FoPV Work Morning Roundup - Thursday 11th September 2025

Hello Conservation Volunteers

It was time for what has become a new annual job for our FoPV volunteers to tackle - raking up the cuttings from the wildflower meadow at Forge Dam. The meadow really came into its own this summer in what is its third season, and this was our second annual raking, obviously last year's raking helped it to flourish!

Ranger Matt had cut the meadow two days before after all the seeds had dropped, and with a team of willing rakers, baggers and movers it was a case of using gravity, starting at the top towards the bottom and raking up the wet and heavy cuttings (why couldn't the rain have held off for a little longer!) into piles which were gathered up and put into the ton bags, before being dragged to the edge to be emptied into small mounds (there is a risk of large piles composting, becoming hot and self-igniting).

Having got to the bottom of the hill we then all marched back to the top and working down in a line did a second rake to gather the leftovers. A final small section between the two dead hedges had also been cut and needed to be raked up but was thankfully bone dry so a quick and easy job.

Although the wildflowers have been a success, Matt gave us some bad news, the soft rush is starting to take over on the bottom half and it's not easy to eradicate. There is also quite a lot of alder saplings which have self-seeded but the majority we found came out with a good tug. At the bottom a fantastic patch of fungi had sprouted up in the two days since the meadow had been cut.

There was still time for another job which needed doing whilst we were there, to carefully remove all the plants and shrubs growing out of the dam wall. It all looks much tidier and helps prevent damage to the dam walls if they are allowed to grow in between the stones.

To finish off, our final task using logs and brash was to block off the desire line on the north-west corner of the dam, which cuts across a corner of the Wet Woodland. We had done this earlier in the year with full authority from Matt, but it had been removed within a few days by persons unknown. Hopefully walkers will respect it and stick to the path.

And finally.....the painting crew of Dave and Ted this week finished painting the railings above the slide! Well done and thank you to all those who have helped over the weeks on the railings. It should last a good few years....(let's hope the green paint on Dave doesn't last as long!)

Thank you to everybody who came along, a good morning's work in the sunshine!

The next work morning is on Tuesday 23rd September. An email will be sent out nearer the time with details.

Lyndon

A Selection of photos from the work morning

Raking started on the first pass

In a line on the second pass

Phil and Rebecca on the patch between the dead hedges

After all the raking. The soft rushes can be seen sticking up

Fungi at the bottom

A great teasel left standing on the edge of the meadow

After clearing shrubs and plants from the dam wall

Desire line across the corner of the Wet Woodland blocked with logs and brash

Finished railings!

Dave with splatters of green paint!