RANGE OF CONSERVATION TASKS THAT WE UNDERTAKE
1. Hedge Management
Restoring and managing field boundary hedges as key historic, landscape and biodiversity features. This includes removing the old fencing where necessary; preparing and laying the hedge; planting up the gaps including with appropriate hedgerow trees; re-fencing the hedge to keep out stock and encourage vigorous re-growth. Belmount Farm in Slyne was our main area of work and we have worked on many hedges there since the 1990s.
2. Dry-stone Walling
Learning and understanding the principles of dry-stone walling. We undertake small-scale walling work including 'gapping up' and this has tended to be within the Arnside and Silverdale AONB.
3. Trees and Woodland Management
Planting and managing trees appropriate to the local area, both within individually guarded cages and as part of small copses and woods. Great Wood in Morecambe, Penhale Gardens in Heysham and Torrisholme Barrow are examples of our work. We have also supplied trees to the Sunderland Point project.
4. Wetland Management
Small scale pond creation and management together with wetland margins and wet meadows. We manage two small wetland meadows in Slyne and a couple of school ponds.
5. Orchard Management
We have managed orchards, including at the former Whittington Hospital site, and planted a very small orchard at Bare Lane Station and also at Mossgate School.
6. Local School Sites
We help to transform the potential of school sites in the area, with a range of ponds, copses, hedges and individual landscape trees. Our efforts have been heavily concentrated on Great Wood Primary School, Bare, (since the 1980s) and we now also work at Mossgate School, Heysham.
7. Bare Lane Railway Station
Working with operator Northern Rail and Network Rail, the group is the station adopter for the platform tubs and garden areas. Our aim is to enhance the wildlife potential of the site as part of a Community Rail Partnership initiative on the edge of Morecambe.
8. Penhale Gardens, Heysham
Working on this local authority sheltered accommodation site to enhance the historically landscaped copse that is so important to residents and wildlife alike.
9. Bee and Butterfly Garden, Hazelwood, Silverdale
Created in 2013 and largely managed by the group to enhance a habitat for bees and butterflies by planting the correct range of plants.
10. Torrisholme Barrow
A site where we first worked in the 1980s, to replace and bolster up the important landscape trees. They are safeguarded from livestock with sturdy wired tree cages.
11. Other Urban Greenspace
We care about even small areas of urban greenspace and have been looking after the Torrisholme electricity sub-station site for many years now.
