tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217532982011-06-08T06:51:21.011ZEach week volunteers from Bradford Environmental Education Service carry out conservation tasks in the local community. This is what we've been up to...juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17761097094418139687noreply@blogger.comBlogger351100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-53032870629506994552007-09-16T08:45:00.000Z2007-09-16T09:01:48.827Z

Three new recent volunteer recruits were a massive help on Friday. Thanks guys! This site used to provide power for a water wheel for a now long gone mill. Now it is a little oasis in the middle of Buttershaw with a large pond which is home to a small family of coots.It is also where the adjacent school's litter all blows and once again we removed bags and bags of it which the Clean Team from the

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-7728376083956356392007-08-11T08:17:00.000Z2007-09-12T15:01:13.265Z

Only a handfull of people joined the fight on Friday. Our BCEP trainee division was down from five to just two committed men and volunteer numbers were mysteriously low. However this elite band made huge dents in the Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam. I dunno! These foreigners! Coming over here, taking all our land and spreading their seed... Well, of course we don't try and eradicate them

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-72704216794446792762007-08-11T07:52:00.000Z2007-08-11T08:14:42.228Z

An open day at our West Bowling Community Orchard saw plenty of activity. A group of teenagers from the YMCA (BEES is part of YMCA Bradford) got stuck into re-woodchipping the path and a few participated in craft activities. We made bottle cap shakers and decorated them. We also helped a couple of the teenagers to produce drinks-can alcohol-stoves which was a big achievement. Once the stoves were

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-37159792364912437532007-07-15T09:51:00.000Z2007-08-11T08:46:25.592Z

We manage a long tract of land known as Boars Well. It was at this site, long ago, where the incident occurred that gave the Bradford Coat of Arm's it's tongueless Boars Head. A bounty had been put on the head of a boar that had been terrorising the peace loving folk of little Bradford village. One man who came across the boar drinking at the well on this site killed it, cut off it's tongue and

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-5327389837057437252007-07-01T11:26:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:31:20.783Z

Last Friday we cleared the already trodden paths of weeds and laid down woodchip. This was on a nature reserve that we manage, tucked away at the back of the Laisteridge Lane University of Bradford Campus.The most exciting thing for me was when I hit stone under the soil with my fork along a few metres of the path. It was buried under a thick mulch of woodland matter but I scraped it back and

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-85792649584853682332007-06-03T20:02:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:32:10.031Z

On Friday we finished off the dipping platform in fantastic weather. It was hard work but we are really pleased with the results. The platform juts out into the pond so that the edge is already in quite deep water. Once we stopped concentrating on work and began to look into the water at the edge of the platform we were immediately amazed at the amount of extra wildlife activity you can see.

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-57095183745258939042007-05-26T15:13:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:33:07.055Z

Great task yesterday! We embarked on a dipping platform at the BEES Urban Nature Reserve on the Laisteridge Lane University Campus. We got 6 solid posts in ready to take the joists and tread boards. We hope to finish it next week and the result will enable children to pond dip more safely. We saw newts which I always find exciting!Others worked at eradicating the invasive species Giant Hogweed

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-85652816885075031812007-05-14T16:22:00.000Z2007-05-14T16:27:27.449Z

This was a great event, but it did feel a bit like an episode of Little Britain at times. Why?1. No Blossom - Blossom is supposed be at it's best at this time of year, but with the warm April it was all mostly gone by now.2. The Great British Weather - by the time I got there it was getting colder and starting the rain.Still, the BBQ was hot and the food and the company were great - what more

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-7330555273140291212007-05-04T16:47:00.000Z2007-05-04T16:53:58.471Z

The volunteers will be out in force this Sunday at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, where they will be making little baby herons out of recycled materials.Should be fun, and it'll give people a chance to see the Andy Goldsworthy exhibits that are there at the moment.

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1173709876356229702007-03-12T15:21:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:33:50.156Z

On the outskirts of some woods in Idle we set to work on laying a hedge of mainly hawthorn trees. With some trees half dead already it was tricky business but everyone was improving their skills and we created some fine pleachers (this is what you call the bit of the tree you expose when you cut most of the way through it and then bend it over). It was tiring work but it felt very creative as

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1171040505568877922007-02-09T16:55:00.000Z2007-02-09T17:01:45.593Z

The just about annual 'birthday' task was carried out in the cold and eventually in the wet as it started to sleet at the end of the day.Lots of the volunteers seem to have their birthdays at about this time, so at tea break there were chocolates and cake!We hung a new gate and repaired the fence at the top entrance to Boar's Well Urban Nature Reserve, thinned some of the budlia, cleared the

davidchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15558179804523275196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1170611353964507322007-02-04T17:29:00.000Z2007-02-04T17:49:13.983Z

The task on Saturday was to learn about pruning fruit trees. Does that make the 15 or so people that turned up a bunch of prunes?Martin shared his skill and knowledge with a group, that hung on his every word and were full of questions.Starting in the orchard at West Bowling, we looked at training trees to grow in the right direction, pruning out damage, understanding how a tree tries to

davidchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15558179804523275196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1166289709963777472006-12-16T17:21:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:36:03.061Z

Yesterday we helped Forest of Bradford plant a hedgerow at Onion Farm in Burley. Trees included hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel and Viburnum opulus (guelder rose). We notch planted, staked and guarded 100's of trees for what will be a stockproof hedge in a few years. The weather was drizzly but it wouldn't have felt like the Christmas task without it! Our own Nik "Mears" fetched the brew kit and got

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1164545102729425582006-11-26T12:45:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:37:08.039Z

We scythed and raked and raked and scythed until the wildflower meadow was levelled ready to let it regenerate next year. Plantain was removed in a full scale attack to prevent it from dominating the wildflowers. Reports from the teachers indicate that the wildflowers came up in abundance in the Summer which is good news. We are also told the pupils of the school have been busy using the planted

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1160840702505143022006-10-14T15:45:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:37:48.918Z

The weather was fine and the community orchard was buzzing for the annual apple day today.It was a vey enjoyable day! My apple was identified (I say mine, my neighbour actually donated it, good of them). It was a massive Howgate Wonder. The book, that the very knowledgable lady had, said it was only of fair quality but the ones on sale there were described as sweet and pleasant which I prefer. I

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1160258953475175232006-10-07T22:01:00.000Z2006-10-07T22:10:05.986Z

Ok, so this is a little late (a week!), and I didn't actually arrive until 30 mins before we packed up, but there are still a few things to report.One of the big tasks was to clear the pond/spring area from reeds that have grown up and nearly filled the space. It was wet, mucky work! (of course only for 20 mins for me, but a long day for others) There was a huge pile of reeds left by the end,

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1158324975260963072006-09-15T12:50:00.000Z2006-09-15T12:56:15.276Z

It would be really useful to have some general feedback about volunteers' experiences and thoughts about project work in schools - the Eschools project, other voluntary work you have done and future opportunities you would like us to create.We are in the process of putting together a funding bid and your feedback, as potential users of the service we will create will help with the funding

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1151923112932169112006-07-03T10:38:00.000Z2006-07-03T14:16:13.953Z

BEES Conservation VolunteersBEES Urban Nature Reserve - the good and the bad.The nature reserve is full of life, though it looks a bit unloved at the moment. I think the increase of bindwind might be due to lack of management around the pond edges, and it would be nice not to be tickled by nettles when sitting on the bench. The bog bean in the top pond seems to have increased massively, and we

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1151921961433860162006-07-03T10:19:00.000Z2006-07-03T14:16:53.786Z

BEES Conservation Volunteerscharcoal updateKeen to try and manufacture more drawing charcoal we finished loading the kilns on friday evening, and in an attempt to introduce some time efficiencies into thhis labour intensive process, we thought it would be good to light the kilns then, and close down in the morning. Maybe it was the wind - or lack of it - or a difference in the way the air sinks

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1151258817440119772006-06-25T17:50:00.000Z2006-06-25T18:06:57.443Z

Just a few pictures from the Charcoal Kilns this morning, and a few links to artcles about charcoal making.BTCVDave's how to make charcoal.. (Not me!)Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United NationsArtists Charcoal made from willow in tin cans.Filling the kiln again

davidchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15558179804523275196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1151247930874497892006-06-25T15:05:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:39:28.716Z

Another batch of charcoal turned out well today. The artist's charcoal experiment was a success and plans are afoot to produce on a larger scale.And to celebrate this wonder of traditonal industry a barbecue is planned for the 9th July, 3.30pm. This will be at the Community Orchard in West Bowling http://www.civictrust.org.uk/regeneration/includes/Orchard.pdf The World Cup Final is at 7pm that

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1150548253763101502006-06-17T12:44:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:40:28.318Z

The 2nd burn completed, the kilns were opened on Friday and inside.... black gold! Bags and bags of it.Everyone seemed to have a good time. Treats this time were provided by Chris. His fresh pineapple chunks went down well. Paul (the Russian-German) chopped wood tirelessly but for the second time the axe he used couldn't match his incredible strength. Paul 2, axe handles nil.After emptying the

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1150203417090414282006-06-13T12:56:00.000Z2006-06-13T21:42:50.050Z

Sorry about the failure last week - yes i don't think we let enough oxygen into the kilns so the fires went out...the theory is that the oxygen is limited so that not all the carbon turns to carbon dioxide...but there's no smouldering without oxygen (as the saying goes). anyway i've checked it out and fingers crossed we should do better tomorrow...if not i will abandon my plans to live in the

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1150197200141247002006-06-13T11:13:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:40:56.994Z

So we went to see our lovely new charcoal on Friday, the kilns were opened and inside.... some slightly charred wood. Well, one more step on the road to success! We discovered the problem: some blocked flumes and perhaphs the wrong configuration for keeping the air flowing through it.Stickie buns at Lunchtime! Provided by Alyson, these were warmly received then duly scoffed.Tomorrow we will start

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1149775202364948402006-06-08T13:40:00.000Z2006-06-08T14:00:43.110Z

Got up really early today to head off to the local (for me) woods in St. Ives, Bingley. Met up with a couple of BEES staff and another volunteer to start a charcoal burn. The charcoal burners are used to create local charcoal from local wood, cutting out many of the problems associated with commercial charcoal production. (These include deforestation of other parts of the world and massive

davidchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15558179804523275196noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1149608284203839452006-06-06T15:34:00.000Z2006-06-06T15:38:04.213Z

We still have 100's if not thousands of packets of mixed wildflower seeds that the bbc commissioned for the Springwatch event. Do you want some or no someone, or a community group that does? They should be used in gardens etc. not scattered randomly in the countryside so we don't affect what's going on out there unnecessarily.Contact the office for more info.

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1149500338124315802006-06-05T09:32:00.000Z2006-06-05T09:38:58.146Z

A bunch of us went over to the BBC Springwatch event at Temple Newsom in Leeds on Saturday. (I came late and went early, but that's by the by - other people did a full days volunteering)We gave pots of compost with wildflower seeds in away to whoever wanted them. The pots were made from recycled juice cartoons, and it seems like hundreds of people took one away with them.Other people made bugs

davidchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15558179804523275196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1148847522323977242006-05-28T20:18:00.000Z2007-07-15T10:41:37.403Z

BEES Conservation VolunteersLast Friday we cleared vegetation from the historic hill tramway at Shipley Glen with help for the first time from some volunteers taking a break from their desk jobs at Bradford & Bingley Building Society. Set in historic woodland the tram has run for 111 years ( http://www.glentramway.co.uk/). Under the drizzle we attacked the weeds with strimmers, sickles, spades

Jonathan Pollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01763948923748329596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1148143540169534172006-05-20T16:39:00.000Z2006-05-20T16:45:40.180Z

Last Friday we had a volunteer meeting. A chap from the council came to talk about Japanese Knotweed, which was really useful because we come across it all the time.We also ate a lot of biscuits.Since the last blog volunteers have made baby herons at the Yorkshire Sculpture park (don't ask), had a long day at the orchard that ended with a barbeque, and spent last Friday on the nature reserve.

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1146248658148944952006-04-28T18:10:00.000Z2006-04-28T18:33:14.456Z

..well not really 'cos that wouldn't be safe, but the roof went up on the shelter at the orchard today - with the help of the step ladders. It was a bit of a job trying to get it right first time, but eventually it went up just in time.In other news, the first of blossom was showing, the garlic was coming up. Other people worked on small vegetable plots within the orchard. There was also some

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1144672091476102792006-04-10T12:21:00.000Z2006-04-10T15:58:58.466Z

We spent two days at the beginning of the month at Lakeside Ymca on the shores of windermere. Lakside provided accommodation and food in exchange for our efforts at deer fencing an area of woodland (to enable regeneration of the trees). There were 18 of us and we completed about 100m of fence, including some awkward spots...in fact we were retrofitting an exisiting fence which had its pros and

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1139589511372521412006-02-10T16:31:00.000Z2006-02-10T16:38:31.383Z

Planted trees to cover up the holes left by the utility company!Sifted through Bradford's 1920's rubbish (or treasure depending on your point of view) - the nature reserve was once a great big rubbish tip. Cut back the dogwoods so they'll look really good this time next year and stay off the path in the summer.Planted some more trees in the Japanese Knotweed colonies as part of our attempt to

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1139157556881279642006-02-05T16:30:00.000Z2006-02-05T16:39:16.890Z

One of the jobs today was to take away a pice of wood from the shed to stop people tripping over. It was hard work but we did it. Good teamwork.Hana said it was "nice and funny"We got the doogwoods in. Our plan is to defeat the couch grass with Formisol and bark mulch.We've also put in some hops. They can be used for crafts as well as brewing beer!Dogrose and Sweet Briar went in to encourage

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1139004761577667302006-02-03T22:06:00.000Z2006-02-03T22:12:41.586Z

No task today.Once a month the weekly task takes place on the weekend, so that people that can't come on a Friday get a chance to have a go. BUT there's still some preparation to be done, so went to Beardsworths (in Cleckheaton) to pick up tree stakes, more dogwoods, a range of other shrubs, some climbers and tree ties. All set for Sunday!

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21753298.post-1138714189436032252006-01-31T13:22:00.000Z2006-01-31T13:31:49.896Z

Last Friday we were all out (about 12 of us) at the West Bowling Community Orchard.New benches went in, lots of couch grass came out, and a few repairs that needed doing got done.We got some new trees and some shrubs in, including three multicoloured dog woods - a red, a yellow and a black/purple.Next trip to the Orchard is Sunday 5th Feb. More planting hopefully, but probably still some weeding

a BEES volunteernoreply@blogger.com0