Author: Ray Hodges

The Rugby Wildlife volunteer group has made exceptional progress in the latter part of this year, especially having lost over 20 weeks of activity due to coronavirus lockdown. December’s work has focused on two key areas – Maintenance of Pytchley Marsh and creation of new hedgerows.

The volunteer group has made great progress on two fronts – grass cutting and hedge maintenance. We are fortunate to have work that enables the group to spread out to conform with covid-19 distancing requirements, while still having no one left in isolated working.

The annual task of cutting the grasslands and taking off all the cut material has been going for 6 weeks so far, with a few more to go. This exercise is vital to protect and enhance the growth of wild flowers and grasses for the multitude of species that depend on them, This in turn also provides sustenance for the lower end of the food chain!

The grass cutting has been going since last month and with the volume to be completed, will probably keep the volunteers busy on this task until Christmas! This exercise is essential to keep the grasslands open, for the benefit of the wild flowers and grasses that are essential to support the invertebrate life.

Let in the light

Our work in the cutting during this month has focused on two key activities:

We have been very active in our conservation work since returning from the enforced lock-down. Work has taken place in four key areas.

The first volunteer work party since the covid-19 lock-down restrictions took place on Thursday 6th August 2020 at Ashlawn Cutting.

The grasslands from the station platform looking south are coming into full bloom, aided by the favourable weather of late, bringing that wanted mix of sunshine and rain.