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North Yorkshire children discover the wonder of nature

Families from the York and Selby area came together to discover all about UK native wildlife at Discovery Day in Three Hagges Wood-Meadow.

Children enjoyed seeing snakes and newts in the new Crombie Roundhouse, the new structure made by local craftsman Ben Chester of Sessay, near Thirsk, and donated by York-based Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors.

The Roundhouse provided welcome respite from the heat.

Children also looked at mini-beasts and learnt about the birds and small mammals of the wood-meadow with local expert naturalists, made bee hotels, listened to storytellers and explored the flower rich wood-meadow teaming with butterflies and dragonflies.

Excitement from the children could be heard when they got to hold Humphrey the Corn Snake and as one little boy left he said ‘I have had the best afternoon ever and don’t want to leave’.

Hagge Woods Trust Project Coordinator, Emma Daniels said: “We are extremely pleased to be able to fulfil one of the key aims of Hagge Woods Trust, that of holding events to inspire and educate the local community about UK native wildlife. It is wonderful to see so many children and families enjoying their time as well as learning about the wildlife that has made its home in Three Hagges Wood-Meadow.”

Jennifer Bartram, Senior Director and Head of Agricultural Team at Crombie Wilkinson added: “As a firm that identifies itself with rural and agricultural matters we felt this project was both of ecological importance but could also encourage farmers, as custodians of our countryside and wildlife, to look at their own environmental schemes in creating wildlife corridors whilst continuing more intensive farming activities to maintain profitability.”

Three Hagges Wood-Meadow, Hagge Woods Trust’s first wood-meadow in the charity’s ambitious endeavour to inspire a wood-meadow in every parish across England, is a 25-acre site between Escrick and Riccall, just off the A19.

Three Hagges Wood-Meadow is open free to visitors daily and the Trust runs community and citizen science events in the summer months. Hagge Woods Trust also run a programme of activities for volunteers, as well as an Outdoor Education Programme for Primary Schools targeting key elements of the National Curriculum.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .