Wed 22nd Feb 2023 - Turvills Field, Totland. GG #922.

 Terry's Photographs.

Geoff's Note.

Turvills Field, Totland was a new site for us, apparently given to the parish council so that it remained a public open space.

It is a mixed area of meadow grass and copse. Today's task was simply to rake off the cut grass and remove to a suitable area of woodland. It was a slightly damp morning but overnight rain had made the grass heavier.

Mark's Note.

Even after 19 years there are still locations around the Island new to the group. This week we are at Turvills Field, Madeira Road, Totland. PO39 0BJ  This is a quiet meadow and small woodland area, owned by Totland Parish Council.

We'll be raking off the wild flower meadow here, it was cut yesterday. Done to prevent the vegetation dying back and their nutrients going back into the soil. You aim for nutrient poor soils for the wildflowers to thrive and grasses to not become too vigorous.

Many thanks to Geoff, Terry and Mark for their contributions. For all those who signed the Get Well Soon card for Bob the Blog.... thank you for your kind words.

Wed 15th Feb 2023 - Nunwell Down, Brading. GG # 921.

Terry's Photographs. 

Geoff's Editorial.

Ash die back has hit the island hard over the last couple of years. The only solution is to fell the trees before they become dangerous, particularly in areas where there are public footpaths.

Todays task was to help the rangers by cutting back undergrowth, mostly bramble, to create access for felling. We then cut up the timber for burning.

We had a good turn out on a lovely sunny day and cleared a significant area of this chalk downland.

Many thanks to Terry and Geoff for their contribution this week and my apologies for the late publication of the blog, I promise to "try better next time" 😀

Wed 8th Feb 2023 - Millennium Green, Ryde. GG # 920.

 Terry's Photographs.

Geoff's Editorial.

It was a cold and frosty morning as we started work with the echoing sound of a wood pecker hammering in the trees. On our previous visit we had cleared what remained of an ancient hedgerow so today we were planting a variety of new whips having first cleared the bank of ivy and bramble roots.

A second group were using the branches of a felled ash tree to continue the long line of dead hedge that marks the boundary of the site.

Despite the cold start we soon warmed up and it was one of those days when we felt we had achieved a great deal.

Many thanks to Terry for submitting the photographs and to Geoff for the editorial.

Wed 1st Feb 2023 - Fort Victoria, Yarmouth. GG # 919.

 Terry's Photographs.

This week we were back out to West Wight and to a venue we haven't visited for some time, Fort Victoria Country Park. The picnic and child play area had become seriously overgrown and was badly in need of a good Team GG "haircut"..! Just a glance at the above photographs will give an impression of just how overgrown it was, quite a challenge for just a few hours work. The weather was a little milder than recent days and it was dry throughout the session, always a bonus during the winter months.

The sign on the gate shows that we have been here before.....

Many thanks to Terry for taking the excellent photographs.

Next week GG will be at Millennium Green, Ryde..... more details will be published closer to the time.