Sunday 12th March 2017 – Le Don Hodges, St John – 10:30-13.00
From Jersey Conservation Volunteers
The details
Join National Trust Rangers Neil and Will at Le Don Hodges on the north coast (immediately inland from the chough aviary) to help undertake young hedgerow management. Since these agricultural fields were acquired by the Trust in 2012, thousands of bareroot whips of native hedgerow tree species have been planted as part of a programme of hedgerow restoration. This forms part of a wider wildlife farming initiative being implemented at the site that also includes the planting of conservation cover crops for birds and pollinating insects.
Please contact Julia at j.meldrum@gov.je or Jon at jonparkes@nationaltrust.je or phone Julia on 441600 or Jon on 483193 before you go just case anything changes.
The site
We will meet in the car park at Sorel point, La Rue de Sorel, (west of Ronez Quarry), St John at 10:20 for a 10:30 start. Jersey phone directory Map 3, 2R. Google maps here
Parking There is parking at the meeting point.
The task In order to give the young hedgerow trees the best start possible we now need to undertake some management. This task will involve clearing the vegetation and mulching around the base of the trees, cutting back encroaching bramble, replacing broken/missing tree guards and canes, pruning the trees to encourage dense growth, and planting up any gaps where the planted whips have not survived. We made a fantastic start to this work during the November task but there is still a large number of trees that need attention and plenty of gaps to plug.
Tools needed Tools will be provided but if you have your own gloves, sickle, secateurs, and/or loppers it would be helpful if you could bring them along.
Clothing needed. Bring gardening gloves (though we can supply a pair if you don’t have them), wellies or sturdy boots, (it could well be muddy and the vegetation may be wet it and it may be rough underfoot) and common sense clothes to cope with the elements, we go ahead whatever the weather!
Children All are welcome, young or old. Children under 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian during the task.
Work will finish by 12:30 when we will turn our attention to devouring Kim’s delicious cakes.
Hope to see you there!
