14 June - Lichens Day at Giggleswick Churchyard

The lichens Day/Wildlife workshop ran under near idyllic conditions- sun - a good turnout of interested people (over eighty) - sun - two good leaders to take people round to see lichens and flowers - teas kindly provided by volunteers at the church - sun - plenty of space in the church for me to set up stalls - with CEL leaflets, and selling lichen colour foldout cards (FSC), and Rainforest project greetings cards. sun.

I sold four handlenses and five rainforest project greetings cards.. and the profit from selling these adds £8-00 to the rainforest fund.

I have written about the day here . And I learned a few new lichens.

13 June - Hawthorn flowering starts above Malham Tarn

On the 13th June the Hawthorn was just coming out here.

There is far more bistort in the field to the right of the wall than I have ever seen before. And there was bistort in the field to the left of the hawthorn tree too. There was a couple of plants of wood cranesbill in the verge and a few plants on the slope over the wall. The Melancholy thistle plant I saw was almost but just not flowering.

13 June - hawthorn fowering starts

Flowers and Sedges at Malham Tarn

This evening I will be starting to teach a two days sedges course at Malham Tarn Field Centre.
Last week I taught a four day flowers course - wild flowers for beginners - which was actually quite intensive.. The nine adults and I
visited some beautiful habitats. It is good that some places have been saved in this country. There was a Dutch lady on the course - still going strong at 74, and one and a half days day Eva, a Czech field centre teacher in her twenties came out with us.

See the hawthorn tree on the left, topiaried by sheep grazing- it is in full flower. Some of the hawthorn trees just above the field centre still have flower buds... It was hot on Monday but the top of Mallerstang had a fresh coat of snow yesterdayI am told.

One third of the British Sedge flora can be found within three miles of the Field Centre. Not bad!!

Environment Sunday

Today is Environment Sunday or will be - in an hour or so on June 7th.
Rowan Williams (Archbishop of Canterbury) made a press release about this on 3 June.
See http://www.archbishopofyork.org/2437 It says "World Environment Day marks the third anniversary of the Church of England's environmental campaign Shrinking the Footprint which is being marked by a national event at Lambeth Palace on June 11 where new toolkits and other resources will be unveiled to help churches, cathedrals and other buildings reduce their energy footprint. The next phase of the campaign focusing on water and biodiversity will also be unveiled."

I had also sent one out about Environment Church Services in the North of England.

Fri 5th June is World Environment Day, and
7 June is Environment Sunday and
June 8th is World Oceans Day.

With Species extinctions occurring at 1000 to 10,000 times the natural rate, fish stocks plummeting, climate change increasing and the world population still expanding, Care of the
Environment for future generations is vital. Churches in the north of England who are holding environment services at this period include::

Hurst Green (near Clitheroe, Lancs but Bradford Diocese):

6 June: Children's workshop making cakes to be sold for Children's Eternal Forest Costa Rica, and Painting a panel for church service next day. This service will recognise World Environment Day as part of Trinity Sunday. The text of the Rainforest sketch to be used by children and adults can be seen at http://rainforest-save.blogspot.com

Ambleside and area: Eight different churches running "Creation Praise and
Care" services over Weekend 6-7 June www.gogreenambleside.org.uk/June.html

Ingleton (Yorks Dales): - 14 June - 10.30am - Environmental Re-think service at St Mary's. There will be live music, and presentations as well as prayer.

Ben Rhydding, near Ilkley. - 21 June - Environment Service- at St John`s
Anglican Church Ben Rhydding, near Ilkley. Speaker: Norman Crowson of A Rocha. Special Creation Communion - written for environmental services. Anyone who would be interested in seeing the creation communion with a view to using it contact Sylvia Walker 01535-652915 or by email Sylvia Walker

Then there are two churchyard events: (both near Settle, North Yorkshire)

Giggleswick Churchyard - 14 June- With visitors and scientists from the Institute of Biology and lichen expert Prof Mark Seaward and members of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Living Churchyard project. plus Children's activities.

Langcliffe churchyard is open 27-28 June as part of Settle and District Open
Garden Weekend

People needing resources for an event this month could use the Christian
Ecology Link Prayer guide, with a meditation / interesting fact for each
day of the month www.christian-ecology.org.uk/p0906.htm