NATURE'S GYM HELP OUT1: MINIBEAST MANSION

We were delighted to welcome back Nature's Gym on 6th April 2017. Nature's Gym volunteers have worked with Friends of Mayow Park for a number of years. Over the years they have helped in the Triangle beds and in the woodland adjacent to the hard standing (close to the orchard). In the woodland they created the log circle for story telling and where school groups can meet.
They also built the minibeast mansion back in 2012 with a stack of pallets stuffed with twigs. This structure was looking rather tired and in need of renovation. Have any visitors to Mayow Park ever noticed it?

Two of the volunteers chose to work on the minibeast mansion. We have not surveyed which invertebrates have made their home there although there is evidence that spiders have set up residence in some parts. I could not find a photo of this tired-looking structure to post here but as improvement was certainly needed.

The volunteers started by removing the  top two pallets and a higgledy muddle of twigs  poking out of the spaces in the pallets. They realigned the pallets and got to work cutting a large number of hollow bamboo canes which would form part of the new home for any invertebrates who like homes in hollow tubes.

Our work is finished for the day

When it was time to stop, it clearly looked much better but there is more work to be done to finish the whole structure and turn it into a des-res. Who knows, we may be able to get it to look like an interesting and attractive feature? See this photo below from elsewhere.

Hoping our structure can look as impressive as this in the future.

It was disappointing that just three days later I found that ALL the bamboo canes had been removed and carefully taken to the story circle. It was clear that this was not intended as an act of vandalism but some children exercising their curiosity and creativity. A willing volunteer came to the rescue and spent up to one hour collecting all the canes, to relocate them back in the mansion.

I love the idea that children can explore this small piece of woodland. Mayow Park has a number of hidden places to explore, to offer inquisitive young minds a chance allow their imagination to develop through all sorts of play activities, but they need to understand what this structure is and why it was built.

 I HAVE A SPECIAL REQUEST TO  all parents of children who are allowed to play in that space, whether supervised or allowed to play freely.  Parents, could you explain to your children that volunteers spent time building the structure for wildlife and that they can help to look after it. Would any children like to help us finish of the mansion?
If interested,  contact Friends of Mayow Park on: friendsofmayowpark@ymail.com