Rhodybash at Lyme Park on Sunday 28th January 2024

Another winter Sunday, another rhodybash.  The weather was perfect for it - a good breeze and dry.   We had been planning to meet Issy for the day but she couldn’t make it so Duty Ranger Alex kindly agreed to fit us into his busy schedule of feeding deer and general Mr FixIt.

Seven of us climbed back up the hill in Lantern Wood, saws and loppers in hand, ready to do battle with rhody.  Overall I think we won the battle, although it’s hard to see from these before and after photos:

Before ...

... and after

We got lots cut and managed to get lots burnt as well.  From certain spots you can now see through the rhody to the top of the hill.

At the end of the day, with the fire burnt down, we put round the orange netting and walked back down the hill, tired but satisfied with a good day's work.

We met Ranger Alex and his tractor by the stables tool store and headed home.

Jenny

Rhodybash at Alderley Edge on Sunday 21st January 2024

The weather forecast had been wet and windy.  Well, it was half right ... we got strong winds, but luckily no rain.  We had to keep an eye on the forecast in case it gusted above 47mph.

Seven of us plus Ranger Duncan set off into Windmill Woods to find rhody to kill.  Duncan pointed out a patch of laurel which Charlie decided to attack.  I wasn’t quick enough to get a before photo but here is a part way through photo.

We couldn’t burn the Laurel because it's poisonous, but Charlie did a great job scrubbing around removing all the roots ...

 

... whilst a few people started chopping at the rhody.

Others dug a small pit to contain the fire and keep it away from all the flammable pine needles.

The bonfire was going nicely by coffee break (Bakewell Tart and Chill-Chocolate-brownies).  We agreed that we would work through lunch break and pack up early afternoon to avoid the worst of the weather.  After the break we went back to work cutting rhody in various parts of the wood and continued burning.  We managed to clear and burn all of the big patch of rhody.

The wind began to increase, so we decided it was time to stop loading the fire and let it burn out.  Whilst we were watching the fire burn down a dead tree in the woods the other side of the path began to creek and came down – definitely time to pack up.

After another 20 minutes or so the fire was burnt down enough to put out so we hung the unburnt rhody roots in the trees to dry out and act as a warning to other rhody not to mess with MNTV!

  

Jenny

Rhodybash at Lyme Park on Sunday 14th January 2024

Today, we had a really good day rhodybashing at Lyme Park, continuing the steady clearance of Lantern Wood.  It was a cool but reasonably bright day for January.  Despite a little trouble getting the fire going it was roaring by the afternoon and chewing through a good chunk of the rhodys that had been cut.

We welcomed two new starters (Sam and Shirley) and hope to see them out again. The ranger Issy was really happy with the work we did and is looking forward to hosting us again in February.

Martin

Building a "dead hedge" at Styal on Sunday 7th January 2024

On a bright, crisp frosty January morning ten of us met up with ranger Ceara before driving round to the worksite.  We were working in a field by the side of the airport road.  Our task was to build a "dead hedge" round some ponds.  This was an area we worked in a couple of years ago clearing and burning rhodi.  These ponds are significant as they are very old and thriving with wildlife.  The purpose of the hedge is to keep cattle, which will be in the field over summer, out of the protected area.

For those who don't know a "dead hedge" is built by putting two rows of stakes in the ground at an even distance apart and filling with brash.  Sounds simple!   The brash was at the other end of the field to the ponds and on a slope and this had to be dragged from there to where it was needed.

The job was not made any easier by a very wet field that by the time we had finished for the day was a quagmire.  In fact we nearly had to leave Neil there as he got stuck in the mud.  We had a couple of falls in the mud and some very near misses.  Although the hedge wasn't quite finished Ceara was happy with what we had done.

I must thank all my colleagues for their hard work in very trying and tiring conditions.  Also thanking Ceara for a good workday and her company.

Christine