Top of the Pops

To say it has been a bit breezy of late is an understatement, so the volunteers split into 3 groups and spent the first half of the morning checking the reserve for wind blown tree damage.  Thankfully there were only a few trees that needed some attention, one, near the small hide in the plantation block had a large branch down which was crushing the deer fence, luckily the mesh had not been damaged and just needed stapling back into place, once the branch was removed.   

Whilst Ken & Eddie were braving it out on the windy wetland, carrying on strimming the rushes, the majority of the group headed to sheltered climes after teabreak, to the track just behind the field centre, where there are a lot of self sown birch saplings.  Time to get out the tree poppers we got just before Christmas!   The ground there was quite soft with all the rain we have had so they sank into the ground a bit, but with a bit of innovation - aka some pieces of board- that was alleviated.  

The Dales School joined us and helped tidy up the 'popped' trees, after which they went down to look at the developments on the wetland, which they had heard about in the local press.   

Thank you to everyone who helped today, your hard work and support are greatly appreciated.