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

Rhododendron at Errwood Hall

October 17, 2017 by Julian

The weekend before last saw us among the atmospheric ruins of Errwood Hall. We spent our final residential weekend of the year working with the Peak Park Conservation Volunteers to remove invasive rhododendron from the grounds around the remains of the Hall. Originally part of the Hall’s landscaped Victorian estate, the rhododendron has spread out of control over the decades, to the detriment of the woodland and its habitats.

Rhododendron for felling

Volunteers at work 1

Flag and volunteers

Volunteers at work

The drive of Errwood Hall

The south wall of Errwood Hall

The ruin of Errwood Hall

Bonfire of rhododendron

Removing rhododendron on slope

Human and canine volunteers

The path

Sign to Errwood Hall

The south side of Errwood Hall

Grave of Irma Niorthe

Above Errwood Hall and Errwood Reservoir

Steps at Errwood Hall

Updating our chalkboard!

October 6, 2017 by Julian

Many thanks to conservation volunteer Helen for updating the blackboard we display to passers-by when we’re working on site. The board was originally provided to us by the RSPB but after some years of use was in need of a refresh. Let’s hope it helps to bring in a flood of new volunteers!

Volunteer working on SACV chalkboard

Volunteer with updated SACV chalkboard

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged RSPB |

Slow-worms in Priory Gardens

September 24, 2017 by Julian

Last Sunday SACV members were out with City of Trees in Priory Gardens, working on an area which is known to provide a habitat for slow-worms. We were thinning the wooded area of the site by felling some of the encroaching trees and creating habitat piles, suitable for slow-worms, with the cut material.

Volunteers at work

Slow-worm habitat pile

Volunteer at work

Felled ash

Volunteers’ bicycles

Posted in Grassland, Woodland management | Tagged City of Trees, Priory Gardens |

Path improvement in Chorlton Meadows

September 4, 2017 by Julian

Yesterday we were out with the Friends of Chorlton Meadows. We and the Friends were edging and gravelling a section of path that has been getting extremely muddy (sometimes impassable!) in winter – all being well it’ll now be better able to cope with the winter ahead!

The path before work

Volunteers at work

The finished path

Posted in Paths | Tagged Friends of Chorlton Meadows |

Himalayan balsam at Hogswood Covert

August 13, 2017 by Julian

Today we were once again out with Cheshire Wildlife Trust volunteers at Hogswood Covert, continuing the CWT’s battle against the invasive Himalayan balsam in this woodland. This war is waged every summer and good progress is being made at eradicating the balsam. No pictures this time, but then piles of bashed balsam look much the same as in similar previous visits!

Posted in Invasive species | Tagged Cheshire Wildlife Trust |

Footpath at Lower Moss Wood

July 25, 2017 by Julian

This past Sunday we were in action at the picturesque Lower Moss Wood, home to a wildlife hospital and wildlife education centre. We did some maintenance on one of the footpaths used by school trips – and were able to take a look at a current resident of an aviary for which we helped to clear the ground on a previous trip!

Kestrel at Lower Moss Wood

Posted in Paths, Wildlife education | Tagged Lower Moss Wood |

Meadows at Tegg’s Nose

July 2, 2017 by Julian

After a cool-ish and cloudy start, today we were again blessed with a beautiful day at Tegg’s Nose Country Park. As in previous summers, we were helping the Cheshire East Rangers with the obligatory management of ragwort and thistles in meadows which are important for a range of species including orchids, mountain pansies, waxcap fungi, moonwort and adder’s-tongue fern. The meadows’ management is also supported by controlled grazing by a herd of longhorn cattle (who show extraordinary interest in Ranger Martin’s van!). All this, and a good sighting of a pair of local buzzards circling overhead!