Walthamstow Marshes – willow removal along ditches
On Sunday, 6th October 2024, LBCV will be working alongside the ditches on Walthamstow Marshes to remove willow in this SSSI Nature Reserve. To join us, meet at the Waterworks Centre on Lammas Road from 9:30 am to 10 am.
Everyone is welcome to volunteer with LBCV. No experience is required. Please wear sturdy footwear and appropriate clothing for the work and weather conditions, and apply sunscreen—some will be available in the welfare bucket. Waders will be provided for those working in the ditch. We will be working near brambles, close to nettles, and with sharp tools. We only conduct tasks on the first Sunday of every month, so a little bad weather will not stop us. We are no longer in lockdown.
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On Sunday 4th August 2024, LBCV will be in the ditches on Walthamstow Marshes to remove reedmace to open up this waterway for dragonflies and the watervole communities in this SSSI Nature Reserve. To join us, meet at the Waterworks Centre, Lammas Road from 9:30am – 10am. Conservation Task Details The aim of the task is to remove some reedmace by either pulling the rhizomes or cutting below the water level to drown it. This will provide open water areas for dragonflies to hunt. While doing the task we need to cautious as the ditch contains the invasive azolla, mosquito fern, duckweed fern and we must take precautions to stop it spread to other parts of the ditch and nearby waterbodies. We will work around any nesting birds. The photos show a moorehen nest with 5 eggs and the moorhen sitting back on the nest as we packed away in 2021 Water Voles – Full Legal Protection In England & Wales Water voles were given full legal protection in England & Wales on the 6th April 2008 by provisions under section 9 of Schedule 5 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). Schedule 5 of this Act makes it an offence to intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to any structure or place that a water vole uses for shelter or protection. It is also an offence to disturb, kill or injure a water vole or handle a water vole without a licence. (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981). Disturbing or harming a water vole, damaging its habitat or destroying or blocking water vole burrows could lead to prosecution. Offences carry a maximum penalty of £5,000.
Everybody is welcome to volunteer with LBCV. No experience is required. Please wear sturdy footwear and appropriate clothing for the work and weather – please wear sunscreen some will be available in the welfare bucket. Waders will be provided for those working in the ditch, We will be working with brambles close to nettles and with sharp tools. We only do tasks on the first Sunday of every month so a little bad weather will not stop a task. We are out of lockdown but some restrictions still need to apply for LBCV to safely be able to run volunteer tasks in the Lea Valley Park, with the restrictions below. If you are ill, feel ill or have been in contact with somebody who is self-isolating please do not volunteer. Please take a test if you are not sure. Please wash your hands before the task in warm water or hand sanitiser. Use gloves when handling all tools, touching gates or other items in the park Wash your hands before eating or drinking in warm water or hand sanitiser LBCV can supply wellington boots to work in, please arrive in plenty of time at the Waterworks, to select your pair. LBCV will provide tools, training, gloves, coffee, tea and biscuits. Please bring some lunch and water. Please arrive from 9:30am onwards at the Waterworks Centre Lammas Road, off Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London E10 7QT, for a 10am departure to collect tools and gloves. The meeting place is by the bike racks in front of The Waterworks Centre. If you use what three words ///guises.manage.entry is the location. Please lock bicycles to the stands in front of the Waterworks Centre. There is ample free car parking. Dogs are not allowed in the Nature Reserve so please do not cross the bridge with dogs or ride bicycles in the nature reserve. Dogs are still welcome on some tasks, including this one, as we are in an open nature reserve. We should be finished by 4pm Volunteering and doing a conservation task with LBCV in North East London, is great way to meet new people, learn new skills, use old skills, be more active, get closer to nature, make a difference and have some fun with like-minded people in the Lea Valley Regional Park.
The scrape is too wet to be worked in so the task has changed to bed wall clearance at the Waterworks Nature Reserve ####
On Sunday 7th April 2024 LBCV is due to be working in the scrape on Walthamstow Marshes. This task will aid the Creeping Marshwort Helosciaidum repens. This location in Walthamstow Marshes Nature Reserve is one of only three in the UK that Creeping Marshwort can be found. Creeping Marshwort is currently listed as Endangered in the Red Data Book for Great Britain. Threats include habitat loss, loss of grazing and lack of management.
It that time of the year so cakes are always welcome !
All(18+) are welcome to join us and no experience is required. Please meet us at the Waterworks Centre so we can provide enough tools. If You are curious about what happens on a LBCV task, one of our regular volunteers did the following live video on the October 2020 task
Please wear appropriate clothing which is long sleeves and trousers and wear stout footwear, PLEASE NO SHORTS as we are possibly handling very hazardous plants. We will be working in an area with nettles and brambles, so closed shoes/boots and long trousers and sleeves would be safest.
Working on the Marshes with a rainbow in the background
Join Us Everybody(18+) is welcome to volunteer with LBCV. No experience is required. Please wear sturdy waterproof footwear and appropriate clothing for the work and weather. We will possibly be working in an area with brambles and nettles and as well as suing sharp heavy tools.
LBCV can supply wellington boots to work in, please arrive in plenty of time at the Waterworks, to select your pair. An extra pair of socks will provide protect from blisters.
LBCV will provide tools, training, gloves, coffee, tea and biscuits. Please bring some lunch and water.
Please arrive from 9:30am onwards at the Waterworks Centre Lammas Road, off Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London E10 7QT, for a 10am departure to collect tools and gloves. The meeting place is by the bike racks in front of the Waterworks Centre, across from the former Greyhound Public House on Lea Bridge Road. If you use what three words ///guises.manage.entry is the location.
Please lock bicycles to the stands in front of the Waterworks Centre. There is ample free car parking. Dogs are not allowed in the Nature Reserve so please do not cross the bridge with dogs or ride bicycles in the nature reserve. Dogs are still welcome on some tasks, inclusing this one, as we are in an open nature reserve.
We should be finished by 4.30pm
Volunteering and doing a conservation task with LBCV in North East London, is great way to meet new people, learn new skills, use old skills, be more active, get closer to nature, make a difference and have some fun with like-minded people in the Lea Valley Regional Park.
The scrape is too wet to be worked in so the task has changed to bed wall clearance at the Waterworks Nature Reserve ####
On Sunday 7th April 2024 LBCV is due to be working in the scrape on Walthamstow Marshes. This task will aid the Creeping Marshwort Helosciaidum repens. This location in Walthamstow Marshes Nature Reserve is one of only three in the UK that Creeping Marshwort can be found. Creeping Marshwort is currently listed as Endangered in the Red Data Book for Great Britain. Threats include habitat loss, loss of grazing and lack of management.
It that time of the year so cakes are always welcome !
All(18+) are welcome to join us and no experience is required. Please meet us at the Waterworks Centre so we can provide enough tools. If You are curious about what happens on a LBCV task, one of our regular volunteers did the following live video on the October 2020 task
Please wear appropriate clothing which is long sleeves and trousers and wear stout footwear, PLEASE NO SHORTS as we are possibly handling very hazardous plants. We will be working in an area with nettles and brambles, so closed shoes/boots and long trousers and sleeves would be safest.
Working on the Marshes with a rainbow in the background
Join Us Everybody(18+) is welcome to volunteer with LBCV. No experience is required. Please wear sturdy waterproof footwear and appropriate clothing for the work and weather. We will possibly be working in an area with brambles and nettles and as well as suing sharp heavy tools.
LBCV can supply wellington boots to work in, please arrive in plenty of time at the Waterworks, to select your pair. An extra pair of socks will provide protect from blisters.
LBCV will provide tools, training, gloves, coffee, tea and biscuits. Please bring some lunch and water.
Please arrive from 9:30am onwards at the Waterworks Centre Lammas Road, off Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London E10 7QT, for a 10am departure to collect tools and gloves. The meeting place is by the bike racks in front of the Waterworks Centre, across from the former Greyhound Public House on Lea Bridge Road. If you use what three words ///guises.manage.entry is the location.
Please lock bicycles to the stands in front of the Waterworks Centre. There is ample free car parking. Dogs are not allowed in the Nature Reserve so please do not cross the bridge with dogs or ride bicycles in the nature reserve. Dogs are still welcome on some tasks, inclusing this one, as we are in an open nature reserve.
We should be finished by 4.30pm
Volunteering and doing a conservation task with LBCV in North East London, is great way to meet new people, learn new skills, use old skills, be more active, get closer to nature, make a difference and have some fun with like-minded people in the Lea Valley Regional Park.
On Sunday 3rd March 2024, LBCV will be doing a volunteer nature conservation task on Ox Bow Island near Waltamstow Marshes, in North East London We will be creating dead hedges and enhancing the ones already there to control access to the side of the island next to the swans’ nest. Everyone (18+) are welcome to join us, see below for the meeting place.
Swan nest on Ox Bow Lake March 2024
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Please check your spam/junk folder for the confirmation email, for more details closer to the task date.
Volunteer with us, to do nature conservation!
Everyone(18+) is welcome to volunteer with Lea Bridge Conservation Volunteers on any of our monthly first Sunday nature conservation task in North East London. Simply turn up at the Waterworks Nature Reserve by 10am on the Sunday morning in clothing and footwear suitable for the task and weather. If you use What Three Words ///guises.manage.entry is the location.
On Sunday 4th February 2024 LBCV will doing a volunteer conservation task in the Waterworks Nature Reserve , we will be workng on the filterbed walls clearing scrub that is damaging the Victorian brickwork.
Subscribe to our task reminder email
Please check your spam/junk folder for the confirmation email, for more information, closer to the task date.
Volunteer with us !
Everyone is welcome to volunteer with Lea Bridge Conservation Volunteers on any of our monthly first Sunday nature conservation task in North East London. Simply turn up at the Waterworks Nature Reserve by 10am on the Sunday morning in clothing and footwear suitable for the task and weather. If you use What Three Words ///guises.manage.entry is the location.
Horseshoe Thicket coup (coppiced area) with belted galloway cattle.
On Sunday 3rd December we will be on Walthamstow Marshes in Horseshoe Thicket doing our annual coppicing task. The task will involve creating dead hedges to control access to the regrowth areas, felling trees to open up the ground and seed bank to sunlight to increase the biodiversity of the area, creating carbon sinks with deadwood ecosystems and increasing biodiversity with habitat piles.
Volunteer with us !
Everyone is welcome to volunteer with Lea Bridge Conservation Volunteers on any of our first Sunday nature conservation task in North East London. Simply turn up at the Waterworks Nature Reserve by 10am on the Sunday morning in clothing and footwear suitable for the task and weather. If you use What Three Words ///guises.manage.entry is the location.
Please do not meet us on site, we carry all our equipment, so will only have enough for those that arrive at the Waterworks,
Winter Dead Head hedge 2022 created during the 2021 coppicing task.
Task Reminder Email
Subscribe to our monthly task reminder emails to receive the latest details when available, closer to the task date !
Check your spam/junk folder for the confirmation email.
Nature conservation task on Walthamstow Marshes. This is a change to March’s planned task as the nesting season has started early this year, so the scrub management and bramble bash task will not go ahead. Instead we will be adding to the marshes’ hibernaculum and helping to stop the increasing of the nutrient content of the marsh’s soil structure, leading to greater fertility and a loss of this unique ecosytem in the Lea Valley.
This is the final task in our 2022/23 calender more tasks will apear when our 2023/24 list becomes available. As always we will be runnng volunteer nature conservation tasks on the first Sunday of every month from the Waterworks Nature Reserve in North East London.
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Waterworks Nature Reserve (park pathway) Blackthorn Scallop and dead hedge
## PLEASE NOTE ## THIS TASK IS NOT ON THE FIRST SUNDAY ## Happy New Year !
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January 2023 Nature Conservation Task
Sunday 8th January 2023 Lea Bridge Conservation Volunteers will be moving cut reed to increase the hibernaclum on Walthamstow Marsh, increasing the biodiversity.
There may be a bramble bash too.
Coppicied coup 2022
All are welcome to join us and no experience is required. If You are curious about what happens on a LBCV task, one of our regular volunteers did the following live video on October's 2020 task
Please wear appropriate layered clothing and stout footwear for the task and weather. We will be working in an area with bramble and sharp reeds, so closed shoes/boots and long trousers and sleeves would be best.
Join Us
Wet Marsh 2023
Everybody is welcome to volunteer with LBCV. No experience is required. Please wear sturdy footwear and appropriate clothing for the work and weather. We may be working with brambles, sharp reeds and sharp tools and the marsh paths are very wet at the moment.
We are out of lockdown but some restrictions still need to apply for LBCV to safely be able to run volunteer tasks in the Lea Valley Park, with the restrictions below.
If you are ill, feel ill or have been in contact with somebody who is self-isolating please do not volunteer.
Please take a test if you are not sure.
Please wash your hands before the task in warm water or hand sanitiser.
Wash your hands before eating or drinking in warm water or hand sanitiser
LBCV can supply wellington boots to work in, please arrive in plenty of time at the Waterworks, to select your pair. Best to bring an extra pair of socks to avoid blisters.
LBCV will provide tools, training, gloves, coffee, tea and biscuits. Please bring some lunch and water.
Please arrive from 9:30am onwards at the Waterworks Centre Lammas Road, off Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London E10 7QT, for a 10am departure to collect tools and gloves. The meeting place is by the bike racks in front of the Waterworks Centre, across from the former Greyhound Public House on Lea Bridge Road. If you use what three words ///guises.manage.entry is the location.
Please lock bicycles to the stands in front of the Waterworks Centre. There is ample free car parking. Dogs are not allowed in the Nature Reserve so please do not cross the bridge with dogs or ride bicycles in the nature reserve. Dogs are still welcome on some tasks but must be kept on a lead while they are in the area of the task on the North Marsh.
We should be finished by 3-4pm.
Volunteering and doing a conservation task with LBCV in North East London, is great way to meet new people, learn new skills, use old skills, be more active, get closer to nature, make a difference and have some fun with like-minded people in the Lea Valley Regional Park.
Goodbye Charlie
Charlie 2012 - 2022
It is with great sadness, I have to report Charlie will no longer be popping by to visit us on our marsh tasks, as he passed away at the end of 2022.
My deepest sympathies go to his owners Ivo and Peter,
Our annual coppicing task creates biodiversity in the thicket by creating different light levels via the changing the canopy cover. We will also create a valuable ecosystem of lying deadwood with the felled trunks becoming a carbon store. Standing deadwood is not possible in such a public woodland.
A walk around the thicket will enable you to see the various coups (coppiced areas) from previous years’ tasks, last year’s coup being the most verdant as the seed bank has been exposed to light for the first time in over a decade.
LBCV have been coppicing Horseshoe Thicket for over 20 years. All people (18+) are welcome to join us no experience necessary. Just turn up at the Waterworks Centre, around 9:45am, to help us move the tools to the site. We do the monthly tasks in all weathers, so please dress for the weather.
