Gouthwaite Reservoir: 20-10-2020

WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH!

Now this isn't the kind of thing that you would expect to be said about the outcome of the usual kind of NCV task, but this week it summed things up very well.

The reason? Well - the gang had been tasked with collecting up any litter and accumulated driftwood they could find around the shoreline of Gouthwaite Reservoir, a SSSI. This task had originally been planned during the first week of the national lockdown in March, to deal with the aftermath of Storms Ciara and Denis (remember those?) Apparently the driftwood caused real problems for the wading birds this spring with many chicks getting caught in it and dying. 

So - it was a task that was long overdue.

The group split into teams of 5 or 6 and got busy removing the stuff that was threatening the bird life. You can see from the pictures below how they got on. 

Getting down to the shore was no easy task.

Once there the terrain was often challenging.

Mind you don't slip down into the water you two!

Every so often the way was barred by trees.

This group had to litter pick by hanging over the wall.

This group was working at the Ramsgill end of the lake.

Nice and flat. Easy!

NO!!! We cannot shift all that driftwood on our own.

Instead they focused on collecting the rubbish 

that was lying around. Balls featured ....

...and four wellies were found.

This led to the suggestion that the NCVs should set up 

a niche retail experience 'Boots and Balls.'

They left this piece of rubbish where they found it...

 
...but risked life and limb to collect plastic bags.

Andy buckled under the strain of carrying these two tyres...

...and it can be safely said that this group did collect a lot of rubbish!

A gas cylinder, garden furniture and a good deal of bale wrap 

were just some of the items found.

This group dealt with lots of driftwood.

A plastic bucket was put to good use to carry

 the smaller sticks up to the top of the slope.

Great piles of wood were created on the old railway embankment.

Brenda despaired when she looked along

 the shoreline and saw what lay ahead.

So much wood!

It was soooo good to sit and have a break.

There were good views to look at too.

Oh now then - that Scots pine is definitely worthy of a place 

on the Woodland Trust's tree map.

2 hugs around. If only I had brought my tape measure!

Phil, the intrepid explorer, almost got lost in the bracken.

Surely they are not going to be doing 

road works down here?!

Now Liz, what have you got there?

A nice furry animal?

No - just a piece of driftwood.

No need to worry about this.

No prizes for guessing why this hump 

back bridge at Bouthwaite is called 'Devil's Bridge'!

There were lots of different types of fungi growing 

along the shore but this one was particularly frilly.

OK folks - time to go back to the cars.

Now - Brenda (at the front) seems to be rather loaded up.

I wonder why?

Ah. That's why.

She just couldn't resist these pieces of 

wood to display in her garden!

NB - at all times we were only in groups of 5 or 6. After all, we didn't want to get nabbed by the police for breaking the rules like this chap

FOOTNOTE:

Apparently today is Global Statistics day with the theme: 'Connecting the world with data we can trust.' 

Well - here are some task related statistics for you that you can definitely trust:

• 17 people spent 5 hours collecting litter
• The reservoir has a shoreline approximately 4.9 miles (7.9 km) long and a surface area of 126 hectares.
• A bin lorry* of litter were collected in heaps or bags.
• A flotilla* of driftwood was stacked.

* New SI units of measurement.

Not bad for a day's work!

Please note that there will be no blog next week as the NCVs are being given a day off for half term.

Hackfall Woods: 13-10-2020

 

Hackfall's autumnal colours are starting to appear.

Hang on - are those sweet chestnut cases or autumnal corona virus germs,

hiding in the leaf litter?

New Covid 19 restrictions are being introduced all over the North as the dreaded virus starts to proliferate yet again, but the NCVs are still allowed out to play (in a covid safe way of course!) Phew! Just as well, as Liz's email promised a busy day of woodland management in Hackfall this week. Holly removal was mentioned (yes - we know all about that from last week's Summerbridge Nature Reserve task don't we? Legs were still showing signs of holly prickle punctures a week later) and dead hedge building was also on the agenda (something else we also had a lot of practice with last week.) Regular readers will remember that our previous trip to Hackfall was adversely affected by extremely heavy rainfall - this week was not much better but, as you can see below, more managed to be achieved.

One group went down to the Alum Springs.

They were flowing freely thanks to the rainfall.

They had been tasked with blocking off this track.

It's a road to nowhere and visitors need preventing from using it 

as they end up scrambling on steep, muddy slopes.

So team B (for Boys) got to work, harvesting material for the job.

A quick coffee break and a wave of the magic wand 

was all that was then required.

And there it was - done!

Just move to one side chaps - I would like to just check out 

the quality of your workmanship.

Oh yes - very good weaving.

A* in fact.

Meanwhile, team A were further up in the woods, 

removing holly that was encroaching 

Turner's view of Masham Church.

Yes - I think that you can see the church now.

It's over there - in amongst the mist and rain clouds.

This team were also on step clearing duty - something that will

probably need doing again by tomorrow, thanks to the leaf fall!

I think that we can give this flight of steps an A* grade too.

Oh dear - who's been sitting on my chair?

That's a job for another day.

At lunchtime both teams met by the pond for a riot of fun.

Things were in danger of getting out of control.

This NCV was worn out with all the partying.

It may have been wet and miserable, but at least everyone 

had a nice view to look at whilst they ate their lunch.

There is a lot of ash tree felling going on in Hackfall at the moment.

Any large trees near the footpaths have to go.

One NCV has renamed this area 'The Valley of Desolation'.

The cross section of this tree shows

 the reason for the felling - Ash dieback.

Some of the resulting debris was blocking the stream 

to the weeping rock.

Both teams joined forces and sorted the problem out.

Well done everyone - time to go home now. 

A hot shower and a well deserved cuppa is in order.

Manpower at Hackfall was somewhat reduced. A splinter group of three had to visit Glasshouses verge to shift the last of the heaps of grass left from our recent mowing. The grass and the weather was far too wet to light a fire so plan B was put into action.....

There WAS still a lot of grass to get rid of.

Let's rake it over here.

No one will notice it along the fence.

The compost will do the hedge good.

OK - so that's that lot sorted.

Now there's just a little matter of these

 heaps at the other end of the verge.

There you go - we know the wall doesn't need compost

 to make it grow, but at least it's off the main area of wildflowers.