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About the attachment
Small skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) amongst the grassland. This butterfly is dependent on grasses such as yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus) as the main foodplant of its larval stage
July 30, 2013
400 x300 px
Thursday 1st October 2026 - After Tuesdays colossal turnout of volunteers even a team of 5 seemed skeletal.
Working at the Wandle Valley Flood Storage Area and adjoining new Open Space, the volunteers nearly bit off more than they could chew as they set about raking up the grass cuttings following the meadow cuts.
With a combination of overnight rain and low creeping vegetation just below the tractors cut-line the team really had to pull together to get things all shifted by the end of the day!
Working at the Wandle Valley Flood Storage Area and adjoining new Open Space, the volunteers nearly bit off more than they could chew as they set about raking up the grass cuttings following the meadow cuts.
With a combination of overnight rain and low creeping vegetation just below the tractors cut-line the team really had to pull together to get things all shifted by the end of the day!
Tuesday 29th September 2026 - The team size just seemed to grow and grow on todays mission, fortunately being based around the vicinity of Beddington Park there was plenty of scope to divert the volunteer power.
Kicking off the day at Carew Manor Wetlands the team began by raking and disposing of the main meadow cuttings whilst a head of steam was built up on the island with the brush-cutter spinning into action. Making quick work attention was soon lavished on areas of protruding Bramble, low hanging pathway branches and a fairly condensed patch of Himalayan Balsam taking the team to tea break.
Moving into Beddington Park proper, the squad was briefly split as a smaller detachment collected up piles of grass cuttings from around the stock pond area before rejoining the remaining squad clearing swathes of Bramble and trimming back branches from around the Wet Meadow area in preparation for the extension works to the fence-line.
Kicking off the day at Carew Manor Wetlands the team began by raking and disposing of the main meadow cuttings whilst a head of steam was built up on the island with the brush-cutter spinning into action. Making quick work attention was soon lavished on areas of protruding Bramble, low hanging pathway branches and a fairly condensed patch of Himalayan Balsam taking the team to tea break.
Moving into Beddington Park proper, the squad was briefly split as a smaller detachment collected up piles of grass cuttings from around the stock pond area before rejoining the remaining squad clearing swathes of Bramble and trimming back branches from around the Wet Meadow area in preparation for the extension works to the fence-line.
Thursday 24th September 2026 - A hint of mugginess was in the air as the volunteers managed to cover a trio of sites with enough time to wedge a visit to the waste transfer station at Mitcham too.
Following on from Tuesdays outing the day began at The Warren where the team managed to complete the rake up to the lower enclosure and carry out some selected thinning to mainly Sycamore regrowth on the fence-line whilst the top enclosure one received its cut.
After raking to the fresh cuttings was completed it was then off to the Butterfly Bank of Mellows Park to clear the trimmings from a cut yesterday before moving to Carshalton Park to cut and gather the vegetation from this Butterfly Bank to fill the remaining space in the trailer.
Following on from Tuesdays outing the day began at The Warren where the team managed to complete the rake up to the lower enclosure and carry out some selected thinning to mainly Sycamore regrowth on the fence-line whilst the top enclosure one received its cut.
After raking to the fresh cuttings was completed it was then off to the Butterfly Bank of Mellows Park to clear the trimmings from a cut yesterday before moving to Carshalton Park to cut and gather the vegetation from this Butterfly Bank to fill the remaining space in the trailer.
Tuesday 22nd September - It was a scorching day for the team as they continued the current mission of removing this season's grass growth.
Despite a couple of notable absences, the return of another volunteer ensured we kept up the recent multiple site visit record at Well fields South and East and The Warren.
Despite a couple of notable absences, the return of another volunteer ensured we kept up the recent multiple site visit record at Well fields South and East and The Warren.
Thursday 17th September 2026 - The team of volunteers managed to tackle two sites for todays activities, Belmont Pastures and another return to the sprawling Roundshaw Downs.
Beginning at Belmont, the team may have missed the rain falling during the early morning but they still had to deal with its aftermath as they set about raking and shifting the pre-cut arisings that had absorbed much of the moisture. With a bit of harrowing from the Tractor to gather the last strands of grass the squad then set about a spot of plug planting to the pastures as well as snipping back straggling Bramble.
Seizing the opportunity of being able to drive on the site whilst the ground is still firm, the afternoon had the team return to Roundshaw Downs to make a comprehensive sweep of the sprawling vista, making many stops to load the trailer to capacity with arising self produced over the last couple of weeks and remnants left over from the contractor harrowing.
Beginning at Belmont, the team may have missed the rain falling during the early morning but they still had to deal with its aftermath as they set about raking and shifting the pre-cut arisings that had absorbed much of the moisture. With a bit of harrowing from the Tractor to gather the last strands of grass the squad then set about a spot of plug planting to the pastures as well as snipping back straggling Bramble.
Seizing the opportunity of being able to drive on the site whilst the ground is still firm, the afternoon had the team return to Roundshaw Downs to make a comprehensive sweep of the sprawling vista, making many stops to load the trailer to capacity with arising self produced over the last couple of weeks and remnants left over from the contractor harrowing.
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