Story dated: 6/18/2008
Thanks to everyone who took part in the Local Barn Owl Synergy Symposium hosted recently at Sheepdrove Eco Conference Centre.
Run by the Pang, Kennet and Lambourn Valley Countryside Project FWAG - the symposium was the climax to a short series of workshops which marked the achievements of local Barn Owl groups, and sought to strengthen links with landowners and other countryside groups including The Ramblers and wildlife trusts.
Twenty-three delegates took a walk (in a gale and rain!) to see examples of box locations and ideal habitat on Sheepdrove Organic Farm. Luckily there was a good supply of hot drinks and Sheepdrove-made organic cakes to help us recover from the weather! The refreshments must have worked well, because despite being battered by the elements one rambler wrote to say, 'We all enjoyed it. It is always such a pleasure to visit Sheepdrove.'
A map workshop improved the group's local knowledge of Barn Owl sites in the area and linked up future conservation efforts. Presentations covered a summary of local conservation achievements, and a talk on monitoring with an emphasis on local archives and nest site confidentiality.
The event was devised by Jason Ball, to bring together a range of people from around the area. Jason, an advisor on the Barn Owl Conservation Network, said, 'We wanted to bring together people and groups who might not usually think about Barn Owl conservation , but who might be able to work together.'
"For instance, Butterfly Conservation volunteers often monitor sites with rough grass and they could be helping the Barn Owl where they find Marbled White and Gatekeeper. Or we could work with Water Vole officers in the Wildlife Trusts who work to conserve the same habitat that we need to see for the Barn Owl.'
These events were awarded financial support from the Sustainable Development Fund of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, funds from Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre and the Friends of the Pang Kennet and Lambourn Valleys. The symposium was also kindly subsidised by Sheepdrove Organic Farm.