January saw us back to work in the forest garden and tackling the buttercups that were strangling some of the plants and taking over the paths. Some lovely pics courtesy of Michael Hill. We will continue to meet on the second Sunday of every month so if you want to do some volunteering in 2019 then come and join us! https://friendsofdalbyforest.wordpress.com/about/
This month’s work task saw us working at Staindale Lake. We were joined by members of the GoodGym running group who are a group of runners who “run to do good” via community work. They were racing at the Dalby Dash 10k race but offered their services for an hour before the race so they were put to work pruning the accessible trail around the lake. We greatly appreciate their help and hope they had a good run afterwards!
Regular Friends of Dalby welcomed new volunteer Judith F, newly arrived in the area, and our work focused on the area around the bird feeding area. A thick humic soil had built up around the feeders and it was getting very muddy during the winter and made access difficult. As we discovered, a lot of this was simply a build-up over tarmac and so the water just had nowhere to go. Hopefully having clearing it back will make things easier. In addition we dug out a ditch behind the feeders to further help with drainage and the birds immediately sprung into action to get at all the newly uncovered worms!
We also moved the feeders that were hung in the trees (almost impossible to get at during the summer when the trees are in full leaf) and hung them on a newly installed arch and have made room for two new bird tables we’ve arranged to be made.
We have further plans for this area, not least to install a bench to enable more comfortable bird watching. Watch this space!
Thanks to Jeni for the pics!
A few hardy volunteers got a bit sweaty for July’s work task in the Enchanted Wood, erecting a new fence to maintain the boundary of the Enchanted Wood (our brash fence was simply too tempting for den builders). August sees our annual fundraiser the Duck Dash. Sunday 5th August from 11am (tickets on sale from c10am). Hope you can come along!
We had a work task organised for Sunday 21st January but with the Ellerburn trail still under snow and more forecast at Sunday lunchtime, the decision was taken to cancel the task. However we had in any case arranged the first of our Manual handling training courses and so 8 of us attended that in the morning instead, along with some members of Singletraction. We brushed up on the good lifting and carrying techniques we should all be employing given that we can’t totally avoid lifting or moving things (or wheel-barrowing, or shovelling, or pushing, or pulling, or bending and reaching) as a forest volunteer!
All FoDF active volunteers will have to do the course eventually so watch this space for further training days.
Lifting and shifting at the maze – but in warmer times!
It was lovely weather for our work task this morning weaving in the new shoots and generally tidying up the willow structures in the park by the visitor centre. There were a few spaces where the willow hadn’t taken so we also planted to fill them in. We also welcomed 3 new volunteers, Lizzie, Mike and Sue. Thanks for coming everyone!
Friends of Dalby Forest 