On the ground in January 2018
February 6, 2018
Don’t forget to say hello if you spot our rangers and volunteers out working in the National Park. Here’s a taste of what they achieved in January 2018.
- Gave a talk on the Meon Valley Partnership to West Meon Women’s Institute who asked lots of questions and shared their own stories about the River Meon.
- Carried out six days work on chalk downs near Winchester with Butterfly Conservation as part of their work to improve habitat for the nationally threatened Duke of Burgundy butterfly.
- Coppiced hazel and felled larger field maple at Avington Park, supporting the landowner with woodland management.
- Ran a Big Community Work Party at Lynchmere Community Orchard to prune the fruit trees.
- Restored Iping Common Geocache (we’re not going to tell you where exactly…)
- Tidied brambles, rhododendron, dead birch and overhanging willow in Midhurst Common car park with Friends of Midhurst Common, Mind and Cowdray Estate.
- Completed this season’s work at Verdley Wood to improve the habitat for the rare pearl bordered fritillary. They’ll be heading back to monitor in a few months’ time.
- Arranged Scheduled Monument Consent for improvement works to Heyshott cross dykes.
- Completed coppicing in one coop at Church Copse and at Clapham Woods – the latter in partnership with Butterfly Conservation.
- Put up a barn owl box at Peppering High Barn.
- Cleared scrub at: Bepton Down Long Furlong SNCI; Oxenborne Down, Butser Hill with Hampshire County Council; Lancing Ring LNR; Pepperscombe SNCI; Warren Valley; Long Man SSSI; Mill Hill LNR/LWS; Anchor Bottom SSSI and Beeding Hill SSSI.
- Cleared scrub to create toad habitat at Riverside Park in Newhaven in partnership with East Sussex County Council .
- Cleared fallen trees on South Downs Way, widened rides in West Dean Woods to support the population of wild daffodils and planted trees at Kingston Field.
- Supported a volunteer group from MIND at Graffham Downland Nature Reserve
- Carried out pond maintenance work at Telscombe, clearing reed mace;
- Restored a pond at Truleigh Hill YHA as part of the Rampion/National Grid Habitat and Access Improvement Project.
- Continued management (stump treatment) of Mile Oak Local Wildlife Site.