Boar's Well Urban Wildlife Reserve

Day of the Triffids

Another wet Friday but 10 volunteers successfully completed tasks to maintain open pathways and to remove invasive species. 

BEES have been cutting Japanese Knotweed in several areas of the Reserve for 9 years. Although we can record success it does still continue to grow. The task of controlling it is now made more difficult by the colonisation of other species - nettle is dominant and makes the task uncomfortable. 

We also work to control the Himalayan Balsam. This plant is easier to get under control than the Japanese Knotweed but eradication will be difficult as many of the plants are on inaccessible slopes. The site was once used as a rubbish tip and the ground is uneven and unpleasant.

 Not much sign of the wildlife that we usually enjoy at the Reserve today, all sensibly hiding from the elements.

Meadow area cut and raked 

Today we carried out a number useful tasks that will improve the potential for wildlife for the site. The two remaining meadow areas were cut and raked following the management technique of an upland grassland, the wildflowers and grasses will of set seed and removing the vegetation will allow them to regrow next next year. Further work was carried out on the pond removing the dominant species which will give more open water to allow insects to visit the habitat. We also tidied up the trees that had been chopped down poorly by vandals, these were coppiced to a suitable hieght that will allow them to regrow.   

Today we worked with 11 volunteers.

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Removing Himalyan Balsam

Today we continued with our management programme at the site. Some members of the team cut the borders of the path and maintained the pathways so they are open and able to be used by people using the site. While others concentrated on the path up to Bolton Road, which after repeated work is beginning to be more accessable. The rest of the group tackled the invasive species of Himalyan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed.

Today there were 16 volunteers. 

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autumn coloursToday our work was to manage the vegetation on the site. We cut and raked off three areas of grassland, these were the central meadow area, which showed some signs of grazing, the area at the site entrance and the area near the old car park. They will benefit from this management technique to keep the fertility low and create the right conditions for a mixture of wild flowers and grasses to grow next year. We also worked in the pond to clear the encroaching vegtation and keep areas of open water which will be a benefit to species like damselflies in the future. Three frogs where spotted using the pond which is a good sign of the health of the pond. There was also a litter collection , and we managed to collect several bags of litter and flytipping from around the site. Today although the weather was gloomy the site looked great as the trees took on their autumn colours, the picture is of Guelder Rose with ripe berries and colourful leaves.

Today we worked with 17 volunteers.

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mowing the path edge Today we continued our site maintenance at the site to improve the habitats. This included mowing the path edges and cutting back overhanging branches to keep the accessways open.  We also pulled himalayan balsam that was present, there is still plenty more on the site but good progress appears to be made in several areas. Plus we removed several bags of flytipping.

Today we worked with 10 volunteers

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explanation of tasks Today we tackled two main tasks. We did a significant amount of litter picking throughout the site; there seems to be have been a considerable amount of fly tipping on the site over the past few months, but also more litter is exposed in the winter months when the leaves are off the trees. The other task was some tree thinning to create a healthy and diverse woodland. One group of volunteers worked in the area near the meadow, while another group worked on some bigger trees around the pond. This will allow more light into the pond and woodland floor. Some of the timber felled was split and sawn ready to take to the charcoal kilns. It was a good demonstration of how much easier some timbers are to spilt, i.e. the sycamore, and how it can be easier when the timber is fresh. (Though some of the more knarled willow was a challenge – overcome by channelling thoughts (?) about Liverpool’s (unknown at time of splitting) imminent win over Man Utd).

A further patrol cleared damaged and overhanging branches from along the length of the footpath.

Today we worked with 18 volunteers.

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We returned to the site today to carry out further management work. And, were greeted by the new sign on the entrance meadow, which needless to say has not enhanced the display of wild flowers.  However, the group soon got stuck into the various tasks that were necessary. The path edges were cut back and mown to make the site more accessible. Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam were removed to improve the chances of other vegetation thriving. Plus litter collected from various areas to improve the site. 
By the end of the day the group of 10 volunteers had made a positive difference to the site.
More evidence of our funny summer was had, if it were needed as it was a nice hot sunny day today.

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Our tasks today were to continue with the hedge laying and to coppice the cornice area. We soon got into the hedging, cutting pleachers and staking the trees to create a living barrier, it was made easier as we had cleared the line out before. By the end of the day we had cut and laid about 20 metres and the work was looking like a hedge. This will benefit the site, by increasing the light getting to the ground and provide another habitat. While further on the site the cornice was coppiced by cutting the stems at ground level using saws and loppers. This will increase the light levels to the ground, add colour to the site as it regrows and stop it becoming woody.

We thought that we would be lucky with the weather, but we were not and were rained on most of the day, which is why the photos have not come out very well.

Today we worked with 6 volunteers.

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comma on buddleiaOur most important job today was to get round as much of the himalayan balsam as possible. It had grown since our last visit. We wanted to concentrate on the areas where the plant grows on the upper slopes, so that the seeds do not get sown back across the site with the prevailing wind. A good number of us set about this task, scrabbling up and down slopes, and dodging or not the nettles. While the others worked to keep the paths open, first scything, then mowing the grass at the sides and then cut cutting back the overhanging vegetation. Little bits of litter were cleared, more work to extend the ditch and open up the grass area adjacent to Spink’s Well. But on the plus side there were a few butterflies about notably comma, peacock and whites. The Rowan trees are laden with berries and buddleia full of flowers, all of which are welcome at the site.

We were blessed today with some fine weather and beginning to think that it doesn’t rain on us at Boar’s Well, or is it too soon to say??

Today we worked with 11 volunteers and welcomed 3 new people.

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Coppicing cornus at Boar's Well  Today we worked with 5 volunteers and have been clearing an area of footpath that has become overgrown, on one side by a large willow tree that has fallen over, and on the other side by a dogwood shrub. The willow was cut back so that when it grows back it will grow straight. The dogwood was coppiced so that when it grows back the new growth will give impressive colours to visitors of the site. As the task was large we have not completed the work and we continue this task next week along with clearing encroaching vegetation on other parts of the site.

To see more images of the day visit the gallery page and in particular look out for Tschillis with a South African home made rake!