The Newtown Linford Bio-diversity Group (NLBG) was set up in 2021. Our aims and objectives are:

To help protect and enhance wildlife habitats in the parish of Newtown Linford, from public open spaces to private gardens
To increase public awareness and understanding of the need to protect the natural world and foster local biodiversity
To promote the conversion of roadside verges to wildflower meadows, providing management if necessary
To remove invasive species, especially Himalayan Balsam, from within the village (including the parish of Ulverscroft).
To promote biodiversity within the parish of Newtown Linford by publicity and education

We work closely with other organisations, in particular Newtown Linford Parish Council, Leicestershire County Council's Environmental Partnerships Officers who are responsible for, among other things, the Urban Verge Wildlife Project, and Naturespot.

The Biodiversity Group is holding an "Open Evening" in Newtown Linford Village Hall on Tuesday 29 October at 19:30, when local naturalist Sue Graham will give a talk "Wild Charnwood". All welcome.

Our next Wildlife Walk will be to Cossington Meadows on 30 November: meet outside Village Hall at 13:30.

Congratulations to Annabel Hancock, age 12, who submitted this drawing of a Painted Lady butterfly. The judges were impressed with her careful observation and attention to detail, even including the knapweed it was feeding on. Annabel wrote:

• Painted Ladies like dry, open areas but can be seen anywhere in a good year
• Painted Ladies have a lifespan of 14-28 days
• They are the world's most widely-distributed butterfly

Annabel's winning picture will be on display at our Open Evening on 29^th October.

Colouring competition – WINNER

Clara W., aged 6, was the winner of our wildlife colouring competition. In second place was Harriet H., aged 5. Congratulations to both.

The winner of our 2023 "Wild about Nature" challenge was also Clara W. Joint runners-up were: Maddison and Aspen Taylor; Darcey, Torby and Atticus Brennan.

We publicise our activities, encouraging others to take an interest in Biodiversity. Here is our flyer.

In 2022, the Parish Council was awarded a SHIRE Environment Grant from the County Council. The aim was to help improve biodiversity around the village by the installation of a number of wildlife boxes in council-owned land in the village (Cemetery, Churchyard, Bob Bown Playing Field and the two wildlife verges). Newtown Linford Biodiversity was involved in the grant application process, and also in siting and installing the boxes. The group has already begun to monitor usage and plans to continue this, hopefully with the involvement of local residents.These items consisted of:

Bird Boxes: 5 nest boxes were installed, on Markfield Lane, Groby Lane, Cemetery, Bob Bown Field (2). All 5 were used in 2022: those on Groby Lane, Cemetery and one of the Bob Bown boxes were used in 2023. In 2024 the boxes on Groby Lane and in the cemetery were used.

Owl Boxes: A Tawny Owl box was installed at Bob Bown field, and a barn Owl box in the cemetery

Bat boxes: 2 at Bob Bown field, 2 (triple) boxes in the churchyard, 4 in the cemetery,

Insect Hotels: One at Bob Bown Field, 1 in the churchyard, 1 on Groby Lane verge, 1 in the cemetery.

In addition 6 Hedgehog Hotels were installed.

The photos shows a Barn Owl box in the cemetery, and the insect hotel on Groby Lane wildlife verge.

We manage two roadside areas which we are developing as wildflower areas; one is along Markfield Lane (established a few years ago) and one is at the top of Groby Lane (established in 2022, and pictured: the area was enlarged in 2024). These are part of a County Council scheme to improve the biodiversity of selected roadside verges. The areas are not mown during the summer: this allows wildflowers to grow and set seed. The areas are mown in late summer/early Autumn and the cuttings removed: this is important to reduce the fertility of the area, as most wildflowers prefer poor soils whereas fertility encourages the growth of coarse grasses such as cocksfoot.

In late 2022 yellow rattle seeds were sown on the Groby lane verge, and a good scattering of plants appeared in 2023. Yellow Rattle is an annual and unfortunately there were very few plants in 2024.

In August 2024, after the area was strimmed, some "green hay" was spread over the half nearest the road: it is hoped that this will result in an increase in wild flowers.

We have recorded 76 species of wildflowers and grasses (not including shrubs or trees) at Markfield Lane, and 58 on Groby Lane.

NatureSpot's website (links below) has handy wildlife guides for both sections of verge, with photos of, and information about, some of the many species of plants and animals found there:

https://www.naturespot.org.uk/Newtown_Linford_Groby_Ln_Verge

https://www.naturespot.org.uk/WildlifeGuide/NewtownLinfordGrobyLaneVerge

https://www.naturespot.org.uk/Newtown_Linford_Markfield_Ln_verge

https://www.naturespot.org.uk/WildlifeGuide/NewtownLinfordMarkfieldLaneVerge

We work with other landowners within the Parish to enhance biodiversity on their land.

Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens grandiflora) is an invasive species that grows in wet places, particularly on riverbanks. It spreads easily, and can suffocate other, native, species. It is prevalent along the River Lin. We know that a number of landowners (including Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust) already remove it from their land.

The Biodiversity Group is seeking to remove Himalayan Balsam from other areas within both Newtown Linford and Ulverscroft parishes (with the relevant landowner's consent): it is readily identified and then easily pulled up. We do this in July or August, after it has grown to a size where it is readily identified and easily handled but before it can set seed.

We are always looking for volunteers to help remove Himalayan Balsam; we started the campaign in 2021, when we removed it from around the Tennis Club and from other areas in the village and along the River Lyn in the Ulverscroft Valley. We continued in 2022, 2023 and 2024, where we could see that our efforts had made a significant contribution to reducing the amount of this pernicious weed (complete eradication being a pipe-dream).

We run "Wildlife Walks" around the Parish, to look at the local wildlife (flowers, birds, butterflies, etc). These depart from outside the Village Hall.
2023
In March we visited Sheet Hedges Wood to look at early Spring woodland flowers.
On 28 June we visited Lea Meadows nature reserve (owned by Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust), where we saw a number of wildflowers in the meadow (spotted orchids, devil's bit scabious, harebells, knapweed, betony, etc.) and a lot of meadow brown and ringlet butterflies.
On 7 July we visited Bagworth Woods, part of the National Forest and a reclaimed coal mine and tip. We saw Pyramidal and Southern Marsh Orchids, as well as many butterflies.
On 16 September we visited Cossingon Meadows, a Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust reserve.
On 25 November we walked through Bradgate Park with an emphasis on the geology of the area. We saw the Markfieldite (South Charnwood Diorite) granitic exposure in Little Matlock Gorge, the Mercia Mudstone outcrop behind the pheasantry – the probable source of Bradgate House's bricks – the dyke in the Stable Pit and the material of volcanic origin that initially accumulated on the ocean floor and now is around Old John.
2024
On 24 February we visited Castle Hill Park, Anstey, looking at trees in winter.
On 30 March we looked at woodland flowers in Sheet Hedges Wood.
On 4 May we went down the "Donkey Track" to Groby Pool.
On 4 June we visited Benscliffe Hay, by kind permission of the owner.
On 18 June we visited Sandhills Lodge, by kind permission of the owner.
On 5 July we visited Lea Meadows.
On 30 November we had planned to go to Cossington Meadows, but it was flooded, so we went to Thornton Reservoir instead.

Next walks
Our next wildlife walk will be in Spring 2025 (to be confirmed). Meet at Newtown Linford Village hall at 13:30 to share transport. Please let Toby know on 01530 245298 ptm@tobymanning.co.uk if you intend to come.

Open Evening
The Biodiversity Group held an "Open Evening" in the Village Hall on Tuesday October 4th 2022, which included a slide presentation on the Birds of Bradgate Park, given by Toby Manning and illustrated with photographs by local resident Jan Croft.
We held another "Open Evening" on November 7th 2023 at 19:30, when our guest speaker, Jack Matthews, gave an entertaining and educational talk about the proposed Charnwood Forest Geopark.
A third "Open Evening" will be held on October 29th, when local naturalist Sue Graham will give a talk "Wild Charnwood".
Regular Meetings
We hold regular meetings to monitor progress and to plan events. The next one is scheduled for Tuesday November 12th, 2024 at 19:30. If you would like to attend please contact our convenor, Claire Costello, on 01530 249613.

Water quality in the River Lyn is regularly monitored by the Environment Agency. See: