Dorset Countryside Volunteers No 148 May — July 2009 Reg Charity No 1071723 www.dcv.org.uk Who we are, what we do, where, why and how . DCV is . A DCV day lasts . A practical conservation group run by volunteers since 1972 doing practical work in the 10.00a.m. – 5.00p.m. approximately countryside that would not otherwise be done Lunch and drink/biscuit breaks are included Volunteers are male and female, from all walks of life, all ages and from all over the county FINDING DCV . Work is seasonal, e.g. woodlands in winter - hedgelaying, coppicing; in summer dry stone Maps with the task programme (at the back of this walling, clearing ponds, footpath work newsletter) show the locations of task sites Organisations we work for include: Dorset Look for DCV’s yellow arrows near the worksite or Wildlife Trust, Heritage Coast Project, Natural red and white tape or the DCV information board England, Herpetological Conservation Trust may show an explanatory note We work at weekends throughout Dorset If unsure of the worksite try to arrive by 10.00 to No super-human strength or special skills meet other volunteers. The worksite may be some needed, or attendance on every task or even for way off. Lost? give us a call on 07929 961532 the whole weekend - any time is a bonus FOOD, DRINK & ACCOMMODATION DCV offers . Occasionally, we hire a village hall, cook supper, Practical care for the environment visit the local pub and sleep overnight - karrimats Opportunity to learn new skills - training given available! N.B. Book with Peter a week in advance Use of all necessary tools The charge for a weekend, including Saturday Accommodation on weekend tasks evening meal, lunch Saturday and Sunday, Beautiful countryside, social events, fun & breakfast on Sunday and accommodation, £3.00 companionship DCV provides free hot/cold drinks and biscuits during the day - bring your own mug if you wish YOU should bring . On residentials, all volunteers are welcome to come for the evening meal and pub whether working both Stout footwear (steel toecaps if you have them) days or just one Old clothes (wear layers) Halls offered by DCV provide separate male and Tough gloves (we have some to sell/lend) female toilet/washing and changing facilities Waterproofs, sun block, sun hat, insect repellent If staying overnight – a change of clothes, sleeping bag (air bed/camp bed if you wish) Note: If you have a medical condition or allergies Up to date tetanus jab of any sort, please carry a card and bring Goggles, if you wish, to protect your eyes necessary medicines. If you wish, bring this to the attention of the task leader. Please complete the Reaching a task . “in case of emergency” details at the end of the newsletter, and bring on task. If you need / can offer a lift, phone one of the contacts 3 days before a task All youngsters are welcome, but should be Lifts from Wool station (toolstore is nearby) accompanied by a responsible adult. EDITORIAL Let‛s spring into summer with the DCV! Gone are the cutting, bashing and burning tasks (well mostly) and here are the building and constructing tasks. You see there is another side to DCV. Don‛t be afraid of coming along to a construction task. The job is broken down into smaller, easier jobs that all of us can do and then finally it all comes together. It‛s amazing what life skills one can pick up with DCV. DCV is a great team and we all have a part to play. You may notice from the contacts page that a few changes have taken place. Due to pressure of work Ian Hay has stepped down from the role of Treasurer and Chris Huggill has offered to do this job. In addition, Richard Meatyard has stepped forward to fill the long vacant post of co-ordinator. We thank both Richard and Chris for their efforts. Ian has done a marvellous job for a number of years and we all thank him for his hard work over this time, first as Co-ordinator and more recently as Treasurer. He performed both roles diligently and with the best interests of the group at heart. We all hope very much to see his return on task soon. DCV tries hard to be inclusive and welcomes members‛efforts both on task or in the running of the group. We‛re still looking for help, especially with publicity and the transportation of tools . also, ideas and articles for the newsletter, as always. Thanks to all contributors to this issue - the result is quite varied and informative. Our friends from Association Orchis will be visiting us in May and helping us on the fascinating Tyneham Farm project - do come along and join in. Don‛t forget the AGM on July 4th, a good opportunity for a reunion, a natter and a laugh - see your invitation further in the newsletter. So enjoy spring, enjoy the work . and we‛ll see you out there. PAST TASK REPORTS Richard Meatyard The current programme In February, a cold snap and preferred by the butterflies. brings us to the end of the a series of heavy snowfalls We created some of the traditional bonfire season and caused chaos in various parts smokiest bonfires I can recall, the cut and burn tasks that of the county but undaunted engulfing most of the have kept us busy throughout by the inclement w eather, peninsula in an acrid s mog the w inter. The first task of with thankfully, leader, tools that for me brought back the w inter saw us in the w est and volunteers all arriving memories of a childhood in of the county for a challenging safely in spite of the icy roads, the London of the early 60s weekend of hedge-laying. the w eekend of Rhody when the notorious “pea bashing at Clouds Hill w as soupers” were still a regular This w as follow ed by various well attended. Sunday’s feature of w inters there. scrub bashing tasks and a bonfire probably w on the weekend of coppicing at aw ard for the biggest and As you w ill be aw are from a Piddles Wood. hottest of the w inter, narrowly couple of TBAs in the escaping being bigger than previous programme it is not The run-up to Christmas intended. alw ays possible to include featured a couple of tasks every task in the printed where there was an At end of February we were programme. If this happens, opportunity to seek out the once again in the w est at details of the task, once ideal Christmas tree and put it Brackets Coppice for two arranged, w ill be; somew here safe so that those days of hedge-laying, a enthusiastically loading the couple of good hedges w ith published on the WEB fire didn’t cremate it plenty of material and great site, prematurely. weather made for a very announced at preceding satisfying and productive tasks and The last task of the old year weekend, w ith experienced Emailed out to anyone took us to Tow nsend above members guiding those new who has registered on Sw anage w here the challenge to the craft. the Emailing list. was to light and keep alight the bonfire in gale force During the w inter we visited winds. Broadcroft Quarry on Portland If you have Email but have a number of times to tackle not registered then you can exciting tasks like grubbing do so via the WEB site. Go January saw us back in the out bramble and buddleia to: http://www.dcv.org.uk/ and west, at Ryew ater and then from the scrapes to prevent click on the link “Join our Pow erstock w here we cleared them scrubbing over and for a mailing list”. around the old brick kilns that change in March, w e helped we helped restore many years gather up and burn the grass ago. cut to create the short sward Tyneham - Dorset's ghost village 'National interest' In 'national interest', the village's 225 residents were given notice to leave their homes by December 19 1943 - just over one month Tyneham village church away. In the preparations for The letter explained that a A derelict coas tal cottage D-Day, a tiny coastal special office would be set community was up in Wareham for residents' The villagers were promised 'temporarily' evacuated questions, and that: "The they would be able to return as part of the war Government appreciate that to their homes when the war effort - but it's now 65 this is no small sacrifice was over - but in fact no one years since anyone which you are asked to would ever live in the village lived there. make, but they are sure that again. you will give this further help towards winning the war Protests and a public The village of Tyneham on with a good heart." enquiry the Isle of Purbeck is one of the forgotten casualties of Before they left, one resident After the war, while some of World War II. A small left a hand-written note on the original Tyneham coastal village in a rural and the door of the village's evictees had settled happily picturesque location sounds church, St. Mary's. It read: in to newly built homes in idyllic - but it was its location Wareham, others remained that led to its downfall. dissatisfied. Protests "Please treat the church and followed, but a public houses with care; we have Situated not far from a enquiry in 1948 seemed to given up our homes where military firing range, the end the matter: a many of us lived for development of increasingly compulsory purchase order generations to help win the powerful tanks in nearby was issued for the land - war to keep men free.