Nothing like getting into the spirit of the season by feeling the snow start to fall, but keeping warm by hedgelaying! That’s what some of us did last Sunday on the Middlewood Way, continuing the stretch of hedge we had worked on four weeks before.
Posts Tagged ‘Cheshire East Rangers’
Hedgelaying in the snow
Posted in Hedgelaying, tagged Cheshire East Rangers, Middlewood Way on December 5, 2021|
Back…on the Middlewood Way!
Posted in Hedgelaying, tagged Cheshire East Rangers, Middlewood Way on November 7, 2021|
Last Sunday (31st October) was the group’s first day back in action since the start of COVID, and it was great to be out on the Middlewood Way, taking on some hedgelaying with ranger Ed. Unexpectedly, despite torrential rain before and after the event, there was no rain during our work and even a little sunshine! Big thanks to both the familiar faces and the new volunteers who came along. The section of laid hedge has now opened up views from the Way, and we’ll be back on 28th November to continue the same stretch.
Gorse removal at Tegg’s Nose
Posted in Heathland, Woodland management, tagged Cheshire East Rangers, Tegg's Nose Country Park on January 12, 2020|
For our first outing of 2020 we were at Tegg’s Nose, working to clear some areas of gorse. Gorse has a long flowering period, so is an important nectar source in early spring and early winter; plus its density makes it ideal for a range of nesting birds. However, it can also take over and dominate a habitat, and the ongoing work to remove some here will better connect the Tegg’s Nose woodland and the higher heathland.
The weather stayed pretty dry (and even occasionally sunny), which was a welcome change from the heavy rain of the last day or two. Ranger Martin introduced us to the iNaturalist and Seek apps, so we look forward to using those more. And finally, it was great to have a good turn-out of volunteers – the best we’ve had in a while – so let’s hope that continues into the rest of the year!
Gorse removal – getting started
Gorse removal – getting started
Gorse removal – work in progress
Gorse removal – work in progress
Pausing for lunch
Witches’ butter
Packing up
Gorse removal – a cleared area
Cleared and stacked gorse
Heathland at Tegg’s Nose
Posted in Heathland, tagged Cheshire East Rangers, Tegg's Nose Country Park on September 26, 2018|
This past Sunday we once again joined Martin of the Cheshire East Rangers to carry out some heathland work at lovely Tegg’s Nose. We were removing gorse bushes that would otherwise swamp the heather and blueberry on the slopes here.
We also found some sort of translucent yellow fungus that we couldn’t identify (anyone?!).
View
Volunteers at work
Fungus
View
Hedgelaying on the Middlewood Way
Posted in Hedgelaying, tagged Cheshire East Rangers, Middlewood Way on March 5, 2018|
The last Sunday of February saw our first hedgelaying of 2018 (after our abandoned plan for hedgelaying at Spud Wood earlier in the month). We had a very cold but bright day on the Middlewood Way and worked on a good section of hedge with Ed from the Cheshire East Rangers.
We’re back at Spud Wood on Sunday 18th March so might yet get some more hedgelaying this season!
Volunteers at work
Laid stem
Laid hedge
Meadows at Tegg’s Nose
Posted in Grassland, Meadows, tagged Cheshire East Rangers, Tegg's Nose Country Park on July 2, 2017|
After a cool-ish and cloudy start, today we were again blessed with a beautiful day at Tegg’s Nose Country Park. As in previous summers, we were helping the Cheshire East Rangers with the obligatory management of ragwort and thistles in meadows which are important for a range of species including orchids, mountain pansies, waxcap fungi, moonwort and adder’s-tongue fern. The meadows’ management is also supported by controlled grazing by a herd of longhorn cattle (who show extraordinary interest in Ranger Martin’s van!). All this, and a good sighting of a pair of local buzzards circling overhead!
Common spotted orchid
Volunteers at work
Longhorn cattle inspect the vehicle
Longhorn cattle inspect the vehicle
Longhorn cattle grazing
Mountain pansy
Volunteers at work
Steps at Tegg’s Nose Country Park
Posted in Steps, tagged Cheshire East Rangers, Tegg's Nose Country Park on April 9, 2017|
Today a gang of us were out with Ranger Martin at Tegg’s Nose Country Park, where we helped with adding edging boards to a set of steps which have been suffering from erosion and the loss of surfacing. A perfect spring day to enjoy the views – plus a chance for a belated celebration of a landmark birthday!
View from the steps
Before starting – steps in need of edging
Volunteers at work
Belated birthday cake!
Volunteers at work
Volunteers at work
Completed steps with edge boards
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
Himalayan balsam at Birch Farm Ponds – after clearing
Path work on the Middlewood Way
Posted in Paths, tagged Cheshire East Rangers, Middlewood Way on May 25, 2016|
This past Sunday a few of us were out on the Middlewood Way with the Cheshire East Rangers. Our work was to clear the surface of a section of this popular walking and riding route to prevent encroaching grass and vegetation from narrowing it further!
Before
During
After
SMCV 