Mossgate School, Heysham www.mossgate.lancs.sch.uk
Lucky Mossgate School have large playing fields, with areas set aside as nature areas when the school was built 25 years ago. Latterly, there had been no management, so the new headteacher asked us to take a look. The pond area was very overgrown with willows, not retaining water and the well-constructed dipping platform was totally inaccessible. The willows were tackled with the help of a tree-surgeon, the dipping platform reclaimed and work started on the pond itself. Due to heavy rain the water levels fluctuated so we had to await the right moment to reline and replant, with the help of parents and teachers. Best time for pond work is late summer when the invertebrates have finished their breeding and we create minimal disturbance.
Another corner of their field was planted as a mini woodland. We took it onboard, making sure a small circuit was accessible for the children and expanded the area with new trees, donated by OVO through the Trust for Conservation Volunteers. All these young trees are native species so should give a much better habitat in years to come.
Volunteers in action. Some of the pond plants needed to be removed to allow in more light. There was plenty of growth in the bog garden!
A good day's work at Mossgate, weeding and feeding in the sunshine!
James, the wonderful tree surgeon who helps us with sorting out tree problems too big for our volunteers, is felling dying poplars originally planted when the school was built. Here he is taking down 3 trees at Mossgate school, one of which needed climbing and lowering piece by piece. We can now do some new planting as replacements. The large logs were made into toadstool seats for the children.
Wildflower areas being prepared
Young trees need to be weeded.
The pond is thriving.
We successfully renovated the pond. It is still full of clear water, with a water lily in flower!
The Infants' garden is colourful this year, with flowers of various shapes and sizes to be enjoyed by bees and butterfies
The last tree of the season being planted by the head teacher
Year 1 planting fruit trees in their new orchard.
Jenny watered the bog garden.
The wildflower patch in the infant area is stunning in July and everything seems to be doing well.
Attempts to get rid of pondweed were not very successful!
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A small orchard was planted and Pete constructed a gate for the infants' area.
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Planting trees provided free by OVO Energy and the Trust for Conservation Volunteers in National Tree Week 2019
After completing the pond restoration we started work on the new dipping platform, a further challenge! This will allow the children to safely access the pond and learn about the beasties living there.
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The old pond was drained, halved with a dam wall to make a bog garden, and then relined and filled, with the help of some parents and teacher.
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