Journal of a volunteer
January 2010
| 13th |
It began snowing, lightly, soon after we got up, so we were less than optimistic about volunteering. Nevertheless we turned up and joined Diana, Ian and Vernon on a rhody bash with Chris. His chosen spot was on the edge of Big Wood, at the end of the track between the fields. At some time in the past a load, or two, of rubble had been dumped on this corner and made it even more treacherous underfoot. The snowfall continued, but in spite of this we had a good fire going. By the end of the day we had completely cleared this small area of rhododendron. Chris suggested a return visit to collect the rubble for the base of a bird hide at Haydn's Pool - a job for another day. |
| 20th |
Diana, Ian, Frances, John, Jim M, Jim, Robin and I walked the short distance from the yard, past the nursery to the main road. Last Thursday Chris had organised rhododendron clearance there and we were to carry on the good work. Although things were damp we got a fire going, a chill wind helping it along. We were soon warm from the exercise and the heat from the fire. We had quite a fight with the brambles, which threatened to trip us up, but Robin retaliated with loppers. We started a second fire after lunch, but the wind died and we struggled to keep it going. John came to our rescue with the leaf blower. By four o'clock it was beginning to rain and we had reached Marbury Lane. We installed warning notices and returned all equipment to Chris' van.
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| 28th |
It was dry and bright to start the day. Pete wanted to start working on the two new sites that had just become his responsibility. Elna and Frances joined Jim and me in our car en route to Bandshed Wood on the Anderton-Barnton boundary. Maria rode in Pete's van. The last time I had walked through the wood it had been covered in a blanket of snow and looked pristine. Today it appeared altogether different with litter dropped, tossed or dumped. We got to work with litter-pickers where possible but larger items, such as a mattress, had to be handled and hauled onto the trailer. We were ill-equipped to tackle the rubbish in the ponds, so we moved on to take a look at Barnton Tunnel Top. Frances and I followed Pete along the path and then watched as he nipped down the steep bank. We took the same route slightly more gingerly and were glad of the hand he offered us in our descent. By lunchtime the six of us had hardly covered half the site and the trailer was already piled high with more detritus left by the public at leisure.
We had a short discussion to decide what to do for the rest of the day. Maria was keen to try out waders and get into the pond. Not wishing to disappoint, Pete organised the equipment and we returned to Bandshed Wood. Jim and Frances began repairing some of the fencing. Maria heaved herself into the waders and ventured into the water, testing the depth with a pair of cromes. When she felt secure she started hooking out the assorted rubbish (fencing rails, traffic cones, metal sheeting, bottles, cans etc.). Pete and I collected it from the edge of the pond and began filling the trailer again. After more than an hour in the water Maria was getting chilled and withdrew to warm herself. We finished off with more fence repairs and installed two stout bollards alongside the lay-by.
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Mary - Volunteer
Click here to read January's entry
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Click here to read May's entry
Click here to read June's entry
Click here to read July's entry
Click here to read August's entry
Click here to read Septembers's entry
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Click here to read November's entry
Click here to read December's entry
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Bonfire in the snow
Trash for the trailer
Maria in waders
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