This event offers a unique opportunity to view the Panshanger collection at the Hertfordshire Archives and discover the treasures among the documents. The latest developments with the Panshanger material will be highlighted. Talks will include a fascinating insight into the history of the Cowper family at the estate given by David Neal, a long-standing volunteer at Panshanger Park. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

A shorter walk to the 'Panshanger Great Oak' for those that find the walk from Thieves Lane car park too far. Join volunteer, David Neal, for a short walk from the site of Panshanger House around the oak, taking in the orangery and views over Repton's landscape. You will find out about the context of the site and the families who lived here. As the leaves have fallen and the undergrowth has died back, it is easier to get a better appreciation of the structure of the oak and the layout of the site. Parking will be available close by at the Panshanger House site. This event is free to attend but any donations are greatly appreciated. Donations from this event will go towards the Panshanger Park Education Fund which is a joint initiative between Tarmac and HMWT to fund and promote educational activities in Panshanger Park.

Welwyn Beekeepers Association at Panshanger Park As part of the initiative to set up an apiary in Panshanger Park, volunteers and staff were treated to a beekeeping awareness evening yesterday. People are being provided with an opportunity to manage their own hive in the park so if you're interested, why not sign up for a beginner's beekeeping course with WBKA starting in March 2018? This will give you the knowledge you need to start beekeeping with your own hive. The course is also suitable for those who might wish to assist a beekeeper or simply learn more about this traditional practice that goes back thousands of years. The course costs £70 for six sessions and includes a beekeeping for beginners book. And yes, that is some decent booze among the honey, candles and beeswax etc...or so I'm told! To register your interest or to receive more information, please email Mike Goodhew: training@welwynbka.org photo by Annie Butterfield Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

An interesting aspect of the ongoing work of volunteers in Panshanger Park is bird ringing and during a recent ringing session, one of the species fitted with a metal leg ring was a yellowhammer. Each special ring bears a number - a bit like a UMR - which gives valuable data if the bird is retrapped or found dead. Yellowhammers are among the many bird species associated with agricultural areas that have suffered dramatic declines in recent years as a result of agricultural intensification and changes in farming methods. Unfortunately, they now feature on the UK Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern. I'm sure you'll agree that yellowhammers are delightfully attractive birds and as part of our wildlife heritage, they have been recorded since Anglo-Saxon times! Here at Panshanger Park, yellowhammers are taking advantage of specially sown areas that have been 'set aside' for the benefit of wintering farmland birds. This is just one of the many examples of Tarmac and Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust working in partnership to carefully manage areas of the park for the benefit of our very special wildlife. Bird ringing in Britain and Ireland is organised by the British Trust for Ornithology and each year over 900,000 birds are ringed by highly-trained ringers, most of whom are volunteers. The birds' welfare is always the most important consideration during ringing activities. Ringing began over 100 years ago to study movements of birds. Now it also contributes vital information to studies of birds' survival rates, populations and dispersal. Yellowhammer photo by Paul Thrush Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ASKED TO ENJOY PANSHANGER PARK SAFELY BY ONLY USING AREAS OPEN FOR ACCESS Tarmac is reminding visitors to the country park at Panshanger that areas are still active and await restoration and therefore not safe for the public to access. This comes after a statement was released on the Friends of Panshanger Park’s website. It declared that from 1 January 2018, mineral extraction finished on the estate, meaning the park is now fully open for public access. The statement issued by the Friends of Panshanger Park is both misleading and irresponsible. Ongoing work is still taking place within areas of Panshanger Park that involve heavy machinery and therefore these are not yet accessible to the public due to health and safety reasons. Estates Manager, Mike Pendock explains: “The original Country Park Scheme drawn up for Panshanger in 1982 made clear that the park is in private ownership and that the main objective was to enable the public to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the park through a series of waymarked paths and specific areas where there would be more general open access. It is not the case that the public has a right to roam unrestricted over all areas of the country park and nature reserve. Fences and gates are there for the public’s protection and to reflect the fact that the park is still managed for agricultural activities, wildlife and forestry. The statement on the Friends of Panshanger Park’s website is irresponsible as it could put people at risk if they believe they can freely access areas such as old silt lagoons and the quarry lake nearby.” The park first opened in March 2014 and since then over 100,000 visitors have enjoyed the park’s beautiful landscape. Visitors to the park can already enjoy 25 kilometres of trails and further areas of the park will be opened when safe to do so. Visitors are asked to continue to follow the clear signage around Panshanger Park explaining which areas they can enjoy freely. Thank you for your cooperation. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

CRITICAL NOTICE - KONIK PONIES Unfortunately, visitors, the park team and volunteers have reported that certain people have been ignoring the notices and feeding the konik ponies. FEEDING THE PONIES IS VERY DANGEROUS TO THEIR HEALTH AND MAY KILL THEM! For emergencies and if you witness anyone feeding the ponies, please contact Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust on 01727 858901. The vast majority of visitors are enjoying seeing the ponies by Osprey Lake and we are very grateful to those of you who are acting responsibly. Konik ponies are wetland specialists and are doing an important job of eating vigorous plants such as sedges, rushes and reeds. This will allow finer grasses and flora to flourish, providing a better grassland environment. The ponies will also improve the habitat for amphibians. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

Beekeeping anyone? Goodness, what a lot of pony lovers we have! So how about something a bit smaller? Bees play a vital role in our ecology and economy and here at Panshanger Park, we're working with Welwyn Beekeepers Association (WBKA) to set up an apiary in early 2018. This will provide an opportunity for people to manage their own hive in the park. If you're interested, why not sign up for a beginner's beekeeping course with WBKA starting in March 2018? This will give you the knowledge you need to start beekeeping with your own hive. The course is also suitable for those who might wish to assist a beekeeper or simply learn more about this traditional practice that goes back thousands of years. The course costs £70 for six sessions and includes a beekeeping for beginners book. To register your interest or to receive more information, please email Mike Goodhew: training@welwynbka.org Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

Panshanger Park has some special guests – Konik ponies You’re bound to notice five beautiful, new guests around Osprey Lake. These are Konik ponies and are owned by Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. They’re magnificent animals and are descended from the ancient Tarpan horse. PLEASE DO NOT FEED OR INTERFERE WITH THE PONIES Any additional feeding will be dangerous to their health and may even kill them. For emergencies, or if you witness anyone feeding the ponies, please contact Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust on 01727 858901. The ponies will be grazing at Panshanger Park for the next two to three months to help manage the grassland for wildlife. Koniks are resistant to harsh climates – temperatures down to as low as -40°! They digest food better than ordinary horses enabling them to survive on a diet of coarser foods. From the autumn, they take a varied diet including sedges, rushes and reeds. The ponies munching through more vigorous plants will allow finer grasses and wild flowers to flourish providing a better grassland environment, especially for butterflies and other invertebrates when it gets warmer. They’ll also improve the habitat for amphibians by reducing thicker reeds at the edges of the lake. Koniks’ hooves are self-trimming which means they can look a little untidy. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

We've just opened the new 'House Link Path' - a permissive path which runs alongside the site of the former Panshanger House and links the Oak Trail to the paths around the arable land in the north of the park. This means that the oak trail can now be enjoyed as a circular walk. Why not try the new route when you next visit?

This event is now fully booked. Further events are planned for the new year. Park up and follow an approx. 6 mile off road route, around Panshanger Park Estate, using Permissive bridleways and paths that are not normally open to horse riders. This Ride will allow you to enjoy the beautiful historic park landscape, woodlands and water features along the Mimram valley. Children are very welcome and a shorter ride route is available, if required. However, we ask that riders under the age of 12 are led by a parent/carer and riders aged 12-16 must have a parent/carer present at the start point & throughout the duration of the ride. Cost: £10 per horse & rider payable on the day, but places must be booked in advance using the official booking form. (Money is donated to the Panshanger Park Education Fund which supports the Forest School in the park) If you have any questions or would like a booking form to be sent to you please contact Dawn Grocock – E-mail: dawn.grocock@hertfordshire.gov.uk or Tel:01992 555235

A shorter walk to the "Panshanger Great Oak" for those that find the walk from Thieves Lane car park too far. Join volunteer David Neal, for a short walk from the site of Panshanger House around the oak, taking in the Orangery and views over Repton's landscape, including a little about the historical context of the buildings, and the Cowper and Desborough families who lived there. Parking will be available close by at the Panshanger House site. Booking essential as spaces are limited.