Dry Sandford Pit - Saturday 22nd June

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Blog by Eleanor, photos by Eleanor, Margaret and Julio

It was a damp, cloudy start to our session as it had rained overnight, but conditions were set to improve. We were a smaller number than usual, but we were pleased to welcome two new Green Gymmers, Julio and Rhian.

Our first task was to pull up Himalayan Balsam on the far side of the reserve, so we set off along the path towards the stream where most of it would be found. We set up camp and showed the newcomers a sample of what they would be looking for. There was a steep slippery slope to negotiate and then a shallow stream to cross. There were patches of Himalayan Balsam, but far less than before, so our work in previous years had paid off.


Down the slippery slope

Margaret among the balsam

A close up of HB (not yet in flower)

Himalayan Balsam roots, shallow, watery and easy to pull up


Adrian at work

Adrian bravely crossed to the other side of the stream, and, balanced on a small ledge, pulled up HB and threw it across to us.

At last we had pulled up all the HB we could find, and it was time for our tea break. After that, we headed back to the meadow area where there was some scything to be done and ragwort to uproot. I am very ambivalent about this task as I am very fond of ragwort. It is the principal food plant of the yellow and black striped cinnabar moth caterpillars, which metamorphose into beautiful red and black moths. However, it is poisonous to horses and cattle, though they avoid eating it and they would have to eat large amounts for it to harm them. It becomes a problem when the dry plant gets mixed up in hay.
I was rather pleased to see that Isabella Tree, in her book 'Wilding', about the rewilding of the Knepp estate, is a great defender of ragwort. To quote, "Hostility to a plant which has been part of our environment since the last ice age is a peculiar new phenomenon." 

The weather had turned warm and sunny by now and the wildflower area was full of St John's wort and oxeye daisies as well as the much-maligned ragwort. There were scores of butterflies as well, mostly marbled whites and meadow browns. Soon, it was time to pack up and head back to the car park. 

Julio pulls up a ragwort plant

Marbled white butterfly on an oxeye daisy

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