Tag Archives: water voles

Tasks

October 2024 Nature Conservation Task

Walthamstow Marshes Ditch
Walthamstow Marshes Ditch

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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Tasks

August 2024 Conservation Task

Walthamstow Marshes Ditch
Walthamstow Marshes Ditch

Sunday 4th August                   

Walthamstow Marshes Reedmace removal in ditches

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.
Moorhen eggs Ditch Walthamstow Marshes
Tasks

August 2022 Conservation Task

Walthamstow Marshes Ditch
Walthamstow Marshes Ditch

Sunday 7th August                   

Walthamstow Marshes Reedmace removal in ditches

On Sunday 7th  August 2021, 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.
Moorhen eggs Ditch Walthamstow Marshes
Tasks

May 2019 Conservation Task

After a very rare cancelled task in April, LBCV are back !

Update Saturday 4 May
A last minute change to the task, as the Goat’s Rue has not appeared on the North Marsh yet. Have we been able to eradicate it ? Find out next month, when this task will be rolled over. Task in May will be Scrape Management on South Marsh, so a double roll-over !

On Sunday 5 May 2019, LBCV will be doing invasive species management on Walthamstow Marshes(SSSI). We will be removing Goat’s Rue from the North Marsh. Meet at the Waterworks Centre, Lemmas Road from 9:30am – 10am.

Conservation Task Details

Walthamstow Marsh is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI, pronounced “triple S, I”) declared under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. Covering 55.4 Hectares (136.9 acres), it is part of a Green Flag Awarded Nature Reserve that also includes Coppermill Fields and Leyton Marsh. This Nature Reserve is a remnant of London’s once widespread river valley grasslands and is especially important for its plant and insect life containing a national rarity in creeping marshwort along with long-stalked orache, black poplar, brookweed, penny-royal, water vole, bats; soldier-flies, snail-killing flies, orthoptera, reed bunting, linnet and song thrush. The marshes are former Lammas lands, in that commoners had rights to graze there from 12 August to 6 April.

The aim of the task is to help keep the Marshes free from invasive species.

Goat’s Rue is an invasive plant that for several years LBCV was devoting a summer task to pulling on South Marsh. This year’s pulling of Goat’s Rues will be on North Marsh. Goats Rue is so called as it was given to nanny goats to increase their milk yield but it was found to be toxic to ruminants with the potential to induce a build-up of excess fluid in the lungs, low blood pressure, paralysis and death.

How is it invasive ? It is a non-native hardy perennial that forms dense crowns, each plant can produce over 15,000 seeds that remain viable for 10 to possibly 26 years.

Why remove ? Walthamstow Marshes are under Higher Level Stewardship in that they are being grazed by traditional bred cattle, Belted Galloways, so having goat’s rue growing where cattle are grazed is not ideal and the area is also surround by bridle paths so there is a need to control the goat’s rue in these areas.

Join Us

Everybody is welcome to volunteer with LBCV. No experience is required. LBCV will provide tools, training, gloves, tea, coffee and biscuits.

Please bring some lunch. Please wear sturdy footwear and appropriate clothing for the work and weather.  We can provide wellingtons in the morning but you must return them to the Waterworks Centre, after the task. So please arrive in plenty of time to select your pair.

Please arrive from 9:30am – 10am at the Waterworks Centre Lammas Road, off Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London E10 7QT, for a 10am departure to the tools storage area. The meeting place is the former golf centre across from the former Greyhound Public House on Lea Bridge Road. We will leave at 10:15am for a walk to the task site. Volunteers are welcome to meet us on site, before the tools talk, please text 07757 766950, before 9am on Sunday, so we can provide enough tools and gloves.

Please lock bicycles to the stands in front of the Waterworks Centre. There is ample free car parking there too. Dogs are not allowed on the Nature Reserve so please do not cross the bridge with dogs or ride bicycles in the nature reserve. Dogs are welcome on some tasks, including this one, we just request that their owners wait with the LBCV catering team at the Waterworks Centre, while the tools are prepared.  If you think we are being draconian, please read this article http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6978272.stm

We should be finished by 3:30pm.

Future LBCV Tasks  – Complete Programme 2019-2020

All conservation tasks are the first Sunday of each month

June Walthamstow Marshes Scrape Management 
July Waterworks Nature Reserve invasive species removal  
August Walthamstow Marshes Invasive species removal  
September Waterworks Nature Reserve reed bed management  
October Walthamstow Marshes Scrub management/ Willow removal along ditches  
November Walthamstow Marshes Scrub management/ Willow removal along ditches
December Walthamstow Marshes pollarding Horseshoe thicket  
January Waterworks Nature Reserve reptile and scrub management  
February Rammey Marshes Scrub management  
March Walthamstow Marshes Bramble bashing  

Tasks

February 2018 Task

Sunday 4 February 2018 Rammey Marsh Scrub management.

More details here and in the task reminder after the site visit,

Join Us

As always everybody is welcome to volunteer with LBCV. No  experience is required. Please wear sturdy footwear and appropriate clothing for the work and weather.

We can provide wellingtons in the morning and you must return them. So please arrive in plenty of time to select your pair. Please bring some lunch.

LBCV will provide tools, training, gloves, tea, coffee and biscuits.

Please arrive from 9:30am onwards at the Waterworks Centre Lammas Road, off Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London E10 7QT, for a 10am departure. The meeting place is the former golf centre across from the former Greyhound Public House on Lea Bridge Road. We will leave at 10am for a walk to the task site. Volunteers are welcome to meet us on site, before the tools talk, please text 07757 766950, before 9am on Sunday, so we can provide enough tools and gloves.

Please lock bicycles to the stands in front of the Waterworks Centre. There is ample free car parking there too. Dogs are not allowed on 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, we just request that their owners wait with the LBCV catering team at the Waterworks Centre, while the tools are loaded. Please read this article if you think we are being draconian http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6978272.stm

As usual we will have post task refreshments in the Hare and Hounds on Lea Bridge Road.

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.
If you use the Facebook like us at either www.facebook.com/lbcv.org.uk or https://www.facebook.com/groups/119714882254/ if you want to be sent LBCV invites to our tasks via Facebook. LBCV is now on Twitter so if that is your social media channel https://twitter.com/LBCV_London.

Tasks

July 2016 Task

On Sunday 3 July 2016 Lea Bridge Conservation Volunteers will be doing a task to help manage the invasive species encroaching on the Water Vole Refuge. We will be removing seed heads and pulling plants from the South Marsh of Walthamstow Marshes.

Water Voles have a conservation status of protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, and are classified as a Priority Species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

Please wear sturdy footwear, wellingtons if possible and appropriate clothing (long trousers) for the work and weather. We will be working in long wet grass.

As always no experience required, all are welcome.

Please bring some lunch. LBCV will provide tools, training, gloves, tea, coffee and biscuits.

We will meet at 1 Connaught Close, Leyton, London E10 7QS (across from the Horse Riding Centre) from 9.30am to gather the tools and leave just after 10am for a walk to the task site.

Indoor bicycle parking is available at Connaught Close. We will return at 4pm.