A return to the Ashing Lane nature reserves to help the Nettleham Woodland Trust with a variety of jobs. Thirteen of us turned out on a nice sunny day: we welcomed Vicky and Nick, 2 new volunteers. Su, Suzie and Roy from NWT were there to show us what needed doing and distribute the materials. 

We set to work installing 10 wooden posts ready for information boards to be put up. Some would be permanent so needed concreting in, while others would hopefully be replaced with bigger boards, provided NWT’s application for funding is successful. We worked in pairs and managed to get all 10 posts in before lunchtime. ​Others worked on the various benches and picnic tables around the reserve, wire brushing them down and adding new varnish.

​After lunch, some of us removed tree guards from now established trees and spread wood chippings around the base, taking care not to cover the tree trunk itself. Others hunted down the red topped posts marking where drainage pipes went under the tracks and dug out the sumps either side to ensure the pipes didn’t get silted up. We were planning to spread more wood chips along the path to the bridge, but there was only one wheelbarrow and that disappeared at lunchtime! Another day perhaps.

​Julian