Tuesday 26 July 2016

Dacre Banks Nature Park: 23-07-2016

OfVOL
Office for standards in volunteering (conservation division)
Making a positive difference to the environment
  
Task appraisal report
Date
 26-07- 2016
OfVOL appraising officer
Ms Bea D’Eye
Volunteer group
Nidderdale AONB Conservations Volunteers (NCVs)
Task
Removal of an area of Himalayan balsam and weed trampling in the newly established Dacre Banks Nature Park.
Weather conditions
Warm and pleasant.
Judgements
(Please refer to the criteria listed in the OfVOL appraisal manual, chapter 5 section 3, subsections 1i -10 iii when making these judgements)
Volunteer task leader
James S. is an excellent task leader with many admirable qualities. It is clear that he is well thought of, as evidenced by a turn-out of 11 NCVs at a time of year when many are on holiday.
NB An alternative reason for the good turn-out could simply be the hope for more of the excellent cake provided on past visits by the wife of the nature park’s owner, Michael Emsley. This will need checking via the data collected from individual NCV interviews.

Grade:  
Outstanding (pending interview data check)
Health and safety
 A sound risk assessment was circulated to all NCVs during the week prior to the task. All NCVs were clad in appropriate clothing in the main* and I am pleased to report that all NCVs reached the end of the task in one piece.
*Two NCVs were required to work alongside a stream but did not have the requisite wellington boots. However this offered them an opportunity to practise their yoga stances ‘al fresco’ as they straddled the stream. Photographs taken by James failed to be registered on the camera. (See targets for development section below.) 

Grade:
Good
Group morale
James had not mentioned the fact that Himalayan balsam may have to be pulled until the task briefing. However, morale appeared to be high in spite of both this and the other aspect of the task.  Areas of ground previously  covered only by short grass during a tree planting project at the start of the year, i.e.

Then

were found to be completely overgrown by all kinds of vegetation with thistles and nettles very much in evidence.


Now

In spite of this the NCVs maintained a cheerful disposition throughout, as evidenced below:



Morale was considerably boosted by the sight of two types of cake at coffee time, which was delicious.
  


Grade:
Outstanding
Task achievement
Apart from the Himalayan balsam the main intention was for unwanted vegetation to be trampled or cut down around each of the saplings that had been planted in plastic spirals to ensure that they were not shaded out or pushed over. This will also enable Michael to spot the trees in order to treat their surrounds with a herbicide.

The balsam occasionally required the NCVs to engage in teamwork, something they manage well. Two managed to work together in a tug of war with one difficult stem which was particularly well rooted:



The NCVs used excellent skills of logic and observation to locate the almost invisible trees. Comments such as:
  • “There’s  one here and here, so there must be one there”
  • “If you find one in a trench then just follow the furrow along and you’re bound to find one”


Like miners digging for coal, whenever they struck a seam they followed it along until it ran out. At no point were any of the field's fauna hurt - as evidenced by this photograph of one of many masses of Peacock butterfly caterpillars found feasting on the nettles.


As photographs show the NCVs were successful in their endeavour. By 2pm the job was complete.



Grade
Outstanding
Overall Judgement :  Outstanding
(Pending moderation by the national OfVOL moderation body, OfMOD)

NB If this grade is upheld the NAONB NCV team must not become complacent. They should be advised to maintain these high standards and be prepared for another, unannounced, OfVOL inspection at any time. Targets for development are as follows:
  1. The NCV leader should ALWAYS mention when Himalayan balsam pulling is part of the task to allow NCVs to find an excuse not to attend.
  2. The leader should enrol on a photographic training programme immediately to ensure that future important evidence collection is not compromised.

 Bea D’Eye

Wednesday 20 July 2016

Hackfall Woods: 19-07-2016

Multi-tasking at Hackfall Woods today. Eight of us turned up including our leader, James, and with loppers and spades in hand we descended into the woods. Amongst the trees the team quickly fragmented into splinter groups to cut back vegetation encroaching onto the footpaths, dig drainage channels and tackle the Himalayan balsam.(Some of us also did a little bracken bashing along the way...) 

 Yvonne does a little path clearing.

As can be seen from the photos below, the dreaded HB was not very much in evidence in those areas of the wood they worked in, which makes a welcome change. All those years of hard work are beginning to pay off!


One lonely stem of balsam.

Jo finds a handful over the wall.

The biggest pile of balsam the NCVs were able to make.

Two people carried large yellow buckets to collect water and scrubbing brushes to clean the signs. The summer sun we haven’t seen much of up to now was out in force today, but we were nicely sheltered from it by the lovely big trees. Because of the humidity it did feel a bit like being in a tropical forest. 

 Neddy the horse hides behind a fallen branch.
Sorry - my mistake... 
An interesting bracket fungus.

We all met up, eventually, for lunch by the pond (a couple of us got slightly lost in the maze of paths and had difficulty locating it until put right by some passing visitors). 

Some very hot lunchtime picnickers. 



While we were eating our lunch sitting in the Rustic Temple we were surprised to see the fountain suddenly rise into the air, the pump being operated by a young woman. James later had a go but, despite pumping with vigour for a considerable length of time, alas...no fountain! 

James tries his hand at the new pump 
by Fountains Pond. 

After lunch we processed as a team along another footpath, cutting brambles as we went, to clear another area of balsam before trudging back up the hill in the hot sun to the car park.

Tom has started a new trend by using 
his new Yorkshire walking poles.
Yvonne

Tuesday 12 July 2016

Stean: 12-07-2016

Captain's log
Star date: 12-07-2017


After months of travelling the universe, visiting many different star systems and dealing with a number of environmental problems, today found the Federation Starship 'Enterprise' orbiting planet Earth. We had received an emergency call from our base to return home to assist Nidderdale AONB's newly appointed footpath officer, Peter Lambert, with the construction of a new 'themed' footpath at Stean in upper Nidderdale. It is to be one of 8 paths linking the various Upper Nidderdale Landscape Partnership project areas so that visitors to the Dale can learn about its wildlife and heritage.


A task force of 10 crew were beamed down by Scotty ready to carry out the necessary work. It was the kind of task that the Enterprise staff were well used to and it was pleasant to be able to carry it out without the need for specialist breathing equipment or imminent threat of attack by bands of marauding Romulans or Andorians. Phasers were, of course, always kept close to hand and did have to be used regularly to ward off hoards of flies.

The task force arrive in one piece after being 
teleported down to the planet's surface.
They listened carefully to Peter's introduction.

Bracken encroaching the footpath was gradually hacked away.


 Overhanging branches made the path difficult in places...

...and just had to be removed.

 A kissing gate was inserted to replace a rotten stile.


 A particularly muddy area was dealt with to improve the drainage.

 A high step in the path was made usable by the addition 
of nearby rocks to create a couple of extra steps.

A bridge was cleared of weeds.

The task force enjoyed their midday break...

...made all the better by the appearance of a tin of James's 
speciality date, walnut and banana cake.

Unfortunately one member of the crew let the side down. 
He did not make sure that his Federation socks matched - 
a shocking breach of discipline.
He is now being detained in the brig ready for court martial.

By 15:00 hours the task was completed and workforce leader James used his communicator badge to contact Scotty, requesting him to beam them aboard. I need now to order an engine boost to warp drive so that we can travel quickly to the outer reaches of the universe. Apparently an environmental crisis has arisen on the planet Zog that needs our help; probably bracken or Himalayan Balsam.

Captain Kirk (aka Ros E.)

Tuesday 5 July 2016

Azerley Estate: 05-07-2016

Whilst down in Wimbledon this week people were asking "Anyone for tennis?", up in Nidderdale AONB the NCVs were being asked "Anyone for himalayan balsam pulling?" Strangely enough, thirteen of them said "Count me in!" I wonder if this had anything to do with the promise of a BBQ? Possibly. 

It was certainly a BBQ that was worthy of the trip out to Azerley Grange estate. Kevin the gamekeeper and his wife, Emma, did us proud with masses of hot pork rolls, beef burgers, apple sauce and stuffing and a lovely sponge cake as well. (Thanks Emma!) We all ate so much that it was a real effort to tear ourselves away from the beaters' workshop afterwards for a second go at the balsam. I think that many of the shorter stems got ignored on purpose to save ourselves the discomfort of having to bend over to reach them during the afternoon.

NCVs enjoy the delights of an Azerley Grange BBQ 
only to find that they needed a larger size 
in trousers once they had finished.

The photos below show the progress that was made with the pulling of this invasive species. Unfortunately lots of it was growing amongst thistles and nettles, so many of us went home with bands of 'fizzy' skin around our wrists where the nettles had managed to break through our arm protection and sting us mercilessly. Still - all in a good cause.

Ros E.



NCVs start the day with a nice cuppa whilst 
Ned the dog waited impatiently to be on the way.

En route to the work site we passed the hedge that we 
laid early in the year. It's really growing up well now.

Once down by Kex Beck we could see that there was 
plenty of HB to keep us busy.

 Everyone got to work and were difficult 
to spot amongst the vegetation.

Look - here's a bit down here....

 ...and here's a lot up here.

Ha! Not any more!

 These two ladies worked hard on this area...

 ...as did these two gents on this one.

Some of us got into the beck to attack the HB 
from the front, with Ned lending a paw at all times.

 Jan and Laura kept smiling in spite of the HB wall ahead.

They soon made short work of it...

 ...and left behind an area completely bare of vegetation 
(apart from deceased HB). 
Hopefully now the other plants will move in...

...such as this gorgeous orchid.

One NCV ignored the advice that on no account should she stand for more that a millisecond on the muddy bed of the beck whilst crossing, in case her boots got stuck. 
She did - and they did - and now her trousers look like this!