Photo Gallery

Before

Post bashing

Stapling

The holloway we were working on, an important habitat and beautiful spot on te reserve. Holloways were tracks created by long use driving livestock across country to markets.

Tree poppers and loppers, tools of the day.

Scrub is bagged and moved off the grassland to build habitat piles.

Crecy Hill in bloom

Pulling hawtorn

Safety talk and discussion about what to demolish and (most importantly) what to leave!

First break with the first batch of old wire.

A section of post and rail knocked down and being re-instated with new materials.

The fen at Matthew Arnold Field. Lot of work has been done to re-wet the area and promote biodiversity.

The fen at Matthew Arnold Field. Lot of work has been done to re-wet the area and promote biodiversity.

Covered with logs and brash to prevent sand blocking water flow.

Dismantling the old fence.

Old fence materials showing some very rotten posts

Old fence where it joined last year's section.

A new straining post.

Knocking in intermediates.

Water scorpion, photo courtesy of Friends of Milham Ford (https://fomfnp.weebly.com/)

photo courtesy of Friends of Milham Ford (https://fomfnp.weebly.com/)

photo courtesy of Friends of Milham Ford (https://fomfnp.weebly.com/)

Pollarded ash. Branches removed becuse ash die back can result in them dropping dead branches

Close up shows slits cut into the trunk for bats to roost in

Cut branches being processed

Morning break.

Back filling underway.

The first section of footpath bybtge Thames. Welkk worn, and close to the river bank.

Work in progress, digging out the bank raise the path

End of the day, path raised and supported with willow fence.

Post and rail fence to be taken down

Removing nails from the rails that will be reused

Root of the day.

5/8ths of the OCV team, plus tree-poppers

Secluded hillside of unimproved chalk grassland.

Hazel stools ready to be coppiced. This is a traditional method of woodland management, providing resources for a wide variety of uses.

Coppiced area, creating an open glade that lets light to the woodland floor, good for flora. The coppices stools will regrow ready for harvesting in a few years.

Patches of dogwood (~12 months old). Grows to create a monoculture shading out the herbs and wildflowers that make this chalk downland so special.

Loppers are the tool of the day.

Cut scrub is piled up on the margins.

Getting started on the digging for and the first few steps.

Knocking in stobs.

Attaching anti-slip chicken wire.