The Beggarwood Wildlife Group were hard at work on Tuesday 5th May. The weather not as glorious as our last outing but warm and, importantly, dry! We split into 3 groups to attack different areas of the park, our aim as always to keep it useable for our community and to encourage more wildlife into the area.!
Archangel Clearing
Team Archangels were hard at work behind the Wild Play area. This area becomes overgrown by garden ‘escapees’ and this time 4 large bagful’s were cut back and removed. If you are lucky enough to live edging onto the park, please check if your garden is starting to grow over. Some of the popular garden plants can smother the wildlife and decrease biodiversity in the area. Your help as always is really appreciated!
Dogwood Popping
Team Dogwood worked a bit further up the hill from the Wild Play area. This grassland is home to the meadow Orchids which need open land to thrive. Invasive dogwood and hawthorn are threatening to take over their habitat so a good couple of hours was spent in pulling out these bushes, an art known as ‘popping’. Sounds comical but I can assure you it’s hard work. The ‘popped’ bushes were used to rebuild the dead hedging that runs alongside the path.
If you keep your eyes open you should start to see orchids blooming from mid-June through to July.
Here is an example of a Common Spotted Orchid photographed previously at this site.
Tool Maintenance
Maintenance of our tools is essential, and Bob did an excellent job of cleaning the storeroom and making sure everything is in order. Team Archangel joined him towards the end and they cut back part of the live hedge at the community centre.
…and Finally
Thanks as always to the Holly Blue for their support with a welcome hot beverage after the exertions of the morning! See you next month!
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