Wednesday work party

by Ian Bushell

A really good turn-out today, just about everybody was there, and the weather stayed good right up until we got to the picnic area for coffee.

David took on the heritage orchard, where the apple crop is so heavy on some trees that it has snapped branches. He has removed excessive fruit from some of the trees but there is still a lot more to do. 

So much fruit in the orchard that the trees have been damaged. A little girl’s bike in the stream, and Studley Bridge now that the blackthorn has been cut back

The rest of us moved down to the new Studley Bridge and opened up the area, using our power tools to cut back a lot of Blackthorn and Bramble and haul it away. We also dredged out some of the rubbish dumped in the stream by the bridge – lots of interesting stuff including a little girl’s bicycle.

Happy with that job, we moved on to the camp established in the woodland at the bottom of Kestrel Field, probably the work of local children.  We demolished the bivouac, stacked the wood and moved the seating out to the edge of the hard path where it will be easier for collection when the bin men come with their truck.  Then we litter-picked the whole area leaving it pristine.

Dismantling the camp at the bottom of Kestrel Field; cutting back the willow at the decorated bridge, watched by a fledgling robin.

Finally we moved on to the decorated bridge and removed a lot of the overgrown Willow foliage that is beginning to engulf the bridge. An untidy fledgling robin, still in the process of growing his red breast, came and watched us while we worked.

Pleased with the morning’s work, our final reward was coffee and biscuits in the picnic area where we were joined by David and Patrick.  It had been fine weather until then, with some sunshine, but the moment we sat down it started drizzling.

Both Corn and Sleeper Fields are still uncut, providing good habitat for invertebrates. There are the two piles of trimmings, soft vegetation as opposed to tree/bush pruning’s, left by the travellers that broke into the reserve last month. We will deal with all that another time – and don’t forget there is still work to be done in the orchard.

To join our work party, just turn up in the main carpark at 9.30am on any Wednesday morning. You will need sturdy footwear and a flask of your favourite mid-morning tipple; we will provide the gloves and the tools. See you there!