Merry Christmas from LOHP and Winter Walk

We would just like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 

from all of us at LOHP and thank you for all your support over the last year.

After the festivities, why not join us in 2024 on our annual Winter Walk on Monday 1st January 2024, 10.30am - 12.30pm.

Enjoy a 2.8 mile circular walk around the fens, exploring the landscape and wildlife of the Little Ouse valley while working off all the Christmas excesses. No need to book, just turn up. Wellies recommended. Everyone welcome, even well behaved dogs on a lead. Meeting and parking on Parkers Piece, near Thelnetham Windmill, signs will be up on the day, more details on poster attached.

Suggested donation £3 members, £4 non-members

enquiries@lohp.org.uk 

07919 912045

We look forward to seeing you in 2024.

Winter Walk 01-01-24 - Poster.pdf

Download PDF • 94KB

Saving Ratty

On Friday the 1st December we held our 22nd AGM at Garboldisham Village Hall. Despite a very chilly night we were joined by 68 people. After the formal AGM and Ellie Beach - LOHP Conservation Manager's Highlights of 2023, we started our talks.

This year it was a joint effort given by Vince Lea and Emily Coleman from Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT) on "Saving the water vole: building a mink-free Great Britain".

The talks were really interesting - firstly a national picture by Vince Lea about the mink trapping project, then what was happening in the LOHP area (location of LOHP rafts below). It was fascinating to hear that genetics and DNA testing are being used to find out where the mink come from. It is great to know all our time and effort put into this project isn't being wasted. Hopefully as the project rolls out across the country our Water Voles will be better protected.

A huge thank you to our speakers and to all those who were able to join us. Hopefully see you next year for another inspiring talk.

Wildlife gets a helping hand

Spades at the ready, seven eager local volunteers donned their wellies to give wildlife a helping hand. Joining LOHP (Little Ouse Headwaters Project) at our New Fen site in Thelnetham, to help create ponds for wildlife, as part of the Big Help Out.

The first pond dug was dug within an hour, after a short break and fuelled with lots of homemade cake the volunteers were raring to go again.

Conservation Manager for LOHP, Ellie Beach said ‘They have done such an amazing job, in such a short amount of time, thank you. It’s great, we now have 2 new ponds, which are so important for all manner of wildlife including invertebrates, plants, birds and mammals. Soon they will be full of wildlife. New Fen is well worth a visit in late June/July to see the wildflowers and catch a glimpse of the ponds as they develop’.

Ellie continued ‘Everyone went away happy and muddy but pleased with their achievements, and amazingly no one fell in. If people want to get involved and help their local wildlife why not come along and join us on a work party, more details are on our website www.lohp.org.uk’