A POLLINATOR project that will eventually connect Westbury and all the surrounding villages through wildlife friendly pollinator corridors has got underway thanks to the help of volunteers.
Volunteers and organisers put spade to soil on a plot of green land outside the front of houses on Lansdowne Close in Dilton Marsh, opposite Fairfield Farm College on Thursday 16th March. The group, which included volunteer team leaders from the college, will also soon create another pollinator corridor on the raised ground between Shepherds Mead and the High Street in the village and in Orchard Close.
Dilton Marsh parish councillor, Jenny Jones, said, “We will be planting a range of cornus, ribes, weigela, lavender, lemon balm, rosemary, and buddleaia, so we have a good mix of habitat in both areas. We also are looking at putting in place a little log pile that will be the perfect home for bugs, as well as some hedgehog boxes. This will become a lovely little nook in our village.”
The project, which is also underway in Bratton, Edington, and Heywood, is the brainchild of Wiltshire and Ethendune councillor, Suzanne Wickham, who sought funding via Wiltshire Council’s Area Board.
“I read an article about how good pollinator corridors are for local wildlife and I knew instantly that it would be perfect for Ethendune as the villages make up a corridor around Westbury,” said cllr Wickham. “I managed to secure a £4,000 grant from the Area Board, and I invited all the parish councils and Westbury Town Council to get on board, which they did, and we now have someone in each of the areas that has taken it on board.
“This is a long-term project that will look better each year and the maintenance is a great way for communities to come together and do something positive in the fresh air and (hopefully) good weather.
“The ball is moving in the other areas as well – Bratton has their community orchard; in Edington we have located a patch of land that would be perfect for this project alongside some green spaces that the parish council uses, and in Heywood both of the small patches of land at the playing grounds will have small patches of flowers.
“Westbury has their own plan as they have a ranger, but it will be identical to what we have planned here. What’s so great is that a bee will travel for up to three miles in search of pollen and nectar and it’s great to think that we can create a nice circuit for pollinators to take advantage of.
Volunteers needed
“We will have some left-over seeds, so if residents want to nominate a specific area such as a small verge that would benefit from some new plants, please contact your local council. This project is also reliant on volunteers, so if you would like to contribute to this and help out once a week or so, again, please get in contact with your parish council.”
The group in Dilton Marsh plans to meet for 90 minutes each week alternating between the two sites of Lansdowne Close and the bank between the High Street and Shepherds Mead.
