Island Life Magazine Ltd June/July 2018 | Page 81

Country Life The Gift to Nature calendar competition Want to create a habitat for Stag Beetles? Anyone with a garden can help by making their green spaces a stag beetle haven: 1. Create a log pile: One of the major problems facing stag beetles is a lack of rotting wood to lay eggs in or near, and for larvae to feed on. By creating a log pile, you can provide stag beetles with habitats for the future. Log piles are also great habitat for other invertebrates and they in turn provide food for hedgehogs and birds. 2. Leave dead wood in your garden: Leave old stumps and dead wood alone, as these provide the perfect habitat as well as a food supply. If you want to make the stumps more attractive, try growing a climbing plant such as clematis, over them. 3. Reduce dangers: Be vigilant when mowing your lawn and be alert for predators; try and scare away magpies and keep your own pets indoors during warm evenings when stag beetles are flying. Also, make sure any open water has an exit point, and if you see a dead-looking beetle in water, please take it out – they often revive! www.ptes.org/gsh Woodland apprentice opportunities Do you or someone you know have what it takes to train as a woodland apprentice, learning traditional woodland management techniques and skills and working towards a level 2 Diploma in Environmental Conservation with Sparsholt College? If so take a look at this link: www.hiwwt.org. uk/jobs/east-wight-woodland-apprenticeships for further details and instructions on how to apply. Four places are available and the application deadline is 24th June 2018. Are you a novice nature photographer? Or do you just love taking photos of this gorgeous Island? Gift to Nature are producing a 2019 calendar and your photos could be part of it. Simply take a photo of one of our 29 sites (views included). You can then share on social media using #G2Ncalendar or email your photos to daisy. [email protected] before 31st July 2018. For your photo to be used your image(s) needs to be a minimum of 300 dpi resolution. If you win, not only will your photo be in our official 2019 calendar, you’ll also get a £10 voucher to use in our shop or against any of our events. Good luck, and happy snapping! Summer bat walk This will be a wonderful Summer evening bat walk, looking out for bats using bat detectors, with the IW Bat Hospital. Meet at Appley Park car park, Ryde, on Friday 29th June, 20.45 - 22.30hrs. Book a free spot by emailing [email protected] or call 525985. LANDSCAPE THERAPY Bare-rooted tree and shrub nursery. Fruit trees, tree guards, canes and stakes. Woodland and hedgerow planting and management. LANDSCAPE & COUNTRYSIDE SPECIALIST Tel: 01983 760011 Mob: 07966 292334 www.visitilife.com 81