Finding the Fence and Learning New Skills

Sunday, October 6th 2019

Last week a group of students from Risedale Community and Sports College began the task of finding the wooden fence on the edge of the reserve by Plover's Pool. Gorse from the training area had completely grown over the fence from the other side. The spikey bushes were not only keeping the wooden posts damp but the structure also needed to be checked to ensure that was stock proof (to keep the sheep out and the ponies in)! The students did an amazing job and found the first fifty metres. Later in the week, volunteers armed with loppers and pruning saws continued with the work.

Where possible the stumps were cut down to ground level, a back breaking job!

Larger branches were dragged to the edge of the wetland to a designated fire site.

Smaller pieces were transported in tonne sacks over the boggy ground.

Working as a team with some people cutting, some dragging and others burning, the job was made a lot easier. There were lots of comments about not needing expensive gym membership!

The fence was soon cleared and attention turned to removing the young Gorse from the banks of Plover's Pool itself.

After lunch, the team split in two with half cutting one of the mini meadows and the other half remaining on the moorland.

Volunteers are always encouraged to have a go at something new and one of our volunteer students decided to strim for the first time. In no time at all, one of the large glades along the Easy Access trail was cut!

A new glade was also created where Bracken had tried to take over. The cuttings were raked into hay piles on the edges and left to decompose.

This work is necessary because without some form of management, the wildflowers would become swamped by grasses and would be unable to survive. As always, all of this help with habitat management is really appreciated and will make a difference to the wildlife.

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