can be fatal to waterfowl. Fortunately, there are many other types of food that can be offered to ducks, geese and swans as part of a healthy and nutritious diet.
Good Foods for Ducks
The best foods for ducks are those that provide the nutrients, minerals and vitamins the birds need for healthy growth and development. Many of these foods are similar to the natural seeds, grains and plants the birds will forage on their own. As omnivorous birds, ducks will eat a great deal of different foods, and the best foods to offer ducks include:
Cracked corn
Wheat, barley or similar grains
Oats (uncooked; rolled or quick)
Rice (cooked or uncooked)
Milo
Birdseed (any type or mix)
Grapes (cut in half)
Frozen peas or corn (defrosted, no need to cook)
Earthworms
Mealworms (fresh or dried)
Chopped lettuce or other greens or salad mixes
Vegetable trimmings or peels (chopped)
Duck feed pellets or poultry starter pellets are another great option, and they can be purchased from farming or agricultural supply stores.
Tips for Feeding Ducks
If you do choose to feed ducks and waterfowl at local ponds occasionally, the best tactic is to visit rarely so the birds are not getting excess food that would be unhealthy for them or their environment. Other tips for feeding ducks, geese and swans include:
Stop feeding if the birds appear uninterested or are leaving the food uneaten, and avoid feeding the birds if other visitors are already offering treats.
No matter what foods you provide, only offer foods in bite-sized pieces the birds can easily consume without choking or struggling.
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