RSPB's Chris Baker shares his experience of a day's volunteering at Mutton Marsh
Conservation isn’t always glamorous as a great day at Mutton Marsh goes to show.
The small wedge of land on the outskirts of Exeter, next to our RSPB Matford Marsh reserve, is being restored to create a mini-haven for waders and other water birds.
Photo: RSPB Volunteers tackling brambles!
But before we can start work properly all the old barbed wire needs to go; some of it buried, some of it under a thicket of brambles, most of it difficult to find, all of it horrible to handle.
Photo: Barbed wire removed
That didn’t deter our fabulous Exe Estuary volunteers, who pretty much cleared the site of old barbed wire in a one-day blitz. Thanks to all their hard work we’ll soon be able to get machinery onto Mutton Marsh and begin the process of turning the area into a species-rich wetland.
Oh yes, and a big patch of scrubby willow was cleared away from a corner of the new reserve the same day. Great team!
Photo 3: RSPB Volunteers digging out the barbed wire
Our Exe Estuary volunteers usually meet on Thursdays and if you want to get involved (it’s not always as hard core as recovering old barbed wire, believe me) contact our Exminster office on 01392 833311.
Photo 4: Brilliant RSPB Exe Estuary Volunteer Team
It was a great days work Chris. Good to see you again.