Stores team member at Redpack Packaging Machinery, Michael Allen, has joined the Queen’s Hills Community Park conservation project to support the local community in their on-site orchard.
Situated on the outskirts of Norwich in Norfolk, the Queen’s Hills Community Park is a rural area for the local population to walk and relax in, enjoying the fresh air away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The 90-acre site is rich in flora and fauna site is a designated County Wildlife Site managed by South Norfolk Council.
The site is particularly important for its floodplain fen and flower-rich valley side grasslands, grading into scrub and mature woodland. This mix of valley side habitats has become increasingly rare in recent years.
The site has had 229 different species of plants recorded on the site and it supports over 100 species of bees and wasps too with several that are rare nationally.
Community Care
Michael commented, “I’m thrilled to be involved with the project as a volunteer. I have been with the group for about 6 months now and can see the difference already.”
“The plan for the orchard and park is that it will become an exemplar of urban nature conservation. It will bring the local community into contact with a very wide range of amazing plants and animals.”
ABOUT THE SITE
According to Broadland and South Norfolk Council, work is planned on the site over the next few years to improve it for both wildlife and residents. The emphasis will be to provide interconnected areas of open grassland throughout the site through a programme of scrub and tree clearance. This will provide flower-rich and bare ground areas throughout the site that will be very beneficial for a wide range of plants and invertebrates in particular.
Visitors are likely to see a wide range of birds like thrush, great and blue tits, goldcrests, goldfinches, long tailed tits, great spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, buzzards and much more on-site year-round.
In the spring visitors can find bluebells through the western woodland, wild garlic and primroses. Throughout the summer, butterflies and dragonflies can be seen across the whole site.
Visitors might also be lucky enough to see common lizards, slow worms, grass snakes or adders – four of the UK’s six indigenous reptile species.
Do you have some free time on your hands?
Volunteers are needed to make a positive change for the community and the environment. By dedicating a few hours of your week, it can help make Queen’s Hills Community Park as fantastic and fun as it can possibly be for everybody to enjoy.
Tasks include:
- Weeding, mulching, pruning, watering and scything to improve biodiversity, community involvement and producing delicious fruit.
- Habitat management – this might include scrub clearance, footpath clearance, grassland management.
- General maintenance of park facilities such as benches and fences.
- Litter picking – a necessary and important function.
If you would like to join in, they usually meet on the first Saturday and third Wednesday of the month. For further information or to express interest please contact Chris Young at chris.qhco@gmail.com or email queenshills@southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk
