We had a good session on Sunday. First we scraped out the bed of the stream (well, drainage channel) in the middle of the wood. You may know the top end, where it passes under the sleeper bridge halfway up the top path.

If we don’t keep this stream bed clear the species in the centre of the wood will change as it gets gradually damper and damper. We also have to keep a suitable habitat for a kind of sedge that is locally rare, but grows on the banks of the channel. If you look at the photo you can see the grass-like sedge on either side of the bridge.

The stream bed wasn’t wet, despite the recent rain – there are deep cracks in the ground, and any rain just vanishes into the cracks. The water flows underground above a layer of impervious rock across the common and comes out at the bend in the road near the kissing gate, which it why that corner tends to flood in the winter.

We also went round all the main paths cutting back excess vegetation, especially at face level. I know it’s been a good growing season, but sometimes you can have too much of a good thing!

Our next workday will be on Sunday 12 November (10am for about 3 hours) – come and help us put up some bird and bat boxes.