FoPV Work Morning Roundup - Thursday 10th September 2026
Hello Conservation Volunteers
We had been informed of massive numbers of large-leaved avens (Geum macrophyllum), (also known as American avens) in Festival Woodland and had been asked if our volunteers could try tackling the invasion, which of course we accepted the challenge!
We were joined by local botanist, Gerry Firkins, who told us that Sheffield is a hotspot for these particular avens (along with some areas of Wales and Scotland), and as yet they hadn't spread into Derbyshire, although Gerry said the way they are spreading up the Porter Valley it won't be long! With larger leaves than their native counterpart, they completely blot out light preventing other plants growing underneath them, and with their burrs sticking to animal fur and clothing spread easily.
With the introduction over we made our way up the path behind the playground and encountered our first aliens which were pulled out (fortunately the large-leaved avens pull out easily unlike the English variety) and put into bags to be taken away and disposed of later by Ranger Matt.
The volunteers spread out up the main path and around the Festival Woodland area. Some of the plants were large, whilst there were a lot of what looked like this year's young plants.
One area particularly full of the avens was the triangular area of vegetation at the top of cobbled path which was given special attention at the end of the morning.
Whilst we tried to only pull out the invasive avens, due to the similarity in the leaves there was the odd collateral damage of the innocent avens being pulled out, but as Gerry had said, there are plenty of them about and are not an endangered species!
We probably would have pulled out more large-leaved avens on the main path sides, but since our reccy the previous week the Parks team unbeknown to us had strimmed it so we couldn't see them anymore! These will grow again next year.
A big thank you to everybody who came along and a particular shout out to Mandy's date slice which was lovely and moist, and absolutely delicious!
The next work morning is on Tuesday 22nd September. An email will be sent out nearer the time with details.
A Selection of photos from the work morning
Gerry showing a native aven leaf
A patch full of large-leaved avens
Working on the main path - Ted, Hugh, John and Chris
Working on the triangular patch above the cobbled path
Bags of avens awaiting collection and disposal by Ranger Matt (and some snowberry in the background)
