Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2009 | Page 68

Photo: Griselinia Littoralis

Changing
face of the
countryside
by Tony Ridd
Photo right: Griselinia Littoralis

Recession, recession, recession…bored yet?
In this day and age we seem to go from
one crisis to another – and don’t get me
started on global warming, we’ll keep that
for another time! The countryside has seen
more ups and downs (in the economy) than
the IW ferry fares – I was joking about the
downs!!!
But the countryside survives. And the
future for it and the wildlife it supports is
probably looking as good as it has been for
many years. There is renewed interest in
‘doing the right thing’ for the environment.
Many new conservation groups exist, buying
and managing important areas of the Isle
of Wight. These are supported by an active
and willing posse of volunteers, giving their
time freely for the benefit of many others.

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The majority of these groups and their
volunteers go unrewarded and unrecognised,
except for their own satisfaction.
And this is what the countryside is all
about. Finding contentment and getting the
‘feel good factor’. The Countryside and the
wildlife it supports won’t look after itself in
the guise that we know it.
This is where you can come in! Improving
the environment around you often triggers
a knock-on effect amongst your neighbours
it’s a sort of unconscious reaction. Ok, so
not everyone farms 250 acres, can leave field
margins and provide over wintering stubble
for grey partridges. Nevertheless links,
however small do provide green corridors,
save havens and larders for an endless
amount of birds, mammals, reptiles and

insects.
A good starting point is to look at what
is in your garden, village, town, where ever
you live and identify a site that could benefit
from ‘improvement’! Don’t take on too
much, as the maintenance is as important
as the initial concept. Look around you
and see what you can compliment. Native
shrubs are a good starter. Plants, such as
hawthorn (crataegus monogyna), guelder
rose (viburnum opulus), dogwood (cornus
sanguinea) and hazel (corylus avellana) are a
good basis for any corridor or wildlife corner.
These sometimes don’t offer enough, and
I often look around in the winter and see
how bare our hedges and gardens can look.
Over wintering birds need shelter from the
cold, wind and rain, a native hedge can’t

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