Report from Bishampton Nature Reserve

Brief report to AGM, May 2008

Reserve management has continued over the last 12 months. Most of the work is during the winter months when nature is relatively dormant.
Dutch elm disease continues to kill off many young trees after a few years. The bulk of the management is felling these trees and burning the brushwood. There are still many to be removed, most of them topple over in high winds and are supported by stronger surrounding trees. A lot can be sawn by handsaw but there is the occasional one that needs the use of a chainsaw. We would like to thank Ray Upston who brought along his chainsaw and felled several trees that were close to a neighbouring property.
Bird boxes in the reserve are still being battered by energetic woodpeckers. We shall have to replace many of them next year.
The pond has been full to the brim over the winter and spring. There was flooding again at the western end of the reserve. During heavy flooding it may be advisable to close the reserve on safety grounds. A general risk assessment will, hopefully, be done shortly.
The ditches have been cleared by hand this year, but it is a laborious job and we may ask the Council to hire a digger next winter to deepen the ditches.
Thanks to Peter and Mary Averis for all their help in the reserve and to Richard Jackson who has planted some primroses along the pathway. It was a delight to see them this spring.
The present volunteers are getting rather old for lugging around heavy tree-trunks and labouring in ditches. If there are any younger parishioners with a love of nature and all its diversity and who have the interest and tenacity to continue this work, please come forward to serve your community in this interesting way.

April, 2008.