Sunday 9^th September 2018 – Victoria Tower, St Martin – 10:30-13.00

From Jersey Conservation Volunteers

Well hasn’t it been an amazing summer? However, the signs of autumn are becoming apparent, sloes, blackberries and of course the Jersey Conservation Volunteers!

The details The first task of the season will focus primarily on sycamore control. Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus is a deciduous broadleaf tree native to central, eastern and southern Europe. It was introduced to the British Isles and is now a naturalised species.

While sycamore trees do have a value to wildlife, they are so successful that they have a tendency to take over. The purpose of this task is to control the abundance of sycamore at the site by cutting back and, where possible, uprooting young self-seeded saplings.

If you have any questions, or if you wish to be added to the Jersey Conservation Volunteers email list, please contact either Julia Meldrum (tel: 441600; j.meldrum@gov.je) or Jon Parkes (tel: 483193; jon.parkes@nationaltrust.je).

The site  We will meet in the car park at the end of Le Mont Mallet Jersey Phone Book map Map 11 MM15 – Google maps here

Parking Parking at the site is very limited but further on road parking is available along La Rue de La Pouclee et des Quatre Chemins. Please also consider car sharing or cycling.

The task We will be managing the sycamore woodland by cutting back older trees and uprooting saplings.

Meet at 10.20 promptly for a 10.30 start. We will be finished work by 12.30 for well-earned refreshments.

Tools needed Tools will be provided but if you have a pair of gardening gloves, a spade and cutting tools (e.g. pruning saw, loppers, secateurs) it would be helpful if you could bring them along with you.

Clothing needed Good thick gloves (though we can supply a pair if you don’t have them), wellies or sturdy boots, (it shouldn’t be muddy but the vegetation may well 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.

Refreshments Kim the Kake has spent all summer baking for us (well perhaps not) but she will thankfully be on hand at the end of the task to dish out hot drinks and her scrumptious homemade cakes.

Sunday 13^th May 2018 – Overdale Hospital, Westmount Road, St Helier – 10:30-13.00

From Jersey Conservation Volunteers

Due to popular demand, and to finish the fantastic work we started last month, we are going to meet one final time at Overdale Hospital woodland before we have our summer break. Hopefully the weather will be a lot better this time!

The details The Insurance Corporation Jersey Conservation Awards 2017 was won by Karen Langlois who runs the Overdale Horticultural Group which provides social and therapeutic horticulture for patients in the grounds of the rehabilitation hospital.

Karen asked for our help to make their grounds more wildlife friendly by digging a pond, undertaking some woodland management and creating new steps on the woodland paths. This work was started by the volunteers in April.

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  Meet at Overdale Hospital, Westmount Road, St Helier

Jersey Phone Book map A4. Google maps here 

Approaching from the north along Westmount Road with the crematorium on your right, take the second right into Overdale Hospital, follow the road through the site towards the exit but turn right as the road takes you left to the exit.

Parking  Car park at the back of the site marked with the red marker below:

The task We will be making the grounds more wildlife friendly by digging a pond, undertaking some woodland management and creating new steps on the woodland paths.

We will meet at 10.20 to ensure we start at 10:30 prompt and plan to work until about 12:30

Tools needed This task is all about digging so please bring your own spade if you have one (note garden forks and trowels are not suitable for this task), we have some spades but not enough for all. As usual we have gloves for those who need them, but you may prefer to bring your own gardening gloves if you have them.

Clothing needed. It may be cold and, being Jersey, it may be wet so please dress sensibly and wellies may be absolutely essential!

Children All are welcome, young or old. Children under 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian during the task.

Cakes We plan to work until about 12:30, when we stop for a hot drink, and as much of Kim’s cake as we can get away with!

Sunday 8^th April 2018 – Overdale Hospital, Westmount Road, St Helier – 10:30-13.00

From Jersey Conservation Volunteers

I can’t believe it’s the last task of the season already, although it does mean apparently that summer is round the corner, yes really!!

The details The Insurance Corporation Jersey Conservation Awards 2017 was won by Karen Langlois who runs the Overdale Horticultural Group which provides social and therapeutic horticulture for patients in the grounds of the rehabilitation hospital.

Karen has asked for our help to make their grounds more wildlife friendly by digging a pond, undertaking some woodland management and creating new steps on the woodland paths.

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  Meet at Overdale Hospital, Westmount Road, St Helier

Jersey Phone Book map A4. Google maps here

Approaching from the north along Westmount Road with the crematorium on your right, take the second right into Overdale Hospital, follow the road through the site towards the exit but turn right as the road takes you left to the exit.

Parking  Car park at the back of the site marked with the red marker below:

The task We will be making the grounds more wildlife friendly by digging a pond, undertaking some woodland management and creating new steps on the woodland paths.

We will meet at 10.20 to ensure we start at 10:30 prompt and plan to work until about 12:30.

Tools needed This task is all about digging so please bring your own spade if you have one (note garden forks and trowels are not suitable for this task), we have some spades but not enough for all. As usual we have gloves for those who need them, but you may prefer to bring your own gardening gloves if you have them.

Clothing needed. It may be cold and, being Jersey, it may be wet so please dress sensibly and wellies may be absolutely essential!

Children are welcome to attend this task as long as they are directly supervised by a parent or guardian.

We will meet at 10.20 to ensure we start at 10:30 prompt and plan to work until about 12:30, when we stop for a hot drink, and a slice (or two) of Kim’s excellent cake.

Sunday 11^th March 2018 – Queen’s Valley, St Martin – 10:30-13.00

From Jersey Conservation Volunteers

The details

Planting hedges for Birds On The Edge(s)

Now that we have hopefully seen the back of the cold weather, this month’s task sees us back to hedge planting, this time for Birds On The Edge and we will be helping Cris and Will to plant some hedges in St Martin.

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  Meet at Queen’s Valley Reservoir (top/north car park), by kind permission of Jersey Water, from here it is a five minute walk to the planting area at the junction of Le Passage de L’Hopital and Les Monts.

Parking There is parking at the meeting point: Jersey phone directory Map 11, JJ15; Google maps here

The task The hedges will be planted at a ‘winter bird crop’ site, where birds spend the winter feeding on sunflowers and other plants which have been planted just for them. The hedges will offer them protection and a safe place to rest between feeds or to roost, increasing the value of the site for the birds. The hedges will also provide a source of flowers for pollinators, bugs, buds, berries, nesting material, shelter and corridors to many other wildlife in the area.

We will meet at 10.20 to ensure we start at 10:30 prompt and plan to work until about 12:30

Tools needed Please bring your own spade if you have one (note garden forks and trowels are not suitable for this task), we have some spades but not enough for all.

Clothing needed. It may be cold and, being Jersey, it may be wet so please dress sensibly and wellies may be absolutely essential!

Children All are welcome, young or old. Children under 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian during the task.

We will work until about 12:30, when we stop for a hot drink, a slice of Kim’s cake and a chat about what an excellent job we have done.

See you there!