Lime Tree Farm, Grewelthorpe: 19:03-2024

 

TIME FOR THE 

VERY LAST PUSH!

As readers of this blog will know, the last two weeks have seen the NCVs doing their level best to lay a 100m hedge before the end of March. There was just 15-20m left after last week's efforts so, with a bit of a push, it could be finished in one more day.

 Oh - and there was the little matter of 6 brash piles to get rid of, with more yet to come during the day......

Let's see if they managed it shall we?

 

Well this one is for the chop.

Yeh. So's this.

Teamwork throughout led to success,

despite the many difficulties encountered.

Things seen in the hedge

 included this old bird's nest...

...and this fresh jelly ear fungus.

There was also the encouraging

sight of new spring growth just

starting on stems laid last week.

Just lay this one down there would you Dave?

Certainly Dave.

 

Look busy lads - here's the gaffer.

 

It was pleasant to sit in the sun

and enjoy delicious cake (thanks Paul)

and biscuits (thanks Irene).
 

 

Now - what about the 6 brash piles?

Shall we harvest some

 firewood to take home first? 

Now see here, you bonfire you.

Don't you dare go out.

There's lots to burn!

 

Andy's strict tone clearly paid off.

The fire eventually got going 

and was fed a never ending 

supply of brash. 

Everyone was told to wear old 

clothing to burn the brash.

Here Ken models the NCV kit from

 some years ago. Green with an orange logo.

Eventually the fire got rid of 4 brash piles 

before having to be dampened down.

The rest will be dealt with by 

observatory volunteers.

Our job here is done!

 

All that remains is for 

some new saplings to 

be inserted in the gaps.

Well done team!

Whilst all this sterling work went on, two other NCVs  were noticably absent. No - they weren't skiving off. They were undertaking some INNS survey training along the River Nidd at Birstwith. (That's 'Invasive Non-Native Species' surveying for those of you who aren't quite sure.) This was run by the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust. They were shown how to use a mapping app:

This turned out to be extremely easy to use and much better than having to record everything on a hard copy map. It can be downloaded via:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/inns-mapper/id6445965106

or

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.natural_apptitude.innsmapper

Now Ros E. and Ruth will be able to record all sightings of Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed whenever they go out for a walk along the Nidd and its tributaries. This will allow action to be taken by the trust to get rid of the unwanted plants. A new rust fungus against balsam is already being trialled in some stretches along the Nidd and is showing itself to be quite effective.