Alison's photos
This week we were back in Blackwater – what a surprise! This year has been Blackwater-centric….. However, this time Naturezones was the venue,
last visited in June. Then the grasses
were high, and the wildflowers were in their prime. Since then, the meadows have been cut and where
the knapweed had flowered now stands their dead stems and empty seedheads.
There were several areas for us to work on. An area under some trees had to be cleared of
bramble and overhanging branches. An
impressive display of fungus was discovered under the trees, later identified
as the Poplar milkcap (Lactarius controversus). On the other side of the meadow there is
a small amphitheatre with a bank of earth enclosing it. This bank had become completely covered in
bramble and we were asked to make a clearing so that it could be played on by
visiting children.
Nearer the Naturezones HQ there was a pile of cut wood. This was sorted and anything useful retained. The remainder was added into a dead
hedge. The retained material was then
moved to another area where a woven hurdle-style fence is to be created. A group of students will be visiting shortly,
and this is to be their task. Any
material suitable for an upright support was sharpened with a billhook and driven
into the ground.
At tea break we had the bonus of seeing a red squirrel
foraging, and ate delicious cake made for us by Angela. There was also a kind offer of quinces and
apples. Thank you, Angela.
No comments:
Post a Comment