Shill Hill Dukes and Flies
The Glorious Grasslands project returned for the third year to continue habitat management and conservation at Shill Hill. This site is an important location for the endangered Duke of Burgundy butterfly and also home for the relatively rare Fly Orchid.
Each year we clear another section of grassland of encroaching scrub and taller trees. This allows more light into the slope which encourages the wildflowers which the Duke of Burgundy need (primarily cowslip).
No brush cutters today so it was hand tools and chainsaw to cut away the trees. We selected the areas which already had some grass growth underneath and stacked the arisings on the boggier, mossy areas.
The fog didn’t lift the whole day, but the rain stayed away so we were able to clear a large area. There were about 12 of us, which was a pretty good turn out. Anna also spotted some fly orchids coming through in the area of woodland we cleared a couple of years ago. It’s always motivating when you can see the work you did created the desired results.
In the evening we had the Dursley Green Drinks gathering at Kingshill House. I took along mince pies and snacks as a nod to the festive season. A slightly smaller crowd than usual but still around 18 people. An interesting new member was Eric who campaigns on litter and environmental waste in the area. Again, he was able to make contacts with other attendees who have expertise in this area.
It never fails to amaze me the connections and conversations that spawn from these monthly gatherings. Kingshill House is happy to carry on hosting us in 2024, so I’ll get back to Joe with dates for the new year.
