Enfield Conservation Volunteers
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Enfield Conservation Volunteers |
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JULY
Sunday 8th
Grovelands Park
Boardwalk construction (4)
Today’s task was to construct a Boardwalk across a particularly muddy section of the wooded area in Grovelands Park. It’s near to the end of the stream running through the park, and the area occasionally floods. We constructed the boardwalk using railway sleepers as rails and cut pieces of plank as the surface. The sleepers took at least two of us to carry into position and place into shallow channels we had dug to hold them. We then secured them with stakes on the inside. We laid 10 sleepers in all, covering a distance of about 40 feet (around 11 odd metres). We would have gone further (we had the sleepers) but unfortunately we had only 4 volunteers as well as the Park’s Ranger, Christine.
The next week, ECV’s sister group Groundforce added more sleepers and continued the boardwalk further away from the ‘danger’ area.
Not many people seemed to be in the park that day, but the ones that did pass us were very appreciative of the work we were doing, knowing the area to be a muddy one at other times of the year. It’s always nice to get some direct feedback from the public and know that people like what we’re doing.
Robin Herbert
Sunday 22nd
Gough Park (6)
Some 8 years or so ago, Enfield Conservation Volunteers put in log and pin steps along one of the steeper sections of the Gough Park to Beggars Hollow footpath.
With the passage of time, not to mention countless thousands of pairs of feet, the steps had become worn and dangerous and on 22nd July half a dozen of us went along to replace them. This time though, we employed 4 full-length railway sleepers, instead of logs for the steps, but were able to re-use most of the original pins (or stakes) for holding them in position. Carting the heavy sleepers along the narrow footpath was something of a challenge and we were all breathing quite heavily by the time we got there!
Still it was well worthwhile and the many Sunday afternoon strollers who ventured up or down our new steps were not unappreciative of our efforts. It was an enjoyable task.
Bob Phillips
AUGUST
Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th
Steam & Country Show – Trent Country Park
Despite some confusion over whether the show was happening or the task along Pymmes Brook Trail, a productive day was spent raising money for the group and informing the public a little about what we get up to.
Sunday 19th
Houndsden Spinney
Unfortunately this task had to be cancelled due to the appalling weather.
SEPTEMBER
Sunday 2nd
Grovelands Park (8)
Today 8 volunteers helped clear invasive Sycamore trees and other undergrowth, from the "forest" area of a public park situated between Winchmore Hill and Palmers Green. The work carried-out here helps to keep the paths open and allow more native trees to survive.
Robin Herbert
Sunday 16th
Trent Country Park (4)
Sunday 16th September saw Enfield Conservation Volunteers back in Trent Country Park for further work on the fence which they are constructing around the Nature Trail woodland.
With our fundraising team away in Town Park at the Autumn Show, our workforce was reduced to four but we nevertheless managed to complete 8 sections, or some 100 feet of post and rail fencing alongside the lake at the lower end of the woodland.
We are now left with about 150 yards of fencing to complete to bring this long term project to a close but because of other commitments that is unlikely to happen until early next year. Meanwhile, we have more than enough to keep us busy for the remainder of 2001.
Bob Phillips
Sunday 30th
Whitewebbs Park (6)
We returned to the Aqueduct under Flash Lane, our last visit having been postponed due to too much water! In fact it was about 5' deep that day in the river under the Aqueduct.
Today however it was it's normal few inches, so Wellington boots were sufficient not wetsuits. What we were doing was clearing one of the two channels that had become silted-up, continuing work started at previous tasks. We also re-cleared encroaching undergrowth from the Aqueduct itself.
Working upon this task were 6 volunteers.
Robin Herbert
OCTOBER
Sunday 14th
Trent Country Park (7)
As light relief from their long-term fencing project, Enfield Conservation Volunteers spent Sunday 14th October coppicing a small area of hazel in the Nature Trail woodland in Trent Country Park.
The hazel had been planted back in 1989 by children from the Trent Park Wildlife Club and coppiced by ECV 6 years later. However, subsequent vigorous regeneration necessitated our getting out our bowsaws, billhooks and loppers and tackling the job once again. Our team of 7 (including one new volunteer) set to with a will and by early afternoon the task had been successfully completed. The longer and straighter stems were set aside to act as either heathers (bindings) or as stakes for our forthcoming annual hedgelaying competition. The brashings were left to provide habitat for wildlife.
The weather was kind to us and we had a most enjoyable day.
Bob Phillips
Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th
Trent Country Park – Hedgelaying & Competition (8)
Saturday 27th October had been earmarked as Make a Difference Day (MADD), an annual event organised by the charity Community Service Volunteers, aimed at encouraging people throughout the country to become involved in activities of benefit to their local communities.
Enfield Conservation Volunteers for their part had decided to spend the day laying a section of a much neglected hedgerow in Trent Country Park. The hedge to be laid consisted of mature hawthorn interspersed with bramble and backed by a dilapidated wooden fence. Running for several hundred yards from the top of Snakes Lane towards Williams Wood it forms the northern boundary of Trent Park Golf Course.
Because the hawthorns tended to lean in the opposite direction to which they were to be laid and were old and brittle to boot, the 8 of us involved did not have the easiest of tasks. However, by late afternoon most of the teams had completed their respective sections, albeit not without the loss of the odd pleacher or two. For those of us taking part in the LBE's 10th Annual Hedgelaying Competition the following day it was useful practice.
Another part of the same hedge was used for the competition but because of the problems the day before, it was agreed that we would go with the way the trees were leaning and ignoring the rule book, lay down hill. By accident rather than design, none of the participants was teamed up with his or her usual partner and it obviously took time for them to get used to working together. Nevertheless, all of the teams acquitted themselves well and the judge was hard put to choose the winner.
Acting as judge was Paul Whittey, the winner of the 1998 competition who subsequently turned professional and now runs a highly successful hedgelaying business. The result of this years competition was as follows:
As always, the competition was conducted in a most friendly and sporting atmosphere and everybody thoroughly enjoyed their day. To put the icing on the cake the weather was glorious!
Bob Phillips
NOVEMBER
Sunday 11th
Whitewebbs Woods (7)
Today the group returned to its continuing project in the area of elm scrub near the King & Tinker. Dutch Elm disease has caused the trees in this area to die back to their rootstocks and to sucker intensively at ground level. ECV’s aim is to clear as much of the dense elm suckers and plant other woodland species to increase diversity.
Cancellation of the last scheduled visit to the site meant that the plantings were obscured by brambles and the stems of perennial weeds which had to be cleared with slashers, loppers and by hand before an assessment of the progress of the site could be made. However, when opened up, the regeneration could be seen to be going well. A lot of elm sucker was appearing as expected, but ash was also establishing itself. There were also some surprising appearances such as Hypericums and a stand of raspberries.
No winching of stumps was done but a few dead or dying elm trees were felled and a sufficient area of new ground was cleared by the seven volunteers to plant a couple of dozen more hazel whips.
Steve Mathieson
Sunday 25th
Trent Country Park (4)
To mark National Tree week, volunteers were joined by members of Friends of Trent Park, planting whips in Lodge field, Cockfosters and the Old Golf Course down by the lake.
DECEMBER
Sunday 9th
Pymmes Brook Trail
As the first weekend in August was spent at the Steam and Country show, we carried out clearance along this green corridor.
Sunday 16th
Christmas Social
A walk around Forty Hall and Whitewebbs Parks.