13 volunteers (with no dog) went to mow a meadow

 Your usual correspondent having a good excuse to avoid the rain on 1st July, this posting is necessarily brief. Having less watertight excuses, 13 people, including two first-timers Janet and Bob, did brave the less-than-summery downpour to work at Pit Common. As Team Leader Margaret explains below in her message of thanks, the task was to prepare the overgrwon grass for its new role as a wildlflower meadow. Handling long soaking wet grass can't have been much fun, so I can't say I was too sad to miss it. 

Here's Margaret's message:

Thank you to the 13 people who braved the drizzle to work at the pit.

This is a new project for us. Since NWT took over we have left the pit uncut apart from paths to the sign and benches. We would like to develop the grass area into a more diverse area by introducing wildflowers.This will attract more insects and birds and hopefully humans. Unfortunately to produce a meadow is at first quite hard work, but they are relatively easy to maintain.

Today we did the first stage by doing what is called a conservation cut. This is to cut the long grass and remove it. Something we are very good at on the SSSI!  We had grizzly back for the first time and it cut some of it well but due to the damp grass and the thickness some of it remained uncut making it very difficult to rake up. So I am particularly grateful to you all for persisting.

The next stage is to cut it all again in about two weeks and again remove the cut grass. Grizzly should cope better. We are then asked to remove the persistent weeds and 30-50% of the grass and topsoil. Kevin is going to ask George if they have a turf cutter. I do not intend to do the whole area in one season, just the triangle as you enter.

If you would like to help again I am going to run another working party on Sunday 18th July. I fully understand that this task is not everyones cup of tea. 9.00 start.

The first working party on the SSSI starts on Sunday 1st August at 9.00.

Thank you again for your help and hopefully we will have the beginnings of a colourful grass meadow  next year for us all to enjoy.

Margaret

And here are a few photos to illustrate the job. Looking forward to the next stage!