Above, I cannot remember how many times we have said thank you to Phillippa Morrison-Price and the SNDPA volunteers, but, however many times we have said it, it is not enough. Covid-19 and the social distancing rules meant that only two volunteers could make it this time. They arrived under their own steam and came all the way from Stratford to cut blackthorn in the meadow as part of our coppicing plan for Brown Hairstreak butterflies and meadow conservation. And a very able and enthusiastic team they made. Thank you so much. Most of the cut blackthorn found its way to Butcher’s Wood to make dead hedging.
And another belated thank you Juliet Merrifield and the HKD volunteers, lead by Alistair Whitby of the Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust, for rebuilding the debris dams along the stream. For us, these dams benefit biodiversity by extending the number and variety of aquatic environments in the stream. And, after months of unusually consistent and frequently heavy rain last year Hassocks noticeably did not flood. Whether or not this was due to the presence of debris dams along the water courses only experts can tell. But it seems a good mark in favour of this economical and very environmentally friendly means of controlling water flows.
