Conservation volunteers work with Europe to defeat elm disease

Over the last few decades Dutch Elm Disease, a fungus spread by bark beetles, has devastated the British elm population to the extent that many people have never seen a live mature elm tree.

Now however a multinational project involving a site near Yate may hold the key to repopulating elms in the UK. Members of the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group discovered a a native Wych Elm on the reserve that has remained unaffected by the disease, and they have have sent seeds from to the French national State Forestry Nursery for analysis to assess the extent of disease resistance.

The aim of the European project is to identify types of elm that are resistant to the disease so that eventually the resistant specimens can be planted out to repopulate the European countryside and help the many species that are dependent upon elms.

Tim Fairhead of the Conservation Group explains “In return we received seeds from ancient elm trees in a French Nature Reserve, and these were grown on at Portsmouth University. These particular trees contain high levels of unique bark compounds that deter feeding by the beetles so they are less likely to get infected in the first place. We hope these trees will go on to provide a resource and home for threatened and vulnerable species like the White-letter Hairstreak butterfly”

Volunteers from the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group are shown planting out the resistant saplings on Dodington Parish Council land at Wapley Bushes, together with South Glos Councillors Linda Boon and Claire Young. This is the only elm repopulation project of its type in the South West and one of only four sites in the UK.

South Gloucestershire Cllr Linda Boon (Liberal Democrat, Sodbury) said “It’s good to see such a significant initiative by a local volunteer group. Local groups like this are key to running our local nature reserves, together with support and expert advice from South Gloucestershire’s Environment Department”

Cllr Claire Young (Liberal Democrat, Westerleigh) said “This is really good news. A whole generation has grown up who only know elms as dead tree skeletons in hedgerows. If this works we can start to repopulate the country’s landscape”

Have your say on waste plans

The West of England Partnership, which is made up of the four unitary authorities in the old Avon area, is working on a Development Plan to set out policies which will help planners make decisions about where waste facilities should be located. They are currently consulting on their “Preferred Options”. You can read more at http://www.westofengland.org/waste. There will also be a drop-in session from 3 to 7pm on 9 February 2009 in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. The consultation runs until 12th March 2009.

One concern is that unlike all the other locations proposed, where a specific site is identified, in Yate they have only gone as far as identifying two areas in which to look, Stover Industrial Estate and Great Western Business Park. This does not give people a proper chance to comment on the suitability of any site.

Snow on the Information Superhighway?

The UK's most widespread snow since the Internet went "mainstream" has brought chaos on the web - virtual traffic has also been grinding to a halt as travel websites have crashed. Anyone got a virtual shovel?

Meanwhile, some local snow photos:

	Wapley Common Photo by Margaret Hulbert
	Wapley Bushes Photo by Richard Hulbert
	Sam the Dodington Dog Photo by Mandy Sainsbury

DEC Gaza Appeal - BBC & Sky won't show it but we will

The BBC and Sky refused to show the DEC Gaza appeal, Nick Clegg today made the decision to show the video on www.NickClegg.com, his Facebook profile and the Liberal Democrats are also showing the video on the party site www.LibDems.org.uk.
We are showing it here too - just click on the video above.

Please help.

Link to DEC website
Appeal phoneline 0370 60 60 900

Traffic fatality in Yate - bus, cars collide in Station Road

A man has died after a collision between two cars and a bus in Station Road, Yate today. The accident happened between Longs Drive and North Road.

The Evening Post website has a report and photographs of the collision.

Ridings-King Edmund Academy proposals

The Lib Dems have called for land at the two schools to be safeguarded if the Academy proposals go ahead. Cllr Ian Blair said: "Should the schools decide to go ahead with the merger, then it is important that none of the land value is lost to the rest of the community."

"If the Council itself had closed one of the schools then it would keep the land and keep the money received from any sale of that land. But if the land is transferred to the Academy then they could choose to sell off the land to the highest bidder and use the money purely for their own purposes and that might not be in the best interests of the Yate and Winterbourne communities."

South Glos Council's Cabinet decided to publish closure notices for The Ridings and King Edmund Community School to allow them to re-open as Academies in September. There were 203 responses to the Council's consultation, with 55.7% against. More responses were received from Winterbourne parents and pupils, where a majority opposed the proposal, then from King Edmund Community School, where a majority supported the plans. The Ridings' own consultation ends on February 9th.

Street light switch-off?

Street lighting costs South Glos £1.1 million a year, and that is predicted to rise to £1.6m by Oct 2009. South Glos is now thinking of switching off some of the lights. for a number of hours
at night, possibly between midnight and 5.30am, to achieve a 40 per cent cut in energy costs and carbon emissions.

The Council has promised that areas such as sheltered housing and accommodation for vulnerable people, hospitals, areas with CCTV surveillance equipment, pedestrian crossings, subways, enclosed footpaths and alleyways, roundabouts, approaches to major junctions and speed humps will still be lit.

This is good for the environment, and our pockets, but what do you think about the idea in safety terms? Please tell us, so we can make sure YOUR views are heard before a decision is taken.