FoPV Work Morning Roundup - Tuesday 22nd April 2025

Lyndon
May 1
3 min read

Hello Conservation Volunteers

For our latest work morning we were tackling a completely new task - pulling out large-leaved avens (Geum macrophyllum), (also known as American avens) in Bingham Park/Whiteley Woods. Being larger than the native avens (Geum urbanum) they are smothering other native plants, and with a couple of hundred seed burs per plant which attach to clothing or animals they are rapidly spreading throughout the valley. Although not officially classed as an "invasive" species (yet!) they are invading, taking over and needing control.

We were joined for the morning by local botanist, Gerry Firkins, who came along to instruct us on how to identify these avens, highlighting the difference between them and the UK ones by the leaves and hair on the stems, the plus being they pull out easily (rather like Himalayan balsam) as opposed to the native variety which are much tougher to extract. Sounded easy!

Armed with plenty of black bags our eager volunteers split into small groups spread out from the mini roundabout entrance on Rustlings Road through to Highcliffe Road along the edges of various paths as this is where they are most likely to be found where they drop off clothing and animals.

Unfortunately, it soon became evident that they weren't coming up as easy as expected due to the path edges being compressed by feet and we hadn't all come armed with forks (but we had kneeling mats!).

In some areas which weren't trampled the large plants (which are not yet in flower) came out easily which was very satisfying as with a gentle pull they came out complete with a large lump of soil attached.

Strangely after a while some of us became a little plant blinded and struggled to tell the difference between the two varieties where at one point Gerry looked over my shoulder to inform me I was struggling to pull up a buttercup! (There are similarities being a bit strawberry leaf like). At the end though it was like balsam pulling, everywhere we looked we spotted large-leaved avens growing. Near Wilson's Field a large patch was found growing in the grass which made it extremely difficult to get out without forks. As Phil had brought a small fork along he managed to get some out whilst the other couple of us watched and did the easy job of bagging them!

All in, we collected over 30 bags which Ranger Matt collected later to take for disposal.

A big thank you to Gerry and everybody who came along as well as to Mandy for her homemade oat crunchies which we enjoyed. Apologies to Tom and his Sheffield University Conservation Society colleagues who had joined us but were out of sight eagerly bagging avens and unfortunately missed out on the bakes - next time maybe Tom!

We will be pulling more avens for our next work morning on Thursday 8th May. Details to follow soon.

A note for your diaries - the work morning scheduled for Tuesday 27th May has been moved to Tuesday 20th May where we will be doing some urgent conservation work in Trippet Wood along with Ranger Matt.

Lyndon

A Selection of photos from the work morning

Gerry giving instructions on how to identify large-leaved avens