General Information
Be sure to bring suitable working clothes, waterproofs and wellies and a strong pair of gardening gloves, something waterproof to sit on (eg, bin bag) plus food and drink. For those who are unsure of where to go please ring the task leader.
The outlined task description is a guide to give you an idea of what to expect but quite often events overtake us and we may be given something quite different to do.
Please note that some Post Codes have been included to assist those with Sat. Nav. and give a general indication of the vicinity of the task and not necessarily the exact location.
Don't forget to keep up your tetanus jabs. If you have had a few over the years it is possible that you won't need any more.
Please arrive by at least 9.45am for a 10am start as often we will be moving on to the work site.
Sunday 6th September
MINSTEAD STUDY CENTER
Numerous tasks
In Minstead Village-with the little green on you left, go past the Trusty Servant Pub and then take the first left signposted "Study Center" Just before the ford, turn right. Study Center is on your right.
User Body: Study Center
Postcode: SO43 7GJ
Grid Ref: SU 278 108
Task Leader: Heather Lipscombe
Mobile: 0778 4871053
Sunday 13th September
PENNINGTON MARSHES, KEYHAVEN.
Nightjar Habitat Creation on Pennington Marshes
MEET: Car park at end of Lower Pennington Lane, Lymington SO41 8AL.
THE PROJECT: Nightjar have been breeding regularly at Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve for over ten years now. Experience has shown they like small areas of cleared scrub and gorse to nest in - best created by cutting the vegetation by hand. As this task is early in the autumn, we are hoping we will be able to get out onto Pennington Marshes to do some habitat work - an area which is normally too wet to access by foot later in the winter.
There is often limited parking in this car park and so the gateway onto the grassland will be unlocked and cars can be parked beyond the gate. The work site is about a half mile walk from the car park.
User Body: Hampshire Countryside Services.
Postcode: SO41 0RF
Grid Reference: SZ 318 927. What3words///undertook.flask.lance.
Task Leader: Wendy Mitchell
Tel No: 01590 644060
Mobile: 0780 5970 001
Sunday 20th September
GT NEWBRIDGE COPSE
Awaits task
From the A337 Lymington to New Milton Road, turn into the Efford Estate, housing Otter Nursery. Do not turn into the nursery but keep straight on until you reach some outbuildings, Continue on down the track on the right of the scaffolding firm and will park up the lane past the gate.
User body: Terry Gage.
Map Ref: SZ 307937
Postcode: SO41 0JD
Task Leader: Roy Bower
Tel. No.: 01590 670603
Sunday 27th September
NORTH SOLENT NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE
Todays Task will be general vegetation maintenance around this lovely site.
Meet at the gate entrance in Summer Lane, Exbury.
There will be someone there at the gate to allow entry from 9.30am.
User Body Natural England
Map ref: SU 408026.
Postcode: SO42 7YS
What3Words: ///rainwater.represent.dogs
Task Leader: Julie Thomas
Tel. No: 023 8066 6665
Mobile: 0747 4264 050
Sunday 4th October
GORLEY COMMON
THE TASK: Depending on weather and ground conditions, we will either be cutting gorse and silver birch around rare wetland habitat or clearing the ramparts of an Iron Age hillfort or creating nesting habitat for Nightjar, Dartford Warblers and Stonechats.
Directions: If coming from the south / Ringwood direction, turn off the A31 at Ringwood and take the A338 north to Salisbury. About a mile and half north of the village of Ibsley (the Old Beams Inn is by the main road on the right), there will be a right turn to ‘North Gorley’. At a T-junction, turn left then after a few yards, take a right turn signposted to ‘Hyde’. Follow the narrow lane up the hill, past a thatched cottage on the left. On the brow of the hill is a right hand turn up a gravel track – this leads to Buddle Hill Car Park (please note that the car park is not signposted).
Meet at Buddle Hill Car Park.
User Body: Hampshire Countryside Services
Postcode: SP6 2PF
Grid Ref: SU 165 118
What3Words: ///spends.clipboard.fruit
Task Leader: Peter Harris.
Tel No: 01590 643144
Mobile: 0781 6178591
Sunday 11th October
SHIRLEY FARM
Task awaits.
Meet by the metal gate in Braggers Lane, Bransgore. We shall be moving from there to the work site.
User Body: Simon Butler
Map Ref: SZ 192998
Post Code: BH23 8EF
What3Words: ///defender.beefed.honeybees
Task Leader: Wendy Mitchell
Tel No: 01590 644060
Mobile: 0780 5970 001
Sunday 18th October
ROYDON WOODS
Task awaits.
Probably scrub clearance and pine removal.
Meet at the reserve car park and then we will be moving on.
From Brockenhurst, turn left from the B337 immediately past the Filly Inn and follow the track keeping right until you see a small car park.
What3Words: ///sourcing.spans.print
Map Ref: SU 307004
Postcode: SO42 7UF
User Body: Hampshire & IOW Wildlife Trust
Task Leader: Heather Lipscombe
Mobile: 0778 4871053
Sunday 25th October
NORTH SOLENT NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE
Task & Location awaits
User Body: Natural England
Task Leader: Gwyn Alford
Mobile: 0745 6914 687
Sunday 1st November
SHIRLEY FARM
Task awaits
Meet by the metal gate in Braggers Lane, Bransgore. We shall be moving from there to the work site.
User Body: Simon Butler
Map Ref: SZ 192998
Post Code: BH23 8EF
What3Words: ///defender.beefed.honeybees?
User Body: Simon Butler
Task Leader: Julie Thomas
Tel. No: 023 8066 6665
Mobile: 0747 4264 050
Sunday 8th November
MINSTEAD STUDY CENTER
Numerous tasks
In Minstead Village-with the little green on you left, go past the Trusty Servant Pub and then take the first left signposted "Study Center" Just before the ford, turn right. Study Center is on your right.
User Body: Study Center
Postcode: SO43 7GJ
Grid Ref: SU 278 108
Task Leader: Heather Lipscombe
Mobile: 0778 4871053
Sunday 15th November
HYDE COMMON
Gorse & silver birch clearance in the center of the common to create nesting habitat for Nightjar, Dartford Warblers and Stonechats, plus continuing to uncover some of the mysterious earthworks that cris-cross the common.
Hyde Common is the largest of Hampshire County Council's four New Forest Commons with a unspoiled, bygone feel about it-the common is ringed by thatched cottages and the primary school's playing fields are literally the op common plus there are still 'Girls' and 'Boys' entrances to the school and a donkey weathervane on the roof.
Meet at the car park opposite Hyde Church of England Primary School.
Directions; If travelling from Ringwood direction-take A338 towards Salisbury. About 1 mile south of Fordingbridge, look for right hand turn signposted "Hyde/Hern Lane. Follow this lane for a mile and at the top of the hill there is a cross road with Hyde Primary School on the right and a cricket pitch on the left..
User Body: Hampshire Countryside Services
Postcode: SP6 2QL
Grid Ref.: SU 169 125
What3Words: ///chapters.cleans.stickler
Task Leader: Peter Harris.
Tel No: 01590 643144
Mobile: 0781 6178591
Sunday 22nd November
GREAT NEWBRIDGE COPSE
Task to be confirmed.
From the A337 Lymington to New Milton Road, turn into the Efford Estate, housing Otter Nursery. Do not turn into the nursery but keep straight on until you reach some outbuildings, Continue on down the track on the right of the scaffolding firm and will park up the lane past the gate.
User body: Terry Gage.
Map Ref: SZ 307937
Postcode: SO41 0JD
Task Leader: Roy Bower
Tel. No.: 01590 670603
Sunday 29th November
NORTH SOLENT NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE
Task & Location awaits
User Body: Natural England
Task Leader: Julie Thomas
Tel. No: 023 8066 6665
Mobile: 0747 4264 050
Sunday 6th December
PENNINGTON MARSHES, KEYHAVEN.
Nightjar Habitat Creation on Pennington Marshes
MEET: Car park at end of Lower Pennington Lane, Lymington SO41 8AL.
THE PROJECT: The landscape of Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve was created many centuries ago when the marshes were contained behind a sea wall and shallow pans were dug for the production of salt. The site contains the largest area of preserved ancient salt workings in Britain. These earthworks are becoming lost under encroaching vegetation. Your help would be appreciated to cut back the brambles and gorse to expose these important industrial archaeological features.
If the weather is wet, we still go ahead but instead work in a more sheltered area and cut scrub to create nesting habitat for Nightjars.
There is often limited parking in this car park and so the gateway onto the grassland will be unlocked and cars can be parked beyond the gate. The work site is about a half mile walk from the car park.
User Body: Hampshire Countryside Services.
Postcode: SO41 0RF
Grid Reference: SZ 318 927. What3words///undertook.flask.lance.
Task Leader: Wendy Mitchell
Tel No: 01590 644060
Mobile: 0780 5970 001
Sunday 13th December
ROYDON WOODS
Task awaits.
Probably scrub clearance and pine removal.
Meet at the reserve car park and then we will be moving on.
From Brockenhurst, turn left from the B337 immediately past the Filly Inn and follow the track keeping right until you see a small car park.
What3Words: ///sourcing.spans.print
Map Ref: SU 307004
Postcode: SO42 7UF
User Body: Hampshire & IOW Wildlife Trust
Task Leader: Heather Lipscombe
Mobile: 0778 4871053
Sunday 27th December
NORTH SOLENT NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE
Task & Location awaits
User Body: Natural England
Task Leader: Heather Lipscombe
Mobile: 0778 4871053