We welcomed Louise who is from the same residential home as Greg, their Carer James and another new lady, Lyn.    With today’s absentee Mary that brings our total up to twelve.  This I feel is the very maximum the group can take within the constraints of the current insurance policy and we may need to introduce a waiting list!

Unfortunately we are victims of our own success the improved irrigation of the site has resulted in an explosion of Himalayan Balsam as well as the more desirable Meadowsweet and Reed Mace.

So we cut it all down, the HB that is.

It’ll be back I fear.

We welcomed two new members Paul and Glyn who were foolish enough to say they would be pleased to turn up again and might even venture out on a Saturday.

Next week we were to follow up on Saturday’s work at the marsh but we now have an overriding priority.  Yes the dreaded Himalayan Balsam has re-emerged in areas previously cleared.  Obviously this cannot be tolerated and must be dealt with (not that I am paranoiac or anything).

So John and Dave M will approach from the Breydon Ave entrance whilst the rest of us descend from the tool store, all starting around ten and hopefully meeting up some time later, probably by the lake.

The shorn grass looks very untidy with so many spots not cut due to the presence of wild flowers in seed.

But then that’s the point of it all.

Highlight of the day - we spotted a short tailed field vole

So food for owls then.

From bonny Scotland where I very much enjoyed the scotch.  Oh and the people too.   The Edinburgh Tattoo was superb especially the New Zealand military band who played martial music, did ballet dancing and highland fling and best of all a Haka.

Green Gym this week back to normal, v good turnout (ten) lots of hay taken off of Bowsland Meadow.  Another good effort next week will see more cleared than last year.  Which cannot be bad.

Today seven volunteers walked the reserve from Sherbourne’s Brake to the tool store looking for  work tasks in the southern section of the reserve.

Next week we should be HB bashing once again but the troops are looking mutinous after quite a few weeks spent at this task and since I will be absent in tropical climes (Edinburgh) they are free to follow their hearts’ desire.

Which may be cutting firewood in Savages wood (to prevent it becoming second hand firewood i.e. ash).

Or clearing overgrown paths.

Or maybe even HB bashing who knows.

Anyways all meet at the tool store (Big Dave has my key) at ten and democracy will rule the day.

That’s right a coalition will be formed and David Cameron will decide.

regards

We found quite a few, mostly of the path clearing or tree surgery type but the fenced newt pond requires clearing (of concrete blocks), the willow bench newt pond wire gate has been totally trashed and some  form of replacement is required.

And so on.

Fallen branches etc. are becoming a problem in Savages wood.  Since the school ran riot in there playing soldiers a few weeks ago the local lads have taken to amassing the logs etc. not for building shelters as with the school but for building bonfires.    Sooner or later there is going to be a major fire in the wood.

Green Gym is going to try to turn these branches into firewood and take them off the reserve but we may need council help for the larger tree trunks.

Next week we do the southern and middle sections.  We will combine that day’s list with today’s list,  a list from Rupert the ecologist and a list submitted by Steve and Rachel earlier in the year and produce a list of tasks to be discussed at the next committee meeting whenever that occurs.

We welcome Mary back to Green Gym after her job training and we congratulate Greg on also getting a part time job.  That’s now at least five Green Gymers who have gained employment this year alone.

Job Centres who needs ‘em :).

This is a major HB area totally mixed in with Stinging Nettles and Willow-herb.    So we resorted to cutting the HB  and the nettles/willow-herb) rather than attempting to pull by hand.  We cut a huge amount of HB right across the area and into the northern half of the  marsh right up to the main irrigation channel.  The reed bed is so high it felt like a scene from The African Queen.

We even took advantage of the dry weather and waded up the stream  (well I did) to attack growth along the stream bank. That felt like the African Queen as well.

Frank believes that the Bradley Brook reserve which was set up as an arboretum now has a specimen of every native tree with some particularly fine Field Maples and White Poplars.  The Bradley Brook was alive with deep blue Demoiselle damselflies and the whole area very pretty.