Report from Work Morning 1st March

Some of the volunteers and just SOME of the rubbish. Photo by Isabel Ryan.

We had a very successful and well attended workday on Sunday, removing a lot of rubbish from the Reserve. Much of the rubbish was left from heavy public use during the snow, but we took the opportunity to get deep into some of the thickets to remove bottles and other debris as well.

We also removed the best part of 100 yards of barbed wire, the remains of old fences.

While we were working on the Reserve a steam loco went past - the Oliver Cromwell, on an excursion to South Wales.


Photo by Tim Fairhead

Spring has sprung (maybe)

According to the Met Office, today (1st March) is the first day of spring. But another definition puts it at the night of 20/21 March, the vernal equinox, when day and night are of equal length. Anyway, it's a lovely day at Wapley. Lots of green shoots all over the place, and the first cowslips.

And the rooks are getting territorial - we saw them chasing a buzzard off this morning. The buzzard had had the temerity to stray across the road and over the Common, and the rooks launched in defence. The first rook buzzed the buzzard and nearly put its talons through its head feathers. The buzzard took one look at the attack squadron of another dozen rooks following behind, and headed straight back to the safety of the farmland.

Work morning next Sunday, March 1st

Just a reminder that the next Wapley Bushes Conservation Group work morning will be on Sunday, meeting at the Shire Way gate at 10.00 am. Please come along and help us. We will be doing general conservation work and tidying up and possibly some planting too.

Please wear wellies or stout footwear and appropriate clothing. To find out more please ring Paul on 01454 315851 or Isabel on 01454 313055.

Temporary building, no planning permission required!

Igloo at Wapley Common

Snow over Wapley

(Photos by Richard and Margaret Hulbert)

Conservation volunteers work with Europe to defeat elm disease

Over the last few decades Dutch Elm Disease, a fungus spread by bark beetles, has devastated the British elm population to the extent that many people have never seen a live mature elm tree.

Now however a multinational project involving a site near Yate may hold the key to repopulating elms in the UK. Members of the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group discovered a a native Wych Elm on the reserve that has remained unaffected by the disease, and they have have sent seeds from to the French national State Forestry Nursery for analysis to assess the extent of disease resistance.

The aim of the European project is to identify types of elm that are resistant to the disease so that eventually the resistant specimens can be planted out to repopulate the European countryside and help the many species that are dependent upon elms.

Tim Fairhead of the Conservation Group explains “In return we received seeds from ancient elm trees in a French Nature Reserve, and these were grown on at Portsmouth University. These particular trees contain high levels of unique bark compounds that deter feeding by the beetles so they are less likely to get infected in the first place. We hope these trees will go on to provide a resource and home for threatened and vulnerable species like the White-letter Hairstreak butterfly”

Volunteers from the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group are shown planting out the resistant saplings on Dodington Parish Council land at Wapley Bushes, together with South Glos Councillors Linda Boon and Claire Young. This is the only elm repopulation project of its type in the South West and one of only four sites in the UK.

Cllr Linda Boon said “It’s good to see such a significant initiative by a local volunteer group. Local groups like this are key to running our local nature reserves, together with support and expert advice from South Gloucestershire’s Environment Department”

Cllr Claire Young said “This is really good news. A whole generation has grown up who only know elms as dead tree skeletons in hedgerows. If this works we can start to repopulate the country’s landscape”

(Photo by Isabel Ryan)

Landmark tree goes

Many of you will know the burnt-out tree near the bridge between the two meadows. We kept it as long as we could, but large holes started opening up in the base. An expert checked it out for us and advised us that it would soon become dangerous, so it had to be cut down. We've left the base as a feature. Other less drastic work will be taking place to keep trees in the main woodland in good order. (Photo by Isabel Ryan)

Report of work morning 11/01/09

We spent a good morning coppicing, removing excess growth of self-seeded ash. We noticed some young trees whose bark had been stripped by deer - see photo. There was a good attendance - thanks to everyone who helped.

Work morning Sunday 11 January - come and join in!

On Sunday we're going to be doing coppicing - traditional woodland management - and some other maintenance tasks. Please come and help, no experience necessary. We're meeting at the Shire Way gate at 10.00 am. You'll need to wear suitable footwear and warm clothing. Tools will be provided. You can ring Paul for details on 01454 315851, or just turn up on the day. Picture taken from Wyre Borough Council's Rural Skills pages.

Unable to contact us?

It appears that there is a problem contacting the Conservation Group through the address on our website. We'll look into this, but in the meantime please feel free to email us on paul.hulbert@gmail.com.

Season's Greetings from Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve!

Report of work morning 09/11/08

Our main target this morning was to clear out the stream that runs down through the wood at times of heavy rain. If we didn't keep it clear it would overflow and part of the wood would start to become marshy.

On our way up to the stream we found that this tree had been blown down over the path during the strong winds last night. Still, it was nothing that a good saw couldn't cure.

Our next work morning will be on Sunday Jan 11th 2009, meeting at 10 am at the gate off Shire Way, Yate. We look forward to seeing you there!

Our first video!

A quick look at some current work and issues in the Lower Meadow.

Please don't forget to join us on our workday next week, Monday 9 November. We're meeting at the Shire Way gate at 10 am. Please wear wellies - we'll provide any necessary tools. See you there!

Rained off...

Unfortunately our work morning on 31 August was rained off. There had been some heavy downpours, and as we we intending to do stream clearing it would have been dangerously slipperly.

Never mind - there are more work mornings planned:
Sunday Nov 9th 2008
Sunday Jan 11th 2009
Sunday March 1st 2009

On each occasion we will be meeting at 10.00 am at the Shire Way gate. Please watch this space for more details.

Wapley Bushes - come and help, Sunday 31 August

The Wapley Bushes Conservation Group is meeting on Sunday 31 August at the Shire Way gate at 10.00 am. We will be doing some general conservation work such as tidying up a small stream that is the habitat of a very rare plant. (No, not this one - this is just one of the Lords and Ladies arums)

Please come along and help! Tools are provided, but you'll need to wear wellies or stout footwear and appropriate clothing. If you would like more details please ring Paul on 01454 315851, but you can just turn up on the day.

Report from 27 June workday

Just a very quick Wapley update - we had a very successful workday. We cleared overhanging branches from around meadows and paths and used the brash (the cut branches) to rebuild the dead hedge at the bottom of path - it looks good now.

We have also recently measured out the woodland ride path, which needs improvement to stop it getting so muddy after rain. We are also likely to have two informal rest stops as well. The next steps will be getting detailed quotations and applying for funding.

Tadpoles ahoy, and report from workday 18/05/08

Mary, Dave and Val cropping overhanging branches

A good workday today. We concentrated on removing small stumps and regrowth from the field edges that the contractor cleared for us a few months ago, so that the grass can be cut without damage to the cutter blades. Even so they will have to set the blades very high, but it will stop the blackthorn and other species from invading the meadow again. We also cut back some overhanging branches so that the tractor can get right in close to the hedges.

On our way round we stopped to look at the top pond, and were very pleased to see some tadpoles there for the first time. This is more significant than it sounds, as this pond used to be relatively bereft of life. Over the last couple of years we've worked to improve the pond. First we had it dug out deeper so that it holds water for more of the year. Then we planted marginal plants along the edge and on the bank, and we had some of the tree canopy cut back to let in more light.

It appears that we're succeeding in increasing the biodiversity of the pond - there's now a range of water life, both plants and insects. And now invertebrates - we're not sure yet whether they are toads or frogs. Very pleasing.

Spring has nearly sprung!

Spring is almost with us, judging by a stroll at Wapley Bushes over Easter:

The first bluebells are just emerging...

A few primroses...

And lesser celandines on the woodland floor

Report from work morning 2nd March

We had a very successful work morning today. One work party thinned out a large number of surplus ash trees in the Centenary Wood to allow the main tree to grow without too much competition. It seemed perverse to be cutting down young trees, but it will be for the best in the long term. Following traditional woodland practices, we coppiced them - cutting them off at 10 to 15 cm from ground level so that they will regrow as bushes. This understorey will hopefully stop the brambles from invading.

Meanwhile the other group worked their way round the meadows, where the invasive growth has recently been cut back, trimming off stray saplings and gathering up litter. We were glad to be joined by several young people who worked hard to help us.

Work morning tomorrow (2 March)

A quick reminder that there's a Wapley work morning tomorrow, meeting at the Shire Way gate at 10.00 am. We're doing some traditional woodland management - coppicing - and litter clearance. The weather forecast is good, so come and join us for some fresh air and gentle exercise.