26/01/2005 - The Environment
Agency is helping boost one of Cornwall’s
most important nature reserves through a
programme of special events.
Swanpool near Falmouth is a rare example
of a saline lagoon – a coastal lake occasionally
inundated by seawater during exceptionally
high tides. The site is rich in wildlife
and is best known for the Trembling Sea
Mat, a rare and mysterious creature that
looks more like a plant than an animal.
Swanpool is the only site in the UK where
it occurs.
The nature reserve, that is managed by
a group of organisations including the Environment
Agency, English Nature and the Falmouth
Green Centre, is popular with local people
who use it to walk their dogs or feed the
ducks.
A series of events are planned during 2005
to raise Swanpool’s profile and improve
people’s knowledge and enjoyment of the
site. They include rock pool rambles, birdwatching
and bat detecting sessions along with more
practical activities such as nest box construction,
beach cleaning, composting and the removal
of invasive plants.
"With 2005 the Year of Volunteering,
there couldn’t be a better time for people
to get involved in practical conservation.
Local nature reserves like Swanpool offer
excellent opportunities for people to do
more for their local environment through
activities such as walking, wildlife recording
or hands-on conservation work such as scrub
clearance or pond construction," said
Martin Rule for the Environment Agency.
The first event, looking for visiting winter
birds around Swanpool and nearby coast,
was held on Saturday (January 22), "Only
a handful of people turned up because of
poor weather, but it was very useful listening
to their views on the future management
of Swanpool," said Martin Rule.
Falmouth Green Centre has been running
a successful range of activities and events
in the area for the past 10 years, "All
the people who have become involved with
the Centre over the last few years have
benefited enormously from the new skills
they have learnt and made a real difference
to the projects they have helped with,"
said Guy Doncaster from the Falmouth Green
Centre.
The next event, a nestbox building day,
will be held at the Falmouth Green Centre
on February 16 from 10.00am – 4.00pm. It
has been timed to co-incide with National
Nestbox Week. A full copy of the Swanpool
events list for 2005 can be obtained from
the Environment Agency on 07778 991 604
or the Falmouth Green Centre on 01326 378587.
