Foragers and fungi

Green woodpecker

Rook

Now that the meadows have been cut, medium to large birds are a common sight pecking their way through the meadows looking for insects or other food. Today a pair of green woodpeckers were active near the Top Pond, and other birds such as rooks and magpies were also foraging in the Top Meadow.

The haymaking hasn't totally driven away the butterflies. There are quite a few left, mainly feeding in the hedgerows.

If you know where to look in the main wood, there are bracket fungi larger than dinner plates:

Bracket fungi

... not to mention some interesting ground fungi:

Ground fungus

As summer goes on, our orchard trees are getting on well, but it's worth looking at the couple of very mature crab apple trees on the Reserve. The one on the edge of the wood looking over towards the Picnic Area is going to have a bumper crop this year.

Crab apples

Ridge Woods Forest Fun Time Thursday 18th August

Get out and discover this local woodland this summer holiday on the family forest trail at Ridge Wood Local Nature Reserve. There will also be an opportunity to try out various woodland crafts.

Free entry and refreshments provided, this event is suitable for accompanied children up to age 11.

The trail starts at the Jubilee Gardens entrance to the woodland from 2.00pm. Sorry, no dogs allowed.

Further details and a map can be found on the Ridge Woods website

The Friends of Ridge Woods are also running a Photography Competition:

Calling all budding amateur photographers! Grab your camera and head to your local nature reserve to capture your favourite images of summer in the woodland! Photographs can be of anything – plants, birds, animals, landscapes – as long as they are taken in Ridge Wood.

Prizes will be awarded for the best photograph in each of the following categories:

• Under 10s
• 10-16
• Adult

Email your entries to info.forw@gmail.com by 31st August with your name, age and contact details.

Photo from Wapley Bushes Green Flag Community Award presentation

As we reported a few weeks ago, Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve has won the prestigious Green Flag Community Award for the fourth year running. We've just received this photo from the South West award presentation event in Cheltenham.

The picture shows Malcolm Stephen and Paul Hulbert accepting the award from the Mayor of Cheltenham Cllr Chris Ryder and representatives of Keep Britain Tidy.

Report back on the grass transplant!

Isabel and Bert "making hay while the sun shines"
in the Lower Meadow

Wapley Bushes Conservation Group is trying to enhance one of the popular local meadow areas by transplanting wildflower seeds from another part of the Local Nature Reserve.

We're working on a project to improve the biodiversity of the Upper Meadow. We've transplanted seeds from the herb-rich Lower Meadow, which is spectacular when the flowers are in bloom, to the Upper Meadow. When the grass was cut we collected some sacks of the cuttings, complete with seeds. We raked our target area and then spread the cuttings on it so that the seeds can take root.

Malcolm, Reuben, Tim and Paul spreading
the flower-rich grass in the Upper Meadow

We took some of the grass home and spread it out to dry. It was surprising just how much seed was produced. Hopefully the seeds will germinate next spring - we'll come back to this patch to see how much of a difference we've made.

Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve is managed by the Conservation Group on behalf of landowners Dodington Parish Council. This is just one of the projects we are undertaking to improve the area for the local community. We always welcome visitors and new volunteers. Our next public event will be a family bat walk at 7.30 pm on Friday 9 September. Bat walks are always popular with families - children love exploring the 'creepy woods' in the dark!

For further details of events please contact Paul Hulbert on paul.hulbert@gmail.com or 07771 562505 - further details will also appear on this blog in a couple of weeks.

Quick extra work session this Friday (5th August)

One of the things we said we would do is collect some some "arisings" (cut trass) from the sloping Lower Meadow and then transplant the arisings (and the seeds in those arisings) to the flat Upper Meadow to enrich the flora there.

We have been told that the cut will take place on Friday (tomorrow) with the grass being bailed on Saturday. Therefore, if anyone is free to help out with arisings collection, please meet at 2pm tomorrow afternoon on Friday at the Shire Way entrance to the reserve. Items required will be bin bags, gloves and it may be worth bringing some secateurs along too.

We appreciate that it is very short notice but the very variable weather meant that a snap decision had to be made about the cutting day. Thank you for your help and understanding.

Ridge Wood - Forest Fun Time Thursday 18th August

Once again, the Friends of Ridge Wood are planning a FREE family trail and woodland crafts to encourage kids to get out and about during the school holidays.

Check out the Friends of Ridge Wood website for more details.

Wapley Bushes wins major environmental award for fourth year running

Wapley Bushes has just won the Green Flag Community Award, the only such award in South Gloucestershire. Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve, Wapley Common and the Orchard for the Future form one of the very best green spaces in the UK – and that’s official. The green space is among a record-breaking 1,686 places that have received the prestigious Green Flag Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.

A Green Flag is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent facilities. The Community Award recognises sites that are largely managed by community groups, in this case the volunteers of Wapley Bushes Conservation Group.

The award, now celebrating its 20th year, recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces across the country. Wapley's Green Flag was presented yesterday at the regional Green Flag Award event in Cheltenham. This is the fourth year running that Wapley has succeeded in gaining this award.

Report from work morning 10 July 2016

We actually spread this work session out over a few days, because not all of us were available at the same time. There were five of us in all. On the 10th we had a group of three, clearing vegetation around signs and entrances, litter picking, cutting back of invasive blackthorn shrubs (sloe bushes) and summer fruit tree pruning.

Before...

After!

The climbing rose (Rosa Wedding Day) by the cottages has really grown well on the dead plum tree. It has put on a good flowering display this year and it is serving its conservation purpose since a number of bees were visiting the flowers (the idea is that the the summer flowering rose take over from the spring flowering fruit trees to ensure a supply of nectar and pollen for insects over a longer period).
	One of the deer-damaged young plum trees was experiencing lop sided growth and a number of dead branches. That tree had to be severely pruned back to its most promising young shoots which were then cable-tied to ensure vertical growth.
Finally, here is a picture of the healthy plum-like gage tree which had a significant standard prune back.

Two more colleagues paid a double visit on other days, gathering hay rattle seeds for transplanting (there will be more on this in a later post) and doing a litter-pick.

Wapley Bushes Summer Fruit Tree Pruning morning Sunday 10 July

Please come and join us for a pleasant summer work morning - nothing too strenuous!

As well as pruning stoned fruit trees such as plums and gages, we shall also be attending to odd jobs on the reserve. There will be something for everyone!

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.

Lilliput Park work morning - Tuesday 5 July

A small band of enthusiasts - the Lilliput Conservation Group - is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

You can check out the Lilliput Conservation Group on Facebook for more information.

National Meadows Day at Dyrham Park - Saturday 2 July

Join the National Trust for National Meadows Day at the Whitefield from 11am to 4pm, our wild flower meadow, to celebrate all things meadow! Get your face painted and take part in our bioblitz with lots of experts on hand. Meet our bee keeper, take part in craft activities, watch some scything action and learn all about wild flowers. You can even make some wild flower seed bombs, bee hotels and flower crowns with us. Children and assistance dogs are welcome and for more information call 0117 937 2501 or email: dyrhampark@nationaltrust.org.uk

Please wear suitable clothing for an outdoor activity. This event is at Whitefield, our wild flower meadow at the far end of the visitor car park

Please note that standard entrance charges apply: Adult £11.20, Child £5.80, Family £28.30

Swineford Summer Walk - Sunday 19 June

Our guides, Pauline and Richard Wilson, will be taking us on a walk from the Swineford picnic site on the A431 and taking in Upton Cheyney, North Stoke and the edge of Lansdown at Prospect Stile.

Please wear walking boots or other stout footwear. Ample free car parking is available at the Wickwar Road car park. Meet for a car share at the Clock Tower, High Street, Chipping Sodbury, 1.30pm.

This week's butterfly

Butterfly at Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve this week - not sure what species.

If you click the image you may be able to zoom in to see more details.

Lilliput Park work morning - Tuesday 7 June

A small band of enthusiasts - the Lilliput Conservation Group - is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

You can check out the Lilliput Conservation Group on Facebook for more information.

River Frome and Kennedy Way Pond Spring Clean - Saturday 14 May

We shall be carrying out a general spring clean by the River Frome and at the Kennedy Way Pond nature area.

Meet at the Kennedy Way Pond, Link Road, Yate Shopping Centre, 10.00am (parking is available at the two car parks on either side of Link Road, BS37 4AY).

Beating the Bounds of Yate Common - Sunday 1 May

Beating the Bounds is a traditional local activity for Rogation Sunday, walking round the boundaries of the Common so that people know what they hold as a community asset. In some places they beat the bounds of an entire parish, or ride round the boundaries of larger parishes.

The Common was nearly sold off for housing some years ago, but a determined campaign by local people (many now in the Focus Team) kept it in public ownership. This gives beating the bounds of the Common a special meaning. Please bring your children to show them what a lovely area we have just on the edge of the town.

Please come and join the walk, which starts from the kissing gate opposite St Briavel's Drive at 3pm on Sunday 1 May. Dogs are welcome, and if you can bring a small child even better.  As long as they are don’t mind (too much) they get turned upside down at each kissing gate/corner and then given sweets, which is our take on the original practice of beating them with sticks and then giving them a coin.

Bluebells at Wapley in full bloom

If you want to see the bluebells at Wapley, go in the next few days - they're really splendid at the moment. They are spread out around the path in the main woodland. The paths are good, easy walking.

Ridge Wood Evening Chorus Walk - Wednesday 4th May

Join the Friends of Ridge Wood for an interesting walk through the woodland led by Ed Drewitt and  learn how to identify the songs and calls of the common birdlife inhabiting Ridge Wood and the local area.


Meet at the Quarry Road entrance at 7pm.

Suggested donation: £2 adults, £1 children.

Lilliput Park work morning - Tuesday 3 May

A small band of enthusiasts - the Lilliput Conservation Group - is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

You can check out the Lilliput Conservation Group on Facebook for more information.

Ridge Wood Woodland Work Morning - Sunday 24 April

10:00 - 12.00, meet at the Melrose Close entrance.

Learn how to identify native British bluebells and help conserve this vulnerable flower in Ridge Wood.

Yate Common Spring Cleans

Please come and help tidy up this local beauty spot.

• Thursday 14 April 10.00 to 12.00
• Sunday 17 April 10.00 to 12.00

Litterpickers, bags and gloves will be supplied. There's a lot of it to clean!

South Gloucestershire Spring Walk - Sunday 24 April

This will be a guided walk in Westridge Woods between Wotton under Edge and North Nibley with Pauline and Richard Wilson. Please wear walking boots or other stout footwear.

Ample free car parking is available at the Wickwar Road car park. Meet for a car share at the Clock Tower, High Street, Chipping Sodbury, 1.30pm.

Lilliput Park Big Spring Clean this Tuesday

Please come and join members of Lilliput Conservation Group this Tuesday (4 April) from 10.00 am until 12.00. Litter pickers and bags will be provided - everyone welcome. Meet at the Kingfisher Road gate -  please wear suitable footwear.

Bluebells and bracket fungi at Wapley!

The ground is very wet underfoot - wellies or walking boots advised - but there's plenty to see at Wapley as the Nature Reserve wakes up for the spring.

The bluebells have started to appear around the woodland paths:

And do you know where at Wapley you can find these strange bracket fungi?

Report from Wapley Bushes work morning - Saturday 19 March

The cold weather, and several of the regulars being away, meant a reduced turnout - only five - but two teams went round clearing the public paths of obstructions and picking up litter at the same time. Meanwhile, the fruit trees on the common area were given a "full service" - they were pruned back hard to encourage future growth and the right shape of branches in the future, as well as loosening the tree straps to provide growing room as appropriate.

Goose Green Workday - Saturday 9 April

As part of our commitment to this local grassland and wetland nature reserve, we shall be undertaking reserve maintenance such as path clearance and a general reserve tidy up. Please wear walking or wellington boots and bring some gloves.

Please meet at the bridge on the reserve, west of Oak Close, north Yate, 10.00am.

Lilliput Park work morning - Tuesday 4 April

A small band of enthusiasts - the Lilliput Conservation Group - is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

You can check out the Lilliput Conservation Group on Facebook for more information.

The Orchard for the Future is five years old today!

It's hard to believe, but it's exactly five years ago today that we got together to plant the Orchard for the Future at Wapley. It was very much a joint effort - funded by South Glos, sited mostly on Dodington Parish Council land, planted by local volunteers, and looked after ever since by Wapley Bushes Conservation Group. 

Virtually all the trees have survived, and we're gradually getting a modest crop each year. All the fruit varieties are traditional and local to the area - there used to be lots of small orchards around here, but almost all have disappeared over the years. This is our small effort to roll back the trend.

Quiz Night Live! - Friday 1st April

This is your chance to have some fun and pick a team of Eggheads and bring them along to our general knowledge quiz in aid of Avon Wildlife Trust. You are most welcome make up a team name and bring your own snacks and beverages. We will also be serving tea and coffee for you in the break. Quiz teams are usually made up of four players at a cost of £2.50 per individual team member. Please contact Malcolm on 01454 310328 to book your team's place.

Venue: The Old Grammar School, High Street, Chipping Sodbury.

Wapley Bushes work morning - Saturday 19 March

We shall be undertaking general management tasks, including a spring clean, that will help to enhance the biodiversity of this precious nature reserve. We anticipate doing some work on the top pond and a general spring clean.

Please wear stout footwear. Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland (opposite the road entrance to Cherington), south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.

Ridge Wood work morning - Sunday 13 March

10.00 am - 12.00
Meeting at Melrose Close entrance
More details about Ridge Wood available here

Happy 10th birthday to the Wapley blog

It's hard to credit it, but we started this blog exactly ten years ago, on February 24th 2006. Our first blog post was about the Top Pond - you can check it out here

We've been advertising our work mornings and events, and reporting what's happened on the Reserve - you can explore our archive by clicking the links on the right hand side.

More recently we have been putting up details of work days on other local Reserves, so watch out for opportunities to get out in the fresh air and do your bit for the environment. Everyone is welcome!

Damp but a good work morning at Wapley

Despite some light drizzle, on Sunday 21 February eight of us - including two new volunteers - tackled the winter fruit tree pruning in the Orchard for the Future. We were dealing with apples, pears etc (stoned fruit like plums needs to be pruned in the summer)

We also planted a strawberry tree in memory of Wendy Mayo, the Clerk to Dodington Parish Council who died last summer. Wendy and her family were frequent volunteers on the Wapley Bushes Local Natire Reserve. Arbutus unedo is a bushy evergreen shrub with red strawberry-like fruits. It's not related to real strawberries, and it's not a citrus species - strangely it's a member of the Ericaceae, in other words the heaths and heathers. Bilberries (European "blueberries") are also members of this unusual family.

In addition we planted some dog roses in the fence alongside the road, and litter-picked around the Common and the picnic area. Our next Wapley work morning will be on Saturday 19 March.

Lilliput Park work morning - Tuesday 1 March

A small band of enthusiasts - the Lilliput Conservation Group - is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

Friends of Yate Common - AGM and General Meeting Tuesday 23 February

Come and meet the group - 7 pm at the Pop Inn Cafe, Yate Shopping Centre

Ridge Wood work morning - Sunday 21 February

10.00 am - 12.00
Meeting at Melrose Close entrance
More details about Ridge Wood available here

Wapley Bushes work morning - Sunday 21 February

We shall be undertaking general management tasks at the reserve including the pruning of the assorted historic variety fruit trees. Please wear walking or wellington boots, bring some gloves and a pair of secateurs if you have them.

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland (opposite the road entrance to Cherington), south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.

Yate Common workday Thursday 4 February

The Friends of Yate Common are having a work morning on Thursday 4 February from 10 am. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves. More details will appear on the Yate Common Facebook Page

Lilliput Park work morning - Tuesday 2 February

A small band of enthusiasts - the Lilliput Conservation Group - is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

Ridge Wood work morning - Sunday 24 January

10.00 am - 12.00
Meeting at Melrose Close entrance
More details about Ridge Wood available here

Lilliput Park work morning - Tuesday 5 January

A small band of enthusiasts - the Lilliput Conservation Group - is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve

Season's greetings to all our visitors and supporters!

Seeds and Satnav - Good session on 14 November despite the weather

Despite threatening rain, five of us tackled some important tasks on 14 November. You may remember that we gathered hay rattle (yellow rattle) seeds heads back in July. We dried them off, and one of us spend a couple of hours separating out the seeds. We harvested the equivalent of a hundred plus commercial seed packets - here are just some of the seeds:

We are experimenting with planting the hay rattle in patches of the invasive meadowsweet. Hay rattle is a semi-parasite - it can tap into other plants' root systems, and we are hoping that this may give us a natural means of controlling the meadowsweet. Nobody else has tried this combination, as far as we are aware. Time will tell!

Of course, next year we will need to find the particular patches we have "treated" - so we have brought in a bit of technology. We took GPS ("Satnav") readings for each of the patches:

We also noticed some "fairy rings" of large mushrooms in the meadows:


In the meantime, our other work party was busy doing litter picking - an "autumn spring clean", perhaps?

Lilliput Park work morning - Tuesday 1 December

A small band of enthusiasts - the Lilliput Conservation Group - is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

Wapley Bushes work morning - Saturday 14 November

This workday will be a morning of general maintenance work and tidying up the reserve prior to the winter season. Please wear walking or wellington boots and bring some gloves.

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland (opposite the road entrance to Cherington), south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.

Replacement Kingsgate Park Nature Reserve Ponds Workday - Saturday 31 October

Regrettably, last weekend's Kingsgate Park workday had to be cancelled due to the inclement weather situation which cannot be helped.

In its place, we are turning up instead on Saturday 31 October at 10am at the Scott Way entrance.

We shall be undertaking maintenance of this important amphibian site including cutting back vegetation. Please wear gloves and wellies.

Please feel free to bring along litter picking and cutting back equipment such as saws, secateurs, shears, loppers, etc. plus the odd spade or two.

Lilliput Park work morning - Tuesday 3 November

A small band of enthusiasts - the Lilliput Conservation Group - is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

Early Bird Walk at Severn Beach - Tuesday 27 October

Up with the lark! Look out for migrating birds and listen for autumn birdsong with naturalist, braodcaster and wildlife detective Ed Drewitt. A short early morning walk along Severn Beach. Wear sturdy boots, and bring waterproofs if wet. No dogs except guide dogs please! (organised by South Glos Council as part of the annual autumn Discover Festival)

Time: 7.00 am - 8.30 am.

Meet at the entrance to Severn Beach railway Station. the walk will then go along the Severn Way. Please book your ticket through the Eventbrite website at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/early-bird-walk-tickets-17794721491

Star gazing live! Monday 19 October, 7pm at Abbotswood, yate

This is a FREE opportunity to learn more about the sky at night. Callum Potter will be our guide and there will be an indoor presentation followed by an outdoor observing session if the weather is good. Please wear warm clothes and stout footwear and please bring a torch.

Location: St Nicholas Family Centre, Chargrove, Abbotswood, Yate, BS37 4LG

Kingsgate Park Nature Reserve Ponds Workday - Saturday 24 October

We shall be undertaking maintenance of this important amphibian site including cutting back vegetation. Please wear gloves and wellies.

Meet at the Scott Way entrance to Kingsgate Park, Scott Way, Yate BS37 4NW at 10.00 am.

Successful Fungus Foray!

Around 17 people attended a fascinating Fungus Foray today with Dr Lee Hayward of the Cotswold Fungus Group. Lee told us many stories and facts about fungi, including how the different types reproduce and their importance for us as a species. Enjoy the slideshow!

Kingsgate Park Nature Reserve Ponds Workday - Saturday 24 October

We shall undertaking maintenance of this important amphibian site including the cutting back of vegetation. Please wear gloves and wellington boots.

Meet at the Scott Way entrance to Kingsgate Park, Scott Way, Yate, BS37 4NW, 10.00am

Parking is available at the entrance of Shackleton Avenue.

Fungus Foray - Friday 9 October 10.00 am

Come and join our exploration of local fungi with expert Lee Hayward of the Cotswold Fungus Group - meet at the Shire Way gate at 10.00 am. There are many kinds of fungi about at the moment - let's see how many we can find!

This event is completely free and it has been organised in cooperation with South Glos. Council. Please wear stout footwear.

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland (opposite the road entrance to Cherington), south Yate, BS37 8US, 10am.

Outstanding success for In Bloom entries!

Very pleasing that all three Dodington entries that were judged in South West In Bloom gained an "Outstanding" award, the highest grade of award:
Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve
Wapley Common and the Orchard for the Future
Dodington Allotment Association

What's more, Yate and Chipping Sodbury both have Outstanding for all their entries, so it was a remarkable "clean sweep" for our area.

Lilliput Park work morning - Tuesday 6 October

A small band of enthusiasts - the Lilliput Conservation Group - is spending a couple of hours on the first Tuesday of each month tidying up the hedgerows and plantings in Lilliput Park.

This was once the garden of Lilliput Court (formerly Down Leaze House). Some readers may remember Lilliput Court as the old Northavon Council Offices.

Please come along and help us improve this historic park. We shall be meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

Kennedy Way Pond Workday - Sunday 20 September

We shall be carrying out general management works on the reserve including vegetation clearance at this local wildlife haven.

Meet at the Kennedy Way Pond, Link Road, Yate Shopping Centre, 10.00am

Parking is available at the Yate shopping centre car park on the western side of Link Road, BS37 4AY

Report from Wapley work morning 13/09/2015

Just seven of us this morning, but we achieved a lot. We dug out the bed of the stream down through the woods, so that it won't flood when we get heavy rain.

It's a "winter stream" or "winter bourne", hence the village name Winterbourne.

We also did a major litter collection, removing half a dozen big sacks full - about par for the course after the summer holidays.

We were a bit discouraged though that there has been some fly tipping on Besom Lane near the kissing gate - we've reported it to South Glos Council.

Filming at Wapley Woods rescheduled

Please note that the days for filming at Wapley have changed:

• Saturday 12 September - 12am to 11pm
• A short session on the evening of Saturday 26 September for a few hours
• Then the main shoot will take place on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October

The arrangements have been fully discussed with the Conservation Group and the Parish Council.

Filming at Wapley Woods

Please note that an amateur film unit will be fiming in and around Wapley Woods on the following dates:

• 12/09/15 12am to 11pm
• 19/09/15 11am to 10pm
• 20/09/15  5pm to 11 pm

The arrangements have been fully discussed with the Conservation Group and the Parish Council.

Wapley Bushes work morning - Sunday 13 September

We shall be undertaking the annual stream clearance and other reserve maintenance walk on this autumn workday. Please wear stout footwear.

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.

Ecological walk on Yate Common - Friday 11 September

A guided walk with consultant Rupert Higgins, who has been carrying out an ecological survey of  Yate Common. This has covered invertebrates, birds and lower plants. with a concentration on vascular plants.

Rupert will point out many of the species he has found.

The survey has been done to produce a 5 year Management Plan.

Meet at 10.30 am at the start of the "Road to Nowhere" on the Rodford Way roundabout.

One man came to mow...

Well, probably several men! Walkers will have seen that only one third of the "narrow side" of Wapley Common, where the orchard is, has been mown. This is so that that other two thirds of the grass will fall as a dense mat and provide a habitat for mice and voles.

These small mammals are ideal "owl takeaways" and will encourage our local tawny owls (and perhaps others) to nest in the near side of the woodland.

Below the surface

A lot goes on at Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve between workdays. Members of the committee and friends walk the Reserve regularly, tidying up and clipping back overgrowth. Dodington Parish Council's handyman and street warden visit to clear litter, especiall after busy weekends.

Other "unseen" work includes monitoring the fruit trees and treating them with traditional remedies as necessary. Members of the public report any problems they find on the Reserve, and the Committee or the Parish Council try to deal with them as quickly as possible.

We also do a monthly photo shoot right round the Reserve, the Common and the Orchard - we've now got an archive of digital photos going back to January 2003. This allows us to monitor how things develop month by month, and to compare different years at the same time.

Sometimes the photo survey produces surprises - these plate-sized bracket fungi have appeared in the last month. We know where they usually appear each year, so we keep a look out every time we walk round to see whether they've arrived yet.

All this information feeds into our management of the Reserve. The Five Year Management Plan is being revised at the moment by a professional ecological consultant, and he will be making recommendations that form the basis of the work we undertake on work mornings or commission contractors to carry out.

Last chance to see

The meadows will be mown fairly shortly, and we're getting to the end of the butterfly season. So if you want to see Wapley at its summer best, take advantage of a sunny day and head over to see what you can find.

Here are a couple of butterflies on their favourite plant, black knapweed:

Marbled white

Meadow Brown

Success again for Wapley Bushes

Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve and the Orchard for the Future have won the Green Flag Community Award for the third year running - the only Green Flag Award in South Gloucestershire.

The Green Flag Award scheme recognises quality parks or green spaces. In total, 1,582 parks, cemeteries, universities, shopping centres and community gardens in the UK have met the high standard needed to receive the Green Flag Award or the Green Flag Community Award.

The Green Flag Awards are judged by an army of more than 700 green space experts, who volunteer their time to visit applicant sites and assess them against eight strict criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement. The Green Flag Awards Scheme is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.

Obviously Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, who manage the Reserve, and landowners Dodington Parish Council are very pleased with this success. They are now looking forward to hearing the results of their South West in Bloom award entries.

Working in the wet - 12 July workday

On a very wet morning half a dozen of us carried out some essential maintenance tasks on the reserve. The bushes alongside the paths have been growing at an incredible rate, at least a foot a month. We split into several working parties and carved our way through the jungle to try to keep all the paths walkable.

Meanwhile we also did some light summer pruning of the stoned fruit trees, and checked round the apple trees as well - we think we're going to have an apple crop on the Common this year.

Harvesting the meadow

Part of our haul of rattle seed

Four of us spent a couple of hours at Wapley on Wednesday collecting hay rattle (yellow rattle) seeds. This plant has large seeds, and if you pick the seed pods when they have dried and shake them, you can hear the seeds rattle.

Rattle is an interesting plant - it's a hemi-parasite. It has green leaves that can photosynthesise, but it can tap into grass roots and draw nutrient from them, which weakens the grass.

Up at the top of the Lower Meadow we have an area where the grass is so vigorous that few wildflowers can take hold. Our idea is that by sowing small patches of rattle there we can weaken the grass and encourage species diversity. It'll be an interesting experiment - we're starting to play with GPS to record where we do things like this.

We're also wondering whether hay rattle can feed off the root systems of the invasive plant meadowsweet - perhaps this could be a way of bringing it more under control.

In more news from the reserve, the areas that were seeded after they were damaged by vehicles turning are showing a lovely crop of annuals - the perennials will come along later.

The patch at the bridge end of the Common, on the orchard side

 In the cottages part of the orchard, the climbing rose that we trained up the dead plum tree has shot upwards, and is now in bloom.

Please come and join us at our work morning this Sunday (12 July) - meet at 10.00 am at the Shire Way gate for a couple of hours of light stoned fruit tree pruning and general maintenance tasks. As usual there will be something for everyone. Please wear suitable footwear and bring gloves if you have them.

Wapley Bushes Summer Fruit Tree Pruning morning Sunday 12 July

Please come and join us for a pleasant summer work morning - nothing too strenuous!

As well as pruning stoned fruit trees such as plums and gages, we shall also be attending to odd jobs on the reserve. There will be something for everyone!

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.

Wapley Guided walk explores "orchid alley"

Sixteen wildlife enthusiasts, including a group of visitors from the Cabot Group of the Wildlife Trust in Bristol, explored Wapley's meadows and woodlands last weekend. We found three of Wapley's five species of orchids and many other meadow flowers. Then we went into the woodland and talked about the challenge of ash dieback disease and how the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group is planning to cope with it. Finally we visited the Orchard for the Future, where local varieties of fruit trees (ones you can't buy in the shops) have been planted on one side of Wapley Common.

It's not surprising they call it a bee orchid!

Butterflies, bees and orchids - Wapley meadow at its best

Now is the time to visit Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve if you're interested in meadow flowers and insects. Investigate on your own, or join us on our public guided walk this Sunday 28 June, meeting at 2pm at the Shire Way gate. We shall be welcoming guests from the Cabot Group of the Wildlife Trust but everyone is welcome. Here are some photos from the last few days:

Bee orchid

 

Common spotted orchid

Six-spot burnet moth on black knapweed

Small white female butterfly

Meadow brown male butterfly

Ringlet butterfly

Wapley bridge official opening photo

A photo of the official opening of the new Sergeant's Farm Bridge today - Cllr Christine Howard, Chairman of Dodington Parish Council, assisted by yours truly. They loaned her a pair of gold-coloured scissors to cut the ribbon!

Wapley bridge replacement timelapse film

Courtesy of Network Rail. Very impressive!

This video shows the replacement of Sergeant's Farm Bridge,  which links Shire Way to Wapley Common and the Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve.

Wapley Bridge - Network Rail opening event tomorrow (Tuesday 28 April)

With only a day's notice, Network Rail have said that they are having an official opening event at the bridge at 11.00 am tomorrow (Tuesday 28 April) to which local residents are invited.

Dodington Parish Council will organise a community celebration in a few weeks time - we'll let you know.