A welcome return to Ruskin Mill to continue laying the hedge alongside farm track. The stretch we were laying was mostly hazel with some blackthorn and a Field Maple.  There were 6 of us, at least two of whom were hedging novices, so it was good to be able to pass on skills in a traditional hedgerow management technique. We managed to complete about 10 metres (which included a few very large hazel stools previously laid that took some time to clear old pleachers and other material), and stake plus bind with heatherings.

All in all a very successful task and we can’t wait to return towards the end of the year.

Richard

Five of us spent Sunday morning walking through Lineover Wood near Cheltenham trying to identify the trees. With a wide variety of native species including small and large-leaved Limes plus a magnificent ancient Beech, Lineover is an excellent resource for improving our ID skills. We were looking at the buds, bark and twigs to help distinguish the different species.

Altogether a worthwhile time if a bit muddy/slippy in places and hopefully those who took part will have learnt how to identify a few more species.

A follow up day will be organised for identifying trees when in leaf, in Spring or Summer.

Another visit to Aldwick Wood Kemerton to try and remove the rest of the fencing from the site. A good turn out of 5 volunteers and weather generally dry with a few odd showers. A brilliant effort from all to nearly complete the task, the remaining fence was mostly amongst thick bramble or covered in soil. That should be our last task  on this fence.

A welcome return to the farm at Ruskin Mill for a spot of hedgelaying. Continuing with the same hedge with a lot more hazel and less thorn than last time. Three of us attended and we were joined by a few volunteers at Ruskin. Successful days work and very pleased with what we achieved. Hopefully to return in Jan/Feb 2018.

Richard

A welcome return to this grassland site on the outskirts of Dursley, managed by the Stinchcombe Hill Trust.

Overlooking Dursley, 6 of us, along with 3 Stinchcombe Hill volunteers, helped the site manager cut back encroaching dogwood, wayfaring tree along with beech saplings. This was on a stretch of wildflower rich grassland that is habitat for many butterfly species as well as other invertebrates including some rare moths and beetles.

A good day’s work which ended in bright sunshine.

On a windy and sometimes showery day four keen volunteers set to removing an old fence from in the wood. The aim is for the estate to be able to erect a larger deer-proof fence to enable Ash regeneration without them being nibbled. The hope is that at least some of the Ash will be able to survive Ash die-back.

Quite a hard task to undertake, with some of the fence engulfed in undergrowth, however, we managed to clear nearly half the fence.

Kemerton Conservation Trust is a forward thinking organisation involved in both commercial farming alongside conservation of the landscape and it’s wildlife.

We hope to return to complete the task at the end of July,

On Sunday three of us ventured out into the wilds of backwater Gloucester. Alney island is a small, mainly grassland, reserve on the outskirts of the City flanked on either side by the River Severn and acts as a flood plain. It was quite a windy day so we weren’t so lucky in seeing many butterflies (Green-veined White, Orange Tip,  Large White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and Tortoiseshell) but enjoyed the varied habitats and plants. We also walked over Telford’s Bridge and across to Over Wharf to look at the small stretch of Hereford and Gloucester Canal. On our way round we saw some of the Gloucester cattle that graze the site (along with some longhorns at times) and heard a Cuckoo near to the Electricity sub station. We also paid a visit to the Docks for a bite to eat.

In all a wonderful area of open space that deserves to be visited.

With six volunteers we continued our work on the main path by adding more chippings where it had become a bit muddy, also further on by another entrance to the reserve. We also cut back some bramble encroaching near to path and bramble/clematis from some grass scallops near to the pond, hopefully to give plants a bit more room and prevent them being swamped by the clematis in particular (although we were careful not to lose all of this and the bramble as good nectar/ food sources for insects).

Another task was to start coppicing some of the overgrown hazel to give a new lease of life.

Whilst there we spotted Brimstone and Peacock butterflies as well as fish in the pond and possibly frogs although difficult to see these clearly.

Beggarboys is a small nature reserve, formerly a fishing lake, with willow carr, sedge and reed beds. On one side is a bund which has become overgrown with trees, shrubs and bramble. Our task was to continue opening up the bund (with the added aim of preventing large roots eventually leading to leaks) by clearing small trees and scrub – the landowner was going to treat stumps to stop regrowth. Five of us turned up for the task and managed to clear quite a bit of material from the bund, which was put on the far side away from the lake. It was a grey day with bouts of rain, light snow and quite windy.

Since our last visit in November the water levels had increased significantly which was a good sign that the bund was holding OK.

Four of us ventured out to Ruskin Mill, Nailsworth to continue laying a stretch of hedge leading up to the farm near Horsley. It was a dry and cool day, just right for the task in question.  We managed to almost complete the stretch of hedge that has been worked on by ourselves and students/apprentices from Ruskin Mill college over the last few years.

Pleacher is the term for a laid stem – partially cut through either with saw or billhook/axe just leaving a ‘hinge’ making sure the cambium layer just below the bark is intact (see below). This is where the flow of nutrients and water are drawn up into the tree.

New shoots will appear along the stem and from base in spring

Stakes are used along with ‘heatherings’ (binders made from thinner stems cut from the hedge) which have been stripped (known as ‘snedding’) and wound through the stakes to hold the pleachers in place.

The completed hedgelaying task and a very satisfying end to the day.