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The first event in our programme will be tidying up the butterfly park clearing the road and paths and re-
There will be a spring walk in upper Dibbinsdale looking at the spring flowers in Foxes and Thornton Wood especially in the coppice areas where wood anemone and primroses are expanding under the coppicing regime. We can assess the potential coppice growth/hedge stake harvest at Quarter Bank Coppice and admire the newly laid hedge at Heavy Oak Coppice which will allow much more light to the woodland floor. Bring along a tool to trim the vegetation as we walk around the woods to help keep the rudimentary paths open.
At the Opening day at New Ferry Butterfly Park the Silver Jubilee gate will be officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside. There will be a broad range of roles to get involved in eg sowing seeds, BBQ, tea making, tombola, cake sales, etc. Contact Paul for details. It is a great chance to showcase this reserve and the work of the volunteers. |
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There is a free environmental awareness event called Cool Heswall - The next event is one of a series of nine evening events. The first will be tool maintenance at the butterfly park honing scythe blades and sharpening billhooks. The herb garden and tree nursery can receive attention. There will be an evening trip to Thornton Common to cut the centre of the woodland ride and weed some of the hedgerows. This will be followed by a group meeting at the Seven Stars. June is balsam pulling season. Despite last year’s restrictions and late start a good area of the wood was cleared of balsam. Cover up well and bring some insect repellent. We will also remove the flowering heads of the pendulous sedge which is becoming invasive in the wood. At Poulton Hall there is a charity event. The quirky gardens will be open for viewing and cream teas served. The Volunteers will carry out a hedge laying demonstration with a mocked up willow hedge. Plenty of other roles are required to make the event happen, contact Paul for details. In July there will be an evening of tree weeding or watering at Rough Shoots Woods and helping the hedgerow saplings in the hedgerow at Woodchurch Road. Bring a pair of work gloves and secateurs if you have them. They will be useful for dealing with any errant vegetation we come across. Markers will be put on the hedgerow saplings in an effort to prevent them getting flailed. The next event is a circular cycle ride. This event is an ambitious 35 miles starting at Hooton Station. Bring some refreshments along. We ‘re taking in a tea shop too! The final event will be sharpening scythe blades for the forthcoming scything season to get us off to a good start, along with cultivating some plant cuttings |
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Where |
Event |
Meeting Point |
Time |
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APRIL |
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Sunday 10th |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Site tidy up and path clearance |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
09:30 am |
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Saturday 23rd |
Tom’s Paddock, Foxes Wood and Thornton Wood |
Morning Spring Walk around the woods, enjoy the spring flowers |
Bridge over M53 on Thornton Common Road (GR: SJ 328813) |
09:30 am |
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May |
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Sunday 1st |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Opening day and Grand Opening of the Silver Jubilee gates, BBQ and stalls |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
9:30 am |
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Wednesday 11th |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Tool sharpening - |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
9:30 am |
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Saturday 14th |
Behind Heswall Hall and Library |
WCV stall at ‘Cool Heswall’ a fayre raising environmental awareness |
Contact Steve for details. |
9:30 am |
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Thursday 19th |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Tool maintenance and tree nursery nurturing |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
7:30 pm |
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Thursday 26th |
Thornton Common |
Cutting the centre of the ride & hedge weeding followed by group meeting at Seven Stars |
Thornton Woods, Thornton Common Road. Seven Stars, Thornton Hough |
7:30 pm 9:00 pm |
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JUNE |
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Thursday 2nd |
Thornton Wood |
Balsam removal and removing pendulous sedge flowers to prevent further spread |
Bridge over M53 on Thornton Common Road (GR: SJ 328813) |
7:30 pm |
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Thursday 9th |
Thornton Wood |
Balsam removal and removing pendulous sedge flowers to prevent further spread |
Bridge over M53 on Thornton Common Road (GR: SJ 328813) |
7:30 pm |
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Thursday 16th |
Thornton Wood |
Balsam removal and removing pendulous sedge flowers to prevent further spread |
Bridge over M53 on Thornton Common Road (GR: SJ 328813) |
7:30 pm |
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Thursday 23rd |
Thornton Wood |
Balsam removal and removing pendulous sedge flowers to prevent further spread |
Bridge over M53 on Thornton Common Road (GR: SJ 328813) |
7:30 pm |
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Thursday 30th |
Thornton Wood |
Balsam removal and removing pendulous sedge flowers to prevent further spread |
Bridge over M53 on Thornton Common Road (GR: SJ 328813) |
7:30 pm |
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JULY |
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Saturday 2nd |
Poulton Hall, Bebington |
Volunteers needed for hedgelaying demonstration and other roles at the garden party |
Poulton Hall |
12:00 noon |
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Thursday 7th |
Rough Shoots Wood |
Tree weeding and assisting developing hedgerow standards |
Landican Road, Thingwall |
7:30 pm |
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Saturday 9th |
Cycle ride towards Frodsham/Helsby |
Annual WCV circular cycle ride and tea shop excursion, +/- |
Outside Hooton Station ticket office |
10:00 am |
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Thursday 14th |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Tool maintenance and tree nursery nurturing |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
7:30 pm |
