Millennium Green: 23-08-2022

I think that we can now sleep soundly in our beds as this week's task brought to an end the 2022 season of pulling balsam and bashing bracken. This final sortie was a second check along the banks of the River Nidd - from Millennium Green to Pateley Bridge itself. Everyone crossed their fingers and hoped that the wasps and bees would be kinder than they were on 12th July. 

Here are the highlights of the day....

Men (and women) at arms.

The sergeant major split them into two smaller units, 

each of which worked their way down either side of the river.

Some balsam was easy to spot and to reach.

Better still - it did not seem to be in large swathes.

That was a good start.

Hmmm. Hope there isn't any down there. 

I didn't bring my water wings.

Just as the team on the caravan site side of the

 river came into view of the end point at coffee time, 

so they hit a rather more extensive site.

On the opposite bank it was also a variable situation.

However, when Andy had a stern word 

with the subject of the search  it ran off and hid.

At coffee time, on the scout hut side, Andrew 

sat down for a rest - only to discover he had

 sat on a red ant colony. He swiftly moved 

to an alternative sitting place as

 ants started to invade his pants.

A disgruntled Andrew continued the task very gingerly,

hoping against hope that he wouldn't be attacked by wasps too,

Anita multi-tasked - the bag gives a

 clue as to what other job she did.

Ros E. lent a hand at the bandstand.

Here there was not only copious amounts

 of litter (within 3 m of a littler bin)

but also a number of balsam stems!!

The bandstand benches provided a perfect spot for lunch.

They also provided front row seats for the impromptu 

concert by the Pateley Bridge amateur operatic society.

This included old favourites such as 

'The hills are alive with the sound of bashing' 

and ' Climb every ant hill'.

Lunchtime brought an early end to the task.

Time to celebrate the end of the balsam season 

with a tasty ice cream from the nearby van.

Osian demonstrated a different form of multi-tasking.

Anita focused on just the one objective....

....as did everyone else.

Alistair was allowed a 99 flake in his having been stung

by no fewer than 5 wasps.

Having climbed over this wall to go to 

the bandstand, everyone then needed to go back 

over it. Why not just walk along the road 

back to the cars? You may well ask.

Brenda thought she had lost her phone, 

so the search was on along the river bank.

Everyone was phoning the phone by the minutes

as they searched high and low.

It was found, ringing away in the boot of the car!!

🙈

Next week - a week off for the NCVs as it is the August Bank Holiday week.

See you on the 6th September!

Hackfall Wood: 16-08-2022

This week, for the second time in recent years, the NCVs almost made it onto the airwaves. Read on to see the transcript of an interview recorded with BBC researcher Colin Wobbles, this afternoon, for the Today programme. The NCVs were informed that it would probably be broadcast at 6:15am on Wednesday August 17th.

Colin Wobbles (CW): (Jovially) Good afternoon Ms Bashalot. We believe that you and the Nidderdale NCVs have been busy battling against the odds in Hackfall Woods yesterday.

Ms Bashalot (MB): Well - we were certainly working in Hackfall Woods. Not sure if I would call it 'battling against the odds'.

CW: Oh come - you are being modest. Didn't you have to pull up huge quantities of Himalayan balsam? 

MB: Erm, there was some balsam, yes. Although we have had a good impact on its spread over the years. The pictures I have supplied for the Today programme's website will provide clear evidence of this.

The patch by the Grewelthorpe Pond 

was seen off in just half an hour.

No wonder Tim had a smile on his face!

Another area near Fountains pond was 

also sorted within 40mins.

All that was left behind were deceased 

balsam stems and LOTS of brambles!

The area over by the Swinton Estate wall 

used to take us all day to work through.

This year - 40mins tops.

CW: OK. But what about all the overhanging vegetation? I bet that was very difficult to get rid of.

MB: Oh no - a bit of a bash with a grass slasher, or a nip with the loppers, and the paths were soon clear....

CW: (Starting to sound irritated) I believe there was a huge tree that had fallen over a path which needed to be dealt with.

MB: A tree had fallen - but it was hardly 'huge'. As listeners will be able to see we soon shifted it. The AONB provide us with all the necessary tools for that kind of a thing. Anything too big had already been dealt with by the Woodland Trust's contractors.

Contactors....

...NCVs!

CW: And the culverts?

MB: What about the culverts?

CW: Oh come now Ms Bashalot. You can't deny that there were some hazardously blocked culverts that were threatening to lead to dangerous torrents of water washing away the paths!

MB: (Smiling) I think that someone may have exaggerated the nature of the issue Colin. As you can see for yourself - I don't think that was a likely scenario.

There were a couple of full culverts but, with a bit of skilful 

slasher twiddling, Osian had them cleared in no time at all.

CW: (Interrupting) Right well what about those three really dangerous benches that were on the verge of collapse and would badly injure whoever sat on them?

MB: Ahh. Now those were a bit on the wobbly side. We put our best problem solvers onto the case and they soon had them safe and sound - as listeners will be able to see from the pictures on your website....

Special metal bars, inserted and bolted to the

 bench legs reduced the wobble factor to zero.

CW: Hmph. Presumably you were having to work in dreadful weather which would have made everyone really miserable?

MB: Err - no - not really. There were thunderstorms forecast but they never materialised and the end of the heat wave yesterday made conditions much more pleasant to work in. In fact, lunchtime at the sandbeds was just perfect.

Eagle eyed Osian spotted a kingfisher - maybe you can see it?

Coffee and lunchtimes were made all the better 

thanks to a generous helping of very tasty flapjack.

This had been supplied by NCV David M. who celebrated 

a landmark birthday a couple of weeks ago.

Thanks David - Many Happy Returns!!

CW: (Looking increasingly rattled) I'm sure that there was loads of litter that you had to collect?

MB: There was a half bag collected, not too bad at all. And we have our special bag lady, Anita, to deal with that.

In fact she was able to help Osian out at one point.

 When he noticed that, somehow, he had come out of the house 

without his small intestine, she simply reached into

 the litter bag and furnished him with a temporary 

solution to the problem.

CW: (Now speaking through gritted teeth) Ms Bashalot - you have contacted the BBC under false pretences.  There will be no public interest in your story at all!!

MB: On the contrary Mr Wobbles, I think that there will be a good deal of public interest. A story of hard working volunteers, giving up their time to do their best to improve the natural environment; keeping a local beauty spot safe and looking good for visitors. It's a 'good news' story surely?

CW: Good news story! Sorry Ms Bashalot. We don't really cover those. What we like is a nice bit of doom and gloom. Now, you'll have to excuse me - I need to go and interview the CEO of an energy company and the managing director of Yorkshire Water. I'm sure they will both have something more appropriate for tomorrow's broadcast.

Low Wood House Farm: 09-08-2022

 
Thick gloves at the ready folks!!

A different invasive species eradication this week, but not one new to the NCVs. The venue (Low Wood House Farm) may have been new, but holly removal and dead hedge creation is something the volunteers can do in their sleep. This particular holly is invading a woodland and getting in the way of the AONB walling group who need to mend the dry stone wall. It just had to go. And go it did, as you can see below....

These pictures give a flavour of what lay in wait.

Ruth set to, not 100% convinced that there was a wall at all!!

At least these two NCVs knew that the wall was

 not just a figment of the imagination.

Stake makers in chief, 

Paul and Andy, started to cut the all important posts

 that would hold the hedge in place.

Pretty soon a dead hedge started to rise from the sea

of cut holly, along the edge of the path 

at the far end of the work area.

Osian and David M. tackled various awkward large stems,

releasing deciduous trees from their bonds.

In spite of the climbing temperatures the 

work area was pleasantly cool and shaded.

Just the spot for a nice relaxing coffee and lunch break.

Landowner Sally very kindly provided 

flapjack and lemon drizzle cake.

Thanks Sally!!

Remember the wall? Well here it is - 

revealed in all its glory.

On both sides! The wallers should be able to work 

quite easily now.

Some larger stems were left for landowner Richard 

to remove with his chainsaw.

Osian had brought his pet log - apparently it sits 

on his shoulder all day long and tells him jokes.

As the wall was cleared the holly

 threatened to engulf the NCVs completely.

But, gradually, the enormous piles 

were patiently processed...

...and the NCVs were able to wend their way home.