On the morning of Sat 7 November, 25 members of Ferring Conservation Group and councillors from Ferring Parish Council braved the rain to carry out their annual clearance of the surrounds of the much loved Warren Pond in the village.

The pond is now under the ownership of the Parish Council and it is being carefully managed for the benefit of local wildlife as a nature reserve. It is particularly well known as a home of a sizeable colony of the much protected Great Crested Newt and any work carried out there is with them very much in mind.

This is the second year of ownership by the Council and the work carried out in less than clement weather on this occasion has improved both the habitat for wildlife and also improved views of the pond for local people to see the various ducks, Moorhens, Little Egrets and Kingfishers amongst others which have been seen there. The work included cutting back brambles and other invasive weeds which can detract from the area if left unchecked.

Three days later on Tuesday 10 November, another group of Conservation Group members planted about 500 daffodil and tulip bulbs on the Village Green. These had been funded by the Parish Council and obtained by Martyn Burkinshaw – the Community Parks Officer for Arun District Council. These were in addition to a similar number of bulbs planted on the Green last year, and hopefully will provide a great display next Spring. The Group also carried out a seasonal tidying up of the Medieval Herb Bed and other shrub beds there.

Chairman of Ferring Conservation Group, David Bettiss said, “These two work mornings demonstrate the commitment of our Group to work with the Parish and District Councils to improve the village for the benefit of local people and wildlife. We value their support, and I must thank our volunteers who turn out time and again to make the extra effort. We would always like to see more people on our work sessions, which are always friendly and enjoyable. Details of future dates when they are arranged can be found by checking our website – www.ferringconservationgroup.co.uk”, or on our village noticeboard.

Dressed appropriately for predicted showers 20 keen members of Ferring Conservation Group set out on a ‘Tree Identification Walk’ led by Tricia Hall our Group’s knowledgeable wildlife expert.

Our route took us from the Bluebird Café car park in Ferring along the west bank of the River Rife and across to Kingston Village. Jane Hayman from Ferring Conservation Group said ‘Tricia challenged us to try to identify 10 trees along the way and gave us further facts to add to our knowledge as we came to each tree’.

The first tree correctly identified by the walkers was a White Poplar. This untidy looking tree has dark green-grey leaves with a white downy underside. The bark is pale grey with lines of black diamond-shaped pores called lenticels. Once fertilised female catkins develop into fluffy cotton-like seeds.

Further along the bank a graceful Crack Willow was spotted, one of 300 species of willow worldwide. It is one of Britain’s largest native trees and is named after the sound made when its branches and twigs fall to the ground. It is found growing alongside rivers and lakes and is often planted to stabilise banks. The willow tree bark is a source of salicylic acid. This substance is used to produce aspirin, one of the most popular pharmaceutical agents.

As a kestrel hovered overhead we headed west away from the river towards Kingston Village. Treading carefully along the muddy paths we successfully identified an English Elm tree and Tricia informed us that ‘Dutch Elm Disease’ actually originated in trees in the USA. The word ‘Dutch’ was applied because the disease was identified by phytopathologists in Holland. This disease is caused by a fungus invading the water conducting system of trees and has killed over 60 million British elms in two epidemics and continues to spread today.

As our Group headed back towards the west bank of the Rife we came across a majestic Perdunculate or English Oak tree. These trees grow to between 20 to 40 metres tall and have leaves that typically have little stem and grow in bunches. Its fruit, commonly known as the acorn, grow on long stalks and are a popular food for squirrels. For thousands of years Oak was the prized hardwood timber used for ship building until the mid-nineteenth century, and remains a popular wood for house building. It is commonly used today for flooring, furniture, and wine barrels.

As our walk came to an end and we made our way northwards to the Country Centre for some well-deserved refreshment we reflected on our eye-opening journey into our dependence on trees and the benefits they have to all mankind and how every tree has its own story to tell.

Crabs and Sharks

16 Conservation Group members met at 5.30pm in the Bluebird cafe car park for a warm and sunny  early evening visit to the Black Rocks at West Kingston. We were taking advantage of the exceptional spring tide following the ‘supermoon’ of the day before. The moon was at its perigee, its shortest distance from the earth, appearing 14 per cent larger and 30 percent brighter than when at its furthest point. This ‘pull’ by the moon had produced a 6.5 metre high tide (or 22 feet, about the height of a house) and a corresponding very low tide which exposed the rocks.

 We approached the rocks via the green sward at Kingston Gorse and then picked our way gingerly across the slippery rocks and pebbles, our goal being several hundred metres from the beach. The Black Rocks are lumps of conglomerate and appear dark because they are covered in the brown seaweed, Serrated Wrack.

 Another strange animal was a tiny Coat-of-mail Shell or Chiton which is like a limpet with 8 articulated shell plates. It is a primitive mollusc, a ‘missing link’ between segmented worms and snails.

Our most exciting find, however, was a small shark apparently trapped in shallow water as the sea rapidly retreated. We identified it as a Lesser-spotted Dogfish. It was about 80 cm long and seemed a bit surprised to be the centre of attention!

At 7.0pm, the tide was on the turn and the sun was just sinking below the horizon so we retraced our steps with the background of a beautiful sunset and by the time we got back to Ferring the bats were out and a Tawny Owl was heard.

 This popular outing was again led by Tricia Hall with Sue Palmer lending a hand with identification.

Around 25 members of Ferring Conservation Group set out on Saturday 19^th September on what was a glorious day in comparison to the two previous beach cleans in 2015.

This beach clean was carried out as part of the ‘Great British Beach Clean’ championed by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS). This is an annual, national event that takes place around the shores of Britain between 18^th to 21^st September. Ferring Conservation Group share the MCS’ vision for pollution free beaches and seas that are fit for wildlife to thrive, and take pride in contributing to a national and global survey.

Our efforts resulted in 20 bags of rubbish which amongst the usual glass bottles, polystyrene cups, tin cans, plastic bags, rubber tubing, and nylon string were a pair of trousers and slippers.The day’s activities were concluded by some of the members visiting the nearby café for some well-deserved refreshment.

The above planning application for a block of 10 apartments in Beehive Lane has today been refused by the officers of Arun District Council, without needing to go to the Planning Committee. The developer still has of course a right to appeal this decision in due course. Many thanks to the well over 300 local people and organisations who took the time and trouble to submit their own objections.

The final figure for written objections to the plan to build a 10-apartment block on the site of the Beehive Cottage in Beehive Lane, Ferring was over 300. We now await the decision of Arun District Council!

As of today (26 August) there are well over 160 objections to this application on the Arun DC website. This illustrates just how unpopular it is, but you still have time to lodge your objection if you wish to do so. You have until the closing date for comments on Thurs 3 September. If you’re thinking about doing so, then please do it for the sake of the village of Ferring. We would like to see well over 200 objections in total. This would give a very clear message to the planners from local people. Details of how to submit your comment are in the post below. Stop Press: Ferring Parish Council also voted overwhelmingly last night to submit a formal objection, as have East Preston Parish Council.

Ferring residents have been stunned by the news that a developer has applied to replace an attractive thatched cottage in a key location with an apartment block. The cottage has been a landmark feature in south Ferring for three generations

‘There will be very strong resistance to this application’, said David Bettiss, Chairman of Ferring Conservation Group. ‘We have 900 members and we shall be encouraging every one of them to send in objections to Arun District Council. It is an outrage – we knew there was a plan already for four chalet bungalows and we were having to get used to that idea but ten apartments, in a block that covers the whole site, is really gross overdevelopment and shows no regard for the character of Ferring. This area was built in the 1920s and 1930s in a low density arrangement of bungalows and small houses on large plots. A modern apartment block would be completely out of place’.

‘Not only that but adding ten lots of car owners would increase the traffic congestion and road safety hazards in a narrow road, at a junction on a blind bend, where it is already difficult to turn safely. We would hope the County Council would condemn it on road safety grounds and that Arun district Council will refuse it as overdevelopment, totally out of character for this area.’

Ed Miller, Secretary of Ferring History Group, added, ‘The cottage is not quite as old as some people think but it was one of the first houses built in the development of the 1920s. Its shape and thatched roof earned it the nickname of ‘The Beehive’ and Beehive Lane – the road connecting the inter-war estate to Sea Lane, was named after it in 1928. The house is a dominant feature in one of the earliest photographs of South Ferring, and has been the centrepiece of many postcards. It’s bad enough that we should lose the cottage but to have it replaced by an apartment block is really too much. Our members will certainly fight this application’.

If you agree that this is an unwelcome and unwanted development in the village, you can object to Arun District Council. Their website is www.arun.gov.uk and the reference number of the application by Globe Estates is FG/116/15 – you can view the plans there. Put in your own words why you don’t want this addition to the landscape of Ferring in the comments section of the application.

Over 20 members of Ferring Conservation Group met up this week on the Ferring Rife to make their contribution to the national Big Butterfly Count organised by the Butterfly Conservation organisation. This was combined with a Summer flower challenge to see how many different plants could be seen.

Members split up into a number of smaller groups to check out areas protected from the strong westerly breeze on what was otherwise a bright and sunny day. The area of both the south and north lagoons on the East Preston side of the river were surveyed, and a total of 10 different species of butterflies were recorded, with 42 individuals around the south lagoon and 36 in the north. Amongst those seen were Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Small White and Red Admiral. The results were duly forwarded to Butterfly Conservation to add to the 25,000 submissions so far, and build up a national picture of butterfly distribution.

The Group then moved on to attempt to find at least 12 summer wild flowers in the area as challenged by walk leader and committee member, Tricia Hall. A number of these plants such as Common Fleabane were proving attractive to butterflies and other insects. Amongst the other plants were the white flowered and pleasant smelling Meadowsweet, Hogweed (not the giant version!), Birds’ Foot Trefoil, Knapweed, Yellow Loosestrife, Bristly Ox Tongue and Yarrow. All of these plants together provide an attractive scene, as well as a valuable habitat for our wildlife in this Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI). Most people managed to complete the challenge and find at least 12 different plants, learning about them in the process.

Just to add to the interest, members also found a Bush Cricket, various Ladybirds, some Day Flying Moths and even a small frog discovered by the grandson of one of the Group members, which was released after a quick photograph.

For our next members meeting on Friday July 31st (7.30pm back at Ferring Village Hall), we will now be having a visit from Stuart Card, who is a warden at Warnham Local Nature Reserve. He will be giving us a talk on – An Introduction to the Captive Breeding Programme of Harvest Mice at Warnham LNR/ Chesworth Farm (both near Horsham). He will be bringing some of the Harvest Mice with him for you to meet, and there will be an opportunity for you to get some up close photographs, so bring your cameras!

Chris Tomlinson from E.ON will now be coming to our September meeting for an update on the Rampion Wind Farm – this will be in addition to our advertised speaker, who is Dr Dawn Scott (of BBC Springwatch fame) who will be talking on the Brighton Urban Fox Project.

In between these meetings, we have the Summer Social on Saturday August 22nd at 6.30pm again at Ferring Village Hall. Tickets are currently on sale at £10 each – to include a choice of hot main courses, a choice of desserts and a complimentary glass of wine or fruit juice. Tickets can be obtained from Carol Dyball on 249337, or at the July meeting, but be warned – they’re selling fast!