tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65935655767763467282024-02-20T02:04:25.656+01:00Forest of Dean Wildlife & Nature DiaryAlso featuring a selection of my wildlife & nature photographs and videos from the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire UK and further afield.Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.comBlogger262125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-24640068033853394432014-10-01T22:15:00.000+02:002014-10-01T22:15:03.492+02:00Misguided<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't know Max Coborn that well, only having ever met him twice. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From his past media articles he always came over as level headed, unbiased and respectful and I always held a lot of respect for him, for this. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the recent article in a local newspaper left me shocked to think that it had actually come from the pen of the Mayor of Cinderford.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes newspapers can and usually do edit and misquote, but I have the feeling that Mr. Coborn would not have been misquoted due to his status in the area and probably having read over the letter before it went to print, if it had been edited.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is the link to Mr. Coborn's letter...</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.forest-and-wye-today.co.uk/Letters.cfm?id=9846&headline=Local%20needs" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CLICK HERE</a> - Also below...<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If anyone is misguided Mr. Coborn it is sadly you as only this week, globally released statistics have shown that our "global" wildlife species have plummeted by 50% in the last 40 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29418983">CLICK HERE</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What does this tell us? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you obviously (as well as everyone else involved with and backing the NQ) can't grasp this fact, then I shall explain for you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has taken just 40 years for billions of trillions of animals to perish at the hands of humans due to deforestation, encroachment, poisoning, hunting and pollution.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Northern may seem like a pin prick in comparison to the world, even the UK, but if we keep chipping away at our forest we will be no better than the people who are destroying the rain forests of the world and polluting our rivers, seas and oceans.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Northern is home to the following.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Great crested newt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Smooth/palmate newt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grass snake</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slow-worm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Common lizard</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bats - Including rare and EU protected species</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hawfinch - Including other rare birds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many rare insects including rare butterflies</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine if we took this stance with every area in the Forest of Dean and also imagine if the proposed development was passed without objection?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We love our forest and like the HOOF campaign, we will stand up for it as if we don't we will have no forest left.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes the area requires help and regeneration, but to be blinded by money and to destroy an area, which should actually be a nature reserve is foolish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We need to protect areas like Northern and work to maintain them, not flatten them as by far, this is one of the most bio-diverse areas in the entire Forest of Dean for habitats and wildlife.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please see below if you can't view the link above.</span><br />
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I have decided to write this letter to do with the Northern Quarter.</div>
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I have never heard so much misinformation about a project which would bring a brand new college to the Forest of Dean, not just Cinderford.</div>
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Without it being built there will be no college in the Forest at all and our youth will have to travel to Gloucester. That is a fact.</div>
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We need the housing, we need the jobs and this development will bring all this for people in the Forest instead of having to travel outside and you know what that means, just look at the A40 and A48 roads in the morning.</div>
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We need the planned by-pass to take the lorries and traffic away from the school at Steam Mills where I am a governor. The school supports the Northern Quarter project.</div>
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We have been lucky no-one has been killed outside the school – I just hope our luck holds up and we get to see the by-pass built soon.</div>
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When I was a boy I used to play in that area, where the trains used to run up and down and the brickworks was going full pelt and it was all wasteland.</div>
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The funny thing is that at that time wildlife was abundant with more rare birds, butterflies, frogs, newts, etc.</div>
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This has always stuck in my mind because I actually did a project at school on that area.</div>
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Then over the years, everything has grown over and a lot of the birds, butterflies etc have moved on from what I have seen.</div>
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Now let’s talk about what is going on. We have got bats in that area, so they have built bat roosts for them – little bungalows for them – three in number built and so good it’s a wonder some Cinderford residents haven’t moved in.</div>
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Ants have been surveyed, fingertips searches for newts and frogs, butterflies, etc – all this work has been done, which is of course, a good thing.</div>
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Considering what has been said about the project cutting down the woods of Cinderford, killing all wildlife, that you can’t build on it because of the underground lagoon, the next thing no doubt will be the lost world of Cinderford with dinosaurs and cavemen and women.</div>
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The only dinosaurs in the Forest are the people who oppose this project.</div>
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Nearly half of Cinderford is built over mines, my house is. In Wales and the Midlands they have taken the money and built over their coalfields.</div>
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I am a builder – you can build on any ground conditions these days and this is the last area of land that can be developed in Cinderford.</div>
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After this there is no more land to develop.</div>
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I ask these objectors where are future jobs coming from? What happens when the college goes back to Gloucester and our children have to travel to Gloucester every day – do they even care?</div>
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The Forest of Dean will just become one big retirement home with all our young people leaving. There is nothing to keep them here – it is so sad.</div>
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I have three children aged 15, 11 and six. Is there a future for them in the Forest? Not if the Dean Natural Alliance get its way. No Forest of Dean college, the loss of 1500 jobs and affordable housing.</div>
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Let’s put another thing right about what these people have been saying – that the money could be spent elsewhere in the Forest.</div>
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Well the fact is if the money is not spent on the Northern Quarter it will spent in another part of the country and it will be lost forever to the people of the Forest of Dean.</div>
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I love wildlife but we must have a balance. The way things are going, the only rare species will be children – loads of wildlife but no children.</div>
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I and my fellow councillors try to do our best for the people of the Forest Of Dean. We need local jobs, need affordable housing, need the new college, need good roads and Cinderford needs another supermarket to have more competition in the town.</div>
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This is a working Forest, not a museum as some people seem to want.</div>
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All I want is a future for our children.</div>
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– Cllr Max Coborn (Lab), Forest of Dean District Council, Cinderford East.</div>
Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-87968405613383953802014-08-07T21:16:00.000+02:002014-08-07T21:16:18.158+02:00Butterflies, Dragons & Everything Else<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ragwort; disliked by some as they see it as a serious weed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, people who own horses dislike this plant and for good reason as it is poisonous to horses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, if managed it is not a problem and in the forest and countryside, where this plant is relatively harmless it has some fantastic benefits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you want to see or photograph a huge array of different insect species then look no further than this bright yellow wildflower as nearly every insect imaginable swarms around ragwort to feed on it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the next time you see ragwort, don't look on it as a weed, look on it as a vital source of food for our many thousands of insects and stop to check out the activity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click on images for larger view.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Blue</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bee</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Hawker</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden ringed</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Veined White</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meadow Brown</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8Vn0yvMcQ44HAO-XRoqJMR1vg4kmhinzUOCX0-Krtam3Whn_O2a2pKWJtUVaAdMaFq4fFNbl6JSkYhIoywVq3qMBKyjErwXQ84_8A7Dr4loZM_HwhqOJd7CdIqMEokHBwYDF2PQLdtM/s1600/30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8Vn0yvMcQ44HAO-XRoqJMR1vg4kmhinzUOCX0-Krtam3Whn_O2a2pKWJtUVaAdMaFq4fFNbl6JSkYhIoywVq3qMBKyjErwXQ84_8A7Dr4loZM_HwhqOJd7CdIqMEokHBwYDF2PQLdtM/s1600/30.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Copper</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clouded Yellow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkclEJ-7DgfiPAYNTBe_Vpd1CND3iBRDCeT16geN6HExasQc_12Ts_R6Iv2zelew0pmradyeaaYz4OjwI39dP5ask71jbTrWgEKCb8IiALTGE2AJYwGvuFU3W9I1b0K8WDBRLhbegDYM/s1600/51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkclEJ-7DgfiPAYNTBe_Vpd1CND3iBRDCeT16geN6HExasQc_12Ts_R6Iv2zelew0pmradyeaaYz4OjwI39dP5ask71jbTrWgEKCb8IiALTGE2AJYwGvuFU3W9I1b0K8WDBRLhbegDYM/s1600/51.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Blue</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uaTkbanQ3HMZ_ApEFGBuNxbARnQSMDOzyLUkpoULvp-qQttdvemiK0BE8qA4hyphenhyphen36_4evfIuoF8QBgmusjEf1XlAjg2gzFZul2ODkWaKkIO1rPC737nEC-CsCBtrBvKwprWBa26HurL4/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uaTkbanQ3HMZ_ApEFGBuNxbARnQSMDOzyLUkpoULvp-qQttdvemiK0BE8qA4hyphenhyphen36_4evfIuoF8QBgmusjEf1XlAjg2gzFZul2ODkWaKkIO1rPC737nEC-CsCBtrBvKwprWBa26HurL4/s1600/7.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gatekeeper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpYPJdRcnTVoSgD5-TWr5hU_u59owLhzCyuk1chAjerDdG6rHSdf3uAa4OXnZ6dCiSs8W_roTvjexhEkqklKNnRzzbmRguzoEzhh5HlfW3Tu7PxBCb6-WXz9sGxyzqM_ZdkDKzXZ0uUI/s1600/22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpYPJdRcnTVoSgD5-TWr5hU_u59owLhzCyuk1chAjerDdG6rHSdf3uAa4OXnZ6dCiSs8W_roTvjexhEkqklKNnRzzbmRguzoEzhh5HlfW3Tu7PxBCb6-WXz9sGxyzqM_ZdkDKzXZ0uUI/s1600/22.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peacock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkWLOmenaAMTo4soTOhc0tedHNlKTXLwrwo9sHiByZwyQeorxsE2-FultiDaVNlfEdCQuLCTsEXDVusDI_sT1ojNIj4Bw5yscTCnJDJdi3whQ4LrfMWLBGAP8O_KXzv8zfZr8JKB8Ukk/s1600/Fallow24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkWLOmenaAMTo4soTOhc0tedHNlKTXLwrwo9sHiByZwyQeorxsE2-FultiDaVNlfEdCQuLCTsEXDVusDI_sT1ojNIj4Bw5yscTCnJDJdi3whQ4LrfMWLBGAP8O_KXzv8zfZr8JKB8Ukk/s1600/Fallow24.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallow Deer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYssWFJgQ1e8i72KggIImNxEDBdHtT-sD5geWXKECfjsfWFNnhgHQrA5H2cmpWVaB8lLHusjDUWyQsX8ofjZWT70JYMXbVyo7YjX7pWjHl2ZSb5F5_-B2TEyApv-p9NEwvM1Q7_ZpgBQ/s1600/IMG_0361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYssWFJgQ1e8i72KggIImNxEDBdHtT-sD5geWXKECfjsfWFNnhgHQrA5H2cmpWVaB8lLHusjDUWyQsX8ofjZWT70JYMXbVyo7YjX7pWjHl2ZSb5F5_-B2TEyApv-p9NEwvM1Q7_ZpgBQ/s1600/IMG_0361.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Lizard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdu5Sj4Po_0uONAmdwRi98T9JAnVMGvVMKy13NecJozk7_mGqJxlXaFD9jyVR0VDayIvIsuC1N4tesP5pHJP4LroiXAm2kAAZfX6_a7oteWm_ZRyLM1gCukD_CT3_E34gI-TGKI-l0jo/s1600/IMG_0415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdu5Sj4Po_0uONAmdwRi98T9JAnVMGvVMKy13NecJozk7_mGqJxlXaFD9jyVR0VDayIvIsuC1N4tesP5pHJP4LroiXAm2kAAZfX6_a7oteWm_ZRyLM1gCukD_CT3_E34gI-TGKI-l0jo/s1600/IMG_0415.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallow Deer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq9p0ftym2fUNu_r58zy1aXz9dLJCGk7Gqq6lBh9sYaDpL-IeOR-UFEFehl6MH2P_GtI6Fno4VotDq1PU1KdNQusY7hTt8s06Vyf2qur84KzOvARuSuvEUH6UptKn_QHgo0s7fbxlPPg/s1600/IMG_0460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq9p0ftym2fUNu_r58zy1aXz9dLJCGk7Gqq6lBh9sYaDpL-IeOR-UFEFehl6MH2P_GtI6Fno4VotDq1PU1KdNQusY7hTt8s06Vyf2qur84KzOvARuSuvEUH6UptKn_QHgo0s7fbxlPPg/s1600/IMG_0460.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Candid Fallow Deer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXYkZ8EbO0CqlEP0rqjwYUhSQ-yYmpLaFEAw469Zc0-g7eKqpC7OAu9VfHNsOWS3H8wKIhKolNrhF9MJ0cx9l5czk9hzOeaVbYjX8PS3-SCZ61mlu4_YWR_IG8wtOCNKuDuWrBzOKts0/s1600/IMG_0464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXYkZ8EbO0CqlEP0rqjwYUhSQ-yYmpLaFEAw469Zc0-g7eKqpC7OAu9VfHNsOWS3H8wKIhKolNrhF9MJ0cx9l5czk9hzOeaVbYjX8PS3-SCZ61mlu4_YWR_IG8wtOCNKuDuWrBzOKts0/s1600/IMG_0464.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallow Deer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jSQzp2bAb4wXphVO8_wikEtJcV5o1EQ_ZqjxIftj5EQeL41ymoK73GzKFhL5k5MccHhxd1NUrrK3kBdfKV-swksU0fkmGKVX07_ztysC0iJCBTYMJA7eEW8w3BCZjNXE7lpAVfRjP_4/s1600/6rs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jSQzp2bAb4wXphVO8_wikEtJcV5o1EQ_ZqjxIftj5EQeL41ymoK73GzKFhL5k5MccHhxd1NUrrK3kBdfKV-swksU0fkmGKVX07_ztysC0iJCBTYMJA7eEW8w3BCZjNXE7lpAVfRjP_4/s1600/6rs.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hornet Moth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLwbX98B1sWA7Hvf2cPFccBoigbCvuXq-jbh1oyeGbfSLGUwh7ayA2dEACbQ_MPKfiCd2Qw2amb0O1O555YEIPlJy2yH4ZxQqpIS1y3ytqm7_UbqljxWFMjOamyc4K9fy5_NcewKnhNA/s1600/10rs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLwbX98B1sWA7Hvf2cPFccBoigbCvuXq-jbh1oyeGbfSLGUwh7ayA2dEACbQ_MPKfiCd2Qw2amb0O1O555YEIPlJy2yH4ZxQqpIS1y3ytqm7_UbqljxWFMjOamyc4K9fy5_NcewKnhNA/s1600/10rs.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hornet Moth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojBKoOt7TyNPvWQAUvynxIPSnCX6YQSE_koQwVtjPphPR14Zx8Qhn2_Isw4BnG4JRlGmRcB80DhDRNoRope4b3cW0grfWM_KML87YBNV__ms3OWa7cH_BIz2y1ZEGDZukSdmNBDykAhs/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojBKoOt7TyNPvWQAUvynxIPSnCX6YQSE_koQwVtjPphPR14Zx8Qhn2_Isw4BnG4JRlGmRcB80DhDRNoRope4b3cW0grfWM_KML87YBNV__ms3OWa7cH_BIz2y1ZEGDZukSdmNBDykAhs/s1600/3.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poplar Hawk Moth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AbTO3SZkUdvj2k0hJdjybXrv8xZTOYzuWo-CcOV5u65kmt32ef8PXd13mFmuJPyp3mKJpRy0Enm0VB056_7tVm2h39HC-Q2wO-Q9yvaApT2XXi-udWFX82Mzch7VlR07Jl2OL9W6x5c/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AbTO3SZkUdvj2k0hJdjybXrv8xZTOYzuWo-CcOV5u65kmt32ef8PXd13mFmuJPyp3mKJpRy0Enm0VB056_7tVm2h39HC-Q2wO-Q9yvaApT2XXi-udWFX82Mzch7VlR07Jl2OL9W6x5c/s1600/7.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poplar Hawk Moth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcW3Dt4v_iLwXalku_vcfHFDRZnskqv9hPsfqrDwbUuCvEu7JpthBjAtMFetGhyCv_OIfq2Tca3fccA40Lp4yW1Lz-1xBGiBQpVekjVSfUEZcCSj52YQujDmw6sjoVIFI2eRh135oH5So/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcW3Dt4v_iLwXalku_vcfHFDRZnskqv9hPsfqrDwbUuCvEu7JpthBjAtMFetGhyCv_OIfq2Tca3fccA40Lp4yW1Lz-1xBGiBQpVekjVSfUEZcCSj52YQujDmw6sjoVIFI2eRh135oH5So/s1600/9.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poplar Hawk Moth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-51400185667644812452014-07-08T16:07:00.001+02:002014-07-08T16:07:41.445+02:002015 Charity Wildlife & Nature Calendar<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am pleased to announce that along with a good friend, Scott Passmore, I can now bring you our 2015 Charity Wildlife & Nature Calendar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following charities will benefit from "100% of all profits."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Macmillan Cancer Support</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vale Wildlife Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Animal Rescue</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please click <a href="http://www.awildlifewithanimals.org/#/charity-nature-calendar/4577838744">HERE</a> for details and to order.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or copy this link into your browser</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.awildlifewithanimals.org/#/charity-nature-calendar/4577838744</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EZQqebhPVatr2ULD4E9D682XnRMEmoVtGAnj66GL9-CmoIbsIem0fub10dMh4FgZDA9GnrHV5OBPGSca34eCzv9pujckpUxF_SWO7uGyXaPEALbvukWJlVlN4B0MqHNTo1HGt02nzsc/s1600/10269152_10204309561404799_8125694903855026063_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EZQqebhPVatr2ULD4E9D682XnRMEmoVtGAnj66GL9-CmoIbsIem0fub10dMh4FgZDA9GnrHV5OBPGSca34eCzv9pujckpUxF_SWO7uGyXaPEALbvukWJlVlN4B0MqHNTo1HGt02nzsc/s1600/10269152_10204309561404799_8125694903855026063_o.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiKQ3ROaDLJQM2gSjnz0DTJcF-fEMi35JB1BBJOWV_JL5VR0jYc8CJsigH4w3qcD2TXqeDVRGUIigPS9vx4jv7axbdj8ueajEMBkFlu7H6ZtbitTkf98toQUoULnQZ1jqN6RtvDzrv-M/s1600/10289455_10204312121068789_1833532073_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiKQ3ROaDLJQM2gSjnz0DTJcF-fEMi35JB1BBJOWV_JL5VR0jYc8CJsigH4w3qcD2TXqeDVRGUIigPS9vx4jv7axbdj8ueajEMBkFlu7H6ZtbitTkf98toQUoULnQZ1jqN6RtvDzrv-M/s1600/10289455_10204312121068789_1833532073_o.jpg" height="154" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-10976678511393448922014-06-17T00:12:00.000+02:002014-06-17T00:12:07.099+02:00June WildlifeSome images from my travels around the Forest of Dean, so far during the month of June.<br />
<br />
Frog<br />
Toad<br />
Butterfly<br />
Dragonflies<br />
Wild boar<br />
Roe deer<br />
Fallow deer<br />
Birds<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6w8cW5aAKrmB-G0DptpBt8zUZBHQYGlRE9Cluovehk5fU2WRAUcVzuri_2bqVDWjW1ffzigGaNoaA4mf_4TN-ZTz_A6-4I7svx9E-LpaE3WbOi73bQAwrdTfC61yyUrbfiB1N7LaeE0s/s1600/FoD45-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6w8cW5aAKrmB-G0DptpBt8zUZBHQYGlRE9Cluovehk5fU2WRAUcVzuri_2bqVDWjW1ffzigGaNoaA4mf_4TN-ZTz_A6-4I7svx9E-LpaE3WbOi73bQAwrdTfC61yyUrbfiB1N7LaeE0s/s1600/FoD45-2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQB3QBErHaN-yciK3NOAhUDL7DjpK9EbXaJSgkdsXHnkug4ZtIb108zMMwjb_g6OqmOa78MREeW58BhYXxDS-7G8M7NTk6zlN_JRtZgDtIOuag8DWdbaSEiSkLABmbexl8PVJQ5aKwQU/s1600/FoD55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQB3QBErHaN-yciK3NOAhUDL7DjpK9EbXaJSgkdsXHnkug4ZtIb108zMMwjb_g6OqmOa78MREeW58BhYXxDS-7G8M7NTk6zlN_JRtZgDtIOuag8DWdbaSEiSkLABmbexl8PVJQ5aKwQU/s1600/FoD55.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild boar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6n72EZm0qlSZLWx4j31NtSj_ONxhVyJURiw9puZA60fXCB52CVVBwTBnW6JpgGg-RpXJJDmhYKZ-D024c4rNUW8Br8rTo5kTbUzhwNSVOpjSmDPlnMid7fQ9TjHWP3CPINlurffFupFg/s1600/FoD34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6n72EZm0qlSZLWx4j31NtSj_ONxhVyJURiw9puZA60fXCB52CVVBwTBnW6JpgGg-RpXJJDmhYKZ-D024c4rNUW8Br8rTo5kTbUzhwNSVOpjSmDPlnMid7fQ9TjHWP3CPINlurffFupFg/s1600/FoD34.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tortoiseshell butterfly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQN13znLhyphenhyphen5nc7ZoShMaIspawGcU33a1xBn-nP7ep5L10y9L5993lIls2m4I7wKwLjiGRULFzdrh0pygXfwIXGmk566iNXXFSfhHSGfYJOTw1txynr-JHmsxgOkLXZaVFikGe_eRD0wE/s1600/FoD41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQN13znLhyphenhyphen5nc7ZoShMaIspawGcU33a1xBn-nP7ep5L10y9L5993lIls2m4I7wKwLjiGRULFzdrh0pygXfwIXGmk566iNXXFSfhHSGfYJOTw1txynr-JHmsxgOkLXZaVFikGe_eRD0wE/s1600/FoD41.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roe deer (doe)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6486zpwt77oGhsJDzFeawzXCnrnt-4PKeFqDF-LtoTi_Bjh8Fkn9uKNpl43L4my3ooTe9eOFywocAEINW9KaK4UH6FouIx2tDrjv_bdSf3fWIwdVucoKst0-odyF2IZYJ83gq7DtmNM/s1600/FoD8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6486zpwt77oGhsJDzFeawzXCnrnt-4PKeFqDF-LtoTi_Bjh8Fkn9uKNpl43L4my3ooTe9eOFywocAEINW9KaK4UH6FouIx2tDrjv_bdSf3fWIwdVucoKst0-odyF2IZYJ83gq7DtmNM/s1600/FoD8.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iiTmcl1xUuMgS5R92-iKrOOEliKJYBpGnah1zBg7Bm0reY__OtZXW8WgGcx7_q3AJkFIQ-ysQpxKWfFF8nwwNe_Q_RkA-1wGka3ZFKuCAsjMm6aMnnH5RhJ5sfwP9ZuktMpzPC1IwN4/s1600/IMG_0501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iiTmcl1xUuMgS5R92-iKrOOEliKJYBpGnah1zBg7Bm0reY__OtZXW8WgGcx7_q3AJkFIQ-ysQpxKWfFF8nwwNe_Q_RkA-1wGka3ZFKuCAsjMm6aMnnH5RhJ5sfwP9ZuktMpzPC1IwN4/s1600/IMG_0501.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male broad bodied chaser</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionolnGDkht04Er4rtCCCHCRBZD6gmxk0WABwRiIFYaDQmT32gT8RXWFerFSWkEh9Bda2wzYX7S0XJOOo-ixt7SUGxMZAPq58ExOjKn0seCppT0EM1naqewZVCDbR50Ilwin-ct7DVLFk/s1600/IMG_0506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionolnGDkht04Er4rtCCCHCRBZD6gmxk0WABwRiIFYaDQmT32gT8RXWFerFSWkEh9Bda2wzYX7S0XJOOo-ixt7SUGxMZAPq58ExOjKn0seCppT0EM1naqewZVCDbR50Ilwin-ct7DVLFk/s1600/IMG_0506.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four spotted dragonfly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxCNs98ZOLqSnBAqYZ6nS-DuaTZn9zaklSxItbDXeTt3SDcUeyS-l38mNDMXawHTuVq1kF0purTPpOfCRMUhJfup7NoGGDGp_d0S35aWVpaan-Ij5wy37L8Sv4iIJ_WTewSE8oE5TV74/s1600/FoD11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxCNs98ZOLqSnBAqYZ6nS-DuaTZn9zaklSxItbDXeTt3SDcUeyS-l38mNDMXawHTuVq1kF0purTPpOfCRMUhJfup7NoGGDGp_d0S35aWVpaan-Ij5wy37L8Sv4iIJ_WTewSE8oE5TV74/s1600/FoD11.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fallow deer (doe)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_9ULZEGHjIyXi8b95uCZxbHI4D3BccRXBQKNQQdquOwYixqXV9JvkIoPVuaxFh5pjqJ80eL1EfouMJdiAINmrVmyLKICYofXAb4ddE-__SdAlpmiCln6DgHdt187Xa0TDSVfqVFVwTg/s1600/FoD19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_9ULZEGHjIyXi8b95uCZxbHI4D3BccRXBQKNQQdquOwYixqXV9JvkIoPVuaxFh5pjqJ80eL1EfouMJdiAINmrVmyLKICYofXAb4ddE-__SdAlpmiCln6DgHdt187Xa0TDSVfqVFVwTg/s1600/FoD19.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emperor dragonfly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5U7o09OyLTdL_Wf0MaP692AIX6mayMwEOvuRUsO6NWKStg8UBaCmw3HnKBHUCV8V1iy5QUf__zLYjujhFa83sgS4U6p18HUdowUNFGprGr2YJvq1VQmT7AS5O9TmDf04W7hF2DnWwLE/s1600/FoD37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5U7o09OyLTdL_Wf0MaP692AIX6mayMwEOvuRUsO6NWKStg8UBaCmw3HnKBHUCV8V1iy5QUf__zLYjujhFa83sgS4U6p18HUdowUNFGprGr2YJvq1VQmT7AS5O9TmDf04W7hF2DnWwLE/s1600/FoD37.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common lizard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbId-meVNwy2J0Fo7iTjpMo5t1kQ0eDvYMJKxqvtdMHkCJS46R8C8tCbnr9jgJLZGcOegZ8FlvgClPrf7Djz6ERBS5sf2RszKN5Jf_At0I0M7PJ0m6T4BJSweATohGOVh7xTz8ScCFqQ/s1600/IMG_0327-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbId-meVNwy2J0Fo7iTjpMo5t1kQ0eDvYMJKxqvtdMHkCJS46R8C8tCbnr9jgJLZGcOegZ8FlvgClPrf7Djz6ERBS5sf2RszKN5Jf_At0I0M7PJ0m6T4BJSweATohGOVh7xTz8ScCFqQ/s1600/IMG_0327-2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild boar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YNIOpIDP7SSEzcaB1WWgKqYhYBmPijt8EDkF_ubwYpTh1Svd4Y39LorPo8A9JChXAonEpN5NQ_O0UWZtcaOYRvtdAOO8JGUGnLddzNF3TY6PfEDYuDHGmwy2nnjTj5SJLCSme3wFCsk/s1600/FoD53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YNIOpIDP7SSEzcaB1WWgKqYhYBmPijt8EDkF_ubwYpTh1Svd4Y39LorPo8A9JChXAonEpN5NQ_O0UWZtcaOYRvtdAOO8JGUGnLddzNF3TY6PfEDYuDHGmwy2nnjTj5SJLCSme3wFCsk/s1600/FoD53.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild boar sow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6gJt9wR2hKpa0qUMeUc8VCaQqByUzATKk0sh1W9W3lTgjeaGl6QQOvxxVWhehoIVKnpEPeqHglxdfynzR_FDKk_SzejhIxeUigz13uZxUo6iXOJc6pQV9FWgmoXVE-P3eR82oK90qWI/s1600/FoD54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6gJt9wR2hKpa0qUMeUc8VCaQqByUzATKk0sh1W9W3lTgjeaGl6QQOvxxVWhehoIVKnpEPeqHglxdfynzR_FDKk_SzejhIxeUigz13uZxUo6iXOJc6pQV9FWgmoXVE-P3eR82oK90qWI/s1600/FoD54.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild boar sow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RCL4HTJ3HJBvfJ_Mf2PXLSvMAyOiO4BdhqKsYf0dwBNo1nUt9YsyvW6A-4bRfr54p6ACZiAE_UhIpmol1MC0dc-CmDhcq08FiHuiDz6a70bKUQW24DpD1PZmWegLJnmNH_lMz_tE_ts/s1600/FoD86.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RCL4HTJ3HJBvfJ_Mf2PXLSvMAyOiO4BdhqKsYf0dwBNo1nUt9YsyvW6A-4bRfr54p6ACZiAE_UhIpmol1MC0dc-CmDhcq08FiHuiDz6a70bKUQW24DpD1PZmWegLJnmNH_lMz_tE_ts/s1600/FoD86.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhro-VMhTt9KTkAM7jm-dklKpTJFmiA3rp3zWdAJH-ko0cofGTBUlXCZ5aH5jiqpyTktHx0Xslol-rmpXZcR0i5Dqh3nlkoX_s0MiNuQ-Rynpz4_pHl1GOrN-Tl8ACoKokMFKgjzy93iRw/s1600/FoD85.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhro-VMhTt9KTkAM7jm-dklKpTJFmiA3rp3zWdAJH-ko0cofGTBUlXCZ5aH5jiqpyTktHx0Xslol-rmpXZcR0i5Dqh3nlkoX_s0MiNuQ-Rynpz4_pHl1GOrN-Tl8ACoKokMFKgjzy93iRw/s1600/FoD85.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile wrens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fjFk4Yh5H00Dr6o7bguK3nkep78iM5kGEvVA9SgRanm-0AI9yvHW3UfY96wlJ-ctb2RUyI3HkuDKyGLjYj_Sb2M1QoNmaRW38gCkRgu4RGslwobCnVH_y6U-BXk6o9SHWPuBU6EHEZc/s1600/FoD84.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fjFk4Yh5H00Dr6o7bguK3nkep78iM5kGEvVA9SgRanm-0AI9yvHW3UfY96wlJ-ctb2RUyI3HkuDKyGLjYj_Sb2M1QoNmaRW38gCkRgu4RGslwobCnVH_y6U-BXk6o9SHWPuBU6EHEZc/s1600/FoD84.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile wrens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XeYYK-No8KWN7-5z57OlKlL5AlJRIYfIaLjMDbi2OaxNbnMzLc7OHR1vdRcEth0mWEA1x4ymlUlTEniWzusS9hkFFn7qewnFeaR-KeLSexc1bujY_5AvMSW39x-OfinZQlp3kHcyrZ4/s1600/FoD75.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XeYYK-No8KWN7-5z57OlKlL5AlJRIYfIaLjMDbi2OaxNbnMzLc7OHR1vdRcEth0mWEA1x4ymlUlTEniWzusS9hkFFn7qewnFeaR-KeLSexc1bujY_5AvMSW39x-OfinZQlp3kHcyrZ4/s1600/FoD75.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild boar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-47373649566373973852014-06-02T22:42:00.000+02:002014-06-15T17:02:30.976+02:00May Wildlife<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few snaps from wandering the forest over the last month or so.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's all coming alive out there and I've been making the most of it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also check out my "Snakes in the Forest of Dean" blog for my latest snake sightings and work for GlosARG. I will be updating it today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click <a href="http://snakesintheforestofdean.blogspot.co.uk/">HERE</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8FMVEKYqGJW8ABRZoGpsFCdgsa1SqwhLr6iV69t6nATeGrOiBE89RimH4fl3BKQJ3aQRBpV05VQh63JwuJB4gJOZLN-cOprF71CfGj5OfahTnGlTng85kF1ivLsMXN3l9Tb6aSgTDu0/s1600/FoD34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8FMVEKYqGJW8ABRZoGpsFCdgsa1SqwhLr6iV69t6nATeGrOiBE89RimH4fl3BKQJ3aQRBpV05VQh63JwuJB4gJOZLN-cOprF71CfGj5OfahTnGlTng85kF1ivLsMXN3l9Tb6aSgTDu0/s1600/FoD34.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib96yLb99K9fOW4I79iobZ3R6roAdBzCSoQzLpmpdIa3jmVziQ2LtIqt_kE027HUDBXl4p7pcpk-y07dHUotYskonhpnnKbfFnt0j3VKk0p1Bb8Aglz5isb2CXKcGZfIQnxBykRalIbKU/s1600/FoD30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib96yLb99K9fOW4I79iobZ3R6roAdBzCSoQzLpmpdIa3jmVziQ2LtIqt_kE027HUDBXl4p7pcpk-y07dHUotYskonhpnnKbfFnt0j3VKk0p1Bb8Aglz5isb2CXKcGZfIQnxBykRalIbKU/s1600/FoD30.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_bG0zNVjU3815-w6Eu_NTIp815UIjwqjm6NiRN_WrOW3wetP_dISYbok9EV7nZ4yAyjSkl-OaR4gN4nXfdjTRtGh4jYkkwG3IBt1MKoNSZtChKx6ZdqdBt7v7plgPzQ0k8uP6q3UzuSY/s1600/FoD15-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_bG0zNVjU3815-w6Eu_NTIp815UIjwqjm6NiRN_WrOW3wetP_dISYbok9EV7nZ4yAyjSkl-OaR4gN4nXfdjTRtGh4jYkkwG3IBt1MKoNSZtChKx6ZdqdBt7v7plgPzQ0k8uP6q3UzuSY/s1600/FoD15-2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-87518188435904581932014-04-09T21:13:00.000+02:002014-04-09T21:13:08.573+02:00WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PLEASE BE WARNED - VERY GRAPHIC</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the last 3 days, 10 mammals have been found dead in the Forest of Dean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of these, a roe deer was found decapitated and two fallow bucks were found together, lying dead. Although it looks as though their antlers are tangled, the photographer is adamant that they were not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the last 12 months, we have seen a spike in wildlife persecution throughout the area, aimed at the wild boar, but unfortunately we are now seeing other wildlife targeted. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The persecution has come from politicians (certain Councillors and MP Mark Harper) who have all waged a personal war against our wildlife. The Forestry Commission (see photo below) and a newly formed anti-boar group called hogwatch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MP & Hogwatch</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.markharper.org/archives/1452">MP Mark Harper</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/MP-calls-cull-hog/story-20305602-detail/story.html">Hogwatch</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click image to enlarge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hogwatch formed to help give the FC a mandate to mass cull wild boar, even though there was no scientific evidence to back up their pie in the sky, imaginary population estimations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What they failed to realise is that we have lost hundreds of acres of forest due to felling, over the last two years and this has taken hundreds of acres of boar habitat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has forced the boar to accumulate in larger numbers in unaffected forested areas, so we have not seen a number explosion, but seeing the result of habitat loss.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, put all these people in one room and they would have the brainpower to work this out between them and this is the sad reality of what is happening in the Forest of Dean. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine you are a bird and a tree gets chopped down. What do you do? You move onto the next suitable tree.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What if hundreds of trees get chopped down in one area. What do you do? You move to another area.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our mammals are no different, in fact habitat loss affects them more as they are mainly nocturnal and do not like open areas with no cover during the daytime.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why is it that these people can't see this?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The FC wanted their mandate, well hogwatch and some blood thirsty, ignorant councillors and our MP Mark Harper gave it to them. We are now seeing the result of this as when political figures wage war on our wildlife, certain individuals think it is OK to take the law into their own hands as they believe this is what the powers to be actually wants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When this is finally over, if it ever stops, the people (all of them) responsible for inciting wildlife hatred will be held accountable and if there is found to be wild crime, we will do everything we can to make sure they are prosecuted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They know who they are!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following photographs will be shocking to some, but I am not apologising as they need to be seen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also found this wild boar a couple of years ago, in the Forest of Dean. He had been decapitated and cut open.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not a nice sight to walk up on.</span><br />
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<br />Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-80416363772022911902014-03-07T20:48:00.000+01:002014-03-07T20:57:01.549+01:00MASS CULL GETS GO AHEAD<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*WILD BOAR LATEST*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are talking about many animals lives, which are at stake, so please excuse the multiple posts regarding wild boar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is evidence that the vast majority of people who are "for" a mass cull of boar in the Forest of Dean, do not know what the hell they are talking about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quote - "<i>These animals breed three times a year and control of them is best done through a shot gun, however the Forestry Commission must take advice from experts beforehand."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read the full article <a href="http://www.theforestreview.co.uk/news.cfm?id=7366&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FACT - Wild boar have a gestation period of 120 days (or nearly 4 months). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They suckle and then wean their young for a further 3 months.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So how the hell can a sow give birth 3 times a year? They will struggle with two. It is impossible!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These idiotic morons are comparing "wild living" wild boar to domestic pigs, which have their food supplied and their young taken away so they can breed again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, in the wild, wild boar have limited offspring (ranging between 3 & 8) as unlike domestic pigs, which can have high numbers of offspring, wild boar have to find enough food to keep their little ones and themselves alive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One councillor once said "<i>put a ring through their noses, that will stop them rooting."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DOING THIS WILL STOP THEM FEEDING ALL TOGETHER. But perhaps this is what he wanted, for them all to starve to death?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is why this "MASS" cull should be stopped and these idiots silenced and kicked out of office for animal cruelty!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And as for the anti-boar group called hogwatch (led and run by local people), they should be ashamed of themselves. ALL OF THEM! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And before any of them ask, I was born a Forester and I have always lived in the heart of the Forest of Dean and always will.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Animal cruelty and wildlife persecution at the highest level. All responsible will be held accountable after this mindless and unwarranted slaughter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a look below and then ask yourself why this animal is running scared and encroaching closer to residential areas?</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hundreds of acres of forest felled over the last two years and this is habitat loss for this species as they prefer cover during the daytime. Cover, which has been taken from them</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thousands of boar shot since they first arrived in the Forest of Dean through......</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Legal and illegal private land shoots</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poaching</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dozens killed in RTA's over the years</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also lose boar due to natural migration out of the Forest of Dean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">None of the above has been touched on at all by the people who want them dead, while this mass cull has been pushed through. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Disgraceful that our councillors, the FC, MP Mark Harper and anti-boar group hogwatch have not given this one thought.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shocking persecution over some overturned grass at the side over the road and scaremongering, which we see with so many of our wildlife species. The grass will grow back and it will cover up the dirt during the summer months, but this is not good enough for the people who want a perfectly manicured road verge, so they can park their car on it!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I truly hope that all involved in this horrific activity are pleased with themselves, but they will be tarnished with this for the rest of their lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do they think the FC is willing to shoot hundreds of boar? Because they are soon to become a self-funding body and as boar can fetch up to £300 per carcass, this will give their bank balance a massive boost.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">400 boar with an average price of £200 per-animal = £80,000!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below is a map, a simple, crude map of the Forest of Dean. Each red dot resembles 6 wild boar, totalling 864 boar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A massive proportion of this area is now clearfell, so as you can see, if we have this many wild boar, they would be walking down every street in the county as like I mentioned earlier, they do not like open areas in the daytime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reality is that we have around 500 to 600 boar present at this time and if they take out 400 boar, this will leave us with between 100 and 200.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If we reduce their numbers this low, it could result in inbreeding, leading to a dirty gene pool, disease and birth defects.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is FACT and this is the reality of what is happening in the Forest of Dean today. A dark cloud has descended over our county, caused by a minority (hogwatch) that handed a petition</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of 2,000 signatures to the council, which is just 2% of the population.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Democracy? NO "persecution" from the FC, councillors, MP and hogwatch!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And Finally...........</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4mHAoARZ04NLoN4r-4syObUO-1KkK0dAUqhQSZdJ9axGTPhOFtLnh6qaNcA-JItvJAccgAvBJT4IknxcmPGyVYe63SZiiMrTeOvdP1NhpwvoCDhnDEMY2pgk7IvPdLVjAvIH3vphU9s/s1600/Wild+Boar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4mHAoARZ04NLoN4r-4syObUO-1KkK0dAUqhQSZdJ9axGTPhOFtLnh6qaNcA-JItvJAccgAvBJT4IknxcmPGyVYe63SZiiMrTeOvdP1NhpwvoCDhnDEMY2pgk7IvPdLVjAvIH3vphU9s/s1600/Wild+Boar.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The piglet below if from the sounder above. Less than a week after this photo was taken, she had died from starvation and a lack of her mothers milk!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6biX-NQ7NzAhFl4YMsMYstA-VKZPfrYcWa9xKhPOd92vqlbmbRKT6vIzQ_PsdM0lvIRV4OrXJbuL433HCSuENw8Z2XXtXYG-dwwZWPhR84AkwM9MFrBapbFM0lQlvbafCWGh6dzMBJk/s1600/IMG_0611rs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6biX-NQ7NzAhFl4YMsMYstA-VKZPfrYcWa9xKhPOd92vqlbmbRKT6vIzQ_PsdM0lvIRV4OrXJbuL433HCSuENw8Z2XXtXYG-dwwZWPhR84AkwM9MFrBapbFM0lQlvbafCWGh6dzMBJk/s1600/IMG_0611rs.jpg" height="221" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I worked with Andy Rouse on a project for 2020Vision and we concentrated on this sounder. Andy wrote about it <a href="http://blog.2020v.org/2011/07/andyrouse/a-sting-in-the-tale/">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did return and watched them slowly vanish, one by one as they died!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rob </span></div>
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Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-9752812663704515912014-02-21T20:07:00.000+01:002014-02-21T22:23:34.237+01:00Statement from UKWBA<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since our meeting with the Forestry Commission last August, there has been a lot going on, regarding the wild boar in the Forest of Dean.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, all involved parties have chosen <u>not to involve us</u>, <a href="http://www.ukwba.org/#/home/4571975963">UKWBA</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reason for this is simple as organisations including the FC, Council; individuals including MP Mark Harper and a group of local people known as Hogwatch are pushing for a mass cull of boar here, in the Forest of Dean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we have been ignored and silenced in the press, we have been left with no option but to publicly condemn the proposed mass cull on social media and it has also forced us to release the following statement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Statement <a href="http://www.ukwba.org/#/boaring-blog/4572058366/Statement-regarding-proposed-mass-mismanagement-of-wild-boar-in-the-Forest-of-Dean./7430979">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main reason for this statement is that if the FC go ahead and shoot 400+ boar over the next 12 months, this could and probably will see wounded boar roaming our forest as not all will be cleanly killed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have personally had more up close encounters with the boar than I can remember, but I would not want to come face to face with a wounded one!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We will also see orphaned piglets starving to death in our forest as they will shoot all year round.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If they hit this species hard, the boar will naturally look on every human as a threat to their lives, which is not the case at present and this could lead to an incident.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We (<a href="http://www.ukwba.org/#/home/4571975963">UKWBA</a>) are more than aware that if an incident occurs during this bloodbath, the FC and the anti-boar minority will not accept responsibility and they will try and place the blame at our feet. This is why we can no longer campaign against this unjustified, unethical and mismanaged mass cull.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>OF COURSE</u></b> the boar require management, but today, many years since the boar were released into the FoD, nobody can put a realistic population number against them. It is still guesswork.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have recently heard numbers ranging from 250 to 2,000 and the shocking part is that both are way off. My personal feeling is that we have around 500-550 boar present in the FoD today, but this will shortly rise due to spring births.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poaching, legal land shooting, natural death, migration out of the FoD and road kill are never taken into account when a cull target is set. This is something that has to change and that people must be aware of when they scream for this animal to be butchered in their hundreds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below is a map of the Forest of Dean with each red dot equating to 6 wild boar, totalling 864 animals. As you can see, if we have as many boar as some people believe, we would be seeing them in every single patch of woodland, but this is not the case as you can still walk for miles without seeing or even hearing one. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-8NP73AODOY8xSfDo88TkvpXQayCGhQvbMuzNGTsApDuPqV_jtTekoYIWLhZVY6SbiIqFnM432jv-LYW3QGM6WQR1reIZEuGoB5-77BkP4zNOOleYc5Dm9f4M3GLkHuU7PJQ4MXQ1Uc/s1600/FoD31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-8NP73AODOY8xSfDo88TkvpXQayCGhQvbMuzNGTsApDuPqV_jtTekoYIWLhZVY6SbiIqFnM432jv-LYW3QGM6WQR1reIZEuGoB5-77BkP4zNOOleYc5Dm9f4M3GLkHuU7PJQ4MXQ1Uc/s1600/FoD31.jpg" height="301" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the last couple of years we have also lost hundreds of acres of forest due to clear felling and you will not see wild boar in these areas during the daytime as they prefer cover.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking the clear fell areas into account, you can add many more red dots to this map!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is more than understandable that some people who live in what I would call a privileged area, backing onto woodland, will complain about the boar as they root around their property, but what I don't like and will never agree with is the fact that within their boundary there is exposed dirt and this is OK, yet as soon as dirt is exposed outside their boundary the animals responsible must die.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These people are very lucky that there isn't another being, more superior to them, asking for us to be killed for exposing dirt in our gardens!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A small minority of people, who I know of, but will not disclose their names just yet, are also using every tactic available to demonise this animal so that they can see them killed in their hundreds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the mass cull has ended, we will see just how many boar are left!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our forest is being ripped to pieces, the ground damaged beyond repair by FC contractor vehicles and our wildlife butchered, yet these people are oblivious to the fact that if you chop down habitat, the creatures must go somewhere and this is forcing them closer to residential areas and small hamlets more than ever, but so what, blame and kill the wildlife to keep our perfect little lives!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly the Forest of Dean is now a place rife with wildlife persecution by a minority rubbing shoulders with the butchers walking our forest with rifles, oblivious that it is all about the revenue that this animal brings in, to a struggling Government organisation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few images of boar below, all taken in the Forest of Dean.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobn_ek5aWgyLQT6JpCtwtvT_RKb-G47mZgFpsvLPqNPzjOhe3J6LOun35zZM_3nKYhXjAqIt1zDATwwdjqJlD2NgvzlhXmJwajffaBFK99ZH6WItgVnFAU_Yur6Lr1WzQA8S-7J7i3G8/s1600/Wild+Boar15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobn_ek5aWgyLQT6JpCtwtvT_RKb-G47mZgFpsvLPqNPzjOhe3J6LOun35zZM_3nKYhXjAqIt1zDATwwdjqJlD2NgvzlhXmJwajffaBFK99ZH6WItgVnFAU_Yur6Lr1WzQA8S-7J7i3G8/s1600/Wild+Boar15.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sow - Shot, killed leaving orphaned piglets</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74us2GVxASPlBAKi5xhQRxdl1MCmHLvThnzuh0sCDVRkO7zRF82CWJuYp6iEwhr1xokIXdryR1qWfDBM6M0aMj3hrT7-KwWBVHmXX6JTSF22z7xICj9ZV0wqoe39hKMfmRfIojsxQg0g/s1600/Wild+Boar46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74us2GVxASPlBAKi5xhQRxdl1MCmHLvThnzuh0sCDVRkO7zRF82CWJuYp6iEwhr1xokIXdryR1qWfDBM6M0aMj3hrT7-KwWBVHmXX6JTSF22z7xICj9ZV0wqoe39hKMfmRfIojsxQg0g/s1600/Wild+Boar46.jpg" height="202" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sow - Shot</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCc-O0_4hJ8-xG6e0SN83JdKDj_pNiKOBt0wYtvxsL8U9k8BCIy171L-C5gic0CYyEVp105XI46QbX7QWyK3CQ9R4syCBxlm9aB5l_dFdMINXXsEVYBc_hrnNwIlRNPBC0gDbGDkgDik/s1600/Wild+Boar59-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCc-O0_4hJ8-xG6e0SN83JdKDj_pNiKOBt0wYtvxsL8U9k8BCIy171L-C5gic0CYyEVp105XI46QbX7QWyK3CQ9R4syCBxlm9aB5l_dFdMINXXsEVYBc_hrnNwIlRNPBC0gDbGDkgDik/s1600/Wild+Boar59-2.jpg" height="196" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sow - Shot, killed leaving orphaned piglets</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_iNzJMivSLFBnRc3TM6WGQldFQfYE2jkcb43Es0CkD02BtpfVJ6rqfYm5-EPPuWKkmpmRPv1e4zz5mB6-DZ5v7DeakqrNLednD0g_FV3UmTc-ofDD4_k5BSkMKUkDw__dV57KTlkmJmE/s1600/Wild+Boar8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_iNzJMivSLFBnRc3TM6WGQldFQfYE2jkcb43Es0CkD02BtpfVJ6rqfYm5-EPPuWKkmpmRPv1e4zz5mB6-DZ5v7DeakqrNLednD0g_FV3UmTc-ofDD4_k5BSkMKUkDw__dV57KTlkmJmE/s1600/Wild+Boar8.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyNkPihc_px57m29cx1lOe3tz2xI_cYxSkwN05gWjeaW3OGmW5kOMtAwc0k-MAjdySv09ZIqBnPTJ1GWkwVCRh13yestl1YssQkIjUTYMzbfNTGYH0bJC7aFvvuaUQ16q1YnYcVXNHhE/s1600/Wild+Boar+rs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyNkPihc_px57m29cx1lOe3tz2xI_cYxSkwN05gWjeaW3OGmW5kOMtAwc0k-MAjdySv09ZIqBnPTJ1GWkwVCRh13yestl1YssQkIjUTYMzbfNTGYH0bJC7aFvvuaUQ16q1YnYcVXNHhE/s1600/Wild+Boar+rs.jpg" height="209" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sow - Shot, killed leaving orphaned piglets</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcpkxKPfysufhxXVCPbNZnOZWkGdfmlxsZgs5zxEp_EbNMp0Otaxx518QM9u2LKm1edtNugGYu1vGjnJJ1P0kmnrwGNKKpeZLjsG9hk2Rep1HuG_4WCvYlwrPHUXX4iR_prxVe45hbf4/s1600/Boar258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcpkxKPfysufhxXVCPbNZnOZWkGdfmlxsZgs5zxEp_EbNMp0Otaxx518QM9u2LKm1edtNugGYu1vGjnJJ1P0kmnrwGNKKpeZLjsG9hk2Rep1HuG_4WCvYlwrPHUXX4iR_prxVe45hbf4/s1600/Boar258.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sow - Shot, killed leaving orphaned piglets</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rob</span></div>
Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-5933450592665367922013-10-22T20:59:00.002+02:002013-10-22T20:59:59.685+02:00Wild Boar Cull Update & a Few Pics<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wild boar have been present in the Forest of Dean for nearly 10 years now and for the last 6 or 7 of these, the anti-boar brigade come out of hiding at this time of the year with their rants.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rants have been at a surprisingly low level compared to recent years, except for one local area, or Hamlet as the local press refers to it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two gentlemen who live in the quaint little Hamlet, tucked deep into the Forest of Dean recently went to the BBC with their complaints regarding the wild boar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are interested, the article can be found <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-24547418">HERE</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As they were quick enough to go to the BBC with their concerns and comments, I am sure they will be more than eager to know what other people think. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here goes...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I have no objection to people complaining as this is their right, but to move (recently) into an area, which is about as deep into the forest as you can get, where wild boar are known to be and have been living wild for many years, and giving that the one residence is a pub. Surely they expected wildlife on their doorstep?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To do this, knowing very well that the boar were there and to now ask for the wildlife to be exterminated is basically, in my opinion, sick!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Forestry Commission are currently culling (managing) the wild boar in the Forest of Dean, but this isn't enough for certain folk, as they are saying "not enough are being killed" and they want them completely eradicated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I would like to know is where these people stand when it comes to wildlife ecology? Do they have a PhD in wildlife management, wild boar, wildlife/forest ecology? No they don't, so their venting is based on a pure hatred for this animal and nothing more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everyone has a right to live in any area they want to, but if you choose to live in an area where you know "what wildlife is present" and then ask for it to be exterminated because you don't like it and want perfectly manicured Forestry Commission land outside your boundary fence is ridiculous and persecution beyond words.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At least the wild boar has some heavyweights behind them, backing them up in the form of Andy Rouse & Chris Packham who became our Patrons last year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Andy Says... (photo coming soon)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The Wild Boar was a native species in the UK for thousands of years playing an intrinsically important role in our landscapes ecology.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now it has returned to some areas we need to adapt to accept its presence and manifest a rational tolerance to its behaviours and impacts on our lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a real and very positive agent amongst our impoverished and persecuted fauna.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please live and let the boar live too"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chris Says...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris Packham - Patron to UKWBT</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am sure that the professionals, charged with the management of the wild boar in the Forest of Dean will not bow down and give in to these persecutors and do what is right for the animal and the forest, and manage them correctly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I would love more than anything, is for either one of the gentlemen screaming for the boar's blood to ask me to "put up with it" as I would gladly swap my modest town home for a home, deep in the forest surrounded by wildlife. I would be in heaven and I can only but hope that they take me up on the offer, but I don't think this will be happening!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the main problems with wild boar hanging around residential areas is down to the fact that people are feeding them and although <a href="http://www.ukwbt.org/">UKWBT</a> has spend hundreds of pounds on more than one campaign to help see this stopped, unfortunately it is still happening and we are still getting reports of feeding and tame boar throughout the Forest of Dean.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The image below shows a male boar nicknamed (Freddy the Freeloader) at a popular picnic site in the Forest of Dean, walking brazenly amongst locals and tourists during the summer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now ask yourself this question. Is this the fault of the animal or is this the fault of the people responsible for habituating him, causing his to lose his natural fear of humans be feeding him?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember, every wild animal we tame, we are forever responsible for. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiop4ZUvYiPAPzXB-cgfY1AKIFBAZanjouLR5dSu9tXHa2GtoBOO8DBQeC9Rz43P9pV_5N8ef6Tn-29f72xUFUsiK8kTQAyM-3HoBidd1dwy_ZAMEZV4samLKYTML89TLCefFAfksrRJWw/s1600/964195_10151683090002783_1480283601_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiop4ZUvYiPAPzXB-cgfY1AKIFBAZanjouLR5dSu9tXHa2GtoBOO8DBQeC9Rz43P9pV_5N8ef6Tn-29f72xUFUsiK8kTQAyM-3HoBidd1dwy_ZAMEZV4samLKYTML89TLCefFAfksrRJWw/s320/964195_10151683090002783_1480283601_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freddy - Fed regularly and lost his fear of humans</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I suppose we only have to take this persecution until late January early February and then the grass will grow back and the boar can breath a sigh of relief until the Autumn of 2014, when the rants will start again!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, to put you in good spirits here are are a few images from the archives. I haven't been able to get out recently due to a ruptured disk in my back, but with Autumn around the corner at least we have some wonderful colours to look forward to (I'm just glad boar can't climb trees!!!)</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGFhHe6U3sCVjyciH7LNBl7h7PjfYnWmFC-9Bu3Pf-YEA5gxxVLp5b9bN4Sul3Npy27a2xCKWV8k8aDBP3sEPD_iqA_EiWlhB2OepwPKTMyX1ZLxdRfYZ8dQhFlcq0Wgq2DZ9o_GQCVE/s1600/Pond+Skater-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGFhHe6U3sCVjyciH7LNBl7h7PjfYnWmFC-9Bu3Pf-YEA5gxxVLp5b9bN4Sul3Npy27a2xCKWV8k8aDBP3sEPD_iqA_EiWlhB2OepwPKTMyX1ZLxdRfYZ8dQhFlcq0Wgq2DZ9o_GQCVE/s320/Pond+Skater-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pond Skater</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYcmGtNHW3hRJUx3QLZfsF1IeYkvjrSFC8d6a-9uMGL9M0KFFI2VAg1iK3f4P6B6pJ74mYtJF3UUckquCw50okuvsKOxXjObl9WP3Iq4xK2dptJEHOQL5supb8ZIw1huYXAX11melsAE/s1600/Male+Adder+(18).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYcmGtNHW3hRJUx3QLZfsF1IeYkvjrSFC8d6a-9uMGL9M0KFFI2VAg1iK3f4P6B6pJ74mYtJF3UUckquCw50okuvsKOxXjObl9WP3Iq4xK2dptJEHOQL5supb8ZIw1huYXAX11melsAE/s320/Male+Adder+(18).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melanistic Adder Basking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuf9EJrfxvd-cF_AC91vP2KGUdmnQ7H1lRo3FX3sOMHoNoBW_1CzACgLr2BicTISXq2zKhtOAuf8NqjYp6LzaQfmV-QEewSGBuaLi0IJyChTVGXp28czUZ69gi_iAw0Hrec9UB8EgN1QA/s1600/Adder-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuf9EJrfxvd-cF_AC91vP2KGUdmnQ7H1lRo3FX3sOMHoNoBW_1CzACgLr2BicTISXq2zKhtOAuf8NqjYp6LzaQfmV-QEewSGBuaLi0IJyChTVGXp28czUZ69gi_iAw0Hrec9UB8EgN1QA/s320/Adder-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Adder Basking</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXO_Px-3RqvMjNToE8suiP-TvTBvLYCVxlOxsuexz0YipsR9rrWUGZouM8Ul99qqAoizohmud9eq-PO5AGAA7f5nuNZMcj1-GooJNz4Tv6s9gR-X8viDp4eg_E8iMt_K05rseiBkEnck/s1600/Adder2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXO_Px-3RqvMjNToE8suiP-TvTBvLYCVxlOxsuexz0YipsR9rrWUGZouM8Ul99qqAoizohmud9eq-PO5AGAA7f5nuNZMcj1-GooJNz4Tv6s9gR-X8viDp4eg_E8iMt_K05rseiBkEnck/s320/Adder2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same Female - Macro Portrait</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJG4moXdSYGVurZksNgf3T-qI9eaAqdrYK_gjI69tLEpNaKnOpU0qEL0eFZHT2p6b1-RVS9PV9ZUb4Iso_gBGnQocuj7Nh6ysTswAEJUHP1x9CMfPZxlHTZFLw5Hgjma7pIMe1j5Vdulo/s1600/A9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJG4moXdSYGVurZksNgf3T-qI9eaAqdrYK_gjI69tLEpNaKnOpU0qEL0eFZHT2p6b1-RVS9PV9ZUb4Iso_gBGnQocuj7Nh6ysTswAEJUHP1x9CMfPZxlHTZFLw5Hgjma7pIMe1j5Vdulo/s320/A9.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Autumn - Forest of Dean</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ncsKnVD6uA_3WvPvP7hEltkU8tGze6m4Iz-u9sliN7TjqPaq_4Bx7nkTY5aurKxkdW_suYF62RX5hKv8qaZ-KBvzJvgsp9sIhA4Jb399e779JX1yMinkZS9NY0lEgvy1L6xxm_EbFSs/s1600/Autumn+26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ncsKnVD6uA_3WvPvP7hEltkU8tGze6m4Iz-u9sliN7TjqPaq_4Bx7nkTY5aurKxkdW_suYF62RX5hKv8qaZ-KBvzJvgsp9sIhA4Jb399e779JX1yMinkZS9NY0lEgvy1L6xxm_EbFSs/s320/Autumn+26.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Autumn - Forest of Dean</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1h4C4xx-hQmRno2VAVXxiQZDcRUGTdzrkWqtLO3MP8OGDuEfG2qhdma2EVI1Z32yUyBMXVIa2rdsm9v4pNT-4kAlbQG4kvfoBVcXPeizCX5ZWO2WLjfTPQw_zQaFGdwfBqMybD039DIE/s1600/Forest+of+Dean21+rs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1h4C4xx-hQmRno2VAVXxiQZDcRUGTdzrkWqtLO3MP8OGDuEfG2qhdma2EVI1Z32yUyBMXVIa2rdsm9v4pNT-4kAlbQG4kvfoBVcXPeizCX5ZWO2WLjfTPQw_zQaFGdwfBqMybD039DIE/s320/Forest+of+Dean21+rs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Autumn - Forest of Dean</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUB7FBDfoJaZ2XiNyzkKxoO06Qn9t3YxHJyaZFtpvMWRUFlCWlIFU6UM9SJmnjB9x85FMsHg5mSRUmzCaSvQBBmhDQscNSucmr2ShUrPT5lpz0eSEXklIj7vk0OPfmU4XtpJimm6giw8o/s1600/Amethyst+Deceiver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUB7FBDfoJaZ2XiNyzkKxoO06Qn9t3YxHJyaZFtpvMWRUFlCWlIFU6UM9SJmnjB9x85FMsHg5mSRUmzCaSvQBBmhDQscNSucmr2ShUrPT5lpz0eSEXklIj7vk0OPfmU4XtpJimm6giw8o/s320/Amethyst+Deceiver.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amethyst Deceiver </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCeisrLpoUMH4BtlQuiAlqF5EftkSUm7vLf8tUDLHMnPSUlvNlD7p48zopzReXWCzMvyDorwaBB3Z9MlkvytUVu4j-KCtdjGCnpKzuvgPzhopblL1izO8aj2uoxqFWn7Gg9b5d2Pzi6M/s1600/IMG_1883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCeisrLpoUMH4BtlQuiAlqF5EftkSUm7vLf8tUDLHMnPSUlvNlD7p48zopzReXWCzMvyDorwaBB3Z9MlkvytUVu4j-KCtdjGCnpKzuvgPzhopblL1izO8aj2uoxqFWn7Gg9b5d2Pzi6M/s320/IMG_1883.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extra Large Fungi!</td></tr>
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<br />Rob<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-88731037165502461982013-10-02T20:13:00.002+02:002013-10-02T20:16:36.630+02:00Wild Boar - More Dangerous than Guns & Drugs?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQMKO5aovxAnaxO14LgP7mFuqKrziLynrA8O5cfAEY8SWYm8vqD4RnWso-9VsQGRjwKaFFhKtYDHDhWd0589erJnqP1YCqq9SUwerYXDIJ02MkL_Ewu7iNRVmFxeRzl7R6OJUxcqLJr8/s1600/Review+front+page-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQMKO5aovxAnaxO14LgP7mFuqKrziLynrA8O5cfAEY8SWYm8vqD4RnWso-9VsQGRjwKaFFhKtYDHDhWd0589erJnqP1YCqq9SUwerYXDIJ02MkL_Ewu7iNRVmFxeRzl7R6OJUxcqLJr8/s320/Review+front+page-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forest & Wye Valley Review - Wednesday 2nd October </td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
PLEASE READ - THIS IS IMPORTANT AND FACTUAL - NOT JUST ANOTHER BOAR STORY!<br />
<br />
Tell me something PLEASE, is it just me or is wild boar rooting in the Forest of Dean more important than guns and drugs being seized in the county?<br />
So why is it that the Review Newspaper seems to think it is?<br />
<br />
Has the FoD gone mad, or maybe just the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Review with it's wildlife hating editor?<br />
<br />
Yes, of course boar rooting is an issue for some and deserves a place in the media, but this newspaper (The Review), nor any of the other local publications for that matter actually takes the time to go into detail as to why this happens "at this time of year, every year."<br />
Do they even know why the boar root at this time of the year?<br />
<br />
And I wonder who chose the words - "Questions are being asked about the future of wild boar in the Dean."<br />
The Editor again no doubt? So, Mr. *****, please don't forget that you are talking about a living creature, which has as much right to live as any other creature on this planet, including human beings. They are being killed as we speak so don't bloody say nothing is being done to control them either!!!<br />
<br />
Someone, or rather a few are getting very rich off these animals and it doesn't need a mathematician to work out that there are hundreds of boar being killed legally and illegally every year, as I have detailed below.<br />
<br />
Where is the money going?<br />
Do this animal some justice and do some PROPER research and please answer this in your next article Mr. Editor.<br />
<br />
Consider yourself lucky that no other mammal alive today has the capability to cull as we do, as you can be sure, we would be No1 on the list!<br />
<br />
You will find below, some simple arithmetic, which will hopefully show that, like I said, hundreds of boar are being slaughtered right under our noses every year.<br />
Why doesn't this make it into the media? Because like I said, someone is getting very rich off this and as well as upsetting these people with guns, it also means someone has to do some "real reporting."<br />
<br />
The below is based on averages, with each sow giving birth once a year and successfully raising 4 young.<br />
<br />
Year 1<br />
100 boar present with 50% being female<br />
50 females successfully raise 4 young per season (average)<br />
Coupled with original 100, this gives us 300<br />
20% mortality rate - Legal/illegal killing, RTA's & natural death<br />
This leaves us with 240<br />
<br />
Year 2<br />
240 boar present with 50% being female<br />
120 females successfully raise 4 young per season (average)<br />
Coupled with original 240, this gives us 720<br />
20% mortality rate - Legal/illegal killing, RTA's & natural death<br />
This leaves us with 576<br />
<br />
THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS TO GET INTERESTING<br />
<br />
Year 3<br />
576 boar present with 50% being female<br />
288 females successfully raise 4 young per season (average)<br />
Coupled with original 576, this gives us 1,728<br />
20% mortality rate - Legal/illegal killing, RTA's & natural death<br />
This leaves us with 1,382<br />
<br />
Year 4<br />
1,382 boar present with 50% being female<br />
691 females successfully raise 4 young per season (average)<br />
Coupled with original 1,382, this gives us 2,073<br />
20% mortality rate - Legal/illegal killing, RTA's & natural death<br />
This leaves us with 1,658<br />
<br />
Year 5<br />
1,658 boar present with 50% being female<br />
829 females successfully raise 4 young per season (average)<br />
Coupled with original 1,658, this gives us 4,975<br />
20% mortality rate - Legal/illegal killing, RTA's & natural death<br />
This leaves us with 3,980<br />
<br />
I photographed my first wild boar late in 2004. That is nearly 10 years ago, not five as detailed above, so you can add at least another 2,500 to this number = 6,480 boar unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
It was recently admitted by the Forestry Commission that we currently have, in the region of 535 boar in the Forest of Dean in 2013.<br />
So how do they account for the FIVE THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE BOAR, which should be here?<br />
<br />
To all the critics who say that wild boar can have multiple births per-year AND have in excess of 12 offspring per-birth, "YOU" can quadruple this number.<br />
So, if you "THE SO CALLED BOAR EXPERTS" are right, where are the 23,780 boar?<br />
<br />
I have no idea how much is paid on the black market for wild boar meat, but let's just say it is £2 per-pound and that each animal weighs an "average" of 150lbs.<br />
£300 per animal multiplied by a modest 3,000 boar = £900,000. Yep, that is close to ONE MILLION POUNDS!<br />
<br />
Now, this is aimed directly at the people who "ARE" getting rich off these animals. How about anonymously donating some money to the unfortunate people who lose their lawns, football pitches and see high vet bills?<br />
Surely £300 from £900,000 is hardly going to break the bank is it?<br />
<br />
To the Review - Please try and report the whole facts instead of just persecuting an animal, which didn't ask to be here in the first place by the way?<br />
Cheers!<br />
;-)<br />
<br />
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Rob</div>
<br />Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-81348562476812213022013-09-18T20:22:00.001+02:002013-09-18T20:33:41.486+02:00Flee or Die?I should have just copied and pasted my post from this time last year, but I will make this one unique and start from fresh again.<br />
<br />
It's that time of the year and unfortunately the wild boar have made their presence known throughout the area, rooting around the road verges and in (one reported) instance, rooting up someone's lawn.<br />
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Article <a href="http://www.forest-and-wye-today.co.uk/News.cfm?id=31677&headline=Lawn+disorder+%E2%80%93+boar+damage+continues">HERE</a><br />
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The next four to five months will see a bombardment from people screaming for the boar to be killed and even eradicated from the area due to them rooting over the road verges.<br />
I understand that if boar manage to enter private property, they can do an awful amount of damage and this can be heartbreaking for the owners.<br />
Apart from erecting a sturdy fence or building a wall high enough to stop them, there really isn't much that can be done to stop them if they are attracted to the property.<br />
All it takes is for fruit from a tree to be lying on the ground, or waste food and this will be enough to attract them.<br />
<br />
I really do feel for the people, which lose their lawns in this way and I also understand that not everyone has the money to secure their perimeter, so they really are left in despair.<br />
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The Forestry Commission are currently culling 135 wild boar in the Forest of Dean and if I was in this situation, I would be asking them to concentrate on the areas that are seeing boar rooting around, or on private land as this will stop the problem and the FC can leave the boar alone, in the middle of the forest where they are causing no harm to anyone.<br />
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Moving on to the present cull of 135 animals. Without information (through the Freedom of Information Act), I can only assume that boar are being culled in the forest, away from residential areas and we must once again ask the question. "Why is it that we see a cull at this time every year and at precisely the same time we see an increase in activity around the roadside and residential areas?"<br />
Are the boar being forced to seek out safer locations, away from the guns? I have said this before, but if someone was walking down the street shooting my neighbours, I would not just sit there and wait for my turn, I would either fight back, or run.<br />
The boar are running and this has also been touched on, in a slightly different way with the badgers. With badgers it is called the perturbation effect, where a threatened badger will flee the sett in search of safer ground, taking TB with it, if it is infected.<br />
The boar are fleeing the safety of the area they are in and as the Forestry Commission can not shoot near residential areas, this is where the boar feel safe.<br />
They are very smart animals and they are trying to stay alive, nothing more. All the FC has to do is concentrate on the boar, in the areas where the problems are occurring and push them back into the forest.<br />
I mean lets face it, if they are being pushed out, why not shoot near the edges and push them back in as they will then feel that the periphery is not safe, whereas the denser parts are!<br />
<br />
We are too quick to scream kill kill kill, but how many people have actually stopped for just one second to look in the mirror as we have caused more damage in the Forest of Dean than the boar will "ever cause."<br />
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The difference is that our damage is irreversible, whereas the boar are actually airing and cultivating the soil.<br />
Slight difference there and it really should not be referred to as damage "all the time!"<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNqp4T_vgZCSk-mMR2ENrPQfEYJk6gh5A_rMDlAm3ttwVFZiLQhZE1A7odYcIAexoZM7Db1J6zgQLkDBg8V-jJAOScO9Z2_MTBWjHBjSiaH6niBQd6-q8o12OtJYLpvC2aL59y8WbSiw/s1600/Boar71.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNqp4T_vgZCSk-mMR2ENrPQfEYJk6gh5A_rMDlAm3ttwVFZiLQhZE1A7odYcIAexoZM7Db1J6zgQLkDBg8V-jJAOScO9Z2_MTBWjHBjSiaH6niBQd6-q8o12OtJYLpvC2aL59y8WbSiw/s320/Boar71.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Boar Sow - in the Forest </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HixX8gMX6zq87lY8f4bn2YrYv7GrXvX4BggtCChUyXGo5AuvwnXaiXlq_YQ5vjPaamFDMUUpg0rVbBnJPBs8bZ4KYOJducbW_KqjVP5A59TF-VJwvyfwihYtjPWuzHKMzlWzbFh1jrQ/s1600/Boar192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HixX8gMX6zq87lY8f4bn2YrYv7GrXvX4BggtCChUyXGo5AuvwnXaiXlq_YQ5vjPaamFDMUUpg0rVbBnJPBs8bZ4KYOJducbW_KqjVP5A59TF-VJwvyfwihYtjPWuzHKMzlWzbFh1jrQ/s320/Boar192.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Boar Sow with Piglets - in the Forest</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEi-_5ZVTIKq3J3aVFLZL1xU0zS8EjT8vwxHuvBdyVFFBu2JjH6rPINLgVgWDEBbq-dvxsKDC0yddEZ5hIiVEIWyxfON0CZepmK5PJwhE7V9om04rELgBQ3GrbydHQ9eKMEiODh3brg50/s1600/Wild+Boar40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEi-_5ZVTIKq3J3aVFLZL1xU0zS8EjT8vwxHuvBdyVFFBu2JjH6rPINLgVgWDEBbq-dvxsKDC0yddEZ5hIiVEIWyxfON0CZepmK5PJwhE7V9om04rELgBQ3GrbydHQ9eKMEiODh3brg50/s320/Wild+Boar40.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Boar Sow Rooting - in the Forest</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHAY3-xSNaEBGiHEg45Q6HSxujiljHFza4MLpqFdK9rhLTt817Hc8sLJuIVq9GFa-sRFxwke6yqHBY7QTGeCOWZyVhgMzNZOsk6NY7Ql6iVybtBwvWKkjaGj60OuS4KlKz9x_0JS3Z40/s1600/Wild+Boar+rs10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHAY3-xSNaEBGiHEg45Q6HSxujiljHFza4MLpqFdK9rhLTt817Hc8sLJuIVq9GFa-sRFxwke6yqHBY7QTGeCOWZyVhgMzNZOsk6NY7Ql6iVybtBwvWKkjaGj60OuS4KlKz9x_0JS3Z40/s320/Wild+Boar+rs10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Boar Rooting on Industrial Estate During the Cull of 2010</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQm-rw2yd-J_kcK4nm9z-_JtnW1QlZpMbpr7owmn7TueNDt7JJ0TjW3lW9piP2QaCeoVuIvtaFgKfQVv07XYYJ-KLtDrSHAu7pRMesHv8UG7BKXTJdk8AA7hk1LkBeFwGSM8WkDup6qz0/s1600/Wild+Boar107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQm-rw2yd-J_kcK4nm9z-_JtnW1QlZpMbpr7owmn7TueNDt7JJ0TjW3lW9piP2QaCeoVuIvtaFgKfQVv07XYYJ-KLtDrSHAu7pRMesHv8UG7BKXTJdk8AA7hk1LkBeFwGSM8WkDup6qz0/s320/Wild+Boar107.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sow</td></tr>
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Rob<br />
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Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-57102042010779680592013-08-20T21:24:00.000+02:002013-08-20T21:24:51.217+02:00Boaring Dragonflies<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is an update for all things wildlife related, that I have been up to over the last few weeks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>WILD BOAR</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I attended a meeting on Monday 19th August at the Forestry Commission offices to discuss wild boar populations and the planned management for 2013/14.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the meeting, neither side were happy with the outcome, but at least we managed to come to a compromise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Full details will come soon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, here are some recent boar photographs, taken in the Forest of Dean. Light conditions were poor and for all you photo geeks out there I used the following settings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">f/5</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ISO 3,200</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manual exposure -1</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/60 second</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hand held - (Like a Rock)</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTm3WXFBbBmFKuSC1Sc5fSYZl_tk557Bn6SlzQXJ7zscPaFuJIx36EMwltsGW9_ng5GdAt7lkX1Zyr6mfWtbC4Ns3vX2S11_p2o6RI6hI9F9bfQCe3LtICCPYaS20RjGbp5BRoMY864J0/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTm3WXFBbBmFKuSC1Sc5fSYZl_tk557Bn6SlzQXJ7zscPaFuJIx36EMwltsGW9_ng5GdAt7lkX1Zyr6mfWtbC4Ns3vX2S11_p2o6RI6hI9F9bfQCe3LtICCPYaS20RjGbp5BRoMY864J0/s320/16.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of this years piglets</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemZUgL-6YyGxYNHRLg0eooZoPb7ap_yij__-cG6ywGdCz9yfzZ4uj_I_x2i3zg0yGDETbhpIbbPOc_5MxokO5Qiby_jpXtt0d0Y0945swY4f895qpsF38N1Ne1oVDXvmExohj_UBidJY/s1600/31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemZUgL-6YyGxYNHRLg0eooZoPb7ap_yij__-cG6ywGdCz9yfzZ4uj_I_x2i3zg0yGDETbhpIbbPOc_5MxokO5Qiby_jpXtt0d0Y0945swY4f895qpsF38N1Ne1oVDXvmExohj_UBidJY/s320/31.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sow, rooting for grubs</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3AHILwskzwOHnlGval1oQtogLklWo4asES8sPJoYA1KGxTWGSGxrl-k5Xfycz-q4hcBi6uRyK1djzfLOLZjcAmAF1ZUtyKKrV-_MSrPJhDJD_MN5gV3bIM0SBBSQqO7PNdpnZWvvig8/s1600/72-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3AHILwskzwOHnlGval1oQtogLklWo4asES8sPJoYA1KGxTWGSGxrl-k5Xfycz-q4hcBi6uRyK1djzfLOLZjcAmAF1ZUtyKKrV-_MSrPJhDJD_MN5gV3bIM0SBBSQqO7PNdpnZWvvig8/s320/72-2.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sow, rooting for grubs</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKpst87e27NYkGjQn8puwKiNadNl7zGuruUcUtKC5WUyF7jBo3-yWzmVyt5UAGV6cX-UaAwUEQsrqZtT98PHTonb3_Bv2LfHgcV3H_jbc_oDo2PqD6LvJK66IiVVhCmQKD-bNYEf2Yek/s1600/48-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKpst87e27NYkGjQn8puwKiNadNl7zGuruUcUtKC5WUyF7jBo3-yWzmVyt5UAGV6cX-UaAwUEQsrqZtT98PHTonb3_Bv2LfHgcV3H_jbc_oDo2PqD6LvJK66IiVVhCmQKD-bNYEf2Yek/s320/48-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found a grub!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwm-nyXM36aYOR6ofGWe9eRjQhiGsNQLiQpIO6OpRqVp5GMND7eZViXt2zW5X6uyJhN52uRK3za1FNtkpB2zCj6tDEd8z4SHa4Eq3ZX0jR1EynBluBTqM0TU3_oWf6GbbaQQkxCqMf1g/s1600/40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwm-nyXM36aYOR6ofGWe9eRjQhiGsNQLiQpIO6OpRqVp5GMND7eZViXt2zW5X6uyJhN52uRK3za1FNtkpB2zCj6tDEd8z4SHa4Eq3ZX0jR1EynBluBTqM0TU3_oWf6GbbaQQkxCqMf1g/s320/40.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does my snout look big in this?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>DRAGONFLIES</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyone who has tried to capture dragonflies in flight will know that this is no easy task. They are continually on the move and you have to be very patient.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I sat by an old tree overlooking a pond and waited for one to come my way. It was getting dusky so I dropped the exposure by three stops and popped in some flash to arrest them in flight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This also gave the impression that I photographed them at night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPG1EaW5KGL5QgC5nCKiQD7QEDb-Rxw9jcdR9VD1lnmNE1E221xDVT3tYb5VK9l8WNzkdaK1OXhZAkTi9dfXmgLUey6fV8M9x1CnvHmcaxB6NnUILBURzhWikB_d9vqq1sK8RuCvxXofc/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPG1EaW5KGL5QgC5nCKiQD7QEDb-Rxw9jcdR9VD1lnmNE1E221xDVT3tYb5VK9l8WNzkdaK1OXhZAkTi9dfXmgLUey6fV8M9x1CnvHmcaxB6NnUILBURzhWikB_d9vqq1sK8RuCvxXofc/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Hawker Dragonfly</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7inkJhzRG3tkcByHqJTK1o3QCYlIgHv-BJDohQZHnGY7mcYxOBBftopzijoSTI1PABf2QF0LftY6GEK07QbkvExbHyELbm4BJdOGBgMBu7HO8sMN58A4ehFTNc_ptbL9iYv4CgQ_jjM/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7inkJhzRG3tkcByHqJTK1o3QCYlIgHv-BJDohQZHnGY7mcYxOBBftopzijoSTI1PABf2QF0LftY6GEK07QbkvExbHyELbm4BJdOGBgMBu7HO8sMN58A4ehFTNc_ptbL9iYv4CgQ_jjM/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Hawker Dragonfly</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>ADDER SURVEY</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I headed out to one of my best locations for adders a few days ago, knowing that it was going to be tough due to the length of the grass and bracken.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It proved virtually impossible but I didn't give in. This was what was in front of me.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfqGX5pzaqoYC_2NoouDtC3_rZW_YXsuWzjnX78UrjtL3soc3mEQTr4mtycRQ6LpRuAJe5LR3OLi9hv2ZtuuHjLmi67wL4PNqAIl_gZBV8ryesueh66WBR2cg5935c4FvTg0Uu0C0tl0/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfqGX5pzaqoYC_2NoouDtC3_rZW_YXsuWzjnX78UrjtL3soc3mEQTr4mtycRQ6LpRuAJe5LR3OLi9hv2ZtuuHjLmi67wL4PNqAIl_gZBV8ryesueh66WBR2cg5935c4FvTg0Uu0C0tl0/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adder Habitat</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its hard to imagine that adders favour this, but in the grass are loads of old, disused ant hills and the adders bask on top and around them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I managed to find four adders (or rather they found me), but after I nearly stood on one and two more hissed at me before I saw them, it was time to call it a day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This will prove yet again to be my best recording site for 2013. I just need to wait a few more weeks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>INSECTS</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I decided to check out the insects at this site and I wasn't disappointed. Loads of butterflies were swarming around the heather and although I really wanted to photograph an adder, my attention soon turned to the insects.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIscua5CQEyN7YM5WogveVWERHjL7BPdIhHrH9ivtu4SGxnf-x1UMJlPkngGJSxnCw6AxUPTwFy8gI5ytszXio8rlyHczhyphenhyphen6rX_Fyo3jOQxad2JGmru4AJt_0J2kOe3cKJKfG0K1W77A/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIscua5CQEyN7YM5WogveVWERHjL7BPdIhHrH9ivtu4SGxnf-x1UMJlPkngGJSxnCw6AxUPTwFy8gI5ytszXio8rlyHczhyphenhyphen6rX_Fyo3jOQxad2JGmru4AJt_0J2kOe3cKJKfG0K1W77A/s320/17.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gatekeeper</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBam1lzz3D35w1tT7x1o04LGlfg51nfr0X39X2_SbeA_74D9whf96vNElSCDt52QutEzTcdABJgmKirSJ7aUdbdpQ49pM9rUwxkBf29sRdpSqLg-Vorgx5znA9NCp6gRiFc0_fwyb-nU/s1600/38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBam1lzz3D35w1tT7x1o04LGlfg51nfr0X39X2_SbeA_74D9whf96vNElSCDt52QutEzTcdABJgmKirSJ7aUdbdpQ49pM9rUwxkBf29sRdpSqLg-Vorgx5znA9NCp6gRiFc0_fwyb-nU/s320/38.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Copper</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs19C78dVzfKQvhs9lNCRvei3_rtFeHz8FuvDdbzVOOafN6YJUsCh_b3Fhk9-JfLWFyfH_5j1uXsRTtuq4CDdPn9HaSEH8-MceIQLI77JZFA3Qovn4eWfM5f7vtT1dmaUbNNZv-xrXIaM/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs19C78dVzfKQvhs9lNCRvei3_rtFeHz8FuvDdbzVOOafN6YJUsCh_b3Fhk9-JfLWFyfH_5j1uXsRTtuq4CDdPn9HaSEH8-MceIQLI77JZFA3Qovn4eWfM5f7vtT1dmaUbNNZv-xrXIaM/s320/12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Blue</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>AND FINALLY</u></b><br /><br />Our 2014 charity calendar is not ordered and ready for delivery, so please follow the link at the end of this post to order.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">100% of all profits will go to the following...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Macmillan Cancer Care</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maggies Cancer Care Centres</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wildlife Trust</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPEF1F0Oz47Ga-kx7rUnCZkgOb1Aebi1ujKPmmz2GKLVkSwXA6_r0BmRVuDcN11UMVVBvWuyJhBWsUmiAvdBYgEyrh9ZmSAuchjF7aSk9fxst-j7h5sZCr4uL-V1oVkGvaoE6FkVkMzU/s1600/1146153_10201997409882456_747787506_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPEF1F0Oz47Ga-kx7rUnCZkgOb1Aebi1ujKPmmz2GKLVkSwXA6_r0BmRVuDcN11UMVVBvWuyJhBWsUmiAvdBYgEyrh9ZmSAuchjF7aSk9fxst-j7h5sZCr4uL-V1oVkGvaoE6FkVkMzU/s320/1146153_10201997409882456_747787506_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To order a calendar, please click <a href="http://www.scottpassmore.co.uk/#/charity-nature-calendar/4577838744">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rob</span></div>
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Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-52899569851177199832013-07-10T22:32:00.003+02:002013-07-10T22:36:49.530+02:00Charity Calendar Available Now<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Along with a good friend, Scott Passmore, we have teamed up to bring you our very first charity calendar.<br />Between us we have the ability to produce something very special, which will in turn help some very special organisations and we believe we have done this.<br />Our 2014 Charity Calendar is now ready to pre-order.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />"All profits" will be split between the following...<br />Click for more info</span><br />
<br /><a href="http://www.maggiescentres.org/">Maggie's Centres</a><br />
<a href="http://www.maggiescentres.org/"><br /></a><a href="http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx">Macmillan Cancer Support</a><br />
<a href="http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx"><br /></a><a href="http://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/">Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust</a><br />
<a href="http://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/"><br /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> There are some truly stunning "wild" wildlife and landscape images inside, which will make perfect Christmas / Birthday presents, or just hang one on your own wall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> To pre-order, please follow the link below.<br />Click</span> <a href="http://www.scottpassmore.co.uk/#/charity-nature-calendar/4577838744">HERE</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJHx19VdXPBNgPed3GFYMbyBEE3XoDieyRkLeh5_Ht70-QE7XKqNm1q-MFRbjovrSs7gF1CqaKrA-vsrlimvDReKSLLOgrJzMgeCsG4Urq-p2CqiO4bmdIKCJHTyrr_GyYPCrET9192Q/s1600/Calendar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJHx19VdXPBNgPed3GFYMbyBEE3XoDieyRkLeh5_Ht70-QE7XKqNm1q-MFRbjovrSs7gF1CqaKrA-vsrlimvDReKSLLOgrJzMgeCsG4Urq-p2CqiO4bmdIKCJHTyrr_GyYPCrET9192Q/s320/Calendar.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.scottpassmore.co.uk/#/charity-nature-calendar/4577838744"><br /></a><br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many thanks<br /><br /><br />Rob</span>Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-61294237564905472312013-06-29T17:39:00.000+02:002013-07-02T22:05:42.389+02:00Busy Times!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PTpWTWZznLxu83X7xPaSPHDOzvPpwhw7tNrxMzRUrc4Y-YKkvDkVRKtB6DUk8tIvbvjCy_I68v-mOzb7OF5eIEiVgGa00o_vgW0dRuEOr-tpuW12hO47VTCx6i-voTORVd5335WEXJg/s1600/195-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PTpWTWZznLxu83X7xPaSPHDOzvPpwhw7tNrxMzRUrc4Y-YKkvDkVRKtB6DUk8tIvbvjCy_I68v-mOzb7OF5eIEiVgGa00o_vgW0dRuEOr-tpuW12hO47VTCx6i-voTORVd5335WEXJg/s320/195-3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sorry for being quiet lately. As always I have been extremely busy with all things wildlife, so excuse the bombardment below, but here is an update as to what I have been up to over the last few weeks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately one of my hard drives crashed and I lost the majority of my images from 2013. Hopefully they can be retrieved and I will post some at a later date. </span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Siccaridge 600 Bioblitz</span></b></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Representing GlosARG and accompanied by two colleagues we helped Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust in their attempt to find and identify 600 different species of wildlife at Siccaridge Wood Nature Reserve.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The event was run over 30hrs, where more than 700 species were found and identified. This was a massive achievement by all who gave up their weekend for the wildlife and it just shows that Nature Reserves work!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly the weather was not right for reptiles, but GlosARG made up for it by finding a large privet hawk moth, palmate newt and swan mussel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click <a href="http://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/siccaridge600">HERE</a> for more info on the event</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/siccaridge600/pool/with/9060625435/#photo_9060625435">HERE</a> for some photos of the event</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interested in reptiles and amphibians? Visit <a href="http://www.glosarg.org/">GlosARG</a> </span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cinderford Area Action Plan (Northern United)</span></b></u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUU6htNr4rdmu3EfkhhNTvHDhIDuW9tKAq5tJp_XUoRaheTTB6nmKpUfrkM8jPH-P0IT1AGD2T0WubQg6az0R832RsJqbVgsHrEE9DAQtPUHcNAjr365hxiuxg4unGYvDJ2hLFhZ9Sd9E/s1600/Northern7rs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUU6htNr4rdmu3EfkhhNTvHDhIDuW9tKAq5tJp_XUoRaheTTB6nmKpUfrkM8jPH-P0IT1AGD2T0WubQg6az0R832RsJqbVgsHrEE9DAQtPUHcNAjr365hxiuxg4unGYvDJ2hLFhZ9Sd9E/s320/Northern7rs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern United</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Forest of Dean District Council has recently won a high court battle to develop one of the most diverse and wildlife rich habitats in the Forest of Dean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also known as Northern Arc and Northern Quarter, work will see a spine road built, isolating and fragmenting habitats, which is home to rare, declining and protected wildlife.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fore the media article click <a href="http://www.forest-and-wye-today.co.uk/news.cfm?id=21102&headline=Council%20victory%20in%20Northern%20fight">HERE</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the last two years I have been one of the people who has fought, not to see the development of Cinderford stopped, but to see it stopped at this location. Northern United. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been attending FODDC meetings where I have been helping highlight the wildlife at this site and the threat to it if work begins.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was and I still am more than aware that the town of Cinderford needs dragging out of the Stone Age, but there are too many flaws with this location.</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Deep mines run directly beneath the area, which is to be developed and built on. This build includes numerous houses, a college and possibly a hotel.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Numerous vulnerable, declining and protected wildlife are found all over this location.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">How is it actually going to help the town of Cinderford as it is more than a mile away from the town centre.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">How will our drainage, roads and other amenities cope with this massive increase in people and vehicles?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">After construction, will there be equivalent (sustainable) employment created for the extra residents and will it help with the number of unemployed we have at present?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">What work will be available?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Is this where it is to end, or will we see further development?</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like many other people, I have lived in the Forest of Dean my whole life and over the years and have learnt to appreciate and respect what an amazing place it is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We need to protect our green spaces and our wildlife for future generations. More importantly, we need to show and teach our future generations that what we have is worth fighting for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah I know what some of you are thinking, "without employment, what future is there for them?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is where I will say again; I know we need more jobs, but this chosen area is the worst imaginable, with regard to biodiversity and wildlife.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My next fight, if/when work begins will be to try and save as many vulnerable wildlife species as I can. Any mitigation will be planned and implemented legally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not a paper shuffler and I have already been in contact with organisations and FODDC in case this day comes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is not in support, just "to save the wildlife."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>Wild Boar</b></u></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsG6STf42in_f0beyQ-iXspaTULfwtSnGeggWUztEZccxW2_WWV8wmABtB2M-U0YlhuCzSDOPLxHwMkW3FFUlTAcI6RXvpVc7XZym2ttwQAerPMz9tIxqkw_BXPSZJzNevVYL5CHrrzZU/s1600/Piglet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsG6STf42in_f0beyQ-iXspaTULfwtSnGeggWUztEZccxW2_WWV8wmABtB2M-U0YlhuCzSDOPLxHwMkW3FFUlTAcI6RXvpVc7XZym2ttwQAerPMz9tIxqkw_BXPSZJzNevVYL5CHrrzZU/s320/Piglet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Boar Piglet</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A cull of wild boar is on the cards, likely to start in September. The "BIG" question as always is how many boar are out there and how many need to be culled, if any?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The biggest outcry for a cull always comes from members of the public that do not like seeing our road side verges dug up in the winter and I find this vile and sickening that people will call for an animal to be killed for exposing dirt, which is what our earth is made of!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feelings from true forest people of the Forest of Dean that actually venture into the forest regularly is that sightings are very low. You only have to look online and you will notice that there is a massive drop in piglet photographs this year, compared to previous years. People just aren't seeing them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is worrying as the Forestry Commission has estimated their numbers at around 600 and I fear that if a cull is implemented, it could once again prove disastrous for this species.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will not speculate as to why the numbers are low, but I have heard from a few sources that many boar are being baited onto private land where they are legally shot. Baiting them onto the land for this purpose could be seen as illegal though.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we have new growth in the forest and the boar are finding their natural food, our road verges have recovered, along with the vegetation in the forest and many people are saying that it is the greenest they have seen the forest for years!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Could it be true? Could it be that the boar rooting has irrigated and regenerated the soil, allowing new growth to flourish?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We all know that by digging our gardens it actually helps our plants and vegetables grow, so why not in the forest?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Now for a bit of sarcasm.....</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am "very" disappointed by the lack of commitment by the dirt haters. So our road verges are once again lush and green and the dedicated, committed individuals that scream for the boar's blood every winter have once again gone silent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>To these people</b></u>: If you are a true campaigner and if you want results, this is not the way to go about it. You must be strong, put your ass on the line and be there every single bloody day of the year. To only fight when things seem to be in your favour, only to sulk away when they are not, is a defeatist attitude.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will look forward to seeing your dedication, your photographs and your dirt hate letters in the local media soon, to show how the boar has affected our road verges.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Along with a colleague Scott Passmore I featured in a media article recently, representing my other wildlife conservation group <a href="http://www.ukwbt.org/#/ukwbt-patrons/4571975991">UKWBT</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a double feature, with the forest insight from the Forestry Commission...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.forest-and-wye-today.co.uk/featuresdetail.cfm?id=5413">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then it was our turn</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.forest-and-wye-today.co.uk/featuresdetail.cfm?id=5420">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I must stress that Scott and I do not walk the forest with packs of condoms for the boar. Contraceptives are fed to the boar using specialist feeding stations and we feel that as prevention is always better than the cure, this is the way forward in helping control our boar populations, "if they require control."</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1p1jfRZXbIx6VZkzzsMH5nY2EsDuhXrh3n2Wh7I7Z0313p3I4J2JJNS-oWK6o7oq90ho_UY3MYnMrMZXCD3MglD50j7BY5qnJzjDAwZhyphenhyphenkuW173sDboe9Xmlcqm6hAuVm8fXuE0ucYeY/s960/Wild+boar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1p1jfRZXbIx6VZkzzsMH5nY2EsDuhXrh3n2Wh7I7Z0313p3I4J2JJNS-oWK6o7oq90ho_UY3MYnMrMZXCD3MglD50j7BY5qnJzjDAwZhyphenhyphenkuW173sDboe9Xmlcqm6hAuVm8fXuE0ucYeY/s320/Wild+boar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not Such a Common Sight</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will leave you with some images that I have taken since my hard drive gave up the ghost and thank you for taking the time to read.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rlPKtzIhN-rJQD5oCbJxCBuF1BhwhJIUrGP7R0IgxkM7INgtxUNjAUvkJYA0y7ygfFV-e1sYHLaeCpA2ik0-U37bYTReTJqQ-0U3r-nttPYK6ZW3dZMeDgQz4DZR8WgXw8y4CGdqonM/s1600/Swan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rlPKtzIhN-rJQD5oCbJxCBuF1BhwhJIUrGP7R0IgxkM7INgtxUNjAUvkJYA0y7ygfFV-e1sYHLaeCpA2ik0-U37bYTReTJqQ-0U3r-nttPYK6ZW3dZMeDgQz4DZR8WgXw8y4CGdqonM/s320/Swan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting Tight</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmIwNQ7gyMtpNY4W4YoyWa1mngIgp4dwSguka-eLRCpSkdSTh10LB9blIF8L6fH_-wBHE8gvo4zZ6-7AXvDVaSofpkyNGnmKn-5PoDTr6ld5PlXHBe2Z5Laq56_LXWR9SRxer0dJJXIA/s927/Sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmIwNQ7gyMtpNY4W4YoyWa1mngIgp4dwSguka-eLRCpSkdSTh10LB9blIF8L6fH_-wBHE8gvo4zZ6-7AXvDVaSofpkyNGnmKn-5PoDTr6ld5PlXHBe2Z5Laq56_LXWR9SRxer0dJJXIA/s320/Sunset.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forest Sunset</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqa-sk115y4tpGP0Aocu7J8P-P0QQRTfwBXiW4XXIx7vcisscsg8PrlMLq_gOKzJAPXOH4gLStvGUc1QNmg-tMecCJSUek8_7eRdWWXFoA7isnJGpSnkuHzSh4uoyKPzz3rK9cgi0SN0/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqa-sk115y4tpGP0Aocu7J8P-P0QQRTfwBXiW4XXIx7vcisscsg8PrlMLq_gOKzJAPXOH4gLStvGUc1QNmg-tMecCJSUek8_7eRdWWXFoA7isnJGpSnkuHzSh4uoyKPzz3rK9cgi0SN0/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eggs Hatching</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgec1p3uapSH7ecNP3APQy3CCvOmVTWRViAoezXga8B8d6_AkDP_B0tYCSokU6mw7vwHOPihQrn7UsJmN_8BsQkezKEVL4fjxdJAMpMEUbPPYdMsKJJlne40BfytiB_7z2TvDifPKq7rxI/s1600/1-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgec1p3uapSH7ecNP3APQy3CCvOmVTWRViAoezXga8B8d6_AkDP_B0tYCSokU6mw7vwHOPihQrn7UsJmN_8BsQkezKEVL4fjxdJAMpMEUbPPYdMsKJJlne40BfytiB_7z2TvDifPKq7rxI/s320/1-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">36 Hours Old</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoREG9JIe0rIGtPyIGRkKwwCYLD_JnrjDjBYhzaaXJlanHSgZWNZG9L6-37800a_dQzAzb2EbXAmwT3qBUjoDkowe07HbWfk3UuKwYEud5Epx0wEY71fzo3O-HaLUefZTCsh1BYAop1iU/s1600/24-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoREG9JIe0rIGtPyIGRkKwwCYLD_JnrjDjBYhzaaXJlanHSgZWNZG9L6-37800a_dQzAzb2EbXAmwT3qBUjoDkowe07HbWfk3UuKwYEud5Epx0wEY71fzo3O-HaLUefZTCsh1BYAop1iU/s320/24-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had a Busy Day</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65_sibItFb2Il9wsXVFXtuF9wzkdnOeRMgx7j8T8xPLx7QSpwNgy_bMJ7lq6SkVJMXnZqrBxbSe-p2Or9XS3VP5j7ToWoPKDR4yxw_0zUfrGnmt5LfF0aAd4Fx0YP4BU-j2-zCAMSnqs/s1600/31-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65_sibItFb2Il9wsXVFXtuF9wzkdnOeRMgx7j8T8xPLx7QSpwNgy_bMJ7lq6SkVJMXnZqrBxbSe-p2Or9XS3VP5j7ToWoPKDR4yxw_0zUfrGnmt5LfF0aAd4Fx0YP4BU-j2-zCAMSnqs/s320/31-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stretching Tiny Wings</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdAzznNcCwX1WcN2tN72qZW0krTxHA2I-lmtaLLT0RF4evsN-5_06ITGT2P_8rMLWIKbwD3HPBBhBNV-FhuRKN_-QiQ0kzNOCtcLGLqifkCor2oL-Y_c2PiviBDpnn9hnL3_ptpa1EOE/s1600/73-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdAzznNcCwX1WcN2tN72qZW0krTxHA2I-lmtaLLT0RF4evsN-5_06ITGT2P_8rMLWIKbwD3HPBBhBNV-FhuRKN_-QiQ0kzNOCtcLGLqifkCor2oL-Y_c2PiviBDpnn9hnL3_ptpa1EOE/s320/73-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring the New World</td></tr>
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The following are not great photos as I had to crop them, but it was fascinating to watch. Not good for the fish of course!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EvXK2hAcxdkiKW9dl2h9LGH_8GSZzj1YZLHiLDgq6lihI1JSZSQiz20SdSdpw55_F5wzL03ROelwe8-nsZfZL_7I6M-6ddKGMYYsgvEdJDixCMr5kMi_DjIZHjKVesoqAveESVe6voM/s1600/97-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EvXK2hAcxdkiKW9dl2h9LGH_8GSZzj1YZLHiLDgq6lihI1JSZSQiz20SdSdpw55_F5wzL03ROelwe8-nsZfZL_7I6M-6ddKGMYYsgvEdJDixCMr5kMi_DjIZHjKVesoqAveESVe6voM/s320/97-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gull Dives Under</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByKhTKMB4OqzeIbZvkfKoez2aJr7TL3Wf6x-aH0nn4PVX9ZkORNGoeNZqQCeQwpYJMrssXVyJmJBHDMMt7QJYWvp0T2TNjeX5dk9-QWDBzLwzsvJONut4Y7d4n7YgSUeo2MJOa7Bx4uQ/s1600/60.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByKhTKMB4OqzeIbZvkfKoez2aJr7TL3Wf6x-aH0nn4PVX9ZkORNGoeNZqQCeQwpYJMrssXVyJmJBHDMMt7QJYWvp0T2TNjeX5dk9-QWDBzLwzsvJONut4Y7d4n7YgSUeo2MJOa7Bx4uQ/s320/60.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comes Up With a Large Fish</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4WFXB4N_zDMvp7ByrvdE8pKKzRo-QsiiWPCYdnEE4AbLQ0WReLfM6-PzNm7h6ZdGr8KvsL8kRE5WlnRi84F_7Ay-azQrERP-Ku6OTiZWYFXTIJYzoUa2B1VsyBAjsTU6D5dAh371szY/s1600/124-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4WFXB4N_zDMvp7ByrvdE8pKKzRo-QsiiWPCYdnEE4AbLQ0WReLfM6-PzNm7h6ZdGr8KvsL8kRE5WlnRi84F_7Ay-azQrERP-Ku6OTiZWYFXTIJYzoUa2B1VsyBAjsTU6D5dAh371szY/s320/124-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starts to Swallow it</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMAhQ1dMmNlp8UJIdzaOT_egrIvmM_GB5rwMEUMD2WX50KDW01CNG2O9R7dXnbJaUGqsAzmlaoLKBscqQ2e2q_mniJKnyT9xfZr8qiaEptJdRX-U2WNFrKs-rHk73R6eCyfGDl8a9nqU/s1600/125-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMAhQ1dMmNlp8UJIdzaOT_egrIvmM_GB5rwMEUMD2WX50KDW01CNG2O9R7dXnbJaUGqsAzmlaoLKBscqQ2e2q_mniJKnyT9xfZr8qiaEptJdRX-U2WNFrKs-rHk73R6eCyfGDl8a9nqU/s320/125-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly Down</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiwSG8kK068QF7bX1voKzVbiu1G2hrqe40C4pJLpzO7U1IXPvnrznxomaQt0pO6CCyEZ1riQF_IOX970XuMJrDbB3jocqjoZ0-qTYFYbZcftmd6usJRVzFY_w_68nnVB-iTUGeggnxtlA/s1600/148-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiwSG8kK068QF7bX1voKzVbiu1G2hrqe40C4pJLpzO7U1IXPvnrznxomaQt0pO6CCyEZ1riQF_IOX970XuMJrDbB3jocqjoZ0-qTYFYbZcftmd6usJRVzFY_w_68nnVB-iTUGeggnxtlA/s320/148-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Gone!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rob</span></div>
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Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-42834565863769893292013-04-22T21:04:00.000+02:002013-04-22T21:04:09.456+02:00Owen Paterson - Flogging the Country to Death!<br />
<h1 style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 2.4em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;">
Developers can build on nature reserves - if they 'offset' the damage elsewhere, says Government review</h1>
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Today marks one of the darkest days in the history of the UK, where our natural world is concerned. Owen Paterson has, in effect given the green light for bulldozers to demolish our most diverse and unique wildlife habitats throughout the country.<br />
When something is classified as a nature reserve, you would imagine and <u>hope</u> that it has been recognised as an area of significant importance and will therefore be protected? However, under Mr. Paterson's upcoming schemes we could see these tranquil and unique areas destroyed, to make way for development.<br />
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He goes on to say that this is OK as long as the damage is "offset" by creating similar habitats elsewhere.<br />
So, what I would like to know and I expect you are asking yourself the same question; "how is it possible to re-create habitats that have taken centuries to mature and become established?"<br />
Has he given any thought to this at all and I now wonder if he even knows what the word mitigation means?<br />
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Some of our most vulnerable wildlife such as the dormouse, great crested newt, water vole and adder can not just be lifted from one area and dumped in a man made equivalent a few miles or so away.<br />
If this man thinks that this is OK and even achievable then he has concreted the fact that he knows very little about our natural world and environment. As he is supposedly our Environment Secretary, surely this proves that he should be replaced immediately before he destroys our wild places.<br />
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It will not matter if the targeted reserves are 10 square miles or just 1 square mile, if the chosen area has ancient and unique habitats, these will not be replicated by man overnight and whatever unique wildlife is living within will be lost forever.<br />
If the wildlife is moved to an already established site, this will upset the balance and will lead to the significant loss a of number of the species in question.<br />
Wildlife mitigation should be taken very seriously, especially where vulnerable, fragile species and habitats are involved. Sadly this seems to be something our Environment Secretary is either overlooking or ignoring.<br />
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In the Forest of Dean, we are already seeing this on a massive scale, losing one of our most diverse areas to development.<br />
Among other wildlife, Northern United is home to the following species...<br />
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Great Crested Newt<br />
Adder<br />
Dormouse<br />
Greater Horseshoe Bat<br />
Lesser Horseshoe Bat<br />
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Work has already begun at this site. EU protected bats have already been seen flying for their lives as heavy machinery smashed down the buildings in which they roosted and work is soon to begin on a spine road, paving the way for the entire area to be concreted over.<br />
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So don't think your areas are safe for one minuet, as baron land is nothing more than a money making opportunity in their eyes!<br />
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We must all stand together to protect our most precious wild places before it is too late.<br />
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Telegraph Article - <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10008738/Developers-can-build-on-nature-reserves-if-they-offset-the-damage-elsewhere-says-Government-review.html">HERE</a><br />
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NORTHERN UNITED<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl52PjNzFgACfDPtAIakn71-sU7aNuwtIrh6tBU_R4SwuFNCvX5EiQYluJZqQQ1GnT5slPeDj_TGQOcTWmpNN5VMsf9vIZDMwAWGGODn_T2D3PFD0TdS-KkJEaSHhcYnBY83N3SHTeefs/s1600/20120415-Northern18-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl52PjNzFgACfDPtAIakn71-sU7aNuwtIrh6tBU_R4SwuFNCvX5EiQYluJZqQQ1GnT5slPeDj_TGQOcTWmpNN5VMsf9vIZDMwAWGGODn_T2D3PFD0TdS-KkJEaSHhcYnBY83N3SHTeefs/s320/20120415-Northern18-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This sight, along with the wildlife will soon be lost forever!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79v_FuV_9QpsdnJMaXIg2e3A7SbyRknK4fdac08QudojtwqtoKMIaxuOGShp4yTOlyqPSbk92K5pxXemRTAuTlCt1BZ28htXJUFwVORC1fN3VIJb98WrOdVMw5Rxs5yjcNHrbAxKXe0Q/s1600/Northern7rs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79v_FuV_9QpsdnJMaXIg2e3A7SbyRknK4fdac08QudojtwqtoKMIaxuOGShp4yTOlyqPSbk92K5pxXemRTAuTlCt1BZ28htXJUFwVORC1fN3VIJb98WrOdVMw5Rxs5yjcNHrbAxKXe0Q/s320/Northern7rs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just some of the prime wildlife habitat, soon to be bulldozed to make way for a road!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwUqh_gKjsPBtNTFkDGSNagmvXAZsxTvpu8wrog-g7XOt0hgjE9aKoPuweV_ibXldUdjjjp3pOe4hrPD8CfQO2GKLSqU6Sgi7lM357g3gH9mQgzKPilLKSDzuz_C49FxUanWtDzOuCDU/s1600/Great+Crested+Newt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwUqh_gKjsPBtNTFkDGSNagmvXAZsxTvpu8wrog-g7XOt0hgjE9aKoPuweV_ibXldUdjjjp3pOe4hrPD8CfQO2GKLSqU6Sgi7lM357g3gH9mQgzKPilLKSDzuz_C49FxUanWtDzOuCDU/s320/Great+Crested+Newt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EU Protected Great Crested Newts are Present at Northern United</td></tr>
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Rob<br />
<br />Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-22973035443965948412013-04-03T22:33:00.000+02:002013-04-03T22:33:50.535+02:00Oh Deer!<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Fallow & Roe Encounter</span></u></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The past few nights have been encouraging and although I was actually out tracking wild boar, I did manage some nice fallow deer shots and a fleeting roe encounter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did stumble (literally) upon two young male boar sleeping, but before I could raise the camera they were bolting through the forest, weaving through the trees like two torpedoes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have ever seen a wild boar run you will understand that when they take off, they can reach speeds up to 20-25mph within a second or two and in dense woodland, all you can do is watch them fade away into the shadows.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another encounter was of a sow, but yet again it was of her bum disappearing into some dense plantation. There is no point following as it is too dense and you would just disturb them for no purpose.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving on and covering approximately 5 miles in total I did find some handsome fallow bucks, which were a little more accommodating.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8MaYt6zNOayXj01F-m7jd7Nh2p3VNuLd_0guGP9gWv7H9zQsQjfaUkGI2qv7FkLSuA3IQJJ3OIErvxa6EqCmOyHg6wKywIb_ool1CYj6n_xAOO7POGm3CqLSarCXYU0ZTlHpNecA0oo/s1600/Fallow+Buck2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8MaYt6zNOayXj01F-m7jd7Nh2p3VNuLd_0guGP9gWv7H9zQsQjfaUkGI2qv7FkLSuA3IQJJ3OIErvxa6EqCmOyHg6wKywIb_ool1CYj6n_xAOO7POGm3CqLSarCXYU0ZTlHpNecA0oo/s320/Fallow+Buck2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbFT7KWnoJZemudMqmfn_qE6ZKRckxtvZqLnfouYnEHAkh1s5sTLBupYDU4Cnwyg5EcLd0mzs0CHu5u7PFR9NJoNOIDZPGPWinnz2MO5QVKx1jubV4ajUt2uEntr-9G6Y726wbpJXPO8/s1600/Fallow+Bucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbFT7KWnoJZemudMqmfn_qE6ZKRckxtvZqLnfouYnEHAkh1s5sTLBupYDU4Cnwyg5EcLd0mzs0CHu5u7PFR9NJoNOIDZPGPWinnz2MO5QVKx1jubV4ajUt2uEntr-9G6Y726wbpJXPO8/s320/Fallow+Bucks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never tire of seeing deer, but there is one species that I adore and that is the roe deer, Britain's true native deer species.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were 5 in total and although I get a massive buzz every time I see them, I couldn't have picked a worst location as they were right next to a old, half collapsed Forestry fence and the sun was in my face. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately you can't predict when and where you are going to have your encounter, so I made the best of it that I could.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1IQKbHjfUvC5ZJ1pSoggspPqPXaRmYSyq1oivQnwzcg2-y3UpmqID2PnWzPaCBd5oIzas6xpKt-jXL3pdcp-nJC0SIsmVNU-j_hjFmLLZRHvgBIz8qguv2wuB2KCxgmszpJQdmQz3fM/s1600/Roe+Buck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1IQKbHjfUvC5ZJ1pSoggspPqPXaRmYSyq1oivQnwzcg2-y3UpmqID2PnWzPaCBd5oIzas6xpKt-jXL3pdcp-nJC0SIsmVNU-j_hjFmLLZRHvgBIz8qguv2wuB2KCxgmszpJQdmQz3fM/s320/Roe+Buck.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roe Buck</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here we have forest ecology at work; wild boar diggings deep in the forest. To some, this looks unsightly when it appears on the road verges, but I dare anyone to prove that this is actually bad for the forest?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This activity unearths dormant seeds and cultivates the soil, revitalising and regenerating it after centuries of being compacted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wild boar are partly responsible for creating our living landscape, from when they lived wild throughout Britain centuries ago. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJahD5Xe21o3MXs3jWFJggk7t7rnwW__qmkiZSURE3U-M1BxjrtPYJjipn-lTGdE8zzvGX6K6omHgzD89svogEg7U0JpCj7IFuVuuYZsXaYFlYrkcM2SZLwstxsA_Kl5FfRS6mvWzyPc/s1600/Boar+Diggings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJahD5Xe21o3MXs3jWFJggk7t7rnwW__qmkiZSURE3U-M1BxjrtPYJjipn-lTGdE8zzvGX6K6omHgzD89svogEg7U0JpCj7IFuVuuYZsXaYFlYrkcM2SZLwstxsA_Kl5FfRS6mvWzyPc/s320/Boar+Diggings.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boar Rooting, Deep in the Forest</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And what better than a natural fertiliser! There were absolutely loads of boar turds like this strewn throughout the boar diggings, with most already trodden into the exposed soil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ask any farmer what muck spreading does for their land as this is what is naturally happening throughout our forest every year. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk28srupDTgwsDqVnmEvy_kuTqpnHH3oDLavlYjmNzDsZl9cZ00ZlztDEbojLJp8DvhBBek_YOSWoonjAku-99SoH03LdfeWLkarsOtqXUXMhH1NtwaVvAvm2DC-P-VCWKS4O7QuhivXg/s1600/Boar+Droppings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk28srupDTgwsDqVnmEvy_kuTqpnHH3oDLavlYjmNzDsZl9cZ00ZlztDEbojLJp8DvhBBek_YOSWoonjAku-99SoH03LdfeWLkarsOtqXUXMhH1NtwaVvAvm2DC-P-VCWKS4O7QuhivXg/s320/Boar+Droppings.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Boar Turds</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I couldn't leave you without showing a cute humbug shot!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzBBnp4S4rqhZ2RaSJ3kR6n7B9YDoTqTIM17Q5HpycDdScplU3Q0xc3gLWsEVpAGwJ0n3M5qim7Lk_uJ7tGDs20NZNU98_4ZTXtA0v4EheIf9_fZ4qGCgeH5W9Tv3nZl10aUlwHpKq8o/s1600/Piglet3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzBBnp4S4rqhZ2RaSJ3kR6n7B9YDoTqTIM17Q5HpycDdScplU3Q0xc3gLWsEVpAGwJ0n3M5qim7Lk_uJ7tGDs20NZNU98_4ZTXtA0v4EheIf9_fZ4qGCgeH5W9Tv3nZl10aUlwHpKq8o/s320/Piglet3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oink Oink!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And finally, it may feel like we have missed spring this year, but the signs are still out there!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AAak8JV3O4fs6FEUOJXRHJDXLV0BWJ4EWIGJ8CDyrpjGs4pMDOeXzIPjbvRM-RXJDIiOf5nDT2m1UXPUu6ozRNqgXIV2yxIiQX4hZF6S0tWo9u1CJejaAbjmpAwpDNWJbbtxS3WA7O0/s1600/Lamb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AAak8JV3O4fs6FEUOJXRHJDXLV0BWJ4EWIGJ8CDyrpjGs4pMDOeXzIPjbvRM-RXJDIiOf5nDT2m1UXPUu6ozRNqgXIV2yxIiQX4hZF6S0tWo9u1CJejaAbjmpAwpDNWJbbtxS3WA7O0/s320/Lamb.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring Lamb</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rob</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-69461738213681482172013-03-30T16:35:00.003+01:002013-03-30T16:35:49.207+01:001st Adder - 2013<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u><i>Sssssssssnakes!</i></u></span></h2>
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Found my first adder of 2013 today.<br />
For the details and photograph click <a href="http://snakesintheforestofdean.blogspot.co.uk/">HERE</a><br />
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RobRob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-26658172603829839422013-03-28T22:10:00.001+01:002013-03-28T22:10:08.755+01:00Decapitated Boar - Update<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>The Story Unravels </u></span></h2>
UKWBT has found out what happened to the headless boar, found in the forest earlier this week.<br />
This animal was found dead by a member of the public with what appeared to be a gun shot wound to the head. It was immediately reported to the Forestry Commission who dispatched a ranger to the site.<br />
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As there was no exit wound, with the bullet still believed to be inside, the head was removed and taken away for examination.<br />
The rest of the boar was left as this will be a good source of food for other meat eaters in our forest like foxes and birds of prey etc.<br />
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Good to know the Forestry Commission take things like this seriously.<br />
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For More Info Click <a href="http://www.ukwildboartrust.org/#/boaring-blog/4572058366/The-other-side-of-Wild-Boar-surveying…./5284238">HERE</a><br />
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RobRob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-10077643341186322052013-03-28T20:01:00.000+01:002013-03-28T20:17:37.691+01:00Some Pretty Hairy Comments!!!<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below is a link to a recent article in the Citizen Newspaper on wild boar numbers and diggings in the Forest of Dean, with some hair raising comments from a local Councillor!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The below is from a personal perspective only. I will not make assumptions on population numbers as this will only be pure speculation until we have a more accurate estimate in a few months time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, I would like to address some of the comments made by Councillor Norman Stephens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. Stephens says..... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"A lot of people I speak to are sick and tired of the boar."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is this a good enough reason to kill wildlife, or ask for it to be killed?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"They turfed up the ground around the Forest Church War Memorial just before Remembrance Day." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately Mr. Stephens, wild animals treat every day the same as the previous, but I am sure that if they did know this they would have indeed shown some respect like us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The mess at Beechenhurst is deplorable."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, unfortunately they do not look on this area in the same way we do. In fact, as food is eaten at this location daily, they see it as an opportunity and as a source for food.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To them, this "is" the heart of the forest, where they belong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Road verges have been wrecked."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The forest has seen a low natural crop of acorns and chestnuts this last season and to survive, like all living creatures the boar have to eat. One reason why they root road verges is because the verges are soft, which makes life easy for them. Is dirt on the side of the road any worse than the huge slab of tarmac snaking for miles throughout the area?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wild boar are a native species and like it or not they helped sculpt the landscape we see today, many years ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wild boar diggings might look unsightly to some, but the reality is that this activity actually revitalises and regenerates the forest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. Stephens has asked for the boar to be contained in a secure enclosure within the forest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Really? And how big should this be; 1, 2, 3, 4 square miles, or more?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if this was possible, they would require feeding on a daily basis as their territory would be limited.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Male wild boar would have to be penned in a separate enclosure while the sows weaned their young.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A breach in the fence would see them escape, so this would also need to be monitored on a daily basis.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And finally, the Forest of Dean is not a zoo.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Citizen article <a href="http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Wild-boar-population-nearly-600-bigger-cull/story-18545157-detail/story.html#axzz2OrJMAp7A">HERE</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day, hopefully, we may learn to respect the fact that just because we walk on this planet, it doesn't mean we own it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We but only share this earth with billions of other living creatures and what we think and see as right, is actually destroying it.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCEuGSCLU7zBSAu8vrJ7r5gdaqxlsT13gh8C0odgLpR8ASstibOxKTWJOXB-8Op5pQ2Mo8h_8WVrOL5c0Sjv8BgIcHuUKoa4fwaR9Av3M61kxkWGu75qBry6ZzeX6zlG5epfqUuJVLsM/s1600/Wild+Boar+Sow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCEuGSCLU7zBSAu8vrJ7r5gdaqxlsT13gh8C0odgLpR8ASstibOxKTWJOXB-8Op5pQ2Mo8h_8WVrOL5c0Sjv8BgIcHuUKoa4fwaR9Av3M61kxkWGu75qBry6ZzeX6zlG5epfqUuJVLsM/s320/Wild+Boar+Sow.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Boar Sow in the Forest of Dean</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YcUnSFj7vvecgGL62jSiOE_4Vu8VjLAlZbOop3DQ3-asByRTasWVVPY0XuCcYbS0ZTlgpR24-jB5PCn6OtxtJgqspMim2W-7nAQELbbnDYRKY833Ulq_9_fNukA9g2Bk0-vu1qjESnY/s1600/Piglet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YcUnSFj7vvecgGL62jSiOE_4Vu8VjLAlZbOop3DQ3-asByRTasWVVPY0XuCcYbS0ZTlgpR24-jB5PCn6OtxtJgqspMim2W-7nAQELbbnDYRKY833Ulq_9_fNukA9g2Bk0-vu1qjESnY/s320/Piglet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wild boar piglet, learning how to find food</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rob</span><br />
<br />Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-70460159026854757072013-03-26T21:55:00.000+01:002013-03-26T21:55:32.143+01:00Horrific Discovery in the Forest<h2>
</h2>
<h2>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-size: x-large;">What you are about to see is graphic </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">so please be </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">WARNED!</span></div>
</h2>
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On Sunday 24th March, along with my friend and co-founder of UKWBT, Scott Passmore, we took a film crew into the Forest of Dean on the trail of wild boar for an upcoming documentary on this species.<br />
<br />
I knew where there were a few sows with piglets and after circling the area for signs we headed into a dense part of the forest, where I knew they would be.<br />
What we found was shocking and horrific!<br />
<br />
A wild boar was lying at the bottom of a small tree and as we approached, we were greeted with a sight that sent my emotions over the edge. The poor animal was dead, but what was shocking was that it was missing its head!<br />
My first concern was for the piglets, as they are still dependant on the sows milk. However, I soon realised that this was a male boar, not a sow and even though the sight was gruesome I was relieved that the piglets hadn't lost their mum and their milk.<br />
<br />
The male boar had a open gash to the belly area, exposing his internal organs and the head had been cleanly removed with a very sharp instrument. Probably a machete.<br />
<br />
Our first thought was that this fella had been poached and decapitated, but on closer inspection we could not find a gunshot wound anywhere on the body, so this would mean that to drop an animal of this size, it would have been a shot to the head, if indeed he had been shot.<br />
We were then puzzled as to why the head was nowhere to be seen, yet the body with a belly wound had been left. Surely if this animal was poached, the people responsible would have taken the meat?<br />
If they had been disturbed or chased off by other boar, why did they struggle with just the head and for what purpose?<br />
<br />
Wild boar sows will not tolerate male boar when they have young as male boar will kill piglets if they are not his, so that he can mate with the sow to keep his own bloodline going.<br />
We came to the conclusion that this male entered the sows territory and with young this caused the sows to attack him, slicing his belly in the process. This wound would have been severe enough to kill him and this is what probably happened.<br />
As for the head, many people walk the forest searching for boar and if someone came across this chap and decided the scull, complete with tusks would make a nice trophy, it wouldn't have taken long to return with a machete and remove the head.<br />
<br />
The boar had been dead for a while when the head was removed as there was no blood on the ground around the neck area. Also, the exposed meat in the neck area was fresh and had no odour, yet the open wound on the belly was rotting and smelled awful.<br />
<br />
Shocking as it is, at least this lad will now help other wildlife in the area as he is now a source of food for birds of prey and foxes etc.<br />
<br />
Of course we could be completely wrong as this lad may have been shot in the head with the offender then going to work removing his head. Poachers usually butcher in the forest as it is easier to get the meat out, rather than drag a 150lb+ carcass out.<br />
If this was the work of a poacher and he was startled or disturbed, he may have left the area to return later.<br />
It wouldn't take long for the meat to spoil and he may have opened the belly on his return only to discover this. Leaving what we found? <br />
<br />
Your thoughts are welcome?<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-size: large;">PLEASE DO NOT SCROLL DOWN IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH </span></u></h3>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvfuGxQ6qmWeAhkzpfapH71UhuyNODIbSu5nRrRKd42VHdGC7SrCf5qnRTsLI5xu2oCd_Nyz6f8MTaYDA6d0Z1BXRCo9jyd753x0yL3HcKj20lbhkvc8Ld8LqZ7WL2pihhDzlb75Mlvc/s1600/Boar4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbvfuGxQ6qmWeAhkzpfapH71UhuyNODIbSu5nRrRKd42VHdGC7SrCf5qnRTsLI5xu2oCd_Nyz6f8MTaYDA6d0Z1BXRCo9jyd753x0yL3HcKj20lbhkvc8Ld8LqZ7WL2pihhDzlb75Mlvc/s320/Boar4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Were were greeted with this!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrjlgUZGs5LGky53Kv1JvwQSZoeEGl9kBfDUhV0AZNeI3NA3pQohrsh5-FSoEFCODwaRDQlC0GIw6pviqedSxaDx0fzjXKrXttynCZkegS7t8miOL8zKv3okP0yJcZCPfKTDkQ2Jn4oQ/s1600/Boar3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrjlgUZGs5LGky53Kv1JvwQSZoeEGl9kBfDUhV0AZNeI3NA3pQohrsh5-FSoEFCODwaRDQlC0GIw6pviqedSxaDx0fzjXKrXttynCZkegS7t8miOL8zKv3okP0yJcZCPfKTDkQ2Jn4oQ/s320/Boar3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belly wound. Fight, or a knife? </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3z20z8EZH0SV9WPdKe90ZS7d0u1bcKeDcCLrX-CuPpoWCZJ1493Vf8CL34TdIR1Rxe2IWh78MShC5HFU14Hp8Uhyh9wi0vmjThaksblpWxHKZ6EAF8FKXnCXs5sZgCDaFTsDjzkUI2r0/s1600/Crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3z20z8EZH0SV9WPdKe90ZS7d0u1bcKeDcCLrX-CuPpoWCZJ1493Vf8CL34TdIR1Rxe2IWh78MShC5HFU14Hp8Uhyh9wi0vmjThaksblpWxHKZ6EAF8FKXnCXs5sZgCDaFTsDjzkUI2r0/s320/Crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleanly cut and obviously made by a human!</td></tr>
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<br />
Rob<br />
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<br />Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-51533268909134797072013-03-20T20:46:00.000+01:002013-03-20T22:10:20.008+01:00Statement <div style="text-align: center;">
<u>*NOTE* </u></div>
Due to manipulation of text used against me, the use of any or all of the wording below may not be used without prior consent from the author Robin Ward.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
___________________________________________________</div>
<br />
As many of you are already aware and for those of you who don't know; I helped set up and run the following conservation groups.<br />
<br />
GlosARG - <a href="http://www.glosarg.org/#">Gloucestershire Amphibian and Reptile Group </a><br />
UKWBT - <a href="http://www.ukwildboartrust.org/#/ukwbt-patrons/4571975991">UK Wild Boar Trust </a><br />
<br />
I am not one to play tit for tat crap on-line as I value and use my spare time wisely regarding the conservation of our wildlife.<br />
However, due to recent manipulated publications by a certain so called jealous wildlife campaigner who obviously has too much time on his hands, I feel I must make the following perfectly clear.<br />
<br />
I, nor any conservation group that I am a member of supports the unnecessary killing of "any" wildlife in the UK.<br />
UKWBT has released the following and this is also GlosARG's stance.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>UK Wild Boar Trust Cull Policy</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
We want to reassure our supporters that UKWBT do NOT support the idea of wild boar, or any other animal, being managed by lethal methods. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
UKWBT will campaign to ensure that if a cull is to be carried out by Land Owners/Forestry Commission, it will only happen if absolutely necessary and on the back of an accurate and/or logical estimation of population numbers.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
We strongly believe if UKWBT can negotiate a lower cull target through working with the Land Owners/Forestry Commission on the management of the wild boar, based on our own research into the boar population, this will be a successful commitment to the wild boar and will save the lives of many animals. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
This can also be viewed on the front page of our website <a href="http://www.ukwildboartrust.org/">HERE</a></div>
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It is such a shame that this one person, with an ego large enough to explode out of his head like a volcano can be so negative and aggressive towards two substantial conservation groups that are obviously doing very well in a very short space of time.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
With a prestigious Patron list including Chris Packham, Andy Rouse, Iolo Williams, Zara Boland and Sarah Jane Honeywell, we are obviously pro-active, trusted and committed to the welfare of wildlife in the UK. Sadly something one very small minded person is now trying to damage through pure jealousy.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Further details on our Patrons can be found - <a href="http://www.ukwildboartrust.org/#/ukwbt-patrons/4571975991">HERE</a></div>
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UKWBT and GlosARG will rise above this pettiness and we will succeed where certain others will fail. We will never let anything get us down and we will always put the wildlife first.</div>
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I hope you respect and support the work that a few dedicated volunteers are carrying out in the name of wildlife throughout the UK.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Rob</div>
Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-87503275124079690582013-03-10T18:37:00.000+01:002013-03-10T18:37:17.372+01:00UK Wild Boar Trust<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BELOW ARE MINE AND NOT THAT OF UKWBT</u></b></h2>
<br />
In 2006 I helped set up Friends of the Wild Boar (do not confuse with Friends of the Boar) with two other people.<br />
The wild boar had only been present in the Forest of Dean for two years at this time and during the following couple of years, the three of us from FotWB worked hard to highlight the issues surrounding these newcomers. Poaching was a big problem as all of a sudden the shooters had a new prey species to hunt. Gaining support proved very hard as the boar were not as widespread as they are today and the support just wasn't out there.<br />
We were always open and were appealing for help from day one, but sadly no one bothered to come forward.<br />
Unfortunately, due to a lack of help and support, Friends of the Wild Boar dwindled away, but at least we had opened communications between the Forestry Commission and the Council during the time we were active.<br />
Supposedly, in 2011 (7 years after the boar arrived in the FoD) David Slater helped set up Friends of the Boar and took over where we had left off. The foundations for this renamed group were already in place and during the following 18 months I contributed to helping this group and the wild boar.<br />
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In late 2012, after a conflict in interests and beliefs I decided to leave FotB. This was a hard decision as I was not turning my back on the wild boar, but on certain people within this group for their out there and insane views on wild boar populations and management.<br />
<br />
In December 2012, along with some like minded colleagues UK Wild Boar Trust was founded and is now a very successful organisation. We have numerous high profile Patrons including Andy Rouse, Iolo Williams, Zara Boland and Sarah Jane Honeywell.<br />
Chris Packham has also publicly shown his support.<br />
<br />
UKWBT was created as a hub for the whole of the UK, so that any areas with wild boar can find information and can easily contact us. We have people working in Devon, monitoring and surveying the area and we soon expect to have people across the whole of the UK, feeding data back to us.<br />
<br />
I also helped set up and now run GlosARG as well as UKWBT and after taking a week off work I spent four days getting my hands dirty, managing, crating and repairing reptile and amphibian habitats in Gloucestershire. This was done on my own and with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, for whom I am a volunteer. I also attended meetings with the Forestry Commission, Wildlife Trust and FoDDC; all wildlife related.<br />
Not all of the damage was down to boar, but three of my locations had seen extensive disturbance from boar rooting and this is the worst possible time as the reptiles will soon be emerging from hibernation.<br />
This was corrected and new habitat identified and managed.<br />
<br />
UKWBT does not want to see any boar removed from our forest, however, as a conservation group we care for all wildlife, not just the boar like FotB. For this reason we understand that there will be times when other wildlife and habitats will be at risk if the boar population increases above a certain level and we need a balance for all of our wildlife.<br />
We will be working closely with the FC tomake sure this balance is maintained, but also to make sure that "no boar" are removed unless "absolutely necessary."<br />
<br />
Below are just a few pics from my conservation work this last week. Not many photos as I was hard at work and it was raining most of the time.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ecgPaWVqwoJXypdd4XKsCXrWg2maReZLu_AEvDCjeJtRQy-sD-mCjYKtR4Kf9gvbxfy32AYAbYz01MD3PeMoP4HlpIkLm05LYdPceD5yaR1OddTzrQVx-H5fQJbIfpOZb6PdMVeRZmw/s1600/E-H+Tin+Survey2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ecgPaWVqwoJXypdd4XKsCXrWg2maReZLu_AEvDCjeJtRQy-sD-mCjYKtR4Kf9gvbxfy32AYAbYz01MD3PeMoP4HlpIkLm05LYdPceD5yaR1OddTzrQVx-H5fQJbIfpOZb6PdMVeRZmw/s320/E-H+Tin+Survey2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30 corrugated tins we put out for artificial refuge </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDcQIET75lPzzQRtA8fZF4nye0ByyBZAiTOvY5i17_v9aiq3xIuN9XdO916z1OS3ATK6bk_7oeke4CLp_PEOfcT-3VpdjXs603jjpY67AENyd0Ae_Q_g69zWQ_K7sETg6vPXCDIVOvhs/s1600/E-H+Tin+Survey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDcQIET75lPzzQRtA8fZF4nye0ByyBZAiTOvY5i17_v9aiq3xIuN9XdO916z1OS3ATK6bk_7oeke4CLp_PEOfcT-3VpdjXs603jjpY67AENyd0Ae_Q_g69zWQ_K7sETg6vPXCDIVOvhs/s320/E-H+Tin+Survey.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the tins. Reptiles and amphibians will use these as shelter</td></tr>
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This is a pond in the Forest of Dean, which is surrounded by roads. Unfortunately toads, frogs and newts cross the roads to get to the pond to breed.<br />
Along with my colleague and good friend Scott Passmore and one other volunteer we cut away around 30 metres of thick bramble this afternoon. This was to create a clear area to funnel the amphibians into a certain area where a toad tunnel runs under the road.<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTsNbYFXx6ty3o8oFDPqbgA7dc824q3um0pBeEmRj3EWefe5v1lfjF1D6N8E2Wmc4kk7gqNhOLIF5UAvDK04IkyQZzDrlopFfJVgSwEWpi2QWP7lQGzwpB_JdH26573qxpqpHNaTr-0yo/s1600/Toad+Crossing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTsNbYFXx6ty3o8oFDPqbgA7dc824q3um0pBeEmRj3EWefe5v1lfjF1D6N8E2Wmc4kk7gqNhOLIF5UAvDK04IkyQZzDrlopFfJVgSwEWpi2QWP7lQGzwpB_JdH26573qxpqpHNaTr-0yo/s320/Toad+Crossing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toad Crossing<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNfq5pBgud3MPYQCYubC_0lSFEYKd61Zhsut7t87SBWB7Pgqs8Zuo5pbvu-vT8Ibxw4dJwVq81At8y2Xr9NzLe6TzOPjRHFx9Wj_hIU4RrUd205UbTorwVDkMNzPaDIL4Bc8rBSUhYYM/s1600/389783_10200979027783540_1985883432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNfq5pBgud3MPYQCYubC_0lSFEYKd61Zhsut7t87SBWB7Pgqs8Zuo5pbvu-vT8Ibxw4dJwVq81At8y2Xr9NzLe6TzOPjRHFx9Wj_hIU4RrUd205UbTorwVDkMNzPaDIL4Bc8rBSUhYYM/s320/389783_10200979027783540_1985883432_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before work began</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZg-vdYzIwCSPgUDfU0YTJlzptZsrvyGVrlGaJScJZl7jXjl3kbKryyzck8B1tF02XdZvqfCStP_x3Eh8h70rIWTrey0TUQoKqe0aQp-Y12psJCIsLqik8yMfHQt3KGj1iYpmBI9jzA0/s1600/62715_10200979033183675_1161551220_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZg-vdYzIwCSPgUDfU0YTJlzptZsrvyGVrlGaJScJZl7jXjl3kbKryyzck8B1tF02XdZvqfCStP_x3Eh8h70rIWTrey0TUQoKqe0aQp-Y12psJCIsLqik8yMfHQt3KGj1iYpmBI9jzA0/s320/62715_10200979033183675_1161551220_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And after. Hard work as only three of us, but we got there. This will help channel to amphibians to the tunnel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JpxDGwVln5gDLQD1Rf_Rhnm1zrhDKs5GQ60kMPqfT_rUp1GxiQCyHkaZNUidoa9jZ0YnpklcVb8MJrdwEr4c7Ps9-RZIBWgD0RzO7a1iWss8SJvI05-l9amT6KyqM9Fn74_fxttdYFE/s1600/295636_10200979009303078_1717589592_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JpxDGwVln5gDLQD1Rf_Rhnm1zrhDKs5GQ60kMPqfT_rUp1GxiQCyHkaZNUidoa9jZ0YnpklcVb8MJrdwEr4c7Ps9-RZIBWgD0RzO7a1iWss8SJvI05-l9amT6KyqM9Fn74_fxttdYFE/s320/295636_10200979009303078_1717589592_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunnel entrance to the pond on the other side of the road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Hopefully this shows that UKWBT is working at a large number of wildlife conservation levels throughout Gloucestershire.<br />
If you wish to support us, and / or get involved please visit the following links.<br />
<br />
UKWBT - <a href="http://www.ukwildboartrust.org/#/ukwbt-patrons/4571975991">Website</a><br />
UKWBT - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/UKWildBoarTrust">Facebook</a><br />
<br />
GlosARG - <a href="http://www.glosarg.org/#/patrons/4568686980">Website</a><br />
GlosARG - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/GlosARG">Facebook</a><br />
<br />
We are also on Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/UKWildBoarTrust">UKWBT</a> - - - <a href="https://twitter.com/glosarg">GlosARG </a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks<br />
<br />
Rob<br />
Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-30390178230848851032013-02-21T22:33:00.000+01:002013-02-21T22:33:05.030+01:00The Weeks AheadOver the coming weeks I have a few meetings, which will definitely keep me busy!<br />
<br />
I am soon to meet with the Forestry Commission to work out the best plan of action regarding the wild boar. I'm not expecting them to implement my suggestions, but I do hope they will listen. The wild boar require management, but only when absolutely necessary and this is something I am hoping to help them with, to get a better understanding of boar numbers throughout the area, so that a more accurate guess can be made when a cull is imminent.<br />
<br />
I will also be attending a talk on ash die back, to hopefully better understand what is going on within our forests. Huge amounts of larch has been felled and is still being felled throughout the UK and the sooner we get on top of these issues the better.<br />
<br />
Then a meeting with Forest of Dean District Council regarding Northern United (Northern Area Action Plan).<br />
<br />
As I have been surveying and monitoring this area for wildlife for many years, I have been invited to a meeting to discuss the area and the wildlife. I welcome this invitation as it is local people with local knowledge who can really help, not people pulled in from far and wide that do not know the area and the wildlife present.<br />
I have never approved of the development of this area, but if Northern is to get the green light, I am not going to sit on my hands, or bury my head in the sand as a defeatist. I will work with them to make sure the wildlife comes first and that sensitive and unique areas are maintained, preserved and protected.<br />
<br />
Then... It's off to one of my favourite areas in the Forest of Dean to work with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust on a project to manage reptile habitat.<br />
Really looking forward to this as it is where I excel and the excitement of knowing that you will one day find an adder basking in an area that you have helped create is amazing!<br />
<br />
Spring is around the corner and I am looking forward to warmer days and lighter evenings, so I can get out with the camera more often. <br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>I leave you with some photographs of wildlife </b></u></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>All photographed in the magnificent Forest of Dean</b></u></h2>
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<u><b><br /></b></u></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHPjw1HtfvixjdAZmXHbIlOesEFUzRtuZt6AbCkzzuEwg03Vz_tE8WWD7B-ZGHSQYoypiiBRW6k7m6vU615_1Y-_Fzrzd40swxJn6vNFAYqf3uTbehh5n14yoBIC9qeXRmtIUmJ16KQc/s1600/Roe+Buck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHPjw1HtfvixjdAZmXHbIlOesEFUzRtuZt6AbCkzzuEwg03Vz_tE8WWD7B-ZGHSQYoypiiBRW6k7m6vU615_1Y-_Fzrzd40swxJn6vNFAYqf3uTbehh5n14yoBIC9qeXRmtIUmJ16KQc/s320/Roe+Buck.jpg" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roe Buck</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UKKPawEm742saOEMGdMW359x9AvV-KTf8WaDopINHf949UMXT97y5Uhm1ZucAMRtOJhnYFZqXdiwgK60UViyrNbrW81YbjVWR2uDC58AKzQTzHVLVqXuuSVSH8vE7XIso1eGNjmc9lo/s1600/20120921-Boar+Merge-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UKKPawEm742saOEMGdMW359x9AvV-KTf8WaDopINHf949UMXT97y5Uhm1ZucAMRtOJhnYFZqXdiwgK60UViyrNbrW81YbjVWR2uDC58AKzQTzHVLVqXuuSVSH8vE7XIso1eGNjmc9lo/s320/20120921-Boar+Merge-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Boar Sow and her Piglet 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauZfNMHekzYQ7en2vs9bSdrP0NyHXH6iGfNHBQ5xp5K-STj6Dh7Uvb0-nqdKfztBUGlP94sLc-LRXYaGWLv7lx_B9in2OgIOB6YUGC6eeuO-K9UlgBCelGmWta-CG3qPjsPbJd7YAgvg/s1600/20120722-Wildlife15-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauZfNMHekzYQ7en2vs9bSdrP0NyHXH6iGfNHBQ5xp5K-STj6Dh7Uvb0-nqdKfztBUGlP94sLc-LRXYaGWLv7lx_B9in2OgIOB6YUGC6eeuO-K9UlgBCelGmWta-CG3qPjsPbJd7YAgvg/s320/20120722-Wildlife15-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Fox</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwC0YT755A7e5S5gpPfa-rmOsUNNGnYlG56CpzxcdkcTjYKVpVam-dhIf01fTpuL8sZciyOc0GWnbFUWYyDCyiDm4TR0o4rDwo0cAfhyphenhyphen4v3MBvRHyN1GddJBbsbzS38Y63dTiOKIxx5B4/s1600/20110419-Insect1-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwC0YT755A7e5S5gpPfa-rmOsUNNGnYlG56CpzxcdkcTjYKVpVam-dhIf01fTpuL8sZciyOc0GWnbFUWYyDCyiDm4TR0o4rDwo0cAfhyphenhyphen4v3MBvRHyN1GddJBbsbzS38Y63dTiOKIxx5B4/s320/20110419-Insect1-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Grey Squirrel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0bdMXkQCTgWWrZ3oXwf8pS_eq6Pjv71FYzyxePCGnYagcvSH9nPqN8h5ukUs1lATyMmt03OuDipjQsqBIsBevCd2PY7HjZ4JnWDAZWVDD_6BKrtQG1e6PglpFoinSR4UMagNNGMNWdQ/s1600/20120205-Wood+mouse8-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt0bdMXkQCTgWWrZ3oXwf8pS_eq6Pjv71FYzyxePCGnYagcvSH9nPqN8h5ukUs1lATyMmt03OuDipjQsqBIsBevCd2PY7HjZ4JnWDAZWVDD_6BKrtQG1e6PglpFoinSR4UMagNNGMNWdQ/s320/20120205-Wood+mouse8-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Mouse Nicking the Bird Food!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEir1bjG4kgn35PaSUmZlkWijRfyHymIR3lG8QUjFpQFqVPurmxDulay_1WrSHlMHj9Yr7tY8YvnaQ9yb9ZQLhGLwbPsMbkP1jTbrubrEORItTbo3Vt9tvjP1Hynbc7VcSYm9b3SJHSM8/s1600/Wild+Boar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEir1bjG4kgn35PaSUmZlkWijRfyHymIR3lG8QUjFpQFqVPurmxDulay_1WrSHlMHj9Yr7tY8YvnaQ9yb9ZQLhGLwbPsMbkP1jTbrubrEORItTbo3Vt9tvjP1Hynbc7VcSYm9b3SJHSM8/s320/Wild+Boar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Photographing Wild Boar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmzBFT3U_BkBBJAkX8eSLS8KSL0kF7yqIGwcSKn_Vy-zf4fpTsXhD-miRk61XNXBZxHfON-lgfvHfTpQt_4dWXydsPdKBI6jYMoMX27_CvrSCtDxU2z_h7kYl5MqcesxbzEzO5dl5-2Y/s1600/Wild+Boar+Sow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmzBFT3U_BkBBJAkX8eSLS8KSL0kF7yqIGwcSKn_Vy-zf4fpTsXhD-miRk61XNXBZxHfON-lgfvHfTpQt_4dWXydsPdKBI6jYMoMX27_CvrSCtDxU2z_h7kYl5MqcesxbzEzO5dl5-2Y/s320/Wild+Boar+Sow.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of a Wild Boar Sow; From Encounter Above</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLO5yZxQ0ymYFX9dFlnI1HbpHztEr8Sbfn3vhA77HxCku_8yU-52fwZnBMNsH3MxlaVxjcCwAtjgwjJjYPMJ8UAlFA-1JZzHlAEx0i3ULUPxKLTPLx8ox1L9ELBb-gYMU0FprA_vN4zY/s1600/untitled--4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLO5yZxQ0ymYFX9dFlnI1HbpHztEr8Sbfn3vhA77HxCku_8yU-52fwZnBMNsH3MxlaVxjcCwAtjgwjJjYPMJ8UAlFA-1JZzHlAEx0i3ULUPxKLTPLx8ox1L9ELBb-gYMU0FprA_vN4zY/s320/untitled--4.JPG" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Great Spotted Woodpecker Searching for Bugs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioraLOEuWuLnRer23ak_E_KAXb6U1UYEJe1mw7YAlo3kRGtBVTGnCVcKftQ2G9IB-4yp3jSgNiPoL_mWcehIQI25rWkXJsagRiRt3x4jQ1Ocu9j0uzwh4ktDMm4WAxX7TnesmbKs860g8/s1600/Cinnabar+Merged.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioraLOEuWuLnRer23ak_E_KAXb6U1UYEJe1mw7YAlo3kRGtBVTGnCVcKftQ2G9IB-4yp3jSgNiPoL_mWcehIQI25rWkXJsagRiRt3x4jQ1Ocu9j0uzwh4ktDMm4WAxX7TnesmbKs860g8/s320/Cinnabar+Merged.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cinnabar Larvae on Ragwort and Cinnabar Moths on Thistle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnVBmPA5mOQnD0VRsFOnIuc1kGFg-jbmv1iyvIELWU0hV6NUyQ1vxHfl7awDzVafRups93LEpPKClPYwP2bV5V4P3jawwgtEgSDI4iScG9TJQ0zI7uvA3n77t64ZgurYN3Dca7KrDbmM/s1600/20110312-Adder55-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnVBmPA5mOQnD0VRsFOnIuc1kGFg-jbmv1iyvIELWU0hV6NUyQ1vxHfl7awDzVafRups93LEpPKClPYwP2bV5V4P3jawwgtEgSDI4iScG9TJQ0zI7uvA3n77t64ZgurYN3Dca7KrDbmM/s320/20110312-Adder55-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Adder Basking in Bracken</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lje3bfbAFsCaskdKSUA5D9GfrxF7xCIisrRJ9aLi5kOcVkJ8t9DvoQXOVCxJLhL8y6NALgiW-emnLi2NncTpysDfk6poOo-vnzhJF2raoTzqZOqIuL5MsADq2woTCzbdJibPFQNf2JM/s1600/20130105-Wild+Boar37-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lje3bfbAFsCaskdKSUA5D9GfrxF7xCIisrRJ9aLi5kOcVkJ8t9DvoQXOVCxJLhL8y6NALgiW-emnLi2NncTpysDfk6poOo-vnzhJF2raoTzqZOqIuL5MsADq2woTCzbdJibPFQNf2JM/s320/20130105-Wild+Boar37-2.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Boar Sow, Checking Me Out!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8secrAa7T-lc1fYmjd5fIRIQdB0pR8jOXLj5eKYeRvTbyiLNpfkKdmUzUWj5ciGj1R6mF5UPQmAU4bmmnIFczzvBfS9aIc1QsxexghyphenhyphenODuNyCp1IFtgEjZpb3duLEpbHUu30scoGa-c/s1600/20120624-Female+Adder_Macro-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8secrAa7T-lc1fYmjd5fIRIQdB0pR8jOXLj5eKYeRvTbyiLNpfkKdmUzUWj5ciGj1R6mF5UPQmAU4bmmnIFczzvBfS9aIc1QsxexghyphenhyphenODuNyCp1IFtgEjZpb3duLEpbHUu30scoGa-c/s320/20120624-Female+Adder_Macro-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Adder Photographed From a Distance of a Few Inches</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZfT1g5f5QQuw97GK2Vy3dyONC4eHAWE7YW-IcLoqMvpRMY034emaNZrcOLOgHg0LcSUtf2Hhv5Lf7lyWyUWk43VpavRuUdrXXlfZcn2llU9z-wqigSjAff908Zu7QrFtEL__l8uPw4I/s1600/20111003-Hornet2+rs-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZfT1g5f5QQuw97GK2Vy3dyONC4eHAWE7YW-IcLoqMvpRMY034emaNZrcOLOgHg0LcSUtf2Hhv5Lf7lyWyUWk43VpavRuUdrXXlfZcn2llU9z-wqigSjAff908Zu7QrFtEL__l8uPw4I/s320/20111003-Hornet2+rs-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And Finally, a Guard Hornet Guarding the Nest</td></tr>
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<br />
Rob<br />
<br />Rob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-64968064492558661662013-01-31T21:45:00.002+01:002013-01-31T21:45:41.893+01:00Northern ArcI have neglected this blog for a long time, apologies for this!<br />
<br />
To kick start it again for 2013 here is a post, which is controversial and is dividing opinion across the Forest of Dean.<br />
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We are talking the regeneration of Cinderford in the heart of the Forest of Dean; a project called The Northern Arc or Northern Area Action Plan.<br />
£100,000,000 worth of investment (Government money) that will supposedly create around 1,200 jobs has supposedly been approved for the area.<br />
This is a massive amount of money and as long as the regeneration board has got it right it will ultimately transform the area with the hope of a better future for the unemployed and youngsters growing up in the area.<br />
<br />
Now for the controversial part...<br />
Northern United, the site for this development holds one of the most unique and varied wildlife habitats in the Forest of Dean. I have compiled a list of <u style="font-weight: bold;">some</u> of the rare, endangered and protected wildlife species below, which are present at this site.<br />
<br />
Great Crested Newt<br />
Greater Horseshoe Bat<br />
Hawfinch<br />
Adder<br />
Grass Snake<br />
Slow Worm<br />
Lizard<br />
Rare Butterflies<br />
<br />
All of the above <u><b>will</b></u> be affected if this development commences, most to the degree that we will see them disappear from this area for good.<br />
<b>Should we trample over this habitat for our own benefit, displacing and killing these rare creatures as we go? Or should we stop, think and protect our ever diminishing wild places and wild creatures?</b><br />
<b>More to the point, should this area have been selected in the first place, knowing that so many vulnerable wildlife species will be affected?</b><br />
<br />
This area was selected as it is an old mining and opencast area. To most it looks like an eye sore and this is the reason why the wildlife flourished as it lay virtually undisturbed for decades.<br />
The wildlife was safe and with very little human disturbance it was able to breed and thrive in the diverse habitats throughout the area.<br />
Still, the decision makers only saw the rough ground and the ball started rolling. The ball is still rolling today but it has gained a lot of momentum.<br />
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A few photographs of the area as it is today.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-Ff6JTZ5I_vyUdb87JDzOQ3GvGnHHMg0xoWE1ly6QB9UkmACtrQIgTfkzElJpgJ0Sk1heRvBVzP0rSK6FeCHEtV1QtCCgxWs_-CZomm_xBS8htyLqT7LkYwmNwjqodwmTdfarvtqWsE/s1600/Northern7rs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-Ff6JTZ5I_vyUdb87JDzOQ3GvGnHHMg0xoWE1ly6QB9UkmACtrQIgTfkzElJpgJ0Sk1heRvBVzP0rSK6FeCHEtV1QtCCgxWs_-CZomm_xBS8htyLqT7LkYwmNwjqodwmTdfarvtqWsE/s320/Northern7rs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reptile and Amphibian Habitat, which also supports rich and varied insect life, including rare butterflies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIRAMvGN25XKPaNzRPqnm3t94sH_ecR1TNHViBfpop20HV0HbyPzAOsCCq8aFl_3GX6wScUxunL6Nt-GKXR7doyVoGFbjCWDC_TIspOTtzWZUOUxtQ3XoMWezMxWQvcVAKy6b3AoTA6M/s1600/20120415-Northern1-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIRAMvGN25XKPaNzRPqnm3t94sH_ecR1TNHViBfpop20HV0HbyPzAOsCCq8aFl_3GX6wScUxunL6Nt-GKXR7doyVoGFbjCWDC_TIspOTtzWZUOUxtQ3XoMWezMxWQvcVAKy6b3AoTA6M/s320/20120415-Northern1-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An area of woodland that will be lost</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgimx6rTGyeNW2S5khLNHTThRE2xkkgHDjsMRGmM0x4tHFsI_savPJ64rbLJQ9WCEdhk89MMrgAnl_BekrIt0Kcj9eNgES5NJALsVCdZA11nMSTLx2cFj3tPn1f-1fDfXKJJS7dfivLU/s1600/20120415-Northern18-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgimx6rTGyeNW2S5khLNHTThRE2xkkgHDjsMRGmM0x4tHFsI_savPJ64rbLJQ9WCEdhk89MMrgAnl_BekrIt0Kcj9eNgES5NJALsVCdZA11nMSTLx2cFj3tPn1f-1fDfXKJJS7dfivLU/s320/20120415-Northern18-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking directly across the lake at one area earmarked for development</td></tr>
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<br />
To many this will be a no brainer, as the many do no understand the importance of our areas of significant environmental interest.<br />
The people, which do understand the importance of areas like Northern are now playing a dangerous game with the power people and also the people who want to see this development fulfilled, with the promise of jobs and a better future.<br />
<br />
Over the last two years I have been fighting to protect the wildlife at this site. I have written to absolutely everyone I thought could help; from David Cameron to Prince Charles, but they all shrugged me off with excuses why they couldn't get involved.<br />
After the latest press articles, I fear the time has now come where we can kiss this amazing, tranquil wildlife haven goodbye, as the promises made far outweigh the rare and endangered wildlife in most peoples eyes.<br />
<br />
One thing I do know is that if this project is seen through, only time will tell if the promises of today will become a reality.<br />
<br />
Click here for: <a href="http://www.fdean.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=7025&tt=graphic">Area Action Plan</a><br />
<br />
And here for a recent press article: <a href="http://www.theforester.co.uk/News.cfm?id=2931&headline=%C2%A3100m%20to%20transform%20Cinderford">The Forester</a><br />
<br />
RobRob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593565576776346728.post-51863453791804157822012-09-30T22:47:00.002+02:002012-09-30T22:47:29.346+02:00New Website - Check it Out!My new website is now up and running, check it out here -<a href="http://www.robwardwildlifephotography.co.uk/#">http://www.robwardwildlifephotography.co.uk/#</a><br />
Massive thanks to Scott Passmore for his time, building this site for me.<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/scottkpassmore?fref=ts">http://www.facebook.com/scottkpassmore?fref=ts</a><br />
<br />
Don't worry, I will still keep this blog updated with all things wildlife related in the Forest of Dean.<br />
<br />
RobRob Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14909011703506732320noreply@blogger.com0