Conservation Work Parties

Join us

Moor Green Lakes organises work parties on the second Sunday of the month from September to March.

Our aims:

• Maintain and enhance habitats
• Protect the flora and fauna
• Promote public interest in the reserve

Typical tasks include:

• Maintaining a variety of habitats for wildlife
• Improving meadow diversity by controlling encroaching bramble and gorse
• Managing shorelines access for waterfowl by removing dense willow vegetation
• Coppicing woodland to produce varied age habitat and natural views into the reserve
• Clearing the shingle islands of vegetation to support nesting gulls and terns
• Maintaining the bird hides, screens and boundary fencing

Volunteers are contacted shortly before each work party with details of the work planned. They are asked to bring their own refreshments and gloves. Tools are provided but some volunteers prefer to bring their own.

When possible, a Tuesday work party is organised for the week after the Sunday work party

If you are interested in joining us as a volunteer, please contact us using the Contact Form - with the destination of Work Parties - and we will get back to you.

We will be working with the BVCP volunteer handbook, available to download here

Planned work for 2023-2024

Tuesday parties are led by Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership but Moor Green Lake Members more than welcome. Please email blackwater.valley@hants.gov.uk to register your interest in Tuesday sessions.

Sunday parties are led by one of 4 Moor Green Lakes Group Volunteer Leaders listed below.

• Duncan Clark
• Jon Needes
• Jane Heritage
• Sarah Elston

Sessions

• Sunday 10th September 2023 - Grove Lake view conservation
  • Clear reeds and vegetation around Grove hide
  • Cut back in front of Grove viewing screen
  • Clear access to Grove hide
  • Cut back saplings on Grove beach and meadow
• Tuesday 12th September 2023 - Colebrook hide haycut and site maintenance
  • Hay cut birdfeeder paddock and hide path
  • Cut back in front of Colebrook hide
  • Dead bird removal and tern raft retrieval
  • Hazardous waste removal and decontamination
  • Tern raft dismantle and removal
  • Wire new fence NE Colebrook
  • Cut hedge and strim along Colebrook North and West internal path edges prior to robomow
  • Strim bramble Colebrook West
• Sunday 8th October 2023 - Tern Island and Colebrook West conservation
  • Clear Tern Island of vegetation
  • Remove vegetation on Colebrook hide scrapes
  • Cut willow on Colebrook western shoreline and between blackthorn gaps
  • Leave willow in piles for cattle
• Tuesday 10th October 2023 - Colebrook West conservation
  • Continue to cut willow on Colebrook western shoreline and between blackthorn gaps
  • Open up vista at end of blackthorn edge path
• Sunday 12th November 2023 - Plover Island and shoreline conservation
  • Clear vegetation from Plover Island
  • Clear Colebrook North shoreline
  • Remove willow from shoreline around Plover Island
• Tuesday 14th November 2023 - Car park maintenance and Colebrook North
  • Fill and compact potholes in car park
  • Paint main car park entrance gate
  • Tree maintenance and lift ivy
  • Fit collection box
  • Continue willow removal on Colebrook North and West shoreline
• Sunday 10th December 2023 - Colebrook North meadow and shoreline
  • Cue new bee verticals and scrub to lake
  • Push back edges of shoreline mature willow
  • Cutback large old gorse island
  • Mark out view to owl box
• Tuesday 12th December 2022 - Colebrook North and site maintenance
  • Dig out Grove gate
  • Chainsaw view to owl box
  • Repair river fencing
  • Any outstanding jobs
• Sunday 14th January 2024 - Hedgelaying
  • Continue hedgelaying back towards paddock
  • Coppice adjacent coupes and harvest stakes and binders
  • Cut in front of Colebrook Screen (base camp)
  • Refresh old hedge - pleach in new shoots
  • Remove tubes from healthy saplings
• Tuesday 16th January 2024 - Hedgelaying
  • As above
• Sunday 11th February 2023 - To be planned
  • Remove large branches from hazel coppice
• Tuesday 13th February 2024 - To be planned
  • Fit gate
• Sunday 10th March 2024 - To be planned
  • Thin woodland at Grove hide padock
  • Punch through Alder in Grove North shore
• Tuesday 12th March 2024 - To be planned
  • To be decided