On the last day of June, and a gorgeous one at that, the Environment Trust's volunteers completed the 'vole friendly' planting project that has involved around 75 Year 8 pupils from Twickenham Academy (see the project page
here). The planting of a range of species including: yellow flag iris (
Iris pseudacorus), meadow sweet (
Filipendula ulmaria), water mint (
Mentha aquatica), greater pond sedge(
Carex riparia), pendulous sedge (
Carex pendula), reed sweet grass (
Glyceria maxima), wavy hair-grass (
Deschampsia caespitosa), water figwort (
Scrophularia auriculata), gypsywort (
Lycopus europeaus), cuckooflower (
Cardamine pratensis), yellow loosestrife (
Lysimachia vulgaris), march marigold (
Caltha palustris), purple loosestrife (
Lythrum salicaria), brooklime (
Veronica beccabunga), branched bur-reed (
Sparganium erectum), reed canary grass (
Phalaris arundinacea), common reed (
Phragmites australis), hard rush (
Juncus inflexus), soft rush (
Juncus effusus), and hemp agrimony (
Eupatorium cannabinum), completed the six-week project to revegetate a stretch of the River Crane on the border between Richmond and Hounslow. The idea is to provide food plants for endangered water voles to expand their range, and hopefully move into new areas, and to mix with other isolated populations. Athough this particular project has come to an end, the Environment Trust will continue to monitor how the plants grow, and will work with partners, including local schools, along the River Crane to safeguard this special place.
Thanks must go to the project's funders, the
Richmond Civic Trust and the
Hampton Fuel Allotment Charity, without whom, this project would not have been possible, and to the
London Wildlife Trust for their support. The plants were supplied by
Naturescape, wellies by
D & M Tools, Twickenham, and tools by
The Conservation Volunteers.
Clearing away aggressive brambles will hopefully allow the 'new arrivals' a chance to flourish
An idyllic scene - water-crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis) in flower upstream of Hospital Bridge.
In the meadow, some beautiful, but mystery plants. Any ideas?
Thanks to an Environment Trust volunteer, this curious red-leaved plant has been identified as probably Red orach/Mountain spinach (Atriplex hortensis).
A vetch?
