Abingdon Green Gym Blog

Blog by Sally.  Photos by Julio, Roger and Sally. On a dreich Saturday morning, we returned to Frilford Heath Golf Course for our session at Boundary House Fen.  The volunteers parked in the old Greenkeepers' compound, and then made our way to the Fen where we met Roger, our leader for the session with the tools, and consultant ecologist, Rod d'Ayala.  There were 16 Green Gymmers afforced by Rod and two of his contractors, Steve and Sam.   Boundary House Fen is a calcareous, or alkaline fen, which means that the spring water that feeds it percolates through a layer of chalk, thereby making it less acidic than normal fens.  They support a suite of plants (and insects) that prefer these alkaline conditions and are a very rare habitat so it is important that we protect them from pollution and material changes due to mineral extraction or developments in the catchment area in order to allow them to thrive.  They are also marvellous carbon stores so it's ve...

Blog and photos by Sally Avid followers will recall that we did not manage to complete the autumn cut and rake of Two Pine Fen in September and by arrangement with Jamie, the Sustainability Officer at Frilford Heath Golf Club, we were able to return on Tuesday, 3 November to do this, working on the Green course side of the Fen, which involved closure of the 4th tee so that we could work safely.  The Green Keepers compound, where we normally park with ease, was a hive of activity as the Golf Club had specialist contractors in who were improving the irrigation system to avoid water wastage in future.  Eleven volunteers turned out, including Dr Judy Webb, who is a consultant ecologist working with Rod d'Ayala, and has been monitoring this Fen for a number of years.  It was a bright sunny autumn day with a fresh chilly breeze. Two Pines Fen - so-named after the two Scot's pines - at the start of the day. Looking across to the Red 16th tee at the start of the session The patch...

Blog by Sally.  Photos by Eleanor, Margaret and Sally We returned to the lovely village of Sunningwell on 31st October and it lived up to its name as it was another fine autumn day.  There were 16 Green Gymmers and a number of villagers joined us as well.  After parking in the village hall car park, local resident, Bob Evans, led us to his back garden so that we could leave our tools there and he explained the tasks he wanted us to do, which were to clear some vegetation from the village pond, cutting back overgrowing branches from the Green, clearing some vegetation from along the stream, scything vegetation from a small mound in the Green to allow some wildflower plants to be planted and also to scythe around some recently planted trees. The briefing Local residents take to the pond Simon posing for the "before" photograph The overgrown stream before work commenced to clear away some of the vegetation.  The road is prone to flooding in winter. It's all hands on dec...