Pond Platform part 2.

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. Newts pop up regularly to grab air and there are loads of pond snails which crawl over the pond weed. Previously, children had to scoop the snails out with nets to see them at which point the creatures would hide in their shells and stay there. Now you can see them in the clear water as they move about.

We were helped by University of Bradford students who were taking part in national volunteers week. They got loads of vegetation cleared so that access to the wooded area is massively improved. Hope to see you next week too, guys! For the second week running the Telegraph and Argus photographed our efforts. If anyone spots us in the paper, please let us know and keep us a copy!

Urban Nature Reserve pond platform pt.1

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 from the site. Due to our efforts in the past, the amount coming up this year has been greatly reduced.

The press turned up to photograph the work going on and I'll be rushing out to see ourselves in the T&A today!

I have recently been on a bushcraft course and Guille, from Spain on a European volunteer scheme requested a fire by friction tutorial. We made a bow drill set and back at home, managed to produce fire with it!

Blossom Day

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 could you ask for (Blossom and sun aside)?

The orchard is looking great and with the addition of extra space, permenant covered areas, and growing areas for other vegetables, it's really developing well.

Call that art!

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.

Fri 9th March, Hedgelaying, Idle

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 some volunteers commented and the setting was beautiful. The result was a formidable barrier to keep the horses in the field. The previous week at the same place we saw a couple of woodpeckers after hearing therm first.

Tree planting, Onion Farm, Burley

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 the Kelly Kettle fire going despite the rain. The brews were much appreciated all round. And then it was off to the pub with the first round kindly financed by the farm owner. A few more drinks in Bradford rounded off a fine day's work.

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.