16th August 2018 – Notice of Work Party

Work Party Tasks – Thursday 16th August 2018

As with the June and July 2018 Work Parties we will all meet in the Fernery at 10 am for Team Briefings which will be led by Andrew, who will allocate the tasks to be undertaken.

Volunteers will divide into two groups:

a Fernery Gardening Group who will remain and work in the Fernery, and
a ‘scrub-bashing’ group that will work on the Local Nature Reserve Park Field

The weather conditions and related safety concerns, will of course dictate which tasks will be practicable for us this coming Thursday.

N.B. Safety Shoes that were ordered have now arrived and are ready for distribution.

Fernery Garden Group – Work Party tasks

Composting – there is a need to tidy up the compost heaps, including the cutting back of bramble trailers to allow access later this year in order to add leaf compost.

Weeding – there are lots of weeds that need pulling (rather than strimming, so that weed seeds are stopped from spreading) and then adding to the rubbish compost.

Leaf collection – the leaf blower will be available to blow small branches and dried out leaves into heaps, where they can then be picked up and deposited in the compost heaps.

Watering – not likely to be needed this week.

Visiting Detectorist – it is possible that at least one member of the local metal detecting group will visit us on Thursday 16th September. They know about our recent water irrigation discoveries, but they are keen to work with us and, perhaps, help us discover and document the source of the Victorian irrigation system.

Local Nature Reserve – Park Field Scrub Bashing Work Party tasks

Chris James has identified areas that need attention, as follows:

Overhanging brambles and growths – the perimeter path constantly needs maintenance – “I need a secateurs gang”!

There are also some more substantial overhangs/outgrowths in the following places:

Each side where sunken path meets perimeter path
The section by the ‘plantation’ near metal kissing gate (several small elms here that could be removed)
The entrance from the mansion, turning right towards metal gate. Several low branches of sycamore could be cut right back to trunk here. Path very narrow (suspect not mown!)
The section parallel to house drive

Stock fence boundary – all the small tree saplings growing along/into the wire fencing should be cut off at ground level. They are a mixture of ash, elm and oak. A selective few should be retained (far enough away from fence to not be a future problem).

The sunken path is generally in good condition because it has been mown each side. But there is scope to continue the scrub coppicing at the sides that was started 2 years ago. This could be done in August.

Andrew has identified quite a few ferns growing at the side of the sunken track that could be dug out and replanted in the Fernery.

Meeting Place

The full team will meet 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.

If possible a First Aider will attend each group, but failing that, then the respective leaders will maintain telephone contact.

For those not familiar with the location of the Fernery, full details may be found on the website but, simply stated, the closest access point is North Ride, on the Danesbury Estate, AL6 9RD as follows: 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.

Tea Breaks and De-Briefing

Tea breaks for the two work parties will of necessity be separate, but we will aim to meet up together in The Fernery for de-briefing at 12 p.m.

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

Other Issues of Interest

Mechanical Digger Day – Re-profiling ‘the Parson’s Bed’ – 20th September 2018

The Borough Council have agreed that the bed beneath the retaining wall (currently underneath the weed suppressing membrane), needs to be re-profiled before it is planted out. (This bed needs a name!)

Ann MacDonald has agreed that a mechanical digger will be on site for this purpose on the 20th September 2018 (Work Party Day), and volunteers will be asked to replace the membrane at the conclusion of this exercise and clean up the pile of top soils which will be (temporarily) dumped by the Pulhamite Outcrop at the North East end of the Dell.

Big-Plant-Up Day – Work Party Thursday 18th October 2018

Sarah will direct the planting operation in the Fernery, which might well require the ‘scrub-bashers’ help. The task will involve the spreading of bark and top soils preliminary to actual planting out. (Nearer the time, it might be decided to carry that task out in advance of actual planting).

Mid-Herts Scouts Rabbit Protection – 20th September 2018 (?)

Ann has agreed to proceed with this task using the voluntary efforts and organisation of the Mid-Herts scouts as previously reported. But it has since been discovered that rabbit wire is already in place around the perimeter of The Fernery and the task will therefore be a lesser task of repairing the few major gaps and holes.

Ann MacDonald plans to get Maydencroft to scrape back a slice of soil along the outside of the fence at these points to ease the scouts’ task of bending the rabbit wire into place before the soil is replaced and rammed down. It is possible that this task will be synchronised with our 20th September use of the digger to re-profile ‘The Parson’s Bed’

Excavation Tasks for 2019

The Borough Council have directed that, in principle, Fernery Work Parties will not plan excavation tasks requiring mechanical help until the New Year when, as happened successfully in the Spring months of 2016/17/18, she brought her men on site to excavate.

So, in the Spring of 2019, the spectre of discovery will once again be revealed, and we know in advance that we have paths, steps, and more planting beds yet to be uncovered.

Ann MacDonald has also targeted the Pulhamite Outcrop site at the North East end of the dell for 2019 Excavation/Restoration. She intends that the mis-placed Pulhamite stone which is resting nearby, will be re-set by Maydencroft within the walls of the outcrop, to the same professional standard employed in re-setting the grotto rocks.

Team AGM

Since we first established ourselves as a group in February 2017, operating within an agreed Constitution, we are overdue holding an AGM, and an Agenda will be produced shortly.

Our success in the Fernery has led to the Danesbury Residents Association having to manage considerable funds in our name, and our origjnal plans for banking are arguably now inappropriate.

We also need to review our team structure to ensure that we present more opportunity for individual members to share team responsibilities if they so wish.