Our work Party on 4th August was all centred around tree work. Last month we had partially cleared some wind damaged/blown down trees over at Whillet’s meadows, this was awaiting our ranger with a pole saw & chainsaw to safely complete the tree work we needed to make safe and improve habitat. This we successfully completed.
We then cleared many willow branches on the North & West sides that were hanging down to reedbed height and were stopping light getting into the bare mud area to encourage marsh plants. It is also the habitat for our rarer and listed Orange Foxtail grass.
Another view of the North side Willow edge which is also showing one of the huge stacks of Willow branches we removed recently within this area of the reed-bed that will be suitably used or disposed of in due course, as necessary.
Now the nesting season is over, we needed to do this work while we still had the lower water levels that provided the dry access we needed to complete this work.
View looking through the west side reedbed willow after overhang edge clearance work. The north edge is showing in the background.
We still want to retain a tree line edge around reed-bed to help protect the reeds particularly from westerly gales. But let in some light.
Our Work Party on the 11th August again made use of the continuing dry weather to fill in the potholes at the hide car park, and do further work around the Whillet’s reedbed that we started last week.
We had delivered 4 off 800kg bags of aggregate plus 8 bags of cement and with wheelbarrows and shovels and a wacker plate provided by the Rangers we got underway promptly and managed to complete the work during the morning before it got too hot!
Driving into the car park should no longer be a miss the pothole exercise and last for a while before any further work is needed.
Pic to left shows the rangers and volunteers working as a team.
We wanted to re-cut a central ride through the reeds from the roadside viewpoint down the reeds to the north end, and a ride from the viewing platform at the east side that will join the central ride.
The reason for these rides is to allow waterfowl to gain access through the reed-bed. The rides will flood in winter and also be a habitat improvement as many species like reed edges.
The picture to the left shows the ride looking toward the North side Willows at the back where we had already both cut the reeds and collected and stacked them.
Further reed clearing and cutting including the reedbed South end side still to be completed on another day.
(See 18 & 25/8 work pics)
On the 11th August we also started some
Willow clearance work at the South side tree line and in particular the roadside viewpoint.
The picture on right shows the right-hand side trees blocking views and light, the island hardly visible..
This picture on left shows same views towards the island after tree clearing showing the open mud areas now available for marsh plants and reeds.
Further work was carried out to clear some trees hanging further to the right that hung low over the island moat area. (see 18 & 25/8 work pics)
Picture left shows view towards island and the huge pile of tree cuttings that are stacked down below the road-side hedge.
These cuttings are not directly affecting views from the road where the public view from a higher level.
These cuttings will be dealt with in due course.
Other work, we also cleared some bramble from the hedge near the access gate into Whillet’s meadows and the nearby part of the roadside where rampant bramble was spreading out everywhere and becoming a hazard for pedestrians.
On the 18th & 25th of August we carried on cutting reedbed rides and stacking the arisings. Clearing further Willow from around the reed bed edge on the South side plus further willow cutting at meadow pond whilst low water levels allowed us good access. Pic below view from road towards island.
hedge now we have cleared Willow back at moat edge.
Pic on left – Meadow pond after trimming far willow tree.
Also showing how low the pond reached just before the start of some rain.
During August we also had contractors carrying out grass cutting at Whillet’s meadows, plus Pintail bank and dam end North bank meadows.
We were pleased with the results.
