Southern Town Park, 8th September 2012

By Andrew -
The plan for this session was to split into two groups, one to continue digging the allotment pond, a project we had started in the early Spring, and the other to cut back overhanging brambles and litter pick in Southern Town Park. However, the pond diggers, equipped with wheelbarrow and spades, were halted by the allotment enforcer and told that further digging of the pond had been forbidden by the Town Council Amenities Committee. We had been caught in the crossfire of a deadly political dispute, something which is not meant to happen to Green Gymmers!

We beat a hasty retreat and joined the other group, where there was plenty of work to do in cutting back brambles overhanging the fences and using the spades to clear moss and other vegetation from the edges of the tarmac path. It was too early to do any major scrub clearance, which should only be done between October and February, to avoid disturbing nesting birds and other wildlife.  The litter situation was not too bad. Perhaps the wet Summer had put a damper on outdoor drinking parties.

The weather was fine and very warm, so we enjoyed our tea break sitting at one of the picnic tables. Next week there will, of course, be no pond digging but we will work on cutting back brambles on the other side of the park.
-Eleanor



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