Wildlife Circus

see Tolworth Area Plan         I was disappointed in a number of inaccuracies in the Tolworth Area Plan consultation, as seen at Tolworth Community Library (13.6.17).  After showing these flaws to the consultants at the time, I expected to see them corrected in the on-line version. A large area of the 'green' shown within the boundary already has development  planned and by not including this as brown land, makes it  appear as if Tolworth could 'afford' to lose some of its open space to yet more development, such as Crossrail; as the first item in the Guiding Principles (see left) it rather biases the consultation. Another unfortunate omission is the Tolworth Apple Store at Riverhill - a publicly owned 19th  century building- that could provide the focal point for a rich narrative about the orchard heritage that exists in the area; linking current small-holdings, farms and former large estates such as Gosbury Hill to Chessington Hall, with it...

Juvenile hedghog garden, 2014   I haven't found any hedgehogs in my garden this year using the usual methods (listening at night, camera traps, looking for scats) so I have made some footprint traps similar to the ones we used last year at Home Park. Hedgehog footprint traps are very easy to make from A1 sheets of Correx board and if you share a batch of 5 boards with someone they are very cheap. Required : A1 sheets of black Poster or Correx board 3 cable ties per footprint trap A4 paper Spongetex  Small dish/pot lid Poster paint Dog or catfood Fold the board into three even sized panels. Pierce 3 holes either side (long side) In the middle segment secure half a spongetex either side of an  A4 sheet of paper. Fold into three Cut Spongetex or J-cloth into two and secure in place; Squeeze paint onto spongetex Secure cable ties; Place food in small jam pot lid in centre; and Locate along hedgerow where there may be a faint animal run Note...