Hello Conservation Volunteers For our first work morning of 2026 we were round and about Forge Dam in rather chilly and icy conditions, where we were joined by three new volunteers, Luke, Jeanne, and David, but there was plenty to do to work up a good sweat! Before Christmas the drain with the FoPV plaque which goes under the goit was partially blocked with water flowing around it rather than through it and was a task for those volunteers who don't mind getting wet and muddy!

Hello Conservation Volunteers For our final work morning of 2025 we had arranged for the Parks team to bring a flatbed van filled with mulch to be used on the flowerbed opposite the playground. With Andy and Darron helping along with our volunteers, the perennials were first cut back, any remaining buttercups and weeds dug out, and the mulch liberally applied making it look much tidier for the winter. The flatbed van wasn't just for bringing the mulch though. The area behind

Hello Conservation Volunteers For our latest work morning we were at Shepherd Wheel for the annual cutting back of vegetation on the dam shelf and along the paths. Normally we also clear masses of weed out of the dam, however, for the second year running there has not been any weed in the dam which is a little mystifying - but less work! In previous years once all seeds have dropped, we have totally cleared the shelf but this year the intention was to leave some areas uncut a

Hello Conservation Volunteers Wow, what a great turnout for our latest work morning around Forge Dam - it might be easier to write about what we didn't do, but here goes - apologies if I miss anything out to those who took part! Our main task was to tackle the steep patch of bare earth down the side of the slide with some low maintenance ground plants and sow wildflower seeds. To this end the Parks team of Andy, Darron and Luke were to bring in some topsoil, however, things n

Hello Conservation Volunteers A great turnout for our latest work morning in Endcliffe Park where we were working with the Parks Dept. helping to create a wildflower corridor along Rustlings Road along with Councillor Peter Gilbert who had initiated the project. Andy, Darron and the Parks team had arrived an hour earlier and had mechanically cut the turf into narrow strips in an area of approximately 30m by 3m by the railings on Rustlings Road. The first task for our FoPV vol

Hello Conservation Volunteers We had a few different jobs going for our various groups of volunteers for our latest work morning around Forge Dam and Wire Mill Dam. First up was for a small group to plant meadowsweet and teasels in the wildflower meadow area at Forge Dam. Helena had kindly grown some plants from seedheads collected in the valley and trundled up a wheelbarrow load for planting. With a lot of soft rush growing in the bottom half of the meadow the meadowsweet ha

Hello Conservation Volunteers We always have a task list of jobs for the work mornings but sometimes we notice a job which needs doing...

A one off additional FoPV conservation morning took place on 2 September in the top dam in Endcliffe Park:  hacking back selfset ash and...

Hello Conservation Volunteers It was time for what has become a new annual job for our FoPV volunteers to tackle - raking up the cuttings...

Hello Conservation Volunteers With a number of our regulars away we had enough volunteers for a small group to make an unplanned and...

Further to our last update we have received details from the council regarding the works that were undertaken recently. We will pass on...

Hello Conservation Volunteers A few varied tasks for our volunteers this time around Forge Dam and Wire Mill ......but also some more of...

Hello Conservation Volunteers It was Groundhog Day for the volunteers on our latest work morning around the Forge Dam area i.e. more...

Hello Conservation Volunteers It was a bit of more of the same for our latest work working, balsam pulling and preparation/painting of...

Hello Conservation Volunteers A big thank you to everybody who came along to our latest work morning where the main task was our first...

Hello Conservation Volunteers The casual walker on the bridleway from Forge Dam up to Ringinglow must have wondered what was going as...

Hello Conservation Volunteers We recently received a request from Ranger Matt to help remove an unapproved bike track in Trippet Wood,...

Hello Conservation Volunteers It was a bit more of the same again for our latest work morning, continuing on from our last session with...

Hello Conservation Volunteers For our latest work morning we were tackling a completely new task - pulling out large-leaved avens ( Geum...

Forge Dam works udate - Apr 2025