The seven who arrived for work today identified two jobs. Two went to Park Bank Wood and repaired a Bench, by replacing the Seat from our new supply of material. The others went to the Orchard and began clearing the undergrowth that has taken over. A temperamental Mower and running out of Strimmer Cable slowed us down but much was accomplished. Maybe we will return next week.
Eight members met at the Store on a pleasant autumnal morning. Four prepared the requirements for assembling the new bench top at the top of the Round Walk steps near Dore Station including homemade washers . The other four headed down to the middle pond to complete clearing the pond, the grills and the bramble covered surrounds. It now looks much healthier after the recent rains. Four went to work in Ladies Spring Wood. The broken bench top above the long steps was replaced. Vegetation encroaching onto the Round Walk and the path along the top of the wood was cut
Three of us continued rebuilding the wall between Ladies Spring Wood and de La Salle. We reached coverband level but need copes to finish off. Any ideas from where?
Sixteen of us turned up today. Five went off to review the walls around the top of Beauchief Hall and search for coping stones. Five went to the Abbey ponds to clear the rest of the wood and pick up the rubbish. Two went to survey the paths, etc around Park Bank Wood. Four went to Gulley’s Wood Meadow to clear the rest of the invasive plants prior to Tom mowing it. We watered your oak saplings, collected your litter bags for the tip and looked at the ‘grave’ for invasive plants. We have also acquired 20+ planks of wood
The ten that arrived today, all went to the Abbey Ponds and carried on with the clearing up, taking advantage of the empty middle one and the top one very low. We also cleared some of the overhanging branches on the Round Walk where it passes the middle Pond Many appreciative comments from passing golfers, particularly when we gave them almost new Golf Balls we had unearthed. The golf course Greenkeeper has offered us their old Railway Sleepers, currently by their Hut; do we want them for Benches ?
The Abbey Ponds are suffering in this prolonged hot weather. There was no water visible in the bottom pond. The middle pond looked dry except for a muddy patch in the middle. There was water in the top pond, but it was below the level needed to flow into the bottom pond. Wildlife is still present but is probably struggling. One of our members reports: I saw six mallards, five moorhens, a grey wagtail and a heron. I couldn’t tell if water from the stream was flowing into the upper pond but suspect there was little, if any.
Twelve workers, including a new recruit, met today and three tasks were identified. Water the four Oak Saplings, planted a few months ago. Sadly, they are looking very sorry for themselves, and we will be lucky if they survive this hot weather. Remove Blackthorn suckers from Gulley’s Meadow, to assist the mowing later in the year The job we all went to eventually, clearing the Abbey [middle] Pond. The word WOW, was said by everyone that arrived, it is completely empty. In the 14 years of the Beauchief Environment Group no one has ever seen it completely dry. Taking advantage
11 of us went to the Nature Park and cleared an area suitable to hold the Picnic event on Sunday. Mower, Strimmer, Scythe & Shears all used to accomplish the task.
Ten of us arrived today. Eight went to the Tree Meadow to finish off clearing around the trees and removing dead and unwanted ones; and the remaining two went to Stone Cross Field to stick 2 slabs back on. Two more top slab sections (the west ones) on the north and south benches had come loose. They were re-fixed using PVA, and we noted that the two east slabs on the same benches fixed a fortnight ago had set securely.
Greener Greenhill organised a Comunity picnic on Sunday 12 July 12-4 pm on Stone Cross Field, and Members of BEG were invited to join them. It was based on the seat around the Sycamore,There were some gentle activities, but they mainly wished people to enjoy spending time in this green space and to see and appreciate the work that BEG does. The BEG dry stone wall team was there to talk about their work and demonstrate.
Eleven of us met today, and two tasks were agreed: Four of Tony’s Steps in Park Bank Wood required repair and a small group duly obliged. The rest went to the Woodland Meadow and cleared around the young trees. Brilliant to see how those small whips planted 8+ years ago are now maturing The Container Area looks like a wild flower meadow – all growing out of rubble – and better than we could plant ourselves!
Fifteen members of the Group met today, and twelve of us went to the three ponds on the Nature Park, and cleared access .paths, to assist the Ecology Survey taking place later this week. On the two dry ones we cut clear access paths to both and with the wet one, we cut a perimeter path around 2/3rds of it. In addition, three members went to Stone Cross field and repaired two of the benches, where slabs had come loose. We also moved the stone used for our walling demonstration at the Greenhill Family Picnic Day on Sunday to a concealed