Returning to roots

For a group named after the town it is surprisingly seldom that we get to work in Wallingford Castle Meadows.

Aeons ago, WCM was where WGG started: with a major project to bring into public use – and improve the biodiversity of – the pond area.  Today, Green-Gymmers’ main task was one which simply never arose in the early days, to clear the meadows of a noxious plant which first made its appearance on site during a particularly damp year.

So, weeding again:

“Hmmm.  Woody Nightshade (for some of us) last week, Hemlock next.  I’m detecting a pattern.”

Part of the pattern was that target acquisition presented a bit of a challenge.  First, instruction in positively identifying the species in question.  Then, making out green on green, or spotting the spotty stem.  “We are now all experts in Hemlock spotting.” 

Then it was just a matter of wielding tool of choice (“You can go with this; you can go with that”) and being thorough in disposal of cuttings – also hand-care during and after.

At least it was dry underfoot.  Yes, we are well aware the land very much needs more moisture, but from PoV of volunteers moving vegetation this morning, it was good that rain held off until the afternoon.

Inevitably there were a few ‘odd jobs’ as well.  One was to scythe thistles across the site.  As in previous years, thistles were thickest where Wallingford Castle excavations had taken place.

As you will have seen from the photographs, at this time of year WCM is a shared space: between humans and livestock.  Members of the public can visit year-round; but in the summer months we engage in an interesting co-existence exercise with a small number of (peaceable) cattle which are put out to graze, but are also very keen on ‘helping’:

They did point out one job for us.  At first light yesterday, an off-duty Green-Gymmer out for a walk noticed that one of them had learned how to operate the side gate from Upper to Lower Meadows.  We know they are smart animals, but it was quite amusing to see a steer deftly push against the handle with the side of the neck, then neatly swing the gate open with the shoulder, trot through, and set about cropping the greener grass on the other side of the fence.  

On closer inspection it became clear that the creature need not have gone to the trouble of very carefully using the handle.  For whatever reason, fittings had slipped out of alignment.  [Caused by posts shifting as they and ground dry out? – Ed.]  The result was that it would not have taken much of a push – by livestock or human visitor – to get the gate to swing forward anyway, without releasing the latch:

Another wonder was why the other steers remained the other side of the gateway, just playing with the side gate: opening and closing it, but not walking through to the lush pasture in the meadow below.  Naturally, as soon as human observer took camera out of pocket, play stopped:

Off-duty Green-Gymmer had, therefore, suggested that while volunteers were on site, they might have a go at fixing the gate.  Or at least investigate possibilities of mechanism being adjusted so that the latch engaged properly.  “Well that will spoil the cows’ fun,” was the instant response from our session leader.  Followed by: “I am sure we could have a look at it.”

So they had a look ... and fixed it.  At least we hope so.  This was the solution they come up with:

It will be interesting to see over the next few days what the bovine riposte will be.

Another Golden Day

Once more, fields blessed with gold.  This time, buttercups.  Plus the odd dandelion:

In the background of that photograph, you can see our main target for today: an old fence-line – to be removed.

Our session leader had also organized some fine weather.  Certainly much warmer than it had been for the bank holiday.  Just to prove that it is still May, the weather had thrown in some cold and frosty mornings over the long weekend:

Frost or sunshine (or both), it can be quite tranquil in the lower meadows beside the river.  Though boaters have assured us that it is not as peaceful as you might think, living on the river, mostly on account of the Canada Geese:

It certainly is not quiet when Green-Gymmers start hammering away!  And much hammering was needed today, to remove the metal fittings (wire and staples) before volunteers had a go at lifting out the fence-posts themselves:

Faced with an apparently immovable object, most Green-Gymmers ‘know’ that they are indestructible (because they are gold) and that it is the target which will yield first.  One of the posts drawn by hand was 12 feet long!

All the same, there are occasions when even Green-Gymmers will resort to Other Means.  Where staples proved too stubborn, wire was simply cut with bolt cutters.  As for the most solidly set posts – they were left for someone else to attend to later: someone with a tractor. 

Coiling lengths of wriggly tin, to stow in the landie, was a quieter task.  

 

The human mules carrying fence-posts and railings to piles for collection were the quietest pack animals you can imagine.  And equally patient.

 

It was also a day to admire new pieces of kit, whether a new tool from a well-known store-chain, or (an innovation this for Green Gym) a rather nifty folding table at tea-break ("raising the bar"):

At the end of the session, it was most satisfying to look back and see how much had been achieved by manual labour.  Few of the old fence-posts were still standing:

Before (photo taken earlier this week)

After

Before

Just one more post to go!

How it was

How 'tis now

Lower Meadow at the Bank Holiday weekend

... and as of this morning

Have we been here before?

Something needed to be done.  Overgrowing vegetation impinging on a public right of way, the odd bit of rotten, ivy-encrusted treelet entirely collapsed on to the track – and nobody quite sure whose responsibility this is.   

Enter Green Gym:

   

A couple of volunteers experienced that déjà vu feeling.  Was this a task we had undertaken before, many moons ago?  (Like a circle in a spiral, a wheel within a wheel?)  Answer was yes: today we were indeed on the job second time round.  

Almost within minutes you could see where places had already been given “a good seeing to” while workers were applying finishing touches:

Further down the track, heading towards the water meadows, the amount of encroachment was variable.  There were stretches where considerably more work was needed than in other places:

Where the scrub cover was lighter on one side than the other, we concentrated on the worst-affected side:

Below is not a red flag indicating an overhanging branch, just a suitable coat hanger whilst a nose was being blown:

Meanwhile, actually on the site (as opposed to just outside the boundary), a smaller team was repairing the steps – made by WGG, aeons ago – which lead down to the pond:

  

Digging out was to allow for insertion of a new recycled-plastic step board.  What is not obvious from the photograph is the mass of fairly large roots encountered.  An axe was called for, but none being available, a mattock was wielded to good effect instead.

Tidying up the steps on the other side provided infill material:

This is the result of the replacement step.  Odd angles, we are fairly sure, due to perspective of camera lens.  The lines looked straight to the naked eye.

Right the far side of the site, a fence rail was also refitted.  Can you tell which one?  

No, neither could we, when we looked back; but refitted it was!

Tea break was hosted in the middle of the site, making use of one of the benches as a serving counter.

For those who had been working in the gloom, siding up the overgrown pathway, it was a welcome opportunity to be out in the fresh air and daylight – albeit watery sunbeams.  Beneath the canopy of encroaching scrub, sunlight had been something one was only aware of at one remove.  Here, backlighting vegetation:

Over a cuppa there were exotica to observe:

Is that a koala up a tree in Oxfordshire?

– Well we've got camels, llamas & wallabies, and so on, so why not?

 

In the second half, forces were concentrated on track clearance, as the pond-step repair gang was transferred to the bridleway.  Still plenty to be done!

A lot of the cut material was stacked in the hedgerow to act as wildlife habitat:

Some of the brash just needed gentle persuasion back off the edge of the track:

We still ended up with a pile of cut material that we couldn’t persuade into the hedgerow:

Come session end there may have been plenty more yet to be done – by someone.  You could tell, however, which sections still need a bit more of a trim than others: