Friends at work and flora & fauna
In June the stone mural at Dothill Primary School was repaired.
Still 9 cygnets and growing fast!
On 28th June we did some maintenance to the steps on the Silkin Way/Shropshire Way. This is before ...
...during ...
... and after.
Other path clearing work was done here ...
...and at the next entrance along the Wellington/Admaston Road.
21st June - Russell & Carole getting stuck in with clearing the Donnerville Spinney entrance.
That Carole gets everywhere! He she is with Jon, giving the path by Admaston Bridge a tidy.
More path clearing; Marion in Donnerville Spinney...
...and here's Keith removing some old wire fencing nearby.
More path clearing work was done on 14th June, as well as Himalayan Balsam control and an orchid count.
On 14th June we were joined by a team from Nova Training, who did a great job weeding the oak nursery.
It's orchid season again. Southern marsh orchid - beautiful!
More orchids.
On 7th June we tackled Himalayan Balsam, bird box surveying and path clearing. Here's Jon in action.
One of the markers for the 50 Tree Trail uncovered.
Tidy job!
Large fungus near Dothill Pool
Time for some lovely flowers to appear on the Reserve. This is meadow cranesbill ...
...and common poppy.
Orchid - common spotted?
On 31st May one group did some path clearing. Here's Paul at the south end of Tee Lake.
On 31st May another team strimmed and weeded the oak nursery. Before ...
...during (Kevin, some of the oaks are as tall as you now!) ...
...and after.
On 24th May we finished replacing Dothill Pier on Tee Lake...
...another group cleared around the holly hedge by Charlton Pool (this is before)...
...and this is after. Great work all!
On 24th May a third team continued the ivy removal from the hawthorns at the south end of Millennium Wood...
...hard graft but well worth it.
Our fourth team of intrepid volunteers did a great job strimming round all the Reserve's benches.
Some lovely sights at this time of year. Frothy cow parsley in Beanhill Woods ...
...and a swan/cygnet train on Tee Lake!
On 17th May the Friends continued working on Dothill Pier...
...while others weeded the oak nursery.
More newt surveying was carried out in May by Telford & Wrekin's ecology team. Some great results!
After being rained off on 3rd May, we really set to on the 10th. Some continued with the jetty...
...some trimmed the blackthorn from the path near the Henge...
...others continued with nestbox surveying (these are great tit chicks) ...
...and the final group strimmed and weeded the oak nursery.
The nursery before it was strimmed.
26th April - some of the Friends continued work on Dothill Pier...
...others cleared ivy from the hawthorn hedge by Shawbirch Bridge...
...and others did some surveying of nest boxes. Here's a lovely blue tit sitting on eggs.
Wellington Walkers, with a little help from the Friends, installed a Shropshire Way signpost on 26th April.
The bridges on the Three Bridge Way have benefited from some new signs, thank you Keith.
On 19th & 20th April, ecologists from Telford & Wrekin Council, with some of the Friends, surveyed two of the Reserve's pools...
...and healthy numbers of Great Crested and Smooth Newts were found.
On 19th April some of the Friends began replacing the Tee Lake jetty with recycled plastic.
First section completed!
19th April - we created some hibernacula for amphibians and reptiles. Here's Simon getting stuck in!
Paul collecting rubble for the bottom of each hibernaculum.
One finished article...
...and another. Great work everyone.
On 2nd April, Beavers, Cubs & Scouts joined us from Wellington and Admaston groups to help us plant the remaining 2000 bluebell bulbs...
Prepping a little area for planting ...
Getting stuck in!
Some parents joined in...
...and when the bulbs were all planted, the children built some hibernacula. This is the winner! Well done everyone, and thank you.
Contractors have been busy again. The ponds in the field by Donnerville Close have now been lined.
29th March - a whopping 7000 native bluebells were planted in Beanhill Wood! The bulbs were provided by Councillor Karen Tomlinson from her 'Pride' money, and a donation from Telford & Wrekin.
Learners from Nova Training, who helped with the planting along with children from Dothill Primary School.
Pond restoration work commissioned by Telford & Wrekin Council has opened up the northern canal pool. This amazing work was done by W M Longreach.
22nd March: we extended the channel in the Donnerville wetland and did some repairs to the snake field dead-hedge.
Lungwort
On 15th March we did some scrub clearance around the Moat Pool ...
...and collected some material for hedge-binding.
The snake's-head fritillaries we planted last year in the Henge Meadow are in flower, a lovely sight...
...there are some white ones too.
On 8th March the Friends finished the top layer on the 'snake field' path...
...and used the leftover stone on the path going down to Dothill Bridge.
Another team planted holly, hawthorn and birch along the 'snake field' dead-hedge.
On 1st March the Friends continued prepping for bluebell planting...
...while others removed barbed wire and dealt with fallen trees.
On 22nd February the team continued clearing Beanhill Wood, ready for bluebell planting...
...and others dealt with a tree blown down in the recent storm.
Nice to see a bit of spring colour appearing now.
Jerry and Paul clearing our coppicing debris and readying the area for planting bluebells...
...this was on Thursday 17th Feb, our Tuesday session having been cancelled thanks to Storm Eunice. Here's Glenys getting stuck in.
Some of the Friends did an extra session on the 'snake field' path on 10th February. Here are Paul and Russell...
...and here's Jerry raking out. Cracking job guys!
On 10th February, Dothill Primary School children carried out some water quality sampling on the Reserve's pools and streams.
...They used ph paper and ammonia dip sticks to check levels and cleanliness.
On 8th February the Friends began clearing the 10 tonnes of 'blinding' material for the path at Donnerville Close.
Pulling a bag along gets the gravel at the right end and flattens out what's already been laid. Great technique!
Another team planted 125 tree whips - a mix of hazel, privet and hawthorn.
On 25th January we began clearing brash from an area which will be planted with native bluebells.
18th January - Ian, Glenys & Marion continuing with vital coppicing work in Beanhill Wood.
New member Paul getting stuck in!
The Donnerville Close path has been weeded by the WEST Team. Brilliant work, thank you!
On 11th January the group began a wattle fence opposite the dead-hedge in Beanhill Wood.
In our first session of 2022, we continued with the dead-hedge in Beanhill Wood...
...and filled some holes around the Reserve. That should improve things underfoot!
Latest comments
29.10 | 09:14
Wellington UDC Sewage Works were just beyond the end of the blocks going north.
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.3&lat=52.71466&lon=-2.53383&layers=193&right=BingHyb
04.10 | 18:40
I think a water pipe or sewage pipe was supported on those blocks many years ago, they look pre war.
28.04 | 15:50
A big thank you to all you wonderful volunteers, what an amazing paradise you have developed.
03.04 | 14:38
What are the large concrete blocks that are along one of the paths in nature reserve walk please
Share this page