September 2024 news Update
The extremely wet year so far has kept flora at bay, even our faithful hollyhocks have been nothing like as spectacular as normal. Last year oxeye daisies and other flowers kept blooming prolifically right up to the beginning of December, but everything is just about finished now and hunkered down for winter. This has had an effect on insect life. Butterfly, bee and other pollinator numbers have been down dramatically on last year. Other observers elsewhere have noted the same. Hybrid ryegrass continues to be a problem and this has thrived in the wet conditions as have our hazel and dog rose. The latter are about to enter their second year and we hope to see some blooms in the summer.
Coppicing of hazel has begun in order to promote further growth and to allow more light into areas around it, and we will seed with yellow rattle to continue the battle with the ryegrass once winter is underway. These seeds will be kept in the freezer for a few days before sowing as we can no longer rely on frost to break their dormancy.
A key task we undertake is to keep the grille at the entrance to the culvert taking the Brook under Blackbridge Lane and Arunside clear of debris. This has to be done very frequently, particularly during wet weather, to ensure water in the Brook channel drains freely into the culvert, and this regime was approved by the Environment Agency surveyor who inspected the site last summer. Unfortunately our efforts in this endeavour have been made harder by householders upstream throwing garden waste and other rubbish into the watercourse. Selfish and irresponsible behaviour!
A second key task is to ensure that the public footpath/cycle path is kept clean and weed free and that overhanging growth is kept back for the safety of all path users. Litter is cleared from the site at every visit, but since we took over management of Shandy’s Brook, littering has declined dramatically to almost zero.
Our next task is the end of summer mow. Due to the topography of the site, this task has to be done by hand and is an arduous undertaking.
We and Shandy’s Brook are still greatly appreciated by local residents and all users of the path, which, along with the promotion of wildflowers and invertebrates, especially pollinators, is a key aim of our endeavours. We enjoy the continuing support of locals.