Enfield Conservation Volunteers
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Enfield Conservation Volunteers |
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April
Sunday 29th
Grovelands Park
In pleasant overcast conditions to the sound of birdsong, seven of us tackled another section in the muddy path in the woodland leading from Grovelands Pound! Trenches were dug and sleepers laid to contain hoggin. Culverts under the existing pathway were cleared. Brambles and holly were cut back. The task took slightly longer than anticipated, so the team were owed nearly an hours overtime!!
Jill Kidger
MAY
Sunday 13th
Whitewebbs Park
Despite rather wet weather, we had the grand total of 10 volunteers (plus TWO outreach workers as leaders!) turn out for today's task, including two new volunteers, David and Jenny. Step building was the main order of the day, at a location in Whitewebbs near 'Beggars Hollow' behind the Rose and Crown pub known to some as Spaghetti Junction, due to the fact that there are 5 different paths leading off from the one place. At one point, the ground slopes down from the main junction to two of the paths. As we found out, this slope becomes very slippery in the wet weather, so it was here that we constructed a flight of steps to make the descent (or ascent) safer. Risers were partially dug into the ground and held in place with posts, whilst the area behind was filled with road scalpings (old road surface removed when a new surface is laid). In addition, we repaired a fence next to the river which was becoming dangerous, and put in a replacement way-marker post to replace the original one that had gone missing. Finally, we used a graffiti removal kit to remove some 'tags' from another metal sign-post. Lots of work done, and as usual, the place looked very different when we left from the way it was when we arrived. Shame it rained so much....Robin Herbert
Sunday 27th
Tatem Park
A combination of holidays and appalling weather limited the number of volunteers to five, including two of the park's own Friends group, but it was still possible to make some progress on all of the projects planned for the day.The work was centred around the little pond. A mini rock island was created in the centre for invertebrates and as a dragonfly landing station. Duckweed formed a thick coating on the water surface, so rakes were used to skim off as much as possible. Two more jobs around the pond were the weeding of the surrounding hard surface, and cutting back overhanging branches to improve access. In addition, some plants with wildlife value were planted round about.
Running up from the pond is a path which forms part of the woodland walk. This is steep enough to be awkward in slippery conditions, so half a dozen steps were set into the bank and surfaced with woodchippings. More steps would certainly be helpful on further stretches of the path, and there will certainly be plenty of work available on future visits to the site.
Steve Mathieson
JUNE
Sunday 10th
Whitewebbs
In breezy warm weather, 9 of us cleared vegetation from the cast iron aqueduct at Flash Lane and erected a wide kissing gate giving special access for wheelchair users of the path beside Cuffley Brook. A fallen oak tree blocking the bridlepath was sawn and cleared. Users welcomed this.Jill Kidger
Sunday 24th
Trent Park Nature Trail
Continuing our never-ending battle against the sycamore in the Nature Trail, 6 volunteers tried a pincer movement to lessen its impact. Three of the group removed several of the stumps of previously cut trees while the remaining three felled more which will need the stumps removing at a later date.The area where the stumps were removed was covered with large numbers of wild foxgloves that should make an attractive show next year. However, previously cleared areas have been taken over by bracken which appears to be stopping any other plants from colonising. Is bracken our new enemy?
Judy Mayo
JULY
Sunday 8th
Arnos Park
This was the third visit to the fence line separating the play area from the new conservation area. The main project for the day was the installation of a five-bar gate to enable access for emergency vehicles and maintenance machinery. The load bearing gate post requires a metre deep hole wide enough to accommodate cross struts, and the digging, in addition to fixing the hinges on the gate and post, kept the six volunteers busy until lunch time. In the afternoon the gate was set in position, and a short stretch of post and rail run from the post into the shrub border to complete the fence line. Unfortunately, no catch was available for closing the gate, and a bolt is required to fully secure one hinge, so the project is not 100% complete. However these minor additions do not warrant another visit from ECV, and so this task can be signed off with some pride.Steve Mathieson
Sunday 22nd
Trent Country Park
A return to a site last visited in March - Shaw's Wood. This time however, the weather was much better (last time it rained all day), although the same number of volunteers attended (9 in total) although the names were different, as we had two new starters; Jess and Star. The weather was much drier, although recent rain made the ground soft and our job easier. Progressing the work started previously, we continued to clear the invasive Rhododendron from this area, enlarging the space free of this invader to allow a variety of other species a chance to establish themselves. Disposal of the removed vegetation (and that includes the roots, as otherwise it'll just grow back again) was either by creating mulch or habitat piles, or by the much more fun method of burning! Of course, much care was taken to ensure the fire stayed within control, with at least one person if not many in attendance at all times. Slowly but surely, just like other locations we work on, we're making an impact.Robin Herbert
AUGUST
Sunday 5th
Forty Hall
On what turned out to be the hottest day of 2007 so far, 6 volunteers met to continue the selective clearance of small oak trees which are encroaching into the meadow area. Because of the unaccustomed heat that day, work progressed rather more slowly than is the norm when ECV get their teeth into a task. One of the drawbacks of removing the trees was that the cover they provided from the relentless sunshine disappeared. Despite taking in plenty of liquid, the willing volunteers started to wilt and it was agreed that a siesta would be more sensible than risking sunstroke. We will return in more temperate conditions to continue the work.Judy Mayo
Sunday 19th
Jubilee Park
As is customary when ECV convene in Edmonton, a blanket of rain covered the morning: it may be imagined that this had some effect on the numbers attending. Seven braved the elements, including two Enfield Society members, one Friend of Jubilee Park and one local councillor. It had been intended to divide the work between the willow maze and the wildlife conservation area, but our labours would have been spread too thin, and so the maze lost out.The conservation area consists of rough grassland sparsely planted with native trees. Unfortunately it is beginning to be invaded by Japanese Knotweed, one of the most intrusive pants in the country. Some of the volunteers set about removing it wherever it reared its ugly head, digging out as much of the roots as possible.
The rest of the volunteers built a loggery for Stag Beetles. This rare and impressive beetle is in decline in Britain and globally, largely due to habitat depletion. The beetles lay their eggs in decaying timber, which must be substantial enough to sustain their larvae throughout their lives.
To create the loggery a hole was dug about two feet deep and about four feet wide. Logs of various sizes were set upright in the hole with most of their length below ground level. When as many logs as possible were fitted in the hole, they were wired together in an attempt a vandal-proofing, and the gaps between them back-filled with soil. A muddy but solid looking construction was the end result: let’s hope some gravid Stag Beetle flits there in the near future.
Steve Mathieson