Archives for September 2021
Notice – Work Party – Thursday 16th September 2021
- The Volunteers Celebrate Xmas 2025
- New Fernery Fencing
- Anglia in Bloom
- The Fernery Open Garden Volunteers Rewarded
- Welwyn Festival Open Garden
Weather Forecast – long range
Light cloud and a gentle breeze.
Work party Leaders will decide on the day if recent heavy rain has made the Fernery footpaths unsafe for normal work. An announcement of cancellation will be made as soon as practicable via the WhatsApp groups.
Management of Work on Danesbury Nature Reserve
Over recent times it has become evident to all walkers and users of the Park Field that habitat management by the Council contractors, and indeed by the volunteers, has fallen off over the past year. The Council’s normal Management Plan schedules have been disrupted by the strains on resources that has affected many services.
But with the easing of lockdown rules, it is now safe for the volunteers to resume work on the Nature Reserve as the bird nesting season is over, and Harry is therefore planning to lead the first of this Autumn Season’s work parties, as described below.
Group 1 – Fernery Gardening Group
Jenny will lead this Group which will continue general management of the borders and beds. As colder months approach work will undoubtedly switch towards seasonal leaf gathering and mulching.
Group 2 – Local Nature Reserve
Harry will lead this Group. The priority will be to make a start on cutting back the considerable undergrowth of brambles and nettles which continues to invade both the main paths and the perimeter paths on the Park Field.
Beyond this work, and as the Autumn/Winter season develops, projects on the lower slopes will continue to manage and arrest the uncontrolled spread of scrub in order to preserve the grassland which is at the heart of the 2013-2023 Management Plan’s objectives.
Where to Meet
All volunteers should meet at the Fernery Shed at 9.30 a.m. for a prompt 10 a.m. start.
Volunteers are asked to consider in advance which Work Party they would prefer to join as this helps the leaders organise groups and distribute tools.
If you are a new volunteer and are not sure where the Danesbury Fernery is located, please go to the website where a map will show you where we are.
New Volunteers
New volunteers will be asked to complete a Registration Form which the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council will retain confidentially for Public Liability Insurance purposes.
Please make sure that you are wearing boots or other suitable footwear, and suitable gloves, and also bring a hot drink and refreshment for break-time.
Tools will be provided.
Covid-19 Rules and Tools
The application of current rules are the responsibiity of all individuals and groups of individuals.
For this reason, it would be helpful at this time if volunteers bring their own ‘favourite’ hand-tools so that we do not have to worry about sharing and disinfecting.
In this context, those favouring gardening work should perhaps bring trowels, small forks and secateurs, whereas potential ‘scrub bashers’ might bring their favourite loppers and/or bow saws.
If you have any queries please contact any committee membver or
Open Garden Success – Thursday 2nd September 2021
We were able to welcome the Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield, Cllr Peter Hebden and his wife, and other guests including County Councillor Tony Kingsbury, and some 200 visitors, to a wonderfully successful afternoon and evening organised by the Committee of the Friends of Danesbury Fernery (FODF) and supported by the entire team of volunteers who have been working extra hard over the past weeks and months to prepare the site.
The following photos were taken by Jenny, Harry and Andy.
This was a welcome opportunity for all the volunteers, and for the community as a whole, to come together and celebrate all our hard work after a prolonged period of lockdown and constraint; to celebrate the successful recovery and restoration of this long-lost Victorian Fernery, and to be entertained by the Welwyn Harmony Chorus, and comforted by the presence of PCSOs Crystal Howes and Sarah Skene from the Safer Neighbourhod Team.
The event was presented under the banner of the Committee of the Welwyn Autumn Festival, whose local charities will ultimately benefit from the success of this event, as will the FODF too, as we face future Fernery costs for repair and restoration of the Pulhamite rockwork, replanting and ongoing maintenance.
The message to all the visitors was clear – we do need more volunteers!
And, donations are always welcome and received with thanks..
We will update this Report as more details and information emerge.