Two DZG gardeners are celebrating after clocking up 60 years’ service between them. Antony Gwilt has tended the site’s grounds for 35 years, while Paul Durber has reached his 25th continuous year of service today and both said it had “flown by”. The pair were presented with vouchers and thanked for their green-fingered efforts by Zoo … Continue reading A diamond celebration!
Trainee Gardener Jordan Share proved to be a cut above the rest when he was named Employee of the Month. Jordan, who joined the gardening team in 2017 through a horticulture apprenticeship scheme, was chosen for the top title after impressing Zoo Manager Matt Lewis with his diligence and was presented with a certificate and … Continue reading Jordan’s a cut above!
It’s Global Recycling Day and we’re thrilled you’re helping us put the planet first by using our new bins. The colour-coded recycling centres were installed across the 40-acre site last summer encouraging visitors to recycle plastic bottles and aluminium cans and they’ve proved to be a huge success. Conservation Officer Chris Leeson, said: “We’re really … Continue reading Putting the planet first
We’re enormously grateful to a Dudley-based builders merchant for some jumbo sacks to help keep our site spick and span. The Dudley branch of Selco Builders Warehouse, based on the Coneygree Industrial Estate on Coneygree Road, donated the giant sacks to make it easier for us to gather up fallen leaves. DZG Assistant Curator Jay … Continue reading Bags of help!
Two of DZG’s giant beech trees have been felled and branches given to some of our tiniest creatures – three spiny mice. The 100ft-tall tree at the golden pheasant enclosure has been severely cut back and the beech near the giraffe feeding platform, which was around the same height, has been removed completely. Other offcuts … Continue reading Giant trees for minute mice
DZG gardeners have been busy clearing truckloads of leaves from paths, steps and banks across our 40-acre site. The team has used leaf blowers to gather leaves which then get collected up and either recycled into compost or some dry leaves get stored for our animals. Head Gardener Carl Stevens said: “Leaf clearing is our … Continue reading Leaf it to us!
Apprentice gardener Jordan Share is powering through his on-site training after getting some top tips on using power tools. The 19-year-old gardening team member has just used hedge trimmers to tidy beech trees and the off cuts will provide tasty treats for our giraffes all winter. Jordan, from Kingswinford, joined Dudley Zoo two years ago … Continue reading Trimmer in training
New colour-coded recycling bins have gone out around the zoo to encourage visitors to help us separate out waste and become even greener. DZG already avoids 86 per cent of waste going to landfill through recycling – even our animal waste is composted down into fertilizer – but we want to do more. So far … Continue reading Talking rubbish!
Our gardeners have wheeled out 40 new green bins to keep a lid on the pesky problem of squirrels and badgers rummaging in rubbish. The zoo’s gardening team has taken delivery of the bins which have lids and special clips to hold bin liners in a bid to stop wildlife rifling through waste on our … Continue reading Pesky problem
Head Gardener Carl Stevens today clocked up a blooming impressive 35 years’ service tending to our zoo and castle grounds. To mark the milestone and thank him for his dedication, 52-year-old Carl was presented with gift vouchers by Zoo Director Derek Grove. Carl was just 17 when he joined Dudley Zoo on August 16, 1983, … Continue reading Congrats Carl!
