Past Events
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Butterfly survey
At Bicester Fields we met an expert in butterflies and looked for the eggs of the Brown Hairstreak butterfly. Blackthorn is their favourite habitat.
Sonning Common
On Thursday 6th March 2008 some of us went to Aston Rowant to help celebrate Sonning Common Green Gym’s 10th birthday, lay a memorial bench and cut & burn a load of scrub on the chalk downlands. Very satisfying – especially in the food department!
Bird boxes
We made bird boxes in the woodland, as part of BBC Breathing Spaces initiative. It was very cold and frosty, so the tea break was most welcome!
Wood chippings
An ongoing task, a bit like the Forth Bridge! We laid an enormous pile of chippings kindly supplied by the Council. Steve’s quad bike came in very handy, but we really needed our cool-down stretches at the end!
Earlier tasks
Here are some views of completed tasks, probably one-offs, though some will be revisted, such as the pond path which will be woodchipped, and the hazel plantation, which will be weeded and eventually harvested. If there is a gap in the programme brambles always need to be cleared, and reeds pulled! Steve’s quad bike is an essential tool as it saves many trips by wheelbarrow!
St. Mary’s garden
In 2007 St. Mary’s school asked Green Gym to make over their wildlife area. It was carried out over 2 sessions and included laying a new pond and putting in seating, clearing overgrowth etc.