TASK ROUND UP

A Happy New Year to you all. We hope you’ve had a thoroughly enjoyable Christmas break and are ready to work off that excess on Task!

Bridgeham Wood

We’ve continued our coppice restoration. This season, the area is characterised more by over mature hazel, than birch invasion, so it has been more coppicing than tree felling! That reflected in the work rate we achieved, everyone has been impressed just how effectively we’ve worked through the area, and we’ve had really good numbers of volunteers out. We were also joined by the Holmesdale Natural History Club for one of the tasks. More Dormouse summer nests found in the birch tops, but that elusive winter hibernation in the base of the coppice stools still eludes us, but always check, we don’t want any casualties! We’ve also been getting everyone to think about the uses they can put what they’re cutting to, in terms of bean poles, peasticks, heatherings, stakes, etc and so process it up accordingly. Such is the demand for firewood, that Ian has been doing a roaring trade. Congratulations to Ian, Keith & Simon who all passed their chainsaw reassessments in the autumn. They were complimented on their operating standards & practise by the assessor, who said he hadn’t seen a voluntary group in the country operating to such a high standard as we do. Keep it up chaps! Of course the highlight of the quarter has to have been our Christmas task, held appropriately enough on the Winter Solstice. Cauldron of mulled grape juice, spit roast Sussex Pork & South Down Lamb (support your local food producers!) all on the open fire in the woods. This year, to the accompaniment of Tony on classical guitar and Karen on reed pipe, quite magical, with the resonance around the wood. Thanks as always to Vicky, for all the cakes she bakes for each Bridgeham task. You may note the gastronomic theme in the tasks, but we do believe in treating our vols right royally, and it was Napoleon who said an army marches on its stomach!

Reigate Heath

Our main effort on the Heath will be this quarter, but we had two tasks in the autumn. The first was clearing tree & scrub growth encroaching on a good area of heather, on the east side of the Windmill hill. We were complimented by all for the impact we made in a single task, and built on the clearance we’ve done in the past on adjoining areas. The task was notable for being ‘shelled’ by golf balls, with more landing amongst us than one the neighbouring green. Apparently, when the piles of our cut material were removed, there were a large number of ‘white eggs’ reveal in the base of them! Our second task was a joint one with the horse riders. This had the twin benefit of clearing both the horse ride as well as habitat management. An excellent turn out of riders (but sadly only from one stable yard, the rest ignoring the Steering Group’s invitation – perhaps the Council should start charging to use the Heath ride?), and we cleared several particularly difficult to negotiate stretches of the ride. We are also working closely with the Heath’s Historic Environment Sub Group, to ensure that none of our work adversely affects the archaeological interest of the site, and they appear very happy with what we’re doing.

Nutfield Marsh

On the Marsh, we finished off the summer’s Typha clearance on the Moors, and then turned to willow coppicing and Scrub removal. Unfortunately, the heavy rains flooded out the area where we were due to alder tree plant, but we will look to complete that this quarter instead. Up at Spynes Mere, we cleared and coppiced some of the willow around the southern ephemeral pools, and collected in the reptile survey tins for the year. The Wildlife Trust have started their programme of treatment along the northern boundary, by felling out a lot of unwanted material prior to the hedgerow being laid by the Hedge-laying Society this quarter. WBB Minerals (now called Sibelco after their parent Belgium Company) have put in place the planting pens ready for us to plant up in May/June. This should create a lovely fringe of Common Reed, Phragmites australis, which will colonise the silt flats in time. On the bird front, the Marsh has had a Barn Owl (Tyto alba) take up residence for most of the autumn, possibly reflecting the amount of rough grassland we’ve managed to promote to provide a big enough foraging area. Winter waterfowl numbers have proved good, both numerically & specieswise, whilst numbers of Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago )on the Moors continue to rise. In the Orchard, sadly we’ve lost several more trees due to rabbit damage arising from last winter’s kindness by someone who removed all the protective guards. We’ll review the position with Biffa Waste Services who own the site, during the summer. Wheeler Lane/Wear Mead Pond, Betchworth. A new site for us and completes the trio of parishes to the west, for whom we now do pond work (Buckland, Betchworth & Brockham). Again, due to the heavy rains, just getting to the site proved an initiative test with bridges over the river Mole flooded or closed. Most of us, ended up coming in a big loop approaching Brockham from the west, but Tony M & Brian braved Brockham Bridge (and their cars!) and drove through the floodwaters. Most groups would have given up, but not RACV! Having got to site, that was then flooded too, and how we managed to light a fire on water remains a Group secret! Special thanks go to Adrian for wading services over & beyond the cause of duty in the pond. We’ll return to finish our clearance work this quarter. Special thanks also go to Betchworth Parish Council (we know it’s confusing, the site appears physically in Brockham, but is actually in Betchworth Parish!), who provided a five star lunch arriving & being served Italian job style courtesy of the Chairman’s mini! Simon was wondering whether it would get through, short of a relief airdrop!

Earslwood Common & Lakes

Whilst we’ve had no task here this last quarter, things are still happening. The Group has commented on the new Management Plan for the site, and we await its imminent publication & adoption. We were complimented on our aquatic planting, which has been used by a number of organisations as a role model to follow. We’ll be doing more in the spring/summer quarters. The Wildlife Trust, as part of the wider regional approach in the south east, have also been identifying areas that could be joined up to form sizable ‘landscape scale’ blocks to benefit biodiversity. One they have identified is the potential offered by the block from south of Fellands Copse, through New Pond Farm, Earslwood Common, to Redhill Common. We have expressed our support for such an approach.

Countryside Rangers for Reigate & Banstead

Further good news is that Ian Wright, Reigate & Banstead’s Countryside Officer, is now going to be supported by the appointment of two Countryside Rangers to help look after the Borough’s open spaces. They are currently being recruited with a view to starting work in the Spring. Needless to say, this is something we’ve been lobbying for over the years and are delighted that it’s come about.

Toad crossing.

Yes, it will soon be that time of year again. If anyone is interested in joining our band of toad wardens to help our amphibian friends across the road, please let Simon know.