NEW BRIDGES AT YOXALL LODGE
On one of our best-attended working days of the year (24 volunteers), we installed two new oak bridges over the stream in the woodland at Yoxall Lodge. The new bridges will form part of the route for the popular bluebell walks. This is part of a new project to open up an area of the neglected woodland to the rear of the walled garden. We also constructed two flights of steps to make access easier into the woodland. (Aug 2010)
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HIMALAYAN BALSAM CLEARANCE
Our main project this summer has been the removal of invasive Himalayan Balsam along a scenic stretch of the River Mease between the villages of Netherseal and Clifton Campville. The clearance work has involved scrambling through the bushes along the overgrown river banks, and even launching a rubber dinghy to reach some of the more inaccessible sections of the offending plant. (June 2010)
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SAMARITANS WAY
Our BCV long-distance walk in 2010 was a relatively unknown route called the Samaritans Way (devised by the Bristol Ramblers) which runs from Bristol to Lynton, a distance of 100 miles. The walk took us through a wonderful variety of landscapes including rolling hills, rivers, woodland and moorland, and lots of pretty villages and towns along the way. And of course copious cider stops as most of the route is in Somerset. (May/June 2010)
More photos and links
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WASHLANDS TO WALTON
BCV led a river and canal walk as part of the 2010 National Forest Walking Festival. Our walk was a 10-mile circular route from Burton's Trent Washlands, following the River Trent as far as Walton bridge, then crossing the A38 to Barton Marina for a lunch stop. We returned along the Trent & Mersey Canal towpath, through Branston Water Park and Branston Golf Club, back to the Washlands. Along the route we revisited many of the projects that BCV have done over the years. (May 2010)
More details and pictures
Lawrence's podcast |
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TRAINING WEEKEND
Once again we based ourselves at the Greenway campsite at Drybrook for our training weekend in preparation for the annual long-distance walk. Excellent food as always; unfortunately the weather wasn't so good, and an almost 18-hour spell of continuous rain resulted in huge pools of water forming in some tents. At least the rain did hold off during the walks, which included a hike from the campsite to May Hill and back. (May 2010)
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ANNUAL REPORT 2009
Burton Conservation Volunteers once again clocked up over 500 work days last year including projects at several new locations including a local RSPB reserve, a British Waterways site, and a cider farm. Full details of our year's activities are in our Annual Report which was presented at our AGM and Social in June 2010.
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REED-PLANTING AT CROXALL
We had thousands of reeds to plant, and it took us an extra session in the end, but we eventually managed to complete the task at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust's Croxall Lakes Nature Reserve, an important site for wildfowl and waders. We fenced and taped the planted sections to protect them from grazing geese; once the new reeds are mature enough (a year or two) the fences and tape will be removed. (May 2010) |
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NEWBOROUGH BRIDGE
BCV helped Newborough residents to install a new bridge across the River Swarbourn to connect two riverside play areas. As the bridge framework was pre-constructed, it took an army of volunteers and helpers to manoeuvre it into position! We also built a new wooden fence along the top of the river bank, and then laid a new path to connect to the new bridge. (March 2010)
More pictures
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YOXALL LODGE
Creating new footpaths through the woodland at Yoxall Lodge, one of our regular sites and also the location of the popular Bluebell Walks each spring. (March 2010)
We have two more sessions scheduled at Yoxall Lodge in August 2010 to continue the path work
and hopefully some more bridge building too.
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