VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
SUMMER 2022
NEWS
1. We successfully completed our sponsored tree planting work for the season on Torrisholme Barrow. We met with Historic England to discuss repairs to the prehistoric Scheduled Monument (Torrisholme Bowl Barrow) and to gain consent to repaint the old Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar on the summit.
2. After a gap of two years because of the pandemic, we were once again able to welcome a small group of children from Great Wood School to the school planter at Bare Lane Station. They had grown peas and beans from seed in school and were able to plant them out at the station. Thanks to Jo Young and support staff at Great Wood for organising this.
3. We have made a start in removing and recycling plastic tree guards from the now established hedgerow planting at Belmont Farm in Slyne.
4. With the Nationwide Building Society now sadly closing all treasurer accounts held by voluntary community groups, we have had to look elsewhere for our banking services. We are now in the process of moving our finances to a Community Saver account with the Skipton Building Society.
10th July - Hazelwood Farm, Silverdale - The bee garden has been a wildlife magnet this summer but there is a lot of fine tuning to keep it up to speed for the rest of the growing season. Opportunity to do a butterfly count and if any more wall gaps appear we may also need to do some drystone walling.
24th July - Mossgate School, Heysham, am - At last, we are tackling the pond bog garden! We need to reduce the invasive grey willowherb and nettles, replanting with more appropriate 'boggy' plants. This will give a greater variation in the pond habitat.
Penhale Woodland, Heysham, pm – Growth has been abundant this year and although the young trees have taken well, we need to keep them weeded, paths clear and topped with bark chippings.
7th August - Belmount Meadows, Slyne - Weather permitting we will cut and rake part of the wet meadow, to help the diversity of habitat and enable reasonable access. The ground nesting birds will have finished their breeding, so this is a good time to do the work. We would also like to remove and recycle some more of the old plastic rabbit guards from around the farm hedgerows.
21st August - Great Wood School, am - Some maintenance work around the pond will be tackled along with checking our young trees from last winter's planting.
Bare Lane Station, pm - There will be the inevitable weeding and watering jobs, but we need to concentrate on the signal box compound. Our hedge is being smothered by bindweed so vigorous pulling and cutting will be needed.
4th September - Torrisholme Barrow – We have been asked for another sponsored tree. It would be useful to do the woodwork before the planting season and we have also gained permission from the farmer to create a level platform in front of the seat. In addition one of our existing tree cages can be removed from a rather magnificent oak. It has done its job after over 30 years!
