Looking back on 2016 – a tribute to our volunteers

 

We've had a very industrious 2016 with our fabulous volunteers who have given much of their time, energy and enthusiasm to help us look after Moor House – Upper Teesdale NNR.  Together we have achieved tremendous results.  Our volunteers bring with them such a vast amount of knowledge, skills, experience and ideas, making them an invaluable resource.  They are also our friends. We wholeheartedly mean it when we say that we couldn't possibly manage the Reserve without them. 

 

 Here's (some of) what we got up to in 2016:

 

We helped North Pennines AONB Partnership with a number of practical jobs around Bowlees Visitor Centre.

 

We cut the rushes on Widdybank Fell, to reduce their vigour and make room from the special plants that grow there.

 

  

 

We assisted with the  rush plots treatment experiment by cutting some of the rush plots with a reciprocating pedestrian mower.

We undertook tree guard maintenance checks to see how our young trees were growing, under Cronkley Scar.

We cut the rushes on Widdybank pasture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made regular checks of the rabbit proof exclosures on Cronkley Fell that  protect our rare plants.

 

We repaired fence lines at Derwent Gorge to keep the sheep out of our ancient woodland.

 

We tackled an old tree, toppled by the wind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We litter picked between Low Force and High Force.

 

We repaired more fence lines at Derwent Gorge - including one across the river! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 



We put a new NNR sign at Dufton YHA.
 

We cut back the junipers along the footpath to High Force.

 

 

We rebuilt over 10metres of wall at Moor House.

 

We jointly hosted 'Wild Wedensdays' and  'Bowlees Discovery Club' (our wildlife club for 5-11 year olds) with the North Pennines AONB Partnership. 

 

We delivered our 2016 events programme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About volunteering at Moor House – Upper Teesdale NNR

We have three key groups of volunteers: our weekly practical volunteers, our monthly practical volunteers; and our Green Guides.  The weekly and monthly practical volunteers help us with key estate management and habit management tasks – such as fencing, walling, scrub clearance, rush cutting and tree guard maintenance.  Our Green Guides patrol along the footpath between Low Force and High Force, and also at Cow Green (at weekends during April to October).  They meet and greet the public, provide information, litter pick, and are our eyes and ears about the Reserve.  They also help to deliver our events programme and assist with both school visits and our wildlife club for 5-11 year olds.  We are very flexible with what our volunteers want to do and often there is overlap between the groups.

 

We are also implementing a volunteer gardening rota at Wynch Bridge End Cottage for 2017 and we’ve just embarked on a new garden project, here at Widdybank Farm, our Reserve base.

 

 

Many of our volunteers have been volunteering with us for over 10 years but there is always room for new volunteers!  If you are interested in joining us, please get in touch.  Whatever amount of time you have to spare, be it on a regular basis or just as and when it suits you, your time would be fully utilised and very much appreciated. 

 

 

For more information call the Reserve base on 01833 622374 or email: Emma.King@naturalengland.org.uk

 

 

Emma King

Reserve Warden