Blog by Eleanor, photos by Julio, Sally and Margaret Fifteen of us met in the football club car park for our session at Kennington Memorial Field. The day was grey and cloudy, but at least it was dry and fairly mild.
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Meeting in the car park
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We made our way down to the field where Kevin, the session leader, briefed us on the tasks. The field, on a sloping site, is chalk grassland with some groves of trees, but we need to keep bramble and thorny shrubs from invading the area.
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Briefing
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One big task was to cut back a large area of bramble, some of which was growing very low.
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Bramble patch before
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Some of us set to work on the bramble patch, patiently cutting away, finding where it had taken root again, then carrying it away to an existing pile under the trees.
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Tackling the bramble
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Our work was enlivened by the occasional loud "Ow!!!" as thorns penetrated gloves.
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After shots of the bramble area
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Another task was to open up the canopy along the path to the bottom of the field.
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Julio, Rhian and Dieuwke set off, armed with loppers
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| After photo |
There was a fallen tree and some bramble at the bottom of the site.
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Fallen tree and bramble
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Roger and Lesley tackle the tree
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Simon attacks the bramble
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....and makes a dead hedge with the cuttings
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The dead hedge will be a good habitat for invertebrates.
Of course, we needed a break after all this work.
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Tea break
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The bramble by the bottom gate needed clearing. The area is very popular with dog walkers, most of whom know how to control their dogs, but a few don't. There were no cattle in the field this time, but sometimes cattle are grazed there.
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Sally scything the bramble patch by the gate
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Simon with rake
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Everybody had worked hard to do a good job.
Here are some photos to show that Spring is on its way.
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Snowdrops and daffodils
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| Blackthorn blossom |
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