Parsonage Moor - Saturday 24th September 2026

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The location and its habitats

 Fifteen Green Gymmers met in the Cothill car park for our session at Parsonage Moor, which is next to Cothill Fen but looked after by BBOWT, whereas Natural England is in charge of Cothill Fen.

Meeting and briefing with Adrian

It was grey and slightly drizzly as we set off along the track with our tools. After going through the gate we walked along the boardwalk until we found a suitable place for our encampment. 
There was plenty of evidence of the ponies, which are grazed here for part of the year. Gardeners and allotmenteers should have brought a sack for some free manure.

Adrian, our session leader, briefed us on the tasks. There was scything and raking to be done and sprouting trees and bushes to be cut down. This is necessary to preserve the fen habitat.

We left the boardwalk and made our way across the soggy fen to the far side. The scythers set to work, while the rest of us began lopping, sawing, raking and carrying to the heaps. We had to be careful where we trod, as some of the water was almost wellie height.
Susan scything reed - a bit of a tough cut.
Rhian and Kevin tree felling (Julio is somewhere behind!).
Sally & Susan in action
Adrian scything. Kevin collecting the cut vegetation and Eleanor tackling even more willow

Another area to clear - Jim, Adrian, Sally, Susan, Rhian and Julio take on the task
This is where it all went
Rhian trying to trample down the vegetation pile

Time for a welcome break

After our tea break, more of us went to the new area, where there were prickly gorse bushes as well as sprouting trees to cut down. There were ponies in this area, but they haughtily ignored us and kept their distance.

We made good progress here, but it was impossible to take more than a bite out of it before it was time to finish.
Carolyn & Simon do a final rake through and the area is now clear.
Looking across the fen
Another 'after' photo

By now the rain had started, so we were glad to gather up our tools and head back to the car park.

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