The Environment Trust's Volunteering Diary

Willow Spiling Saturday February 25th

2012-02-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

Come and help us continue the work of previous years to protect the Thames river bank and Kew tow path from tidal erosion. See the side panel to the right for details.

We won't have a digger, but the principle will be the same.

Ham Common Habitat Management, Including Removal of Invasive Snowberry Saturday January 21st

2012-01-22T10:13:00.000-08:00

Before

After

With the continued mild weather we again had a good turnout for our Ham Common event, including the reliable and enthusiastic boys from Tower House School.

Ham Common was grazed until the 19th Century, since when it has reverted to mixed woodland of oak, ash, silver birch etc.

Our task was to clear scrub, including invasive snowberry, from around a small pond to encourage the growth of wetland plants in the pond, and ground flora on the banks, and to improve public access to the area.

The Tower House boys didn't need much encouragement to get to work with loppers clearing away brambles from around the pond, while another group of volunteers took on the snowberry (see the separate page for more details about this species http://www.etrutvolunteering.blogspot.com/p/snowberry-symphoricarpos-albus.html). With little information about how to effectively manually remove snowberry, we took a two pronged approach of digging and pruning. Being such a deep-rooted plant, it is inevitable that there will be enough re-growth for the group to make a return visit.

Clear from self-seeded sycamore saplings and brambles, the pond is much more open and light and now provides a lovely area away from the hustle and bustle of Richmond Park.

New volunteers are always welcome to join us, usually on the last Saturday of the month. Recently, we've been joined by two young volunteers (and their parents) working towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Volunteering with the Environment Trust is a great way to fulfill the volunteering requirement of the D of E, so please get in touch with chris.cockel@environmenttrust.co.uk and see this link for more information about the volunteering part of the award http://www.dofe.org/en/content/cms/doing-your-dofe/activities-sections/volunteering/

No flint hand axes this time, only a 19th Century apothecary's bottle, which almost found its way into the recycling.

Hedgelaying and Habitat Management at Crane Park Island Saturday December 17th

2011-12-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

This month's task saw the Environment Trust's volunteers making a welcome return to the wonderful Crane Park Island Nature Reserve for a spot of hedgelaying.

Despite the chilly and damp weather, 29 eager volunteers gathered at the foot of the historic shot tower and armed themselves with loppers and bow saws.

The island is made up of a mosaic of habitats, including hedges that provide valuable habitat for birds, small mammals, amphibians and invertebrates, and also prevent curious visitors from falling into the river.

The Tower House boys took on the task with their characteristic enthusiasm and soon got the hang of this traditional countryside skill. At the other end of the island, another group continued laying a hedge that was started last year, and managed to lay a large hawthorn tree after careful preparation by Ian, the reserve's dedicated local volunteer.

The final photograph shows the finished article with the shot tower in the background, and there was universal agreement about the sense of satisfaction felt in seeing a job well done.

So, well done to all our volunteers for completing another successful event, and for another great year of conservation volunteering around Richmond.

Happy New Year!

Richmond Foreshore Clean-up Saturday 26th November

2011-11-22T04:01:00.001-08:00

Another weekend, another river clean-up for the Environment Trust's merry band of volunteers. This time we were working by Richmond's famous bridge, removing many year's-worth of rubbish. Yet again we were joined by girls from Marymount School and boys from Tower House School. So, next time someone complains about "the youth of today", at least in Richmond our youth are giving up their time to improve the appearance and health of Old Father Thames. Never mind a little bit of mud! Also doing their bit, were the lads from Richmond College, and plenty of local residents, including one of our patrons, Bamber Gascoigne. In addition to the clean-up, the Environment Trust led a history and ecology walk on the Richmond side of the bridge, with participants learning about the workings of the Richmond Half Lock, the Tudor wharf at Richmond Palace and finding out more about the creatures that inhabit the river foreshore. Our visiting archaeologist, Elliott Wragg, of the Thames Discovery Programme, identified a prehistoric hand axe, while Joe Pecorelli, the Environment Trust's resident aquatic ecologist, helped the group to recognise invasive mitten crabs and zebra mussels, amongst many other things.

Thanks must go to the Port of London Authority for providing the yellow metal cages used for removing rubbish, and to the cosy Tide Tables Cafe under Richmond Bridge, for providing much-needed refreshments to the Trust's volunteers.

Don't forget, our next outing will be on Saturday 17th December starting at 10:00 am, when we'll be holding a pre-Christmas hedgelaying event at Crane Park Island Nature Reserve. Don't miss it!

Saturday 12th November - Twickenham Riverside. Annual draw-off:

2011-11-12T16:20:00.000-08:00

As the locals gasped, "What happened to the River?" the Environment Trust's loyal volunteers got stuck in clearing rubbish from the river bed on our home patch at Twickenham.
The girls from Marymount School joined us and were fearless despite the knee-deep mud, and even found a couple of discarded smart phones. While the boys from Tower House School finally managed to extract a buried shopping trolley. Back by popular demand were our friends from Richmond and Esher Colleges, plus some new faces. Apparently, we now have a presence on Twitter. See, doing your bit for the local environment is becoming cool!
Thanks to all the volunteers new and not so new who gave up their Saturday morning to improve the health and appearance of our river.

Kew Towpath October 22, 2011

2011-10-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

Our task this month involved planting crocus, snowdrop and winter aconite bulbs for spring, clearing self-seeded sycamore and ash saplings to open up vistas across the Thames, painting some neglected railings and the usual litter-picking. A beautiful autumn day ensured a healthy and enthusiastic group of volunteers, including our painters from Citigroup, boys from Tower House School who took on the job of bulb planting and pruning and others from Richmond College and Esher College. This was the first event for our new volunteers' coordinator Chris, who was supported by old hands, Angela, Patrick, Jenny and Matt. Many thanks to all for another outstanding morning of volunteering.

24-09-11 Orleans House Gardens

2011-09-26T01:57:00.000-07:00

The first volunteer day of the Autumn was a big event with at least 50 volunteers putting their backs into laying woodchip paths, removing sycamore saplings and cutting back vegetation and ivy to open the view to Orleans House from across the river. The new cohort from Tower House School demonstrated their energy and team work, and we were thrilled to have the help of students from Richmond upon Thames and Esher Colleges, and girls of Marymount School. Lynsey Stafford, Zeph King and Patrick Kidner led the volunteers with the guidance of Joy Lee, who is responsible for the Gardens. Many thanks to you all!

09-07-11 BIG TOWPATH LITTERPICK

2011-08-09T01:39:00.000-07:00

We linked up with the Kew Society for this last event before the summer break. 24 of us made the tow path between Kew and Barnes IMMACULATE, collecting 40 bags of rubbish in the process. A big welcome to the new team from Tower House, farewell to the leavers and big thanks to all you volunteers who have turned out in all weathers this year!

24-05-11 Balsam bashing season!

2011-05-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hunters Pond

Shoulder high- and
a tall specimen!

On 21 May the Trust's team of volunteers including Tower House School linked up once again with Ham and Petersham Association, and attacked the Himalayan Balsam that annually encroaches on the native plants along the riverside. The beautiful Hunter's Pond under the timber footbridge to Ham House was cleared of all the juicy invaders, allowing the loosestrife and reeds to thrive!

18-04-11 - Crane Park wildflower meadow weeding

2011-04-18T04:11:00.000-07:00

These beautiful wildflower meadows have transformed this popular area of Crane Park, and to ensure that they stay looking colourful this year, we got busy with some weeding...

The meadows were first sown last year, and since then there has been a lot of grass that has encroached onto the areas. To ensure that there is as much space for wildflowers as possible, we got busy digging up the clumps of grass.

The ground was very hard as it hasn't rained in so long, and so the digging was tough work, but once we got going we amassed an impressive pile of grass.

This was one day that we can safely say that our tea break was really well deserved... well done and thank you volunteers!

The Trust's newest volunteer/scarecrow

26-03-11 - Bridge House gardens & Kilmorey mausoleum

2011-04-04T04:25:00.000-07:00

Spring is here, and our volunteers celebrated by joining in at one of our two events ...

One group of volunteers headed to Bridge House gardens, a beautiful riverside garden next to Richmond bridge, planted by Environment Trust a few years ago. Springtime maintenance was well in need as overgrown and leggy shrubbery needed a good cut back. Volunteers filled 15 bags full of green waste which is destined to be turned into compost by the council.

The second group of volunteers, from Tower House and Mary Mount schools, travelled to Kilmorey mausoleum in St Margarets. This wildlife garden, multiple winner of Richmond in Bloom awards, needed fresh woodchip on its paths and a little bit of Ivy pruning.

Barrowing woodchip to lay on the paths

Plenty of volunteers to help cut back the fast growing Ivy -
great for wildlife, but we don't want it completely taking over!

Our exploits at Kilmorey made the local newspaper!

Thanks go to Claire at Kilmorey mausoleum, Tide Tables cafe and of course all the volunteers!

19-02-11 - Kew towpath willow spiling

2011-03-08T01:54:00.000-08:00

This was our second outing to undertake willow spiling along the Kew towpath, but it was no less fun...

Although the morning was a little grey and drizzly, we soon warmed up by sawing, lopping and pruning branches off of the living willow spiles. Whilst one group bundled, another focused on hauling them up the foreshore and weaving them in and out to make a fence.

We even got a chance to see our handy work from when we undertook willow spiling in October - and I have to say that it looks great!

Well done and thank you volunteers!

29-01-11 - Melancholy Walk sucker cutting and bramble bashing

2011-02-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

A cold January morning couldn't put off this brilliant group of volunteers. Around 35 people turned up to help us and the Ham and Petersham Association to manage this historic avenue next to Ham House...

We were tasked with pruning back the Lime tree suckers, and removing bramble to make way for a new hedge that is to be planted soon.

An amazing amount of rampantly spreading bramble was cleared, leaving us with the sight of the first Spring bulbs peeping through the ground!

Thanks go to:

All the volunteers who helped on the day

Vanessa Fison who helped to organise the work

Tower House and Marymount schools