On Sunday 2nd November 2025, a large group from GVCV convened at the Pocket Wildlife Park in Churchdown to complete the annual pond clearance. Regular clearance of the ponds helps to maintain open water and a good mix of vegetation. These ponds in turn support a range of animal species including dragonflies and newts.
The group was greeted by Ann, our host, who kindly provided a nice big box of biscuits to keep the group going.
Many hands and perfect weather made for very good progress. With a large group we were able to clear all four ponds which required clearance in addition to a spot path widening works.
Thank you to various group members for photos.
Starting work on an overgrown pond Work in progressMore progress on the top pond Dave on bramble clearance 🙂Pond ready for the winter refill season Everyone smiling at the end – good weather & good company
For several years Gloucester Vale Conservation Volunteers (GVCV) has teamed up with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT) to help restore heathland in the Forest of Dean.
This year GVCV enjoyed an October residential weekend working at Woorgreens nature reserve, with the majority of the group staying together in nearby Pillowell.
The reserve includes a seven-hectare lake and over 50 hectares of mixed scrub, woodland and open heathland. The site has previously been used for commercial forestry. GWT are working with volunteers to remove trees and scrub to restore rare lowland health land. This habitat type is important to a range of plant, fungi and animal species including adders. According to GWT, the UK has lost of over 85% of lowland has been lost in the last 150 years due to land use changes.
The group returned to the lowland heath site we worked on in 2024 to continue clearance of birch and scrub. As with previous years the long horned highland cattle paid a keen interest in the group, our truck and any fresh leaves they could reach from felled birch trees.
The group enjoyed two days working to help restore this important heathland site, despite heavy rain leading to a shorter workday on Sunday.
Thank you everyone who joined GVCV for the weekend away.
And the work begins…Ant finding tree based challenges 🙂Fire grows as we clear the area And we start finding mushrooms as we clear – Fly Argic – Poisonous Cows also join us for morning break – truck in photo for scale. The cattle are gentle giants.End of day 1 – everyone still smiling , as we didn’t know the weather forecast for Sunday perhapsDay 2 weather ….they are still all smilingWith thanks to Jon – a good after photo. A job well done.
On Saturday 23rd August 2025, GVCV held its annual Hay Day Social.
Volunteers spent a sunny morning raking to remove cut grass from a limestone meadow in Rodborough, near Stroud. This annual activity is important to maintain the low nutrient levels needed by rare plant species found on limestone meadow e.g. purple spotted and fragrant orchids.
The group also cut back encroaching tree branches and brambles to help maintain the meadow habitat.
Following a good morning of raking the group produced 10 large dumpy bags of well packed hay. Given the dry weather conditions subsequent and poor grazing this year, the hay was donated to a local farmer as feed for her cattle.
As normal the group enjoyed a BBQ in the sunshine following a morning hard at work.
Freshly raked meadow ready for another wildflower season next spring GVCV enjoying much needed lunch after a hard morning of toil in the meadow
On 9th February 2025, Gloucester Vale volunteers visited Tim and Nola Lea at their farm in Elmley Castle. Tim and Nola over several years have transformed their farm to benefit wildlife – replanting hedgerows, establishing orchards and restoring woodlands.
Like many areas of the country, the farms woodlands have been affected by Ash Die back meaning some areas have been cleared and replanted. The new young mixed woodlands trees are planted by hand and need careful attention to maximise chances of success.
Working on steep banks overlooking the Evesham valley (well in the mist) the group cleared bramble from around the young trees and replaced trees that had died.
As normal Tim and Nola’s hospitality was brilliant. They joined the group for the task and provided a lovely lunch.
Insert new woodland hereSam embracing the task at handTrisha enjoying the task and ignoring the cold Tim with one of his many many many treesJon surrounded by newly planted trees Candy winning against the rocky ground Tim’s doggy who seems to revel in the task and constantly wanted a stick to chase
Thanks to the crew that braved the ice today to clear two ponds at Churchdown. The new pond at Rest Haven has benefited from its plant delivery as well 🙂
The 42-acre nature reserve is a mix of lake, marsh and heathland habitats. The group spent two days helping to clear former plantation trees and saplings from the heathland.
The group were surprised to find the heard from long horn cows encountered on at last years residential at Tidenham nature reserve has now been moved to Woorgreens. Fortunately these gentle giants were good company and didn’t prevent the work progressing.
The group stayed for two nights in a nice local pub and enjoyed live music and a community raffle on the Saturday night.
Arriving onsite on Friday the healthland looked more like a woodland Richard gets to work clearing Sapling hunting Work progresses in the autumn sunshineThe long horn cows joining us for lunch around the fire Heathland post clearance and providing an important habitat for a range of species including common lizards, slow worms, grass snakes and adders.Loads of cheesy grins ….
GVCV many years ago agreed that a Christmas Party in January was a nice to look forward to after the festive season and provided a good opportunity to regift that unwanted present.
This year the GVCV social took place on a cold Thursday evening in Stroud. The group enjoyed warming pre-drinks in the Ale House followed by a great Italian meal at Sorrentos. Sorrento even provided Christmas crackers despite it being January.
The entertainment for the evening included some ‘interesting’ secret santas, end of year awards for GVCV members and a particularly good poetry recital from Richard.
On Sunday 12th January 2025, six volunteers from GVCV braved the cold conditions to clear the two of the ponds in the Chruchdown pocket park wildlife area. These ponds are part of an urban drainage system but also an important habitat for Great Crested Newts. The clearance of the ponds annually helps maintain the summer habitat for this protected species.
After breaking through the ice, the group cracked on with clearing the ponds with ditch rakes.
Ponds ‘before’
The group also did a spot of bramble clearance and enjoyed post-Christmas biscuits to the energy levels up.
GVCV in progress and burning off all those biscuits Pond example ‘after’ – hard work but helps maintain an important habitat enjoyed by nature and visitors alike
On Sunday 17th November 2024, a merry band of volunteers from GVCV joined Chris & Paul from the Stinchcombe Hill Trust.
Stinchcombe Hill, just outside Dursley, is on the Cotswold Way and is part of the Cotswold National landscape (formally the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). The hill is rich in wildlife and includes three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (S.S.S.I.) on its banks.
Like many areas in the Cotswolds, the ash trees in the wooded areas on the Hill have been hit hard by ask die back.
Small trees and scrub also encroach on the valuable limestone grassland areas so need to be kept under control.
The group spent the day helping clear scrub and debris from ash die back works on a rare ‘flat bit’ of the hill. We enjoyed the surrounding scenery and the excuse to have a winter bonfire.
Before photo – this area on the edge of the golf course is a prime spot for wildflower meadow The early fire doing well after some TLC After photo … yes it does look different. One step closer to being returned to wildlife meadow
On Sunday 3rd November 2024, GVCV volunteers met at the Resthaven Care Home in Pitchcombe, near to Painswick.
The owners of the home (Lilian & Faithfull) are keen to increase biodiversity onsite, for the benefit of wildlife and the residents at the home.
Local resident David Pugh contacted GVCV for guidance and help establishing a wildlife pond onsite near to the dining room for residents to enjoy.
Pond digging as a winter task can be challenge given the short hours of daylight but fortunately our highly efficient team of volunteers delivered a pond in record time. Marking out, digging, lining, edging, and filling the pond in less than 5 hours!
The pond will now have winter to settle and finish filling up with rainwater before planting in the Spring.
An enjoyable if tiring task…
Step 1 – Mark out the pond and check the liner will fit. Change your mind a few times in the process. Step 2 – Dig a really big hole including a creative retaining bank.Step 3 – Remove any sharp bits and line with sand. Who doesn’t love the sand-pit moment. Step 4 – Work together to carefully get the liner in position. Nominate Sian to take her shoes off to get in the pond and carefully weigh down sections with rocks.Step 5 – Edge the pond with rocks and jimmy a feed from a local water butt to get some starting water in the pond. Put in a wooden ramp to prevent help out any animals that might fall in over winter. Pose for a photo.
