Moor Green Lakes Group

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2025 2024 2023

Updates from our volunteers - 2025

Sunday 12th January 2025

It was a very cold day, but 20 regular and 3 new volunteers braved the weather and turned up. We welcomed Tony Elston, back after recovering from surgery and looking very well. The team were split into 4 groups. Two worked on the hedge-laying led by volunteers Adele Dodgson and John Wheatley who were able to teach our newest volunteers some new skills including pleaching (interlacing branches to form the hedge).

The two other groups worked on coppicing separate lakeside slots (the perimeter of the reserve is divided into slots of about 10m length). One on the path to the river provided posts and binders for the hedge-laying. The second slot, not far from Moulsham Bridge hadn't been tackled for some years and was only partly completed.

Tuesday 14th January 2025

On Tuesday a group of BVCP volunteers continued the hedge-laying that had been started by the Sunday volunteers. By the end of the day a stretch of about 50 m had been completed. It looked very neat and impressive.

Work continued with coppicing the two slots left unfinished from Sunday and, although the one near the hedge-laying was completed the one near Moulsham Bridge needs more work so this will be continued in February.

In addition, some clearing was carried out on the Colebrook cut behind the hide to improve the flow of water.

Sunday 9th and Tuesday 11th February 2025

Coppicing and pollarding

On both days the volunteers worked along the Blackwater River path continuing the task that had been carried out in the previous years by a contractor.

Areas (coupes) inside the reserve are cleared on a 10-year cycle. Hazel coppiced, hawthorn pollarded and very large trees left untouched. Bramble very often needs to be cleared for access and within the coupe. The aim is to create a variety of different habitats ensuring there are areas suitable for many different types of wildlife

The tangled mesh of a dead hedges, created from the cut trees, provides a hideaway for small birds such as robins, wrens and dunnocks. Small mammals also use these.

In addition, 5 disease resistant elms (Ulmus Lutece) were planted. Three along the path leading from the car park and two more, just inside the reserve, at the west end of Grove Lake.

Sunday 9th and Tuesday 11th March 2025 - Copping and Pollarding continued

The work, started in February, was continued in March when three further coupes were cleared. Again, almost everything that was cut was incorporated into a dead hedge, contained by using wooden stakes; the larger trunks used to create log piles. Many log piles created in previous years can be seen over the fence covered in moss, lichen and fungi. Inside there is a smorgasbord of insects that provide food for birds, small mammals and frogs

These open areas all along the south side of the lakes and next to the Blackwater Valley Path provided excellent viewing spots for birdwatchers and the many walkers who use the path.

BVCP also replaced the barn owl box that can be seen from Colebrook hide.

Tuesday 12th July 2025 - Path clearing and riverside work

A large team of BCVP volunteers turned out on a very hot day to clear all the overgrown footpaths. High level overhanging bramble, branches, etc. were cleared using hedge trimmers. The ride on mower munched its way along the path from the car park to the river then both ways along the river path to Grove Hide and Longwater Road. This work is always much appreciated by everyone walking the paths.

Duncan led a team to improve the area around the large overflow non-return flap which drains water from Colebrook Lake South into the River Blackwater. Both sides of the flap had become eroded.

Litter was picked along the paths, and several large items (traffic bollards and part of a car) were removed from the river.

Sunday 14th September 2025 - Mostly working in front of Grove hide

The new season started with our annual task of clearing the reeds in front of Grove hide using hedge trimmers for the cutting, something we started doing just a couple of years ago to speed up the process. The cut reed is then cleared manually by the volunteers.

Shortly after lunch the day was cut short by the incoming rain but not before the view from Grove Lake viewing screen was cleared by Peter and Roy.

By the time we left there was an excellent view from the hide, the nearby stream was flowing freely and a few willows to the right of the hide had been removed.

Tuesday 16th September 2025 - Working near the birdfeeder paddock

A multitude of different tasks were completed by the BVCP work party.

The paddock was hay cut after some problems with the mower were sorted. Reeds were cleared from in front of Colebrook Hide and the pontoon was weeded.

Some work was also carried out on Long Island. Paths cut through the bracken and bramble and an area cleared in preparation for a bonfire planned for later in the month when scouts were expected.

Sunday 12th October 2025 - Working on Long Island and Tern Island

Long Island had not been visited for a few years so there was no shortage of shoreline trees to clear. A large team tackled these and very quickly made an impact. The brash was either stacked in the stream that runs through Long Island to provide access bridges or used to create a dead hedge alongside the stream. Further bramble was cleared and a large scrape, visible from the hide, was exposed. In addition, a small team were taken to Tern Island to clear the vegetation – a fairly quick job these days as they were back before lunchtime.

Tuesday 14th October 2025 - Working on Long Island

A large BVCP team continued the work started on the Sunday working along the North shoreline. Some volunteers moved further along the island to expose a very overgrown scrape. Rangers, Matt and Sara, moved in during the lunch break to cut down trees ready for clearing. Stumps were treated to discourage re-growth. More work was also carried out on the scrape near the hide.

Sunday 16th October 2025 - Local scouts get stuck in

Rangers Stuart Croft and Sara Green led a specially organised extra work party initiated by a request from local scouts. A group of scouts together with some regular Moor Green/BVCP volunteers continued the work on Long Island by clearing over 100m of the South shore. The mountains of brash were then burnt on an enormous bonfire. During lunch, some scouts (and adults) enjoyed a few toasted marshmallows. The weather was good so the scouts, their leaders and the volunteers had a most enjoyable day.

Sunday 9th November 2025 - Long and Sandpiper Islands

November is normally the month we tackle Plover Island but this year the work that was started on Long Island in October was continued.

A large team of 20 volunteers met up to carry out a variety of tasks. Some cleared more of the Northern shoreline creating a long stretch visible from the hide. The brash was either stacked nearby or laid in the Colebrook Cut which runs through the middle of Long Island.

Duncan and Andy went over to Sandpiper Island to clear a path through the middle ready for more work on the Tuesday. The picture below shows how overgrown it had become over several years making it inaccessible to most waterfowl.

Tuesday 11th November 2025 - Working on Long Island and Sandiper Island

Tuesday was the day for bonfires on both Long and Sandpiper Islands. With help from others, Ranger Sara and Duncan worked hard to clear Sandpiper aided by Sara’s chainsaw.

Other volunteers continued clearing the shoreline of Long Island opposite Sandpiper Island. Work also continued on the northern shoreline of Long Island with the large scrape towards the east end opened up to the lake by John and Peter.

Sunday 14th December 2025 - Northern Shoreline of Colebrook Lake North

The northern shoreline of Colebrook Lake North became the target for the large group of volunteers. Was it the mulled wine (provided by Duncan and Jane) or the Christmas treats (provided by the volunteers) enjoyed during the coffee break that attracted them?

The endless task of removing shoreline willow near to Plover was work for some while others tackled opening up the owl box view, during the summer the box was hardly visible from the hide.

Mike cleared in front of the bee verticals ensuring they remain in the sun and others worked either side of the large acidic scrape clearing saplings and small trees.

Tuesday 16th December 2025 - Continuing from Sunday

Tuesday volunteers continued the work started on Sunday clearing yet more shoreline willow and all the brash was burnt on the bonfire. Sarah cooked some potatoes in the fire, and these were edible, unlike many she cooked on the Sunday! In addition, the view of Grove meadow from Grove screen was improved by removing the small trees and bramble along the water’s edge.

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