Between the Fens, Frilford Heath Golf Course - 2 January 2024

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We had to postpone our return to Frilford Heath Golf Course to continue with the cut and rake of reed in the area between Two Pines Fen and Boundary House Fen due to Storm Gerrit, but we were able to go back on 2 January 2024 for another "midweek special" and our first session of the New Year.  5 hardy souls came clad in waterproofs as it was rather a wet start to the morning.  We were joined by Rod d'Ayala, consultant ecologist.  

There were four scythers and, with Rod, we had two people to rake the cut reed.  This is an important link between the two fens and we are trying to get it back to a favourable condition for the rare alkaline fen plants and insects to thrive.  This means that we have to cut the reed very low and rake very hard to remove the build-up of "thatch" thereby preventing the build-up of nutrients and also to allow light to aid seed germination and disturb the seed bank.

Break time soon came round and our number reduced to 5 in total with Rod.  Once we were suitably refreshed, we returned to work.  Adrian started to help Rod with the raking.  Our brief was to clear as much of the tall reed as we could.  We soon reached the stream that flows from Boundary House Fen and through Two Pines Fen and were able to drop some of the cut material into it.  The stream is acting as a ditch and is draining the fens, so by heaping in some of the cut reed, this eventually breaks down to form peat, raising the level of the stream bed and helps re-wet the fen, by slowing the flow.  As the area is next to one of the tees, we were careful not to completely fill the stream as it would render the ladies' tee very wet.

The showers were intermittent and by lunchtime, we could even glimpse a patch of blue sky.  We were all a little apprehensive though as the forecast had promised the arrival of Storm Henk and it was not too long before we experienced gust after gust.  It was very hard to even keep upright, but we battled on trying to scythe and rake the reed and we kept a careful eye on the trees.  At one point, reed was blowing off the top of one of the heaps by the track, but we dampened it down by putting on some heavy thatch.  We called it a day at about 3.30 or so - the last golfers (one of less than a handful of pairs) had passed through.  Our next main challenge was trying to fold the tarpaulin which we had used to protect our bags from getting too wet.  At least Storm Henk gave us a decent blow dry and we weren't dripping wet all the way home!  We left feeling quite windswept, but it was good that we had made such progress in trying conditions - everyone had worked so hard.  It will be good to return to finish the job in the near future.

Sally

Adrian making a head start with Susan raking as Margaret and Barbara set up their scythes

The 16th tee surrounded by reed before we started work

Break time in the rain!

Work continues

Adrian, Margaret and Barbara scything

The stream

Adrian, Barbara and Margaret raking cut reed under a patch of blue sky!


The results of our labour with Storm Henk raging

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