Press Release published in:College Intermet Magazine on February 2007

Venue: Pacific Arts Centre, Birkenhead, CH41 1LJ

Who: BA (Hons) Fine Art 2nd Year

Open: Mon – Fri 10am – 4pm, Sat 10am – 1pm

Dates: 7th – 17th March

More info:
www.diherent.co.uk

www.myspace.com/diherent

Press Release published in:Connexions Magazine on 2nd February 2007

Perhaps spring is not far off, or at least it would be nice to think so. Whether or not we are seeing the effects of “global warming” or going through a period of climate change, it is obvious to most of us that things are a bit different this year. I was not present at Carlett Park when the high winds blew, but I have seen the effects in terms of sawn up trees. It is difficult to speculate on precisely why one tree goes over and the one next to it does not. Some of the older bigger trees, despite having a greater area of crown stayed up, while some slimmer younger ones went over. However, its nice to see that much of the wood has been left in situ to rot down providing food for microorganisms, fungi, insects and a whole micro-ecosystem. This is the perceived wisdom in arboriculture these days rather than burning the dead wood, and further adding to the global warming!

Some spring plants may start to emerge soon, although we have a bit of an impoverished flora in our wood. This is because much of it is only about 140 years old. That is a blink of an eye in ecological terms. Still, we do usually get a spectacular show of bluebells in May, and should you care to stroll through on a calm day the scent wafts around you as you walk (taking care not to place your big feet on the plants of course). The woodpeckers are around bashing their beaks against trunks to search for insects or possibly excavating a nest hole. Hearing them knock may be the best you get; they are very elusive. You have a better chance of observing the Jays whose behaviour during the spring, when they have love on their minds, makes them more visible and more vocal. One knock on effect from the remarkable abundance of sweet chestnuts last autumn may be that the squirrels have enough food left over. This might keep them from damaging the oaks this year as they begin to flower.