On Wednesday this week I tagged along to the end of a mass volunteer day to improve limestone woodland and grassland habitats in part of the Morecambe Bay Futurescape. Although I wasn't there to get my hands dirty, Tania Crockett had worked with one of our partners, Friends of the Lake District, to get over 300 hands dirty. On that bright and sunny day they got 157 volunteers, which included 70 children, to get up close and personal with our habitats. The vital statistics of the day shaped up like this:
• 10 practical tasks undertaken on 5 woodland and grassland sites
• 125 days worth of work carried out in one day
• 2.7 hectares of woodland management - including coppicing hazel and removing sycamore
• Almost 1 hectare of limestone grassland cleared of scrub
• 10m of dry stone wall rebuilt and a much-needed handrail installed alongside steps on a public footpath
• and, ever important, over 300 pieces of cake were donated and gratefully eaten by the gang of volunteers
This was the second Fell Care Day to take place in Morecambe Bay Nature Improvement Area, but the sixth one led by Friends of the Lake District, and by the feedback we got, it won't be the last. It is a great way to get nature conservation and other organisations together with the local, and not so local, community. Several people I spoke to had come up from Manchester to be a part of the day.
And why was I there - I was finding out from people what they think makes Morecambe Bay special. But as its November, I was doing this over a cup of tea and a slice of cake in the warmth of the Victoria Hall as the day got dark. I hope to get my hands dirty at the next Fell Care day though!
Jenny