On Sunday 2 August we were out with the Friends of the Fallowfield Loop on the popular walking and wheeling route (which follows the path of an old railway line) – our first visit to it for some years. We worked on a section in Abbey Hey, continuing a task of removing invasive seedling trees from this important meadowland. This was by use of tree-poppers, mattocks and spades to completely remove what we could, including slightly more stubborn small root balls. The main work was clearing invasive pioneer species (sun-loving) such as aspen, birch and willow; the aspen are particularly vigorous as suckering so strongly – they are clonal and not genetically diverse. This was not a purely destructive activity (!) but to conserve this grassland rather than have it change to successional woodland. This benefits both flora and fauna in this patch of an ecosystem which generally is rather threatened in UK.
It was a very hot day so there were plenty of breaks taken in the shade of nearby trees. Big thanks to Ian from the Friends for the great spread of snacks and drinks laid on – a veritable feast!
SMCV 