Dorset Countryside Volunteers No 152 May - July 2010 Reg Charity No 1071723 www.dcv.org.uk A more Rewarding Work Visit the beautiful Dorset Countryside Car or Bus, Bicycle or Train You are never far away from a DCV task Dorset Countryside Volunteers 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 since 1972 doing practical work in the Breaks for lunch and drinks countryside that would not otherwise be done Volunteers are male and female, from all walks FINDING DCV . of life, all ages and from all over the county Work is seasonal - in winter , woodland work, Maps with the task programme (at the back of this hedgelaying, coppicing; in summer dry stone newsletter) show the locations of task sites walling, clearing ponds, footpath work Look for DCV’s yellow arrows near the worksite or red and white tape or the DCV information board Organisations we work for include: Dorset may show an explanatory note Wildlife Trust (DWT), Heritage Coast Project, Natural England, National Trust, Amphibian & If unsure of the worksite try to arrive by 10.00 to Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC) meet other volunteers. The worksite may be some way off. Lost? give us a call on 07929 961532 We work at weekends throughout Dorset No super-human strength or special skills FOOD, DRINK & ACCOMMODATION needed, or attendance on every task or even for the whole weekend - any time is a bonus Occasionally, we hire a village hall, cook supper, visit the local pub and sleep overnight - karrimats DCV offers . available! N.B. Book with Peter a week in advance Practical care for the environment The charge for a weekend, including Saturday Opportunity to learn new skills - training given evening meal, lunch Saturday and Sunday, Use of all necessary tools breakfast on Sunday and accommodation, £3.00 DCV provides free hot/cold drinks and biscuits Beautiful countryside, social events, fun & companionship during the day - bring your own mug if you wish Link with a French conservation group On residentials, all volunteers are welcome to come for the evening meal and pub whether working both YOU should bring . days or just one Halls offered by DCV provide separate male and Stout footwear (steel toecaps if you have them) female toilet/washing and changing facilities Old clothes (wear layers) Tough gloves (we have some to sell/lend) Note: If you have a medical condition or Waterproofs, sun block, sun hat, insect repellent allergies of any sort, please carry a card and If staying overnight – a change of clothes, bring necessary medicines. If you wish, bring sleeping bag (air bed/camp bed if you wish) this to the attention of the task leader. Please Up to date tetanus jab complete the “in case of emergency” details at Goggles, if you wish, to protect your eyes the end of the newsletter, and bring on task. Reaching a task . All youngsters are welcome, but should be If you need / can offer a lift, phone one of the accompanied by a responsible adult. contacts 3 days before a task Lifts from Wool station (toolstore is nearby) EDITORIAL What wonderful weather we have been having recently - as we speak, three weeks of glorious sunshine. Spring is well on its way with the countryside displaying its many shades of green. What better way to enjoy it all than to come out on task with DCV and see some of the remote and beautiful places in Dorset. Bluebells and ramsons are beginning to bloom,, swallows were seen at Abbotsbury. If you‛ve been meaning to com e out on task for a while now but somehow not managed it, why not give it a try even if it ‛s f o r h a lf a d a y . W e h a v e a task near you, for example for those living in Poole and Bournemouth your nearest task would be Upton Wood which we are visiting twice this quarter. For those in Dorchester, Weymouth, and the west, we have tasks at Lower K in g c o m b e . Y o u ‛re n e v e r t o o f a r f r o m a D C V t a s k ! Being out on task is a good opportunity to record first or unusual sightings of flora and fauna When did you see your first brimstone this year? Let us know when you hear the first cuckoo and where. Just a gentle reminder about subscriptions, the money from which goes towards producing the newsletter and annual report. Remember it ‛s c h e a p e r t o b e a n a c t iv e m e m b e r a t £ 3 ! A big welcome to all new members and as always many thanks to all subscribers to this issue. We would like to say “bon voyage” to one of our longest serving and greenest members . A task never missed come rain or shine. You have endured the constant pounding on your joints, been through streams and come home wet and splattered with mud. You have never complained or hindered, been late or gone early (maybe once or twice). T Railer, it‛s 30 glorious years of sterling service and now you can rest up, not neglected like most of your kind but with renewed energy serving a new master. A big thank-you from all DCV members. We would like to welcome the younger looking offspring, not so green but with plenty of muscle and strength. Has spring finally sprung I ask steep slope quite an adventure recent programmes and is myself as I sit writing this report. and most people found rapidly becoming a favourite as Well I hope so having spent far themselves slip sliding away we get to see how our efforts too many days outdoors this more than once. benefit the centre. The stream winter getting cold and wet we dug behind the barn on our The first weekend in March saw although looking back over the original tasks has matured so us at Brackets Coppice tasks I see that in fact we well it is difficult to believe that it continuing with the hedge laying escaped the worst of it. was only created some 18 task started last year and as with months ago, a real reward for all The first task of the last the previous year two days of the hard work that we have put in programme took us to Ham warm sunny weather. For me creating it. Following a busy Common on a sparkling sunny probably the best task of the session of tree planting all hands day, the first shirtsleeves day of programme in fact we had so turned to digging and stone the year. With stunning views much fun we went back for an clearing in the bat garden in over the bay a busy time was additional day the following preparation for it to be planted up had clearing encroaching gorse weekend before the scheduled over Easter and erecting a to open up a path and adjacent task on Sunday. Although the rabbit-proof fence to protect this. view point. On the Sunday turn-out was fairly low on all operations moved a short three days a good hedge and The break in the scheduled tasks distance along the coast to the lots of enthusiasm meant that we at Easter gave us time to Luscombe Valley to help clear laid some 90 metres of hedge to commission the new trailer and back invading birch and willow a good standard. On the this had its first outing to on a site that we had not visited Sunday, another bright sunny Broadoak on the following for many years. day with a good turnout from weekend where we found both DCV and Butterfly ourselves planting a small copse The following weekend saw us in Conservation, we returned for of varied native trees and the west of the county for a one of our regular visits to constructing an enclosure to couple of days of hedge laying Broadcroft Quarry to continue protect them from the sheep that on the DWT reserve at driving back the scrub and come in to graze the field at Kingcombe. For a change extend the areas of short turf so various times during the year. someone else had cleared out beloved of the butterflies there. and started a number of sections Possibly due to prolonged cold Following complaints about the so it was straight into hedge wet weather and often over amount of smoke we had laying on both days with plenty of pessimistic weather forecasts, generated on our last visit we room for all tackle their own attendance at tasks has been were under instructions not to section of hedge. lower this Winter particularly on overload the fires so we did our Saturdays when on several A week later and a surprising best to keep the fire burning hot occasions the day has started number of people found their and smoke free. with only the leader and one way down the long narrow lane Unfortunately the spring like other. Thankfully each time this on a damp cold day to Coombe weather of the previous two has happened a few more Heath where we picked-up weekends didn’t last and the two people have turned up later in where we left off last winter and busy days of rhody bashing at the day to reward the effort continued clearing the invasive Clouds Hill were rather damp but needed to get the tools on-site.