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Post by Baglady on Jul 18, 2012 23:57:56 GMT
SENSORY GARDEN Friends of Cardiff Dogs Home is thrilled to launch Part 2 of our Environmental Enrichment Program, The Sensory Garden. The sensory garden will in the first instance provide an area in situ where dogs' natural behaviours can be observed and encouraged, so dogs, walkers, volunteers, and visitors to the home have a heightened experience. Most importantly, the dogs resident in CDH will, for the first time ever, have an opportunity to run off lead, to sniff, to explore, to hide, to seek, to dig, to splash, to play! We are also working with a trainer/behaviourist to plan training and awareness courses for those interested in rehoming, or engaging with dogs in a voluntary capacity. The sensory garden will provide a safe, outdoor area for 'practical' exercises. The area will need to be secure and easily maintainable, and we plan to keep the area as 'natural' in appearance as possible. We will preserve and encourage existing flora and fauna, build habitat piles, encourage bird nesting etc. We plan to turn this..... ... into something a little bit like this... with a little bit of this.... Battersea Dogs Home and a little bit of this... Dogs Trust, Harefield Interested? Want to be a part of this? Read on ;D
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Post by Baglady on Jul 19, 2012 0:47:13 GMT
WE'RE OFF! There was a bit of 'preparatory' work to be done before we could actually launch the Sensory Garden Project. One of the first things we had to do was a mini Eco-Survey of the area, which is fairly rich and biodiverse. Part of our overall strategy for the Garden includes a commitment to conserving and developing existing natural habitats, and making sure that the current 'residents' of the area, be they ever so small, slippery, feathery, furry, etc, are protected. We also needed to undertake a tree survey to identify those that will provide natural shade in the garden, (and which will therefore be preserved), and those (including some on neighbouring property) which, for health & safety reasons as well as for 'space' need to be removed. Fortunately, Friends have our very own Ecologist, Lucy, who you may have seen crawling through the undergrowth and clambering over dead tree limbs over the past few weeks! Lucy has surveyed the area for nesting birds, etc, as well as identifying trees to be kept, and is negotiating with our neighbours to ensure that the garden will be a safe place to work, rest and play, and she has given us the eco 'all clear' to proceed ;D Lucy also has plans to introduce bat boxes, and we hope she will keep a kindly and knowledgeable eye on what we are doing, to ensure that we continue to be mindful of the biodiverse ecology of our Sensory Garden and surrounding area. Thanks sooooo much Lucy, for 'getting us off the ground' Some of the creatures Lucy works with: Lucy is also a rescue bat carer for Cardiff so if someone finds a bat in Cardiff that needs attention please phone the Bat Conservation Trust and then they get given her number.
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Post by clairelt on Jul 20, 2012 11:20:40 GMT
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Post by angelad on Jul 21, 2012 10:28:57 GMT
That's useful to know Claire -
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Post by Andrea on Jul 22, 2012 10:43:27 GMT
Builder contractors on behalf of the council (I believe) have felled at least 20 - 30 trees in the Llanedeyrn High School area to make way for the new St Teilo High School. The trees are lying there at the moment so maybe the council can be contacted to see what they are planning to do with them!
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Post by pennyb on Jul 27, 2012 12:28:30 GMT
as an aside you why not apply for a green flag community award with this once its finished (we've just received the award this week) - speak to Katie Wren as her current job is helping groups achieve it:
Katie Wren <Katie.Wren@groundwork.org.uk>
there's no money in it (other than 2 free tickets to the royal welsh to collect the award!) but its a nice award (its run by keep wales tidy)
applications are due end January 2013
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Post by Baglady on Jul 28, 2012 0:44:46 GMT
Thanks Penny - I do like the sound of that ;D Team BS (Bereavement Services) are bringing chain saws and chippers over the weekend, and we'll be retaining and recycling as much material as possible on site. We will need lots of bark & chippings though! Friends have plans for another area of the land, and we will be demarking the plot with chippings in readiness ;D Don't ask (yet), Rach is in charge of that project, and she's keeping mum about it
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pati
Junior Friend
Posts: 76
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Post by pati on Jul 28, 2012 11:46:26 GMT
Small teaser from what is happening currently xxx Sue i will email you all pic today x
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pati
Junior Friend
Posts: 76
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Post by pati on Jul 28, 2012 14:27:54 GMT
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Post by Becky on Jul 28, 2012 17:02:16 GMT
Pati, these pictures are fantastic!!! x
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Post by kirsty on Jul 28, 2012 17:11:28 GMT
Fab Pati! ;D
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Post by Think Pigeon on Jul 28, 2012 18:04:00 GMT
What a wonderful record of an important event. Wish I could have been there. Thanks for letting us join in via the pics Pati.
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Post by daffysmum on Jul 28, 2012 18:08:20 GMT
Pati, you really do take fabulous photos (shame my ugly mug spoilt some of them )
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Post by Pati on Jul 28, 2012 18:23:05 GMT
thank you guys xxx - i wasn't sure how they turn up - as i never done candid's / record pic - and sun didt help xxxxx i wisy i cud stay and help out but Mr R needed his meds and lack of wheelchair (bloren) dont help xxx- you all should be proud of yourselves - you done fantastic job xxxx DAFFYS MUM -What ugly mug didnt see any
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Post by cherylW on Jul 29, 2012 8:35:37 GMT
wow that looks fantastic! good job everyone, you all worked so hard! Sorry I couldnt be there to help you
xx
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