Horndean
Horndean is a rural English village and civil parish in Hampshire located half way between Petersfield and Portsmouth.
Biological Diversity, commonly shortened to Biodiversity, refers to the variety within and between all species of plants, animals and micro-organisms and the multitude of different ecosystems within which they live and interact.
All species, including us, depend on other species and so maintaining biodiversity is fundamental to their survival. We rely on the interaction between the different organisms that maintain the global ecosystem for fresh water, food, fertile soil and clean air, as well as natural resources such as wood, rubber and products derived from animals.
Biodiversity also helps regulate the growth cycles of plants, the mating seasons of animals, and even weather systems.
To achieve these aims we work closely with the Parish Council's Countryside Team and local people to
We review and update the Group's plans and objectives regularly to ensure that we focus on the current most important issues.
If you belong to a local Group who would be interested in seeing a presentation about our activities please contact us at this email address.
The BAP explains what biodiversity is and why it is important to preserve it for the future of all living things.
It also contains details of the many different species of animal and plant life that can be found within the Parish and the habitats in which they can be found, including several sites designated for nature conservation.
Most importantly, the BAP sets out what we need to do to conserve, manage and improve our local wildlife habitats, including those in our own gardens, to support the many rare and important species that depend on them.
It also includes cross-references and links to further information and other publications.The BAP can be viewed or downloaded as a PDF file by clicking on Horndean BAP.
When viewing the pdf version on a desktop or laptop computer
If you have any problems viewing or downloading the BAP or would like a printed copy please send us an email by clicking on this link.
Details of ecological surveys on development sites that have become available since the BAP was published are listed in the attached Report.
To use Living Record you need to register on the livingrecord.net website.
An alternative to Living Record which is used by the Parish Council Countryside Team for managing and sharing wildlife records is iRecord which enables survey results to be recorded on a computer tablet and loaded directly onto the website.
The provisional programme for the meeting was as follows:
| Time | Activity | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 7.00pm | Set up room with projector, screen, display boards, seating and sign-in sheet | All |
| 7.30pm | Welcome and Introduction | John Vigay |
| 7.40pm | Creatures Caught on Camera at Catherington Down | Stuart Ball |
| 8.10pm | The Bio-Blitz on Catherington Down on 7th-8th July | Rangers / John Nundy |
| 8.30pm | Refreshments, Discuss and View Displays | |
| 8.50pm | Recording Butterflies and Moths at the Bio-Blitz | John Vigay / John Nundy / Andrew Watts |
| 9.15pm | Horndean Biodiversity Group plans for 2018 | Members |
| 9.30pm | Summary and Close |
The Meeting organiser John Vigay will be delighted to hear from anyone who has their own photographs of local wildlife or who would like to get involved in the work of the Group.
The activites carried out over the course of the event included a butterfly walk, bird watching, a mini beast hunt, moth trapping and a wildflower meadow survey.
A review of the day and a list of the species that were identified are shown in the attached Bioblitz Report.
This BioBlitz followed the previous year's event held on
The large number and variety of young and established trees that we have in Horndean contribute greatly to the landscape; however, trees provide us with a great deal more than just a pleasant environment.
Trees are the biggest plants on the planet and are vital to the wellbeing of numerous if not all species. They produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide as they grow and the carbon that they store in their wood helps slow the rate of global warming.
Young trees provide habitation and food for many communities of birds, insects, lichen and fungi while the trunks of ancient trees provide the hollow cover needed by species such as bats, wood boring-beetles, tawny owls and woodpeckers.
Mature oak trees can be home to as many as 500 different species. Three of the most established oaks in Horndean can be found
on the green next to Elmeswelle Road, in Loxwood Road and on the roundabout in Merchistoun Road, all of which are shown here in May 2019.
The canopies of trees trap dust and absorb pollutants and their roots help prevent flooding by absorbing thousands of litres of storm water as well as combating soil erosion. Accordingly, every tree you plant or preserve can make a real contribution to our biodiversity as well as the landscape.
Information about the history of our trees and ancient woodlands can be found on John Vigay's website.
In July 2016 we carried out a pond survey on Hazelton Common with the Horndean Parish Council Countryside Team. Details of this event are described on the attached page.
Lists of moths seen in Horndean during surveys carried out in the last two years can be viewed or downloaded as a PDF file by clicking on Moth Species Survey.
Details of protected and notable species that have been found on Catherington Down, Catherington Lith and Parsonage Field are contained in the datasets maintained bySome of the things we all can do to attract and support wildlife in our own gardens for our mutual benefit are set out on the My Garden page.
Horndean Biodiversity Group relies on volunteers to help with surveys, tree planting, moth trapping and our other activities, so we would be delighted to hear from you if you would be interested in joining us.
For more information about our current priorities and activities or to find out how you could get involved with them please email us or find us on
.
Please also let us know if you have any comments on this website or suggestions for information it could include.
The photographs of the Male Brambling, Goldfinch and Blue Tit were taken by Melanie Thorne and the photographs of the oak trees were taken by Andy Forbes.