Would you like to help us with some unique habitat creation work? Then why not join us on one of our volunteer work parties?
Thursday 9th October and Thursday 16th October – meet at the farmyard at 10am (Finish approx 1pm)
Creating species rich chalk grassland at RSPB Winterbourne Downs.
Be part of the UK wide Save our Magnificent Meadows project! We have been out on the plain collecting seeds of chalk grassland species which are impossible to buy from seed suppliers because they are either difficult to collect or grow in such small numbers in difficult to reach places. Many seeds were gathered in a recent volunteer event on Beacon Hill, some of which have been sent on to a Wild Plant specialist, who will grow them on to plug plants for us. However, we still have lots of seed which need to be planted out on the reserve, and this is where we need your help!
We have organised two dates for seed sowing – Thursday 9th of October and Thursday 16th October. We will be meeting at 10am at the farm yard and working through to lunchtime. We will be using hand mattocks to create small areas of bare earth in the ground in which to sow the seed. This does involve a lot of bending over, so you will need to bare this in mind if you suffer from a bad back!
Winterbourne Downs Volunteers enjoying a quick cake break! :)
Thursday 20th November – meet at the farmyard at 10am (finish approx 3pm/3.30pm)
Annual Coppicing Work Party.
We will be back in the New Plantation for our annual coppicing work party.
We have been coppicing this plantation to keep it open and prevent the trees from becoming too big. This also adds structural diversity, and we have noticed brown hare, roe deer and even overwintering woodcock love hiding in the scrubby coppiced areas we have already created.
We will be using hand saws to coppice and pollard the trees, and hopefully we can have a bonfire to help us keep warm over lunch.
We will be meeting at the RSPB farm yard at 10am, and will be finishing around 3pm, so bring packed lunches and drinks.
For both of these work parties, please wear suitable clothes for the weather conditions, and appropriate footwear – I always wear wellies, but boots would also be fine. We will provide all the tools, but it would be useful if you could bring a pair of work gloves if you have them.
Keeley