Volunteers shine at hedgelaying

Our volunteers don't crow about the work they carry out at our Nosterfield reserve.  

In the past year, they have put a roof over visitors' heads when they look out over the reed bed, built a new home for bats and  a pontoon for breeding terns, as well as all the work on our wetland plant nursery.   All carried out with no fuss.   The backbreaking job of pulling ragwort – a soulless task even in the best of weather – has been done, yet again, without complaint (well not much anyway!).  

But the trustees of the Lower Ure Conservation Trust cannot let their latest achievement go by without heralding one of their best and most skilful pieces of work to date.

150 metres of meticulous hedge-laying.

It runs along the causeway between the  Kiln and Flasks Lake.  

The work was carried out in the six weeks before the Coronavirus lockdown.  Each Tuesday and Friday anything between 4-8 volunteers set too with billhooks, saws and pruners.   First the hawthorn, blackthorn, willow trees – which had been standing for more than 20 years - were pruned, then thinned before being cut and laid into position to form a hedge.

We were given a tremendous amount of  help initially  by Steve Horner from Well, who taught volunteers the act of hedge-laying in a couple of sessions  before standing back and watching his pupils take over. 

The general consensus among volunteers and trustees involved was that it was one of the most satisfying tasks the Trust  has ever undertaken...not only learning a new skill but also seeing - now weeks and months later – new growth and a brand new hedge.  

The even better news is that there is still another 100 metres or so to do later this year when the volunteers can put their new-found skills to good use once again.  

If you are enthused by the work involved,   and the finished product that has been achieved, why not get in touch and join the ranks of our volunteers.