News | SACV | A voluntary conservation group working in and around Manchester, England

Wildlife garden and grassland

December 16, 2018 by Julian

Well, our activities for 2018 are now over. Our last two outings have been with the Friends of Longford Park on 25th November and with the Friends of Chorlton Meadows on 9th December.

In Longford Park, we helped the Friends with a number of activities for the maintenance of the wildlife garden including seeding wood anemone, foxglove and yellow rattle; coppicing hazel; removing blackthorn which was invading the grassland area; and managing areas of dogwood, rose and flag iris near the pond.

Volunteers at work

Work in progress

Removing blackthorn root from grass

Tools

Coppiced hazel

At Chorlton Meadows, the Friends are currently in the process of trying to restore the only remaining area of old grassland. The aim is to re-introduce cattle grazing once the new fence has been completed. Sadly, many years of neglect has resulted in several species invading the field, not least bramble. The cattle will keep the invasive plant species down and allow the rarer plant species to thrive once again. SACV members spent the day working with the Friends in removing the bramble.

Volunteers at work

Volunteer with brambles

Volunteer at work

Volunteers at work

Hard work, but well worth it and our efforts were rewarded with an early Christmas soirée after the task, kindly hosted (as in previous years) by Elaine. Thanks to Elaine for the perfect end to the day!

And of course big thanks to everyone who has come out to volunteer with us in 2018!

Reed and heather habitats

November 18, 2018 by Julian

Our last two activities have been in Chorlton Meadows (Sunday 28th October) and Birch Moss Covert (Sunday 11th November). The first of these was to help the Friends of Chorlton Meadows with their work on the reed beds, maintaining an area of open water which is important for wildlife.

Reeds encroaching

Volunteers at work

Area for open water expanded

Next, at Birch Moss Covert, we worked with the Cheshire Wildlife Trust volunteers to prevent woodland encroaching on an important area of low heathland heather.

Getting started clearing around heather

Work in progress clearing around heather

For our next activity, we look forward to joining the Friends of Longford Park on Sunday 25th November!

Posted in Heathland, Ponds and lakes, Reed beds | Tagged Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Friends of Chorlton Meadows |

Willow hedge and willow tits

October 15, 2018 by Julian

This past weekend was our final residential weekend of the year, working for the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers. On Saturday we were on the shores of Tittesworth Reservoir, creating a willow hedge to prevent walkers and dogs from disturbing an area using by ground-nesting birds. On a very wet Sunday we were at a different nearby site, this time enhancing the habitat for willow tits by creating standing deadwood. An excellent trip – in spite of the rain and a recalcitrant fire alarm in our accommodation!

Gap to be filled with willow hedge

Volunteers at work 1

Volunteers at work 2

Volunteers at work 3

A dog tests the barrier

The completed willow hedge

Creating willow tit habitats

Creating deadwood for willow tits, and habitat pile

Posted in Ponds and lakes, Willow structures, Woodland management | Tagged Peak Park Conservation Volunteers |

Heathland at Tegg’s Nose

September 26, 2018 by Julian

This past Sunday we once again joined Martin of the Cheshire East Rangers to carry out some heathland work at lovely Tegg’s Nose. We were removing gorse bushes that would otherwise swamp the heather and blueberry on the slopes here.

We also found some sort of translucent yellow fungus that we couldn’t identify (anyone?!).

View

Volunteers at work

Fungus

View

Posted in Heathland | Tagged Cheshire East Rangers, Tegg's Nose Country Park |

Urmston Meadows and water voles

September 4, 2018 by Julian

This past Sunday (2 September) we were out helping City of Trees at Urmston Meadows with some habitat management: thinning out trees, mostly willow, as part of a larger project which aims to improve local conditions for water voles. It is thought that there are already water voles at this site and the work aims to enhance the conditions for them.

Many thanks to the new volunteers who came along – it was good to meet you all!

Getting started

In progress – increasing light to the bank

Canine volunteer takes a rest

Work done – a clearer bank

Posted in Coppicing, Woodland management | Tagged City of Trees, Urmston Meadows |

Hogswood and Brookheys Coverts

August 12, 2018 by Julian

As in previous years, today we were once again out with Cheshire Wildlife Trust volunteers at Hogswood Covert and then Brookheys Covert (sites now managed by the National Trust), continuing the battle against the invasive Himalayan balsam in these woodlands. It was pleasing to see that there was less balsam to be found than in the past, so the battle against the invader is gradually gaining ground!

Himalayan balsam developing seed

Volunteers tackling Himalayan balsam

Uprooted Himalayan balsam

Posted in Invasive species | Tagged Cheshire Wildlife Trust, National Trust |

Steps at Chorlton Water Park

July 22, 2018 by Julian

Many thanks to the small but dedicated band of volunteers who made it out today to help renovate a set of worn-out steps at Chorlton Water Park. What an improvement!