Marvellous Mechanical Beastie!
If you go down to the Marsh today you’re sure of a big surprise! Fans of large agricultural vehicles will get a kick out of seeing the magnificent Truxor Harvester carrying out our annual reed bed maintenance at Marazion Marsh. John Watts from Pembrokeshire based company Aquaclear Water Management will be onsite reed cutting with this impressive beast. The Truxor Harvester is a large amphibious vehicle which cuts the reed below the waterline, rakes and then lifts it clear of the water channels.
This important reserve maintenance work is carried out annually at Marazion Marsh and helps to free up and clear water channels improving access for the fish and amphibians which form the diet of many of our migrant visitors and resident birds. Reed cutting also helps to slow the natural tendency for the Marsh to revert to scrub and woodland and at the same time stimulate the growth of new reed. This creates ideal conditions for wildlife by helping to create a structure of open wet habitat, pools, glades and reedy edges.
If you fancy a look at this mechanical marvel…John will be onsite from 14th to 21st January. After John has finished his work with the Truxor, we have rather a lot of dead reeds which then need to be disposed of. Currently our volunteer work parties do this by stacking the reed into stooks and then burning it. In the past we have looked into disposing of the reed in different ways and would welcome your views on the subject. If you are interested in the reed or have any ideas how we could utilise it in the future, please contact the reserve office on 01736 360624 or email us on marazion.marsh@rspb.org.uk.
Truxor photos by kind permission of Alan James