Discovering nature’s secrets on our doorstep
More than 40 people braved a very wet and windy February evening to get to the village hall for an illustrated talk entitled “Hidden Lives in Our Hedges, Gardens and Fields”, given by Andy Davidson, Nature Recovery Officer for Hampshire County Council.
Those who came were richly rewarded.
Andy opened a window onto a world that usually passes unnoticed — the countless small creatures quietly keeping our countryside alive.
With clarity and enthusiasm, he described remarkable life stories: insects sleeping through winter, transforming themselves through extraordinary life cycles, flying, feeding and breeding in intricate ecological niches.
The audience was taken on a tour of dragonflies, grasshoppers, bees, wasps, hoverflies, beetles, butterflies, moths and more!
Along the way Andy explained their essential needs and, importantly, how simple actions in our own gardens can help provide food, shelter and breeding conditions throughout the year.
His message was both fascinating and practical — full of nuggets of knowledge drawn from long experience and hands-on work with local groups delivering nature recovery projects.
In the final part of the evening, Andy outlined key elements of the County Council’s new Local Nature Recovery Strategy, including “Areas of Particular Importance for Biodiversity” and “Areas that Could Become of Particular Importance for Biodiversity”, showing just how much of our own parish falls within these categories.
He highlighted the importance of habitat connectivity, pollinators, species recovery and landscape partnerships in turning ambition into action.
The talk was engaging, informative and thought-provoking throughout — a powerful reminder that the hidden lives around us are closely connected with our own, and that we all have a part to play in helping them thrive.
