Reevy Mill Dam, 14/09/07

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 council kindly took away. Boys like to fish in the pond and the ones we have spoken to seem to bemoan the litter and have a healthy respect for the site. One problem though is that a lot of fishing wire is left on site causing a hazard to wildlife. One teenager told us of a magpie he had saved the life of which had become completely entangled in it.

There was also a lot of mowing and scything to be done to maintain the areas of wildflower meadow. The cut grass is removed so that the fertility of the soil doesn't increase. This gives the wildflowers an advantage by discouraging the grass.

Guardhouse Primary School wildflower meadow

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 beds which are well taken care of by "The Environment Club". We helped them by doing a bit of weeding.