Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2014/January 2015 | Page 64

COUNTRY LIFE

Countryside news
with Tony Ridd

What to look out for...

Green army awarded Merlin trophy
Spectrum Housing Group’s Green Army, the volunteer arm of the
housing association’s Natural Wight project, has been awarded the
Merlin Trophy at this year’s Best Kept Village Awards. The Merlin
Trophy is awarded each year by the Campaign for the Protection
of Rural England (CPRE IW) to an individual or organisation in
recognition of their contribution to conservation on the Isle of Wight.
Natural Wight’s Green Army are all young volunteers aged between
16 to 25, many of whom are not in work or education or who are in
supported accommodation at Spectrum’s Foyer or Southern Housing
Group. The volunteers undertake conservation tasks around the Island
under the supervision of groups such as the Hampshire and Isle of
Wight Wildlife Trust and the IW Council’s Countryside Ranger.
The project has been running for over three years, totalling
hundreds of volunteer hours and helping with conservation
Islandwide, from Fort Victoria to Sandown. Green Army volunteer
Cory Cruse, aged 23, accepted the Award from CPRE Chairman
John Langley and High Sheriff, Claire Locke, on behalf of the team.
He said: “Working with Green Army over the last year means I have
learnt practical outdoor skills and made new friends – it’s been
brilliant for my CV too. It’s also opened up other opportunities.”

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Holm Oak
Though most other trees around
are losing their leaves, the Holm
Oak is an evergreen oak tree,
native to the Mediterranean
and introduced to Britain in the
late 1500s. It is ideal for the
coastal areas of the Island as
they are resistant to salt spray.
The acorns are used to feed pigs
reared for Serrano ham.

Hen of the Woods
This is an unusual fungus
that grows on oaks and other
deciduous trees. The caps are
joined together and the larger
specimens can be enough to
feed many people. They are
good to eat and quite rare, so
note where you find it, as it will
certainly grow there again!

Shelduck
This is one of our most attractive
waterfowl, favouring muddy and
sandy estuaries. They are bigger
than a mallard, but smaller than
a goose. They eat vegetation,
invertebrates and small fish.
Although present along our
shores all year, their numbers
swell due to winter migrating
birds coming to our shores.

Winter Moth
Found pretty much wherever
there are trees or shrubs.
Wingless females emerge from
pupae in the soil over the winter.
They crawl up the trunk to lay
eggs on the branches. Only the
male is seen flying, often in car
headlights at night. Both males
and females die soon after
mating and egg laying.