Machu Picchu for Worcester & Malvern RSPB Group

Hey everyone, my name is Jordan. In September, I will be climbing Peru's Machu Picchu. My goal is to raise £1000 for my local RSPB group in an effort to help benefit wildlife, the climate and the local community in Worcestershire.

The 10-day expedition will consist of a trek to and up one of the world's seven wonders, Machu Picchu. A difficult hike with altitudes of up to 4,270m, this will be the most challenging expedition I have ever faced.

The Worcester & Malvern RSPB Group aim to help declining birds, focusing on species affected by modern farming methods and climate change. In addition, we want to inspire and educate people about nature as a whole, improving the local communities' physical and mental well-being.

With your kind donations, we hope to buy:

- Nest Boxes for Sand Martins, Swifts, Owls and Kestrels

- Survey Equipment such as Thermal Cameras and Bat Detectors

- Training courses such as Bat ID and survey training

- Bird feed and Birdseed crop

- Eduction packs for local schools

The group is currently involved in several conservations projects, consisting of:

Canal & Rivers Trust – We are involved in the management of the three main lock islands on the River Severn. We have installed a Sand Martin bank and have been ringing the broods in the artificial nest burrows. We install nest boxes on the islands, including owl boxes and survey the birds living on the islands.

18 Hectare nature reserve in partnership with Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC) – The RSPB group, in collaboration with the MHDC, is developing a nature reserve with wildflower meadows and wader marshes. As part of the plan to be carbon neutral by 2030 and to help with the biodiversity crisis, the MHDC has purchased 18 hectares of degraded flood meadow on the banks of the River Severn, which they will manage for carbon sequestration and nature.

University of Worcester – We have converted three hectares of unused playing fields into a wild area with badgers, foxes, stonechats and skylarks and a smaller area of bird seed crop that was home to a flock of 150 linnets last winter. This project was featured on the Midlands Today TV news and in the RSPB magazine. We are extending the project with the installation of a Kestrel box and Swift boxes on another university building.

Worcester City Council – Our group does bird surveys and is involved in the management of four small city nature reserves run by the Council. We have installed over 100 nest boxes on these reserves.

Barn Owls – We have just linked up with farmers and landowners to install 12 barn owl nest boxes across the county. When these are occupied by nesting birds there may be an opportunity for highly controlled ringing of nestlings, which small numbers of members will be able to attend, and we will plan responsible barn owl watching events.

Heart of England Forest – The charity has purchased 150 acres of farmland to the east of the county, and our group is helping them to survey the land for birds and will be working with them to develop the land for nature. This is a new project.

And many more!

To learn more about this fantastic group, please visit Worcester & Malvern RSPB Group