I spent this weekend working on the Lynchmere Commons with a group of volunteers from Southampton University Conservation Volunteers (SUCV). They worked with us earlier this year and somehow we managed to convince them to come back for more.
The Weather on Saturday was appalling. The kind of determined rain which seems light for a short while but after a couple of hours has completely saturated everything. But I brought out the splitting axes and some determined firewood splitting soon got things going.
The task for the day was to clear an area of birch saplings opening up a path and we got stuck into the work.
The felled saplings were used to reinvigorate one of our woven dead hedges protecting a new hazel coppice area.
A good fire helped to drive off some of the moisture over lunch and we sat in a circle steaming with gloves suspended on sticks to dry out. With an effort we managed to light one bin to show the charcoal making process and demonstrate how to make a simple charcoal kiln with an oil drum.
On Sunday the weather was entirely different and we worked amongst the big pines up on Marley common to clear scrub from regenerating heathland and make an access track for future work parties.
I demonstrated making half sized besoms and some of the group had a go themselves before we went for a walk to look at the South Downs from the edge of Marley Common in the fading light.
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