Birch pulling at Bickerton Hill on Sunday 29th September 2024

 Three of us returned to Bickerton Hill for the first time since June 2014, we were working with ranger Sam and his spaniel dog, Will.

It was a beautiful sunny autumnal day, the worksite was a short five minute walk up the hill from the car park.

When we arrived at the worksite Sam explained that the birch had taken over the heath and had been sprayed approx a year ago.  The team were trying to bring the area back to heathland with ferns, heather, blackberries, bilberries, gorse and bracken.

The birch tress were small enough to pull out of the ground so we didn't need any tools.

Heathland before birch removal

Birch before removal

Area cleared of birch

Birch pulling

During the day Sam drove his tractor onto the site and started to remove the stacked piles of birch that we had pulled.

Sam's tractor removing birch from site

Volunteers with Will the Spaniel

Will the spaniel had a great day running around the heath, there were lots of people walking dogs so he met lots of lovely four legged friends.


During the day I took photos of the various plants/fungi in the area.

Area cleared of birch

At the end of the day we were all shattered but felt a great sense of achievement, such a small group had achieved a big task.

End of the day photo

We are due to return to Bickerton later in October and will be joined by the Merseyside group.  

Denise 

Worksite Leader

Clearing undergrowth below the Giant Redwoods at Biddulph Grange Garden on Sunday 22nd September 2024

Seven from MNTV met ranger Holly and Biddulph volunteer Nigel on a damp Sunday morning in the main car park at Biddulph Grange Garden near Congleton.

This was an 'extra' workday for MNTV at Biddulph Grange as usually we only visit in the Spring to stake out and plant the Dahlia tubers and in late Autumn when we dig up the tubers so they can be stored for the next year.  Sadly though, we never get to see the dahlias at their best, in full bloom, unless we visit the garden independently between times.

For this workday, we'd asked if we could view the dahlias before we started the task(s) for the day and, although it started raining on us, it didn't deter our delight at seeing the different varieties, colours and shapes of the dahlia blooms.

We'd already dropped our rucksacks off in the volunteer room, so after seeing the dahlias we walked to the Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant Redwoods) on Wellingtonia Avenue (Long Walk) where we met up with Holly, who had brought all the tools we needed in the NT vehicle.  We then started clearing the brambles and small trees from under the Giant Redwoods using shaped hoes, loppers and tree poppers.  The poppers helped to get up the roots of the small trees and large brambles.  Some of us also scraped the weeds from the edges of the path to tidy it up.

It drizzled and rained on us most of the day, so we went back to the house for our morning break and our lunch to sit indoors, in the drawing room.

By the time we had to leave, we'd tidied up the Long Walk path edges and had cleared the brambles and small trees from under more than half of the Giant Redwoods.  Although it was disappointing not to have been able to finish it all before we left maybe, if we get a good turnout when we're back in a few weeks to lift the dahlia tubers, we may have enough people spare to finish today's task as well,

Sue

Hedge Clearance, Footpath Work and Fence Removal at Alderley Edge - Sunday 15th September 2024

 Due to a last minute change of worksite (we were supposed to be at Chirk) we had a bumper turnout of volunteers for Alderley Edge on Sunday 15th September.  12 people came out on what became a very bad weather day and due to the torrential rain we ended up finishing just after lunchtime.  The ranger was at Bosley Cloud with another group and they gave up earlier than we did!  MNTV'ers are hardened to the weather!!

We met in the NT car park next to the Wizard Tea Room and Jenny guided us to the ranger compound to collect our tools which was a short walk from the car park..... we should have given up at the compound.... it had seating and shelter!  After collecting the tools we made our way to a hawthorn hedge which at the side of a footpath crossing a field.  This was the first task... cutting back the hedge and putting the cuttings back into the hedge.  

Hedge trimming (before trim)

Hedge (after trim)

After finishing the hedge we made our way back to the ranger compound for a tea break, as usual I supplied a selection of tasty Mr Kipling cakes which went down a treat.  Unfortuantely due to a mishap with the tool store key that snapped in the lock we had to leave Jenny behind to wait for the ranger as we couldn't leave the tool store open and I am sure Jenny was glad to be under cover with the inclement weather that was due to come.

After tea break the rest of the group made our way over to the second task of the day which was clearing grass/vegetation from a path.  At this point the group split into two and another group attended to a fence that needed removing.

Removing old fence

After removing a number of fence panels and posts the final fence post proved very difficult to remove and with a group effort it was eventually taken out.

Removing last fence post... trying to!

Five people to remove a post!

Around lunchtime the rain had really started to come down heavily and everyone was tired and getting cold so we went back to the ranger compound for lunch, we were joined by the ranger and we all decided to call it a day.

Denise

Worksite Leader

Hedge, fence and bench work at Styal on Sunday 8th September 2024

The weather was damp but not warm as seven of us gathered to meet ranger Ashley.  There was a mix of tasks, but all in the field next to the carpark.  We split into three teams, one trimming back the hedge on the exit to the overflow carpark, another removing an old fence and a third moving a bench so it has a better view.

After a mid-morning break under the education centre's lovely wooden shelter, we all went to move the bench, which was now out of the ground.  It was heavy so it took all of us to carry it to the new location.

After lunch the bench team joined the fence team and we managed to get all the fence out and the rubbish loaded on the truck.  The hedge team also managed to bag all the rubbish, which was taken to compost.

Jenny

Log spitting and fence repairs at Formby on Sunday 1st September 2024

We thought we were in for a hot sunny day, well that's what the forecast said earlier in the week, but it was not to be.

Six of us met with ranger Al who had a plan A and a plan B.  We plumped for plan A to start which was log splitting and stacking said split logs.  Unfortunately, the log splitter decided it wasn't playing and started to leak oil very badly.  Two of us stayed and tried using long handled axes to split some logs that wouldn't go through the splitter, to no avail.  I suppose if a log splitter can't do it what made us think we could!

So to plan B.  Four of the group went to dismantle some of the damaged benches and tables and tried to repair them.  The bolts holding the benches together had other ideas, and although they managed to remove most of them at least one wouldn't budge. So... end of plan B!

Plan C was to make new benches.  We managed to complete one, almost complete another and half completed a seat with back.

We had a wonderful day and the weather stayed dry right up to us going home then the heavens opened.

Thanks to my colleagues for their hard work and ingenuity, and thanks to Al and all at Formby for a great workday.

Christine