Previous tasks

Visit to cut bracken to improve the range of plants present on this part of the moor. Please wear long sleeves and trousers for Tick protection. We will be joined by of Friends of Baildon Moor.

We have been requested to visit the orchard to cut the grass. This will allow the community association to use the site for apple themed activities. It is an excellent opportunity to revisit the site and see how the the trees are growing.

** we will depart at 9.30am from YMCA Building, please let us know if you wish to attend **

Steps after clearingToday we returned to the site. There was enough of us to split into smaller groups. One group concentrated on making sure the pathways remained accessible at the central steps and then the lane from the school. The next group focussed on the invasive plant species, with two patches of Japense Knotweed and two patches of Himalayan balsam tackled. The others concentrated on collecting litter, which although did appear too bad still managed to collect over 12 bags, including two from the pond.

Today we worked with 12 volunteers.

Click here to see other photos of the day.  

Clearing the pathWe continued with our programme of work at the site and we welcomed a group from the Halifax bank. After an initial brief tour of the site we split into different groups. One had the task of clearing the invasive species, mainly tackling the Himalayan balsam, another group worked on the main path mowing the edge and clearing the overhanging branches, this opens up the pathway and makes the site more welcoming to members of the public. Similarly the other group worked on clearing the pathway and steps to Bolton Road. This path is now showing real benefits from the work that we have put in over recent months. There was a good spirit amongst our work party who appeared to enjoy working in natural surroundings for the day.  

Today we worked with 14 volunteers

 

 

 

The BEES technique of widening out from mixed flora areas Our second visit of the season to cut Bracken on the moor. For todays task we concentrated on 3 techniques of control. For the areas that we have been working on for a number of years, which are showing good recolonisation progress, we mainly walked over the area and hand picked out the Bracken. Next patches that we identify as having a good mixed flora and we then cut away from them using hand tools hoping that the flora will spread out into the newly cleared areas. Plus using the autoscythe and the hand scythes cutting areas that are dense with bracken with little or no flora beneath. The Bracken is then collected up into piles.

 

Today there were 15 volunteers.

Click here to see other photos of the day 

Raquel's last cakeWe worked at a new site to us today. It has had several previous projects and the current one is to have a focus for outdoor education for local schools. Our task was to open up the access for overgrown areas. We cleared and mowed pathways. The stream feature was also worked on to open it up and we were fascinated by what we uncovered. It was also Raquel's last day and we enjoyed the celebratory cake.

Today we worked with 13 volunteers.

Click here to see other photos of the day. 

 

 

 

 

 

BEES group with 3 completed sections of wall - congratulations great achievement The focus of this weekend was to be dry stone walling. We arrived at Buckden in time for lunch and then set off to the work site. The warden Peter showed us where we were to spend our weekend and talked about the history of the National Trusts involvement in the area. We learnt that the National Trust has 850 miles of wall. We set to work on 3 sections of wall that had come into disrepair. The first job was to dismantle the wall to get back to a sound base. The stone was graded as it was removed and then construction could begin. We built a course at a time and then filled the space with hearting. Throughstones were placed in the wall and then more courses added, paying good attention to tying in to the existing wall. At the end of the weekend we had completed 3 sections of wall rebuilding between 9 and 10 yards of wall, which was a great achievement. Working over 3 days skills were developed. Accommodation was in Buckden some in a Bunk Barn  others camping. We had just enough time for a walk at Yockenthwaite where there is a stone circle before returning to Bradford.

There were 12 volunteers

Click here for other photos of the weekend

Link to Steve's photo album: 

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/hutchings.stephen/BEESResidential?feat=email#

 

 

We will return to the charcoal making site to empty the kilns and prepare wood.

** Please let us know in advance if you are coming **

area of cleared bracken allowing grass to recoloniseThis was our first visit of the year to Baildon Moor and as we arrived the moor promised do do what it does best. Weather!. However it turned out not too bad - very windy but not too wet. (on our Wednesday Wildlife Wander we were greeted by thunder, lightning and a soaking downpour).

We are working in the same area of moor with have managed for a decade - on the slope facing towards Sconce - but we are now focusing our extension work down hill rather than back towards the road. We will work in this direction to join the existing heather patches near the fairway. The gradient is too steep for the auto-scythe, which concentrated on the upper areas, so scythes and sickles were the main tools used, raking the arisings into large piles. Friends of Baildon moor used a strimmer to increase the impact of the work.

Swifts, oystercatchers, skylarks and pipits were present through the day, and a nest (probably swallow) was spotted in the shelter. The ling is just coming into flower and the first few bilberries were ripening.

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. 

Click here to see other photos of the day.