Nature Recovery in Harrow

We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting local specialist in countryside skills, Clive Leeke, to run an introductory training course in the art of scything (details below). A traditional method of cutting grasslands to create hay, scything has made a resurgence in conservation management for managing species rich grasslands in a more sympathetic way than using heavy machinery. As well as the benefits to nature, using a scythe can provide the user with a deeper connection to the land and a greater appreciation for the need to manage grasslands correctly for nature.

An expert in his craft, Clive will introduce the basic components of the scythe, before teaching participants the nuances involved in correct scything technique, which being frustrating to start with, becomes hugely satisfying once refined.

Location: Woodlands Open Space, North Harrow

Time: 09:30 - 15:30

Meet Point: Outside the entrance to the Woodlands Allotments site

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What to bring: All equipment, PPE and instruction will be provided. Please wear suitable footwear. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided, but please bring any water and food that you will need.

Places on this course are limited; to sign up please complete the form using this link: https://forms.office.com/e/8TKEysmpTn

For any enquires please email biodiversity@harrow.gov.uk

July's happenings:

Plenty has been going on up at Bentley Priory this month, with regular volunteer working parties helping to remove himalayan balsam from Spring meadow, clearing the invasive rhododendron which has been spreading through Lake Wood, and removing barbed wire hidden in the woods. We were lucky enough to have Denis Vickers lead Grassland Assessment training last weekend, where an eager bunch of 12 volunteers were taught the methodology for assessing the condition of grassland habitats, revealing that Old Lodge meadow is in good condition! And finally, from the concerted efforts of the site wardens and volunteers on a scorching hot day, the new tool store has been erected! This will provide much needed space for storing tools used to maintain the site, whilst freeing up the Nature Centre to be used for educational activities and other events.

Elsewhere in the borough:

We had another joint session with Woodlarks and Waders to clear Himalayan Balsam from a stretch of the river Pinn, teaming together to control invasive species from our waterways with a catchment-scale approach.

Following extensive tree planting on site last winter, we were back at Woodlands Open Space to conduct some essential tree aftercare, weeding away competitive grasses and adding woodchip mulch around their base:

At Stanmore Country Park we helped the site wardens install a new sign post for a walking route from Stanmore station up to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, and clear bramble encroachment into dragon ride to maintain this wildlife corridor for amphibian migration. They run monthly volunteer sessions on the first Wednesday of every month and you can sign up by emailing the site warden here hollhu@yahoo.co.uk

A good start was made to the new project clearing overgrown vegetation from around Bolton's Pand at Roxbourne Rough. Here we aim to bring in more light to the pond and create space for pond life to thrive, as well as restoring it's suitability for use as an educational space for exploring pond life:

Before

After

And we have of course been continuing with rubble removal from the Yeading Brook both at Streamside Open Space and Yeading Walk, as well as removing a few logs that had been thrown into the river:

August activities:

Following an initial volunteer session led by the The Conservation Volunteers, we will be planting up sections of the wetland areas at Stanmore Marsh to help increase diversity in the site's riparian habitats.

We will be having a professional trainer in countryside skills provide expert tuition in scything (date tbc), and will be putting our skills to the test at Riverside Park to mow their new wildflower meadow.

We will also be running further sessions of tree aftercare and pond clearance at Woodlands Open Space and Roxbourne Rough respectively.

And at Bentley Priory we will be controlling Ragwort in Old Lodge, and clearing the remaining cherry laurel and Rhododendron in the Glenthorne area ahead of winter tree works and planting to restore this section of woodland.

If you're looking to get involved in more educational activities and opportunities to learn more about nature, in additional to practical conservation works, Harrow Nature Conservation Forum regularly run guided walks and other educational events at nature reserves across Harrow. Check out their upcoming activities here: HNCF educational events

Here is the updated volunteering schedule for August:

All activities have now been added to the upcoming activities section - head over there to sign up.

We are pleased to share that we have been able to find an alternative date for the Grassland Assessment Training run by Denis Vickers. The revised date is Sunday 28th July 10:00 - 16:00 meeting at the Masefield entrance of Bentley Priory - see Upcoming Activities section for further details. Participants will have the opportunity to learn skills in species identification and interpreting the condition of grassland habitats from a professional ecologist. Booking is essential as there are limited spaces, and we anticipate this getting fully booked quickly, so book your place using the July Booking Form now!

We will also be running an additional project at Stanmore Country Park on Saturday 20th July, where we will be installing a new signpost and clearing bramble to open up Dragon Ride. Sign up using the July Booking Form where you we find details of all other projects in July.

If you're looking to get involved in more educational activities and opportunities to learn more about nature, Harrow Nature Conservation Forum regularly run guided walks and other educational events at nature reserves across Harrow. Check out their upcoming activities here: HNCF educational events

And finally, we want to share another exciting activity run by Harrow Nature Heroes - Walk Into Wellbeing is a four-week course designed to nurture you with gentle exercise and nature connection. It aims to provide a safe space to talk, a chance to bond with like-minded people, and to spend time in nature. Tuesday mornings from 30 July to 20 August, 10:00 - 12:00. Further details of the course and how to sign up can be found here: Walk Into Wellbeing Course

What’s been happening in May and June:

Whilst the rain hasn’t stopped, and the sun has been shining, the vegetation has been shooting up, including non-native invasive species such as Himalayan balsam. This prolific plant is a master of taking over riverbanks, shading out our native species and disrupting natural riparian habitats. However, thanks to the efforts of local volunteers including from the Friends of Roxbourne Park and Woodlarks and Waders from Hillingdon, we have been working to eradicate this plant from the yeading Brook and the River Pinn. Whilst we are well on our way to clearing this from the former, we still need help on the Pinn – see upcoming activities for chances to get involved.

Balsam bashing on the River Pinn:

As well as removing invasive plants, we have also been planting native species along the Yeading Brook and around the wetlands at Brockley Hill Open Space to help increase species diversity in these habitats. Comprising a mix of marginal, emergent and aquatic plants, species include: marsh marigold, flowering rush, water forget-me-not, purple loosestrife and more. We have plans for further planting at Headstone Manor Park and Stanmore Marsh – stay tuned for further announcements.

In addition to our human volunteers, we have also benefitted form the help of three very popular bovines over at Headstone Manor Park. Daphne, Mitzi and Lulu, a trio of Dexter cattle, have been munching their way through vegetation in the wildflower meadows around the lagoons which are too steep for our machines to cut. The three lovely laddies will be on site for another couple of weeks so get down and meet them whilst you can.

And finally, the twice-monthly working parties at Bentley Priory are underway! Harrow’s most important site for nature is in need of your help, and with a brand-new tools tore, we are well equipped to tackle the myriad tasks required to manage and maintain its value for nature. The new tool store also frees up space to use the Nature Centre for survey work, training sessions and other educational activities.

Coming up next month:

In addition to a couple of sessions on Himalayan balsam and continuing with rubble removal from the Yeading Brook, we will be working with the local volunteers at Roxbourne Rough to clear the overgrown vegetation from Bolton's Pand, hoping to restore this areas as resource for local school groups. We also have a an exciting training opportunity to learn about grassland habitat assessment at Bentley Priory. Make sure to sign up using the July Booking Form to avoid disappointment.

Here is the full volunteering schedule for July:

All activities have now been added to the upcoming activities section - head over there to sign up.

What went on in April

Despite the rather soggy weather - to put it mildly - there were a few exciting moments in amongst the dampness of April. The pick of which would be the beginning of works for the Yeading Brook Unbound Project; volunteer groups at Streamside Open Space and Roxbourne Park commenced project 'Rubble Trouble' - the removal of concrete slabs, builders' waste, and other artificial materials to help restore natural flow regimes and carry silt further downstream. As well as various random items which had sadly been dumped there, we also found plenty of invertebrate life, including a water scorpion! (see below) Despite the mountains of material created (see weekly updates from April) there is still plenty to remove and we need your help!

Volunteers at Roxbourne Park

Water scorpion found in the Yeading Brook

Coming up in May and June:

In addition to project rubble trouble, we will be: tackling the non-native invasive Himalayan balsam from the banks of the Yeading Brook and the River Pinn; planting native marginal, emergent and aquatic plants at various wetland sites across the borough; helping to control invasion of ragwort and thistles in Bentley Priory's species rich grasslands; and help manage encroachment of vegetation around the wetland areas.

Elsewhere, The Harrow Nature Conservation Forum will be running regular working parties at Newton Farm Ecology Park, Stanmore Common and Stanmore Country Park. They will also be hosting guided walks and educational activites, such as exploring wildlife in the wetlands of Old Redding, and a butterfly walk at Stanmore Country Park. Head over to their website for the full schedule and contact details.

Here is the updated volunteering schedule for May & June:

All activities have now been added to the upcoming activities section - head over there to sign up.

Volunteer work for the Yeading Brook Unbound project are now underway!

Last week, Luke and local volunteers from Streamside Open Space and Roxbourne Park, helped to remove washed out bank reinforcements and builders waste from the river channel which was impeding the natural state of the river. Removing these unnatural features will help to naturalise the materials of the river bed, and improve the condition of the brook. Have a look at what the teams managed to achieve in half a day's work:

Last month, Luke and the Bentley Priory Wardens set sail onto Boot Pond to collect the litter and fly tipping that had built up along the edges of the pond. Here are the results of our efforts along with some pictures of the wardens at work.

If you would be interested in getting involved with activities such as this, why not come along to one of our bi-monthly volunteer session and give a little back to our wonderful green spaces.