It was great to welcome two new volunteers to our task on Sunday 13 April in Happy Valley, Bramhall, where we were working with the Friends of Ladybrook Valley (FoLV) to help them control non-native invasive species in two different areas.
Last year, FoLV removed American skunk cabbage in a flooded wooded area and our first task was to identify and dig out any new growth and to rebury some of last year’s plants that were resprouting. We also removed a large volume of New Zealand pigmyweed from one of the ponds to prevent it choking up, then burying the arisings to prevent regrowth.
We got to hear from FoLV what makes the area special and to learn about invasive species more generally, and it was also nice that so many people walking past showed interest and appreciation in what we were all doing and why.
Lastly, it was satisfying to see that the yellow-rattle seeds that we sowed last autumn are growing, which will help FoLV return the grassland to wildflower meadow!
SMCV 