You say transitional zones, I say ecotones
Thursday, March 15th 2018
The weather has been rotten today, and yet the reserve is ever active. I was especially pleased to be handed this lovely White-legged Snake Millipede found in the Field Centre Activity Room.
Aside from our many legged friend we've also been visited by four Greylag Geese on the Wetland.
The largest numbers of Greylag recoveries are from those ringed in Denmark, Britain and Sweden. The recoveries reported during winter are found in western and southern Europe, in northern Africa and a few in the area of the Black and Caspian Seas.
In terms of habitat management, we have been tackling the scrub by the welcome signs to the reserve along the main access route.
Scrub makes for great habitat when managed properly, with the best results being seen when management is carried out on a rotational basis providing a mix of young and mature scrub. This ensures greater structural diversity which appeals to a wider variety of species.
Once on top of the work scrub management is best carried out at low intensity at regular intervals rather than major works every few years.
It is important to marry management practices with reserve aesthetics and protection of key species; such as the nearby young Oak and Yew that were starting to become crowded out by encroaching scrub.
It is a difficult balancing act that we must carry out; without management of scrub and woodland edge many species that thrive in ecotones where two different habitats meet would soon disappear.
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Friends of Foxglove
The Friends of Foxglove Covert is for those individuals, families and organisations who would like to support the reserve through an annual membership subscription. Friends receive a regular newsletter and invitations to attend our various activities and social events.
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Butterflies and Moths Treasure Trail
Friday 22nd July 2022 | During Reserve Opening Times
Enjoy a walk around the red route (easy access trail) and find the clues to learn all about these wonderful insects.
Pick up a clue sheet from the Field Centre for only £1 and check your answers at the end.
No booking required as this is a selg guided activity! Please remember to bring a pencil from home.
The clues will be out for the duration of the school summer holidays (North Yorkshire dates).
Pond Dipping 1
Wednesday 27th July 2022 | Various sessions available starting on the hour
Come along and find out which animals are living in some of the Foxglove ponds. Book a pond dipping session for your family bubble of up to six people. There will be a socially distanced brief to set you off and then you can use the equipment for the remainder of the session. You will be requested to use hand gel on arrival and the net handles will be cleaned between sessions.
Please call the Reserve Managers on 07754 270980 to book your allocated slot. You are advised to arrive 15 minutes before your allocated time.
A donation of only £5 per group in advance will confirm your time slot.
Undergrowth Newsletter
Undergrowth Newsletter Winter 2020/21 Issue 54

Find out what has been going on at the reserve during the lockdown!
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Recent Blog Posts
- Holt’s Military Banking
- Trinity Academy Richmond
- Butterflies and Moths
- Foxglove 30th Anniversary Raffle
- Nature Roundup
- Moths
- The Beginning of Summer
- Royal Garden Party
- More Nature
- Tread Quietly, Tread Gently
- Plenty To See
- No Snow, No Hail
- Tawny Owls and Grey Herons
- More Flowers
- Nature
- Moving Slowly Through Spring
- Nesting Time
- Winter Spring
- Warm Days
- Biscoff Cheesecake, Brownies and Bakewell Tarts!
- A Busy Day for Some
- Volunteers at Work
- Around the Reserve
- A Ringing Day
- Flowers at Last!
- More Spring Photos
- Moths!
- A Special Visit
- Spring Has Sprung!
- Reducing, Reusing and Recycling!
- Almost Spring
- Thank you!
- Ringing Resumes!
- Arrival of Spring
- Strong Support
- Back To Work!
- We Are Open!
- Update
- Temporary Closure
- Large, Little and In Between
- The Weather
- A Wild Worky Day!
- Malik and Corrie
- Forest School Fun
- Winter Work
- Preventing The Spread of Bird Flu
- Thank You and Congratulations!
- Job Jobbed!
- Hazel, a Hedge and more High Vis!
- Moths
- Many Happy Returns!
- Winter Scenes at Foxglove
- Sheer Dedication!
- Back to Work
- Happy New Year!
- All Kinds of Weather
- Last Volunteer Day 2021
- Pillwort
- Volunteers at Work
- Winter Work Continues
- Edward the Elf Returns!
- Sunshine and Blue Skies
- More Clearing Up
- December Winter Worky Day
- Dangerous Trees
- Tidying Up After Storm Arwen
- Storm Damage
- Willow Weaving
- Considerate Contributions
- Storm Arwen
- Look Both Ways
- Never Work With Wildlife
- Traditional Woodland Skills
- Technicolour Nature!
- November Worky Day
- Woodland Work
- All About Fungi
- Look North
- Autumn Views at Foxglove
- Happy Halloween
- Bat Monitoring
- Forest Fun
- Hazel Coppice
- Wildlife Activity Day
- Winter Visitors
- Fungi Walk
- Happy Holidays!
- Bakewells, Banana Cake and Brushcutting!
- A Busy ‘Typical’ Day?
- Wet and Wild!
- Autumn Bird Ringing
- Changing Seasons
- Moths
- Extra Help
- Redwing
- Lively Livestock!
- Meadow Management
- Half Term Plans
- Autumn Worky Day
- QAVS Award on Display
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