Gardens and Green Spaces

GARDENING

Some gardening products and practices are not environmentally friendly. For example, a peat bog is very good at locking up carbon and conversely a peat based compost is not environmentally friendly. There are plenty of good peat-free composts on the market to choose from. Similarly weed killers and insecticides can have a very damaging effect on the environment but there are good alternatives available.

Digging the soil can disturb and release the carbon locked up in the soil, so these days heavy digging is discouraged whether in gardening, horticulture or farming. The RHS is one of many organisations offering good gardening tips:

• https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/gardening-for-the-environment/planet-friendly-gardening-tips
• https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/gardening-in-a-changing-world/water-use-in-gardens

GREEN SPACES

Amersham is very proud of its green spaces, exemplified by Amersham in Bloom. A fantastic award-winning team made up of volunteers, working with the grounds staff of the Town Council, and led by the Town Clerk, Steve Catanach, does a fabulous job each year to create beautiful gardens and green spaces for us all to enjoy. New volunteers are always welcome. To find out more just look at the dedicated Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AmershamInBloom/

Climate change is having a major adverse impact on wildlife, around the world. However, there are a wide variety of ways of protecting and supporting our local wildlife. The local Wildlife Trust has a vision of a wilder Berks, Bucks and Oxon. BBOWT manages nature reserves and works to restore nature across these beautiful counties and helps people to connect with their local wildlife.

In our area the BBOWT Chilterns Volunteer Group is very active carrying out conservation work, organising fundraising events and running a programme of talks and guided walks with nature and conservation themes. To find out more see https://www.bbowt.org.uk/  .On the website you can click on ‘Volunteer’ and scroll down to find more information about ‘Regional Groups’, including the Chilterns Group, where you can sign up for the BBOWT Chilterns Newsletter.

The Chiltern Society manages 12 conservation sites and has 500 volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain and improve the Chilterns for the benefit of both residents and visitors alike. For over 50 years it has managed and improved several nature reserves and heritage sites, created long distance footpaths and cycleways (including the Chiltern Way), and maintained thousands of miles of footpaths and bridleways. Its very useful website can be found at https://chilternsociety.org.uk

Good tips are also provided by Friends of The Earth. See https://friendsoftheearth.uk/groups/wycombefriendsoftheearth