Opening day nature picnic delight on wetlands site at Logan’s Meadow
Friends of Logan’s Meadow hosted a nature picnic as Cambridge City Council officially reopened the site on Sunday (8 June) after eight weeks of major works on the new wetlands features.
Along with guests including city councillors, Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner and the city mayor presided over the ceremony, 200 people showed up for the picnic, which included a range of activities for all ages.
On offer were tours of the new wetland features from the city council’s biodiversity team; origami moth/butterfly making; nature-based painting with paints made from plants at Logan's Meadow itself organised by community artist Hilary Cox Condron, children's storytelling and puppetry from Cambridge Storytellers and Cambridge Puppetry Club; and music from Colonel Spanky's Love Ensemble.
“The feedback we've received from those who attended has been universally positive,” said Friends of Logan’s Meadow chair Tony Eva. “Children and adults enjoyed the butterfly origami and painting with natural inks and dyes run by Hilary, and they also enjoyed wonderful performances by Cambridge Storytellers and Cambridge Puppetry Club.
“Everyone enjoyed singing and dancing along to Colonel Spanky's Love Ensemble. We also had council-run stalls about Cambridge chalk streams and rainwater harvesting from Water Sensitive Cambridge.
“All in all, it was by far the most successful annual picnic that Friends of Logan’s Meadow has run.”
Simone Chalkley from Cambridge Storytellers said: “I thought the event was fantastic. It was a really friendly atmosphere, and a wonderful community vibe - and everyone loved the new landscaping. What was lovely is most of the kids stayed for the whole session, which doesn't always happen. And there were ducklings on the pond!”
Hilary Cox Condron said: “I was there with inks and brushes I had made from plants I had gathered from Logan’s Meadow, inviting people to think about how moths are camouflage and create patterns inspired by bark, leaves and shadows.
“Preparation is a long task but such a connection to the local environment for me, as I collect the leaves and berries and grind, boil and bottle them to make the inks to share. The bright yellow of the hazel leaves and earthy red of Hawthorne berries. I think markmaking like this touches something deep in our souls - it is so relaxing and brings us closer to nature.
“It’s wonderful to see so many people enjoying this beautiful urban wetland - the day was absolutely buzzing with people of all ages exploring and learning more about the meadows, it’s wild inhabitants and urban water cycles, sharing picnics, dancing to the band, painting with natural inks and listening to stories.”
Cllr Martin Smart, cabinet member for Open Spaces and City Services at Cambridge City Council, said: “It was wonderful to see so many people attend the opening of the new wetlands at Logan’s Meadow on Sunday.
“The event was a celebration of all the amazing work from volunteers, council officers and contractors to turn an underused piece of land into an important new habitat which will bring huge benefits to many different species, and provide a beautiful and accessible place for people to visit right in the heart of the city.”
