Report of Working parties – Thursday 17th October 2019

On a beautiful sunny day we had two very busy groups of volunteers out working.

Local Nature Reserve Working Party – adopting The Clock Meadow

This was the first visit by the volunteers to this site in the South East corner of the Fernery Field, by the Old London Road entrance behind Clock House Gardens. The Council’s contractors undertook a preparatory and very basic clearance of scrub earlier in the year, but this area has not been managed since the Borough Council acquired the Danesbury Nature Reserve in 1998.

Chris James from the Borough Council was present to introduce the volunteers to the site, which she named The Clock Meadow.

This was the start of what will be many visits. Along the way it will be decided to what degree we might be able to encourage the rich diversity of wildlife already in evidence.

A small band of volunteers led by Andrew Beattie started the task of selective clearance of scrub and elder, and lopping branches from trees in need of management.

A Public Footpath crosses this site, leading to the cattle fence and kissing gate entrance to the Fernery Field proper. It is a very well used path, and a section of regular walkers, and local dog walkers will for the first time enjoy new vistas as they open up.