Next Workday

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Paul - Cawston Greenway

Monday 5th November. 11am start. Working on the same area between the two clearings.

Hope to see you there.

Paul

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Productive Workday

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Paul - Cawston Greenway

Good workday today and we took out a few large trees on the ridge of ballast. We were helped by a couple of lads who we found down on the greenway, so thanks if you are reading.

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We had to pile the brash up because it was just way too wet to burn. This will create a great habitat for small mammals, insects and fungi.

We really need to get the ridge cleared because the old path is now turning into a bog. If we just keep pushing away at it we will get there. Ashlawn Cutting has the same flooding problem and their path navigates around it so we really need to do the same. The wet bits will then host some wonderful wildlife. Maybe when the ridge is cleared we can rake the mud out of the boggy bits to make proper ponds?

Thanks to all who made it today. Next workday will be next week. Will let you know what day and time tomorrow.

Paul

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…..it’s now!!!

It took me and Paul ages to bring one tree down. I don’t think the saws are getting blunt, it was just a hard thick trunk that we were having to cut through.

However, we got a bit more cleared and we really need to push on with clearing the ballast ridge because the path is waterlogged and ankle-deep mud.

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It was a damp old workday and pretty grim. We stacked up all of the brash in an untidy pile, but it will create shelter for a great many small mammals, and as it rots down it will be great for fungi.

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Next workday is Tuesday 30th October. Same place starting at 11am.

Good to get back out there today.

Paul

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Paul - Cawston Greenway | Leave a comment

Next workday will be on Tuesday 23rd October at 11am.

Working on the section between the picnic clearing and the bird-box clearing.

What we will be doing is pushing back the scrub that is on the ridge of ballast and trying to create a dryer path.

Look forward to getting back into it.

Paul

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Paul - Cawston Greenway | Leave a comment

Nice Workday

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Paul - Cawston Greenway

We seemed to dodge the rain and had a pretty good session on the greenway today. We managed to get a fire going that needed little maintenance and allowed us to just get on with clearing.

Toasty fire…

Progress seemed slow as we cut back Hawthorn and Blackthorn trees that are so entwined within each other, but we pushed on up the bank. We also added to the log-pile that will be a fantastic host to all manor of mini-beasts as the wood starts to rot.

Slow progress..

If you look at the next shot, you can see the challenge. Basically we need to clear off the growth on the ridge to the left of the narrow path, and then clear the scrub to the left again, so that the flower growth can grow on the bank and the ridge becomes the new path. This will mean that the original path can become flooded and attract the water-borne insect life that it does, without hindering walkers.

The whole thing needs to shift to the left!!!!

Lots to do and we really need some new volunteers to dig in and help out.

But all-in-all we know where we are going and what we need to do.

Paul

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Next Workdays..

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Paul - Cawston Greenway

Wednesday 12th September 2012 – cutting back the scrub between the two big clearings. 10:30 start.

Sunday 16th September 2012 – continue to cut the scrub back between the two clearings. 10:30 start again. cancelled

Probably work up until 1 o’clockish so that everyone can get other stuff done on the days 🙂

Look forward to seeing you there.

Paul

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The task ahead is huge!!!

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Paul - Cawston Greenway

Good first proper workday today and it was a good one with lovely weather and we really got on with the task in hand.

The learning points from last season to this one are becoming apparent. The ground that we have cleared has become totally full of flowers and plants, while the banks are still covered in scrub and trees. We need to really bite the bullet and clear out the bottom of the cuttings and also clear the banks. There is no point in letting the new growth encroach onto the old and muddy path. We are just tramping through the same old mud and puddles.

The good news is that there is a ridge of ballast that must be a result of when the railway tracks were taken up. If we clear this, along with the rest of the scrub, we will have a natural path that is higher than the water-logged bits. It’s good that we have the wet bits because this increases the diversity, but we don’t want to be continually walking through these bits. I saw a lot of dragonflies today, along with all the usual butterflies, so the wet bits are useful.

As a pointer, this is a picture of Stockton Cutting. They had the same issues as us before they cut nearly all the trees down on the banks. I wish I had a picture of when it was first done, but trust me, it was bare earth. Now look..

Stockton Cutting

The reserve is literally buzzing with insects and wildlife, and the plant life is really varied.

I believe that our task this year is to totally clear out every bit of the greenway that is in cutting and brush-cut anything that grows on the ballast path over the summer of 2013. We can then work out what we want to do with the path that is on embankment next year.

To aid us in this task I am going to buy a chainsaw and just clear everything. Simple as!!

Anyhow, on to today. Reasonable turnout considering the workday was short notice. We started to clear between the two areas that have previously been ripped out.

Clearing the scrub.

You can see how tight the path is. We had to have the bonfire in the middle of the path!! Not good.

The area that we cleared.

As you can imagine, we need to push on forwards, but also up to the top of the bank! This little bit took 12 man-hours to clear – we really need that chain saw…

I made a log pile with a variety of new and old logs. This will be a wonderful home for a lot of wildlife.

I will put new workday dates on the blog very soon. As a final picture, we have paul taking a very well deserved break on the picnic bench. Great to see it being used and that we don’t have a litter problem around it.

Picnic clearing.

Thanks everyone who made it today. Good work!!

Paul

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The start of our third clearance season starts here!!

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Paul - Cawston Greenway

If you think back to when we started, we meekly trimmed back the scrub and treated the  it was a precious thing. Last year we were a lot bolder, but this year we really need to clear back savagely if we are to get the wild flower clearings that we need.

I suggest that we join the two main clearings together by clearing the scrub in between, and then extend each end whilst we remain in cutting.

Next workday is Monday 20th August at the picnic clearing, where the old bridge crosses the greenway, and push on southbound. Start at 12 o’clock.

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Warwickshire Flora Group Audit Findings

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Paul - Cawston Greenway

The audit took place on Sunday 29th July and a lot of plants were found. This gives us great encouragement to keep clearing the scrub and letting wild flowers colonise the cleared ground.

The more wild flowers that appear means more insects, which means more birds and mammals, etc, etc..

Here is a link to the list:

Plants at Cawston 29 july 2012

Nothing particularly rare, but a massive variety and thank-you John, Monica and team for taking the time to do this audit.

Paul

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Next Workday – Sunday 29th July

Posted on July 28, 2012 by Paul - Cawston Greenway

This is a workday with a difference. Warwickshire Flora Group are doing a wild flower audit along the greenway and we can join them if we want.

They are parking up at The Bear and starting at the bridge and will be heading south towards Potford’s Dam. They start at 10am but we can join them at any time in the morning.

I will be taking the bag full of clippers so we can knock back the brambles that are starting to encroach onto the path.

It’s probably a better idea to walk down to The Bear rather than drive, because the Flora guys will be taking up a lot of car parking space.

Look forward to tomorrow.

Paul

 

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