PAWARA Environment Group meets on the second Sunday of each month (third Sunday in November) between 9:30 am and 11:30 am to carry out practical conservation work in the Purbrook and Widley area. We have not taken on any new projects this year and our monthly work parties have concentrated on maintenance.
In December, we trimmed the hedge at Penjar Pond and cut brambles out and back from the path. Some branches were growing across the path and those were removed at the same time. The verge was growing over the pavement and was cut back to reveal the kerb. We also took the opportunity to cut back brambles and overhanging branches to clear the footpath on the corner of Purbrook Heath Road which was becoming impassable.
We cleared the public footpath between Park Avenue and Fir Copse Road. The footpath is not heavily used and has become blocked several times. Garden waste, building materials and broken fence panels are dumped onto the path from neighbouring properties and it appeared some soil had been brought in from elsewhere. Brambles, other vegetation and branches were cut back and other debris was moved to the side of the path. We last cleared the footpath in June 2024. Since then, a dilapidated fence had collapsed and blocked the footpath.
The fence has been replaced and the footpath is useable although the old wire mesh was laid on the footpath instead of being removed, so care needs to be taken. The HCC Rights of Way Team were to deliver letters to all neighbouring properties asking residents not to dump rubbish on the footpath.
In February, we planted 100 mixed native tree whips to fill gaps in the hedge planted behind the community orchard last season. Some may have succumbed to drought while others were mowing casualties. The hedge is now protected with short stakes. The whips were mulched with woodchip from willows pollarded at the other end of The Bog. Much of The Bog was underwater and mulching will be finished when the ground is drier. A sewage leak into The Bog from a neighbouring property had made the lower part of the hedge marshy. The leak was reported and subsequently repaired.
We coppiced two large hazel trees planted at Privett Road in November 2012. Two additional sessions were needed to finish preparing the material for use as stakes and binding for a hedge laid in Havant Cemetery.
We continued our long-term project of digging out invasive Spanish bluebells from Sandy Dell. In April, five volunteers removed ten bags of Spanish bluebells. We also collected a bag of rubbish plus assorted larger items. We did not have enough volunteers to dig more Spanish bluebells up in May and instead we deadheaded all the Spanish bluebells we could find in Sandy Dell, Widley Gardens and Privett Road to reduce the spread from seeds. We still filled seven bags.
The centre of the community orchard at The Bog is to be managed as a wildflower area and in June we cut the grass and raked the vegetation off. Norse had been instructed not to mow that area when the rest of The Bog was mown at the beginning of May. The grass is too vigorous for a wildflower area at the moment and we have agreed the area will be cut frequently by Norse for the rest of this year and next year.
PAWARA Environment Group will remove the cuttings. As the grass was so long, we used a strimmer and brushcutter for the first cut and had a second session to mow the grass.
Fruit is forming on the orchard trees. Apart from apples, there will be a crop of gages this year. This is a community orchard and the fruit is free for anyone who wants it. As the trees are still young, they will not produce a heavy crop yet and some apples will need to be removed so the weight does not break branches. There should also be plums on the hedge that was laid last year, in front of the yellow gate. The fruiting hedge we planted at Sandy Brow also produces a good crop of plums next to a prolific patch of brambles. All we ask is people only take enough fruit for their own use, leave some for other people and don’t pick fruit until it is ripe.
If you know of areas that might benefit from attention from the Environment Group, please contact us at info@pawara.co.uk
We are a small group and we have been short of volunteers for several tasks which means we either need additional sessions or the work is not completed. We welcome new volunteers, so if you would like to join us, please come along. You do not need experience of nature conservation work and there is no obligation to attend every task. Please keep an eye on the PAWARA website and let us know if you would like to receive a reminder for each work party. info@pawara.co.uk
Between January and June, volunteers spent a total of 81.5 hours working on site. That does not include time spent planning, site inspections, collecting tree whips, loading and unloading tools and administration.
The highest number of volunteers was eight for the hedge planting in February.
The lowest number of volunteers was three for the grass cutting in June – we had planned to work on the hedge at the same time and we were unable to make much progress.
The average number of volunteers (excluding additional sessions) was five.
PAWARA Environment Group will be represented at the Woodland Festival organised by the Friends of Park Wood, Waterlooville on Sunday 26th July (10:00am – 2:00pm). Park Wood is worth a visit and there will be various free activities. Why not come and see us?
