29 valiant volunteers turned up on Sunday 29th June to tackle a range of different tasks across the Local Nature Reserve and 10 more from the Friends of Craighouse Group litterpicked on the Craighouse campus.
The Shovelling Squad (Rob, Tom, Nicholas and our visitor from Spain,Valentin) shifted a mountain of wood chip on the curling rink area and cleared the mud from the half-moon beside the pond. The Lopping Squad (Fiona, Mike, Ronnie and Lesley) cut back overhanging branches in several areas and battled with stubborn ivy growth on the trees beside the pond. Getting rid of the ivy may require a longer campaign.
The Weeding Squad (Lindsay, Graeme and Jonathan) cleared rubble, stacked wood and bashed nettles on the site on the fringes of the curling rink area where the cherry laurels were removed. We want to keep this area clear for future planting (we have to wait a couple of years because the laurels have contaminated the soil) and possibly seating and/or some play structures.
Our new neighbours, the McFarlane family, heroically chopped back the vegetation at the stone steps (discovering some baby frogs) and trowelled out some of the weeds on the causeway.
Our expert litterpickers, Janet, Bryce and Margaret, ranged far and wide and filled many bags. Claire and Angus potted yew seedlings and shifted lopped branches.
The Painting and Preservation Team (Catriona, Stuart, Fiona, Margaret and Charlotte) treated the bench, the drum and all the information boards with fungicide and wood preserver then restored and repainted the Relief Map. The Map now looks better than new. The male swan objected to us picnicking afterwards on his territory at the top of the pond so we had to shift to the other end of the pond.
Special thanks to our youngest volunteer (Angus, aged 4) and to our oldest volunteer (not disclosing ages but it was you, Stuart)