Abbey Fishponds, 1st October 2016

By Andrew -
There was a small team of seven volunteers from the Green Gym this Saturday, but we were supplemented with Lucy, Marjorie and four others from the Earth Trust which manage the Abbey Fishponds Nature Reserve - our venue for the Morning.

The forecast was not good, with rain most of the time, thankfully it remained intermittent, largely just spitting with a downpour only at the end.

We are regulars at this site and the task of raking and stacking the cut reeds is something that we have done often over the seasons.  We had two large areas to clear either side of the high bank which cuts across the reserve and where we decamp our equipment and have our coffee break.  One area was about 100m by 30m and the other about 50m by 50m.

We divided into two groups and set to it. The reeds hadn't become too wet - making it easier to move them, however, there were a lot to move!  It was just a question of finding the best system that worked, which was to raking the cut reeds towards the entrance of the pathways and then to pitch-fork them to where we were going to stack them.

We manage to clear half the area before the break. Then with the help of the reviving refreshments and the added effort to see the job through, we completed the task by the end of the session!
-Kevin
 
 
 
The start - ready, willing and able?

The task ahead

Getting stuck in

Margaret being thorough clearing the pathway

Janet in the distance starting at the other end

Maggs with a determined look on her face, thinking of the chocolate biscuits at break time!

Dieuwke in much need of chocolate biscuits and coffee!

The other team well on their way to completing their patch

No time to stop and pose for the camera

So far so good - half finished at the break

 
Job done!
 
 

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