Nature Conservation News |
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CONSERVATION UPDATE DECEMBER 2011 |
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Ongoing and completed tasks • Currently our Saturday morning working group is operating at the bottom of Plot 8 (far right side near Medical Centre) and in Plot 7. • We have cut down around a dozen yews in this area and have re-shaped a few others, plus removal of prodigious amounts of bramble & undergrowth. • Alongside the walkway we have reduced a very large bay down to ground level. We noted that quite a large portion of the trunks contained spongy dead wood, so worth doing. • It should be noticed that as previously reported a number of the yews cut down during the last 2 years are re-growing and we hope to be able to start shaping these in the next 2 years • This means that in the next few years we shall be able to do the same to the yews in Plot 8. We will endeavour to allow as much sunlight as possible to continue to access all areas and that this should promote wildflower and grass propagation in the current brown earthy areas. • Another benefit of the reduction of the yews and other trees and the removal of undergrowth is the improved visual view of the large firs in Plot 8 previously swamped by the yews . • Please be aware that our continuing policy is not to cut down any of the original trees, although pruning will take place. If any well placed and flourishing self set trees since the cemetery's inception will also be kept, unless they are interfering with other more important trees. • As previously reported sometimes large piles of brash (branch debris) will be observed around our work areas, but we do endeavour to clear these as soon as possible – always dependant on labour and transport availability. • It is our intention that all the brash currently lying around will be removed to the bottom of the cemetery to await disposal before the end of the year. • There will as ever be a lot of timber left in piles for public consumption. Please feel free to take any but be aware that we leave in 4 to 6 foot lengths so it's up to you to cut it further if you need. Please also be aware that the grass areas are becoming soft so please try to keep your vehicles on the walkways. We are not allowed to sell this lumber but are as ever grateful if you feel able to make a small donation. • Recently we have had a couple of specimen trees donated by Judith Betchley and we now have a Judas Tree planted in front of the Dead House and a Spindle Tree in the other open area on the right. • As always anybody who fancies a light workout on a Saturday morning between 9.30 & 12.30 is welcome to join us – contact details on the front page and in the newsletter. • If you fancy sponsoring a tree we intend to plant some down at the bottom on the perimeter of Plot 45. Details and contact info. in the newsletter. |
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Nature Conservation News CONSERVATION REPORT AUGUST 2011
Ongoing and recently completed tasks • Sowing of a ¾ kilo bag of wildflowers & grasses in the garden area to the left of the entrance took place, however with the dry Spring only a few of these have currently grown this year, which has allowed the ever present weed population to push through as well. It is hoped that the wildflowers & grasses, having established themselves over the next few months will produce a better show next year. • In connection with the above problem we have sought advice from several sources, which has inevitably resulted in conflicting advice as to what to do. The Trustees are currently deciding on which path to follow. • However, on the other side of the entrance, where we've done nothing except clear there is a fine display of wildflowers. • The Plot 1 area to the left is coping very well with our work of the last 2 years with lots of wildflowers and grass areas emerging where previously there was just bare earth. Several of the Yews which we cut right down to stumps have started to regenerate and in a couple of years will have enough re-growth to enable us to shape. • As we've previously promised we have left all the originally planted trees in place, although in several instances we have tidied the trunks, removed dead branches and raised the crowns on some trees. • Recently we have turned our attention to the plots on the right side and have cut a number of Yews down to stump height, to allow light and improve accessibility in, which gives the larger specimen trees better growth potential and allows us to see them better. • This is work that will continue throughout the year when convenient through constraints such as nesting and the weather and will result in large piles of brash that we burn from time to time and also piles of larger branches for firewood, for the general public to remove. • Note that burning is the most convenient & cost effective way of disposal for us. Shredding cannot be carried out for 3 reasons – a) we don't have insurance for power tool use, b) professional shredding is extremely costly and c) most of the brash is Yew and everything except the berries is toxic. • We also have a volunteer who is operating on the overgrowing bramble & Rhododendrons at the side hedge near the Medical Centre. • When our Saturday morning crew is not able to work on the access clearance aspects of the cemetery, due to the above mentioned constraints, then the crew is used on work in the East Chapel. • One of our next major tasks in the late autumn will be to plant a number of saplings along the access roadsides in the unused areas at the southern end of the cemetery. We will plant a mixture from this list of varieties – silver birch, rowan, cherry, ash & oak – all supplied free by BTCV. |
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CONSERVATION REPORT March 2011 Ongoing and recently completed work
Late Spring and Summer Tasks
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CONSERVATION REPORT – FEBRUARY 2010
It has been suggested that a monthly report on the progress of nature conservation at the Cemetery would keep all our members both factually informed and satisfied with what we are doing.
Our key achievements since the beginning of 2010 are as follows but in no particular order.
• Removal of the Ash Tree which disturbing one grave while threatening the obelisk in an adjacent grave. • Trimming down the Yew stumps in Plot 1 and the Laurel stumps behind the left hand hedge. • Lowering the height of the left hand hedge to 4 foot in order that the hedge will thicken up. • Disposal of all the waste materials from the above tasks – most of the timber is being taken by people with wood burners while all the brash is burned at the bottom of the Cemetery. • Removal of the scrub behind the right hand hedge.
Our next tasks are as follows. Please note all future work is discussed beforehand and due note is taken of the Cemetery's wildlife.
• Priority task is to bring the height of the right hand hedge down to the same height as the left hand hedge. • Next priority will be to remove a scrubby tree from the environs of the James Cribb grave (first burial in the cemetery). • Both the above ideally need to be done before mid March which is the official start of the bird-nesting season. • From hereon we will be observing a softly, softly approach to our work. Any tree or shrub removals will be accompanied with an inspection beforehand to check that there are no bird's nests present. • We will be disposing of as much of the resultant brash from the above tasks as possible before we do any more work. • Spring and early Summer jobs will be additional tidying in and around Plot 1, some branch removal from trees near the left hand wall, disposals as necessary, and surveys of Plots 2 & 3 in order to produce a coherent, agreed plan of action for later in the year. • Please note that if you see piles of brash in and around the areas in which we are working they will be there because we've not yet gotten around disposing of the brash. Richard Day |
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| We've been building up the team of volunteers and now have around 15 people. I am normally in the Cemetery every Saturday morning at 9.30 and we usually get at least five or six other volunteers attending each week. A point to make here is that although I work every Saturday, I'm not expecting other volunteers to come as often. Whether you want to come along and join in the camaraderie weekly, fortnightly, monthly - or just occasionally - you are always very welcome. | ||||||||||||||
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