Black Dam Ponds

Swan's Love

This footage was taken in the Black Dam Ponds, England.

Arjowiggins Graphic CSR Day 2016 - Popley Pond

Arjowiggins Graphic Continues Commitment to Local Conservation

An eight strongteam of Arjowiggins Graphic volunteers took a day out of the office on Friday 7th October 2016 to donate their time to conservation volunteering. Working close to Popley Ponds, [INSERT TOWN/REGION]. This is the second time the team has donated their time to the area of local environmental importance, undertaking much needed conservation work.

Popley Ponds has a significant Great Crested Newt population, protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is a European Protected Species all due to a decline in their natural habitat. They live on land and from October to March can often be found hibernating under logs and stones however they breed in ponds during the months of May to July. The Management Plan written by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has been agreed by Natural England and the work involved in managing the site specifically focuses on conserving the newts as well as other wetland species.
Arjowiggins Graphic is the market leading specialist manufacturer of recycled papers. Commenting on its volunteering initiative National key account manager Julian Long said: “Our job is to manufacture and promote market leading sustainable paper and packaging products a key element of which is to reduce the environmental impact of printed material for our customers Helping to protect and restore our local environment fits well with these values and we were delighted to be able to give our time to a deserving local project”.

The team spent the day coppicing hazel around the pond area, a significant part of the winter management work for the site. Coppicing of hazel is a traditional woodland management technique which not only produces usable material like stakes, but also helps to prolong the lifetime of the hazel itself by promoting regeneration. The pond area now benefits from more light and it has made access easier for people who use the site to walk and enjoy nature. The harvested hazel stakes and whips will be removed from the site over the course of the winter and used to lay a hedge on Black Dam and Crabtree, a superb example of conservation work at its best.

Zoe Channon, Community Development Officer for Green Spaces for Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council said “As owners of this beautiful area, we are so lucky to have a local company that wants to give up their time and energy to undertake the vital work needed at Popley Ponds. The team had a great day out, enthusiasm was high as was the output. This is a really important site for many reasons and the work the Arjowiggins Graphic Team undertook has made a significant contribution, thank you!”

It's nearly May but it's SNOWING in London: Capital is hit by blast of 'thundersnow'...

It's nearly May but it's SNOWING in London: Capital is hit by blast of 'thundersnow' as band of Arctic weather sweeps south - and it's going to last all week.
Snow and sleet has fallen in many parts of the UK as temperatures struggle to get into double figures with the prospect of a Spring-like May a long way off.
Despite the time of year, forecasters are warning the unsettled picture will continue for much of the week with freezing conditions in many parts.
Thunder, lightning and sleet showers are expected with some in northern areas witnessing heavy snowfall, including on the North Yorkshire Moors and parts of Scotland.
The blizzard seen all over the UK were reminiscent of the bizarre scenes on the very same day 35 years ago, when snowstorms hit the British spring.
Cars were buried on the roads as the nation was blanketed in a thick layer of snow on April 26 1981, which saw the worst blizzards for that time of year in a century.
Yesterday's downfall was the latest widespread snow has been seen in the UK since May 6, 1997, when more than 200 weather stations recorded it.
The type of snow flurry seen in London is known as 'thundersnow'. It is a phenomenon caused by heavy showers accompanied by lightning storms.
Forecasters think parts of Britain will be colder than Siberia and Greenland this week. There is a strong risk of hail showers throughout the country, with a chance of snow settling down to 200 metres.
Tonight will see wintry showers along the coast, with icy patches developing in Scotland and eastern England. Temperatures will be down to freezing in some places.
Tomorrow will see a mix of sunshine and wintry showers, with hail, snow and sleet across the UK.
Showers could be heavy at times and accompanied by thunder. Temperatures will be between 7-9C [44F-48F] in the north and 9-12C [44F-53F] in the south.
There will be more heavy wintry showers on Thursday, particularly along the east coast, with a chance of snow settling above 500 metres.
The wintry showers will continue on Friday, with a risk of hail and snow on the hills in the north.
The weekend is also expected to be unsettled, with rain showers across the country, which could turn heavy in places with hail and thunder. There may be snow in the Scottish highlands.

Fleet Center-Fleet Rd+ Minley Rd up to A30 - 29/04/2017

West Midlands: Canal silt dredging scheme starts - feat. Dean Davies (Canal and River Trust)

10 Apr 2014.