Annual report for year ended 31 March 2001

Access to Buck Pool Spinney 

The owners of the plots of separated land between Buck Pool and the bypass have now signed an agreement with the trustees for management and public access. The total area, including half of Buck Pool, is 2½ acres (1 hectare). Access and management will be for nature conservation, public recreation and angling. The term is only three years, but this is renewable. The trustees will not be responsible for the upkeep of the weir and sluice that are in a bad state of repair. Part of the site is `inundation woodland' which is of rare value countrywide. This will diversify the habitat for wildlife, and encourage the return of water vole and otters. A conservation management plan will be commissioned from the Northmoor Trust and this will guide our future plans. Much work will be needed to make the site safe for public access and it is hoped to have this completed by the autumn of 2001 if funds are available. The public will then have access to a very beautiful site that will enhance the overall attractiveness of the Hurst water meadow.

Link to Buck Pool Gallery

Finance of Buck Pool Spinney 

The trustees will pay an annual licence fee of £50. The surveyor's and lawyer's fees, site clearance and fencing, building a new footbridge over the eight-metre flood drain, work on the bridges over the weir and sluice and a conservation management plan are likely to cost over £15,000. We are more than half way to our target, and a number of applications to funding bodies are in train.

Kissing gate and footpaths 

Wildflowers and grassland

The wildflowers have been profuse in the spring and early summer. About 100 snakes head fritillaries were introduced on 25th April 2000 with the help of BBOWT and volunteers. The stock came from Iffley Meadow, via the Botanical Gardens. The hay was cut and baled in early July, and grazed by nine cattle from 3rd September till the floods came on 1st November. The floods have been deeper than usual this winter and have returned on seven occasions between then and mid-March, leaving the ground very soggy.

Trees and bank maintenance

The river bank below the Long Bridge had become eroded and this was reinforced with willow spiling carried out by a contractor. Nine volunteers, on a cold wet day, cut 36 willow stakes from the copse opposite the meander. These were driven in to the base of the bank to lessen erosion.

Hurst website www.hurst-water-meadow.co.uk

This was set up by Andrew Clements and went live on 8th January 2001. More text and pictures were added on 9th February. The aim is to produce information to help us with fundraising, to help others who have similar projects in view and to be a resource for education. There have been about 200 hits to date and the responses have been very positive. One feature is a guided tour of the meadow in words and pictures. We hope to develop this for use by school children, before they visit the meadow. There is a gallery of pictures illustrating the seasons and various themes. Links to websites of friends and partners are included, as is archive material in the form of annual reports and newsletters. The content of the website will also be available on CD for those who are not connected. The Oxford Times on 2nd February included an illustrated feature on the Hurst Water Meadow, well written by David Horan. The Wallingford Herald had a further article on 22nd March.

Trust finances

Income for the year amounted to £4,500 (compared to £6,575 last year which included the public appeal). Fishing licences for non-residents brought in £969 (£888). Expenditure was £3,286 (£3,060). The bank balances at the end of March were £6,106 (£4,892). This is satisfactory and allows the trustees to make a start on the work on Buck Pool Spinney. The estimated shortfall of £4,710 to complete this work should be made good from grants and donations before the work is undertaken. The Dorchester on Thames Society has kindly donated £569 to buy a heavy-duty strimmer and safety equipment for which we thank them.

Foot and Mouth Disease precautions.

Support from the public

During the past year, the support from residents and others has been superb. We have never been short of willing volunteers and contributions to our funds are coming in from covenants and donations. We hope that this support will continue in the year to come, as we will need volunteer help and money to carry out our plans. The trustees welcome your views on our current activities and future plans.

Peter Pritchard hon. secretary 8th April 2001

Previous annual reports

2000, 1999, 1998, 1997