Boar's Well Urban Wildlife Reserve

Boars Well pond clearance in Oct 2005Boars Well pond clearance in Oct 2005Boars Well Urban Wildlife Reserve sits on the hillside above Canal Road. It is council land and the responsibility of the Countryside and Rights of Way team. . Our key tasks involve keeping the pathways accessible. BEES have been involved in the management of the Reserve for the past 8 years, controlling the spread of Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam, management of the wildflower meadow and the pond.

The Reserve is on a south facing slope and is a popular site for butterflies and birds. Kestrels nest on or near the site each year and can often be seen hunting over the hillside.

Geolocation

53.807309, -1.752372

Conservation Work

Friday 14th Oct 2011: Boars Well Urban Wildlife Reserve

the congested pond at beginning of the daythe congested pond at beginning of the dayToday we completed the annual tasks of clearing some of the reed sweet-grass from the Boar's Well pond, and meadow cutting.

The meadow was cut with the auto scythe and then the arisings were raked off - this is essential to prevent a build up of the fertility of the soil which would benefit the grasses in the meadow and reduce the number of wildflowers as they will not withstand the competition.

We also undertook the usual patrol to collect litter and remove overhanging branches from the footpath.

The noisy jays were present again.

See more photos here

Friday 6th July 2012:Boars Well Urban Wildlife Reserve, BD2.

My how it rained today! It was raining as we loaded up the tools and set off to site. But a group of 7 volunteers were undeterred. Some of whom had not been to the site before, so there was a brief reminder of the local history to the site and the key conservation features. Our main task today turned out to be the cutting back of the pathways along the site. It was surprising but since our last visit some sections of the path were impassable. The branches were weighed or beaten down by the rain while the grass, nettles and brambles had grown up and over the pathway. This all was cut back so that the pathway would be useable again. Also we cut the areas of Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam that we are working to control. On the plus side there was little litter on the site, probably due to the weather recently there had been fewer visitors. The rain did not let up all day and it was still coming down as we put the tools away. So well done to all for seeing the task through to the end.

Due to the conditions, no pictures were taken.

It was Kaz’s last today, so we all said goodbye and wished him well for the future and his return to Japan.