Dorset Countryside No 156 May-July 2011 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 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 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 . Practical care for the environment Occasionally, we hire a village hall, cook supper, Opportunity to learn new skills - training given visit the local pub and sleep overnight - karrimats Use of all necessary tools available! N.B. Book with Peter a week in advance Accommodation on weekend tasks The charge for a weekend, including Saturday Beautiful countryside, social events, fun & evening meal, lunch Saturday and Sunday, companionship breakfast on Sunday and accommodation, £3.00 DCV provides free hot/cold drinks and biscuits YOU should bring . during the day - bring your own mug if you wish On residentials, all volunteers are welcome to come Stout footwear (steel toecaps if you have them) for the evening meal and pub whether working both Old clothes (wear layers) days or just one Tough gloves (we have some to sell/lend) Halls offered by DCV provide separate male and Waterproofs, sun block, sun hat, insect repellent female toilet/washing and changing facilities If staying overnight – a change of clothes, sleeping bag (air bed/camp bed if you wish) Up to date tetanus jab Note: If you have a medical condition or allergies Goggles, if you wish, to protect your eyes of any sort, please carry a card and bring necessary medicines. If you wish, bring this to the Reaching a task . attention of the task leader. Please complete the If you need / can offer a lift, phone Peter Warren “in case of emergency” details at the end of the 3 days before a task newsletter, and bring on task. Lifts from Wool station (toolstore is nearby) All youngsters are welcome, but should be accompanied by a responsible adult. EDITORIAL Since the loss of our invaluable tools officer, Gordon, we‘ve been struggling to keep up with tool repairs. DCV has booked in the task programme a weekend of maintenance at the tool store and we need more help than usual in tool repairs, trailer maintenance and tool store upkeep. As an added incentive, the tool store task usually involves a pub lunch. Are you interested in learning new skills that you can use in your ordinary, everyday lif e ? I f s o , D C V c o u ld h e lp y o u . O n a ‘n o r m a l‛ D C V t a s k , t h e c lient‛s ideas are communicated through the leader to the group. The leader uses his or her management skills to utilise the abilities of the volunteers present to the best advantage, ensuring the smooth running of the task and getting the group to work as a team, whilst achieving the objective and volunteer satisfaction. Skills that could be learnt and exercised are communication, identifying personal skills, meeting targets, time management and team building. Even if you don‛t wish to become a task leader, you can play your part by being a proactive volunteer. This time of year some tasks need as many boots on the ground as possible and Balsam pulling is one of them. This fast growing annual (up to 3 metres in a few months) rapidly shades out native flora. As each plant produces hundreds of seeds which germinate freely, you can see why the problem is urgent. We have two weekend tasks on the River Hooke near Kingcombe in west Dorset so come along and help us banish this invader. This quarter DCV has a wonderfully varied and interesting programme of tasks in some of the most beautiful parts of Dorset. Get out your diary now and write in tasks that you want to go on. You‛ll be working with like minded people who have a wide variety of skills and w h o t a k e p r id e in t h e w o r k t h a t t h e y d o . A n d y o u ‛ll b e doing yourself some good as well. Co-ordinator‛s report Richard Meatyard Well the first full quarter’s a weekend of hedge laying. The to open out a ride through the programme of 2011 has certainly warden kindly took the tools on woodland to help dry out a wet been one of contrasts, variability to site, saving the long haul up boggy ride and encourage wild and plenty of scrub bashing with the lane. Once there we set to flower growth. With a good roaring bonfires. completing a good hedge which turnout both days we completed had been started by BTCV the section allocated to us. A weekend at Parley Common trainees. A good start was made Those who were there will know I opened the programme in cold on the Saturday in cold but dry spent most of the weekend bright windy weather that made weather but on Sunday the cold chainsaw in hand taking out keeping the large bonfires under bright weather gave way in the some of the larger trees control challenging. On Sunday afternoon to heavy hail storms including two large Scots Pines we generated so much smoke that froze fingers and set which came to earth with very that we received a visit from the everyone slipping and sliding on satisfying thumps. local fire-brigade after a resident the bank but this didn’t deter us reported smoke but was too from completing the hedge. Lorton Meadows took us back to vague about the location for fire a flight of steps we had built a control to be certain that it was Unusually I wasn’t out on the few years back that were in need our pre-notified controlled burn. next two tasks so while I gather of an overhaul. Work got off to a Well better safe than sorry and all went well and much was done slow start as a quarter of the thankfully no egg on face as we I can’t report in any detail on workforce had to go off on a had followed procedure. these, apart from reporting that shopping trip for materials as the padlock, for the wheel-clamp, some critical items provided by The following weekend was one which had made a bid for the client had mysteriously of our occasional visits to North freedom on Sunday has now disappeared from site during the Dorset and Girdler’s Coppice, been caught and returned to week. Putting in the new side- one of the few coppices in captivity. boards proved to be challenging Dorset still being actively as they had to be coaxed into managed, although sadly apart For those that wondered where I sinuous curves to fit snugly from a few pea and bean sticks was. I now occasionally lead alongside the existing steps most of the wood, which would working holidays for the National before these were re-cut and historically have been harvested, Trust, see: www.nationaltrust. resurfaced. was burnt. Indeed the bonfire org.uk/main/w-trust/w- was most welcome on the volunteering/w-workingholidays. Our first technical challenge for Sunday when a valiant few stuck htm, for details and had escaped the year safely accomplished the it out through a very cold wet to Leith Hill for the week to lead following Sunday we rolled up at day, it took me until the following a holiday coppicing and hurdle Springhead to continue the Thursday to dry everything out! making. The hurdle making was repair of the fence line alongside taught by a full-time professional the access track. A confusion By contrast, the Sunday scrub hurdle maker. What he made over dates meant we were a bash and fence removal session look easy proved to be a real week earlier than expected so at Ryewater on a balmy sunny challenge and very hard on the the materials hadn’t arrived. day was an early indication of hands but the resulting mini Fortunately scouring the site the warm spring to come. Black hurdle was well worth the produced enough posts and wire mark to the leader with only resulting blisters. to keep us busy for the day and black teas and coffees available a slightly early finish saved us as he, yours truly, had forgotten My first task back was at from the heavy downpour that the milk.