Task Reports

Our annual trip to Rodley Nature Reserve to help them with the coppicing of the willow trees to keep clear access for birds to the water. 

We will make a start on pruning the soft fruit, raking up fallen leaves to keep disease in check and digging out weeds are some of the other jobs to do.

Continuing the management of the pond, as part of a project of renewal of the ponds and site, through this coming year, that is funded by the Postcode Local Trust. Today we removed the piles of pond vegetation that we had left at the edge last time, to give any pond life chance to get back to the pond. We raked fallen autumn leaves from around the pond edges to prevent them blowing in and from the surface of the water to try to prevent a build up of rotting organic matter in the pond. 

Our second visit this autumn, we will be cutting the grass on the banking on the field, clearing deadwood by using it in dead-hedging, and possibly some coppicing and re planting, spreading out wildflowers to new areas.

A day to clear out and tidy the undercroft where we keep equipment and materials.

Despite the rain today we made good progress on clearing vegetation from both of the ponds, particularly bogbean and flag iris, both of which have a tendency to take over in a pond if not managed. We left the vegetation next to the pond to give a chance for any pond creatures to crawl back in. 

On a rare dry day in October, we scythed meadow areas and cleared overgrown vegetation from the ponds in the wildlife area, including some of the invasive New Zealand pygmy weed.

A busy day preparing for Apple Day on Sunday 13th October.  We laid gravel in front of the new apple shed, cleared litter from the area, mowed and harvested apples ready for juicing.

We dredged the silt trap at the entrance to the pond and cleared silt to free up a channel in the pond itself.

The weather was fairly challenging today, for what is an important day of end of summer management. 

However, as ever, we achieved a great deal with our dedicated volunteers and the invaluable contribution from workers from IGS Construction, who had a day out of the office to help us. 

We cut the meadow area in the event space using the scythes and mowed area around the stone bench. Almost all the hedges have been cut, with the arisings piled ready to be taken to the Household Waste site for composting. The ongoing task of harvesting was a key element of the day. 

There is still more end of season vegetation cutting to be completed, plus more work around the shed. We will tackle these tasks on Friday 11th October.