Park notes and news September 2025
FOHMP – Gardening in the Park Report – Saturday 20th September 2025
A very productive day……..
The netball and long flower beds had a good weeding
Signs were straightened and cleaned, including the main sign at the Peel Moat entrance
Brambles, trailing roses and ivy were cut back around paths and inside the play area
The dip near the pavilion (from repairs to the water main leak) was filled with top soil and reseeded
Roses were deadheaded around the bowling green / peel moat path
Repairs to the low fence on woodland walk were completed – further repairs will be needed (? In the spring / summer).
The group received a number of messages of support / compliments on the work of the Friends from people in the park.
The next gardening day will be Saturday 18th October – meet at the gardeners’ shed at 10am, as usual.
The Strollers, Knitting Friends and Running Friends are all in fine form……..details here ; https://www.heatonmoorpark.co.uk/events/
A mast year…..
Noticed an abundance of acorns this autumn? It could be down to a ‘mast year’. According to the Woodland Trust, mast years occur roughly every five to ten years and refer to years when certain species of trees and plants produce larger than normal crops of nuts and fruit.
The collective term for the fruits and nuts produced at this time of year is “mast”, giving rise to the year’s name.
https://news.stv.tv/world/noticed-an-abundance-of-acorns-this-autumn-it-could-be-down-to-a-mast-year
Factory farming
The EU Commission has launched a consultation on a proposal to ban all cages in European factory farms. Industry is already lobbying the Commission to scrap the proposal……Nearly 90% of farmed animals are chickens. Researchers counted and estimated that of the 1,100 hours they live before being killed, 700 of them are in pain. That’s over 60% of their life.
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/14671-On-farm-animal-welfare-for-certain-animals-modernisation-of-EU-legislation/public-consultation_en
http://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://intellectus.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/INTELLECTUS___SINGER_Vol_2-1.pdf
A trip to the States?
THE 2025 Fall Foliage Prediction Map – The 2025 Fall Foliage Map is the ultimate visual planning guide to the annual progressive changing of the leaves. While no tool can be 100% accurate, this tool is meant to help travelers better time their trips to have the best opportunity of catching peak color each year.
https://www.explorefall.com/fall-foliage-map
Climate crisis
The British Ecological Society and the Royal Meteorological Society are among the supporters of the UK’s first National Emergency Briefing on the Climate & Nature crisis — to be held on 27 November 2025.
https://www.nebriefing.org/speakers.
City of York
The City of York is making substantial investments in parks and green spaces……City of York Council is set to allocate three quarters of a million pounds of investment to revitalise parks, play areas, and public green spaces across the city………
https://www.york.gov.uk/news/article/1754/progress-on-city-of-york-council-s-major-investment-in-parks-and-green-spaces
National Trust
The NT has a new strategy…..People and nature thriving: Our strategy to 2035. This is a ten year strategy, which seems rather a long time.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/our-strategy
Wirral
Initial works to create a brand new £15m park in Wirral may not be far away. The new green space is part of a major project that would also see 1,600 homes built.
The Dock Branch Park is a regeneration project being delivered by Wirral Council, looking to transform a former railway line that cuts through central Birkenhead from Green Lane to Wirral Waters
https://www.birkenhead.news/15m-dock-branch-park-edges-closer/
Castlefield Viaduct
Castlefield Viaduct ‘Sky Park’ Extension
The National Trust has secured £2.75 million funding to expand Manchester’s Victorian viaduct into a major urban green space. Phase 2 will extend the “sky park” walkway and feature the award-winning WaterAid Garden from RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024.
Environmental Visual Evaluation Tool
Practical resource for women and girls’ safety in green spaces
https://parksforlondon.org.uk/eve-tool/