Tractor driving course

Apprentice Ranger Izzy, Ranger Rachel and Fleet Pond Ranger Lou are on a tractor driving course this week it's really important learning how to use the front end loader which is great for moving gravel, woodchip and other heavy things. The tractor also has a PTO on the back which enables us to use the mower and the salt spinner.

Dredging at Sandy Bay, Fleet Pond

Dredging work to deepen Sandy Bay has provided an opportunity to widen the open beach area for visitors to enjoy. Dredged sand will be spread over the areas that have been cleared of bramble by volunteers, to give a wider beach which will have a slight gradient to allow rainfall to run off into Fleet Pond.

Once the silt has been smoothed off and settled the objective is to provide more seating and a smoother access track from the boardwalk to the seats for mobility aids (e.g. wheelchairs) and child carriers.

Some of the extracted silt will be used to repair the erosion in the main access track beside the boardwalk.
We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the need to close the beach area while the work is being done.

Funds for these works have been provided by Fleet Pond Society’s Clearwater Campaign.

For more information contact
Hart Countryside Service 01252 623443
or countryside@hart.gov.uk
Fleet Pond Society 01252 616183
Or chairman@fleetpondsociety.co.uk

Footpath resurfacing

JDB Contractors are doing a great job resurfacing the footpath along Fugelmere road. The edgeboards have been cut by JDB on their mobile saw mill using Oak timber felled on Sandy in Church Crookham. Another good example of recycling and great to use local timber :D

Unfortunately we have had to close the footpath for health and safety but it will be open soon

Cattle fencing at Hazeley Heath

Today we've been putting up the cattle fencing at Hazeley Heath with Izzy the RSPB Project Officer for Hazeley Heath North. The cattle are coming in April for year 4 of the grazing trial.

Fleet Pond tern rafts find a new home!

The two floating tern rafts at Fleet Pond have been restored and installed at Moor Green Lakes, recycling at its best!

Blackwater Valley Countryside (BVC) were commissioned by the Chairman of the Moor Green Lakes Group (MGLG) to assist the group with the restoration of the two rafts. The rafts provide several benefits for nesting terns over the existing Moor Green Islands namely; mink-proof fence, suitable small gravel, and mobile so easier to maintain by volunteers. At Fleet Pond the rafts have a proven history of being used by terns for nesting and preventing predation of chicks by terrestrial and aquatic predators.  The tern rafts were no longer needed at Fleet Pond as they now have had permanent islands built.

The restoration work was carried out by BVC rangers & volunteers, Merrist Wood students and volunteers from MGLG. A special thank you to Tony Elston and Chris Bean for leading the restoration of the rafts.

This was a great example of recycling tern rafts which were no longer need at Fleet Pond and installing them at Moor Green Lakes where they will provide a substantial increase in suitable breeding sites for terns. The approximate £400 of materials spent on both rafts represents a clear saving of around 75% of the cost of purchasing them new. The rafts were large and heavy which meant that loading and transporting them was a major undertaking. Also Towing out first finished raft the restoration took a surprising amount of time, with lots of fiddly work by volunteers at Ash Lock. This resulted in the tern raft restoration becoming a major project for Moor Green Lakes, with a large input of volunteer and staff time. Thanks to the efforts of all our volunteers we now have two great additions to the reserve.

 

Stuart Croft, Blackwater Valley Countryside Ranger. 5/3/2013.

Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership. www.blackwater-valley.org.uk Tel: 01252 331353

Clearing Holly at Fleet Pond

Jdb are clearing holly at Fleet Pond near the gelvert stream. This is for the new stream diversion. The new channel will take 1/3rd of the flow in high rain fall events (when we get lots of sediment in the stream) and it will meander through the woodland and join the ditch which runs through Coldstream marsh. This diversion slows the water down and hopefully allows the sediment to all settle out before it enters the pond.

Glade creation in Phoenix Green

The Hartley Wintney Conservation Volunteers have been working hard in Phoenix Green Common to create a sunny glade in this lovely woodland. They have cleared an area of mostly sycamore saplings either side of the path. This new glade will create a light, sunny and warm area to encourage a diverse array of beautiful wildlife such as the Speckled Wood butterfly and birds such as Woodpeckers and Treecreepers. It is important within a woodland ecosystem to have some open space to create these sunny pockets.

                                                                          Before

                                                                         
                                                                            After

                                                                         
The Hartley Wintney Conservation Volunteers are run by the Hart Countryside team every second Tuesday of the month. If you would like to get involved please email countryside@hart.gov.uk.