Reedbed Revisited

 Three weeks ago we should have been back in the treacherous swamp so evocatively named Area X, but the wind was too strong for safe working, and the as it turned out unfulfilled promise of heavy rain made the prospect of working anywhere further away from trees unattractive, so the session was called off; a very rare event. Area X has since remained untouched, as the go-ahead had been given for one final session for the season in the main reedbed; an Area with the much friendlier name of Area D. This had been partially cut way back in December 2020, but the job couldn’t be completed due to the Covid lockdown immediately after Christmas. Nor, as it turned out, could it be done last Sunday, when we hoped to do it. Quite rightly, NWT took the view that the string of storms bearing the deceptively friendly names of Dudley, Eunice and Franklin that had so assailed the country made working outside too risky. I used to work with a Eunice, and she was a particularly pleasant and jolly colleague for a trainee librarian to have. Far nicer than the Eunice who visited us recently.

This is an area that is only cut every four years, so its next scheduled cut is not until 2024, meaning that some of it will not have been touched for seven or eight years – plenty long enough for scrub to begin establishing itself. Last Saturday, sandwiched between Eunice and Franklin, a section was cut with the usual intention of giving the working party on the following day a start whilst more was to be cut.

Here are the pre-cutters en route:

And here is how they left the site:

As things turned out, that following day’s working party was called off, and since it was essential that what had been cut was cleared the decision was taken to simply remove what was lying there so soggily, knowing that the whole area could not be cut and cleared in a single session. It’s disappointing to have failed to complete our cutting programme, but Covid and the weather have had the upper hand.

Today happily saw far better Spring weather and it was with some relief that we were able to have another crack at it, even if it was our one and only chance before it must be left alone again. 16 splendid volunteers arrived at the appointed hour, squelching their way to the waterlogged and secluded part of the reedbed requiring their attention.

The narrow swathe previously cut through the reedbed lent itself well to a slightly different method of working, with the four drag sheets laid out in a single line. This turned out to be a particularly efficient way of working, with the nearest sheet dragged to the dumping point and when empty retunred to the back of the queue.

The winch team winched away in their usual highly efficient way, even managing not to sink.

As we had less to do than usual, we finished by the usual time we take a break. That didn’t stop us tucking in of course.

Right on cue, our regular Alpaca visitors hove into view. They were a bit cautious passing so close to a bunch of grubby people laughing, eating and drinking (the volunteers, not the abstemious camelids), but they carried it off with their usual dignity.

Here’s how we left that part of Area D.

No doubt the next time we’re there it will have all grown up again; hopefully having been home to some families of reed-nesting birds.

And in case we need reminding why we turn out to work on the Common, sometimes when it’s wet, sometimes when it’s cold and sometimes when it’s uncomfortably hot, this picture of the snowdrops beside the spur of the boardwalk leading to Bradfield Road might just do the trick. As described on this blog last November (https://southreppscommonsvolunteers.blogspot.com/2021/11/freezing-fun-and-fungi.html) a group set to work to give these lovely flowers a clear run at showing themselves off to their best advantage, and I’d say it paid off handsomely.

Team Leader Kevin gave a nicely judged word of thanks to the assembled group at the end of this working party, to thank us for our efforts and to declare that this was the last session of the current cutting season – it’s over to Nature now. The next calls to arms are likely to be a return to the notorious Area X or the annual resistance to the spread of Himalayan Balsam; what larks!

Here is Kevin's message of thanks:

A big thank you goes out to the volunteers who decided that they would like a squelch in the mud to help clear the last cut reed of the season.  They were so keen that we had accomplished this by coffee time, enabling us to have a longer coffee break than usual before clearing the site and going home. 

 We have not completed cutting the area worked on but Natural England (and therefore, NWT) will only allow us to cut reed until the end of February. So that is the end of our work cutting reeds for this season. However, we still hope to hold some work parties in March to complete scrub clearance and possibly to clear arisings from NWTs work to clear a few rogue alders around the site. 

 Julie will be in touch about the next work party once we have agreed with NWT what needs to be done in March. 

In the meantime, thank you for all your efforts so far this season.

 Kevin