As we enter a new season, we see the shift from summer to autumn. The buzzing pollinators in the meadows have quietened and our attention turns to the fruiting bodies of vast mycelium networks and the vibrant hues of the autumn leaves. The change in season provides us with a wonderful chance to reflect on the new initiatives we have started up at Kingcombe this autumn.  

No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced

Sir David Attenborough 

Here at the Kingcombe Visitor Centre, we’re passionate about enabling and encouraging people to experience the wonders of wildlife. This passion has allowed us to successfully establish three new groups, who regularly meet and engage in activities at the Visitor Centre: “Evolving Naturalists”, “Welly Wednesdays”, and “Nature Tots”. 

The Evolving Naturalists are a group for people aged 18 – 30 with a passion for wildlife and the environment. To date, we have met three times to explore nature found on the National Nature Reserve and wider countryside. We’ve looked at the moths living in the wildlife garden, visited the enclosed Dorset Beaver Project site, surveyed for butterflies, learned about riverfly monitoring in the River Hooke, dissected barn owl pellets, and embarked on a walk at dusk looking for bats at Powerstock Common. 

It's been a delight welcoming people to join our Welly Wednesdays walks as we explore Kingcombe Nature Reserve by foot. Matt and I were joined by familiar faces and first-time visitors to Kingcombe as we enjoyed the forbs of late summer and discovered the historical green lanes and their thick hedgerows that help support Kingcombe’s rich biodiversity.

Nature Tots is the third nature-based group we were able to establish. “Tots” aged four and under were able to investigate the Visitor Centre grounds and learn about the diverse flora and fauna found on site. Activities included the creation of leaf crowns with autumnal leaves collected on the nature reserve, painting sessions using the apples from the Kingcombe orchard and creating ‘stick insects’ from sticks.

As you can see, there are lots of activities for all ages to get involved with at the Kingcombe Visitor Centre. Check out our events page for more details.