Forthcoming Events Spring 2024
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Late Summer 2021 Events and Newsletter
Autumn 2021 Events and Newsletter
Winter 2021/22 Events and Newsletter
Summer 2022 Events and Newsletter
Summer/Autumn 2022 Events and Newsletter
Updated: 14 January 2024
Winter 2022 Events and Newsletter
Spring 2023 Events and Newsletter
Summer/Autumn 2023 Events and Newsletter
Paul Loughnane BEM
Honorary Secretary
Phone: 07527 570471
E-mail: jpl@liverpool.ac.uk
At New Ferry Butterfly Park there will be further coppicing to sustain the supply of hedge laying stakes for hedge laying projects for this season and the start of the next. There will be hazel saplings to plant in the embankment area to extend the coppice resource at the park. There will also be turf stripping, a rapid way of creating a more diverse nutrient poor grassland, in particular to boost the amount of bird’s-foot trefoil, the larval food plant of the common blue and dingy skipper butterflies. The volunteers now have a small woodchipper so chipping can occur as brash is created.
The 19th WCV free hedgelaying training day will be at the gas works opposite ASDA on Woodchurch Road. Parking will be sign posted from Landican Lane along the service road and parking will be outside the gas depo itself. The hedge consists of small diameter stems, manageable by hand tools with the odd larger field maple about 10cm diameter.
There will be a group meal at 6.30pm followed by a group meeting at 7.30pm at a new venue the Bridge Inn, Port Sunlight. It is a chance to socialise with fellow volunteers and contribute to the group and make our activities even better.
With hedgelaying skills honed the volunteers return to Wood Park, Farm Leahurst to complete the hedge laid on the 18th hedge laying training day. The final hedge laying of the season, when cutters have reached their seasonal peak, will be with Helen Arthan in the Beeston/Malpas area. Please book on Eventbrite or with Paul so that a car share can be organised. Final details will be sent out to those registered.
In March, at New Ferry Butterfly Park, there is the final large-scale vegetation management of the year. This makes space for the opening day. We shall be scything, strimming, removing bramble and completing the final tree works.
In April at the New Ferry Butterfly Park there are two events. The first is the unusual 2nd Sunday of the month to tidy up the site in preparation for the opening day while the second Sunday is for tool sharpening and tool store sort out to improve the lay-out of the tool store.
There will be a spring walk in upper Dibbinsdale looking at spring flowers in Foxes and Thornton Wood, focusing on the coppice areas where wood anemone and primroses are expanding under the coppicing regime. In addition, the potential coppice growth/hedge stake harvest at Quarter Bank Coppice can be assessed. Also, the recently cut Entrance Coppice can be enjoyed. Bring along a tool to trim the vegetation as the volunteers walk around the woods to help keep the rudimentary paths open.
Winter 2023/2024 Events and Newsletter
At the Opening Day at New Ferry Butterfly Park the Silver Jubilee Gates will be officially completed by the addition of six bespoke decorative tiles to the brick pillars. They will be unveiled by Nigel Lanceley, Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside. One of the tiles is dedicated to Wirral Countryside Volunteers in appreciation of the volunteers’ long involvement and essential support given to the park. There will be a broad range of roles to get involved in, e.g. sowing seeds, BBQ, tea making, tombola, cake sales, etc. Contact Paul for details. It is a great chance to highlight this reserve and the work of the volunteers here and elsewhere.
The next event is one of a series of evening events. The first will be tool maintenance at the butterfly park, honing scythe blades and sharpening billhooks. The herb garden and tree nursery will also receive attention.
The next evening event will be cutting the centre of the woodland ride at Thornton Common with freshly honed scythe blades and weeding the recently laid hedges and the hedge on the Eastern side of the common.
Spring 2024 Events and Newsletter
Spring 2024 Programme |
When |
Where |
Event |
Meeting Point |
Time |
February |
Sun 11th |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Tree work, Hazel planting & turf removal |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
9:30am |
Sun 17th |
Gas works opposite ASDA, Woodchurch Road |
19th WCV Cheshire Style hedge laying training day. Book on EventBrite or via Paul |
Gas works off Landican Lane |
9:30am |
Thur 22nd |
Port Sunlight |
Group Meal
Group Meeting |
The Bridge Inn public house, Port Sunlight |
6:30pm
7:30pm |
Sat 24th |
Wood Park Farm, Leahurst |
Hedge laying |
Chester High Road, Neston, CH64 7TB |
9:30am |
March |
Sun 3rd |
Beeston/Malpas |
Hedge laying |
Register on EventBrite or via Paul for further details |
9:30am |
Sun 10th |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Turf stripping and last vegetation management of the season |
New Ferry Butterfly Park, Bebington |
9:30am |
April |
Sun 14th |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Site tidy up, road and path clearance |
New Ferry Butterfly Park, Bebington |
9:30am |
Sun 21st |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Tool store sort out and re-organisation |
New Ferry Butterfly Park, Bebington |
9:30am |
May |
Sun 5th |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Opening Day - BBQ and Stalls |
New Ferry Butterfly Park, Bebington |
9:30am |
Thur 9th |
New Ferry Butterfly Park |
Tool Maintenance and tree nursery nurturing |
New Ferry Butterfly Park, Bebington |
7:30pm |
Thur 16th |
Thornton Common |
Cutting the centre of the ride and hedge weeding |
Wirral Rugby Club car park |
7:30pm |
