Looking back on 2021

An update on activity at Carymoor in 2021

Despite the restrictions of Covid and difficulties this caused to schools, we managed to reach a good number of children with our various environmental education programmes last year.  Working with Somerset Waste Partnership, our Schools Against Waste Programme conducted 57 visits (mostly virtual) where over 8,000 Somerset pupils attended an assembly to learn about recycling and waste reduction.  Over 50 schools also visited us on site to take part in a variety of educational days including history days, eco-themed days and nature inspired fun and games. 

Shelter Building	Exploring the Waste Tunnel	Plate weaving on a History Day

We offered a range conservation and craft courses thanks to Somerset Skills and Learning. This was a great chance for people to get out after lockdown, learn a new skill, and have a chance to socialise.

The lockdown limited access for our volunteer groups but these were restarted as soon as we could and provided volunteers with a welcome chance to boost their health and wellbeing, as well as a chance to support wildlife on the nature reserve.  Over 3,500 volunteer hours were recorded last year which makes such a huge difference to our work.

Volunteers planting seeds	Wasp Spider	Bee Orchid

The wildlife on site continues to thrive. As well as the butterfly recording which you can read about separately, we also have volunteers who record other species for us including bumblebees, birds and reptiles. Great Crested Newts have been regularly seen by our Long Pond, including juveniles, which makes it almost certain they are breeding there. We found 2 abandoned harvest mouse nests on the capped landfill which indicates they are spreading across our reserve.  Over 50 different species of birds have been recorded including good numbers of breeding Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroats, Reed Warblers and Blackcaps.  There were also noteworthy migrants with Willow Warbler, Wheatear, Whinchat, Tree Pipits, Lesser Redpoll and Siskin visiting. Winter visitors included Jack Snipe, Redwings, Fieldfare, Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail.

Blackcap	Chiff Chaff	Whinchat

Work on the site included hedgelaying, coppicing, layering and pollarding to improve the woodland areas and hedges for wildlife.  We once again planted our bird forage plots to help support populations of overwintering birds. We were able to make efficiencies to our conservation work, thanks to new equipment and training. Staff were trained to use a hedge flail, which enables us to quickly manage hedges and verges and will improve the nesting habitat for the harvest mouse using the hedge margins, and also improves general access across the site.  

Our thanks to all our wildlife monitors, volunteers and staff for their hard work in helping us maintain and constantly improve our site.