"Habitat Management" at Gate Bridge Watermill: 28-07-2015

The sound of rain hammering on the velux window when I awoke this morning and the advice from Paul to "bring wellies if you have them, and waterproofs, as rain is forecast" did nothing to boost my enthusiasm for today's task, which he informed us was to be "Habitat Management" (Himalayan balsam pulling to you and me) at Gate Bridge Watermill. However, as the venue was going to be an interesting one, and there was a promise of tea and cake from the mill owners, I donned the necessary protective gear and sallied forth to join 10 other stout hearted NCVs for a day of weed removal. The mill is a historic building near Galphay - a site where we have worked before (albeit in better weather!) Click here   to visit a website for some further information.

The NCVs stand and listen respectfully whilst Anita tells one of the group off.

The rain had all but stopped by the time we were ready to start and everyone got busy doing the usual job of pulling up the balsam, putting it into a heap and then stamping on it. 

Work begins - the eradication of a million weeds 
begins with a single pull.

Terry has a sly sit down on the job hoping nobody 
will notice him hiding behind the vegetation.

The task was made slightly more challenging by the fact that a lot of the balsam was growing along the banks of both a fast flowing river and a quieter stream that runs parallel to it. Waders had to be worn . This is an item of clothing that still gives me nightmares after my escapade in March of this year when willow spiling at Missies farm (click here to check on this if you are interested.)

Waders on my bottom half but what about my top?

Can you guess who is putting on these waders?

Bonus point if you thought Alistair and Phil! 

New NCV Nick threw himself into the task with gusto.

There were many NCVs that had to undertake 'extreme de-balsamification' - i.e. pulling in the most challenging of circumstances:

Phil had to clear below the bridge

Ros E. faced her demons and roped up to be dangled 

from a great height in order to clear the vertical sections of river bank.

Colin gives Ros E. diving advice.

Coffee (apple?) time allows Osian to check his messages.

Lunch was eaten in the garden and the owners kindly provided us with a wonderful selection of delicious cakes. What a treat! We were rather loath to return to work but eventually got round to it. I was glad to have had the foresight to have brought a spare pair of dry working gloves for the afternoon shift.

 The NCVs enjoy their lunch break...

...and Phil plays the part of Jeeves.

After lunch the rains came down and the floods came up but the NCVs carried on regardless. 

 Alistair got going behind the mill....

....and did a grand job.

Up by the weir the battle was being won.

By 2:30 pm we'd had enough of the rain trickling down our collars and called it a day. We'd almost cleared one side of the river but I'm afraid there was plenty more on the opposite bank. A return trip is needed!

Ros E. 

Balsam pulling and bracken bashing at Hackfall Woods: 21-07-2015

Twelve volunteers met Paul at the car park for Hackfall Woods. The group included Nick – a newcomer,  and Cheryl, a Geordie from London who was cat sitting for a relative and actively sought out some volunteering!

Armed with gloves and a mental image of Himalayan Balsam at all stages of growth, most of us walked down to the river and began where we had left off last week. Soon  armfuls of the pernicious weed became huge piles which were occasionally trampled on. We moved deeper and deeper into the woods, pulling it up from amongst ferns, under trees and out of nettle patches. All sorts of fungi growing on dead wood emerged from the gloom, including a sinister black one which resembled a cow’s horn or a snail. We gladly moved out into brighter conditions and sat on the river beach for coffee before renewing the attack.

 Well - let's make a start. There's plenty to choose from.

 

Yes - there certainly is. More over here ....

.......and over there.

The pile of ex-balsam starts to grow.

The stuff grows everywhere - even on the trees!

Cheryl admires the ferns that are now visible 

on the cleared woodland floor.

 Will and Phil joined Paul in a path clearance job which was mostly bracken thrashing but also removed bramble and other obstructions. Their work was complicated by a fallen branch across the path which served to delay their joining the rest of the group, as they only had bow saws to deal with it.

 Never mind taking photographs - come and bash some bracken!

Colin enters the portals of Mowbray Castle 

to check there is no bracken lurking inside...

...whilst Phil deals with the outside.

At lunch we discovered that there had been two casualties – both Will and Anita had suffered wasp stings and there was no shortage of advice on what to do. The afternoon proceeded much as the morning with an all out assault on the balsam infestation revealing a lovely under storey of Male and Buckler ferns. Pleased with the huge area we had cleared and complaining of backache we finished at 3pm.

Ruth

Himalayan balsam pulling at Hackfall Woods: 14-07-2015

Paul’s e-mail this week invited us to ‘balsam pulling and path clearance at Hackfall’, but on arrival the ‘lucky’ 13 NCV’s discovered that ‘path clearance’ was in fact a euphemism for bracken bashing! However, on making our way down to the river it soon became obvious that balsam pulling was the more urgent task. The wretched stuff was everywhere in abundance and getting ready to flower.

With military precision we fanned out across the wood and quickly heaps of the doomed weed appeared across the newly cleared woodland floor.  

Eyes down, bottoms up - the NCVs get busy with the balsam...

Here's a bit.

Here's some more.

There's  loads here.

The balsam, like the bracken last week,

was often enormous....

...and was encroaching fast.

Slowly the front line gets forced back....

and the piles of deceased balsam 

start sprouting up everywhere.

A quick coffee break on the river bank gave time for honing our wild flower identification skills and, for a lucky few, a glimpse of a kingfisher skimming over the water.  The stony nature of the seating arrangements however encouraged a swift return to work.

Riverside dining.

Home is where you hang your coat.

Osian does a war dance on a balsam pile.

 I think that Anita's in here somewhere ...

...oh yes - there she is!

After lunch the balsam offensive continued for most of us while Paul and Dave went off to do a bit of chain sawing. A sizeable area was cleared by 3pm when it was universally agreed that we had done more than enough for one day!  Unfortunately there will still be plenty left for next week.

Now the balsam's gone the other plants can be seen.

Julia

More bracken bashing at Old Spring Wood - with a lunchtime treat! 07-07-2015

Although today consisted of yet more bracken bashing - something that we are all becoming very adept at - there was a real treat in store at lunchtime in the form of a delicious meal. This was provided by Rosemary Helme, the owner of Old Spring Wood.Thanks Rosemary - it is much appreciated!! 

11 NCVs joined Paul for the task and the weather was kind to us for the morning. 

The NCvs got busy with their weapons of choice.

The bracken was a formidable sight.

The foxgloves were revealed as the 
bracken was beaten back. 

Coffee time was a welcome break.....

 ....during which time Will enjoyed Audrey's flapjack 
whilst relaxing in a bilberry bush.....

....and Paul honed his leg lifting skills. 

The troops headed back down the hill at half time, 
unable to resist bashing as they went.

As we got back to Rosemary's conservatory for lunch a thunderstorm started and the heavens opened. We didn't care - we were all nice and cosy eating our steak pie and coffee cake.

Phil got friendly with the cat and pretended 
he was drinking a nice pint of ale.

And who do these belong to? 
(See picture below for the answer.)
It's enough to put you off your pie.

What luxury - a table and chairs for lunchtime comfort.

Ros K.showed her fellow dinner guests just how big the 
hailstones were in last week's storm.

After lunch 7 stout hearted NCVs continued to bash bracken in the drizzle and then - bingo! The sun came out and made it all worthwhile. 

The bracken was as high as an elephant's eye.

Can you spot the NCV hiding to avoid 
any more bashing?

Osian and Phil fought shoulder to 

shoulder against the enemy.

By 3:30pm we felt we'd earned our treat, although there is still bracken a-plenty to be bashed.

Ros E.