Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve
Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve, near Yate and Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire.
The Nature Reserve is run by the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, a small group of volunteers.
Monday, December 23, 2024
Monday, December 02, 2024
Successful planting morning on Saturday 30 November
Seven of us managed to do quite a lot of whip planting in between forecast spells of bad weather. We planted 97 small trees along the new dead hedge that the pupils of Culverhill Special School had created at the bottom of the Ancient Woodland, where it meets the end of Wapley Common.
There was a real range of species - Holly, Crab Apple, Dog Rose, Common Hawthorn, Goat Willow, Hornbeam, Hazel, Field Maple and Buckthorn.
As well as creating a living barrier, these trees and bushes will benefit birds, pollinators and potentially hedgehogs as well.
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Next Wapley work morning - date changed again - SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER
This weekend's work morning will be on SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER, not Sunday 1 December, because rain and high wind gusts are predicted to hit the West Country on Sunday. We apologise for having to change the date due to weather for the second time.
On Sunday 1 December there will be a Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve Work Morning of early tree planting, which is always a fun activity. We will be planting more than 100 whips along the dead hedge recently constructed by the pupils of Culverhill School. The new trees should grow over the dead hedge and create an effective and long-lasting barrier. Lighter tasks such as litter picking will also be available.
Meet at 10 am at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, near the entrance to Cherington, Yate BS37 8US. Please wear stout footwear and bring gloves if you have them. If not, we’ll provide gloves that you can keep until the next workday.
Please come and join our work mornings even if you haven’t been before. You can bring your own tools, or tools will be provided. Everyone is welcome, though children under 16 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Many thanks to our Wapley Wardens!
After more than 20 years as Wapley Wardens, keeping an eye on the Nature Reserve on behalf of Dodington Parish Council, Isabel and Bert Ryan have now retired from the role. They took it on when Isabel stopped being a parish councillor, but still wanted to keep a link with Wapley Bushes.
To mark the occasion the Chair of the Parish Council Cllr Chris Zapata and Cllr Paul Hulbert presented Isabel with a planter for her lovely garden.
Cllr Hulbert said "Over the years that Isabel and Bert have been walking regularly at Wapley, they have often been the first to spot problems and let the Council know about it - we're very grateful to them"
They are succeeded as Wapley Wardens by Krystyna and Bob Hutchinson.
Well cut back - report from work morning 15 September
Eight volunteers had
a very productive Wapley work session on a bright and dry Sunday morning.
- Clearing the bed of the seasonal stream down through the wood
- Cutting back overhanging vegetation on the paths in the Western Wood, mainly in the sections that hadn't been strimmed recently, e.g. the steps and nearby
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Cutting back new branches and creepers hanging down to just above head level on the pathway beside the picnic area along
to the kissing gate on Besom Lane. The sides of the path had already been strimmed recently by the Parish Council.
Hopefully that should take care of path overgrowth in those areas for quite a few weeks.
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Wapley work morning coming up - Sunday 15 September
On this work morning we’ll be digging out the bed of the stream down through the woods, so that it won't flood when we get heavy rain, and cutting back some overgrowing vegetation in the Western Wood. We’ll also be doing litter collection and tidying up.
Meet at 10 am at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, near the entrance to Cherington, Yate BS37 8US. Please wear stout footwear and bring gloves if you have them. If not, we’ll provide gloves that you can keep until the next workday.
Please come and join our work mornings even if you haven’t been before. You can bring your own tools, or tools will be provided. Everyone is welcome, though children under 16 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Tuesday, July 09, 2024
Short back and sides - Wapley work morning 6 July
We opened up the area round the notice boards near the Shire Way entrance and then trimmed part of the path up to the slope towards the bridge - Dodington Parish Council staff had already trimmed much of the rest of the path.
On the Common we cleared sightlines for cyclists and then opened up the fronts of the bug hotels to give better access for insects and birds. We were careful to check each area for nests before we started cutting.
We also cleared vegetation from the kissing gate at the Besom Lane end and tidied up round some of the new seats. Parish Council staff are currently working on trimming back the paths in the woodlands.
Have you seen the new "dead hedge" constructed by pupils from Culverhill Special School, supervised by Dodington Parish Council's Estates Officer? This will be great habitat for birds and insects, especially when climbing plants have been planed to climb up over it. The dead hedge replaces an old boundary fence on the woodland edge.
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve Workday - Saturday 6 July
This workday will comprise a deep clean and cutting back intruding vegetation along the woodland paths to get the reserve ready for our summer visitors. If you can, please bring your own gloves and wear stout footwear.
Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.