All posts by Sarah Gledhill

Global Journeys, Local Haven: The Story of Tamar Valley’s Migratory Fish

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If you go down to the woods today

You’re in for a big surprise…

The woods, in this case, being found around the old Mill Weir, on the National Trust’s Cotehele Estate on the banks of the River Tamar in Cornwall, (UK!).

Vital work has been undertaken, over the years, by wonderful, dedicated people, to restore the river habitats here – which in turn promotes biodiversity recovery.

This has also helped the migratory fish, for which the River Tamar is a critical link in their life cycle stories.

Those able to visit Cotehele, (to breathe in the fresh air and have that mental and physical recharge), will find a new information board nestled in the calm beauty there. We hope it will provide an interesting insight into the remarkable lives of some of our co-inhabitants of this, our precious Earth and the importance of the interconnectedness of the planet’s vital water.

For those who are more distant, you can visit https://www.tamarvalley-nl.org.uk

The evolution of the ‘Global Journeys, Local Haven’ happened over the course of a few months.

It started, as everything does, with an idea. This flash of inspiration came to Ginnette Sutherland , of the Tamara Landscape Partnership and Tamar Valley National Landscape. Ginnette is also host of the Nature Connects podcasts; https://www.tamarvalley-nl.org.uk/category/news/projects/nature/nature-connects/podcast


The topic, revolving around the life stories of global migratory fish, needed the visual inclusion of oceans, Plymouth and the Tamar River valley. Life cycles, migration paths, weirs, gravel beds. Salmon, eels, Sea /Brown Trout, Lampreys and Allis Shad. (Do you remember Angela Gall’s book, ‘Allis, The Shad Who Wouldn’t Give Up’? Spot Allis on the information board!) Also relevant to the area are; Avocet, Triangular Club-Rush, Water Vole, Common Toad, Willow Tit… So many wonderful things to try and fit onto an A1 board — all of 23.4 by 33.1 inches. Suddenly that seemed too small!

It was an adventure through a maelstrom of thoughts… from those first tantalising, fleeting, peripheral glimpses of possibilities, through the development and firming up to an increasingly solid goal shape, to that final ‘that’ll do’, when the pens are eventually laid aside. Some fledgling ideas work out, some are put aside with regret – or probably with a “what was I thinking!”.

This was a collaborative endeavour between Ginnette, myself and also those involved in the fields of river / coastal restoration and protection around the Tamar, who were wonderfully helpful with factual pointers – and wish lists. I hope they all had as much fun watching the unfurling of this information board as I did in being the conduit!

I use the open source programme, GIMP, for putting together ideas for artwork. Thank you GIMP folk! Using separate layers for the different components makes it easier to accommodate changes to developing ideas. Mind you, I do end up with terrifyingly large files and a mutinous computer that would be phoning the ‘computer abuse line’ – if one existed.

visit https://www.tamarvalley-nl.org.uk

https://www.tamarvalley-nl.org.uk/category/news/projects/nature/nature-connects/podcast

https://wrt.org.uk/product/allis-the-shad/

Their World, in our hands. Do no harm.

‘African Safari’ by Francis-John White

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‘African Safari’ by Francis-John White is a join-in-the action children’s picture book adventure.

Join in with the four friends as they go on an adventurous walk through the African bush.

This action-packed, energetic tale invites the reader, and audience, to act the story out with the fearless four, as they encounter a variety of wildlife and challenges.

Rollicking good entertainment! Perfect for burning off the little fizz balls’ excess energy!

With simple language and loads of action, we hope that even those reluctant to dive into the adventure of reading, will be won over to the idea that books can be fun. With little details throughout the pictures to engage observation skills and ‘The Cast’ depicted at the end, with conservation status and classification, there is something to appeal to a variety of developing interests and imaginations. So, get ready to walk, run, jump and swim with the four friends… We do hope that you will enjoy your adventure!

available to order through https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/african-safari

Insect week, from the 19th to the 25th June 2023.

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Their World, in our hands. Do no harm.

Our world in their ‘hands’.

‘tis the week to celebrate all the #LittleThingsThatRunTheWorld!

You are not a lazy gardener, you’re a bumblebee and baby butterfly buddy!

Be glad of the busy, healthy plants with lace patterned leaves – there will be butterflies and moths when those caterpillars grow up.  It’s that basic circle of life / balance of nature.

Caterpillars = butterflies and moths. Slugs, snails and earthworms make the composting work. Putting poisons down, so that you don’t have lace patterned leaves, starts a ripple that spreads far and wide. Butterflies, bees, ladybirds, hedgehogs, birds … all are early victims. Chemical companies get richer, you get poorer and the natural world dies. So sad.

“Allis The Shad Who Wouldn’t Give Up” by Angela Gall

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The latest adventures of ‘The Pen’ and the newest pen-pal and book buddy!

Launched on the 8th June 2023, World Oceans Day, in Plymouth UK.

A special book this, for a special and rare fish, written by Angela Gall and published by Natural England.

The Allis Shad start life up in the gravel beds of the Tamar River. They then make their way down river to the sea off Plymouth Sound. Later they swim back up the river to their home base, where they themselves in turn lay their eggs.

It is a long and challenging journey, through many different marine and river habitats, and this book helps children (and their grown-ups!) understand the challenges and how we can assist.

It was a delight to collaborate with Angela Gall to produce her book.

Angela is a senior marine adviser in Natural England’s Devon, Cornwall, and Isles of Scilly Area Team and her knowledge of the reefs, seagrass beds, the estuary and the Tamar river – and their inhabitants, formed the solid base for the story and the illustrations. The marvellous people around her so generously shared their knowledge, advice, photos and videos. With the added perspective gleaned from virtual earth maps, I spend a glorious time (virtually) swimming with the fishes, through anemone reefs and sponges, seagrass, salt marshes, mussel beds and the Tamar river.

Then it was time to relay these wonders on through hand and pen on their own journey into the pages of this book.

All proceeds from sales of this book go to Westcountry Rivers Trust to fund conservation work.

For more on the book and links to where to buy the book, from Westcountry Rivers Trust, go to the ‘Author, Author’ page on this site. (See top of page)