AT their August meeting members of Morchard Bishop Garden Club were given a talk by David Ramsden of the Barn Owl Trust on the Lennon Legacy Project.

This began in 2001 when the Barn Owl Trust was unexpectedly given a very generous cheque from a benefactress, Vivien Lennon.

With this money the Trust was able to purchase a 25-acre field used for grazing sheep with the aim of making it a haven for wildlife.

Part of the field was cordoned off from the sheep which had been keeping the grass too short and the first survey of the flora and fauna took place. Some of the small mammals found the traps so hospitable (with cosy bedding and food) that they kept returning!

Over time the grass grew, overhead cables were buried, the soil was tested and the wildlife was monitored, and the sheep left.

In 2004 some hedge banks were re-established with grants from the very authorities that had paid to have them removed in the 1970’s!

Within three years wildflowers were appearing: speedwell, white campion and slender mullein. The insect population was also thriving and in the summer of 2017 a wealth of butterflies was surveyed including the marbled white, the holly blue and the clouded yellow. They even found the egg of the red-listed Brown Hairstreak butterfly.

From 2005, when the first barn owl was sighted, the field has thrived. Voles and shrews are abundant which ensures the owls always get a good supper.

The field is maintained by the “management team” of 12 Belted Galloways and by human volunteers who tackle the invasive Himalayan balsam and bracken.

In 2007 an orchard was planted with Devon varieties of plum and apple trees. In 2010 The Memorial Wildlife Tower was constructed with built in boxes for owls, kestrels and bats.

The field is now a paradise for owls and humans can enjoy it too because the Trust offer guided walks and conservation courses.

Anyone interested should have a look at their website: www.barnowltrust.org.uk .

The next event on the Club’s calendar will be the annual Flower and Produce Show in the Memorial Hall on Saturday, September 1. Doors open at 2.30pm.

Karin Moffett