Boundary House Fen, Frilford Heath Golf Course - Saturday, 23 November 2024

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Blog by Sally.  Photos by Julio and Sally

On Saturday, 23 November, six intrepid Green Gymmers set out for Boundary House Fen on Frilford Heath Golf Course SSSI despite the threat of rain and heavy gusts of wind heralding the arrival of Storm Bert, where we met up with Dr Judy Webb and Rod d'Ayala under whose direction we worked.

The weather had not deterred all golfers, either.  After making our way back along the track and down the path at the side of the fairway with our tools, we made camp in the usual place near the tee at the road side end of the Fen.  JimB had gone on ahead with his scythe and by the time we arrived with the rest of the tools, he had already started scything where we left off last time.  Rod explained that our task today was to cut as much of the rank vegetation (mainly rush, sedge and reed), which we then used to pack into one of the ponds that had been created on the fen and also the ditch that runs in the middle.  The intention is to recreate the original route of the Blackwater Stream, which will re-wet the fen, rather than drain it.  This will make it a better carbon store to help combat the effects of climate change, as well as recreate favourable conditions for the alkaline fen specialist flora and fauna to thrive and hopefully bring it back into the same condition as its little sister, Two Pine Fen across the fairway.

Rod asked Rosie to start scything on the near side of the ditch, whilst Barbara and Sally were asked to work on the other side near Jim.  Rhian and Julio helped Rod with the raking, along with Judy, who was also taking the opportunity to do some recording of flora and fauna, having already picked a couple of fungi as we made our way to the fen.  As the weather was dull, we wore hi-viz so we could more easily be seen by any golfers.  

The scything was difficult in places because deer had trampled the vegetation and it was lying every which way, so a few of us had to adopt the Scything Dance, but it will be a while yet before we're good enough to appear on Strictly!  

Judy found some fungus growing on a birch tree, called "Crimped Gill", which was the first record of this species on the site.  It looked like a delicate frilled bracket fungus.  We also found another old harvest mouse nest.

We had a very welcome break and when suitably refreshed we got back to work.  There was some rain, but not as heavy as we had feared it might turn out and we did have a few gusts of wind, but I think we got off quite lightly - it started to rain as we packed up and made our way back to our cars with the tools.  Rod stayed behind to finish off the raking.  We will be back here on 28 December for more of the same and it will be a good post-Christmas work out!

The "before" photo with Rod standing in the pond

Julio and Rod packing in cut vegetation into the pond

And it's a "1" from Craig

The pretty Crimped Gill fungus, which only grows on birch trees

Rhian packing the ditch as Barbara and Rosie scythe

Our work in previous months, filling the dam. has created meandering streams, but here Rhian is packing the ditch as quickly as Barbara can scythe.

Pixie cups (a lichen) on an old tree trunk

Spot the ditch!

Our Star Rakers - Rhian and Julio

Judy raking as Rosie and Barbara scythe

And below, here's the end result after our labours.

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