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After
a winter that seemed to go on forever, it’s nice to have a bit
of sun. Let’s hope we don’t have too much of the wet stuff
this summer. We have had house martins building a des res on the
corner of the house this year. It has been a pleasure to watch
them build where they like with no planning permission required!
Bracken
The
winter has managed the bracken for us this year with a much slower
growth and not too thick. The bluebells certainly took advantage
and gave us a real spring show this year.
We
have changed the way we will manage the bracken. Instead of a
rotational plan of control we will have a yearly assessment of
what needs to be done. We started this in May with a walk around
the common with Nick Williams (Butterfly Conservation) Dagmar
Lewis (Natural England) Liz Shimmin (Butterfly Recorder for BCMC),
Derek Brookes and myself.
It
was agreed that we will be cutting smaller areas rather than large
blocks and target areas that really do need attention. We would
like to try cut and blow rather than using a flail. Does anyone
know where we might find one of the old type of machines that used
to be used in the 70’s which we could borrow or hire? We want
to see if it avoids a thick mulch which the flail tends to give
us.
We
plan to start cutting in the middle of August which will be clear
of the bird nesting season. Hopefully we will avoid the snakes.
During
the walk round it was felt that the fire breaks should be wider
and managed so as to encourage wild flower growth. We have yet to
establish a cutting regime for this. The existing fire breaks will
be cut as usual.
Fruit
trees
The
fruit tree project is well underway and it is down to me to submit
a plan to Natural England for their approval and funding.
Ponds
I
would like to welcome Paul Dawson onto the BCMC committee; he has
very kindly offered to move us forward on developing ponds/scrapes
to encourage more invertebrates on the common.
Natural
England have requested that we undertake an invertebrate study of
the common. I would like the study to include the private ponds on
the common. Any resident who would like to participate should
please contact any of the committee members.
Orienteering
We
have been contacted by Brian Hughes on behalf of Harlequins
Orienteering Club, asking permission to use Bringsty Common for a
run across the common every other year during the winter. No event
will take place without prior permission and consultation with
BCMC. Brian assures us that the course runners will avoid any
property boundaries and sensitive wildlife areas will be marked
out of bounds. Brian will be on the common drawing a very detailed
map of the whole common and property boundaries.
I
have asked Brian for a contribution to charity. I have suggested
we donate to the Air Ambulance, given our rural location and the
possible difficulty of normal medical help getting to an
emergency.
Football
pitch
I
attended a Community Initiative Fund event. This follows our
successful bid for funding from the West Mercia Police to protect
the football pitch from anti-social four wheel drivers gouging up
the pitch and spoiling other people’s pleasure.
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