Bourne Area Group Newsletter
April 2023
Dole Wood – Open Day Sunday 23 April 2023
There is a pleasure in the pathless woods - Byron
A woodland carpeted with bluebells is such a beautiful and welcome sign of spring – and one that is special to Britain with almost half the world’s population here. And, on 23 April (from 1030-1600), you can enjoy the bluebells at the annual open day at our Dole Wood reserve at Thurlby (access off Obthorpe Lane). There will be locally baked refreshments for sale, plant sales, activities for children and guided walks.
But the popularity of bluebells is also their undoing. Their fleshy leaves are easily trampled by humans eager perhaps to get a better shot to post on social media or by those wanting just to wander ‘offpiste’ in the woods. But, where one person goes, another usually follows; soon, new paths are created and the woodland carpet becomes increasingly fragmented and threadbare. This is an increasing problem at Dole Wood and at other local woodlands, Byron’s ‘pathless woods’ become anything but.
So, do come and join us at Dole Wood – but whether at the open day or at other times and in other woods, think about the bluebells and other plants beneath your feet (including when they’ve finished flowering) and please keep to the established paths.
Staying in touch
As we noted in the last newsletter, it has become harder for us to contact members directly other than through the Trust’s website – where this is posted. Several members have been in touch to ask if meetings are still going ahead or if they have been taken off a mailing list (to which the answer is no). However, it is clear that not everyone has yet ‘’found’ this newsletter or is able to access it.
We will, therefore, be trying to point this out to people at our future open days. We are also considering starting a WhatsApp group for Bourne Area Group members where we can provide details of events and reminders directly to your mobile. Participants can then also ask questions of the Committee or share ideas. The advantage of a WhatsApp group is that people can ask to join whenever they want – and also leave very easily also. It also means that we don’t have any issues with Data Protection regulations which would otherwise be difficult if we tried to create an electronic mailing list for example (which are also difficult to keep up to date). The disadvantage is, of course, that you need a mobile phone with the app downloaded which might deter some members. However, if you are interested in being added to a group when formed, please let one of the Committee members know.
Around the Reserves
Our previous (and first) electronic newsletter was written in November last year. Unfortunately, it didn’t appear on the Trust’s website until February. So, what have we done since our November newsletter was written?
At DEEPING LAKES we completed laying our target length of hedge in February – and jolly good it looks too!
We need to create a dense bottom to the hedge, otherwise we get swans ‘trapped’ between the hedge and the stock fence. The stakes and binders are cut from the various wooded areas on the reserve. We make sure that some willows are pollarded to produce 200 – 300 thin (flexible) binders each year. Similarly, we have to produce (ideally) straight stakes, cut from anything except the willows. Harvesting the stakes and binding accounts for most of the woodland work on the reserve.
Although fence repairs can be done anytime, we try to do most of the work during the winter as the ground is softer. There is a lot of stock fencing on the reserve, which includes the river-bank of course. Sometimes fence stakes just need firming up and checking for missing staples. But we usually end up having to replace 50 – 60 rotten stakes every year.
The entrance to DOLE WOOD was blocked for a couple of days in January when a Wild Service tree decided it was time for a lie-down! We resisted the temptation to clear everything up since the root- system usually puts out suckers. So, with a bit of luck there might be life in the old tree yet. There are a few Wild Service trees growing in the wood, and many years ago Jo Everingham and I planted one by the other side of the entrance, which is doing OK.
The blocked entrance to Dole Wood
The bridge over a foot path at HORBLING LINE has been cracked for many years, and we have taken photographs to monitor it. This winter has seen a worryingly deterioration in the structure.
Built 150 years ago it now needs some urgent tlc! The bridge is almost certainly unique, since it also has a culvert under the footpath, through which the beck flows.
At ROBERT’S FIELD we had five rotted fence stakes to replace, and a corner post. With limestone close to the surface knocking in fence stakes can be challenging! Digging out the stump of a corner post and installing a new one took two of us the best part of a day.
AVIAN FLU at Deeping Lakes still seems largely to be affecting swans, but we did see a Gadwall with symptoms in February. We continue to monitor the situation, but realistically there is nothing else we can do.
It is with sadness we have to record the death of Hilary Geisow, formerly our Meetings Secretary before she had to resign due to ill health. We express our sympathies to her family and recall with gratitude the time she put into making our winter programmes a success. The Trust was represented at her funeral by the Chair.
We also extend our sympathies to the wife and family of Robert James Penhey, another Trust member, and thank the family for their generous donation to the Bourne Area Group (made by mourners in lieu of flowers). We thank them also for thinking of the Trust at such a difficult time.
Upcoming events
Don’t forget to check out our events page on the Trust website (https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/events?local_group=205).
Our next meeting is the AGM (on 18th April at 7.30 pm in the Bourne Methodist Hall) after which we are fortunate enough to have Josh Sollitt from the Trust talk to us ‘Willow Tree Fen - the return of breeding cranes to Lincolnshire’. What is happening at Willow Tree fen with breeding cranes is truly remarkable for such a small reserve – come and hear the latest from Josh.
Many people probably avoid the AGM (surely not!) because they think they might be press-ganged on to the Committee – we won’t do that to anyone I promise. But we do need more people to join and share the load, so if you are at all interested let me or another Committee member know. We will do the AGM business as quickly as possible on the night so we can hear about the far more interesting subject of breeding cranes.
More or less?
Our paper newsletters usually consisted of four pages of A4, sometimes with a separate programme of events. The ‘new’ electronic newsletters can have as many pages as ‘we’ choose. We can, of course use colour photographs for the first time, and can include video clips.
We produced three newsletters a year, to be distributed with the ‘Lapwings’ mailing. We could have more (or fewer) newsletters, and could publish them whenever we want.
‘We’ needs to be more than just the current ‘editorial team.’ If you wish to contribute content for the newsletters then our Facebook page is probably the best way.
Banovallum House
Manor House Street
Horncastle, LN9 5HF
Info@lincstrust.o.uk
The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is a registered charity. Charity number:- 218895
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