The Upper Lighthorne Resident’s Association are inviting local residents to help care for trees and hedgerows in public areas of the town through its Foster a Tree Scheme.

Trees and hedgerows play a vital role in supporting biodiversity, improving air and soil quality, storing carbon and creating healthier, more resilient places for both people and wildlife. However, they need ongoing care to survive and thrive.

That’s where local residents can make a real difference. Simple actions such as watering, light pruning and keeping an eye on young trees and hedgerows can help them flourish and ensure that future generations continue to enjoy their many benefits. For more information or to get involved, please email pulra.upperlighthorne@gmail.com

Warwickshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) was officially launched on 27 May 2026 as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations at Ryton Pools Country Park.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies were introduced under the Environment Act 2021 as part of national efforts to reverse the decline in nature and support nature’s recovery.

The LNRS was developed by Warwickshire County Council in close collaboration with the Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull Local Nature Partnership (LNP). The LNRS is web-based and fully interactive. To find out more, visit the Warwickshire Coventry and Solihull Local Nature Partnership website.

The Community Climate and Nature Fund is an initiative run by Stratford-on-Avon District Council that provides funding to local councils, community groups and charities to reduce carbon emissions and improve local biodiversity.

Since it was set up in November 2023, £250,000 has been allocated to local initiatives by the scheme across 53 projects.

The latest round ended in April 2026, and the following projects supporting wildlife received funding:

• £3,971 to Tysoe Parish Council and Tysoe Wildlife Group to preserve and enhance local swift and hedgehog populations
• £5,110 to Stratford Beekeepers’ Association to fund equipment and events to defend against the impacts of the Yellow Legged Asian Hornet
• £5,000 to Long Compton Action Group to clear vegetation and debris from Nethercote Brook

The Community Climate and Nature Fund has been reopened for a Fourth Round. The budget for this round is £200,000, and the upcoming deadline for applications is Monday 27 July 2026.

Visit the website to find out more information, including whether you may be eligible, and what projects have been delivered by the CCNF in the past.

Over 50 events took place in Stratford District in or around 6^th-14^th June to mark The Great Big Green Week. 

Some of the events involving wildlife included:

• The Great Big Green Week 2026 Launch: Together in Meon Vale
• Hedgerow to Hostelry – Walk In Stretton-On-Fosse
• Closing Day Conversations: Adaptation and Resilience – Stratford-Upon-Avon
• Open Gardens for Wildlife in Wellesbourne and Hunscote
• Stratford Upon Avon Local Nature Reserve Guided Tour
• Guided Wild Plant Walks – Shipston-On-Stour, Stratford-Upon-Avon
• Climate and Nature Drop In Engagement Event Alcester Town Council
• Plant and Butterfly Identification – Shipston-On-Stour
• Moth Traps & Bacon Baps – Preston-On-Stour

The conference focused on delivering the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) across Warwickshire.

The following presentations are available:

• David Lowe, Service Manager Ecology, Historic Environment & Landscape at Warwickshire County Council: Update on Warwickshire’s LNRS
• Rory Johnson, Director and Meadows Adviser at Herefordshire Meadows
• Sarah Barnsley, Natural Capital Assessment Partnership Manager: Hedgerows – Wild Wonders of Warwickshire.
• Megan Gimber, Key Habitats Officer at PTES: Hedgerows and Sensitive Management
• Sally Eadon, Agricultural Land Advisor at Warwickshire Wildlife Trust: Warwickshire Sustainable Farming Groups and Warwickshire Meadows Hub.

They can be accessed on the Local Nature Partnership web site.

Britain’s butterflies made the BBC news this morning…

These reports draw on data from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS), one of the largest and longest‑running citizen science programmes in the world. Since its launch in 1976, the scheme has collected more than 44 million butterfly records through 782,000 surveys carried out by volunteers across the UK.

Of the 59 native butterfly species monitored, long‑term trends show that 33 species have declined, 25 have increased, and one mountain species cannot be assessed due to insufficient data.

Experts attribute many of the declines to habitat loss, pollution and climate change, with the greatest impacts seen among rarer and more specialised species. In contrast, butterflies that can thrive in a wide range of habitats — including farmland, parks and gardens — are generally faring better and, in some cases, increasing in number.

You can read more about it here.

One species of butterfly that will be flying soon is the Orange Tip Butterfly.  Only males have the bright orange wing tips. Females lay eggs on specific caterpillar food plants, mainly on Cuckooflower and Garlic Mustard, and this species of butterfly is thriving, up by 42% since 1976.  Both species of caterpillar food plant are flowering at the moment.  Garlic Mustard grows in shady spots in woodlands and hedgerows whilst Cuckooflower prefers damp meadows.

Header photo credit: Illuvis, Pixabay

The RSPB’s latest advice on what and when to feed garden birds:

Feed seasonally. Feed safely.

Some species of garden bird, such as Greenfinches, are experiencing serious declines because of a disease called trichomonosis. This is a highly contagious disease and can spread where birds gather in large numbers such as at bird feeders.  Numbers of Greenfinches, for example, have dropped by over 65% in the last three decades. 

We can all help stop the spread of disease among garden birds by making two simple changes in how we feed birds.

Feed seasonally

During summer and autumn, there’s a higher risk of disease spreading. But it’s also when there are more natural foods available to birds, such as seeds and insects.  From 1 May to 31 October, stop filling your bird feeders with seeds or peanuts.  You can continue to offer garden birds small amounts of mealworms, fatballs or suet.  From 1 November to 30 April you can feed your birds a full range of bird foods, including seeds and peanuts.

Feed safely

• Clean your bird feeders and water baths at least once a week. 
• Place your bird feeders in a different spot every week. 
• Avoid putting feeders under places where birds roost, such as under trees. 
• Don’t use bird feeders with flat surfaces, such as bird tables, window feeders and feeders with trays. 
• Feed in moderation. 
• Keep food as dry as possible.
• Change water in bird baths daily. 
• Help birds find their own food. 

Find out more from the RSPB website