Hello Conservation Volunteers
We called and you answered!
When Ranger Matt cut the wildflower meadow at Forge Dam earlier than we expected it needed raking up. We didn't have any forthcoming work morning sessions planned for another month at Forge Dam which was too long to leave the cuttings laying on the ground. It was short notice, and we ideally needed around half a dozen volunteers. Who could help?
Thankfully nine eager(!) volunteers turned up. A really big thank you to all those who came, especially as it was raining early on but did stop to just a light drizzle and we had soon stripped off to just shirt sleeves anyway, sweating away due to the strenuous physical exertion of raking!
It wasn't an ideal day, the cuttings were wet and heavy but starting at the top and working our way down, within an hour and a half or so the cuttings had been raked up, placed in the ton bags which were dragged behind the hibernaculum to be emptied, before being returned for the next batches. In fact, we did a quick second rake to gather cuttings which had been missed!
An interesting large patch of fungi was found growing on the cut meadow, probably in response to the mowing (maybe common ink caps?).
It saved Matt a job, he owes us all a pint!
Lyndon
A Selection of photos from the work morning
Raking in progress
Cuttings piled up behind the hibernaculum
Raking completed!
The patch of fungi - common ink caps?
