The sun was bright but the air was crispy cold as we met at
the Army Training Area at Ellington Banks. We were 15 NCVs, 3 heritage
skills students, their 2 supervisors and
Paul. Our task was to clear saplings and brush wood from the conservation area
within the army land. Firstly we were addressed by John Black who is an ecologist
engaged by the MoD to help manage their sites around the country. He gave us a
formal briefing on our task, including instructions what to do if we found any used or unused
ordnance. (Phil found a clip of more than a dozen rounds of blanks whilst
attending to the needs of nature just off site.)
The alder saplings start to disappear and a pond emerges.
Terry and Graham took over fire duties whilst the rest of us
sawed and lopped away happily in the lovely sunshine. Soon the fire burst
into life and most of what we cut disappeared in a very large bonfire.
There is no shortage of fuel for the fire.
These lucky saplings are spared the fire.
A perfect place for a mid-morning picnic.
By the time we finished the bonfire was still doing its work
and we had cleared a large area including the boggy ground next to two ponds
said to hold great crested newts. We had let a lot more light into the area
which the ponds especially will benefit from.
"Right girls. We need to reach out to these
partially submerged saplings.
Do NOT let go of my jacket!"
Phil
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