Today the group worked on the Orchard off Queen’s Road Tewkesbury. This is part of the larger Tewkesbury Nature Reserve(TNR) tewkesburynaturereserve.org.uk a natural floodplain of mostly grassland, grazed by sheep and cattle. There have been a few scrapes recently added to improve the biodiversity particularly for birds. The orchard is linked to the Priors Park Neighbourhood Project which includes allotments.

The work was to remove encroaching vegetation and create a wide path to the rear. Six of us took part and we were visited by a member of TNR who is responsible for volunteer work parties at the site. We managed to clear an area of mostly bramble and blackthorn that opened up the site and freed around some of the fruit trees planted here including plum. apple and pear giving more light and reducing competition. Compost heaps are also envisaged for the area to supply the next door allotments.

A pleasant days work with good weather and keen volunteers and a satisfactory task completed

This Sunday the group were involved in planting native bluebell bulbs in a previously coppiced part of the reserve along with a few snowdrops. We also did some weeding of the hedge planted in 2018.

Similar to our previous task at Bulls Cross, working for Natural England. This is a small linear grassland important for invertebrates, our work today was to remove ash saplings using Tree Poppers – many of the trees were showing signs of Ash Dieback too.

A continuation of our work opening up the stream side at Kemerton Wood nr Bredon. We were able to complete this up to one the small wooden bridges across the stream. During the course of this we came across 40+ peacock butterfly caterpillars and also an eel. Exciting to know that the stream had such life in and around it.

A return to this nature reserve in the midst of Quedgeley. The task was to block off a path that lead too close to the pond. In this respect we decided to erect a dead hedge – mostly using previously cut material from when we did some coppicing. Knocking in some posts we then weaved in various small branches, some of which we had to cut fresh (mostly sycamore). It did the job, so well pleased with our work.

A Natural England managed site that they are grazing with sheep. The task today was to move the electric fence to another part of the grassland, giving the sheep more grass to chew on. Quite a task to shift and roll up the fence material ready to resite it. Forunately the sheep didn’t take long to move across.

A joint task with Cotswold Canals Trust near to Coates, Cirencester. A lovely sunny day spent clearing trees that were close to the side of the canal.

Our work this Sunday was to erect a dead hedge on two sides of the pond to limit access for safety reasons. We knocked posts in and weaved previously cut material into these to create a barrier.

A joint task with Friends of Leckhampton and Charlton Kings Common (FOLK) at Leckhampton Hill. We helped to limit the spread of Hemp Agrimony on the site – mostly removing by hand. Also ragwort pulling on a couple of species rich fields.

An early start for some of us (4.30am) for a walk round Highnam Woods listening out for the delight of bird song, at just about the best time to hear them. many Blackbirds, Blue and Great Tits, Robins, Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker and of course Nightingales for which the reserve is well known.

This was then followed later on by a walk from Alney island via Highnam Woods and Minsterworth albeit with a slight unintended detour. Taking in different habitats and landscapes on the way.