Author: Colin

Chew Moor: Hedge Laying

Hedge laying at Chew Moor Lostock 26th January 2025

Click the link to find the site on what3words – blunt.frogs.beyond

Hedgerows are not a naturally occurring feature of the landscape, they are a consequence of human land management. The oldest hedgerows date back to the Bronze Age and were originally remnant woodlands left around land that had been cleared for farming or settlements. Over the centuries these leftovers became an established method of creating field boundaries and an important feature of our landscape, increasing in usage through Roman times and the Medieval era.

As farming became more mechanised, and post-war intensive farming practices were implemented to feed a growing population, hedges were destroyed to reclaim a few extra yards of farm land, in doing so they changed a landscape that had endured for generations. What wasn’t fully appreciated was the impact this had on wild life. Wild life had taken advantage of this human creation; nesting birds, pollinating insects, wild mammals all found a home or sanctuary in hedgerows. As hedgerows were systematically destroyed biodiversity and species populations fell. By the mid 1990s the loss of hedgerows had largely stopped, but by then many hundreds of thousands of miles of hedge had been lost.

Thankfully, the conservation value of hedges has been recognised and hedges are making a comeback.

If left alone hedges will start to fail within a few decades, individual shrubs become thick and woody and gaps appear in the hedge as they die, the hedge soon loses its form and function. Hedge laying is the best way to manage a hedgerow. Hedge laying prolongs the life of the hedge, improves its function as a field boundary and provides increased habitat for wild life. There are many styles of laid hedge, BCV use a Lancashire style which, while being a bit rustic in appearance, is very effective. The methods of laying a hedge are also varied. On today’s task two methodologies were used: using a bill hook and using a saw.

Generally the process for both is the same: decide which way direction the hedge is being laid, if the land slopes upward that’s the direction the stem or pleach should go. Next clean up the side branches of the stem you’re working on. If you are using a saw make a cut two thirds of the into the stem several inches above the ground on the opposite side of the stem to the direction you want to lay it; if you’re using a bill hook slice downwards to that point from a point a foot or so up the stem so that the cut tapers inward. Then the stem, or pleach, is bent over in the direction you want it to go. Repeat with each pleach until the hedgerow is complete. Hammering stakes as you go along gives the newly laid hedge support.

Today’s task was at Chew Moor and led by Francis and Nathan. Well done to both for doing a great job and to everyone who turned out.

Find more hedgelaying tasks here

Captain’s Clough: Captains Courageous

Footpath work 12th January 2025

BCV was last here in 2015 when we did a bit of a clean up and restored a pond as best we could. The pond, which is very prone to silting up, dates back to around 1990 but the clough itself is much older.

Captain’s Clough was named after a Captain James Dewhurst sometime in the late 1700s, the Dewhursts owned Halliwell Hall bewteen 1716 and 1806 but records of the clough’s existence goes back even further. Documents from the Emglish Civil War (1642–51) note that a Celtic cross once stood in the area, but was pushed over by one of the warring factions to make a footbridge , across the stream. The stream itself, Captain’s Clough Brook, flows from Doffcocker Lodge. The lodge itself only dates back to 1846 so the stream would likely have been part of Doffcocker Brook before that. Incidentally, the original Celtic name for the Doffcocker was dubh cocr meaning the dark winding stream.

Captains Clough was one of the first sites surveyed by the Bolton Wildlife Project, the 1989 branch of the then Lancashire Wildlife Trust. The survey found that the site was once home to a large number of elm trees but they were wiped out by Dutch elm disease. The Project began work to restore the site by planting native trees and flowers, and cleaning up all of the rubbish left by flytipping which is a continual problem in the area.

More recently the site have been looked after by the Heather Berry and the Ivy Road Community Project. It’s Heather’s team we were helping out this time by cutting back scrub and over hanging branches to try to make people’s visits to the site more pleasant.

As well as looking after the clough the Ivy Road team also run community gardening sessions for local residents. Many thanks to Heather and the team for asking us to be involved with their excellent project, we hope to team up again over the coming years.

Year End Round Up

It’s been a busy year, so busy that the last 4 tasks didn’t get a mention. So here’s a quick rundown.

Doffcocker Lodge LNR – 17/11/24 – Preparing part of the site for the willow tit project.

Entwistle Reservoir – 01/12/24 – Repairing damage to a hedge following contractors operations to remove diseased trees

Jumbles Country Park – 15/12/24 – Coppicing to encourage regrowth that can be harvested for stakes and willow weaving materials.

Firwood Fold – 29/12/24 – Tidying up overgrowth and storm damage.

That’s all for now, see you in the new year when we’ll have more great tasks to do. Happy New Year!

Nob End: Everything In Apple-Pie Order

Orchard tidy up 22nd September 2024

A few years ago Tom planted some apple trees for the Canal Society. Our first task there was on Easter Sunday in 2022, in an area not far from the place where James Mason ran down the cobbles in Spring and Port Wine. Although I’m sure our own James would have preferred cider with Rosie, it was all a taste of honey and we looked forward to returning at a later date.

In the 2 years of Saturday nights and Sunday mornings the site had become over grown with willow herb, balsam, bramble, and the odd sprig of bracken, and so need a good clearing out. So, armed with loppers, bow saws and no fear what so ever we started the task.

Cutting through the brambles would have been easier with something a bit bigger than loppers, but within a couple of hours we had started to clear the site. As well as the vegetation we also removed hawthorn and pushed the tree line back a few metres to reduce shading and competition. Everything that was cut down was used to create a linear habitat pile, or dead hedge.

Apple trees provide habitat for invertebrates, pollen and nectar for pollinators, and fruit that can be eaten by a variety species from birds to foxes; as far as wildlife goes apple trees are the room at the top.

BCV: The Show Goes On

Three Tasks in June 2024

Between Rick Parker’s passing and his funeral we had three tasks. Although we no longer have Rick leading the group our work continues; nature doesn’t stop and neither do we.

2nd June – Moses Gate Country Park
After a 30 second silence in memory of Rick (chosen because 30 seconds is the longest he could go without talking), we got to work clearing Himalayan balsam from the woods around Rock Hall. I won’t go into details about balsam bashing but if you want to know more about it follow this link to the beginners guide.

16th June – Grimeford Village
Our second task of the month was just down the road from the Anderton Centre and involved dry stone walling for United Utilities. The wall wasn’t just in disrepair it was a pile of rubble. We re-built a good stretch of it but still plenty left. Walls have both landscape value and wildlife value; they are a part of the character of the countryside plus they provide corridors and refuges for invertebrates, amphibians, small mammals, and even small birds.

30th June – Dunscar Woods
The Woodland Trusts millennium woodland has a balsam problem. Last year we cleared vast areas of woodland of this invasive non-native plant but this year it’s back again. It will take a few more years before we exhaust the seed bank and start to see the benefits of our work.

Conservation is not a ‘quick fix and move on’ operation, it’s a long term campaign to improve and maintain habitats, something Rick knew very well and always had in mind when planning tasks. It’s not about this year or next year, or even the next decade, environmental protection needs to seen in terms of centuries until what has been lost has been restored. BCV is proud to be a part of that legacy, we may not get to see the end results of our work but we work towards that end just the same.

Thanks to Tom and Caroline for organising, to everyone who turned out on the tasks above, to all BCV members past, present and future, and to conservationists everywhere working to make a better world.

Rick Parker – A Force of Nature

Rick 2015

On 27th May 2024 Bolton, and the nation as a whole, lost one of it’s legendary sons.

Born on 9th September 1950 Richard ‘Rick’ Parker became interested in conservation after watching a pond being destroyed by a bulldozer when he was a child. After studying at University he went on to work for the Bolton Hospital’s pathology lab to make a living, but his real passion was wildlife and in the 1980’s he joined the fledgling Bolton Conservation Volunteers, becoming the group’s co-ordinator/chairman in 1985/1986, a role he held until his passing. For anyone to lead a volunteer group for 38 years is an outstanding achievement, but to do it with the same commitment and passion throughout that time is extraordinary, and is what made Rick such a legendary figure.

Rick took BCV to new heights of success creating hundreds of ponds, establishing reed beds, and planting tens of thousands of trees throughout his leadership. Along the way both Rick and BCV won multiple awards, Bolton Councils Golden Elephant Award, Certificate of Merit from Britain in Bloom, Bolton News Green Hero Award (twice), The Cabinet Office’s Points of Light Award, to name a few. Rick was an acknowledge expert on amphibians and dragonflies and not only has gave lectures to the great and learned he also appeared on the radio, wand wrote chapters for books. Rick was a great communicator and could talk conservation all day to people of all ages and backgrounds, inspiring new generations of conservationists who themselves have gone on to their own successful careers.

After retiring from the hospital’s path lab he started a new career as a freelance hedge layer and in 2008 was the first National Hedge Laying Society Accredited hedge layer in Greater Manchester. But the work he was most proud of and enjoyed the most was teaching Bolton’s school kids about nature and wildlife. Even while in hospital he said he was looking forward to getting back to teaching the year 4 kids.

Over the last few months Rick hadn’t been in the best of health and on 24th May was admitted to hospital for tests. Throughout the 25th several of our volunteers spoke to him and he appeared to be in good health and good spirits, asking about the swans on Doffcocker Lodge, cygnets at Eatock lodge and upcoming tasks. That evening he went to sleep and during the night suffered a catastrophic stroke, he remained unconscious until he passed away peacefully on Monday 27th May.

To say Rick will be missed is an understatement, our world will never be the same. Rick was the bedrock of Bolton Conservation Volunteers, he was the cornerstone of Bolton’s conservation community. Rick was a force of nature, and a force for nature. We’ll miss his old jokes, his tall stories, and his ‘Rickisms’, most of all we’ll miss his energy and enthusiasm. Although he’s gone BCV will continue his legacy, and his immortal spirit will remain at the heart of BCVs goals and aspirations.

Rick was laid to rest at West Pennine Remembrance Park on a fine and sunny 8th July 2024, the service was attended by nearly 100 people many wearing BCV T-shirts. The attendees included Rick’s family, friends, BCV members from the early years to the present, members of The Wildlife Trust, Rick’s friends from the allotments, and many others all came to pay tribute. The were 7 tributes read out by Rick’s family and friends, including the poem below written by Carol’s son, read by Carol

Perspective Of An Element
I am a tree, as an acorn I fell onto the floor of an unknown forest, I sprouted.
I grew and grew, over the ages, over time immemorial. I am now a mighty oak,
A testament to my resilience and longevity. Birds nest in my branches, squirrels live in my trunk.
I am a giver of life, part of the cycle, and there I will remain for evermore.

Richard J. Astley

After the service we all retired to the Strawbury Duck to tell tales of Rick’s life and remember everything he was and everything he gave us . Rest in peace, Rick, and thank you for everything. Thank you to everyone who attended to celebrate Rick’s life, and his passion for wildlife.

Please feel free to leave comments, comments go through a moderation process so won’t appear instantly, I’ll try to approve in the mornings and evenings. If you don’t have access please email comments to bcv.queries@hotmail.com and I’ll add them. May thanks in advance.

In addition to photos and messages on this page the Bolton and Bury Swifts group have also posted a tribute. and the Friends of Eatock also posted this. Thanks everyone.