Tree Planting, Richmond Park, Saturday January 17th, 2015

Over the last four years, the Environment Trust has worked with Richmond Park to clear Sidmouth Wood of invasive rhododendron plants. Several hundred volunteers have participated, including corporate volunteers from Cisco, and groups of children and teachers from the Challenge Network and Marymount International School. 

Most of the woodland is closed to the public to minimise disturbance to the wildlife, but the so-called ‘Driftway’ through the middle of the wood is open to the public. In late 2014, contractors cleared some of the largest rhododendron plants from this area. The results are dramatic and quite surprising to anyone who was familiar with the woodland prior to the work being carried out.

To aid the recovery of the woodland, and to increase the species richness, the Environment Trust’s volunteers spent the morning planting a range of species: oak, ash, rowan, field maple, elder, dog rose, crab apple, hawthorn, blackthorn and hazel.

While the trees will take some time to grow, and no doubt many will not survive to maturity, the Driftway is certain to green up when spring arrives and dormant seed material germinates. There will no doubt be plenty of rhododendron seedlings to remove, a task that will keep volunteers busy for years to come.

This area used to be filled with large rhododendron plants. 

Volunteers, including a group of sea scouts, helped plant the area with native trees and shrubs. 

Several hundred new whips were planted. 

Despite a flurry of snow, the weather cooperated.

This is what the path used to look like. Although slightly magical, it is not much good for native wildlife.

 

 

Hazel Coppicing and Hedge Management at Tolworth Brook Berrylands, January 3rd, 2015

Our first outing of 2015 was to a favourite small woodland alongside the Tolworth Brook in Berrylands.

Since 2012, we have returned to the woodland to carry out the traditional practice of coppicing, in order to improve the woodland for wildlife, and to make use of the woodland products for fencing.

The team of volunteers ignored the persistent rain, and got stuck into the task of coppicing the hazel trees, and creating a dead hedge with the materials, and then planting hawthorn whips to create a living hedge.

Now the woodland is starting to look like a real coppice, with trees of different ages, and is full of wildlife. Bluebells were just staring to emerge, a sure sign that spring isn't that far away, even though Christmas has only just finished. 

Elliot gets to work creating a usable pole from a hazel tree. 

Chris and Jed make use of the poles to create the dead hedge. 

The two Johns create their own pile of poles.

Finally, we have a real coppice coupe. 

And, an excellent-looking dead hedge providing wildlife habitat and an extra layer of security for homeowners.

 

River Thames Draw-Off Clean Up, Saturday November 15th, 2014

The photos below were taken from the draw off clean up on Saturday November 15th 2014

D of E volunteers get stuck into removing rubbish from the River Thames at Twickenham. 

The lads from Tower House School show the meaning of teamwork. 

Previously, an invasive species survey was conducted in partnership with the Zoological Society of London. 

Mostly what was found were invasive Asiatic clams.

While native species, such as these, were less abundant. 

By the end of the day, a cage of rubbish had been collected.

Himalayan balsam removal at Elmbridge Meadows June/July 2014

Following on from the successful clearance of the majority of Himalayan balsam plants from the Tolworth Brook, we turned our attention to Elmbridge Meadows in Berrylands. Last year's efforts have paid off, and there is less in some places, but still there was more than our small group could cope with. One corporate grouped helped, but we'll have to try harder next year to 'crack this nut!' However, what we did achieve was to push the boundary of the invasion back towards the river, and remove plants that were growing along the footpath, and from which seeds could be transferred in shoes and on animal paws, to new sites.

Bill and Elliot get to work on a rainy day in June. 

It's always amazing to remember that this is an annual plant and can reach heights of two metres in a matter of months. 

Despite the onslaught, yellow iris plants manage to flower on the edge of a dried up pond.

By July, a return visit yields plants that were missed first time around. These are the key ones to remove, as they literally sow the seeds of a new population away from the core area. 

The result of work carried out by the corporate group. Let's see what's growing here next year. 

Often the question is asked, what's the value of removing Himalayan balsam? Bluebells are found in this area of wet woodland, but may be suppressed. Oak seedlings were also spotted appearing where balsam had been cleared last year. 

Enchanter's Nightshade, despised by some gardeners, produces beautifully delicate flowers. 

As does this toadflax, which is also likely to be a garden escape, but a benign one. 

Elmbridge Meadows is known for its abundant meadowsweet, which is overcome by Himalayan balsam in the damper shadier spots. The main threat in the open meadow areas is more likely to be encroaching scrub.

The most upstream source of the balsam in the Hogsmill Catchment is debated, but here are plants growing off Chalky Lane in Chessington. 

While the Himalayan balsam problem on the Hogsmill is pretty bad, there are taller plants on the River Brent in Greenford. 

One other issue, which we can all report by contacting the Environment Agency hotline on

0800 80 70 60, is this type of misconnected sewage pollution, most likely someone's washing machine, which will run into the Hogsmill, and then into the River Thames, and contributes to the poor water quality and poor ecological health of the river. Do you know where your pipes go?

 

Tolworth Brook, Himalayan Balsam Removal, Saturday May 24th, 2014

Continuing where we left off a couple of weeks ago, today the Environment Trust's volunteers continued walking along the Tolworth Brook from Raeburn Avenue down to the Hogsmill River removing invasive Himalayan balsam as they went. Unfortunately, after a night of heavy rain the water level was a little higher than was convenient, meaning that some over enthusiastic volunteers got wet feet. Still, plenty of balsam was removed, which will reduce the amount of seeds that will be released to travel downstream. The eventual intention is to reduce the volume of seeds produced so that areas downstream on the Hogsmill, such as Elmbridge Meadows and the nature park at the Thames Water Sewage Works will not be reinvaded.

The Tower House boys get to work removing invasive Himalayan balsam from along the Tolworth Brook in Berrylands.

Further downstream at Elmbridge Meadows the dominant nature of the balsam is all too evident. We'll be visiting this site a few times before the plants flower and release their hundreds of seeds. 

Along the Tolworth Brook, patches of yellow iris remain unaffected by the balsam invasion.  

In an area of woodland along the Tolworth Brook that was coppiced in 2012 and 2013, a speckled wood butterfly enjoys a sunny glade. 

Nearby a distinctive tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) was spotted on a hazel leaf.

Sadly, at the Meldone Close car park fly tipping is still taking place, with a china sink dumped in the time that we were in the area. We'll be back to have another clear up later in the year.

 

 

 



Clitherow's Island and Boston Manor Park, Saturday 17th May, 2014

We've been to Boston Manor Park on several occasions, but today the house was open to the public, as were the lovely tea rooms run by the Friends of the park.

Our task today was to open up nature trail footpaths to lead walkers down to Clitherow's Island.

Girls from Marymount International School in Kingston worked to cut back vegetation that was growing across the path. Other volunteers removed six shopping trolleys from the river and from the island, removed a fallen branch from another path, and carefully cut back invasive giant hogweed plants.  

The Jacobean Boston Manor House.

http://www.hounslow.info/arts-culture/historic-houses-museums/boston-manor-house/

The stables, now private residences. 

Away from the grandeur down on the Clitherow's Island, invasive and toxic giant hogweed is taking over. 

And, rubbish left by rough sleepers is getting worse. 

The murky water of the River Brent is complimented by a discarded shopping trolley. 

Local volunteers worked to remove offensive graffiti, which neither the council, TFL nor the Highways Agency were able/willing to do.

Many magnificent mature trees, such as this sweet chestnut, can be found in Boston Manor Park. 

The Marymount girls work to cut back encroaching vegetation. 

A branch which had fallen from a mature ash tree was removed from the path.

Trolleys awaiting collection by Trolleywise.

 

 

 

Silverhall Park, Isleworth, May 11th, 2014.

The Environment Trust always likes to work in partnership with other local groups, so it was today that we teamed up with the Friends of the River Crane Environment (FORCE), the Isleworth Society, the Conservation Volunteers (TCV), and the Friends of Silverhall Park, to give Silverhall Park in Isleworth a good clean up. Except where stated, today's photos were taken by volunteer photographer, Paul Franklin.

You can read more about Silverhall Park and the Hall, here http://www.londongardensonline.org.uk/gardens-online-record.asp?ID=HOU049

and here

http://www.hounslow.info/libraries/local-history-archives/an-a-z-of-isleworth/an-a-z-of-isleworth-3/

An unassuming park next to a busy road is a haven of peace and tranquillity.

Although looking as if it's been here forever, the Duke of Northumberland's River is manmade, albeit almost 500 years ago (Photo by Chris).

This mature sweet chestnut tree dominates the centre of the park (Photo by Chris).

What could be so interesting to volunteers over this wall?

The answer: a conglomeration of rubbish.

Other volunteers collect rubbish removed from the river downstream. 

The river is so full of plastic bags that almost every pond dip was fruitful. 

Other volunteers helped to improve the ornamental side of the park.

By the end of an exhausting day, a mountain of rubbish is displayed. 

A bike, a set of golf clubs, a street bollard, two office chairs, a television, and a shopping trolley, were just the most obvious 'prizes' (Photo by Chris).

Tea and cake (fig and almond) provided by a local resident was very welcome - and delicious! (Photo by Chris).

The Silver Hall, used to stand just inside this gate, but was sadly demolished in the 1950s (Photo by Chris).

This is where the house used to be (Photo by Chris).

Also in the park is the remains of an old ice house (Photo by Chris).

The ice house a Silverhall Park can be compared to this 18th century one in Marble Hill Park, Twickenham (Photo by Chris).

The ice house of Moseley Hall in Birmingham was restored a number of years ago and is now opened to the public during the summer. Could the ice house at Silverhall be similarly restored?

http://www.moseley-society.org.uk/the-ice-house