South Chard Gravel Pits as we have never seen them before!

Looking north

south

one of the silt beds

The EuCAN Somerset Volunteers’ group returned to South Chard Gravel Pits this week to help the local volunteers give the rank grassland areas their annual trim, to remove some of the sallows and alders from a small pond and to fell some of the damaged and diseased oaks and ash trees on the site. Fred tentatively flew his drone over the site (tentatively as the wind was a bit gusty) and took a selection of brilliant photos of the lakes and the surrounding land (including two Mute Swans!). These aerials certainly show how the reserve is becoming seriously taken over by birch and sallow woodland. Our target is to produce a balanced mix of woodland, wet grassland and reedbeds and drier meadows where the wildflowers and butterflies can thrive. There’s plenty to do – we’ll be back there on November 24th all being well – and always welcome new volunteers!