Invasive species | SMCV

Archive for the ‘Invasive species’ Category

Hogswood and Brookheys Coverts

Posted in Invasive species, tagged Cheshire Wildlife Trust, National Trust on August 12, 2018|

As in previous years, today we were once again out with Cheshire Wildlife Trust volunteers at Hogswood Covert and then Brookheys Covert (sites now managed by the National Trust), continuing the battle against the invasive Himalayan balsam in these woodlands. It was pleasing to see that there was less balsam to be found than in the past, so the battle against the invader is gradually gaining ground!

Himalayan balsam developing seed

Volunteers tackling Himalayan balsam

Uprooted Himalayan balsam

Read Full Post »

A hot day at Hollinwood

Posted in Invasive species, Woodland management, tagged Hollinwood Scout Camp on June 10, 2018|

Today we were back at Hollinwood Scout Camp – the development of the camp and woodland has progressed apace since we were here about a year ago. We did some clearing work around the “main camp” part of the site, particularly for the removal of the invasive Himalayan balsam and in preparation for further ongoing management of this area. We were glad of the shelter of the trees in today’s heat, and of course for the excellent supply of tea and biscuits!

Cleared area

Tea break

Path and recently planted hawthorn hedge

Path and bird hide

Read Full Post »

Rhododendron at Errwood Hall

Posted in Invasive species, Residential weekends, Woodland management, tagged Peak Park Conservation Volunteers on October 17, 2017|

The weekend before last saw us among the atmospheric ruins of Errwood Hall. We spent our final residential weekend of the year working with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers to remove invasive rhododendron from the grounds around the remains of the Hall. Originally part of the Hall’s landscaped Victorian estate, the rhododendron has spread out of control over the decades, to the detriment of the woodland and its habitats.

Rhododendron for felling

Volunteers at work 1

Flag and volunteers

Volunteers at work

The drive of Errwood Hall

The south wall of Errwood Hall

The ruin of Errwood Hall

Bonfire of rhododendron

Removing rhododendron on slope

Human and canine volunteers

The path

Sign to Errwood Hall

The south side of Errwood Hall

Grave of Irma Niorthe

Above Errwood Hall and Errwood Reservoir

Steps at Errwood Hall

Read Full Post »

Himalayan balsam at Hogswood Covert

Posted in Invasive species, tagged Cheshire Wildlife Trust on August 13, 2017|

Today we were once again out with Cheshire Wildlife Trust volunteers at Hogswood Covert, continuing the CWT’s battle against the invasive Himalayan balsam in this woodland. This war is waged every summer and good progress is being made at eradicating the balsam. No pictures this time, but then piles of bashed balsam look much the same as in similar previous visits!

Read Full Post »

A new scout camp

Posted in Invasive species, Woodland management, tagged Hollinwood Scout Camp on June 19, 2017| 1 Comment »

Yesterday we helped with the development of a brand-new 30-acre scout camp – Hollinwood Scout Camp – in Worsley. A challenging yet exciting project, where glades are being created in a mixed woodland for scouts to camp and enjoy the outdoor life. We balsam-bashed an area that will be a narrow access road through the site. There are also fields which have recently been planted with 900 mixed deciduous saplings by the Woodland Trust; we mulched around the saplings to ensure they don’t get encroached by the surrounding tall grasses.

A very accommodating and friendly partner to work alongside, who provided us with copious amounts of tea and biscuits on our break, under the scout marquee!

Read Full Post »

Balsam and beaches

Posted in Invasive species, tagged Friends of the Bowdon Bollin on August 1, 2016|

As in recent tasks, more Himalayan balsam to tackle yesterday, but this time with the Friends of the Bowdon Bollin! (Our planned constructional work on a gate or two, which the original idea for yesterday, has had to be postponed to the autumn.) The Friends have had some good success clearing balsam from some of their sites, including the woodland we worked in during the afternoon, where the previous very dense balsam is now greatly reduced. And it’s not often we conservation volunteers get to have lunch on a beach!

Himalayan balsam in the woods

Bridge over the Bollin

Lunch by the Bollin

Read Full Post »

Heathland, paths and Himalayan balsam

Posted in Heathland, Invasive species, Paths, tagged Cheshire East Rangers, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, City of Trees, Sale Water Park, Tegg's Nose Country Park on July 19, 2016| 1 Comment »

Well it’s been a while since we put out an update, but that doesn’t mean SACV hasn’t been busy! In the last month or two we have worked in the quarry area at Tegg’s Nose Country Park (Sunday 12th June), when a damp day didn’t stop us from getting lots of heathland management work done; done some path maintenance work at Sale Water Park (Sunday 26th June) for City of Trees, taking care not to destroy some of the banks of wildflowers; and worked with the Cheshire Wildlife Trust at Birch Farm Ponds (Sunday 10th July) tackling the invasive Himalayan balsam. Here’s hoping the rest of the summer continues in the same productive vein!

Volunteers at Tegg’s Nose

Volunteers at work at Sale Water Park

Widening the path at Sale Water Park

Himalayan balsam at Birch Farm Ponds

Himalayan balsam at Birch Farm Ponds – after clearing

Read Full Post »

Rhododendron-bashing at Priory Gardens

Posted in Invasive species, Woodland management, tagged Priory Gardens, Red Rose Forest on April 4, 2016|

As with last year’s similar task, some of us were in action yesterday at Priory Gardens, on behalf of the Red Rose Forest, to help control the invasive rhododendrons here. Hard work dealing with some of them, but a sunny spring day for it! We’ll probably be back at this site over the summer for some other activities.

Volunteers clearing rhododendron 1

Volunteers clearing rhododendron 2

Volunteers clearing rhododendron 3

Cleared rhododendron

Wildlife encounter

Read Full Post »

Rhododendron on Tittesworth

Posted in Invasive species, Ponds and lakes, Residential weekends, tagged Peak Park Conservation Volunteers on October 1, 2015|

This past weekend was our final residential weekend of 2015. Working as usual with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers, we helped to clear and burn invasive rhododendron on the banks of Tittesworth Reservoir. The reservoir’s water level was looking lower than any of us could recall seeing it, but that gave us a good space on the shore for our bonfire of cut material. The removal of the rhododendron will help to avert the monoculture which is otherwise developing along some of the bank, and encourage native species to flourish. We were blessed with fine and warm autumn weather to enjoy the scenic location. In the evenings and in the breaks from work, the weekend followed the usual sort of course: great meal in The Lazy Trout on Saturday night, good chats, crossword attempts, entertaining post-dinner tabletop games (Saboteur, Coup, Avalon, Werewolves!) and a home-made cake to celebrate a recent wedding!

Rhododendrons before clearing

Volunteer at work 1

Starting the bonfire

Volunteer at work 2

Volunteer at work 3

Fly agaric

Tittesworth reservoir

Bank revealed after removing rhododendron

Celebration cake!

Read Full Post »

Woodland work and Himalayan balsam

Posted in Invasive species, Woodland management, tagged Priory Gardens, Red Rose Forest on August 23, 2015|

Another late-in-the-season bashing of Himalayan balsam was the order of the day today, this time in Priory Gardens (approximately SJ797926) on behalf of the Red Rose Forest. Some of the balsam will already have flowered and set seed, but there was plenty to go at which hadn’t yet seeded. Alongside this, we were also doing some woodland work, reducing some of the density of saplings, particularly sycamore, to open up the woods and allow more light to some parts of the woodland floor. A fine and hot summer’s day but gradually building up to refreshing rain – although the clouds helpfully held back until our work was done!