Meadow Spring Cut (26th April)

Annual wildflower areas need two cuts each year. The first cut in April favours spring flowers, such as cowslips, lady’s smock, selfheal and bugle. Raking the meadow will remove cuttings and help break the ground for wild flower seeds to germinate. Selective weeding helps in maintaining a balanced mix of species,  especially in new meadows, like we have a the Old Ford, reducing unwanted plants that appear too prolific.

Meadow Footpath laying (10th May)

We will be looking to upgrade the footpath that runs through the meadow along the hedge, from the bench by the old well down to the culvert. This will involve installing edging strips, weed matting and new woodchip surface. This will reduce future maintenance and help to keep the path accessible throughout the year, which has proved challenging when nature gets hold!!

Hedgerow Planting (November)

Following the success of our tree planting day in March we have applied for, and been awarded a further 420 hedgerow tree saplings . by the Woodland Trust

This will enable us to extend the new hedgerow alongside the road by a further 100m. 

We will be having a big shout out later this year for volunteers to come along to help in the planting.

Hedgerow Planting  22nd March 

We are started our 2026 activities by planting  hedgerow saplings from the Woodland Trust to create a new  woodland hedgerow along side the road.  

We have planted a mix of 60 dogwood, hazel, crab apple, dog rose and hawthorn saplings  to plant

The now aim to extend the hedgerow from the new gateway further along the lane later in the year. This  will provide an improved barrier from the road and a new and varied habitat for wildlife. 

Installing Bird Boxes (March)

Grants received from the Colwinston Community Council and One Voice Wales have enabled us to install more bird boxes for this Springs new arrivals. We will be installing three small nest boxes and a tawnty owl box.

Volunteers will also be conducting a survey over the next few months to see what birds move in and also to check on the local bat population that we are hoping will move into our new bat boxes installed last November.

Water Voles

Exciting news! 

A number of people believe they have spotted water voles in the Old Ford area. This is amazing, as water voles are one of the most threatened species in Britain, and here in South Wales they are considered essentially extinct, except in a few areas. But there is an active conservation program to restore the water voles in the River Thaw catchment, and we can help here in Colwinston too.

If you see a water vole, please record it in the WWBIC Wildlife Recording Database to help conservationists track the population and understand how the voles may be spreading. 

Use this guide to help you identify other water vole activity, such as their feeding signs and burrows.  Your guide to looking for signs of water voles and other riverbank species

Woodland tree planting

This November we have  began restocking the woodland following the felling that has taken place over the last two years. The felling was necessary to make the woodland safe, and remove trees affected by ash die back. 

Villagers had grown a variety of saplings, some grown from acorns and cuttings from original trees in the woodland. The planting plan aims to restore the balance of trees in the woodland and eventually refill the tree the canopy. 

So far we have planted oaks, horse chestnut, willow and dogwood. You can see the plantings which are marked by posts throught the meadow and woodland.

Installing bat boxes 

Woodlands are important habitats for a number of species including bats. Lots of rare bat species use and rely on woodland habitats to survive and the way woodlands are managed is important for their conservation.

Following a successful grant application we have  installed four purpose built bat boxes on trees in the woodland to create new habitats and track new arrivals!

We will be inviting everyone to help in identifying our new flying inhabitants next year using hand held bat detectors and report in to a wider project on the spread and range of species of bats within the county. 

Traditional hedgelaying course 

Two of our volunteers attended a free traditional Welsh style hedgelaying course at Cosmeston lakes in November. The course was funded by the Vale Nature Partnership and run by Draenog Countryside Management.

Hedgelaying in the Glamorgan area, like other Welsh regions, uses styles adapted to the local environment and farming needs, primarily to create low, dense, stock-proof barriers with the face of the hedge filled in to contain sheep. It is a traditional craft practiced during autumn and winter (November to March) to ensure the health and longevity of hedgerows. 

Stems are partially cut (pleached) near the base using traditional tools like a billhook or axe, then bent over and woven at an angle, allowing sap to continue flowing and encouraging new growth from the stump. Stakes (stavers) are used to keep the hedge firm and flexible binders (often hazel) are woven along the top.

We hope with these skills to be able to continue to maintain the hedgerow as volunteers in future.

Strim and clear of the meadow area

The Colwinston Community Council have commissioned contractors to cut and clear the meadow area. This is the first cut this year as fauna was allowed to grow earlier in the year for the opening ceremony for the new bridge. It was then too late in the growing season to do a first cut. As a consequence the meadow became more overgrown than planned making ther second cut a much bigger job. 

The Cardiff Conservation Volunteers joined us again on 19th October to help us to tidy up the meadow following completion of the cut. It weas a very wet day and despite this they even volunteered to jump into the stream to clear the  waterway!

The Old Ford Volunteers will aim to undertake the next 'light cut' in March ahead of the next growing season with two 'contractor cuts' at the beginning and end of the growing season in 2026.

Creating new dead hedging habitats

A dead hedge is a fence made from cut branches and twigs that are stacked between wooden posts.  The branches are layered horizontally between strong posts to create a thick wall that can be as tall or short as needed.

Together with the support pof the Cardiff Conservation Volunteers we have  created dead hedges runs on either side of the new vehicle access gate to the woodland. This is part of wider work, funded by the Colwinston Community Council, to secure the woodland boundary to prevent accidental entry by livestock and reduce the likelihood of people exiting the woodland directly onto the road. 

Dead hedges are great for wildlife and the environment. Birds, small animals, and insects can live in them and use them as safe pathways to move around. As the branches break down they can be topped up with new cuttings.

The remaining open gap in the boundary has been  filled with post and rail fencing. Hedgreow tree planting will be undertaken in the Spring to further enhance the boundary line.