Report from Bishampton Conservation Area

Many days of work have been put in during late autumn and winter in the nature reserve. The weather over the period was reasonably dry, which helped management work.

Much of the labour has involved clearing bramble and dead elms. It will probably be a year or so before all dead trees can be removed. Elms are constantly re-emerging, but they become subject to disease after about ten years.

The Parish Council has dug the ditch on the eastern side of the reserve. This did lead to several days graft cutting, removing and burning brushwood of trees that were pushed over and a danger. Thanks are due to John and David Clark who improved the ditches at the northern and southern boundaries. The southern ditch is important because it can alleviate flooding, like that experienced in the autumn of 2000. However, this ditch cannot operate effectively unless the one that goes south from the reserve to the parish boundary is dug deeper. If we have a repeat of autumn 2000, floods are again inevitable. Silt and debris are already being deposited and will need clearing next autumn.

The pond level dropped considerably last summer but did not dry out. The problem of quickly colonising hornwort, which was rapidly choking the pond, has been solved (maybe temporarily) by the dry summer. Now watercress is taking over, but happily the floating sweet grass is coming back. Such are the dynamics of nature.

We would ask visitors not to introduce any species into the reserve without consultation. This particularly applies to the pond. There is a problem with dogs that are allowed to roam freely. Dogs are not allowed in the reserve.

The possibility of fire in the dry weather is a concern. Please take care and avoid smoking. We would like to set up a fire point with some basic tools like beaters. Enquiries are being made but if anyone knows where you can buy such items, please let us know.

Many thanks to helpers in the reserve - Malcolm Argyle, Peter & Mary Averis, John & David Clark. We do need volunteers, especially during autumn and winter. So forget about the Gardening Club and experience the 'real world' in the nature reserve!

Bob Averis