Selborne Common News

WORK ON THE COMMON AND THE LYTHES

Please be aware that Liphook Tree Surgery has started this year’s Ash Dieback work on the west of Selborne Common. About eighty trees in all are being felled, with the work scheduled to finish by the end of February.

You can see the timber stacked in designated areas, where it will remain until the summer. The team aims to leave the land in as good a condition as possible by the end of this month, although the weather will be a consideration. Further work to make good the vehicle tracks will take place in the summer when the timber is removed.

Watch out for further updates here and in the local parish magazine under the National Trust's 'Noticeboard'.

The National Trust and Friends of Selborne Common

The village is in the fortunate position of having access to two areas of protected habitat within the Parish boundaries. Selborne Common is famous for its links with Gilbert White, author of ‘The Natural History of Selborne’ which contains many references to the wildlife on the Common.

The Common is managed by the National Trust and Noar Hill by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust ( HIWWT ) and Rotherfield Park Estate . Both locations have an extensive network of footpaths and bridleways and contain a range of valuable habitats including the chalk downland at Noar Hill, and the wooded hangers of Selborne Common.

The NT Rangers are busy clearing fallen trees along the Pipeline on Selborne Common from late July. The work will continue through August. Merv (pictured on the left) is new to our local NT team and stands alongside Ranger, Jim. Access to the Pipeline for walkers remains open whilst work is in progress.

Selborne Common - National Trust

OS Grid Ref. Grid Ref: SU 7428 3351
Local Warden's Office : 01428 751338
Web: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/selborne-common

Noar Hill - Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust ( HIWWT):

OS Grid Ref. SU 742 319
Reserves Officer- Mike Allen
Tel. 01962 828629
Mobile. 07831 692963
Email. Mike.Allen@hiwwt.org.uk
Web: Noar Hill Nature Reserve | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (hiwwt.org.uk)

Selborne Landscape Partnership

Nature conservation work in and around Newton Valence. Please visit The Selborne Landscape Partnership.

Newton Valence House Sparrow Project

Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate” - Jack Sparrow

The villagers of Newton Valence have a treasure trove on our doorsteps; a population of red-listed House Sparrows. We are on a mission to help them.

Despite living happily amongst humans since the Stone Age, well over 34 million House Sparrows have been lost since the 1970s; that is over 70% of the UK population. Now they are on the IUCN Red List of Species threatened with extinction. Their close cousins, the Tree Sparrows, are already extinct in Hampshire. We cannot stand by and watch that happen again.

Exiled from the cities, rural House Sparrows live a life in the country, but their requirements are pretty much the same: They need a suitable roof over their heads to raise their brood, plenty of insect food around their colony to raise their young, seeds available year-round for the adults as well as suitable roosting sites to spend their nights safe from the elements and predators. As with urban sparrows, one of the main reasons for their decline is a reduction in suitable nest sites. The aim of this project is to boost the existing small house sparrow population in Newton Valence by installing 50 specially designed nest boxes to facilitate successful population growth.

Our village is nestled in a unique part of the countryside in the South Downs National Park, surrounded on all sides by Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs) and wildlife conservation projects run by the National Trust, The Hampshire Wildlife Trust, the Game and Wildlife Trust and the Selborne Landscape Partnership and its farmers. This insures that sparrows have suitable food resources available right around the village year-round. Population size, therefore, seems mainly limited by the number of suitable nest sites available to them. We are so lucky to have access to scientific expertise so that we too can play a role in wildlife conservation, from the grassroots

This project would begin with a village House Sparrow survey led by scientific advisor, Dr Francis Buner. Dr Buner is Senior Conservation Scientist for the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), with special expertise in wildlife conservation, based on scientific evidence and with a focus on practical solutions for species recovery. He will determine where to install the custom designed nest boxes, to maximize the sparrows’ chances of breeding successfully.

Dr Buner can help us to monitor our colonies and record findings, including ringing, as he holds a special ringing permit from the BTO. We will post updates on our village website, sharing knowledge about the sparrow lifecycle and how to support them in our gardens with supplementary feeding to encourage invertebrates, and also advice on how to protect dark skies and quiet tranquillity, which are important to birds and highlighted as special qualities of the South Downs National Park.

Little research has been conducted on rural House Sparrows and few efforts are being made to specifically protect their colonies. This project aims, first and foremost, to increase rural House Sparrow numbers in the village, but also to raise awareness among the rural community within the Selborne Landscape Partnership about these jewels of nature. We may also gather useful data, offering potentially new insights into House Sparrow population dynamics in a rural environment. We hope this might pave the way for further scientific research.

Just £20 will buy a nest box for a homeless House Sparrow.

Budget Forecast.

50 sparrow boxes, designed by Dr Buner. £1008.00

10 litres of paint and 3 paint brushes to water-proof boxes on the outside £80.00

Pre- and post-nest box installation surveys £ 749.00

Nest Box Erection £300

Total Project cost. £2137

To support this project, please donate at https://gofund.me/47571227

Survey details for 2023:

Two days for assessing current location and size of House Sparrow population in Newton Valence based on information gathered, drawing up of nest box installation plan.

Contact house owners who have been selected for nest box installation

Two follow-up surveys to assess box occupancy during the breeding season (1 visit in June and July, including the ringing of nestlings).

Report writing and circulation, newsletter-writing for village magazine and other information and events.

First phase completed

Our community House Sparrow Project has successfully completed its most important first phase. Fifty custom made House Sparrow boxes have now been installed in the village and there are plans for more when the colonies expand. These boxes will be monitored to gather vital new evidence about the House Sparrow life cycle and colony behaviour. Hardly any scientific research as been conducted on this red listed species and so our small project could have a global impact on endangered House Sparrows.

Many thanks to Francis, Beth and Stephen for all their hard work. We would like to thank the charity Birds on the Brink and our County Councillor Mark Kemp-Gee for funding this project. We would like to thank the all villagers for your support and encouragement.

There are regular updates on our Facebook Page.' House Sparrows of Newton Valence' which already has some significant followers.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089862368163

Pond restoration

Newton Valence Pond Committee and Toad Patrol joined forces earlier this year (2022) to plant oxygenating plants in and around the pond to improve water quality and toad habitat. The initiative was funded by the South Downs National Park Sustainable Communities Fund, and the final marginal plant was ceremonially dug in by South Downs National Park Ranger, Laura Tong.
Celebratory tea and cakes were enjoyed by representatives from the Pond Committee, Parish Council, SDNP, EHDC , village supporters and volunteers.
Grateful thanks are owed to EHDC Councillor, Charles Louisson and HCC Councillor, Mark Kemp- Gee, for their support in this venture.

Toadlets thriving in Newton Valence

The toadlets are emerging from the pond and all over the road. They are so tiny they are almost impossible to see.

The Pond Committee

The Pond Committee cares for the village pond and its surroundings, which date back to at least Saxon times. It is a naturally occurring dew pond, historically used for watering cattle, and was known as the Great Mere.
It provides a valuable habitat to many forms of wildlife, including dragonflies, amphibians and waterfowl, and its tranquillity is enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.

Pond maintenance, such as mowing the grass margins, is carried out throughout the year and an annual ‘Pond Clearing’ event is held in November each year when volunteers come together to help clear any excess pond weed and other plants around the edge of the pond to ensure its biodiversity is maintained.

Contact

David Long 01420 588505

Stephen Robertson 01420 588187

Alexander Kitchin 01420 587303

Get in touch

If you have any questions about articles on this page (except Rights of Way , please use the Parish Council page for footpath queries) complete the form and we will respond as soon as we can

Newton Valence Village

Newton Valence Landscape