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Archive for the ‘Invasive species’ Category

Invasive species on the banks of the Bollin

Posted in Invasive species, tagged on August 2, 2015|

Invasive species were given a battering today when SACV volunteers were out with the Friends of the Bowdon Bollin.  Our main aim was to clear Himlayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) from a stretch of the Bollin near Ashley Mill Lane (approximately SJ761855), but there was also a chance to have a go at injecting herbicide into Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), which is another common alien invader along the banks of the river. Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) was not the main focus of today’s activities but we had to be aware of this harmful plant as it can also be found here, although the Friends have been doing a good job in recent years of treating it and reducing its presence.  A lovely sunny day to be on the banks of a river, and we hope to have done some good in the ongoing battle against these damaging species!

Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed on the Bollin
Volunteers after tackling a patch of Himalayan balsam
Volunteers preparing to inject Japanese knotweed
Young giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Spades and visor
Himalayan balsam cleared on the bank of the Bollin

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Rhododendrons at Priory Gardens

Posted in Invasive species, Woodland management, tagged , on April 12, 2015| 1 Comment »

Today we were working at Priory Gardens on behalf of the Red Rose Forest, to remove a patch of invasive rhododendrons from an edge of the site near Dane Road.  On starting, it looked as though the area to clear might not be too great, but in fact the rhododendrons were pretty extensive and established, so by the end our piles of cut material were fairly high!  Doubtless we’ll have missed some of the invaders and some will re-sprout, but we’ll have opened up this part of the woodland for some time.

Volunteer at work
Clearing the rhododendrons
A removed root
Panorama of work in progress
Piles of cut rhododendron

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A cattle trough and rhododendrons at Hare Hill

Posted in Culverts, Invasive species, Ponds and lakes, tagged , on March 22, 2015|

The National Trust site of Hare Hill has an extensive Victorian culvert system which we have helped to maintain in the past.  The culvert system feeds into a cattle trough, and a couple of years ago we lent a hand with its restoration (it had previously lain forgotten for several decades).  It has silted up again since then, so today some of us joined forces with the Manchester National Trust Volunteers to clear out the mud and patch up some of the pond again.  There was a good crowd of volunteers out so, meanwhile, others worked on removing invasive rhododendron from a wooded embankment nearby.  A fine day in the spring sunshine!

Getting started on the cattle pond 1
Getting started on the cattle pond 2
Bucket and mud 1
Bucket and mud 2
Having cleared most of the cattle pond 1
Having cleared most of the cattle pond 2
Having cleared most of the cattle pond 3
Water running into the pond
The finishing touches
The finished cattle pond
Volunteers and the finished cattle pond
The cleared rhododendrons 1
The cleared rhododendrons 2

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Himalayan balsam at Black Moss Covert

Posted in Invasive species, Woodland management, tagged on July 13, 2014|

Himalayan balsam is a pernicious invasive species which can take over large areas of woodland and the banks of streams, shading out and eradicating many other species.  Today SACV were out in Black Moss Covert helping the Cheshire Wildlife Trust with attempts to get the Himalayan balsam under control at this site – fingers crossed that this will help in getting it eradicated here!

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Saplings at Birch Moss Covert

Posted in Invasive species, Woodland management, tagged on September 8, 2013|

SACV volunteers were out today helping the Cheshire Wildlife Trust at one of their sites, Birch Moss Covert.  The work was to carry out some woodland management, clearing an area that had been invaded by Himalayan balsam and bracken, then transplanting rowan saplings from a denser area of the wood.

Woodland work at Birch Moss Covert
Woodland work at Birch Moss Covert

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Pond work at Chorlton Meadows

Posted in Invasive species, Ponds and lakes, tagged , on September 2, 2012| 1 Comment »

Today SACV worked with the Friends of Chorlton Meadows to help restore an important pond habitat.  The pond had become overgrown with reeds, and the banks with Himalayan balsam; the work was to clear some of this to restore some areas of open water.

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