Dorset
Countryside
No 176 May - July 2016
Volunteers 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 • 10.00a.m. – 5.00p.m. approximately including since 1972 doing practical work in the breaks for drinks (which are supplied) and lunch countryside that would not otherwise be done (please bring your own lunch) • Volunteers are male and female, from all walks of life and from all over the county FINDING DCV . . . • Work is seasonal, e.g. woodlands in winter -
hedgelaying, coppicing; in summer dry stone walling, clearing ponds, footpath work • Maps with the task programme (at the back of this newsletter) show the locations of task sites • Organisations we work for include: Dorset Wildlife Trust, Heritage Coast Project, Natural • DCV website dcv.org.uk England, Amphibian Reptile Conservation Trust • Facebook • We work at weekends throughout Dorset • Look for DCV’s yellow arrows near the worksite or the DCV information board may show an • No super-human strength or special skills needed, or attendance on every task or even for explanatory note the whole weekend - any time is a bonus for us • If unsure of the worksite try to arrive by 10.00 to and for you! meet other volunteers. The worksite may be some way off. Lost? give us a call on 07929 961532 DCV offers . . . (after 10.00 a.m.)
FOOD & DRINK • Practical care for the environment • Opportunity to learn new skills - training given • Use of all necessary tools • Please bring your own lunch • Beautiful countryside, social events, fun & • DCV provides free hot/cold drinks and biscuits companionship during the day - bring your own mug if you wish • Occasionally DCV may hold a shared lunch or YOU should bring . . . supper (aka bring a dish) when it is usual for people to bring some food to share around
• Stout footwear (steel toecaps if possible)
• Old clothes (wear layers) Long trousers and • Note: If you have a medical condition or allergies sleeves are best of any sort, please carry a card and bring • Tough gloves (we have some to sell/lend) necessary medicines. If you wish, bring this to the • Waterproofs, sun block, sun hat, insect repellent attention of the task leader. Please complete the • Lunch and some water “in case of emergency” details at the end of the • Don’t forget an up to date tetanus jab newsletter, and bring on task. “In case of
emergency details” can be inserted into a small key Reaching a task . . . fob which can be attached to your rucksack. Key fobs are available from Richard Meatyard. • If you need, or can offer, a lift phone Richard Meatyard or Peter Warren 3 days before a task • All youngsters are welcome, but should be • Lifts from Wool station (toolstore is nearby) accompanied by a responsible adult. • Travel links: http://www.morebus.co.uk/ https://www.dorsetforyou.com/travel-dorset/rail EDITORIAL
Welcome to the spring newsletter, and the change from cutting and burning to more constructive tasks. You will see that for now, the programme only details the first three tasks. This is due to clients not being able to confirm dates in time for the newsletter, so at the end of May we will send out a new programme. The one thing we didn’t want to do was to send out a program with too many tasks to be confirmed.
We would like to thank Richard and Peter for not only towing the trailer all winter but bearing the brunt of the task leading as well and to Chris for towing the trailer. Also a big thank you to all the volunteers who came out and made a successful winter’s work.
Richard has bought new safety specs for us all to use. They are now increasingly becoming a necessity. Please, please do look after your eyes. There are also new gloves that can be borrowed. Please look after your hands. DCV cannot afford to give out safety shoes so please ensure you wear stout shoes, boots or safety boots. You may be careful and not drop anything on your feet but it’s the person next to you who is most likely to.
It is said that learning new things is good for the brain as it makes new connections. So why not try dry stone walling if you haven’t already. It’s like a 3D jigsaw but with stone. You don’t have to be strong and it can be frustrating before it becomes calming. In fact any of the construction jobs will do, we have a lot of fencing this quarter, we all do a little bit and so long as we know the plan we can see it taking shape. Above all we want volunteers to enjoy the work and social interaction that goes with working as a team.
This winter has seen unprecedented amounts of rain and wet days compared to 2015. Luckily most of it has fallen in the week leaving weekends with only modest or light rain. For more, see figures on the snippets page.
In May DCV will once again be sailing across the sea to see our French friends in Normandy (see Terry’s article) and working alongside them on the Saturday. This now has been going on for nearly 20 years and unlike most twinning groups who only see each other once a year, we see each other twice a year. This is how friendships are made and endure. If you haven’t been before do come along and see how charming they are.
So, whatever tasks you come on, enjoy the day! Co-ordinator’s report Richard Meatyard
Our last quarter’s programme Unfortunately, for Peter, I was familiar with the work, clearing brought us to the end of the out of action which left him on his scrubby privet and dogwood Winter’s slash and burn season. own on a rather inclement from the steep sides of old So as we move towards Summer Saturday. The nicer weather on quarry workings. Unusually this we will be engaged in more Sunday encouraged a better site is alongside an active quarry constructive activities. turnout on this spectacular site. so as we worked huge dumper trucks trundled past raising Once again ARC heathland sites We had hoped that our visit to clouds of dust, apparently doing have featured large in our work, Kingcombe would be to continue no more than moving great loads with pine cutting being the main hedgelaying where we had been of quarry waste from one pile to activity. Unusually at Great working earlier in the year but another. Ovens we were working around due to timescales DWT had one of the large ponds left by the completed the hedge. Instead we Before I move on to other things, clay workings, where the sunken returned to continue our Upton Wood deserves a brief nature of the area around the clearance work on the gorse mention. The electricity company pond created an unusual micro- bank nearby. On Saturday with have been busy here removing climate that needed protecting no sun and an icy easterly trees and opening up more from an invasion of small pines. ripping across the site it was space. In addition to the now again a single person Saturday traditional bramble removal there It has been some considerable for most of the day, this time it was an opportunity to create time since we visited South West was Peter that was out of action, habitat piles from some of the Hyde, another ARC heathland or more accurately his car. It was arisings left by the tree site. The approach, this time, something of a relief on Sunday clearance. was from a different direction when the promise of sunshine which proved a more difficult Swyre was the first of our more brought a respectable turnout. access to find. Fortunately by our constructive tasks promised for While there was still an icy wind, second visit everyone was the quarter ahead. On this the promise was honoured and familiar with the new route in. A occasion it was a single day visit the sun was out and it was good thing as being the last to complete some repairs we almost toasty in the more bonfire task of the Winter our started last year and to make a sheltered locations. leaders organised a lunchtime start on a another repair, which bring and cook on the fire As with Newton Gully, Townsend will be continued next visit. session that proved very popular. is a hardy perennial in our Winter By the time you are reading this programmes and this one was Of course no Winter quarter newsletter we will have made our no exception. This visit was a would be complete without a visit first visit of the year to Tyneham, little unusual in that it was more to Newton Gully. However, this completed the annual beach a path clearing exercise than the time there were rumours clean and probably made at least beating back of impenetrable circulating that this might be our one return visit to the walling at scrub that we have come to last Winter there. We will have to Swyre. expect here. wait and see if ARC are Finally, you may have noticed successful in getting funding that To keep us on our toes our task that during the late spring and will allow them to do more programmer decided to spring a early summer the newsletters extensive clearance with split site task on us. The Sunday sometimes contain a number of contractors. was at South West Hyde, “To Be Confirmed” task days. already mentioned. Saturday a Our work on the DWT sites in Make sure that you are kept up was at Perryfields, Portland, a this programme was rather more to date with these and other late new site to us, for a now rare varied. At Fontmell for a change changes to the programme, task for Butterfly Conservation. we were working on the opposite ensure you are signed up on the Those who remember our visits side of the valley from usual. DCV email list. to Townsend on Portland will be Gloves, Glasses, Steelies, Etc. aka Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Richard Meatyard
It has been a bit of standing joke type of glasses will greatly working TOO close, move apart. If that the most dangerous tool on reduce the chance of something they are required by the risk a DCV work site is the kettle and contacting the eye. A possible assessment or the leader feels the truth is it has been one of the exception is walling where they are appropriate, they will be most frequent causes of opening chipping or breaking stones can issued and must be worn. up the First Aid kit in recent create high velocity chips that Otherwise, they are available on years. However, a recent are best protected against by request. incident requiring medical approved safety glasses. attention has come as a timely reminder that it is not just the We have had safety goggles and tools we use that can cause Hands are more resilient and work gloves available to borrow. injuries. It is easy to become usually recover from minor The goggles are primarily for complacent about what appears injuries given time. A good pair walling tasks for which they to be a benign work of stout work gloves will protect provide excellent protection but environment. from an errant bowsaw blade they are not the most comfortable and most thorny and spiky to wear for extended periods. We
objects. Although the protection have now sourced some lighter Hopefully? whenever we pick up against thorns is greatly reduced safety glasses suitable for general a tool we give some thought to once they get wet and puncture use. its safe use and its potential to wounds in wet hands are more injure us or those around us likely to become septic. before we start using it. How To encourage people to have and many or us though pause to use PPE anyone who attends at think about the environment that For most DCV tasks a stout pair least two tasks will be entitled to we are about to start working in, of boots that provide ankle one free pair of work gloves and which has its own and support are all that is required. safety glasses. For those that wish sometimes less obvious hazards. However, feet do need protection to protect their expensive A sudden gust of wind that from falling objects so for walling, prescription specs we also have deflects the swing of a bill-hook fencing and similar tasks steel some that can be worn over these. from branch towards a finger that toe capped safety boots are After this you will I’m afraid have to is too close, the twig or branch strongly recommended. Also purchase any replacements. when digging, the reinforced sole that flicks back into an unprotected eye as you pull out of safety boots provides On an experimental basis, as a the branch you have just cut or protection against damage to the result of bulk purchasing for DCV, as you wriggle into the ideal ball of the foot and instep. we are able to offer a choice of 3 position to cut that pine tree different types of work gloves at £2 down. The final items I need to mention a pair. They are the default large are hard hats & high-vis jackets. size that industrial work gloves Eyes are precious, fragile and For the majority of DCV tasks come in. If you have smaller hands easily damaged. Something these are optional as we tend to then you may need to seek being flicked in to the eye can avoid tasks where they are smaller size gloves. These are cause lasting injury or infection. required. In most cases, for this available from brands like Town & It is easy to protect against. For type of task, if you are at risk of Country or Briars which can be most DCV tasks just about any something falling on you, you are found in garden centre, countryside stores etc. S.W.Hyde the last burning task of winter with a cookout to celebrate
This winter has seen lots of rain, fire site. A site visit with the ARC through the long heather, getting in fact in February alone we had ranger was made in preparation further away from the fire. four times as many wet days as for the next task there in two As this was the last burn up we in February 2015. This must weeks time. decided to mark the occasion have helped to reduce the task with a feast of plenty or in DCV attendance, although some of And so onto the last burning task parlance a cookout. A small the regulars will swear that they of the winter season, the secondary fire was lit and haven’t been as wet as they weekend tasks split between sausages were cooked along thought they might be. cutting and burning scrub on with jacket potatoes and other Our first task at SW Hyde, Portland on the Saturday and foods being heated. working for Amphibian and cutting pine at SW Hyde on the Reptile Conservation, was in Sunday. Eight volunteers With plenty of food on the table early March with cool winds undertook the long journey to we gorged ourselves until some sunshine and showers. Portland to cut scrub from a bursting (poetic licence) which The one thing about this site that disused quarry for Butterfly meant the afternoon was a quiet struck me was the haunting conservation. The keen wind affair as we digested our food beauty of the landscape, not kept us wrapped up and the fire and thoughts of not having unlike a northern upland scene. starting was made easy by the another fire for six months. We saw Dartford warbler flitting use of a gas torch. We struggled to keep the flow of across the heath and the ranger And then onto the Sunday task, cut material for the fire and so saw and heard the enegmatic with nearly six months of cutting decided to have an early tea and iconic Crossbill with its red and burning pine trees, birch break with toasted hot cross plumage and strange crossed bill trees, gorse and scrub we have buns and lashings of butter. for getting the seed out of pine now at last come to the end. The Later as volunteers drifted away cones. Also how wet underfoot it area had been previously worked we settled into the final stages, was for a heathland reserve, with on by ARC, they cut a number of the ritual turning in of the fire, we lots of boggy areas and large and medium pine trees, a all had a go playing with the last sphagnum moss outcrops. DCV chainsaw fest I think it might be of the burning logs, and so to sit cleared the required area of called, not something DCV does and watch as the glowing small to medium invasive pine, as most volunteers don’t come embers change colour from fiery all self sown from nearby out to listen to the chainsaw all red through orange with the day or clear up after it. The area occasional blue green flame. The chosen was dry underfoot with last kettle full of water on an lots of healthy heather, and a open fire for the next six months scattering of small pine and a was ceremonially put on and large area of medium pine. lashings of hot tea made. We stayed until the fire was nearly out, phoning fire control for the last time, (will you be back there they said, no, will speak to you in six months time I said). plantations. The area is owned by the Forestry Commision and The end parts are leased to ARC for reptile conservation. The ranger told us that a few reptiles may be about as he had seen some on a Twelve volunteers took the different reserve, this one being challenge on a cool, cloudy but less visited. dry day and with a roaring fire to The Sunday volunteers had a keep going it soon became a similar day to the Saturday and challenge to walk backwards (as cleared a large area to the south some volunteers can be seen and west, burning at a different doing occasionally) and forwards The Handy Guide to Work Gloves or your hands need you to protect them
On a DCV task we need to think safety before we start work. Gloves protect our hand from scratches and cuts, that’s not to say you wont get any but they will be less and heal quicker if you wear gloves. Here is a guide to the many and varied gloves that are on the market, and not in any order of preference. Just buy them and try them.
Rigger Gloves Light Duty These budget gloves are sold by many popular hardware stores and garden centres and are cheap to buy (between £1.50 and £2.00) which means they are cheap to produce. They are good enough for most types of DCV work and the big advantage they have is they are thin enough to be flexible especially when gripping and might be better for those of us with older hands and weaker wrists. Some are made better than others and I would suggest that you buy two pairs, as the stitching can come apart quickly. After task when you get home if they are dry just bash against a wall to get the dust and soil of them, but if wet wrap in newspaper and let them dry for a few days then flex them or screw them up and wear them before putting them away.
Rigger Gloves Heavy duty These gloves have thicker leather and stronger stitching and cost about £3.00 to £4.00 and are usually sold at the same stores. They are good for heavy duty work such as dry stone walling and fencing with barbed wire. The stiffness of the leather may take a while to become more supple, just wear them before the task and bend and twist them. When wet the same procedure as for the cheaper gloves but when dry they may be like stiff card. Spray them lightly with water and rub in a little cooking oil, leave them overnight and bend and flex them. Make sure they are not slippery so your tools won’t fly out of you hand.
Waterproof PVC gloves These can come lined with cotton or not. Again sold at hardware stores for between £1.50 and £2.00 they are an alternative to leather gloves. They are great for pond work or any work in the rain. The PVC is hard wearing and can last all winter, whilst remaining flexible. They have a good grip without being slippery. The drawback is they are difficult to dry inside and can quickly smell like kippers, as do most things that aren’t dried properly. Once washed peg them with the wrist to the top and they will dry in a few days. I peg mine on a wine rack in the kitchen to dry.
Cotton Inner or lining gloves can be called picking gloves These should not be used to work in but used inside the PVC gloves and cost about £2. They provide added protection and warmth and are still flexible enough to use all kinds of tools. They are easy to dry when wet and should outlast the PVC gloves. These are preferred by professionals who work outdoors all winter and who recommended them to me. Step Building a short guide
Line and location This can be overcome by putting in a very hard wearing As a rule of thumb shallow steps appear on a surface on a wide path just like a road, i.e. rising from path where the angle of climb is approximately Lulworth towards Durdle Door. 1 in 4. These steps might be widely spaced with a rising tread. At 1 in 3 the path will either We are sometimes asked to alter the line of existing zig zag or be in need of moderate steps more steps. This is probably because erosion has been evenly spaced but still with a rising tread. caused by walkers taking short cuts. Here we have to Steep steps at 1 in 2 or 1 in 1, should have physically block the short cut and realign the new steps evenly spaced steps with level treads just like around the affected area. The eroded path should be re- walking upstairs. The obvious problem is that landscaped to prevent further erosion. The path and steps are narrower than a path and so in steps should always be clearly seen from above or below popular areas congestion can build up. to prevent further short cuts.
Wooden Steps • These are very easy if replacing existing worn steps. The line and levels have already been done before.
• Use an iron bar to lever out old steps and stobs.
• Stobs are stakes hammered into the ground and nailed to the riser to hold the step in place.
• If stobs are broken, get out as much as possible and realign new ones to one side.
• Cut new step wider than path and slot further into the bank. This adds stability to the step.
• Always use a spirit level and tap down the step with a hammer to make sure all steps are level.
• Use an iron bar to make a hole for the stob.
• Hammer in stob next to step using a sledge hammer or maul.
• Square stobs may twist. Pull out and put a counter twist on before re-hammering in.
• Cut off excess stob with forward slope making sure all stobs look the same.
• Stobs should be the same distance apart on every step.
• Never put a third stob in the middle. This can trip walkers, especially if the step starts to rot.
Stone steps Finishing off The principles are the same except round metal pins Back fill the step with earth leaving a couple of are used for stobs. Some steps have a slot cut into inches for a top dressing. Sometimes this can be them for the stob. crushed limestone which forms a hard wearing waterproof cap. Other dressings can include pea Hammer down the pins using a metal sledge and a gravel, beach stones or other crushed stone. This short piece of metal to bang them a good two inches should be tamped down using a punner. Make sure below the level of the riser without damaging the the step surface has a camber to drain water off to stone step. the sides. Use up any turfs you may have cut to landscape the steps. This will quickly grow again Further reading: BTCV Footpaths handbook and give it that mature look Footpath Work repairs & maintenance
This quarter we have some The tall posts may be dug in the Try to put a camber or slope to footpath work to do along the ground three feet and may have allow rainfall to run away and a coastal path and paths leading to cross bars fitted on the base to small ditch to drain the area. it. After the winter rains and wind, prevent removal by vandals and to Cutting taller trees to allow more it is time to do a little TLC on some add stability. A hole has to be dug sunlight helps to dry out a wet paths more regularly used by the through stony ground with the aid area. public. Often minor inland paths of an iron bar, the post placed and with little use are left to the packed with stones and soil then walkers to keep open by walking tamped down. them but along the coast with thousands of visitors more work is needed. Styles and kissing gates Sometimes the coastal path Waymarking erodes and has to be realigned. The stone way-marks need little There may be a need to put a new attention as they are dug into the
Cutting overgrowth Some areas of the path near to steps, styles and gates can be widened to put less pressure on the surface. Overgrown areas should be cut back in mid spring and again a couple of times in gate or style into an existing fence. the summer, cutting back scrub, The fence would have to be cut nettles and brambles at least a ground with at least as much and new straining posts dug into slasher’s length from the path. underground as above (not an the ground, the fence reattached easy task). The stone is durable to the posts and a style built in the Try not to let volunteers get too but sometimes the lettering fades gap. Kissing gates are often fitted far ahead but to tackle a and so they need to be repainted. on the coast path where there may designated area as a team or be more traffic and some less able teams. Most volunteers like to bodied walkers that can’t use a work with others or at least have Wooden finger posts can rot, tip style. them nearby and make sure and move. If damaged and in need there are experienced volunteers of replacement they are often cut Resurfacing working near to new volunteers. at the base and soiled over and a There are areas of the coast path Health and safety being new hole started nearby. which are narrow and muddy due uppermost in our minds, wear to boundaries or practicalities of gloves and safety specs. the terrain. This is the place to resurface the path with stone Next Step building task will be at chippings and a limestone dust Chapmans pool near to Worth topping. Sometimes a membrane Matravers on the weekend of is put down to allow water to pass 7 & 8 May for Dorset County through but not the mud. Then the Council. stone dressing is put on and Next footpath work will be at tamped down. Ballard down Swanage on the weekend 20 & 21 May for the National Trust. DCV Market Place roll up, roll up get them now while stocks
Wellington Boots for sale
DCV members can still get excellent quality, steel-toe-capped, rubber Wellington boots at a VERY good price, if they act quickly! They are Century 4000, made in Serbia with lasts and equipment bought from the famous Hunter maker in Scotland, but now discontinued – hence the bargains. These are probably the ideal boots to wear on all DCV tasks and social events, or indeed at any time, especially if that encourages you to buy a pair.....
Richard, Doug, Gareth, Viv and others have already got some, and John can show you sample pairs.
They are the fashionable matt black, with toe-caps and boot- topping sometimes in a bright colour.
Sizes currently available are 3,4,5,6,7 and 9 and all are only £22 per pair.
Buy from Honest John, on task, or contact him on 01329 231961 [email protected] or 07710 293566
Payment in cash to John, when you get them - on task/other DCV event/by arrangement.
DCV Clothing available to order
Clothing has the DCV logo embroidered on. The hats have DORSET COUNTRYSIDE VOLUNTEERS in a contrasting colour (typically white) but not the logo.
Adult sizes: Sweatshirts (crew neck, unisex S to XXL) £16.50, Sweatshirts (crew neck, ladies, slightly lighter weight material, sizes 8 to 18) £16.50, Hooded Sweatshirts (unisex S to XXL with kangaroo pocket) £17.95, Zip Hooded Sweatshirt (unisex S to XXL with side pockets) £21.00, Polo Shirts (men S to XXL, ladies size 8 to 24) £12.50, T-shirt (unisex S to XXL) £8.50,
Hats and caps: Baseball caps £7.50 (adult or child). Fleece hat (with turn-up band) £7.50 (adult or child). Note that these are polyester so should be kept away from fire.
If you are interested in ordering let Gareth know, [email protected] or 07923 498760 but you may have to wait a while for him to receive sufficient interest to place an order as there is a minimum order quantity of 4.
Typical examples of colours are: Black, Navy Blue, Bottle Green, Burgundy, Royal Blue, Light Grey, Purple, and Red although hats have a more limited colour range.
Please note that there may be slight variations in details dependant on the stock that our supplier can obtain at the time. Focus on South Poorton, Loscombe & West Milton
These three Dorset Wildlife Trust reserves in west Dorset are linked by footpaths in a circular walk covering nearly 5 miles. The varied scenery in these clay and sand valleys with small wet woods, ancient hedgerows and small fields is Dorset at its best. The sunken lanes have taken hundreds of years to evolve as carts and carriages have cut into the soft earth as have the ancient strip lynchets, part of the medieval farming system. DCV have worked on all three of these reserves helping to manage the unimproved flower rich grasslands and their anthills. You can download a leaflet and map at: http://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/hres/Ant_Hill_Trail_Leaflet2015.pdf
There may be the possibility of a DCV organised walk here sometime in June or early July if there are enough takers. Please let us know on [email protected]
Glow Worms Lampyris noctiluca
Glow worms are not worms but members of the beetle family and are about an inch long. Only the females glow to attract the flying males to mate and will only glow for a few weeks or until she lays her eggs, then she dies. The eggs hatch into larvae and will stay in this state for between one and two years living off small snails which they paralyse before sucking them dry. This life cycle means they may be plentiful one year and not the next. Using bioluminescence they glow from the final two segments of their body. This is caused when the molecule luciferin is oxydised to produce oxyluciferin, with the enzyme luciferase acting as a catalyst in this reaction. The males and larvae have smaller light emitting areas and can sometimes glow faintly. Their peak glowing season is mid June to mid July with others glowing earlier and some glowing later. They are often found in larger numbers on grassy unimproved areas such as downland especially where small snails occur but can be found almost anywhere in the UK from railway embankments, hedgerows and even gardens, where the grass in not tightly mowed or grazed. Look for them as soon as it gets dark from June to August but only look, do not disturb them or collect them in jars as used to happen centuries ago as some populations may be on a knife edge. Sites such as Hambledon Hill and Fontmell are well known for Glow worms and these site are protected nature reserves but they need some form of grazing and management each year. DCV have worked on both these sites this winter. As a thank you for all your hard work we have arranged a visit to Hambledon Hill to see these rare creatures in their natural habitat. The National Trust ranger Clive Whitbourn will take us on a guided walk when it gets dark to look for the Glow worms. We hope to have a picnic on the hill before the walk and maybe a drink in a local pub after. At the moment we have agreed on Thursday 21st July if dry and possibly the Wednesday 20th July if not. Keep a look out for an email for what could be a wonderful popup event.
Hambledon Hill OS 194
Park in NT field Or lay-by
Lat/Long to Post Code converters
The world is changing and technology is helping us in these changes. The newsletter has always included maps of the work sites and these are still relevant and useful even today with SatNavs and mobile mapping. Recently Richard has been putting the Lat/Long coordinates on the web site for each weeks task and one can put these into some SatNav systems but not all, as some will only take the UK post codes. Talking to Jane at Tyneham the other week she said she uses a site, http://www.streetmap.co.uk/gridconvert.html to convert Lat/Long into post codes. So copy and paste the Lat/Long and it will convert to the nearest Post Code. Let us know how you get on as we do need volunteers to be able to find our work sites. Specialist tools used in Dry Stone Walling
Article on Dry Stone Walling Tools for DCV
Jonathan Leyland 12th April 2016
Most of the time a dry stone waller will only use a couple of tools: a walling hammer for knocking edges and corners off to get stones to fit, or a lump hammer to break stones into smaller pieces. Many walls that need repairing are field boundaries, and so will not be seen by very many people and so these tools are perfectly adequate. The use of some more specialist tools could help to improve the look of the wall if it is in a highly visible place, such as next to a public footpath. There are three types of chisel and a specialist hammer that could be used for dressing the stone in this way.
A punch hammer is shaped and weighted to allow maximum force to be transferred to the chisels, and is therefore lighter and more efficient than a lump hammer.
The three types of chisel that you could use are as follows:
• the punch is a long chisel with a small pointed tip (often made of tungsten). These are useful for accurately knocking off larger pieces of stone, or for splitting stone that has an obvious layering within it.
• The pitching tool has a wide blade with a sharp edge. This is good for shaping the front face of a stone to get it to look nice and flat, by taking off small protrusions or lumps.
• the scutch is a chisel that has a serrated metal comb inserted in the end. This is good for taking off lumps to make the top of a stone nice and flat. It also leaves a pleasing pattern of lines in the stone!
Experiment using these chisels with different stones and see if you can shape the stones by taking some of the worst of the lumps and bumps off them. The resulting wall will hopefully look even better than before! A Wonderful Evening of Entertainment Harmans Cross village hall 27th February 2016
This performance was emailed to me as of interest to DCV and we emailed the details to the group. “Two Nations”, the story of the poor who helped make the country rich. Centuries of back breaking work, women, men and children who worked the land from before the enclosure acts that denied them common land, through poverty, eviction and to the poor house, separated from their loved ones for the rest of their lives. Through the industrial revolution that turned their lives upside down, through war, peace and recession to the days of enlightenment and social reform.
The performers weave their magic as they walk through the audience. Simple props such as a waistcoat or hat.
Time and Tide Theatre Group (TTTG) is a collective of like- minded musicians and performers who produce stories interwoven with folk song, sometimes using local tales e.g. the Tolpuddle Martyrs or shipwrecks on the south coast, but always concentrating on the ‘local’ people – those who have not left buildings or books, only their songs and stories for us to remember them by. These ‘folk-dramas’ have been performed at arts and folk festivals and arts venues throughout the south/south west of England. Each performance is a mixture of songs, tunes, readings and cameos by costumed performers. TTTG makes each space its own by using simple props; lighting and sound amplification can be used if it is required but they like to perform acoustically in the spirit of the subject of the piece.
Two Nations tells the tale of the artisan and the land they are part of; of their world, in harmony with the rhythms of tradition and horse, shattered by the wheels of progress that forge a brave new world. Machines and commerce defy natural time and season so, to survive, the divided nation – rich and poor, skilled and labourer, unfortunate or blessed - must work together, and weave a new world from the old to create a common future for all.
Drawing on the observations of William Cobbett (Rural Rides 1826-8), Benjamin Disraeli (Sybil 1848), Rolf Gardiner (Land Husbandry 1971) and others, the action follows the journey of everyone from the pastoral ‘idyll’, to industrial inferno and through upheavals of war. Performers weave threads of triumph and tragedy, love and laughter, using narration, cameo, instrument and voice. They create a tapestry using the voices of the diarists and commentators, and songs and tunes from the Hammond Collection of Folk Songs that will engage, move and entertain. They will show you what others did not see, hear what others did not hear and understand what others did not wish to know.
If ever you get a chance to go to see them then do and tell DCV because I am sure there would be many of willing to go along to see them.
ASSOCIATION ORCHIS - DCV EXCHANGE 2016
It is almost time for our annual visit to St Vaast in Normandy, France. On Friday morning the 20th May an intrepid group of DCV members will be crossing the Channel from Poole to Cherbourg to enjoy French hospitality. On Saturday we will be helping our hosts to cut brambles overlaying a path in a botanical garden. So far 12 members have signed up to be on the boat but more are welcome.
We return to Poole on Sunday 22nd May landing at 21.45. If you would like to join our group or would like more information please phone or email me. We have had made available to us a limited number of ferry tickets at the much reduced price of £23 as opposed to the normal cost of £70. The sooner you book the more likely you are to be able to obtain one of these tickets. This is the only cost involved for the weekend the food and accommodation being provided by our French hosts.
In September we will be able to return the good deed when our French colleagues will visit us.
These are always very enjoyable exchanges and if you would like to join us either now or in September please don't hesitate to contact me.
Terry Gillott
01202 757099 email [email protected]
Snippets & News
ICE (in case of emergency) tag, not got one, then get one from Richard. We’ve all dropped food on the floor and picked It can clip inside your rucksack and you can it up and eaten it, it’s sometimes known as the write an emergency phone number inside 3 second rule, and not had any ill effects. Dry the tag, (to keep details private) to be used foods such as biscuits and foods with a high by the task leader in case of an accident. sugar have shown to accept less bacteria than damp foods. NHS England advice is “bin it” especially if you are susceptible to an upset tummy as we just don’t know what bacteria is on the ground. Tyneham is named from the old english tige and hamm meaning goat enclosure.
Ash dieback otherwise known as “Chalara” is now A butterfly flutters by nationwide and on the increase, it has been said How does a butterfly know how to fly that this is the next great change to our landscape When it’s not made from butter since Dutch elm disease wiped out all our large nor is it a fly iconic countryside trees. There are reports that this could radically change the look and feel of the British countryside. Use your favourite search Ballard down is from balg and heafod engine and find out the truth! meaning smooth or rounded head
Some of us have more sensitive skin than others and are more susceptible to bites and stings from plants. Your newsletter editors always carry an antihistamine cream for their own use and find it very effective. Buy one for your own use but do read the instructions.
Dorset Wildlife Trust species of the month for April is the Orange Loscombe from hlose cumb tip butterfly, let them know if you see one at: meaning valley with a pig-sty http://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/SOTM-orangetipbutterfly
What a wet winter, wearing wellies while we work. The figures do indicate that we had more wet days in early 2016 than in 2015 but not necessarily more total rainfall. Weekend days in January 2016 were bad but volunteer attendance was up. We would expect to see a drop in attendance on wet weekends so there seems to be a different factor driving us to go out on task. These figures are taken from records kept in the Bournemouth area.
Date Wet days Wet Attendance Date Wet days Wet Attendance weekend weekend days days Jan 2015 11 3 51 Jan 2016 20 7 58
Feb 2015 7 3 42 Feb 2016 15 3 46
Mar 2015 8 2 51 Mar 2016 10 1 46 SOCIALS
Socials this quarter have been very well Following Don’s article in the last newsletter supported by both old and new members. there is a more varied range of socials. During The pancake evening at Doug’s provided a the task at Tyneham on June 12th there will be totally different problem for him, not just a bring a dish meal. Please bring a dish to the usual calculation to ensure there were share. Again following a task, this time at enough pancakes to go round but also the Studland on Saturday 2nd July there will be a puzzle of how to fit 19 people into his BBQ. Please bring whatever you would like to kitchen. Even with extra tables and chairs cook on the BBQ and bring a dish to share and there was an overflow onto the steps a drink. This will be confirmed nearer the date. st which lead to the living room. It was a On 21 July at Hambledon Hill there will be really enjoyable evening with the usual either a picnic or pub meal followed by a walk excellent range of food and conversation. to hunt glow-worms. The warden of the site, Clive Whitborn has agreed to lead a walk and The pub meal at the Red Lion was also very says that this is the best time of year for this. If well supported, the food was delicious, and the weather is fair we shall have a picnic if not as always the conversation was lively. A a pub meal at The Cricketers Inn, Iwerne range of magic tricks provided a new form Courtney. Please check the website for final of entertainment for the evening. details.
Helen
“Field Days” part of the Ridgeway Project
This touring exhibition called “Field Days” shows commissioned works from both local and national artists and is their interpretation of the myths, legends, geology and archaeology of the South Dorset Ridgeway. This broad chalk ridge stretches from Broadmayne to Kingston Russell and within its 14 square miles are at least 500 earthworks charting the peoples occupation of the land since prehistoric times. The exhibition is on tour and can be seen at: Walford Mill, Wimborne 18th June to 3rd July. Martinstown village hall 9th to 10th July. Kingcombe Centre 22nd to 24th July.
Artsreach is a an arts group giving rural communities all over Dorset the chance to see high quality arts events in their own villages. This charitable organisation aims to make ticket prices affordable to all and so receives grants from the Arts Council, Dorset county and district councils. Their events are at: http://www.artsreach.co.uk/index Sand Patching giving sand lizards a helping hand Chris Dresh Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
Why is bare ground creation important on heathland?
The creation of areas of bare sand within a heath is a fundamental part of its ecosystem, benefiting a whole host of rare and endangered flora and fauna. Without this process if the heath was just left to its own devices a uniform sward of dwarf shrubs would eventually drown out and dominate the open areas, so recreating open areas not only has the initial benefit of being 100% open, but over time is allowed to heal over creating an successional age structure within the heathland flora, this in turn creates its own specific niches for different fauna species, such as basking edges, cover to escape predators and a new generation of pollen rich heathers for invertebrates.
What species rely on bare open sand?
The list of invertebrates related to open ground on heaths is an extensive one, from colonies of solitary bees and wasps to beetles and reptiles, some of which are now entirely confined to the heaths of Dorset, Hampshire and Surrey which contain good rotational open ground management. The sand lizard being one of the most popular known species in relation to bare ground needs these areas of open sand to allow the females in late summer to burrow into to lay their eggs as the open ground warms up faster than the surrounding denser structure this allows the eggs to be incubated and the new generation to hatch out in the autumn.
The heath tiger beetle, the largest of the six species of tiger beetle found in the UK, depends on open ground for its larvae to develop in vertical burrows in which they sit and wait to ambush any passing prey item and for the adults to hunt by chasing down other invertebrate species. Heath tiger beetle has declined drastically over the last 25 years due to large scale heathland fragmentation, but the species has poor dispersal patterns, so lack of bare ground connectivity over larger areas within the heath could also be a confining factor.
One less glamorous species, the mottled bee-fly, has now also become extremely rare and confined to the Dorset, Surrey heath complexes. This is a parasitic species whose host, Ammophilla pubescens (a type of sand digger wasp), is in turn a parasitic species on certain types of caterpillar, which it gathers and places in burrows in which its larvae develop. The mottled bee-fly will sit and wait for the sand wasp to return with a fresh host, once egg laying has taken place the bee-fly will enter the burrow and lay its egg on either the wasps larvae or the caterpillar, which act as nourishment for the developingSupplement bee-fly.
Sand Patching Continued
How can bare ground be created?
Originally bare ground and successional habitats would have been created by natural erosion, peat cutting, grazing livestock, burning, each creating their own niche habitats. More modern practices include military training grounds, mineral extraction and recreational activities, although some of these have adverse effects on other rare and endangered heathland species, the consistency of the substrate created is sometimes undesirable, nearly all of the target species require a compacted finish, 'fluffy sand' or continually disturbed sand is far less desirable.
Conservation practices can be achieved in many different ways. The main technique is the simple sand patch; small areas of shrub removal by spade down to bare sand give an instant desirable habitat, leaving mature cover around the area and with south facing banks created from the turfs to add another niche habitat.
Connectivity of sand patches to create hand dug sand strips in turn create larger areas of bare ground to benefit species which require more space, such as the above mentioned tiger beetles. The larger the area also allows future manipulation of the successional habitat, allowing some areas to 'heal over' and other parts remain as open ground.
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If the area is large enough then mechanical techniques can be applied, these are usually done by digger/ bulldozer creating long linear strips with south facing banks along an edge, and these strips also have the added bonus of being effective firebreaks. Hand dug or machine dug micro cliff faces also have benefits to certain niche invertebrate species.
It doesn't matter how small or how large the area is, if assessed correctly to minimize impact on other species already present, then any sand is good sand!
DCV will be sand patching at the following sites:
Sunday 29th May Worgret Heath, near Wareham
Saturday 4th June Great Ovens near Wareham
18th & 19th June East Gore Heath near Wareham All text and photos credited to Chris Dresh
Supplement GREAT DORSET BEACH CLEAN Gareth Morgan
This was the 27th year of the newsletters. Hopefully, we will Although most of our volunteers Great Dorset Beach Clean, but see a few of them again. were unimpressed by the litter the first not organised by Dorset survey forms, some were pretty Countryside. Litter Free Coast Having a combined group meant vocal with their criticism, the and Sea we had 33 volunteers in total, families with children completed (www.litterfreecoastandsea.co.uk some all day, most for half a day. some. In any case, I fed back ) has taken on the organisation A couple of walkers joined in for that the form is over-complex but, having just 2 or 3 staff an hour or so and we had a and is something most of us did lodging at County Hall, are far couple who'd travelled a long not welcome. more dependent on volunteer way (from Bath) for the clean. A organisers than were Dorset couple on holiday from There was a big disadvantage Countryside. I've been leading Cambridge helped for half a day. for me. With people coming and DCV Abbotsbury beach cleans I counted 20.5 volunteer days. A going all day, I did virtually no since 2012, with Dorset good number were children, walking on the beach myself: Countryside's John Hayes or which was pleasing to see. Of the first time I've not been to the Jenny Penny as organiser, then the 33, 15 were DCV members tank traps on one of these days. last year we had Don Moxham (or at least watch our website). as Beachmaster. The remainder saw local I wonder what would have publicity by the organisers or happened if I had not been When I contacted Litter Free DCV. Beachmaster. Would someone Coast and Sea to let them know else have done it if DCV were DCV would attend, little did I By the end of the day we had not at Abbotsbury? know I was volunteering to be collected 30 bags of rubbish for Beachmaster! It crept up on me. landfill, 14 of plastics for Whilst I may lead again next I asked if free car parking would recycling, with 5 of tins and 1 of year, I would like the chance to be arranged, what the litter glass taken away by Dave to get to the tank traps. If anyone collection arrangements would recycle. We had a selection of fancies being Beachmaster do be (e.g. divide litter into 'big stuff’' the most unusual this let me know and I will hand the recycleable or not), would litter year being the 'big black baton on, with guidance and pickers and bags be provided? thing' (probably a pontoon) that support of course. Maybe a As the day approached, I was Toby hauled along the beach. better way would be to split asked to call into County Hall to leading into morning and collect equipment. I was sent One of the best things about the afternoon sessions for this task. paperwork including risk day was non-DCV people who Or, there might be a non-DCV assessments. I had become turned up for the afternoon Beachmaster so the DCV leader Beachmaster! saying we were the only local can concentrate on our beach clean not finishing at traditional clean. My car was well loaded with 35 lunchtime. litter-pickers, hoops for bags, Whatever happens with the about 50 pairs of gloves, a Beachmaster and leading let's sharps box, and clip-boards with aim for 50 volunteers next year! litter surveys. Lucky I took my car and not a bicycle.
I was in an unusual position for a DCV leader, having to deal with members of the public, which Dorset Countryside did in the past. It did mean we were able to incorporate all the beach cleaners into the DCV group for the day, making sure they all got our leafletsSupplement and some took D C V DIARY May - July 2016
Date Task Site Client Work 29 May Worgret Heath Amphibian & Reptile Sand patching on Sunday Nr Wareham, Purbeck Conservation heathland 4 June Great Ovens, Sandford Amphibian & Reptile Sand patching on Saturday Purbeck Conservation heathland 5 June Higher Hyde Heath Dorset Wildlife Trust Fencing Sunday Purbeck 12 June Tyneham Tyneham Farm Project various Sunday Purbeck 12 June Tyneham bring a dish Shared lunch (lunchtime) 18 & 19 June East Gore, Sandford Amphibian & Reptile Sand patching on Purbeck Conservation heathland 26 June Swyre Private Dry Stone Walling Sunday West Dorset 2 & 3 July Studland, Purbeck National Trust Ragwort pulling
2 July Saturday Studland BBQ Possibly at Middle Beach From 6pm (evening) car park and bbq area 7 July DCV planning meeting At Viv’s 7:45pm Thursday 9 & 10 July Loscombe Dorset Wildlife Trust Thistle bashing & West Dorset ragwort pulling 17 July Swyre Private Dry Stone Walling Sunday West Dorset 21 July Glow worm walk Picnic or pub meal Led by National Trust Thursday Hambledon Hill See email nearer the time ranger 23 & 24 July South Poorton Dorset Wildlife Trust Ragwort pulling West Dorset 30 & 31 July Higher Hyde Heath Dorset Wildlife Trust Fencing Nr Wareham, Purbeck 20 & 21 August Tyneham Tyneham Farm Project Advance notice of Pond Purbeck digging & social
DCV mobile: 07929 961532 (task hours) ring longer than normal Please check DCV web site. Keep a note of the DCV mobile phone number - a task may have to be cancelled last minute, or finish early, e.g. adverse weather conditions. If comingSupplement out later in the day, phone to check the task is still running. D C V TASK PROGRAMME : May - July 2016
7 & 8 May: Houns-tout Cliff & Chapman’s Pool, Purbeck The cliff scenery at Chapman’s Pool is among the most spectacular on the Chapmans Pool OS 195 Dorset coast. Here the sea has eroded deep into a soft, clay geology. The cliffs slip and slump precipitously to the sea in a series of landslips. The coast path follows the cliff top descending into the landslips at Chapman’s Pool. Back in the mid 1990s DCV reconstructed the whole length of path descending the side of Houns-tout cliff – an awe-inspiring flight of over 150 stone steps. Many of us were a lot younger then and with cast iron backs! In
2001 we returned to re-fix steps that had slipped. More than a decade on and Chapmans Pool we have been asked to help again with step repairs on this and other paths in the area. Some paths have slipped so badly that they are being closed. Here we have a bridge to remove and warning notices to fix to direct walkers along safer routes. We tackle these jobs sharing the digging and fixing. And with lots of rest there’s plenty of chat and time to take in the views. NB: From past experience the weather here can be wonderful, but also Meet at Kingston windy, wet and cold, even on the same day. Come prepared with suitable car park just west of village clothing. We may move onward from Kingston car park through the Encombe Estate, so please try to arrive by 10.00 am sharp. If late look out for our white sign board with instructions. Use DCV mobile if you can’t find us.
Upton Wood OS 195 14 & 15 May: Upton Wood, Poole-Purbeck border We have an unusual early summer visit to this area of urban greenspace on the border of Upton. In the past the area formed part of Upton Heath, which extended from a distant ridge almost to the sea at Holes Bay. The Upton By-pass severed off the lowest part of the heath and over the years much of this area has developed into mature woodland. A small area of heath and mire continues to survive but is easily invaded by bramble and other scrub from its wooded surrounds. On this occasion our main focus will be on the dry heath, cutting out bramble and leggy gorse. Also on wetter ground we have been asked to trim back some of the bog myrtle. This is likely to be a leisurely task with lots of time to chat and catch Meet & park on Pony Drive up on DCV gossip while, on our breaks, enjoying the task leader’s eclectic choice of biscuits. NB: The mire is reported to have become very wet so bring wellies for the myrtle cutting. For those preferring to stay dry footed there is plenty to cut on the drier heath
21 & 22 May: Ballard Down, Swanage, Purbeck Our task this weekend takes us to another part of the Dorset coast path, just Ballard Down OS 195 outside Swanage and overlooking the bay. The path leads up Ballard Down, a high chalk ridge that ends abruptly in sheer white cliffs and spectacular sea stacks. Our attention will mostly focus on the lower, gentler slopes where the coast path and joining paths pass through farmland. Here the land is sheltered by the downland ridge and vegetation grows lushly. So much so that scrub and tall herbaceous vegetation can quickly encroach along the paths. We shall be working our way along these paths cutting back bramble, gorse and thorns, and with slashers knocking back other tall vegetation. Meet & park on NB: Park near Ballard Stores on Ballard Way or Bay Crescent. At the end of Ballard Way or Ballard Way follow the path through the Ballard Estate to meet the coast Ballard Crescent path. Remember your sun hat and cream if the weather is sunny. But even if the weather is warm, and it can get very hot on this sheltered part of the coast, leg and arm protection is advisable for dealing with the thorny vegetation and when using a slasher. D C V TASK PROGRAMME : May - July 2016
Sunday 29 May: Worgret Heath, Wareham, Purbeck Our heathland visits usually involve scrub bashing and bonfires. But Worgret Heath OS 195 there are other management needs. At this time of year it’s ‘sand patching’. This will be our first task of this type for quite a while. It Park at footpath involves digging out shallow turves of heather and turning them over to at end of houses form an adjacent bank. Although this might seem quite destructive it SY 894 873 actually benefits a wide range of heathland species that need both heather swards and patches of firm, bare ground. Among the most important are sand lizard which hunt and hide in the heather and use firm sand for basking and egg laying. There are also many heathland insects that burrow their nesting holes into bare sand, and some plants only thrive as colonists of bare ground. We shall be digging out lots of sand patches for the sand lizards of this heathland reserve. Between the digging there will be plenty of time to admire the view to the Purbeck Hills and gather for drinks, biscuits and chat. NB: There’s not much shade on the open heath and it can get hot under a strong sun. Do remember your sun hat and cream, and clothing to cover up if necessary.
Great Ovens OS 195 Saturday 4 June: Great Ovens, Nr Wareham, Purbeck (split task) Having honed our skill at ‘sand patching’ last weekend we can put it to good use at this large heathland reserve. Historically heathland would not have been a dense and continuous sward of heathers but in places broken by patches of bare ground such as from old wildfires, cart tracks and animal trampling. This mix of heather sward and bare but firm ground is important for a wide variety of heathland species. Perhaps the most charismatic is the sand lizard, a rare reptile that hunts and hides in the heather and uses firm sand for basking and egg laying. There are also many heathland insects that burrow their nesting holes into bare sand, and some plants only thrive as colonists Meet at dog of bare ground. We shall be digging out lots of sand patches for the walkers car park SY 923 904 sand lizards and other wildlife. Between the digging there will be plenty of time to gather for drinks, biscuits and chat. NB: The task site lies to the east of the road on leaving Sandford. Make for the car park shown on the map but we may gain access for parking through a roadside gate – look out for DCV signs. There’s not much shade on the open heath and it can get hot under a strong sun. Do remember your sun hat and cream, and clothing to cover up if necessary.
Sunday 5 June: Higher Hyde Heath, Wareham, Purbeck (split task) This task takes us back to a heathland reserve where we are helping to Higher Hyde Heath OS 194 erect a new fence. The site is one of several heaths that lie along the slopes of a long ridge that separates the Frome and Piddle valleys. Much of the higher ground has been dug for sand and gravel. Lower down the heathland has survived as a fragmented series of mostly wet Meet & park heaths and mires. Our task is in one such area, on the border of an old behind works SY 855 900 and in-filled quarry with a wet heathland on the slopes below. We shall be hauling more fence posts across the heath to where they are needed, digging holes and banging in the posts. We should also get to string up some of the fence wire - lots of work with hammers and staples. Expect long breaks on a choice slope as we refuel with teas, coffees and biscuits, plus plenty of chat, hopefully under a warm sun. NB: Park in reserve car park through gate beyond old parking area for the quarry. The task is on the other side of the adjacent lane to the golf course – follow DCVs distinctive yellow arrows. The route is wet in places so wellies are best. Waterproof boots will be fine if you dodge around the wetSupplement bits. D C V TASK PROGRAMME : May - July 2016
Sunday 12 June: Tyneham, Purbeck This has become one of our most popular task sites. It’s a great location Tyneham OS 194 & 195 and there’s always an interesting mix of jobs that require our attention in helping to maintain the setting of the old Tyneham Farm. The farm along with the nearby village and surrounding land was requisitioned by the wartime government in 1943 for training use by British forces. Peace came but the army stayed. The area is now part of the Lulworth firing ranges. Inadvertently this has given us a glimpse into the past - of village buildings and the everyday rural occupation of their occupants before the changes brought by the second half of the 20th century. The main restoration is now done. But maintenance and improvements keep us busy: repairing paths and walls, cleaning out ditches, cutting back vegetation and so on. We’re never quite sure what the task will cover, though it’s always interesting with lots of jobs to choose from. NB: Park at the far end of the visitors’ car park (SY 882 802) – the old farm lies beyond over the bridge and up valley to left. Or we may be in the old village that you will pass just before the car park. Look out for our trailer, yellow arrows or white sign board. And to make good use of the picnic tables we shall have a long and lazy ‘bring a dish’ lunch.
East Gore OS 195 18 & 19 June; East Gore, Nr Wareham, Purbeck This small heathland reserve lies on the edge of Wareham Forest. It is one of several that were established in the Forest as sanctuary areas for the rare sand lizard at a time when heathland and its wildlife was less valued. That time has now past and more heathland is being reclaimed back from the conifer plantations. The reserves are still important for their rare wildlife. A wide range of species need a mix of both heather swards and bare, firm ground. Sand lizard hunt and hide in the heather and use firm sand for basking and egg laying. There are also many heathland insects that burrow their nesting holes into bare sand, and some plants only thrive as colonists of bare ground. We shall Meet at dog walkers car park be creating sand patches for the sand lizards and mini beasts. This SY 923 904 involves digging out shallow turves of heather and turning them over to form an adjacent bank. Between the digging there will be plenty of time to gather for drinks, biscuits and chat. NB: On leaving Sandford make for the car park shown on the map but we may gain access for parking through a roadside gate – look out for DCV signs. There’s not much shade on the open heath and it can get hot under a strong sun. Do remember your sun hat and cream, and clothing to cover up if necessary.
Sunday 26 June: Swyre, West Dorset Swyre OS 194 After more than 10 years of tasks we are close to completing the restoration of the old drystone walls in the valley behind this village. Only one short section remains to repair. That is until another part collapses from years of wear by livestock and winter weather. On this task we shall complete the last repair and then…. There’s another field a little further away and more collapsing drystone wall needing Park opposite attention. So it will be some time yet before this site drops off our task church programme. The art of drystone walling is easily picked up. It’s rather like a 3-D jigsaw but without a picture, just a few simple rules on what sort of stone goes where. We shall have some experienced wallers to help and provide guidance. Our trusty stove will give us hot drinks for leisurely breaks through the day, and we can look forward to an assortment of biscuits and plenty of chat. NB: Park in Swyre village centre near the church (SY 528 883) just off the main road and look out for our distinctive DCV signs taking you through the Supplementfarmyard to the task site. D C V TASK PROGRAMME : May - July 2016
2 & 3 July: Studland, Purbeck (changed location) Studland OS 195 This weekend we have our regular seasonal encounter with ragwort. The task has moved from our normal location beside the southern side of Poole Harbour to some fields behind Studland village. The fields are on poor soils and ragwort in particular seems to do well. Brightly coloured cinnabar moth caterpillars can be found feeding on its leaves, protected by poison, just like the plant. Cattle and horses will generally avoid eating ragwort, so the grassland can appear as a mini savannah of short grass with ‘trees’ of flat topped yellow flowers. Grassland needs to be managed by grazing and sometimes cutting. But ragwort when cut can be attractive to eat and fatal to livestock. So its spread by seed needs to be controlled. We shall be pulling up the ragwort, shaking off the caterpillars to feed on the young rosettes. The flowering stems we shall stuff into bags for safe removal. Park on Heath NB: The task is near the end of Heath Green Road which branches Green road inland opposite the PO in the village centre. We may be able to park in the field, otherwise park on the lane being respectful to local residents, or in NT’s Middle Beach cark park and walk back. If the weather is fine on Saturday we hope to organise a BBQ after the task back at Middle Beach car park. Look out for an email close to the day for details.
9 & 10 July: Loscombe, West Dorset This reserve is aptly named, being tucked away in a deep valley. Loscombe OS 194 Even getting there is an adventure through winding, hedge-lined lanes and then down a steep sunken lane to the streamside hamlet in the valley bottom. At the reserve there are precipitously sloping pastures full of anthills, a hay meadow and marshy grassland, all edged by hedgerows. A wooded stream along the bottom Park in field completes a scene of beauty and tranquillity. Our task is to tackle SY 502979 thistles and any troublesome ragwort by all means possible - pulling, cutting and even digging out the bigger specimens. A scatter of thistles and ragwort add to the wildlife interest, their purple and yellow flowers providing a nectar source for many insects. In a few meadows thistles can grow in abundance. This reduces the grazing needed to conserve the many other grassland plants. So they need to be controlled. Cutting or pulling the stems before the flowers set seed prevents yet more new thistles. NB: Do bring your good gripping footwear for the steep slopes. Parking at the reserve is tricky. Do not park in residents’ lay-bys – they get annoyed! Look out for DCV signs in valley bottom lane for directions.
Swyre OS 194 Sunday 17 July: Swyre, West Dorset Limestone outcrops from Purbeck across to west Dorset and again in the north of the county. The landscape is distinctive, characterised by drystone walls, and the villages by limestone buildings. This village and the surrounding land are typical, the fields divided by a grid of old stone walls. The walls are strong and can last for centuries. But over time parts crumble and collapse as the weather and livestock rubbing up Park opposite against the stone take their toll. We have been visiting this site for over church a decade, rebuilding collapsed and collapsing sections of wall. On an earlier task we should have completed restoration of the walls in the valley behind the village. Now we have a new location - the walls bounding a field a little further on. The art of drystone walling is easily picked up and there will be some experience DCV wallers on hand to show how it’s done. Even on a busy weekend the fields have an air of quite tranquillity. Come along, enjoy the setting and help restore a landscape that will last for centuries. NB: Park in Swyre village centre near the church (SY 528 883) just off the main road and look out for our distinctive DCV signs taking you Supplementthrough the farmyard to the task site. D C V TASK PROGRAMME : May - July 2016
South Poorton OS 194 23 & 24 July: South Poorton, West Dorset This weekend we have a real treat, travelling to a remote area of rolling hills and steep sided valleys. The area is criss-crossed by hedgerows and small woods defining an intricate patchwork of grassland fields. Small villages lie tucked away among the hills, linked by narrow winding lanes. Our task is on a nature reserve near the head of one of the valleys. This is only our second visit. Here small fields fall sharply down to a stream in the valley bottom. They support a variety of grassland types and wild Park at reserve SY 513 977 flowers, drier on the high ground and wet and boggy in the valley bottom. Ragwort can become quite abundant on some fields. While valuable for some insect life, it can be poisonous to grazing livestock. This can be a problem in managing the grassland. So too can creeping thistle when it spreads in abundance. We shall be scouring the slopes, pulling unwanted ragwort and thistles and stuffing them into bags for safe disposal. There are great views to enjoy, and also our stove boiled teas and coffees. NB: Bring stout footwear for scrambling over the steep grassland slopes. And sunscreen too. There are lots of possible routes to this site along the network of country lanes. That shown on the map is the most straightforward, but others are via West Milton or Toller Porcorum.
30 & 31 July: Higher Hyde Heath, Wareham, Purbeck This weekend we return to this heathland reserve to Higher Hyde Heath OS 194 continue a mammoth task of erecting about a mile of new fence. The fence links with a cattle grid and will allow the reserve on both sides of a lane to be grazed with free- roaming livestock. The grazing should reduce the Park behind works SY 855 900 abundance of tussocky purple moor-grass allowing other wetland plants to thrive and with them rare species such as the silver-studded blue butterfly. We will be barrowing fence posts to where they are required, digging more holes and banging in more posts. Then we can string up the wire with hammers and lots of staples. There will be plenty of breaks, chat and our famous assortment of drinks and biscuits. NB: Park in reserve car park through gate beyond old parking area for the quarry. The task is on the other side of the adjacent lane to the golf course – follow DCVs distinctive yellow arrows. The route is wet in places so wellies are best. Waterproof boots will be fine if you dodge around the wet bits.
Let the summer of fun begin. BBQs, picnics, walks, talks, and games. Supplement