Scrub a dub dub
This week's venue for the NCVs was a place that used to be a regular winter scrub clearance haunt - until Covid reared its ugly head. The last time the NCVs worked at Ellington Banks (the MOD's SSSI site near Ripon) was far back in March 2020 - virtually two years ago - so it was well overdue for a visit. After all - the magnesian limestone grassland flora and the great crested newts in the ponds all need their light!
Everyone got to work, scrubbing away the scrub, and, as you can see from the photographic record for the day, made a good impact. The three men in the tub were nothing in comparison. For a start, there were a good many more than three...
And all 19 of them listened carefully to the MOD's
ecology officer, Karen Fisher, for this SSSI site
to review health and safety issues
and find out what needed doing.
On arrival at the work site the NCVs were sad to see
that an area completely cleared the very first time
they visited Ellington Banks in 2015, was completely
taken over with alder saplings.
There was a great deal of de-scrubulization required.
Yooo Hooo! Mind you don't get lost in there!
So the de-scrubulizers got busy de-scrubulizing.
And down here. As the scrub was removed
so the grassland reappeared.
the resulting brash needed dealing with.
bundles of it tucked under their arms.
Now - can you remember what might happen next?
Correct! It either needed brash piling for wildlife habitats or burning.
Like your brash pile ladies. Very neat and streamlined!
New recruit Melanie was trained in this very complex art.
Her and her partner went for the square,
rather than oblong, approach.
At lunchtime they climbed on top of the pile to push it down.
But there was no need - it was absolutely solid!
Post lunch piling would be upon a firm base.
Oh yes - the fire - well, you know who volunteered for that don't you?
Got it in one. Graham and Alistair managed to coax
a blaze from the wet brash with the
most basic of fire-lighting equipment.
Coffee and lunch was taken in a linear fashion which,
given the size of the group, made a single close
up shot impossible. Use a magnifying glass to
identify individuals.
Some rather interesting items were found. One was
this 'surrender parachute' which is thrown up
in the air by trainee soldiers, flare attached,
to signify they have been beaten.
This military make up kit was also discovered, complete with mirror.
The instructions on the lid clearly stated 'External use ony'.
Hmmm. Now why might anyone want to apply make up internally?
Maybe to camouflage the inside of their mouths when
they have to shout during action?
By the end of the afternoon it was clear
that the NCVs had made significant progress.
The pond was clearly visible. However, there
is plenty more scrub to descrubulize next visit!
FOOTNOTE:
Anyone going into the NCV barn from now on will be able to admire the brand new saw stand that has recently been constructed by Jan and Phil. It is beautifully crafted, with sufficient pegs for our various sized saws to ensure that they are kept in good condition. Much better than having them all stuffed higgledy-piggledy into a barrel! Thanks chaps - much appreciated!
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