News archive

Wednesday, 29 November 2006

GOING MADD WITH THE WOODBRIDGE RSPB GROUP

On Saturday October 28th 31 members of the Woodbridge RSPB Local Group participated in the nation-wide 'Make a Difference Day' (MADD), the flagship campaign of the Community Service Volunteers, the UK's leading volunteering charity. The Group has joined in this annual event for the past nine years and were again doing what they do best, which is helping to conserve our beautiful countryside for the benefit of birds and all wildlife.

The venue was the RSPB reserve of North Warren and Aldringham Walks, an area of water meadows, meres, woodland and heath which runs to the north and south of Thorpeness. The aim was 'heathland restoration', part of a long term programme directed to the recovery and return to well-being of the open heather heath of the ancient Suffolk Sandlings. The Sandlings once stretched from Lowestoft to Felixstowe and many local conservation organisations including the RSPB are working together to conserve the remnants of this valuable wildlife habitat. Lowland heath is one of the most threatened of all landscapes in the UK.

The objective for the day was to clear two acres of dense scrub which had, over the years, invaded and over-run the ancient heaths. In the process the volunteers also had to coppice overgrown gorse, a very prickly task but in the coming years the gorse will regenerate into the dense bushes which are a favoured habitat for the rare Dartford warblers.
Organiser Colin Coates said 'It is remarkable how quickly the heather regenerates when released from the choking scrub. The heather seeds can remain dormant in the soil for many years and can still germinate and develop under the right conditions when we have done our work.'

The task successfully completed, the volunteers were rewarded with a potato bake and the knowledge that through their efforts two more acres of heather covered heathland will return and with it, iconic species of birds such as the woodlark, nightjar and Dartford warbler as well as the silver studded blue butterfly.

The Woodbridge RSPB Group also organises monthly work parties on local RSPB reserves and invites anyone interested to join them. To find out more about the range of activities of the Group, please contact Malcolm Key on 01728 723155.