Members’ Muck-in

An elite group of volunteers turned up for the first Muck-In Morning of 2024. The first task was cutting off tree guards in the Pennycroft area. The trees were planted with stakes, tree guards and cable ties. The guards prevent

A small group of volunteers had good weather on Saturday 16th December for the Muck-In Morning. One team worked on cutting back and raking the growth like brambles, plus some coppicing along parts of the ride as per the 4

On 18th November 2023 a handful of volunteers came to the Muck-In Morning. They were tasked with planting the new fenland area on Pennycroft. Luckily the rain stopped, but it was a bit of a muddy job.

At the Muck-In Morning on Saturday 16th September, we were raking up hay which had already been cut some time before. Leaving the hay to dry before removing it allows wildflower seed to drop and remain on the meadow. This

Eleven volunteers came to High Batts on 10th June 2023. The main task was bracken-bashing in the woodland clearings. The purpose of bracken-bashing is to reduce the vigour of the bracken which would, if left unchecked, smother other flora beneath

An elite unit (i.e. a small number of volunteers) came to High Batts for the Easter Muck-In Morning. There were two tasks. The first was to check and re-paint the marker posts which are set at 50m intervals to help

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

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