The Vale Biodiversity Team
Wenvoe Wildlife Group
The Vale Biodiversity Team
At this time of year, you will see a lot of activity around our sites cutting the grass and wildflowers. The Vale Biodiversity team own a seed-harvesting machine, and this is being deployed on the Community Orchard and small meadow at Goldsland Farm. The seed will then be used to create wildflower meadows elsewhere in the Vale. They are also cutting the Lower Orchid Field which runs alongside the Whitehall Quarry access road. This has not been cut for many years and was starting to be invaded by bracken and scrub. The cut will help re-establish the wildflowers which used to include several Bee Orchids. The Upper Orchid Field is also due to have its annual autumn cut under a contract let by the Community Council.
In this month’s Nature Notes the focus is on hedgerows and it is good to be able to report that the hedge-laying course, originally scheduled for last winter, but cancelled because of bad weather, is being rescheduled for the coming winter. The two-day course is being run by the Vale Biodiversity team and will take place on the Community Orchard. Our hedgerow was planted a few years ago (see photo) but is now 2-3 metres tall. Places are limited and more information will be circulated by the Vale and will be advertised on our Facebook page.