Hello! I’m back again and over halfway through the traineeship. I’m starting to feel less overwhelmed about what I don’t know now that I can reflect on everything I have done and experienced.
Growing in skills and confidence
Photo by Craig Raxster
Craig shares some traineeship highlights as he reaches the halfway point...
Photo by Craig Raxster
Chloe, Meg and I have been supporting the volunteer work party that meet the third Monday of the month at Romsley Manor Farm Meadows. The group of volunteers there have been helping with the regular management of the meadows and orchard. The orchard of 15 trees was planted around five years ago by the volunteers and this summer we inspected the trees and guards, removed the encroaching grass from inside the tree guards and watered them from a nearby trough to help during a very dry period. To everyone’s delight, the young trees are doing very well considering the dry weather we had.
The volunteers have also been busy pulling ragwort from the meadows that are cut for hay and bracken bashing in areas where the bracken was taking hold. This experience has been really helpful in allowing us to gain the confidence to lead a group.
Photo by Craig Raxster
Some areas of the meadows still suffer with large amounts of bramble so Andy Harris, reserves officer for the site arranged for a roboflail to knock it back. In the photos I think it looks a lot like Thunderbird 4 or one of the special machines ejected by Thunderbird 2 pod. Now flailed, it will be a volunteer activity to clear the cutting and help remove the nutrients that have accumulated over the decades. By doing this we hope to help restore the natural balance to the ground and have more meadow plants emerge.
In September, Chloe and I visited Hunthouse Wood where a right of way had changed course as walkers had been straying from the designated path due to fallen trees and branches. Andy B and Ellie realigned the route, marked it out and adjusted the path back to its original position. It was a task for newly trained chainsaw operators Chloe and I to get our ‘saw teeth’ into. It was useful to use the chainsaw for a practical purpose and hear about the challenges around rights of way.
One site getting lots of attention is The Knapp and Papermill. Whilst access improvements are being made there has been a mass of activity to try and get the site ready to graze. It has been really useful to see the challenges on reserves to keep them in a safe and ecologically diverse condition.
In September we re-inked mammal tunnels at Wyre Community Land Trust (WCLT) and checked them for dormouse prints. We also helped herd two cows to allow them to have radio collars fitted. The WCLT have some very interesting craft workshops.
Photo by Craig Raxster
We also did some ride management at another nature reserve with one of the roving groups and met this lovely little toad. There is still plenty of habitat nearby and we helped it on its way.
Looking back at everything we have learned and achieved since my last blog in July it's safe to say it has been quite a busy quarter!