The Saturday morning volunteer session saw 22 volunteers attend despite miserable wet weather at the start. The weather did improve.
- Hedges were trimmed:
- Between the Pads footpath and the Orchard.
- Near the large ash tree on the Fauna path.
- Between the Fauna path and Carr House Meadow.
- Between Carr House Meadow and the Grammar School field
- Unwanted self seeded saplings, particularly willow, were cut back in a large section of the Orchard.
- Enveloping vegetation along the hedge between the Pads footpath and Big Meadow was cleared to give the hedge saplings a better chance. We can also estimate how many replacement saplings are needed. Hopefully we will keep a close eye on these gap areas this summer and allow the saplings to grow.
- New saplings were planted in the gaps in the newly laid hedge between the Long Pads footpath and Lower Sowerholme. A mix of hawthorne, blackthorn, hazel and rowan from the Woodlands Trust.
- Overhanging branches at the Cromwell Road gate to Carr House Meadow were pruned back to provide better vehicular access.
- The willow ‘living fence’ between the Fauna path and School Pond was repaired and upgraded.
- Orchard fruit trees were pruned, especially those with stems going too high.
- Mud was cleared from the paths in the Orchard.
- A member of the Fairfield Allotments joined the session to prune back the hedge between the allotments and the Grammar School field.