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 2026-2027

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
• Sarah Elston
• Jane Heritage
• Jon Needes

Sessions

• Sunday 13th September 2026 - Grove Lake view conservation
  • Clear reeds and vegetation around Grove hide.
  • Expose stream.
  • Remove some willow from reed beds.
  • Cut back in front of Grove viewing screen.
• Tuesday 15th September 2026 - Birdfeeder area and Colebrook hide
  • Hay cut birdfeeder field.
  • Cut back in front of Colebrook hide.
  • Shoreline hedge cut in front of Red House.
  • Colebrook Northwest shoreline clearance.
  • Open up more shoreline North Colebrook Lake, Northwest corner.
• Sunday 11th October 2026 - Long, Tern and Sandpiper Islands
  • Clear Tern Island and Sandpiper Island.
  • Clear Northwest Long Island access and scrape.
  • Colebrook Northwest shoreline clearance.
• Tuesday 13th October 2026 - Long Island and Tern Island.
  • Use BCS for Long Island access and bracken.
  • Shoreline willow removal on Colebrook Northwest.
  • Cut high levels of bramble prior to Robomow later in October.
• Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th October 2026 - Special - Robomower
  • BVCP to use the Robomower around Colebrook Lake, between the lakes and along North Grove Lake.
• Sunday 8th November 2026 - Colebrook North and Plover Island
  • Repair Northeast Colebrook fencing.
  • Colebrook Lake North and Plover Island meadow shoreline clearance.
• Tuesday 10th November 2026 - Between the Lakes and Grove Lake North
  • Grove Lake North meadow shoreline clearance.
  • Possible dog steps refurbishment on river path.
• Sunday 13th December 2026 - Colebrook Lake East
  • Clearance of Goose Island meadow and shoreline.
  • Clearance of some of Goose Island.
  • Clearance of nearby stream.
  • Clearance of Grove Lake Southeast Meadow.
• Tuesday 15th December 2026 - Colebrook Lake East
  • As previous session.
• Sunday 10th January 2027 - Hedgelaying and coppicing
  • Continue hedge-laying from Colebrook hide back towards the car park.
  • Coppice nearby coupes, harvesting stakes and binders.
  • Coppice other coupes further along the path.
• Tuesday 12th January 2027 - Hedgelaying and coppicing
  • As previous session.
• Sunday 14th February 2027 - Blackwater Valley Path
  • TBD.
• Tuesday 16th February 2027 - Blackwater Valley Path
  • TBD.
• Sunday 14th March 2027
  • TBD.
• Tuesday 16th March 2027
  • TBD.