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Posts Tagged ‘National Trust’

Himalayan balsam at Sinderland Green

Posted in Invasive species, tagged , on June 10, 2019|

It’s that time of year again: time for tackling invasive Himalayan balsam!  Yesterday we were out with Cheshire Wildlife Trust volunteers at the Sinderland Green site they manage (actually a National Trust site) to help with the continued battle against the invader.  Good progress has been made at this last site in recent years, so parts of the woodland are pleasingly free of balsam – all being well it can continue to be pushed back further each year.

 

Himalayan balsam stalks
Volunteer and stand of Himalayan balsam
Volunteers clearing Himalayan balsam
Patch of Himalayan balsam before clearing
Patch of Himalayan balsam after clearing
Cleared Himalayan balsam
Unexpected bird’s nest
Cheerful volunteers after work well done!

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Hogswood and Brookheys Coverts

Posted in Invasive species, tagged , 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

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Hedgelaying in the snow

Posted in Hedgelaying, tagged , on December 10, 2017|

An appropriately wintry day for our last activity of 2017 today: hedgelaying with the National Trust at Alderley Edge.  Under the leaden skies and the light snowfall, the curious robins kept us company – and we kept warm with the thought of our annual seasonal get-together to follow.  So, plenty of mince pies, jacket potatoes, mulled wine and the rest – thanks to Elaine for the excellent catering and hospitality!

Here’s to 2018!

SACV hedgelaying at Alderley Edge

SACV hedgelaying at Alderley Edge

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Rain, sleet and mud at Alderley Edge

Posted in Paths, tagged , on March 7, 2017|

This past Sunday, six hardy volunteers braved rain, sleet and mud to give the National Trust rangers at Alderley Edge a hand with path maintenance!  The work was to clear and dig the mud off a path which ought then to dry out for easier access later in the year, thereby taking the pressure off the other paths in the area, which otherwise get badly worn. A couple of channels to divert water away from the path were also put in place.  Congratulations on the perseverance shown by those who turned out!

Path work in progress
Volunteers at work
Path work in progress

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An elderly hedge at Alderley Edge

Posted in Hedgelaying, tagged , on February 21, 2016|

Some more hedgelaying today – this time with the National Trust at Alderley Edge, working on an old hawthorn hedge.  We also planted saplings to fill some of the hedge’s gaps.  It was hard work carrying our tools and the saplings to the work site over some challenging terrain – but the rain stayed off and all in all it was a satisfying day!

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Digging into the past at Hare Hill

Posted in Culverts, tagged , on September 13, 2015|

For today’s activity on a sunny September day, the focus was less on ecology and habitats and more on heritage conservation. Hare Hill has an extensive system of culverts (on which we’ve worked many times in the past), but today we were working on a structure which might have been part of a sheep dip, dating perhaps to the first half of the nineteenth century.  A lot of the construction was overgrown or buried under soil and turf – so we were doing what we could to clear and reveal the original stonework and, where part of the structure had collapsed, try to identify its original line and formation.  This led to a lot of interesting archaeological and architectural theorizing (“Are these buried stones part of a collapsed wall?  Would there have been steps?  Is this rusted length of metal part of a rail?  Could there have been a sloped descent to the water at this point rather than a wall?”)!  We don’t know that we came up with any of the right answers but the speculation was entertaining!

 The National Trust is arranging for the revealed stonework to be assessed by someone with more expertise and it might follow in due course that there is a plan for more exploration and restoration of the structures here – so we’ll keep an eye out for future developments!
The overgrown wall 1
The overgrown wall 2
The revealed wall
Volunteers at work
Part of the revealed structure
The exit channel and cleared top of the stonework
Stonework revealed 1
Stonework revealed 2
One side present, one side absent
Stonework revealed 3

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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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Hedgelaying at Alderley Edge

Posted in Hedgelaying, tagged , on October 29, 2014|

Helping the National Trust with some hedgelaying at Alderley Edge was the task for SACV volunteers last Sunday (26th October).  This is always a satisfying activity but if you want to give it a go and missed it this time, don’t worry – we’ll be doing some hedgelaying again at our next event (Sunday 9th November) when we’ll be working with the Cheshire East Rangers on the Middlewood Way!

SACV hedgelaying at Alderley Edge

SACV hedgelaying at Alderley Edge

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Heathland in Finlow Hill Wood

Posted in Heathland, tagged , on August 4, 2014|

Yesterday SACV volunteers were out in Finlow Hill Wood near Alderley Edge, giving the National Trust a hand with a project to open up areas of this woodland to allow it to revert to its former heathland state.  We were helping with the clearance of trees which had been felled earlier in the year, and on this beautiful summer’s day it was very pleasing to see the parts of the site where heather and heathland species are re-appearing!

Woodland making space for heathland
Coppiced sweet chestnut
Peacock butterfly on heather
The return of heathland
Peacock butterfly on ground
SACV volunteer at work 1
SACV volunteer at work 2
Heather
Gatekeeper butterfly on heather 1
Gatekeeper butterfly on heather 2
Gatekeeper butterfly on heather 3

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Hedgelaying at Alderley Edge

Posted in Hedgelaying, tagged , on November 10, 2013|

Today ten of us were out hedgelaying with the National Trust at Alderley Edge.  After yesterday’s fairly dismal weather, it was a delight and a relief to find that we had a perfect day for it!  And we concluded it all with well-deserved tea and cake in The Wizard Tea Rooms.

Getting started
Hedgelaying
The bonfire
Trees, bonfire and hedge
Clearing up

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