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The third biennial Countdown Conference for the conservation of rare and endangered species and habitats in the Cheshire region was successfully held on Saturday 9 th October 2004 at Chester Racecourse. The event was hosted by the Cheshire region Biodiversity Partnership and funded by Chester Zoo, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Cheshire County Council, The Mersey Forest and Halton Borough Council.
Over 125 delegates comprising nature conservation practitioners and members of the public attended the Conference to listen to presentations about the Gardens and Allotments Local Biodiversity Action Plan, the Snowdonia Wildlife Gardening Project and Gardening for Butterflies. There was also an opportunity for everyone to take part in a variety of practical workshop sessions including garden pond design, bug box building, bee identification and badgers in gardens.
Our keynote speaker for the day was TV and radio gardening celebrity Bob Flowerdew who delighted the audience with his lively and informative talk about organic gardening entitled ‘Let the wildlife do the gardening for you’. Bob answered many gardening questions and gave out much helpful advice whilst signing copies of his popular books during the lunchtime period.
The purpose of theming this year’s conference around gardens and biodiversity was to engage with the gardening public and to raise awareness of the importance of gardens and allotments as habitats and havens for wildlife, both rare and commonplace.
Several environmental organisations and local voluntary groups, such as the Wirral and Cheshire Badger Groups and the Lighthouse Project brought along displays highlighting local conservation initiatives. There were also stands selling wildlife photographs, bird seed, nature books and plants.
During the afternoon session students from Blacon High School, near Chester, planted five native black poplar trees along the new pathway between the Roodee and the River Dee. These trees are endangered in the Cheshire region and were planted to commemorate the Conference.
There was also a trip to a local community nature reserve at Moston to learn how this site has been transformed from a former landfill site and County Council storage depot to an environmental education facility offering a range of habitats including pond, meadow, woodland and marsh.
As an extra bonus for participants the Countdown 2005 CD ROM was launched at the Conference containing updated conservation action plans for over 50 rare and endangered species and 19 habitats in Cheshire and Wirral.
For your free copy of the Countdown 2005 CD ROM, please contact Fiona Mahon at Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Grebe House, Reaseheath, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 6DG. Tel: 01270 610180, email
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