September 30, 2014

September 2014 - first stoat sighting!

September 30, 2014

6th September

Open Day for friends' work - Neil did more damming and sourced spring below Crag; Jane E and Sally did more brashing in Top Strip; John and Robbie put in 4 fence posts for Meadow; Clare worked on cleaning ivy off top wall and opening space in Top Strip; Pat freed more trees in the Pit Wood.

Week beginning 8th September

4 panels and trough painted for rain water collection on Top Grazing; all bags of chip now in Top Strip; John saw a stoat (Top Grazing) and deer coming from Pit Wood into Scrub; the blackberries are in abundance and excellent; more ivy cleared off top wall; more Black Medic seeds sown and Wild Carrot and Wild Parsnip.

14th September

Last 2 posts in for Meadow fencing; more clearing in Top Strip, painting completed for rainwater collection.

16th September

We met Ian Everard (Forestry Commission) - advised on thinning.

Clare and John

August 31, 2014

August 2014 - one year anniversary and lots of Green Gym work!

Clare and John

August 31, 2014

7th August

One year as owners - breakfast at Liddells.

8th August

Surveys evening - Gary and Jane, Tim and Jane, Mel and Cath, Keith and Rachel joined us for a thank you meal at home.

10th August

Green Gym Day 2 cancelled because of forecast, which proved accurate, however we opened up the site to plant Rosemary T's Oak tree.

14th August

Green Gym Day 3 - shredded all of bottom brash pile; tubes collected from Top Strip and Pit Wood; rushes dug out of Wildflower Meadow; much rain! Frog unearthed. Mel's wildflower survey.

20th August

We visited Little Sparta which prompted more ideas to be followed up. We felt challenged to think more about what we want from this project.

23rd August

Green Gym Day 4 - we were joined by Mel, Gary, Hal, Neil, Sally, Jane W, Tim and bagged 30 bags of shreddings, made 2 and started on a third dam on the Wetland, brashed in the Top Strip west of the spoil heaps. Once again we had to battle the rain, however everyone declared they had a great time!

24th August

We visited to see the effect of the damming - there was water holding in the potential pond at the west end of the bottom of the Crag and at the second site midway along the northern edge of the proposed Wetland.

28th August

Work to protect the Oak (donated by Rosemary T) in the Top Strip. 11 Wood Anemone plugs planted in the Top Strip.

29th August

Oak tree planting completed. Visit from Ian Everard to return English Woodland Grant Scheme application and discuss next moves.