Wednesday 11th December 2024 - Shide Chalk Pit GG #1011

 Terry's photos

An attempt to take a group photo to send to Phil!

A Christmas guest - Anita, the Fort Victoria Warden

Sarah's photos

This was our last GG session of 2024, and this week we were working with Gift to Nature helping them to manage Shide Chalk Pit.  We were asked to clear the undergrowth at the base of the steps to help open up the area.  The arisings were stacked at the back of this area.  A litter pick was also undertaken and sadly, a considerable amount of litter was collected including two supermarket trollies.

After our session in the Chalk Pit, we all went off to PC's Cafe for our Christmas lunch.  Many thanks to Viv for all her organisation.

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One of our team was missing - Phil is currently being cared for in Taunton Hospital and we all send him our love and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Phil had planned a walk for GG-ers next Wednesday.  It is hoped (weather depending) that this will still go ahead - keep an eye on your emails.

We have received an email from Geoff (ex GG-er) who now lives in Sidmouth.  He is putting his GG skills to good use and has joined a voluntary group who care for Glen Goyle, a local nature reserve.  

Finally, a big thank you to Mark for all his hard work in managing our group this year; to Terry for his photos for this blog; and of course, to Team GG for all the hard work achieved this year!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!

Wednesday 4th December 2024 - Appley Park GG #1010

Terry's photos

A beautiful bright winter's morning to work in this wonderful parkland in Ryde. This visit had us working in the woodland along the north of the site in two areas. Both with a view to reduce the White Poplar cover here. White Poplar produce suckers in abundance and in these areas are starting to crowd out nearby mature trees. One site was cleared to extend what we had done previously on the boundary of the wildflower meadow. The other further to the east and under a Plane tree. Dead hedges and habitat piles were created with the arisings so the wildlife will have safe cover for the winter period. 

Thank you to Terry for the photos.

Wednesday 27th November 2024 - Horse Shoe Trail, St Helens GG #1009

We are here this week to coppice some of this lovely woodland. Coppicing allows light in for wildflowers and insects and it also increases the lifespan of the trees coppiced. If done on a rotary basis it improves diversity in the woodland and doesn't impact species reliant on more mature trees significantly. 

Today we also took the opportunity to coppice back or remove some non-native species (garden escapees) which had taken hold here. Cherry Laurel, Portuguese Laurel and Mock Orange to be precise. 

The previous heavy rainfall did mean we had to pick where to work pretty carefully but otherwise the weather didn't impact the day too much and a great time was had by all the group.

Thanks Terry for the photos.

Wednesday 20th November 2024 - Fort Victoria Country Park GG #1008

 If you are an Island resident you have most likely walked upon some of our coastal footpaths. There is a coastal route around the whole County and in the west it follows this route. You may know that the blue slipper clay geology means that the coastline is on the move quite a bit and so today we were investigating a new path to soon replace the existing route at the viewpoint at Fort Vic. It was just up our street, so to speak, as it gave us plenty of fresh air, lovely views and a feel-good feeling of exploration almost! The contractors and IW Council officers will meet to decide the route ultimately, but at least they can now see the lay of the land.

Wednesday 13th November 2024 - Flowers Brook, Ventnor GG #1007

 We were so very pleased to see the sun after a period of cloudy weather which seemed to have lasted for weeks. You can see from terry's photos we had a good turn out this week for what is a lovely site, one we've helped maintain for many years. Ventnor Enhancement Fund, who were our hosts, hold each spring a fundraising duck race here, so some of what we were doing was in preparation. Look out for that next Easter!

Last spring we were planting bulbs here, by the hundred, so we hope to be able to see quite a show come this spring! Today it was a clearance operation as I say, but whatever we did would have been a pure joy in in this place, a real gem.