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It sounded easy. Just another quick job.
Task, just cut and remove last years reed growth, Dogwood, bramble and Willows that had been there for at least 25 years from the reed bed, any old logs that had floated in and the usual litter, brambles.
Do it by hand with a bow saw and loppers.
If you have ever tried to walk on reed beds you will understand me when I say it was heavy going. The water logged soil clings to your boots, the tangled undergrowth tries to trip you up every step that you take, and I curse every time a bramble nearly tips me to the floor. In places you can sink up to your knees.
The waterlogged tree trunks lay there neglected for years, blackened and loaded with water were just so heavy to move.
Cutting down the trees that shaded the reed beds was hard for me to accept as I always think I am destroying habitat. I pull the rangers leg and suggest we should be off to Brazil to help decimate that forest there. But he reassures me that we have plenty of trees and we need to provide good reed bed habitat. Will the Bittern ever come here I say to myself, no matter I will settle for some warblers.
I mucked in and after nearly four weeks we have got most of it done now.
The willows have mostly been chipped up and will be scattered and loads of logs to build many habitat piles.
That alone is another long job, loading and moving the timber to the required location. This is one task I am always really happy to do as I know that within days all sorts of creatures and fungi will be taking up residence in the nooks and crannies provided by the heaped logs and semi rotted timber. Natural food for all my feathered friends and any other creature.
Habitat piles I placed only a few years ago go unnoticed now by all people that pass through the woodland but not by the animals.
You have no idea just how much hard graft is involved. And all this done by four of us , three volunteers, retired and "past it" and one cheerful committed Ranger with a chain saw. He is fed up with me asking" must we cut down this nice Hawthorn?"
We found three woodpecker holes in one standing dead oak, so he plans to cut it off above the holes to retain the nesting sites.
So if I am not too knowledgeable on bird ID please forgive me while I sharpen my loppers.
Wow Lewis. looks you have achieved loads.
They are doing similar work at my local country Parks, Langley and Black Park. My daugther (18yrs old 0has been a volunteer for about 6 months. They have cleared lots of Rhododendrons and were takling gorse on the heathland last week. I think the other volunteers and the rangers were initially surprised a teenager turned up, but she hasn't missed a session yet.
It's thanks to hard working volunteers that this sort of work can be achieved. Well done and an amusing report of your work.
Thanks
Sarah
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bramble67/
Wow Lewis, I do admire your energy and devotion to your site. How many people will just walk through and be unaware of all that very hard work, but I know that is not why you do it. Thanks for your informative and humourous report.
Your energy makes me feel quite lazy Lewis. You do a grand and worthwhile job
Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. ~ Mark Twain
Hi Lewis
Well done for achieving so much as you have done so - and what a report to prove that you are still enjoying the big outdoors - it has so much to offer us and the wildlife goes without saying. The photos speak volumes too! {big smile}
I joined a group of people at the age of 21 years ago (too many years ago to remember) and I would devote my Sundays to doing all sorts of things connected to conservation like you have explained yourself here. It is very hard work but very satisfying work, (plus a few aches and pains), but still it gets you out into the real world to make though all important contacts with other people.
The groups structure was based on interest, and concern for our natural world - age did not come into it at all and we had a few OAP's who would turn up for an outing on many an occasion - they loved it!
The voluntary work was great fun, and I met a lot of people in the process. Working in a conservation field was very educational, and for a worthy cause. Still remember many of the people, and I have gained some lifetime friendships in the process
I admire you for committing your time as you have and well done to you once more. So please keep us up to date on your latest achievement and keep up the hard work.
Enjoy!!!
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Bless you, you are doing a great job there. Very well done you. :-)
I feel lazy just reading your report about this enormous task.
I hope that you are rewarded with bitterns next Winter :-)
Best wishes Chris
Click Here to see my photos
Hi lewis, i work on a 2000 acre estate, managed by the National trust, here on the shores of upper lough erne over here in Northern ireland, And i know exactly what you mean about about cutting out the dogwood and willow, it is dam hard work, but it has to done, and whoever takes it on should get the highest of praise..
Hello Lewis
I'm really impressed!!
We used to have a member on here called Corriepaw who did a lot of similar volunteer conservation work. His reports were always very entertaining. I remember one report he entitled 'My Day on the Bog' :)
Thank you for sharing this with us Lewis. I think many people don't realise the hard work that unsung heroes like you do for conservation.
Pipit
hi lewis
I have found an old scanned photo of my 'conservation' group from all those years ago ( I lived in Edinburgh) This was when we visited the East Coast and we had stopped off for lunch and a chat. I believe this John Muir Country Park
There are lots of other photos but I have not got around to scanning them in yet - will do so yet.
I am not in this photo myself as I took it with a non-digital camera. Note the upside down wheelbarrow on top of the van
A good job well done there Lewis! Nice to be able to stand back and see what you've achieved!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
Hello everyone, Update on the habitat improvement. Most of the main work has been done all the fallen timbers chipped for composting and timbers for habitat piles. All that remains now is to rake up the old reeds. Recently a freecycle wanted request caught my eye, "Wood slices and withies wanted" it said, and any "nesting boxes and wheelbarrows and tools" for a school conservation project at Thorners School in Bridport.
I contacted the helpers and with the help of the ranger they have now collected today a full load of "log slices" some quite large to serve as seats for the children during conservation instruction and learning about wildlife. Some withies to plant out, and I made seven new Wild bird nesting boxes for the woodland area. They were absolutely delighted. I am really pleased with this result. What do you think?
I any one can offer tools and practical help let me know.