Posts

Hinksey Heights Nature Trail - 20th April 2024

By -
Image
 Blog by Eleanor, photos by Sally There was plenty of work to do on the Hinksey Heights Nature Trail, though, sadly, only eight Green Gymmers were able to come. We met in the car park in chilly, but sunny weather and set off along the track with the tools loaded into the wheelbarrow. We set up base by the pond, and Sally took us on a recce along the trail. We were glad to see that the pond has a fence now and a notice asking walkers to keep dogs under control, as dogs running into the water can contaminate it with flea powder, which can kill aquatic life. The tasks were to cut back bramble from the edge of the trail, to scythe rushes by the pond, avoiding any orchids and twayblades, to scythe in the dell, avoiding woolly thistle and to pull up grass around the young trees. As we set to work, some Hinksey Heights volunteers arrived to continue working on the board walk, which will make the trail passable in muddy conditions. We worked hard until tea break time and we appreciated having
Post a Comment
Read more

Jarn Heath, Boars Hill - Saturday 13th April 2024

By -
Image
 Blog by Eleanor, photos by Sally, Kevin and Eleanor There was a good attendance at this session on a very welcome warm, sunny day.  As well as Green Gymmers, there were two Oxford Preservation Trust volunteers, Pasindu and Peter, who have worked with us at Boars Hill before. We were working in the woods, where our tasks were to cut back bramble in the glades and to cut back holly at the far end. The ground was extremely muddy after the wet Winter, particularly around the entrances to the woods, so another task was to lay small logs over the mud to make a dry surface.  Sally set to work scything in the glade, Kevin, James, Graham, Pasindu and Peter went to cut logs and lay them at the entrance opposite Jarn Mound and the rest of us went to cut holly, negotiating another very muddy area. Sally pointed out some bluebells in the glade where she was scything, which we had not seen in previous seasons. This shows the value of making glades in the woods so the sunlight can get through. There
Post a Comment
Read more

Cothill Fen - Saturday, 6 April 2024

By -
Image
Blog by Sally and photos by Kevin and Sally On 6 April we returned to Cothill Fen SSSI, which is a site maintained by Natural England.  The NE volunteers had been there the day before for the spring cut of the vegetation and Adrian, our leader for the session, was one of them.  Abingdon Green Gym was last at this site in November 2023, so we were keen to re-visit. We met Adrian and Steph from NE in Cothill School car park, where we welcomed Emma, who joined AGG for the first time.  The wheelbarrow was loaded with as many tools as it could safely handle and others grabbed the rest of the rakes and pitchforks, before setting off along a very muddy String Lane to the kissing gate entrance to Cothill Fen, which is adjacent to Parsonage Moor SSSI, part of the same calcareous fen complex, but is maintained by BBOWT, our local Wildlife Trust. Steph instructed the Group - there were 13 of us - from base camp on the track between the two fen areas.  There was cutting back sprouting alder on the
Post a Comment
Read more

"Between the Fens", Frilford Heath Golf Course - Thursday, 4 April 2024

By -
Image
Blog and photos by Sally JimB and I returned to Frilford Heath Golf Course on 4 April for another midweek special to finish the the cut and rake of the old reed growth in the "Between the Fens" area which links the species rich Two Pines Fen with Boundary House Fen to improve the chances of the rare flora and fauna spreading between these calcareous fens.  We can only safely work in this patch by agreement with the Golf Course who kindly arrange to close off the red 16th tee for us.  We still donned the Green Gym hi-viz jackets.  We were grateful that the terrible deluge that had been forecast in preceding days had not yet materialised and we were grateful for the weather being kind to us.  The day didn't get off to the best of starts as Jim had left in a rush and forgotten to pack his scythe blades and as I hadn't packed a spare, I went back home to collect my other ditch blade, leaving JimB to start cutting the reed using mine.  It meant that break time came around
Post a Comment
Read more

Abbey Fishponds - Saturday, 30 March 2024

By -
Image
Blog and photos by Sally On Easter Saturday (a first, I think, for Abingdon Green Gym!), we returned to Abbey Fishponds, which is now managed by Earth Trust.  Checking back through the annals, it appears that we were last here in June 2023 - so it was lovely to return.  Unfortunately, Adrian, our leader for the session, had badly injured his shoulder and was out of action, but he was on hand to meet us in the usual spot in Hadland Road and show what needed to be done.  8 Green Gymmers gathered up the tools - an array of scythes, pitchforks, rakes, loppers and bowsaws, as well as the Green Gym biscuits and first aid kit - and made our way around the mound, past the pond and reed area along a very muddy path and over the board walk sections to the "meadow" area where the first flush of nettles and rough grass was showing.   We set up base under a tree and Adrian showed us what need to be done, which involved firstly removing fallen branches on the areas to be mowed as otherwise
Post a Comment
Read more