ECOLOGY AND SCIENCE

Recent surveys confirm the importance of Chilworth Conservation Area as a home for substantial numbers of plant and animal species.
Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre repeated a floral survey of East and West Buxey Wood: 96 species were identified in Buxey West (ancient woodland) and 76 in Buxey East (planted but long established).
Phil Budd, a local expert on fungi has conducted another fungus foray for the benefit of local people, following his first visit in 2004. As a result we have now identified a total of 88 fungal species at Chilworth.

Another interesting survey was carried out by a group of experts on liverworts and mosses, resulting in the identification of 55 species.
 
A series of bat surveys was conducted in 2008 by the Hampshire Bat Group www.bats.hampshire.org.uk Bats are protected by law and it is crucial to know which species are in the area, how many and where they roost before any tree work is carried out. The group visited at dusk with electronic bat detectors that can pick up the bats’ echo-location calls and turn them into sounds audible to the human ear. Species identified so far include Pipistrelles, Long-eared bats and Noctules.

ECOLOGY AND SCIENCE

Recent surveys confirm the importance of Chilworth Conservation Area as a home for substantial numbers of plant and animal species.
Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre repeated a floral survey of East and West Buxey Wood: 96 species were identified in Buxey West (ancient woodland) and 76 in Buxey East (planted but long established).
Phil Budd, a local expert on fungi has conducted another fungus foray for the benefit of local people, following his first visit in 2004. As a result we have now identified a total of 88 fungal species at Chilworth.

Another interesting survey was carried out by a group of experts on liverworts and mosses, resulting in the identification of 55 species.
 
A series of bat surveys was conducted in 2008 by the Hampshire Bat Group www.bats.hampshire.org.uk Bats are protected by law and it is crucial to know which species are in the area, how many and where they roost before any tree work is carried out. The group visited at dusk with electronic bat detectors that can pick up the bats’ echo-location calls and turn them into sounds audible to the human ear. Species identified so far include Pipistrelles, Long-eared bats and Noctules.