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The Wild life Area at the end of summer is at its pick. Lush and verdant after a wet season is a pleasure to behold. As usual for this time of the year we try to interfere as little as possible with the site. It shows. The path (in less than a month!!) have nearly disappeared in places and the canopy of climbing plants and intertwining vegetation has covered any inch of open space. The biologic production is working at its max before the turn of the autumn weather.
The Wild life Area at the end of summer is at its pick. Lush and verdant after a wet season is a pleasure to behold. As usual for this time of the year we try to interfere as little as possible with the site. It shows. The path (in less than a month!!) have nearly disappeared in places and the canopy of climbing plants and intertwining vegetation has covered any inch of open space. The biologic production is working at its max before the turn of the autumn weather.
As usual I start my preparations but most unusually I find myself a lonely Friend of Surrey Square Park. Well...never mind, while I am here...
As usual I start my preparations but most unusually I find myself a lonely Friend of Surrey Square Park. Well...never mind, while I am here...
I host the insignia and start looking around for what to do.
I host the insignia and start looking around for what to do.
Actually there is plenty.
Actually there is plenty.
More than usual in fact. For one the site is pretty dirty. Usually there is some accumulation due to increased visitation, dumping and the activity of the foxes that have learned to snatch juicy rubbish bags (of the convenient supermarket size, that the human neighbours conveniently put in collection centres) and take home for leisured consumption and the all important get of "get my human nappy" game, cubs are fond of playing. I could not believe it until I personally and repeatedly observed this behaviour. At the moment the fox population is down to two youngish individuals, down from a group of two adults and tree cubs last winter. The decline is party statistical and partly due to human disturbance, but still there were plenty of traces of their activities.
More than usual in fact. For one the site is pretty dirty. Usually there is some accumulation due to increased visitation, dumping and the activity of the foxes that have learned to snatch juicy rubbish bags (of the convenient supermarket size, that the human neighbours conveniently put in collection centres) and take home for leisured consumption and the all important get of "get my human nappy" game, cubs are fond of playing. I could not believe it until I personally and repeatedly observed this behaviour. At the moment the fox population is down to two youngish individuals, down from a group of two adults and tree cubs last winter. The decline is party statistical and partly due to human disturbance, but still there were plenty of traces of their activities.
There also the paths to be kept open. The Park contractors should have been doing it whenever they are on the main body of the Park, and clean the rubbish on the front, Albridge Street side of the Wild Life Area, but it seems they have done it only once, for the path and certainly have not cleaned up lately.
There also the paths to be kept open. The Park contractors should have been doing it whenever they are on the main body of the Park, and clean the rubbish on the front, Albridge Street side of the Wild Life Area, but it seems they have done it only once, for the path and certainly have not cleaned up lately.
However the most damaging and worrying disruptive activity is due to the "den building" inside the WLA. Probably the main cause of the decline in the animal presence in the whole site.
However the most damaging and worrying disruptive activity is due to the "den building" inside the WLA. Probably the main cause of the decline in the animal presence in the whole site.
The phenomenon has developed in the last two or three year and has been the consequence of us letting some of bush overgrow and create cave type reclusion in the front side of the area and in reducing the level of leafleting the surrounding habitations with educational material. In a fast changing human environment like the one surrounding the Park it is needed to relate with the newer or growing up residents. Many come from remote cultures and land usages and do not realise the fragility of our speck of wilderness (wood gathering or minor fly-tipping is a recurrent example).
The phenomenon has developed in the last two or three year and has been the consequence of us letting some of bush overgrow and create cave type reclusion in the front side of the area and in reducing the level of leafleting the surrounding habitations with educational material. In a fast changing human environment like the one surrounding the Park it is needed to relate with the newer or growing up residents. Many come from remote cultures and land usages and do not realise the fragility of our speck of wilderness (wood gathering or minor fly-tipping is a recurrent example).
This year, maybe because of the rain, the damage was less significant than the last but the last few weeks of relative warmth and dry weather has brought a surge of it. It not only the young adolescents that break up the vegetation and make fire, there are also later the people, adults, that use the place for impromptu gathering, drinking but even -it has happened more than once- prostitution business, can make use of the "den" and bring significant more damage and littering.
This year, maybe because of the rain, the damage was less significant than the last but the last few weeks of relative warmth and dry weather has brought a surge of it. It not only the young adolescents that break up the vegetation and make fire, there are also later the people, adults, that use the place for impromptu gathering, drinking but even -it has happened more than once- prostitution business, can make use of the "den" and bring significant more damage and littering.
Limiting the scope for this activity by trimming down the bush, especially baddleja, has been encouragingly successful. In addition the area is small and the area covered by the mostly dead, elongated branches of the shrub deprive space for a more abundant and varied vegetation to establish itself. The ground below these empty spaces becomes dustier and lifeless and decomposition locally becomes stunted, leading to detritus accumulation and impeding the recycling of nutrients (some of the micro-elements are critically in short supply a little like what's happening in the tropical rainforest! Lush and productive but incredibly fragile).
Limiting the scope for this activity by trimming down the bush, especially baddleja, has been encouragingly successful. In addition the area is small and the area covered by the mostly dead, elongated branches of the shrub deprive space for a more abundant and varied vegetation to establish itself. The ground below these empty spaces becomes dustier and lifeless and decomposition locally becomes stunted, leading to detritus accumulation and impeding the recycling of nutrients (some of the micro-elements are critically in short supply a little like what's happening in the tropical rainforest! Lush and productive but incredibly fragile).
So the damage, in less than a month, was already relevant, concentrated fly-tipping, traces of fire and rubbish concentration.
So the damage, in less than a month, was already relevant, concentrated fly-tipping, traces of fire and rubbish concentration.
Being on my own was a bit of struggle, but eventually manage to clear up the mess, bug it and trimming down (actually it was mainly one single and sickly baddleja bush. it had been prostrated and fractured by winds few years back and grown horizontally, compelling the rest of the vegetation and trees to deviate above it, mostly dried, elongated trunks. It had formed a tunnel. Perfect den ambiance. We should have intervened long time ago. Anyhow I could do most of the work (including disposing somehow of the cuttings) but more should be done in autumn/winter.
Being on my own was a bit of struggle, but eventually manage to clear up the mess, bug it and trimming down (actually it was mainly one single and sickly baddleja bush. it had been prostrated and fractured by winds few years back and grown horizontally, compelling the rest of the vegetation and trees to deviate above it, mostly dried, elongated trunks. It had formed a tunnel. Perfect den ambiance. We should have intervened long time ago. Anyhow I could do most of the work (including disposing somehow of the cuttings) but more should be done in autumn/winter.
Another cause for concern is the health of our beloved oak sapling. It has fared better than the past year but in the last few weeks there have worrying signs of some kind of sickness, I cannot really identify what that is putting a strain on the young plant. thee is some leaf necrosis (but no gall formation) and etiolation that is premature for the time of the year. Need to do something but I have not thought what. Need the collective wisdom of the Friends...
Another cause for concern is the health of our beloved oak sapling. It has fared better than the past year but in the last few weeks there have worrying signs of some kind of sickness, I cannot really identify what that is putting a strain on the young plant. thee is some leaf necrosis (but no gall formation) and etiolation that is premature for the time of the year. Need to do something but I have not thought what. Need the collective wisdom of the Friends...
Yet the area always reward it visitors with the endowment of beauty and this occasion was not exception. Here some curly or yellow dock (Rumex crispous)
Yet the area always reward it visitors with the endowment of beauty and this occasion was not exception. Here some curly or yellow dock (Rumex crispous)
with it intense colour (but also medicinal properties) enlightened the shortening of days.
with it intense colour (but also medicinal properties) enlightened the shortening of days.
And the dog rose hips have come to maturity and plentiful abundance this year more that ever. As for being alone, I was wrong, a Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) as with me all the time.
And the dog rose hips have come to maturity and plentiful abundance this year more that ever. As for being alone, I was wrong, a Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) as with me all the time.
Eventually was time to wrap it up. Elizabeth saw me and come along to help and a good day came to an end.
Eventually was time to wrap it up. Elizabeth saw me and come along to help and a good day came to an end.
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