the farmhouse

Features from Wildlife magazine Wildlife articles 2008 -- Spring 2008 -- ::Severn Barrage ::The Variety of life ::A year at Willsbridge ::Willsbridge comes of age ::Reaching out - Willsbridge ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2007 -- Autumn 2007 -- ::Thinking BIG ::Watery webs:the pond network ::Wildlife in the landscape ::Variety of life ::How to be a climate friend ::Seasonal stroll - Walborough ::Round the reserves -- Summer 2007 -- ::The Folly Farm appeal ::Weston Big Wood-biodiversity at its best ::The variety of life ::How to capture a butterfly ::How to get to know an orchid ::Seasonal stroll - WestonBigWood ::Reserves update -- Spring 2007 -- ::Folly Farm - a very special place ::Making a difference at Folly Farm ::How find the magic at Folly Farm ::Seasonal stroll at Folly Farm ::Magic spots at Folly Farm ::Batscapes ::Climate challenge ::Variety of Life - the Ponways project ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2006 -- Autumn 2006 -- ::The Severn Estuary ::Bird Watch results ::How to identify garden birds ::Making space for wildlife ::How does your garden grow? ::Round the reserves -- Summer 2006 -- ::Going for green ::Stand up and be counted ::Happy birthday NSLMP ::Holi day - a riot of spring colour ::Avon's species-rich grassland ::How to photograph dragonflies ::The Big Switch ::Round the reserves -- Spring 2006 -- ::How to identify winter water birds ::Make 2006 the year you... ::Invasive invasion ::Sowing the seeds: Willsbridge Mill ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2005 -- Autumn 2005 -- ::Indentify common funghi ::Build a hedgehog hideaway ::Big Bird Watch ::Champions for wildlife ::Round the reserves ::Seeds of the futre: Willsbridge Mill -- Summer 2005 -- ::Restoring Folly Farm ::How to become bee-friendly ::How to identify the butterflies of spring ::Save our seas ::The variety of life: hedgerows ::Round the reserves ::25 Ways to make a difference -- Spring 2005 -- ::The variety of life: water voles ::The Avon Biodiversity Action Plan ::How to take really good wildlife photos ::How to help your garden grow ::Round the reserves ::Seasonal strolls: Browns Folly ::Sowing the seeds: for wildlife for people ::Sowing the seeds: looking back

The Folly Farm appeal update

Restoration continues at Folly Farm - Ken Johnson, Folly Farm Project Manager writes

“At long last, a new clay double roman tile roof is going back onto the main farmhouse. The old building has had to endure some pretty wet weather this winter, but it was essential to strip the roof to carry out structural repairs to the timbers. This means that the building will now be dry again and ready for the major works to begin to the interior. Speaking of the interior, I decided a little detective work might pay off and after some hard work with a jack hammer was really pleased to discover an original flagstone stone floor which had at some stage been hidden beneath a concrete screed. Needless to say this will now be restored and relaid which is all very satisfying.

Architectural conservation definitely has its moments. Mark, our structural engineer has had more than a few sleepless nights worrying about keeping the old stable standing whilst we try and repair it with a very light touch. His latest headache was what to do about the three heavy and original but rotten elm roof trusses (thanks to Dutch elm disease new replacement elm of such section is just not available). Suddenly a rare flash of inspiration arrived - why don’t we take the middle out of one, the good ends of another, add one patient carpenter and hey presto a sustainable and very tidy solution, and amazingly it worked.

This project however is about far more than donning the hard hat and tackling construction issues. We are now beginning to plan the installation of the renewable energy sources and particularly the bio mass boiler itself. I’ll be writing about the green energy side of the project in the next edition of the magazine - but you can keep up to date by logging onto the members website too!”

The landscape of childhood
Everyone reading this will have at least one cherished childhood memory of playing in a wild space, of burrowing, smelling, stalking, climbing, tasting, grubbing. Without realising it, we imbibed an understanding of nature and a sense of place though roaming free. It’s why we now care about nature - why we joined the Trust.
Today, too many children are kept captive. They have little opportunity to learn about the unpredictability of life through adventure, exploration, sensation and interaction out of doors. This isn’t just the result of an increasingly urban population, the growth in road traffic and the lack of community but also because parents are today subject to increased anxieties about allowing their children to roam and experience the risks of the outdoor world.

Natural healing
Yet many studies show that free play in nature settings - tree-climbing, den-building, pond-dipping, swinging on branches, digging in the earth, spying, tasting, smelling - build confidence and foster imagination. They also show that limiting outdoor play affects health - not only physical development (the problem of obesity being just one aspect) but also emotional and mental health. Research in the US now suggests that nature rather than drugs may be a way to relieve the symptoms of the growing problem of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Green space can also relieve depression and provide a place for damaged children to heal. Some educationalists even claim that imbibing nature is as important for young people as proper sleep and good nutrition.

Contact with nature also creates a respect for the environment that, in later life, can be triggered and channelled into a concern for the environment. It’s not just those who don’t know don’t care, but rather those who don’t feel, don’t care.

See the stars
So you can see why the creation of the Folly Farm Environment Centre is at the top of the trust’s priority list. Folly Farm will give urban children a chance to get a real taste of nature, on their doorstep. It will also open their eyes to nature - not through TV, the computer or commercial animal exhibits, but through the senses and the emotions. Actually doing something is how we all learn best, and so activity outside will be the focus of school visits. Providing residential accommodation means that young people can stay overnight, providing opportunities to see the stars, hear the owls, smell the dawn, be creative, get dirty, get physical - even build fires and taste wild food.

And for those of us adults who are world-weary and may long to take time out to rediscover and reconnect, there will be plenty of adult residential and day sessions to experience the natural wonders Folly Farm offers.