After another fabulous walk on the Moss, this time with our friends the Lindow Rainbows, their leader Ella has written up a piece about Transition Wilmslow in the Wilmslow Guardian http://www.wilmslowguardian.co.uk/news/15568754.Rainbows_learn_all_about_The_Lindow_Man/?ref=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Fame at last! Thank you Garry and Ella!

The weather was kind on Sunday for our second Transition Wilmslow Tree Walk. This time we were exploring Wilmslow Common, a designated SSI, and lowland wet heath, a now uncommon landscape in the British Isles.

Turnout was excellent, about twenty five people, and while Chris shared his expertise about the trees, Heather explained the historic presence, or not, of trees on this site by explaining its human habitation from prehistory  to the Gypsy fairs and todays designated green space.

The presence and culling of trees on the Common has been a contentious issue locally of late. While the Town Tree Walk revealed over 30 varieties of tree, the Common revealed less than 10. The majority of these being Silver Birch, followed by Oak. Chris explained that these are pioneer trees, all self seeded. A photograph of the Common taken in the 1930’s show no trees whatsoever, a state that would have existed since its first inhabitants millennia back. The trees on the Common have seeded themselves since the second world war.

We Learned much from Chris about identifying trees, issues around their safety and management in different environments, and their importance in supporting wildlife and insects.

We hopefully all came to an understanding of some of the issues involved in the management of this precious Site of Special Scientific Interest, Wilmslows very own Common.

Bog Asphodel on Lindow Moss: Photo Pauline Handley

Twelve members of Fulshaw WI were taken on an absorbing, guided, ecology walk around Lindow Common and Lindow Moss in Wilmslow. John Handley of Transition Wilmslow gave them a very comprehensive sequence of ‘mini-talks’ as they walked around this ancient landscape. They heard about moss rooms, old peat cuttings recolonised by alder, damage caused by on going peat extraction and plans for  the restoration of this beautiful ancient lowland bog. They were shown the very important burial site of Lindow man who was sacrificed over 2,000 years ago. Members were astonished to learn that the thousands of old pine tree stumps littered over the cut peat were at least 4,500 years old. The walk was very well received by WI members. 

You may know that the Federation of Cheshire WI’s is taking a great interest in Cheshire’s Meres and Mosses as part of their Climate Change work. We all await with interest the next iteration of the planning process and remain hopeful that the Moss will eventually be restored.

More photos on our Lindow Moss page.

6. Variety of plants near a small bog pool: In areas where peat cutting has been relaxed, mire vegetation including the characteristic cotton grass is able to re-establish and the bog begins again to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan (http://wilmslownp.org.uk) Emerging Policies Document is out for consultation until 30 September. Transition Wilmslow held an open meeting in July to formulate a collective response to the consultation and our document is here Transition Wilmslow Reponse to Neighbourhood Plan 2017 

Whatever your views, please do respond to the consultation on line at http://wilmslownp.org.uk

We are showing this multi-award winning film in Wilmslow at The Old Dancer with a hot chilli supper (vegetarian options available) on Thursday 18th January (supper from 7pm, film from 8pm, tickets including supper and the film £12; https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tomorrow-the-film-with-chilli-supper-tickets-38035335713?utm_term=eventurl_text

Recently 5th Wilmslow Beavers have enjoyed two sessions harvesting vegetables that they planted in the Spring. This took place in Transition Wilmslow’s community garden in the park known as The Temp, Gravel Lane. The first session saw the boys digging up the first of their new potatoes. “Cooks” were appointed from the group and, while the rest played rounders, the potatoes were boiled over a log fire. Everyone was able to taste their produce before going home. The photos show Beavers digging up their potatoes and then cooking them.

The second session was to harvest the rest of the crop, about 10 kg, and 60 to 80 carrots; all of which was distributed among the group. This experience of following the process of growing your own has been a marvellous experience for the children. Please let us know if you would like to help us encourage young people into food growing, we welcome helpers, however much or little time you have to spare.