News and Events

Forthcoming Events
Contact the project for further details of any of these events.

Purdis Heath Megabash
10:00am - 3:00pm Saturday 26th January 2008
The Greenways Project and many other local groups and individuals are combining for another annual scrub clearing day on this SSSI heathland.

Come along and lend a hand: Tools, training, gloves & refreshments will be provided, all you need to bring is enthusiasm – and a packed lunch if you are staying all day.

A map of the meeting point at Purdis Heath can be found here.

News

Added 06 Dec 2007
Ipswich Rivers Clean Up
Following the great success of the Big clean Up in 2006, the Greenways Project and CSV decided to organise a similar event for this year. The event was split into two main locations – The Gipping through the town and the Belstead Brook through Belstead Brook Park.

The aim: To involve the River Action Group members and as many local people as possible in helping to clean up the rivers, both in the water and on the banks and associated open spaces, utilising specialist volunteers including divers and canoeists.

The Results: More than 140 volunteers turned up at the two meeting points (40 at BBP and more than 100 at Yarmouth Road Bridge. As well as many individual volunteers, there were representatives from CSV, Greenways Project; Diveline; Ipswich Canoe Club; Ipswich Wildlife Group; Sustrans; Friends of Belstead Brook Park; Inland Waterways Association and the Zimbabwe Community Association.

The usual array of items were recovered, including:

50 shopping trolleys
60 bicycles
6 motorcycles
about 50 traffic cones
a filing cabinet
a skate board
a crutch (taken by a participating doctor who is returning this for re-use!)
a washing machine
and a kitchen sink (yes, really!!)

along with numerous other items and over 100 sacks of general litter collected from the banks etc.

Funding and Contributions
There were generous cash contributions from County Councillors Keith Rawlingson and Bryony Rudkin (£400 each); Legal and General (£500) and contributions in kind from Rivercare (Anglian Water) (loan of kit etc); Sackers (providing three skips free of charge); Trolleywise (disposed of the collected trolleys – contracted by Sainsbury’s) and Sainsbury’s themselves provided some refreshments for the volunteers.
The cash contributions covered the costs of refreshments, a barbecue for participants following the event, the hire of toilets, supply of event t-shirts and purchase of gloves and equipment.

The Future
Despite the very obvious success of this event, the amount of rubbish collected and the comments from local people serve to highlight the urgent need for resources to manage the corridor in a more effective way. With many years of discussions on the subject, there has always been strong support for the principle of creating a River warden post – a part time position – to allow the whole route to be kept in the condition that one would expect for such an important resource for the town.
In simple terms, it would be possible to mow all the paths, collect litter, remove graffiti, monitor the condition of the paths and infrastructure as well as act as a point of contact for the community.
Funding for such a post needs to be found from a wide range of sources, with relevant landowners being key (IBC and the Environment Agency amongst others) contributors.
The River Action Group and the Greenways Project will continue to promote this way forward along with occasional big clean up events to promote interest in the river corridor in the broadest sense.

Added 15 Mar 2007
Martlesham Megabash
The Greenways Project joined with Martlesham Conservation Group, Ipswich Wildlife Group and others for a day of practical wildlife conservation at the Martlesham Heath SSSI on the 24th of February. Around 50 people came along to lend a hand and a vast amount of scrub was cleared and burnt, improving this nationally important habitat for the Silver-studded Blue butterfly and a wide range of other heathland wildlife. Thanks to all those who contributed. 

We hope to carry out more work on this site with the Martlesham Conservation Group in the future.

Volunteers working at the Martlesham Megabash

Added 08 Feb 2007
North Ipswich Rights of Way
Suffolk County Council Countryside Service has been given funding to carry out improvements to pedestrian and cycle access to the north of Ipswich, including links from town to country, over three years. The Greenways Project and the local Ramblers’ Association group have been busy surveying paths and looking for possible improvements including gaps in the network where new paths would make a real difference to the value of existing paths for local people.

The area we are looking at stretches from Whitton and Akenham in the west to Rushmere, Playford and Tuddenham in the east. Within the Borough boundary there is currently no definitive map of Public Rights of Way, so the task of improving routes is much more difficult, although SCC are now starting work towards producing a definitive map for the Borough.

We are very keen to have input from anyone with an interest in paths in this area in order to gather together as many good ideas as possible. If you have any thoughts or suggestions for improvements, please contact the project.

Fonnereau and Churchman Ways
The Greenways Project has formally launched two new walks recently – the Fonnereau Way and the Churchman Way. The former stretches between Christchurch Park and the village of Westerfield, and the latter links Gippeswyk Park, Chantry Park and Sproughton village.
The routes have been designed by a keen local walker, Roger Wolfe, who identified these ‘virtually traffic-free routes’ between town and country. The routes are marked with wooden marker posts and there is a colour leaflet available from the Tourist Information Centre in Ipswich (or from the Greenways Project direct).

An information board in Christchurch Park was unveiled at the start of the Fonnereau Way, which shows the route and features of interest that walkers can see along the way. The beauty of the walk is that the Suffolk East Coast railway line can be used to complete a ‘circle’ – the train from Ipswich to Westerfield takes just a few minutes and costs only a little over a pound.

Click for a map of the Fonnereau Way

The Churchman Way starts in Gippeswyk Park, just off Ancaster Road, where there is an information board and map of the route. This walk (approx 2.5 miles) leads out to Sproughton village from where the walker can return by bus or by walking along the River Path back to the town centre.

Click for a map of the Churchman Way

The leaflets, information boards and waymarkers have been funded by Ipswich Borough Council’s Community Improvements fund; the Ipswich Society; Councillor Inga Lockington’s Locality Budget and the Ipswich and District Ramblers’ Association.

Big Clean Up 2006
Around 180 volunteers turned out to support the ITV Big Clean Up event in September of this year, in Ipswich’s largest volunteer event. The Greenways Project and Ipswich Borough Council’s Park Rangers teamed up with CSV as part of ITV’s national campaign. There were 18 events around the country, with the one in Ipswich being one of the (if not the) largest.

Volunteers were spread across three main areas: the River through the town; Belstead Brook Park and Orwell Country Park. An incredible amount of work was carried out in the single day, including reedbed cutting, scrub clearance, otter holt construction, burnt gorse clearance, meadow raking as well as a vast amount of litter clearing.

Much of the TV coverage concentrated on the River clear up, where around 70 volunteers (including many from the Ipswich Canoe Club and a local diving club) collected an impressive haul of 87 shopping trolleys, 40 bicycles, 2 safes (doors blown off!), 2 motorbikes and mountains of other general rubbish.

We hope the event (or something like it) will run again next year – watch this space.

Volunteers with just part of the rubbish cleared from the riverbed.
Image copyright by CSV.

Added 12 Jul 2006
Green Living Family Fun Days
This event proved to be an outstanding success with over 15,000 people attending over the June weekend, and enjoying the displays and good offered at over 90 stands - including the Greenways stand.  It looks like an even bigger and better event is being planned for next year, so keep June 23rd & 24th 2007 free!

Added 24 Apr 2006
Dawn Chorus
Nearly thirty people came along to this popular early morning birdwatching walk held over the weekend. The two hour trip included Stoke Park Wood, once a game covert; Bourne Park reedbeds; Ashground Plantation alder carr; the recently planted Millenium Wood; and Spring Wood ancient woodland, to provide a wide variety of habitats, and a total of 44 bird species were heard or seen during the trip. One of the highlights were the Nightingales which were on form this year and provided a fine performance at either end of the trip.

Look out for a similar event next year.


Added 10 Apr 2006
FoBBP - Boardwalk Construction
The Friends of Belstead Brook Park came along to Spring Wood LNR in good numbers on Saturday 8th of April to construct a boardwalk around the recently replaced footbridge in the centre of the wood. By the end of the session, the boardwalk was complete, and the air was heavily scented with the smell of the surrounding Ramsons or Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum).

Friends of Belstead Brook Park build
a boardwalk in Spring Wood LNR

Added 28 Mar 2006
Bobbits Lane Toad Patrol
With the weather warming up considerably over the last few days, and Spring now definitely underway, toads are on the move to their mating grounds. In particular, unprecedented numbers are crossing Bobbits Lane towards the wet meadows. Exactly what has brought about this massive increase in numbers is not certain, although the Greenways Project has carried out several habitat improvement schemes in and around the recently-declared Local Nature Reserves along Bobbits Lane over the last few years.

As a result of this mass-migration, The Project Ranger and several volunteers are mounting a Toad Patrol along the lane in the evenings and early mornings for the next few days, to prevent too many toads falling victim to the traffic. Contact us if you would like to get involved.

Added prior to 01 Jan 2006
Dawn Chorus
4.30am Sunday 24th April 2005

Join local bird experts for an early morning walk around several local nature reserves in Belstead Brook Park. We can expect to see and hear a great many birds in the water meadows, new and mature woodland, Alder Carr and open grassland. All three species of woodpecker can be found in the area and rarities including Hawfinch, Water rail and Marsh warbler have been recorded on these sites in recent years. Nightingales should be singing in Spring Wood around now too. Meet in Bobbit's Lane Car Park.


Draft Management Plans
Several of our sites are soon to be designated as Local Nature Reserves and, as part of this process, Management Plans are currently being written for them. These documents are guides for all conservation work to be carried out on the sites in the coming years.

Draft versions of these plans are currently prepared, but we are keen to receive comments from all interested parties before finalising them. If you would like to comment on any of the plans, please download and read them from the links below.

Stoke Park Wood LNR Management Plan & Map
Alderman Canal LNR Management Plan & Map
Bobbits Lane LNR Management Plan & Map
Spring Wood & Millennium Wood LNR Management Plan & Map

Comments can be returned by email to greenways.project@ipswich.gov.uk or by post to:
Greenways Countryside Project,
Stable Block,
Holywells Park,
Cliff Lane,
Ipswich IP3 0PG.


Killer Ladybird in Ipswich

A couple of weeks ago a volunteer working with the Project spotted an unusual ladybird in a patch of woodland on Belmont Road, in Pinewood to the south of the town.

A little research showed it to be Harmonia axyridis, the Harlequin Ladybird, a voracious species originally from Asia. It has been imported to the USA as a form of pest control, but has been so successful that it is now a pest itself, with thousands entering houses in the winter, and eating not only aphids - the intended pests - but other ladybirds and many other insect species.

It has even been known to bite humans at times. It was known to be a growing pest in Europe, but the first sighting in the UK was a couple of weeks earlier in Essex. Unfortunately, it seems likely that we will see many more in the coming years, to the detriment of our native species. Yet another example of the consequences of inappropriate introduction of non-native species.

Further information on this newcomer, and photos of its many different forms, can be found at the following website, belonging to Dr. Mike Majerus of Cambridge University, who is collating details on this species.
http://www.gen.cam.ac.uk/newdept/research/labs/Majerus/ladybirdindex.htm

Fungus Foray

On Sunday October 24th around 10 people joined us for a guided fungus walk around the Mill Stream open space led by a local expert. We found over thirty species on the day including the Candlesnuff, the Prince (delicious, but very rare - so we left it undisturbed), Beefsteak, Fly Agaric, Parasol, Amethyst Deceiver, Honey Fungus and many others.

The fungal connections with conditions such as Dutch Elm Disease, and the "Witch's Broom" formations on Birch were explained and many other "fungusy" questions answered. A fascinating day for all who came along.

Our thanks to Dale Jarrold for his expertise. Look out for a repeat of this event next year.

Dawn Chorus at Spring Wood

A dozen or so early risers joined us at 5:00am on Sunday 9th May for a birdspotting walk with local bird experts around Spring Wood Local Nature Reserve, home to Green, Greater and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. The trip also took in the Ashground Plantation alder-carr and the flooded meadows of Bobbits Lane - a haven for water fowl, including Snipe, a Little Egret, and Water Rail. Although the Nightingales in the coppiced part of the wood were rather shy, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler and Cuckoo put on a fine show, and in total 37 species were recorded.

Leap into Spring Wood

Leap Day (29th of February) in Spring Wood saw over twenty children and adults joining the Greenways Project, Ipswich Wildlife Group and the Friends of Belstead Brook Park in restoring an old pond as a breeding site and creating hibernaculae (winter homes) for frogs and toads. The first task of the day was to rescue dozens of Ash tree saplings from the site of the pond. They will be replanted in safer locations.

By the end of the day the pond had water seeping in from natural sources, two hibernaculae had been built - consisting of rotting wood (to provide cavities) and soft sand (that toads can easily burrow into), and everyone had had a chance to find out a little more about Spring Wood and it's wildlife.

Thanks to everyone who came along!

Purdis Heath Mega-Bash 2004

In the largest conservation event around Ipswich since the last Mega-Bash, nearly 50 volunteers once again spent a day "scrub-bashing" - cutting back the encroaching birch scrub from the heathland SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) at Purdis recently.

The volunteers came from groups including Greenways, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Ipswich Wildlife Group, Butterfly Conservation, Friends of Belstead Brook Park (a little out of their normal patch), Otley College, Ipswich Golf Club and others. About half an acre was cleared during the day, helping to improve the habitat for the rare Silver-Studded Blue butterfly and other healthland species.

Many thanks to all who came along and, since there is still more work to do, see you there next year?!

Running on Biodiesel

The Greenways vehicles are now running on BioDiesel - a processed vegetable oil.

No mechanical conversion was required, but due to strong detergent properties of the fuel, we have been slowly increasing the proportion used, starting with a mix of just 5% of the vegetable fuel and with the intention of increasing, over the course of some months, to 100%. At the time of writing the vehicles are happily running at 20%.

The Diesel engine was originally designed by its inventor to run on vegetable derived fuel, which has many benefits over the conventional mineral diesel fuel. Some of the benefits of this fuel are obvious, others are more subtle. The fuel is entirely made of vegetable oil (rape seed, sunflower, soya, palm etc) which is 100% renewable in that all the CO2 produced is taken up by the crop growing the following year. The fuel available at the moment is also 100% recycled (waste product from the food production industry) and is diverting waste from landfill or incineration. The fuel is much safer to transport and any spillages are entirely biodegradable.

Many of the emissions associated with diesel engines are dramatically reduced (and these reductions have been verified by independent scientific trials). For example, particulate emissions are almost 30% lower than conventional diesel and hydrocarbons are down over 40%. Although both of these figures relate to 100% biodiesel fuel, a large proportion of the emmission reductions are present even with a 5% BioDiesel mix.

Biodiesel fuel is also a very good lubricant and has been shown to reduce pump wear dramatically.

The fuel is supplied by the Norfolk based company Broadland Fuels.