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 2024-2025

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 8th September 2024 - Grove Lake view conservation
  • Clear reeds and vegetation around Grove hide
  • Expose stream
  • Cut back in front of Grove viewing screen
  • Repair 4 fence posts adjacent to the path
  • Check condition of hide roof
  • Cut back saplings on Grove meadow shoreline
  • Cut back in front of Grove seat
• Tuesday 10th September 2024 - Colebrook hide haycut and site maintenance
  • Hay cut birdfeeder paddock
  • Cut back in front of Colebrook hide
  • Cut back oak to expose Tern Island clearance dump (grass snake haunt)
  • Expose kingfisher post
  • Remove broken wire fencing between hide and Colebrook cut
  • Repair fence to Colebrook west paddock
  • Position/fix tern raft as a jetty
  • Repair pontoon mooring/locate pontoon ramps
  • Cut path to Colebrook cut sluice
• Sunday 13th October 2024 - Tern Island and Colebrook West conservation
  • Cut blackthorn to expose view across Colebrook West
  • Remove vegetation on Colebrook hide scrapes
  • Clear Colebrook Western shoreline willow
  • Other tasks left from September
• Tuesday 15th October 2024 - Colebrook West and Tern Island
  • Cut blackthorn in northwest corner
  • Clear Tern Island of vegetation
  • Cut high levels of bramble prior to Robomow in November
  • Other tasks left from September
• Sunday 10th November 2024 - Plover Island and shoreline conservation
  • Clear vegetation from Plover Island
  • Remove willow from shoreline around Plover Island
  • View of owl box from Colebrook hide - clear more permanent view
• Tuesday 12th November 2024 - Between the lakes and Blackwater Valley path
  • Reinforce around ochreous stream pipes and replace fencing to stop brash blocking the flow
  • Complete stretch of fence next to the gate into Grove Lake
  • Cut back trees near Grove seat to open to sunlight, widen and reduce boggy area where path has been diverted
  • Colebrook northeastern shoreline (south of Goose Island) - clear to allow view of meadow
• Sunday 8th December 2024 - Colebrook North meadow and shoreline
  • West of Colebrook North - clear shoreline willow west of large patch
  • Open bee verticals again
• Tuesday 10th December 2024 - Colebrook North
  • More clearance of central willow and oak area
  • Clear shoreline and area around Colebrook Northeast acidic scrape
  • Clear under owl box
  • Any outstanding jobs
• Sunday 12th January 2025 - Hedgelaying and coppicing
  • Complete hedge-laying back towards paddock
  • Coppice nearby coupes, harvesting stakes and binders
  • Coppice other coups further along the path
• Tuesday 14th January 2025 - Hedgelaying and coppicing
  • As above
• Sunday 9th February 2025 - Blackwater Valley Path
  • Coppice coupes along the river path
• Tuesday 11th February 2025 - Blackwater Valley Path
  • Coppice coupes along the river path
• Sunday 9th March 2025
  • TBD
• Tuesday 11th March 2025
  • TBD