Hello Conservation Volunteers
Thank you to everybody who joined us for our latest work morning around Forge Dam.
The main task of the morning was to cut back the shoots of the wingnut tree at the western side of the dam. It's the same species as the glorious example by the entrance opposite Fulwood Old Chapel which is magnificent and not causing any issues, but unfortunately the one at the side of the dam is out of control and throwing shoots for quite a distance back into the Wet Woodland as it thrives on water. It's not the most exciting of tasks but the volunteers soon got cracking and where possible cutting the shoots down below ground level (and some took up the difficult job to dig up the roots of offshoots!). It is a containment exercise to hopefully prevent it spreading further.
Another task was to repair the dead hedge near the hibernaculum which had been damaged by people climbing over it, plus build another dead hedge on the path lower down to hopefully stop people taking a short cut across the wildflower meadow which has really come alive in this second season since it was sowed, and where a desire line was starting to appear by those taking the shortcut.
In the north-west corner of the dam there is a marshy habitat for wildlife with alder and willow which has not been coppiced for a few years and needing attention. Ironically, it has been too boggy of late to get into but is currently firm enough to stand on, therefore the first task for the hedge builders was to cut some of this down to provide the material to repair and build the dead hedges. The ground proved too hard to drive in the cut stakes so we will be back with a post rammer to finish the new hedge next time.
And just to keep us busy.......a member of the public had alerted the council and ourselves a few days previous to some teenagers building a bike track in Festival Woodland, complete with spades and strimming equipment to clear an area to start building a track which already had a banked wall and a ramp using flagstones which appear to have been taken from the base of an old bench nearby. Ranger Matt had picked up the complaint and arrived on site with a notice and tools and with help from a couple of volunteers it has now been dismantled, soil carried back to areas from where it had been dug out on the paths and debris removed.
The next work morning is on Thursday 12th September. An email will be sent out nearer the time with details.
Lyndon
A Selection of photos from the work morning
Wingnutters getting going....
Barbara and Gill with a proliferation of wingnut on the right
In the depths...
A mass of wingnut in the background
Mel after digging out a large root!
Peter cutting alder
Hugh collecting some alder for the dead hedges
Peter, Simon and Hugh preparing alder
Work underway....
Matt and Mike in the process of dismantling the ramp of the unauthorised bike track
Matt demolishing a raised bank on a path
Ramp and bank removed. This wasn't a path but areas which had been cleared with a strimmer
Dug out pit filled in
Sign erected at the site
