Volunteer Newsletter 27th June
Dear Volunteers,
Well we seem to be experiencing a slight change in the weather today! We had a lovely bright day yesterday for our Riverfly training course, thank you to all those who attended, I hope you have lots of fun with your new kits and I look forward to speaking to you all regarding the sites you would like to monitor soon! There will be another course possibly later this year if you would like to attend please let me know!
Dates to remember…
Thursday 29th June– 10.30am Balsam bash- The Boatside Inn at Warden (joint task with Greggs) (setting off from the office at 10.15am)
Friday 30th June -10.30am- Balsam bash- The Boatside Inn at warden (setting off from the office at 10.15am)
Tuesday 4th July– 10.30am- West Woodburn- Details to follow
Wednesday 5th July -10.30am-2.30pm (Winlaton Mill car park)- Volunteer social event at for The Land of Oak and Iron at Derwenthaugh Park, balsam bash and kick sampling- details to follow!
Wednesday 12th July– 10.30am-Litter Pick- Gateshead
Friday 14th July– 10.30am- Balsam bash (joint task with Greggs, location TBC)
Sunday 16th July-10am- Derwenthaugh Park- Balsam bash (meet at Winlaton Mill car park)
I think that is enough dates for now! One more thing…on Saturday 22nd July at 10am we will be having a session for Riverfly monitors at Trees Please with Ceri Gibson, this is for existing monitors and for new ones who would like to progress in their ID skills, increase understanding of freshwater ecology and improve their ability to assess and protect their watercourse. Ceri will be doing some species ID with us as we (me) have offered to be Guinea Pigs for the new scheme. This new scheme will be more sensitive and generate a more precise trigger level for a given river. We fully anticipate that some people will prefer to stick with the eight groups but that some will find a new scheme more fulfilling and productive.
If you would like to come along to this whether you are a new keen Riverfly monitor or if you have been monitoring for years and would like to progress this please just let me know. This will be just a half day session.
I look forward to seeing some of you later this week come rain or shine we will have a good day as always.
Best Wishes,
Simone Price
Projects Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
