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Contact Us
Tel: 07984 665958
Email: ruperra@gmail.com
Registered Charity no 1054796
Company Limited by Guarantee no 03186952
Ruperra Conservation Trust,
Orchard Bungalow,
Chatham,
Machen, Caerphilly,
CF83 8SB
News & Events
Time to order your firewood! Support your local woodland, buy from us - phone Ruperra Countryside Services for logs and kindling - 07977 599181 or 07984 665958.
Walks and other events
Saturday Feb 8th 10.30am Main car park Snowdrop walk They get better every year! Come and see the results of the volunteers’ clearing work. Leaders: Sue/Bill
Feb 14th to 21st (see bto.org.uk for more info) National Nestbox Week, when the British Trust for Ornithology encourages us to install bird boxes in our gardens to help our feathery residents raise their new families. If you don’t already do this, and have space, why not put one up – it may not be used this year but something will be watching and waiting!
Saturday, March 21st 10.30am Main car park Daffodil Walk Is there going to be even more improvement in flowering? Come and see what they’re looking like this year. Leaders: Sue/Bill
Saturday and Sunday April 18th-19th 10am – 2pm Main car park Ruperra Beanpole Weekend We are hoping to sell lots of lovely sustainable beanpoles, pea sticks and other coppice products so come along and pick some up, have a chat with us (or even just come over for a walk!). Don’t forget – there is NO volunteer day on April 19th.
Saturday May 2nd 10.30am Main car park Spring Greens and Blues Walk Come for a wander round with us and enjoy the new spring growth – and probably lots of bluebells too! Leaders: Sue/Bill
Saturday May 9th (or if wet, May 916th) 5.00am (yes, really…) Main car park Dawn Chorus - come and find out which are the real early birds at Ruperra … Leader: Andy Bevan
Great funding news! In late 2018, the Trust was lucky enough to have a grant application approved by the Landfill Disposal Tax Community Scheme, which is run by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action. The grant is for £49,700, and will be spent over three years to complete three biodiversity projects:
- Hedge restoration and re-laying in several parts of the woodland
- Removal of young Douglas Fir above the Lower Summerhouse before it becomes too big to handle, growing as it does on a steep slope and on the hillfort
- After the removal of these conifers, restoration of heathy habitat on the area around the motte, to attract more reptiles, birds, plants and insects, and creation of hazel coppice woodland adjacent for our dormice.
We’re very grateful to the WCVA for their support and we’ll keep you updated on progress.
Other funding thanks: We'd like to thank the players of the People's Postcode Lottery, who made it possible for us to lay 400 metres of native hedge for wildlife. In December 2016, our hedge laying team were funded by a fantastic grant of £9268, and the woodland birds, bats, dormice and insects will all benefit from the work.
More information on this can be found on the People's Postcode Lottery website, www.postcodelottery.co.uk
Programme of Events February–May 2020
All walks begin at the main car park on the Draethen-Michaelston road (grid ref ST228871) unless otherwise stated. Please wear sensible footwear and clothing. All welcome to all events - including children and dogs! Please check before coming out if the weather is poor - we may cancel.
Volunteer Sundays are normally held on the first and third Sundays of every month, as follows: February 2nd and 16th, March 1st and 15th, April 5th BUT NOT April 19th because of our Beanpole Weekend, and May 3rd and 17th. All are welcome: come when you can, and stay for as long (or as short) as you want. Sue Price, our volunteer organiser (07977 599181) will meet you around 10.15 am at the Car Park unless otherwise stated.
Midweek volunteer days: Strictly speaking, these are on the second Wednesday of each month: February 12th, March 11th, April 8th and May 13th. However, we are now up there most Wednesdays with our volunteers if it’s not raining, so if you want to come along, just ring Sue to check where to meet.