News Letter 8: September 2022
Dear Friend of Ballard Water Meadow,
Well, we’ve made it through the hottest summer on record (40.3°C in Conningsby, Lincolnshire) and the driest since 1976. We’ve yet to see the full impact on our wildlife, but many of the newly planted trees in the area (including the saplings we planted in Woar Copse) seem to have suffered in the drought conditions.
Thank you all for continuing to support the work of the Friends of Ballard Water Meadow, helping our local community wildlife here in the heart of New Milton.
Conservation Management Work
Since I was last in touch, we’ve successfully attacked the invasive Hemlock Water-dropwort in two meadow compartments (M5 and M11). We cut this in June and we got the timing right as it hadn’t re-grown and seeded by the time Richard Harvey (farmer/cattle owner) came in to cut these sections in July. The friends then collected the arisings, piled them near the gate and these were removed by the Town Council for composting.
Another plant that can become dominant if not kept in-check is Bracken. In our two permanent glades in Woar Copse (compartments W4 and W11) there is Bracken present and we cut/pull this a few times during the main growing period. Over time, this will weaken the underground rootstock and the plant will send-up smaller and weaker stems, thus maintaining a presence, but not being dominant. There is a small section in the Meadow which we also control.
You may have noticed the Bramble has been trimmed-back along the gravel path. Where lengths of cut timber have been laid in the past, we expose this ready for cutting-up into shorter lengths for our “wood-walls”. Elsewhere, we trim the leaders back, so people can walk along without fear of being poked-in-the-eye! Trimming during the breeding season isn’t a problem, as no birds nest in the bramble close to the path edge – there’s too much disturbance from pedestrian traffic (and children looking for Fairy Doors!).
The long-term plan is to have a grassy/wildflower margin between the edge of the gravel path and the first “row” of newly planted hazel saplings. This will only be 1-2m wide, but will give the feel of a woodland ride. It also creates a corridor for butterflies, for example, which can move more freely within the wood looking for nectar sources.
The grazing livestock are now back in the meadow, munching their way through all the taller vegetation. Now that we’ve had a bit or rain, there is a flush of new, sweet grass for them.
Recording Work
During the main period of activity for much of our smallest wildlife species (invertebrates, including butterflies, bumblebees and other insects) we undertake surveys and transects to record their presence (or absence) in both the meadow and woodland. The Friends conduct a monthly stream survey (when there’s water in there, alas not this summer), a butterfly transect, a bumblebee walk and we jointly, with the Town Council, fund an entomologist, Bryan, to survey insects. The results of all this hard work are posted on our website and included in the Annual Report.
Many thanks to Keith for uploading all the information and for repairing and maintaining this facility.
It’s not just the moving animals we record. For a number of years now we have been building-up a long list of plants that grow both in the meadow and woodland. Each time we clear a compartment in the woodland, it gives us an opportunity to record, in detail, the plants growing the following spring, having been covered in impenetrable bramble for a few years! One new discovery is Hemp Agrimony ( Agrimonia eupatoria).
Liaison
In early July we had our event to celebrate Plantlife’s national Meadow Day. Fernhill Friends acquired freely donated cakes and cold drinks from Morrison’s and Tesco, and manned the table selling refreshments on the day. We had our stall, selling wildflower seed packs and we conducted guided walks around the meadow looking at meadow management and butterflies.
Thanks go to The New Milton Men’s Shed for bringing their stall to the event.
As part of our association with Conservation Connection New Forest South, we attended the Bee Fayre in late August. This was held on the Recreation Ground in New Milton, for the second year running.
Membership and Finance
The Friends of Ballard Water Meadow are grateful for members’ continued support and we welcome our new members. Money from membership and donations fund our ongoing work to benefit wildlife - thank you. The end of year accounts will be presented at the Annual General Meeting – see below.
Membership currently stands at 58. Membership forms are available on our web site but if anyone would prefer a paper copy, please let Pam know and this will be arranged.
Please contact Pam: Treasurer/Membership Secretary: 07484 830 772 or email: pampetherbridge8@gmail.com
Media and Publicity
The past few months we have been looking at how to improve our communications and messaging with all the organisations and people involved in the project. In particular we have been focusing on the public and users of Ballard.
We are in discussions with New Milton Town Council about updating the signage and information boards at the site. In the meantime, we have erected temporary notice boards and are using these to keep people up to date on what’s happening in the meadow and woodland and ideas of what to look out for each month.
The Friends of Ballard Water Meadow has a website. We also use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and regularly post updates on the work of the volunteers, photographs and any new findings on the site.
We have received some lovely feedback recently via social media:
“All those involved have done a wonderful job. It’s such a beautiful place and we must treasure it.”
“Jewel of New Milton.”
“It’s definitely my most favourite place and a beautiful treasure of New Milton”
“It’s good to calm a chattering mind in these uncertain days.”
“It’s extremely peaceful around there!”
We have also been running a Pick-Up the Poo! Campaign which has been hugely successful and popular. The whole area is so much cleaner and smells so much nicer!
For any information on media or publicity items please contact Mandy: 07552-834770 or email: mandyhayes.tiptoe@btinternet.com
Upcoming Events
The Friends would be grateful if you could make a note in your diaries of some up and coming events.
On Sunday 25 September we’ll have a small celebration at our workbase/shed at the main entrance to Ballard Meadow on Lake Grove Road (BH25 5LA) at 11.00am. This is to say a big “THANK YOU” to all the volunteers who help on Friday and Sunday mornings, and at other times during the week and to all our membership who support us so well throughout the year. Everyone is welcome, so please come along and meet your committee and other like-minded members. We will have our gazebo set up and some light refreshments will be provided.
We will be having our Annual General Meeting on Thursday 27 October at 7pm. This will be at the new Crematorium site on Stem Lane. The venue has a meeting room and the director, Graeme has kindly offered this for the Friends Group to use. To get an idea of numbers, please RSVP to Pam (contact above) by Friday 21 October 2022.
We had a successful day on New Milton market in December 2021, so we’ll be repeating the event to fund-raise for the Friends. This will be in Station Road on Wednesday 7 December .
Bob Lord
Chairman
Friends of Ballard Water Meadow
September 2022
