Council meeting on June 24th, we considered several options and decided to apply for
the maximum £2000 to initiate a Natural History Photographic and Pictorial Survey
of Essex, making use of the advantages available in modern website and digital camera
technology. The inspiration for this comes directly from the Photographic and Pictorial
Survey and Record of Essex instigated by the Club early in the 20th century (Briscoe,
1903). The project would be initially based on website development, and enable any
member of the Club or public to provide input to "a permanent collection of photographs
and other pictures of objects of interest, also maps, plans and other documents, so as to
give a comprehensive survey and record of all that is valuable and representative of
the County of Essex, and of the neighbouring rivers and sea", with its core focus on
natural history (fauna, flora, geology and lithic archaeology) of the county. The funding
available should enable to project to get off the ground, but much further work will
need to be done to progress this major project, when the Club gets a new centre for its
collections and library. We will know by the end of September if the OPAL funding is
available and we can take this forward. Further OPAL funding calls will take place in
2010 and 2011, and the Club will pursue these as well.
References
Briscoe, A.E. (1903) Proposals for a Photographic and Pictorial Survey of Essex.
Essex Naturalist 13: 1-5.
A ShareGift donation
The Club received a cheque for £250 from a charity called ShareGift, supported by the
Orr Mackintosh Foundation. The charity's website (www.sharegift.org) describes how
ShareGift distributes the proceeds of donated shares to a wide range of UK registered
charities, at their Trustees' discretion. When considering charities for future ShareGift
donations, the Trustees do survey the charitable interests of their supporters and donors
are welcome to suggest a charity, or area of charitable work for consideration. We are
very grateful to ShareGift for the donation, and to any donor who might have suggested
the Club as a recipient.
Good homes needed for Teasel plants Dipsacus fullonum
We have an over-abundance of healthy teasel plants which came up in our vegetable
garden again this year. I have dug up some of the young plants which will flower next
year (July-August) - about 100 plants & I am reluctant to destroy them - they transplant
quite readily and do particularly well if they have adequate water. Teasel is a beautifully
structured attractive plant growing to a height of 2m (6 ft) or over and is biennial; the
long spiny flowerheads with mauve flowers attract bees and later seed-eating birds
(such as goldfinches) that delight in pulling out the seeds. If anyone interested please
contact me by email: jajordan_54@yahoo.co.uk. Jan Jordan (and partner Livio).
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 60, September 2009
3