Here is Jonathan’s message
Greetings All,
Three notices for your attention on this occasion.
First, there’ll be a volunteer session in Fairfield Orchard, Fauna and
Flora this Saturday, February 10th, starting at 10.00am and finishing
around 1.00pm.
If you’re able to come along, here is some of what you might be getting up
to:
1. Prepare the ground in the ‘old damson copse’ near the Towneley entrance
to the Orchard. Plant holly, broom and gorse.
2. Plant saplings (oak, horse chestnut and birch cherry) donated by
members as replacements for felled trees in the ‘wild’ part of the
Orchard.
3. Mark out the Flora Field beetle banks with stakes and red hazard tape.
Attach tape to the fences around the manholes to make them prominent.
4. Continue removing invasive bramble and self seeded saplings in the
Orchard.
5. Plug a gap in the Orchard / Pads hedge with brash.
6. Construct willow ‘play domes’ in the Orchard ‘wild area’.
7. Strengthen the northern fence of the Paddock.
Second, a reminder about the Volunteers’ Buffet, which takes place at the
Storey on February 22nd, 7pm to 9pm, £10. All Fairfield volunteers,
helpers and members are welcome including partners.
We have to have numbers beforehand so please book a place with either Sue
Nieduszynska ( or 01524 60480) or Ian Procter
( or 07811970595) by February 15th.
Third, on Saturday March 3rd we will be having an additional volunteer
session to begin the planting of the new hedge around Pony Wood.
We will have 600 saplings (six hundred) to plant so will need plenty of
help. Mark the date in your diaries, calendars, electronic personal
organisers or maybe commit it to memory with the help of an amusing
limerick – the choice is yours! Details to follow in due course. (I’d be
quite keen to read the limericks if you take that route and are willing to
share.)
Best wishes,
Jonathan.
And here is what we did:
The weather forecast said persistent rain and a cold, blustery wind. Unfortunately it was an accurate prediction. Despite this 10 volunteers attended the monthly Saturday volunteer session. We prioritised the work and completed the necessary jobs.
• In the wild part of the Orchard we planed and staked two horse chestnut, an oak and a bird cherry, all donated by member and replacing trees we had cut down earlier in the winter.
• In the ‘old damson copse’ at the Towneley Close entrance we continued the clearance of the ground removing brash, digging out bramble and cutting off self seeded saplings before planting and staking 8 holly, 6 broom and 6 gorse.
• We constructed two willow play domes with the tunnel between them to be completed.
• Mud on the path below the Townely Close entrance was cleared.
• Elder intruding into the hedge between the Orchard and the Pads footpath was identified and marked for removal.