At the beginning of September, the Bough Beech Volunteers cut the vegetation along the bund adjacent to the Oast. The bund is a deep ditch and bank which keeps the winter flood water out of the Oast and the adjacent barn.
The vegetation ranges from a charming patch of pink Lady’s Smock in the Spring, where Orange Tip butterflies lay their eggs, to a thick tangle of hogweed and bramble on the banks, and reeds in the ditch as the summer progresses.
Rotational cutting of the vegetation is important to stop the ditch becoming congested with reed, and slowly silting up. It also opens the view across Rushy meadow towards the main reservoir from the viewing platform. However, as always, we never cut everything, but leave some seed-heads and mini-beast hide-outs to overwinter.
Our work was appreciated by several passing bird watchers who like to use the viewing platform as the habitat is different from the open water seen from the public road.
This task was carried out by a group of volunteers who meet on Fridays. There is also a volunteer group meeting on the second Sunday of each month. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Becky at volunteering@boreplace.org.