Abbey Fishponds, 4th February 2017

By Andrew -
Abbey Fishponds was the venue for Saturday's session.  The Green Gym, including new recuit, Ian, met with volunteers from the Earth Trust (who manage the site), working under the supervision of community reserves warden Lucy Tomkinson and local warden Majorie White.  We met as usual by the Hadland Road entrance to the site and received instruction on the morning's activities.

 We divided into groups, with some of us taking a number of ash stakes and other apparatus to the footpath at the far end of site to re-lay a hedge, while others traversed their way across to the reedbed to rake some of the reeds that were being scythed, into piles.  A number of willow trees in the wetland area were also being trimmed, with the removed branches being added to a dead hedge in the vicinity.  Some of the straighter branches were fashioned into binders to use in the hedge-laying, along with some hazel that was coppiced for the same purpose.

 As we worked, we were joined by a cat that had introduced himself earlier as we had gathered in Hadland Road!  Not that we needed any more hands, as we had another good turn-out for the morning.

 A good shift was put in by all and the sun even shone upon us, quite a contrast to the weather of the preceding week.  An impressive amount of raked reeds were stacked, and the hedge-laying was completed to a satisfactory standard, with the remaining cut willow branches removed to piles at the edge of the site as we finished up.
-Andrew



Assembling at the end of Hadland Road

Sally, Colin and Rosie busy laying the hedge.

Reeds raked and stacked.

Hard at work in the reedbed.

The dead hedge.

Lesley -  after having sunk into the reedbed beyond her wellies!

Blue Skies!

Tea Break.

A feline visitor. (photo by Petra)

Teasel in the sunlight.

Homewards at the end of the session.



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