Moor Green Lakes Group
Reserve car park and closing time
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It was a day of multi-tasks with the volunteers divided into four groups to work in different areas. In the car park, Team 1 repaired fencing, installed the new donations box and created an area for information posters. Nearby, access to the new path on Manor farm was blocked to discourage access until Cemex have complete all the internal fencing and the area is officially open to the public.
Team 2 worked in the meadow alongside the path to the river removing the small areas of blackthorn encroaching into the grassland. Some blackthorn saplings were dug up and used to filling the sparse sections along the hedge-line, particularly in the stretch where the hedge has been laid.
Team 3 repaired the previously laid hedge by adding new stakes and binders where the old ones had rotted giving it a real makeover. Also, the number of gaps in the hedge onto the bridle path were reduced.
Working on the hedge ©2024 MGLG
Finally, Team 4 worked on the slots between the path and Colebrook Lake South harvesting the stakes and binders for Team 3 and completed the clearance left unfinished after the January work party.
The cleared slot, before and after ©2024 MGLG
Another good turn out, with the work organised by Ranger Eddie Whalley with teams working in different areas. Hedge-laying continued with a very impressive 50m completed since the work started in January. Some worked on fencing, including mending the fence along the path to the river where a very large tree came down in the January storms. Stock fencing was installed in the NE corner of Colebrook Lake North.
More binders and stakes for the hedge layers were harvested. Paths were checked for overhanging branches with some being removed and edges of the paths trimmed. Litter picking was carried out along the path and just inside the reserve - dog pooh bags and cans seem to be some favourite items for lobbing over the fence into the reserve. Please don't, take you litter home.
The BVCP Tuesday work party continued the hedge-laying and the tidying of the previously laid hedge. Another lakeside slot was cleared and the area in front of the Colebrook Lake South viewing slot tackled to improve the view. A large willow had come down over the bridleway in the recent storm, most of it had been removed by a Moor Green team of volunteers, but BVCP rangers removed the remaining very large trunks.
An amazing 25 volunteers turned out in January and enjoyed dry weather - very welcome after the soaking we endured in November and December.
The annual task of hedge-laying was undertaken. Several volunteers, including new ones Alison, Holly and Colin were given the opportunity to learn this enjoyable skill under the watchful eyes of Tony Elston and work party leader, Duncan Clark. In addition, the hedge, laid in the last few years was cleared of weeds and bramble (it will grow back!) and given a bit of a trim.
Slots along the path from Colebrook hide to the river and along the southern edge of the reserve are cut on a 10-year cycle to provide a variety of habitats. A slot close to the hedge laying due for clearing was tackled. Both hazel posts and long thin binders were harvested ready for finishing off the laid hedge.
Hedgelaying ©2024 MGLG
Large areas of gorse and bramble were beginning to encroach on the meadow north of Colebrook North Lake reducing its ability to be just a wildflower meadow. Much of this was removed in addition to yet more shoreline willow.
Some new bee verticals were cut into the steep area of the bank and vegetation in danger of shading the area was removed. The bee verticals thrive best in full sun.
The weather was wet, so the large bonfire was very welcome for the 21 volunteers. We rarely have bonfires now, but this is the best way of getting rid of large quantities of gorse and bramble. Some willow was also burnt but the rest made into a dead hedge. Large quantities of Christmas goodies and mulled wine were enjoyed by all.
The meadow North of Colebrook before and after gorse and bramble clearance ©2023 MGLG
On a very wet day several jobs in the around the car park were completed. The gate was rubbed down ready for painting, but it was too wet to paint. The potholes that had appeared in the car park were filled and the many overhanging branches removed. By lunchtime everyone was thoroughly soaked so Eddie decided it was time to go home.
A group of volunteers basking in the glorious winter weather ©2023 MGLG
In November another annual task was tackled - clearing the vegetation from Plover Island. This island is much more of a problem compared to Tern Island owing to large amounts of bramble and bracken in addition to the usual annual weeds. Access is via the pontoon making it easier to remove the vegetation.
Not all the 22 volunteers worked on Plover. A group continued the never-ending task of removing shoreline willow, using it to create a large dead hedge.
Before and after short of Plover Island clearance ©2023 MGLG
More work was carried out on the Tern rafts
Volunteers continued to cut back the willow on the western Colebrook shoreline opening a new vista from the footpath to the river.
Eddie, along with Matt, used the Robomower to cut back encroaching bramble in the meadow and to cut back the edges of internal path edges in other parts of the reserve to ensure easy access for vehicles.
The Robomower taking a well earned rest ©2023 MGLG
Clearing Tern Island of vegetation is an annual task to provide the clear gravel liked by some nesting birds - mainly black-headed gulls and little ringed plovers. In the past, this job has taken a large team all day to achieve but now we seem to be getting on top of the job and it only took a small team of 6 the morning to get it cleared. All weeds are removed from the island by boat.
View of Colebrook North after willow clearance ©2023 MGLG
Other volunteers worked along the western shoreline of Colebrook North clearing saplings, mostly willow, and some large willow that we have not had time do in other years. A large pile was left for the cows to enjoy.
The task of removing the tern rafts and dismantling them began. Over the years they had become more and more dilapidated and no longer suitable for nesting terns.
Thanks to all 24 volunteers for their contribution.
The end of life for this tern raft ©2023 MGLG
Work was carried out near Colebrook hide. The hay cut was carried out in the birdfeeder paddock, the route to the hide trimmed. Some shoreline willow and other saplings removed.
Clearing the view from Grove hide has become a regular task for the MGLG volunteers now made easier using battery hedge trimmers (used for the first time in 2022). In addition, the stream past the hide was cleared to give a good flow and some willow saplings removed from the reed beds and the acidic scrape.
All this work by the 17 volunteers ensures the willow doesn't take over and provides a good view of Grove Lake for winter bird watching.
Cleared view infront of Grove Hide ©2023 MGLG
What happens behind the scenes at Moor Green Lakes, from the BVCP Rangers and Volunteer Leaders (this section is no longer updated)
01-Feb-2019 Holy Hedge Laying Volunteers
21-Sep-2018 More Green Car Park
17-Sep-2018 Phew! What A View
22-Aug-2018 The benefits of taking photographs to identify insects
20-Jun-2018 Bumper Year for Barn Owls
20-Mar-2018 My Tern on the Raft
16-Feb-2018 Clearing Tern Island
15-Feb-2018 Enviromental Endeavours
4-Feb-2018 New Owl Boxes
17-Jan-2018 Heatening Hedge Laying
28-Nov-2017 Volunteer Leader Update - Plover Island
22-Nov-2017 Roboteers Start Your Engines
18-Oct-2017 Volunteer Leader Update - Hide Maintenance
15-Sep-2017 Out with the Scrub and in with the Birds
31-Jul-2017 Amber Alert: Shelducks Nesting!
26-Jul-2017 Volunteer Leader Update - Grove Lake Hide
20-Jul-2017 Volunteer Leader Update - Balsam Bashing
12-Jul-2017 Ticks – Staying Safe This Summer
10-Jul-2017 Finchampsteads Finest Entomologists
8-Jul-2017 Children find watery insects at Talavera
6-Jul-2017 Extreme ragwort removal at Moor Green Lake
17-May-2017 Mammals for Members of Moor Green Lakes
16-May-2017 Machine Manoeuvres at Moor Green Lakes
25-Mar-2017 More Green Lakes Work Party - Ochreous streams and stumperies
27-Feb-2017 Hedge-laying complete at Moor Green Lakes
24-Feb-2017 More Green Lakes Work Party - Clearing scrub near Grove Hide
22-Feb-2017 More Green Meadow
4-Feb-2017 Moor Green Lakes New Bench
1-Feb-2017 How to lay a hedge at Moor Green Lakes
24-Jan-2017 Moor Green Lakes Work Party – Clearing Tern Island
30-Dec-2016 A fence to far
18-Dec-2016 Moor Green Lakes Volunteers go to Plover Island
1-Dec-2016 Belted Galloways by Sunset
30-Nov-2016 Scraping off ice at Moor Green Lakes
1-Nov-2016 Brownies and Brown Knees earn Butterfly Badge
31-Oct-2016 Xylem in a scrape on Long Island
28-Sep-2016 Bat box checks
6-Sep-2016 Moor Green Lakes Open Morning
26-Aug-2016 More Moor Green cutting with Student Matt
24-Aug-2016 Sea Scout skills at Moor Green Lakes
14-Jul-2016 Cutting of Manor Farm and Moor Green Paths
17-Jun-2016 Barn Owls bouncing back in Wokingham
31-Mar-2016 Jenny wading at Moor Green Lakes
4-Mar-2016 Coppicing and pollarding at Moor Green Lakes
16-Feb-2016 Muddy boots as Moor Green Lakes
10-Feb-2016 Royal Grammer School students help dragonflies
6-Feb-2016 Volunteers learn hedge-laying
27-Jan-2016 Staking out coppice stools at Moor Green Lakes
22-Jan-2016 Restored nesting rafts Tern over a new leaf
10-Dec-2015 House building for shelducks
10-Dec-2015 Field Vole Volunteers at Moor Green Lakes
8-Dec-2015 Island Adventures at Moor Green Lakes
26-Nov-2015 Mucking about in boats at Moor Green Lakes