The 3rd Volunteer Morning of the year had a definite feeling that Spring isn’t far away. The event was very well attended with both committee members and volunteers, with around 18 people onsite. Tasks this morning were the removal of a non-native horse-chestnut tree to make way for native woodland saplings including English Oaks. The photos below show committee member Andrew Slade with a mattock taking aim at the horse-chestnut, to remove it from the newly created woodland clearing on the way to The Glade area.

Mattock in hand

Taking aim

Roots and all removed!

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The first volunteer day this year took place last Saturday. Despite the rather damp, overcast weather a dozen or so people came throughout the day, some to volunteer, others just to take a look around.

At the end of last year, using volunteers from Barclays Bank, a small area was cleared, ready to allow for the beehives to be sited, just south of The Glade area. The photo below shows our new installed and very well camouflaged shed, next to the area where the beehives will be sited.

Equipment shed for our bees

Tim Barnes clearing leaves from the flower area

The newly built pond, looking very healthy

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Yesterday’s volunteer session had another busy day of activities. As well as the normal tidying up of The Glade area, it was also necessary to check up on our pond. It’s looking more and more as though it’s been established for quite some time. Two frogs were seen in the nearby grass, while the ponds plants look healthy.

View of the pond in The Glade

Purple Loosestrife adjacent to the pond

Meadowsweet plant growing near the pond

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Today’s latest session made the most of warm sunshine, something that has definitely been in short supply recently!

Today was in The Glade area, concentrating on weeding, pond maintenance and tidying up our dead wood pile.

Our apple and pear tree trees are producing a healthy amount of fruits, although as can be seen they’re quite small. Weeds have made the most of the warm weather with Rosebay Willowherb taking over around 20 sq yards of soil just to the side of the grassed area in the glade.

Smaller both in size and numbers than pears in general.

One of the many pears now growing

More pear fruits rapidly growing.

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This morning’s volunteer session saw 2 new volunteers arrive and the return of 3 others.  The main focus of the day was to take the saplings we ordered and to plant these on the footpath leading from the top of our newly installed steps, leading towards The Glade.

Two committee members infront of an overgrown fence, before work started to plant the area

Volunteers filling in the cleared trench with newly planted saplings

Committee members planting our newly created thicket

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