2023 is the 50th anniversary of the founding of High Batts. As part of our anniversary activities we have been collecting photographs of the Reserve from over the years, and we’ll post a selection of them in the next few
50th Anniversary Part 1



2023 is the 50th anniversary of the founding of High Batts. As part of our anniversary activities we have been collecting photographs of the Reserve from over the years, and we’ll post a selection of them in the next few

Thirteen volunteers came to the Muck-In Morning at High Batts on 4th March 2023. Tasks included tree-guard removal from the new woodland on Pennycroft, and pothole-filling on the track leading to the Reserve. Two buzzards flew past at the end

Nine volunteers took part in the Muck-In Morning on 4th February 2023. The task was using woodchips that had been made after coppicing work on the Reserve. We put them on the paths as a surfacing material. Limestone chips are

The waters have subsided, and Colin is opening High Batts today.

After recent rainfall, parts of the Reserve are flooded and inaccessible. High Batts will therefore be closed until further notice. The Muck In Morning scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 14th January 2023, is therefore cancelled.

The final Muck-In morning of 2022 was on 17th December. Colin pollarded hazel trees near the Pond Hide, and the ten or so volunteers cut branches and twigs into shape and added them to dead hedges. Claire kindly prepared a

The main task at the members’ Muck-In was raking up the grass which Colin had cut earlier in the week, by the Ride and in the North Clearing. We happened across a few frogs and toads, and saw the odd

49% of the world’s bird species are in decline, according to the latest State of the World’s Birds report by BirdLife International. 12% of species are threatened with extinction. Pressures on birds include: expansion and intensification of agriculture logging invasive

There was a variety of tasks for the nine volunteers on Saturday. They included fence-mending, sorting tools, and cutting hazelwood stakes (pictured above).

The task on Saturday was pulling up invasive Himalayan balsam either side of the ride. Although this can feel like a task of Sisyphus, there are tentative signs that progress is being made and there is notably less balsam at