We had hoped to start August work parties quite promptly this month, but the Southern Group Committee have nearly the whole month sewn up between us with visitors etc. We really need a core of Committee members on site for work parties, so it looks like the first one will be the Bank Holiday week-end , Saturday 26th August. If it proves difficult to recruit enough volunteers that week-end or the weather is unkind to us, then we'll be back on Saturday 2nd September to finish off the urgent tasks.
There should be something for everyone. We'll be cutting back the vegetation along the streams (again!) and strimming the paths which are getting very overgrown. Then there's smothering the undergrowth with long strips of carpet to give our hawthorn saplings a chance to get away, pulling up docks from the wild flower areas, some hide maintenance, not to mention some tree felling! Four ash saplings have to come down to make room for their neighbours. Anyone with expertise at tree felling and hopefully wielding a chain saw particularly welcome - please contact Janet on 428953 or email jthompson@manx.net It might be nice to use the timber for log piles around the reserve - homes for bugs and beasties. And we still have one hurdle to go up prior to planting willow whips in front of them during October.
If none of this appeals, then there's always the tea and cake!
