It’s summer – the time of year to be out and about. We are lucky to be able to explore the Chiltern Hills without having to go far from the town. But there are great woodlands and open spaces in the town too, as well as the wonderful River Wye and Backstream.
Here are a few things you might like to do to give a helping hand to nature and understand it better.
Chiltern Rangers are one of High Wycombe’s great success stories. Now a team of a dozen, they grew out of the council’s in-house Ranger service, about 10 years ago. They work with teams of local people on the management and maintenance of many sites in and around Wycombe – enhancing Chilterns habitats through conservation, education and community engagement. Check out ‘volunteer with us’ at www.chilternrangers.co.uk.
Friends of the Wye is a voluntary group which runs the River Wye Conservation Volunteers, giving you an opportunity to mess about in the river. What’s not to like? You can find more on the volunteering page of www.revivethewye.org.uk.
Summer is an amazing time to spot all sorts of wildlife. Up on Tom Burt’s Hill you may find a slowworm. Slowworms are in fact legless lizards, identifiable by their eyelids, flat-forked tongue and ability to drop their tails. They like dense plant cover and sunny spots to bask in. Wycombe Wildlife Group arranges all sorts of talks and walks to learn more about our landscape, which you can find on the events page at www.wycombewildlife.org.uk.
There are many other environmental activities in High Wycombe. On a wet day check out the Refresh upcycling shop in the Chilterns Shopping Centre. Visit www.refreshwycombe.org. Got a broken toaster? Perhaps the Repair Café at All Saints Church can mend it. Check out the page on Facebook. Want to support activities that cut carbon? Get involved through the Community and Climate Café. We’ll feature more of these indoor activities in the next issue of High Wycombe Life – which also does its bit, being printed on FSC paper using vegetable inks.
Litter picking is a great way to spend a little time doing something wonderful for High Wycombe. Join the Wycombe Wombles who will meet at Wycombe Museum at 10.30am on 11th August, 13th October, 10th November and 8th December. If residents want to start their own group they can email hwcb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk, call 01296 531282 / 01296 382862 or see the High Wycombe Community Board website for more information. You could get funding towards hi-vis jackets, litter pickers and bag holders which are more practical, and foldable trolleys for those who would find it easier to wheel (rather than carry) the litter bags.
