Leader - Lesley
After taking a rather torturous route to get to the village of Hempsted, partly due to a section of the Bristol Road being shut, the Cheltenham contingent arrived slightly late. The task was part of an ongoing project at the site, close to the river Severn, to clear a large conifer plantation and replace them with native species including oak and hazel.
Under the guidance of Justin, the Severnside Project Officer, whose job it is to co-ordinate projects in the area of the river Severn south of Gloucester, work commenced. Before long a roaring fire was devouring the cut branches from the conifers. The trunks of the trees were kept for firewood. The nine of us split up into two groups, those felling and clearing up and those planting up in the newly created spaces.
So far so good. Unfortunately, just as we stopped for lunch it started to rain and steadily got heavier. We valiantly carried on after a very short lunch break for about 90 minutes, getting completely drenched, before we finally called it day. Despite the weather we managed to plant all the trees provided as well as clearing a number of conifers and burning the debris. Even considering the previous very wet autumn/winter I can't recall getting so drenched for several years!
Rob N