Hello Conservation Volunteers
Thank you to all those who attended our Tuesday morning work session where once again we had groups at both Porter Clough and Forge Dam.
At Forge Dam Hilary and a team ventured into the Wet Woodland for the first session of the year to pull up some of the Himalayan Balsam. There will be further sessions required in here to keep on top of it. The feedback from the team was to next time wear over trouser and use insect repellent!
Dave and a team were back installing more fence posts opposite the playground, this time with the help of some heavy pole digging equipment to break up the heavily compacted soil. Another section has now been completed although the tops of some of the poles need reducing.
Steve: "When I nod my head you hit it Phil" (!)(!)!)of flowers in the flower beds which now ihave some additional plants thanks to planting by the Fulwood Beaver scouts the other week.
Up at a very midgy Porter Clough, a team led by Matt commenced building the first leaky dams, the idea being to reduce the flow of the river in spate and therefore reduce the silt being washed down the valley. The eager beavers gathered fallen logs and branches, shaped the more solid pieces into stakes which were hammered into the bank sides (to hopefully avoid disturbing any water voles) and then other logs and branches were placed across the river between the stakes. Two dams were completed during the morning session and more will be built later in the year. Notices are to be installed informing the public these are official structures and not to be dismantled.
The bench seat was also affixed to the seat posts which had been installed in a previous session.
The next work morning is on Thursday 14th July 2022 where the main task will be to help distribute 20 tons of gravel to repair the footpaths and bridal path below Forge Dam which we surveyed a few months ago. It won't be all muscle work though as we will require footpath marshals, gravel rakers etc. An email will be sent out nearer the time with meeting details and information.
Lyndon
A Selection of photos from the work morning
Another section of fencing installed
Leaky Dam 1
Driving stakes into the bank side
Completed dam
Leaky Dam 2
Steve: "When I nod my head you hit Phil" (!)
Completed Dam
Steve, Chris, Phil and Matt
Matt, Steve, Rob, Phil, Chris, Lyndon
Matt hammering a 6 inch nail
Rob,Phil, Chris and Peter testing the bench!
