Alder Pulling again and again

 Your usual correspondent having had numerous excuses for absence, we’re grateful for the un-usual one for this account of the first session to pull out the encroaching alders in the Central Area (G) of the Common:

This is what we are tackling - a mass of young alders taking hold in the corner of the central area.  Cutting them with Grizzly is making them stronger so, depending on their size we decided to pull, pop or dig them out!!

See the intrepid Alder pullers starting this new task, while Margaret set to work on the bigger ones with the tree popper.

A specimen!

And a larger specimen pulled out!!

The heap of young alders removed.

But there are still more to tackle next week!

Here is the message of thanks from Team Leaders Margaret and Julie:

I know it's not normal to get a thank you on a Friday but today 7 volunteers joined Julie and me pulling up hundreds of Alder saplings and we are very grateful. The weather was kind and we made good inroads into the infestation in the corner. Such a good time was had, that we are going to repeat the fun next Friday at 2.00.

We had a couple of people saying that they couldn't come but you never let us down and 7 far exceeded our wildest hopes so thank you.

Margaret and Julie

The following Friday duly arrived, this time minus both your usual correspondents, but we do have Margaret’s message of thanks.

An enormous thank you to the 13 volunteers who came today. This includes the three chaps who did the pre-cut ready for Sunday. We were lucky to have (NWT warden) George pop past today and he was most impressed with your handiwork. So far we have totalled 18 volunteer hours on this one task alone which is amazing. Thank you. We had so much fun again that we are going to repeat it next Friday, same time, same channel as the old saying goes. Hopefully see some of you on Sunday.

Margaret for the team leaders

Two days later, and they were at it again, this time on a scheduled Sunday working party, incorporating some more alder pulling – and still minus your usual and un-usual correspondents, but we do have some photos of the event, along with another message of thanks from TL Margaret.

It’s interesting to note that in a change from the obligatory half-time photo opportunity, in the absence of your usual correspondent Dave managed to monopolise a bevy of booted beauties.

More work was carried out on the bit of Area G south of the boardwalk – this time featuring our mower Grizzly, minus its driver.

And here’s how that section looked at the end of the session.

Margaret then sent yet another message of thanks

Thank you as always to you all, particularly the 10 volunteers who came this morning. So glad that the rest of you had much better things to do. A good clearance was made and fortunately the material was light and easy to move. Area G is always the easiest area to work and your reward was the fantastic display of Devil's Bit Scabious and Grass of Parnassus that we have had this year. We will be returning to this task in two weeks’ time. In my last email about the Alder removal, I said we would return to this task this Friday. As it has been pointed out to me I, and several others, will be elsewhere, namely the Antingham and Southrepps Schools 200th celebration. So watch this space for the next working party.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Margaret for the team leaders