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Annual report for year ended 31 March 2007It has been a busy year on the meadow: Digging new 'scrape' and planting wild flowersThe scrape was dug to a depth of about a metre, to act as a clay pond to provide a habitat for plants and other wildlife that prefer damp conditions. On 23rd May 2006, school children from the senior form at Dorchester Primary School planted 400 wild flowers from pots supplied by Charles Flower, an expert wild flower seedsman, who showed the children how to do it. Helen Clark, the headteacher, led by example and was assisted by ten local volunteers. The children had a lovely time, particularly in the middle of the scrape which was under water. The project won a first prize in the Oxfordshire Sustainability and Conservation Awards (OSCA) in the form of a cheque for £500, shared equally with the school to help them with their new allotment.
Raising the level of the public footpath to OveryThis was part of the same project, in order to use the soil dug from the scrape. The first 50 metres of the footpath was sunken to a maximum depth of half a metre, so a small amount of flooding would block the footpath to Overy. First, the level of the culvert was raised by a substantial concrete raft with volunteers mixing the concrete by hand. Local limestone scalpings were used as a top dressing, and the bare soil was planted with a grass and wild flower seed mix, then covered with geotextile to prevent erosion.
Open-air classroom
Natural England (formerly Defra) Environmental Stewardship SchemeThe trustees applied for higher level Stewardship and this was granted from 1st August 2006 for ten years. Certain conditions apply, such as the need to increase the coverage of 'high-value indicator species' of wild flowers. A survey by John Killick, the County Botany Recorder, showed very few of them. The trustees propose to remedy this by 'overseeding' (see next section). The scheme encourages visits by school children (see below). Specialist advisers from Defra and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group have been extremely helpful with this scheme which brings great benefits to the Trust. FinancesIncome for the past year has been £25,547 (2006, £7,667) and expenditure £19,758 (2006, £7,243) resulting in a surplus of £5,789, (2006, £424). However income includes a grant of £8,713 from WREN Gift Aid Fund paid in advance for the current year's re-seeding project. Without this receipt there would have been a net deficit of £2,924 for the year. Bank balances total £13,942 of which £8,713 is set aside for the re-seeding project. This leaves £5,229 available to manage the Hurst, (2006, £8,153). Whilst the finances are tightly managed, it would be helpful if more members of the public would make a regular donation towards the annual running costs and to allow us to build up a contingency fund. We would also welcome donations, legacies or pledges of financial support to establish funds for future land acquisition and its conservation. This is essential if we are to approach grant-awarding bodies to assist us with major acquisitions. Wild flower planting of 3 hectares (7½ acres) by overseedingThis is an ambitious two-year project involving careful work by specialist contractors in preparing the ground, followed by sowing a wild flower seed mix (75% yellow rattle to inhibit coarse grasses and 25% wild flower seed mix), with the active help of Charles Flower. The project involved two close cuts of the sward, followed by power-harrowing, sowing and then rolling.
In order to make an early start, trustees donated the funds for the first year's work. Funding for the second year has been provided by WREN Gift Aid fund. Education projectDorchester Primary school children pay regular visits to the Hurst and the trustees wish to involve other schools, with a focus on secondary school geography, for which the meadow is a safe site for fieldwork; and history in cooperation with the Abbey and the Museum. For geography students, we are working closely with the new Timescape Project at Hill Farm, Little Wittenham; and with officers of the Environment Agency, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the British Geological Survey (based at Crowmarsh). One of the trustees has attended a three-day accreditation course for hosting school visits. Explore the education material available Experimental wild flower project
Meadow maintenanceSeveral trees blew down in the winter gales and these were dealt with by tree surgeons who also pollarded four willows. The chippings were spread on muddy paths on the Hurst and the back lane as far as the end of Drayton Road. Volunteer working parties have made an essential contribution for which the trustees are most grateful. The Environment Agency has kindly removed several trees that had fallen across the river and millstream. The meadow is used by over 60 people a day. Buck Pool SpinneyThis site, to which we have access keeps changing hands. It was put up for auction on 15 March, and withdrawn. It was bought for £35,000 in February 2007. SODC Revenue grantA grant of £250 was gratefully received and will be continued for three years, with a possible further extension, plus an uplift for inflation. Peter Pritchard hon. secretary 31 March 2007 Previous annual reports |
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