20090404 WLA Maintenance and Cleaning with Nile

My friend Nile used to live on the Estate and when she saw the state of the Wild Life Area she insisted in helping out.

Actually I wasn't that worried because of the works in progress in the kick-about field (ie the "Ball Court") abutting the site on the west side. None the less it always a good thing to do a little bit when one has a chance, expecially when there is somebody willing to help.

The temporary fence was still up and the mulch (actually the shredded result of the shrubs that have been cut down to make way for the new, taller, fence) on my recommendation instead of being carted away had been spread on the site. I hope that in addition to allow retention of the nutrients it also would delay rapid growing plants, rubus for instance, giving a chance to the surviving saplings left over from the BBC Breathing Space programme to recuperate.Many, actually the vast majority had already succumbed to the rigours of the environment.The poor soil, the high contaminants levels, the problematic drainage and not least the fact that many have been uprooted, some by animals but most by the biped variety.

When I had the chance I tried to replant some but mostly it was a loosing battle. I'd rather concentrate on the rubbish collection.

Nile however would not have any of this.

At the end of the day however we were both content to have done what we could and hope for the best.