Abingdon Green Gym Blog

Blog by Sally, photos by Julio and Sally  On another glorious spring day, we returned to Boars Hill, but this time to another site owned by Oxford Preservation Trust, Matthew Arnold Field, on Saturday, 5 April.  17 Green Gymmers were joined by consultant ecologist, Rod d'Ayala and another two volunteers from OPT.  It is always good to be joined by local residents.  Rod gave instructions to the group, led by Eleanor, to dig out Alexanders, a rather invasive plant which crowds out other native species, remove barbed wire from the fence which is due to be replaced and to scythe nettles, brambles and bracken to prevent them from encroaching on the grassland.  Any small trees we found could then be 'popped' by pulling them out, root and all, with the aid of a tree popper.  The cut material would then be used to form a dead hedge along the fence line. Rod giving instructions to the group as to what tasks needed to be done The area of bramble, nettles and Alexande...

 Blog by Eleanor, photos by Julio It was a bright, sunny morning, when twelve of us met in the entrance to Lashford Lane Fen, one of a group of Oxfordshire fens where we work. Interpretation board at the entrance Our instructions were to make our way to the main fen area, scythe and rake up some of the reed and cut back trees and shrubs on the far side to stop them from encroaching on the fen. Team briefing by Kevin Carrying our tools, we set off on the long walk to the fen. The ground was remarkably dry, with only one muddy patch, as there has been very little rain in March this year. At last we arrived at the fen, set up camp and made our way to the other side of the fen. The main work area (and scythe blade) There was also some work to be done, cutting back overhanging branches by the kissing gate leading to the fen. Roger and I volunteered to do that. Before After The others set to work on the fen and the trees on the other side of the runnel. it wasn't long before people were ...

Blog by Sally, photos by Denis, Michele and Sally Over the course of 4 weekdays, a total of 11 volunteers returned to Two Pines Fen (TPF) on Frilford Heath Golf Course to carry out the spring cut and rake, which we can only safely do during the week when there are fewer golfers about as the fen is bounded by two courses.  TPF is a calcareous fen, which occurs when spring water percolates through a layer of chalk where it picks up calcium carbonate which makes the water (and thereby the peat) slightly alkaline.  A number of plants and insects favour these conditions, but because this is such a rare habitat the flora and fauna are also similarly rare.  This particular fen is home to cotton grass, rare sedges and rushes and several species of orchid.  For once, the weather gods were on our side and we enjoyed fine weather. We dropped a lot of cut vegetation into the stream (which is acting as a ditch, draining the fen) to build up the layer of peat at the bottom.  ...