Notices

Long Range Weather Forecast

Light cloud and a moderate breeze

Objectives

As mentioned in previous Notices, we now plan to resume scrub-bashing tasks in the Park Field since the bird nesting season is past.

Depending on available volunteer resources, we therefore plan to operate two separate work parties on Thursday 18th July 2019 as follows.

The Fernery Gardening Group

Leader Andrew Beattie

Weeding and watering will always be on the menu, plus more planting.

North West Bank

Since the last scheduled work party, half of the North West bank has been dressed with mulch and planted-up with Jenny’s wild flowers.

This was accomplished in readiness for the visit of the Anglia in Bloom judging last Tuesday 9th July. But in Harry’s absence we might not have sufficient resource to complete this task until a later work party.

North East Bank

The newly profiled North East Bank was seeded with grass last week and now needs to be watered to give it a start.

Perimeter Area

We need to continue the task of strimming around the whips and small saplings in the perimeter area, to stop the growth of smothering weeds.

General Tidy up for Visitors

Extra tasks will include leaf blowing and general tidying up because on Saturday afternoon 20th July a group of visitors are expected from the East Anglia Section of BPS (The British Pteridological (Fern) Society). Andrew and Colin will act as leaders for this visit and support volunteers will not be needed.

Nature Reserve Maintenance Group

Leaders: Lucy Alexander and Richard Darby

From July 2019 round to March/April 2020 we plan to form a second working party.

Depending on the number of resources available, the Nature Reserve working party will, as a priority, return to the ancient track that was cleared last March. It has become overgrown once again, and a good general clear up is called for.

A priority task list will be drawn up for future work.

Meeting Place

All volunteers should meet at the Fernery at 9.30 am where the leaders will allocate tasks and distribute appropriate tools for both working parties.

How to find the Fernery

If you have not visited us before you will be made very welcome. Please read the directions to find us.

Bring a hot drink and refreshments with you, and wear strong boots or shoes and good quality gardening gloves.

On arrival, for Borough Council (the Owners) Public Liability Insurance purposes, you will be asked to Register with us before you start work.

Site Preparation (1)

You are reminded that this year we are Open on the evening of 20th June 2019 from 6 pm to 8.30 pm. We will in fact have a Working Party on the morning of the Open Evening itself, at which time we will be busy tidying up the site for presentation to visitors.

But in order to press ahead, we have scheduled extra Work Parties on each of the Thursday mornings between now and 20th June 2019.

On Thursday 20th June 2019 we will have some Reception tentage to erect during the day and a couple of tables for refreshments. With limited time available to us, and to relieve the pressure on the volunteers, we will not this year have an Information tent and display table, and we will provide fewer visitor chairs and tables.

Refreshments

We will have a more limited selection of refreshments for sale, including soft drinks, and Prosecco, and dishes of nibbles, but no cake.

Hilary Ward will value offers of help with the refreshments.

Site Management

We ask for a full turn out of volunteers to help with the many tasks to get the site ready, and to guide visitors safely around the site on the evening.

We will also need ‘all hands to the pumps’ to help clear up afterwards.

Weather Forecast – Long Range

Sunny Intervals and a moderate breeze.

Tasks

As indicated in the Report of the last meeting of 18 April we are now focusing on the tasks associated with preparing the Fernery for the June 20th Open Garden evening.

Leaders will be on site from 9.30 am to open the shed and select tools that will be needed.

Weeding and strimming

The last few weeks of heavy rain have encouraged the weeds to leap out of the ground and this evening (15th May 2019) a small work party (Andrew, Harry and John) started the job of strimming the grassy banks at the Entrance, and the Lawn on the North Bank too.

This proved far more difficult than we anticipated because we have lost vital time keeping the weeds under control. We are likely to need to repeat this special work party until the grasses that Andrew sowed in 2017/18 are looking their best again.

As a direct result of the strimming exercise this evening, a task for Thursday will be to rake up the detritus.

Planting Bed – Weeding

This remains as a non-stop task for the Gardening Group.

Nettle Beds

If resources allow, we must continue trying to manage the nettle beds bordering the North East path and perimeter.

The WHBC have authorised us to spray weedkiller there, if we have to. But to be long term effective we should try to get the roots out of the ground as far as we can.

A final decision on nettle spraying has not yet been taken.

Watering

This remains a regular task as the need arises.

Visitors

We are expecting the metal detectorists to be on site.

Excavation Planning.

We are in the throes of agreeing dates with WHBC for Maydencroft to be on site again, and we will keep you updated on progress.

The tasks which we would like WHBC help with were outlined in last months Report.

Facebook Leader

Unfortunately Lucy Alexander has had to release herself from her close association with the FODF because, as we all know, she has chosen to undertake valuable work overseas with an International Charity. We all wish Lucy our thanks for the work and enthusiasm she always brought to the team, and offer her our best wishes.

We hope that Lucy will still be able to undertake work with us when she can, and she has been encouraged to join us at our elevenses breaks to keep herself up-to-date with our progress.

One direct outcome of Lucy’s lack of regular involvement with our work, has been that we are no longer presenting our work in the form of photos and brief explanations on our Facebook account. We therefore desperately seek a replacement so that we can maintain a high profile within the local community, and much wider too in the Fern world.

Please speak to John if you are prepared to take this role over from Lucy.

How to find the Fernery

If you have not visited us before you will be made very welcome. Please read the directions to find us.

Bring a hot drink and refreshments with you, and wear strong boots or shoes and good quality gardening gloves.

On arrival you will need to Register with us before you start work – for (WHBC) Insurance purposes.

Weather Forecast (Long Range)

Sunny intervals and a moderate breeze and warm.

Tasks

Depending on the number of volunteers and qualified leaders who turnout, we will aim to operate two separate work parties. We will all meet at The Fernery for initial briefings and to allocate of tasks and issue tools.

Leaders will be on site from 9.30 am to open the shed and select the tools that will be needed. It would help if volunteers could arrive earlier than 10 am and make their work preferences clear (i.e. scrub bashing or gardening) so that we can all make a prompt start.

Nature Reserve Work Party

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Fernery Garden Work Party

Wild Flower Beds

Jenny is bringing some more wild flower plugs for planting. The Wild Flower beds will need further wiring, and pegging and Harry and Alan will be helping.

Watering

Without a doubt we will need to water the principal trees that were planted last month and marked by Sarah, and as many others as possible. And we will need to make arrangements to establish a watering roster which worked so effectively last year.

Feed to the Dropping Well

Harry and Alan will cut a shallow channel on the South Path that will hide a mains water hose feed to the Cistern and Dropping Well. They will set up a tap and hose connection so that we can easily and safely simulate a water drop when we have visitors.

Lifting Daffodils

Another task for consideration will be to lift the daffodils on the South Bank if it is practical. They were planted in November 2016 and we can either store them or re-plant them elsewhere on the site.

The reason is that in May 2019 it is planned that Maydencroft will bring their digger in to excavate this slope and uncover the Parsons planting beds, and steps, believed to be hidden there.

Visitors

The Detectorists Cathy and Mike are planning to visit us again on Thursday, to continue their task of scanning the area around the Fernery with their metal detecting equipment. Andrew will supervise their work.

How to Find Us

If you have not visited us before you will be made very welcome. Please read the directions to find us.

Bring a hot drink and refreshments with you, and wear strong boots or shoes and good quality gardening gloves.

On arrival you will need to Register with us before you start work – for (WHBC) Insurance purposes.

Weather Forecast (Long Range)

Light cloud and a gentle breeze. Mild

Tasks

As with the earlier 2019 working parties we will aim to operate two separately managed groups. We will all meet at the Fernery for initial briefings, allocation of tasks, and distribution of appropriate tools.

Leaders will be on site by 9.30am to open the shed and prepare the tools. It would help matters if volunteers could arrive early at, say 9.30 am., and make their work preferences clear (i.e.scrub bashing or gardening) so that we can make a prompt start.

Local Nature Reserve Working Party

Andrew will lead a party to continue the work of clearing the Ancient Track on the lower slopes of the Park Field. Please meet at the Fernery to collect tools. (If you have not already seen the difference these work parties are making have a look at the Report of last months Working Party).

Fernery Garden Working Party

John will lead this group.

The principal task for the gardener will be to suppress the nettles.

This month Jenny will be planting more large plants of oxeye daisy, field scabious & wild clary on the chalk bank. But she is concerned that the rabbits are eating the wildflowers even the ones on a list they supposedly dislike!!.

The rabbits are being a nuisance and discussions are underway with the Borough Council to get the large hole in the fence on the South East corner repaired once and for all. A wooden guard is also needed under the field gate on the north side.

For this reason Jenny is planning to pot on many wildflowers for planting out in May when they have decent size roots so they’ll have a chance against the rabbits.

How to Find Us

If you have not visited the Fernery before please go to the website for directions.

Bring a hot drink and refreshments with you, and wear strong boots and good quality gardening gloves.

As a major next step in encouraging young people to get involved with our voluntary restoration activities in the Fernery, in a positive way, the 1st Welwyn Scouts are helping us with tree planting on Saturday 23rd February between 1100 hrs and 1300 hrs.

The scouts will be accompanied by parents and leaders and will be directed by the Danesbury Fernery Garden Adviser Sarah Marsh who, having agreed a planting list with the Borough Council, has sourced trees from selected suppliers.

The Tree planting includes:

• 1x malus silvestrus 8′ tall
• 2x clerondendrons 6′ tall
• 4x wild roses (small)
• 2x variegated hollies
• plus some whips in the perimeter.

All necessary tools will be made available on site by the Friends of Danesbury Fernery, and all attendees are being advised of the need to wear strong boots and suitable outdoor wear, and to bring a hot drink for refreshment.

This work will greatly help and improve the conservation area and will go towards the following badges and awards

• World challenge award
• Teamwork challenge award
• Environment conservation activity badge
• Community impact staged activity badge

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The Weather Forecast (Long Range)

Light Cloud and a moderate breeze, but it might feel colder! .

TASKS

Team Structure

We are at the time of year where the range of tasks in the Fernery Garden becomes more limited, but where there are plenty of tasks remaining to be undertaken on the Nature Reserve. This will be true particularly between the months of September and March each year when there is less chance of disturbing nesting birds through scrub bashing activities.

During the Spring and Summer months less work is required in the Nature Reserve apart from regular footpath maintenance, but watering and weeding become priorities in the Fernery. The Spring also heralds the opportunity to continue excavation and restoration work in the Fernery, with the employment of contractors when needed, working alongside the volunteers.

Working Parties on Thursday 17th January 2019

On Thursday 17th January, if resources allow, we will once again set out to organise two Working Parties. We will need an authorised Leader for each Group, plus a First Aider

Local Nature Reserve

Andrew Beattie will lead a group coppicing and scrub bashing in the lower end of the Ancient Track. To save time, this team will collect appropriate tools from the Fernery Shed (loppers, bow saws, and secateurs) and convey them to the most convenient start point, which will most likely be the gate at the Codicote Road end.

Brash will be stored/hidden tidily for moving and burning at a later date.

Fernery Garden

John Roper will lead the group in the Fernery undertaking tasks that are practical in the conditions as we find them, which will include weeding and site clearing up.

We will have an extra wheelbarrow to help collect the leaf drop for preservation in the composting cage.

If resources allow, we will continue to clear the nettles on the North East corner of the dell along the path where we will plan to plant ferns later in the year.

Also if resources allow, we will also need to continue to keep the Perimeter Tree Whips clear of smothering weeds.

MEETING PLACE

The full team meets at the Fernery at 10 a.m.* for briefing and the allocation of tasks, and the issue of appropriate tools.

*Volunteers are encouraged to arrive earlier if possible in order to help with the distribution of tools and allocation of tasks, which will facilitate a prompt working start for everybody.

How to find us

Full details may be found on the website location of the Fernery, but simply stated, the closest access point is North Ride, on the Danesbury Estate, AL6 9RD

Either park in North Ride, or take the right hand fork of the unmade Road which leads to Danesbury Park Road, and a kissing gate entrance is about 500 metres on the right, not far from a lay-by which has limited parking space.

Tea Breaks and Briefings

Tea breaks are taken at about 11 am.

Please bring  a drink with you, and wear strong boots or shoes and have strong gardening gloves too.

Team De-Briefings

When we have two separate teams working, (e.g. on the Nature Reserve and in the Fernery), we will aim for the Nature Reserve group to return tools in to the Fernery Shed by 12 pm to allow the two Groups to meet up for Team de-briefings and exchange of Information.

First Aid Course

We congratulate four of our members who qualified today at a WHBC organised ‘Emergency First Aid at Work‘ Course and who have, as a result, been Certificated.

• Harry Ward
• Sarah Marsh
• Colin Adlam
• Andrew Beattie.

In Harry’s case this was to update his existing qualification.

Leadership Course

We also congratulate Lucy Alexander who attended a WHBC Leadership Course  on October 5th.

Our thanks

We congratulate them all for their commitment which allows us, more readily than before, to continue to lead Working Parties responsibly, and with our personal safety always in mind.