Articles from the newsletter of the Croal Irwell Valley Voluntary Ranger Service

December 2007 entry
Winter washout! Andy Bailey
Winter is time to pause a moment and take stock of what we’ve achieved this year. With fewer visitors, school groups and events it’s time for us look at the bigger jobs we’ve not been able to tackle.

With so much water on the site its inevitable that such a powerful force puts wear and tear on the place. Looking around there is evidence of erosion everywhere. Many paths and steps need more stone adding to them , path edges have crumbled away in some spots due to water running off and down banks. Along the river and the lodges wave action has started to wash out part of the banks. If we put in small revetments now we can slow the process down saving ourselves bigger jobs later on.

Traditionally revetments are made of stone or concrete but these non porous surfaces often cause problems with the water often trying to go behind rather than in front.

Over the last few years we have been experimenting with willow hurdles to prevent erosion- with some success. They are light, cheap to make and easy to get into place. Because water can wash into them it tends to stop the washing out behind effect. Using green willow they will even begin to grow.

So look out for winter washout tasks on this programme- improving paths and repairing washed out bankings!

December 2007 entry
Clifton Country Park Education Garden
The new education garden at the top of the meadow is progressing well.  The garden will be bigger than the old one and include a larger pond with more pond-dipping platforms.  Over the summer the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers were contracted to construct a boundary fence, put in a path and helped to create a new pond with two pond dipping platforms, several of our volunteers participated in this work.  The Croal Irwell Valley Voluntary Rangers have also constructed and installed several benches and helped with the initial clearance of the overgrown woodland.  They helped to line the pond and lay turf around it as well as transplanting vegetation from the old pond to encourage rapid colonisation.  Hopefully by spring the new pond will be as well populated as the old one was with all five amphibians and abundant invertebrates.
There is still plenty of work to be done, levelling the soil for the grassed area, planting hedging and wildflowers and creating places for wildlife to live and people to enjoy.
A major feature of the garden will be a new bench.  Many visitors to the park over the summer took part in workshops with artist Joel Monk to create colourful mosaics.  Joel has used these designs to complete the bench and installation will be completed soon.

September 07 entry
Getting Crafty…
There are some training tasks coming up in the Mill Garden at Moses Gate for any of you that are interested in having a go at willow weaving or hedgelaying. As part of the restoration project, we are bringing in a willow weaver to make a living willow seat, similar to the one in the Sensory Garden. There are up to eight places available for any Volunteers that would like to have a go and find out how to do it. There will also be a hedgelaying day, led by Ian Ratcliffe, you will need to wear strong trousers and jacket, that you don’t mind getting scratched and dirty! Bring your red gloves if you have them, or borrow some from here. Full details are on the Moses Gate rota.

September 07 entry
Cotton mills to Countryside
Join Mark Fletcher, eminent local archaeologist for a guided walk back in time around Burrs Country Park exploring the rich industrial and anecdotal history. Sunday 7th October, meet at the chimney, main car park at 2pm.

June 07 entry
Moses Gate Country Fair – 15th July
The event this year is bigger and better than ever, thanks to the grant funding from the Voluntary Ranger Service to enlarge the wood crafts side of things. The area known as Woodland Grove will once again be open on the other side of the river, showcasing wood crafts and skills. There will be lots of attractions including arena events, bands, climbing wall, craft stalls, children's activities, walks, traditional wood crafts, chainsaw sculpture and woodland machinery demonstrations.
We will need lots of vols. to act as stewards for the event, assisting with setting up, stewarding during the event and helping to clear up afterwards.
Please fill in the enclosed slip if you can come and help, it is usually a great day, hard work but very enjoyable! Please contact Nicky if you have any queries.

June 07 entry
DUNK HIM, DUNK HIM, DUNK HIM!
The first ever Frog Parade took place at the Gravel Pits this May Day and was attended by over 150 people. It was a great success, starting with a fantastic parade from the Farmers Arms down to the Gravel Pits ponds. We all processed down to the sound of the Samba drums, carrying art work of banners and puppets, wearing masks and frog hats. When we got to the pond, the ‘Mysterious Frog King’ was marched along a gang plank and ceremoniously dunked into the stinking cold pond three times – all in the name of a brand new custom! It was brilliant and something we hope will become an annual event – any volunteers for next years King?!! This years one was a star – a hard act to follow, his identity must remain a secret, but let’s just say that not many of us are lucky enough to chuck their boss in the water – no matter how hard you may wish!!!

June 07 entry
Gardens on the Move
After last years prolonged drought, when the education garden pond at Clifton virtually dried up, it was decided that the best way to conserve the newt population was to build a bigger pond nearby.  The Ranger Team has now successfully secured £1000 for the pond work from the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit and a further £10,000 from Greening Greater Manchester with help from BTCV, to create a new, improved, larger education garden.
 The project will involve the removal of some of the amenity tree planting between the garden and the meadow, the establishment of a larger pond and rebuilding the  Education Garden including a small dry stone wall.
 The work will involve BTCV, BCV and hopefully you – so keep an eye on the rotas!

March  07 entry
News from Moss Bank Park
The dipping pond at the front of the park is looking good for the time of year thanks to the help of Volunteers on Sundays. I am hoping that the wildflowers planted over the last 2 seasons will show this year. The marginal plants have flowered very well, especially the Purple Loosestrife and Flag Iris.
Many mature trees have been blown down here, as across the borough, many have also now been dealt with and are now in a safe condition.
The old nursery site has been greatly thinned out and is looking good, possibly over the next several seasons we will be planting various wildflowers there, hopefully also attracting Butterflies to the area.

March  07 entry
After the Storm...
The January storm wreaked havoc across the whole country. Moses Gate was no exception and during the short space of a few hours we lost over 200 trees. After the storm we were able to see the whole picture, many paths had to be closed off as trees had fallen across them or had hung up dangerously over them. The most badly affected area was in the Ed Wood by the side of the fishing lodge.
Many trees had fallen over, leaving open areas which will require extensive replanting. The boardwalk was lifted up dramatically in several places by the root balls of falling trees. It now looks like an assault course rather than a path accessible to all!
Over the coming months we hope to make the woodland safe by removing hung up trees so that we can start on the major job of replacing the boardwalk. We’ve planned in some tasks but keep your eyes peeled for further duties.

December 06 entry
We did it!
The bid that went we put in to the National Lottery Awards for All scheme was successful and the Croal Irwell Valley Voluntary Rangers are now £9510 pounds better off! The money has been allocated for the Be Part of the Action project, for purchasing new display boards, leaflets, sweatshirts, a website and events.
The work will start in earnest after Christmas – and we will be looking for eager volunteers to pose for photos for press releases and display photos soon – we’ll keep you posted on progress.

December 06 entry
A BIG thank you…
to all of the volunteers who have given their blood (hopefully not too much!) sweat and tears over the last year in Bury. We have had our most successful year to date with more volunteer activities and more volunteer days than ever, with 56 duties and 172 volunteer days to date. Thank you for all of your time and efforts. We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and volunteering filled 2007!

December 06 entry
Fruits of our labour...
A new Orchard project is starting at Moses Gate this next year. Katie has been working with a group of people as part of a new Red Rose Forest project – Fruits of the Forest.

The project will run over the next two years and planting will start in January. There will also be fruit planting in the Mill Garden to compliment this and Katie has plans for a ‘scrumping hedge’ - which sounds delicious! We hope that you can come down and join in with the project and we can all enjoy the fruits in the coming Autumns.