Fencing back scrub
The winter fencing programme with the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust got a big boost today with a dozen volunteers turning up. Today’s task was to start preparing a 100m length for new fencing to be installed at the top of the species rich grassland.
The existing fence was curved around the encroaching scrub. Ideally we want to create a dead straight line between two tensioning posts at either end just in front of the mature tree line.
I had the brush cutter which was used intermittently to clear patches of bramble and small hawthorn. But mostly hand cutting was required to remove the mature scrub.
We pretty much cleared the bulk of the 100m length. A few tree stumps need to be removed with the chainsaw and then the material stacked neatly in between the mature trees to make a dead hedge. The individual posts also need to be removed because we’ll be erecting an entirely new fence in its place.
As well as keeping stock out of the grassland, we will probably reclaim around 2-300 square metres of meadow when it’s complete. We plan to meet every friday for the remainder of the winter to complete the task.
