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Researching and Restoring the Danesbury Victorian Fernery

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You are here: Home / News / Work Parties Resume – Thursday 15th April 2021

Work Parties Resume – Thursday 15th April 2021

13th April 2021 By John Roper Leave a Comment

Volunteer Rules and Guidelines

At long last we are permitted to organise Work Parties once again.

Covid-19 rules must be applied including:

  • social distancing,
  • not sharing tools unless they have been disinfected before, and then after use by individuals, and
  • not sharing drinks and or refreshments.

Weather Forecast- long range

Sunny Intervals and a gentle breeze.

Work Party Leadership

As always, we are short of volunteers prepared to act as Leaders on a regular basis, and we will introduce a roster if this will help solve the problem. For Insurance purposes Leaders should have attended a WHBC run Leadership Training Course.

Similarly, Work Parties are required to have somebody qualified as a First Aider in attendance. In practice we have been forced to meet this latter rule by having a qualified First Aider attending at least one of the Work Parties, with an up-to-date first Aid Box to hand, and available on the telephone to attend the other Work Party in an emergency.

Work Party Strategy

As usual we are planning to operate Two Work Parties as this provides us with the opportunity to offer volunteers work in areas where they have a preference, whether in the Fernery Garden or out in the Nature Reserve.

Work Party No. 1 – Fernery Garden

Sarah Marsh and Jenny Hawkins will be Joint Leaders

Tasks

There are a variety of tasks needing to be undertaken, mostly planting, weeding and general maintenance. This might include dead-heading of daffodils, mulching, weeding and more planting. Direction will be provided if necessary.

Depending on the availability of resources we will also aim to clean up some chalk graffiti in the rockwork, and try to bury the water pipes over the dropping well more permanently to make them less visible and hopefully less liable to interference or vandalism.

At some stage Maydencroft are due to install more effective rabbit proof fencing around the perimeter, and we might therefore expect to see them on site.

Work Party No. 2 – Nature Reserve – Park Field

Leader – Harry Ward

Until volunteers step forward, our Hon. Secretary Harry Ward has offered to lead this Work Party on the 15th April. It is hoped that Chairman John Roper might also attend to help.

Tasks

Until we re-establish a regime or schedule of work with Chris James’ replacement at the WHBC Landscape & Ecology Department, we will concentrate on furthering the work started at our last meeting, as follows.

Sequoia clearing

It is hoped that a small group formed by Andy Trotter and Stephen Jupp will continue clearing the fencing surround to the sequoia near the cattle corral by the entrance road to Danesbury House.

Path Clearance

The main group will work on clearing scrub and the paths on the North West Slopes of the Park Field. It is of paramount importance that at all times volunteers observe and avoid scrub and sites where birds are in evidence of nesting.

Preparations before Arrival

Before arriving, volunteers are asked to consider which of the two working parties they would prefer to join, i.e. the Nature Reserve, or the Fernery, as this helps team organisation.

For Covid-19 reasons it will be necessary for all practical reasons for volunteers to bring their own favourite tools with them, which might usefully include loppers and secateurs. Otherwise all tools will have to be disinfected before use, and after use, and not shared between volunteers.

Bring a hot drink and refreshments with you. Covid-19 rules dictate that food and drinks should not be handed around or shared.

Please wear strong boots or shoes and good quality gardening gloves.

On Arrival

On arrival please add your name to the List of Volunteers attending and the Leader will allocate tasks.

On your first visit the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (the Owners) require that you complete a Personal Details Form which will be retained by them for Public Liability Insurance purposes only.

Meeting Points

Fernery Work Party

Meet at the Fernery 9.45 a.m. for a 10 a.m. start

Nature Reserve Work Party

Meet by the Kissing Gate in the Lay-by outside 38 Carleton Rise, AL6 9RG 9.45 a.m. for a 10 a.m. start.

(This always used to be our meeting point from 1998 until 2016, before the Fernery Project emerged).

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.

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Copyright © 2022 Friends of Danesbury Fernery (FODF). Non attributed photography by John Roper.