Friends of Dothill & Shawbirch Local Nature Reserve
17th January
The group moved some of the oak saplings from the nursery. Here's Joerg making space near Dothill Bridge.
Glenys with sapling in its new home
What the other team did
Finished cutting back a willow encroaching on the meadow west of Tee Lake. Here's Ian L getting stuck in!
Willow cleared
7th February
A team of Friends repaired the dead-hedge by the Shawbirch Road entrance
21st February
We worked on the Beanhill Wood dead-hedge - here are Aidan and Jon putting in stakes.
28th February
One day we'll reach the end!
7th March
Planting up the first of two floating platforms, Tee Lake.
14th March
Sunshine for our dead-hedging work
21st March
Ron and Toria cleared mud from the path by the oak nursery....
Another team planted the second floating platform and 'launched' it on Tee Lake...
...while a third team collected stone to lay by Dothill Pier. Great work, everyone!
28th March
This week we began on the installation of the new 50 Tree Trail markers. Here's Ian R at tree 47.
Tree 47 Beech sign in place. Only another 49 to go!
4th April
More tree signs went in today. Russ and Jon having fun digging!
Trees 21 and 22 done.
25th April
Marion painting, Spa Meadow
2nd May
Glenys and Fiona painting at the Shawbirch entrance
9th May
Some of the volunteers surveyed the next boxes. Here is a great tit...
...and here's a blue tit
30th May
One group dug out some old fencing by Dothill Pool - go for it, Jon!We also did some path clearing and sweeping.
1st June
We led a guided walk of the 50 Tree Trail, instigated by T&W Council's Culture & Wellbeing department.
Wellington Midsummer Fayre 10th June
A very successful stand this year; here are some of our activities and displays.
13th June
Some of us did an orchid count on the Henge Meadow ...
...while others began laying stone on the newly dug path near Dothill Pool.
23rd June - extra session
We began planting on Tee Lake - here's Liz planting yellow flag.
Dawn and Marion planting yellow flag on Dothill Pool...
...and Chris & Keith installing a donated coir roll of plants.
27th June
Continuing the planting on Tee Lake.
4th July
A large part of our work at this time of year is keeping the paths and signs clear of encroaching vegetation.
11th July
This week we continued the lakeside planting and cleared some paths - here is the one at the end of Donnerville Close.
25th July
We installed a recycled plastic bench by Beanhill Brook, bought with a kind donation from the Friends of Bowring Park.
Another team began clearing the oak nursery of 'weeds'.
1st August
One team cleared the Donnerville Spinney entrance...
...after finishing at the oak nursery...
...while everyone else completed the new path by Dothill Pool. A great morning's work, everyone.
8th August
This week the Friends cleared round the insect hotels on Spa Meadow and the maples near the Shawbirch Road entrance...
... while another team did some poplar control by Tee Lake.
15th August
The Friends did some willow clearing from the 'scrape' in the wetland area...
...there were a lot to tackle but we cracked on!
22nd August
Some of the Friends learned how to do kick-sampling in the streams...
...here's Joerg...
...others did some path work...
...while a third team cut back the stream banks by Dothill Bridge.
29th August
We cleared the 'snake field' dead-hedge and planted some downy birch, while others strimmed the 50 Tree Trail signs.
5th September
Today we cleared the path by Grinshill Flats ...
...and paths by the wetland area. Short stints due to the heat.
12th September
Litter-picking duties on one of the Reserve's new areas. Bags and hoops supplied by Wellington Town Council.
There were a few of us in spite of the rain!
19th September
Mike and Paul with Junior Friends planting a gingko tree near Dothill Primary School.
They also planted a catalpa or Indian Bean Tree.
26th September
One group carried on with recovering path edges, west of the Wellingtonia...
...and then moved on to tidy up the Shawbirch entrance...
...while another team worked on the path by Shawbirch Bridge.
3rd October
One group began removing saplings from the Dothill Pool revetments.
Another team cleared the path at the south end of Tee Lake, and the Morville Drive steps - before ...
... and after.
A third team continued recovering the edges of the path west of the Wellingtonia ring.
Some nice fungi appearing now
Parasol mushroom
Shaggy cap
10th October
Jude and Glenys painting at Shawbirch entrance
Other teams replaced some of the vandalised tree signs
Russ and Jon strewing the clippings near the Henge. This should introduce wildflower seeds from one part of the meadow to another.
17th October
More painting this week. Here's Carole at the Wellington Link entrance.
Another team did some sapling removal from the revetments on Dothill Pool - before ...
...and after.
31st October
The main task today was re-establishing the edge of the Millennium Wood...
...to stop trees encroaching on the path...
... and to ensure the mowers can get where they should.
7th November
This week we did more work restoring the edge of Millennium Wood, great work everyone.
Autumn colour
Autumnal Beanhill Wood
14th November
The Friends did some clearing to improve the sight-line at this path junction.
Another task nearby was to remove some old fencing - here's Jon ...
...and here are Ashley and Mike.
We also cleared this tree sign and uncovered the last of the hazel saplings by the school entrance. A very productive session!
More Autumn colour
Near the Henge
21st November
One task today was to clear the Wellington Link entrance. Here's Jon hard at work.
Done! Other teams continued pulling the lakeside saplings and cleaning out nestboxes.
Painting at entrances
Some extra hours have been put in on some of the entrances. Here's the Donnerville Spinney gate before we started work.
Russ putting on the first coat of paint.
Another go at Donnerville Spinney - brambles cut back and more painting.
Glenys and Keith freshening up the Tree Foundation board.
More bramble-trimming and painting
This time we worked on the entrance at the end of Morville Drive.
That's much better!
19th December
After two weeks of being rained off we continued on the edge of Millennium Wood...
...good work, everyone.
We then headed off for mince pies and mulled wine.
The end of another productive year, cheers everyone!
Pre-sunset clouds over the wetland at the end of the year...
...and over Tee Lake - you might just see one of the swans swimming towards you in this shot!
