After last winter, without any volunteer work parties, I am very pleased to tell you all that we are back up and running and hoping to get the counties grizzled skipper sites back into tip top condition in time for the 2022 flight season.
Below are the dates that have been arranged and the sites on which we will be undertaking the work.
Sunday 31st October 2021 – GCRN, Lime Sidings to Barnstone Tunnel – hay raking & removal
Wednesday 17th November 2021 – Grange Farm, Normanton on Soar – scrub clearance
Sunday 21st November 2021 – GCRN, East Leake Station Cutting – scrub clearance and egg laying site maintenance
Wednesday 1st December 2021 – Granby Disused Railway – scrub clearance and egg laying site maintenance
Sunday 12th December 2021 – GCRN, Lime Sidings to Barnstone Tunnel – scrub clearance and egg laying site maintenance
Sunday 23rd January 2022 – Flawborough Triangle – scrub clearance
Wednesday 2nd February 2022 – Saxondale Disused Railway Spur – scrub clearance
Sunday 13th February 2022 – Flawborough Footpath – scrub clearance
Wednesday 23rd February 2022 – Staunton Quarry – scrub clearance
Wednesday 2nd March 2022 – Newstead Old Coal Stocking Yard – scrub clearance.
(all work parties will start at 10am and will finish between 3pm and 3.30pm)
You will notice that the first work party will soon be upon. On Sunday 31st October (next Sunday) we will be heading across to the Great Central Railway at East Leake and working on the cutting just to the north of Barnstone Tunnel. The grassland in the cutting was cut recently and the main aim of the work party will be to clear the arisings and also to maintain the ballast piles that we have created in the cutting and that have proved to be ideal sites for egg laying for this butterfly species. If you are able to join us next weekend than please let me know and I will send you meeting instructions early next week. christopher.jackson@nottscc.gov.uk
Chris Jackson – Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group