04 February 2012

With the cold days it is particularly important to provide the birds with food. To support the rangers the group purchased some additional bird seed for the bird food depot outside of the visitor centre.

The work was cutting back Buddelia, they are known for their attractiveness to butterflies and to keep their attractiveness we were cutting back the older bushes that were fast coming small trees. This will allow new growth and  hopefully in the spring more flowers and therefore more butterflies. 

The buddelia before ..

The area after we had finished ... Don't worry; it might look like we have destoyed the area but in the spring this will be a mass of flowers and butterflies to enjoy on your walk in the park.

21 January 2012

The reedbeds around Bedfont Lakes are an important habitat for a wide range of invertebrates and  birds, such as Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings and Water Rail. To maintain the richness of the habitat the rangers asked the group to cut down a number of willows that were begining to dominate the reeds. 

After an energetic couple of hours the willows were cut down and besides helping the reeds, opened up the views of the South Lake. The trees will be chipped and used around the park as required.

07 January 2011

The rangers gave us a variety of tasks for the first volunteer day of 2012.  Some of us finished of the screen we had been working on last year while the rest of us cleared a tree that had come down in the recent winds and some brambles close by.
 

The small mound on which the tree grew used to be covered in primroses in the spring but in recent years they haven't been seen as the area has been too overgrown.  Hopefully by clearing away everything we should see them back this year. The picture below was taken before the volunteers had started work.

It didn't take too long before the area was cleared. This should mean that with more sunlight getting to the woodland floor there will be more flowers in the spring and summer.