Heddon Valley Vols Program of Activity 2017

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1 Vols Program of Activity Join the Ranger Team on select Thursdays to help undertake our vital conservation work. Four Rangers look after an estate spanning 4000 acres so all your efforts will be much appreciated and welcomed. We have tried to make the program as varied as possible, offering you the opportunity to learn new skills, brush up on old ones, make new friends, and have fun along the way. Please feel free to pick and choose which activities you attend. All we ask is that you let us know if you plan to come along. Over the year the program may change as our work develops and there could even be opportunities to learn extra skills such as hedge laying, summer apple pruning, and scything. If you would like to be kept in the loop we can add you to our volunteer mailing list. For all activities please ensure you wear sturdy walking boots, work clothes you don t mind sacrificing to mud and flying ash, warm kit, and waterproofs. Bring a packed lunch as we may be out all day and a flask of something hot if required. Safety equipment and training will be provided. Tasks are colour coded by level of physicality. See below for details. If you would like to know more please contact Dan Cameron daniel.cameron@nationaltrust.org.uk or Josey Field josey.field@nationaltrust.org.uk alternatively call

2 Rating Hard You may be working on steep slopes, with heavy tools, and or walking long distances. You will be working away from any indoors environment with no access to toilets. Colour Medium You may be working with hand tools, possibly on a gradient, and required to walk some distance. Most likely you will be away from any indoors environment with no access to toilets. Low You may be working with some light hand tools, mostly on flatish ground. You will be working close to an indoor environment with access to toilets Date 5 th January 19 th January 2 nd February Activity Rhododendron Pulling Woodland Work Orchard Work - Pruning Meeting Location Ranger Arrival/Dep arture Marcus Wilde Marcus Wilde th February Woodland Work Marcus Wilde th February Cross-Property Work Day Watersmeet Josey Field Additional Details Rhododendron is an invasive species and our woodland benefits from its removal. Working with us you will spend the day pulling and burning to give our natives some breathing space. Today you will be helping us to improve the health of our woodlands. Tasks could include dragging and burning brash, creating habitat piles, and holly removal. Work may be heavy and noisy. A day of restorative pruning in our orchard at West Challacombe. We will start with a chat about orchards and pruning techniques, followed by the opportunity for you to get hands-on and put new skills to the test. Today you will be helping us to improve the health of our woodlands. Tasks could include dragging and burning brash, creating habitat piles, and holly removal. Work may be heavy and noisy. Watersmeet s roof repairs are nearly complete. Help Julie and the team get Watersmeet ready for the start of the new season with a variety of practical jobs to complete.

3 2 nd March Rhododendron Pulling 16 th March Front of House Help Marcus Wilde th March Drains and Ditches Dan Cameron th April Footpath Work Heddon High - Medium 27 th April Front of House Help 10 th May Spring Bird ID Woolacombe 11 th May 31 st May 25 th May Footpath Work Heddon High - Medium Wet Woodland Pasture Management Training Wildlife Monitoring Arlington Court Dan Ford Essential. Call Dan Ford Dan Cameron Rhododendron is an invasive species and our woodland benefits from its removal. Working with us you will spend the day pulling and burning to give our natives some space. This program of work is designed to brighten up the spaces around the Heddon. Tasks could include: seed sowing, preparing ground for planting, planting, pruning, monitoring growth, and general tidying. We have many drains and culverts on the estate and they all need to be kept clear to keep water flowing. Work with Rangers to carry out this important end of winter task. In we are working to improve some of the footpaths around. Work with Rangers to reroute/maintain footpaths, clear scree and possibly even install a bridge. This program of work is designed to brighten up the spaces around the Heddon. Tasks could include: seed sowing, preparing ground for planting, planting, pruning, monitoring growth, and general tidying. Join bird experts Jonathan Fairhurst and Rob Jutsum for this special training day as they take you through the techniques of bird identification and surveying around the beautiful Woolacombe dunes. In we are working to improve some of the footpaths around. Work with Rangers to reroute/maintain footpaths, clear scree and possibly even install a bridge. Join Arlington Lead Ranger Richard Snelling to learn more about their wet woodland pasture habitat work, planning and vision. There will also be a chance to hear about the Exmoor ponies and deer management from the tenant and stalker. Help us to learn more about the wildlife in and around the. Tasks could include: bird counts, wildflower counts, lichen surveys, and butterfly

4 8 th June 8 th June 22 nd June 26 th June Note: this is a Monday 29 th June Every Sunday in July and August 6 th July Access Provision Walk Sand Dunes and Ecosystem Training High Brown Fritillary Monitoring Dan Ford Woolacombe Dan Cameron Ragwort Pulling Grassland Monitoring Methods Training Express Beach Clean Social Media Training Brownsham Woolacombe Woolacombe Beach Meet at Mill Rock Croyde Hannah Burton identification. Training will be given on the day. Get to know the on a day of walking, work and wonderful views. Each year all our footpaths have to be walked to access their condition and safety. Tools are carried and light works are conducted enroute. Join Woolacombe ranger Josh Day and learn more about the ecosystem services and the role they play in conservation today. Learn more about one of Britain s rarest butterflies by joining in with our annual High Brown Fritillary monitoring program. Ragwort is poisonous to livestock and every year we must work to stop its spread. Spend the day in beautiful surrounds pulling out this invasive little plant. This special training day will give you a chance to learn more about monitoring techniques and improve your identification of grassland plants. Hannah Gibbons from Devon Wildlife Trust will be on site to share her expertise. Join the Woolacombe beach rangers for a Sunday morning breath of fresh air and help us to keep the beach looking lovely this summer. Why not bring the family and the dog too? This is a chance for beginners to learn how to make the best of social media for personal use at home, as well as see how we use it here in North Devon. 13 th July Walling Thursday 19 th July Cross Property Work Day Beach Clean Peppercombe Justin Seedhouse Help the Hartland rangers with some footpath improvements and repair work on the beautiful section of the South West Coast Path at Peppercombe.

5 27 th July 27 th July 3 rd August Wildlife Monitoring Staff and Volunteer BBQ Orchard Work Summer Pruning 10 th August Walling Thursday 17 th August Access Provision Walk Dan Cameron West Challacombe Josey Field Evening Event Dan Ford nd August Riverfly Monitoring Dan Cameron 24 th August Walling Thursday 31 st August Meadow Restoration Work 7 th September Walling Thursday Watersmeet Help us to learn more about the wildlife in and around the. Tasks could include: bird counts, wildflower counts, lichen surveys, and butterfly identification. Training will be given on the day. Join us for the annual staff and volunteer BBQ; a great night to let your hair down and meet people from the other North Devon propertitis. Bring your own food and drink cooking facilities provided. A day of summer pruning in our orchard at West Challacombe. We will start with a chat about orchards and pruning techniques, followed by the opportunity for you to get hands-on and put new skills to the test. Get to know the on a day of walking, work and wonderful views. Each year all our footpaths have to be walked to access their condition and safety. Tools are carried and light works are conducted enroute. Join Exmoor ranger Dan Cameron and learn more about river fly monitoring on the East Lyn River. Over the coming years we hope to reclaim some our riverside meadows from the thorny clutches of invading brambles, creating wildflower habitats and new orchards that will bring a splash of colour for all to enjoy. Join Rangers to help with this important habitat creation work.

6 14 th September 19 th September 20 th September Note: this is a Wednesday 28 th September 5 th October Path Uplifting Dan Ford Soil Condition Survey Walling Thursday Tree Surveys Orchard Work - Apple Harvesting 12 th October Walling Thursday 18 th October Cross Property Working bash and burn 19 th October Walling Thursday West Challacombe Woolacombe Josh Day 26 th October Woodland Work Marcus Wilde Over the summer our paths become overgrown and feel dark and closed in. Spend the day with us walking and working to welcome in the light. Join Julia Proctor at for this special training day to learn more about soil condition in agricultural land. Trees are a big part of our management at Heddon, we want to ensure they are safe and can be enjoyed by all. Spend the day with Rangers walking the estate and carrying out important annual tree safety checks. On the way we will talk to you through this process and teach some basic tree identification. It s time to start harvesting the fruits of our trees labour. Spend the day in our beautiful orchards collecting and storing our crop. There may even be some apple cake in the offing to sweeten proceedings. Help the Woolacombe rangers with a fun day of scrub clearance - clearing and burning gorse on Woolacombe Down. Today you will be helping us to improve the health of our woodlands. Tasks could include dragging and burning brash, creating habitat piles, and holly

7 2 nd November Walling Thursday 9 th November Swailing Day Dan Ford th November 23 rd November 27 th 28 th November 30 th November 7 th December 14 th December 21 st December Walling Thursday Front of House Help Hedge Laying Course Walling Thursday Tool/Machine Maintenance Day Walling Thursday Christmas Social Dunsland removal. Work may be heavy and noisy. Each year we burn patches of the moorland to aid their regeneration. Join Rangers to undertake this important aspect of habitat conservation. Please note this activity is subject to weather and may be substituted for woodland work at short notice. This program of work is designed to brighten up the spaces around the Heddon. Tasks could include: seed sowing, preparing ground for planting, planting, pruning, monitoring growth, and general tidying. Learn traditional hedge-laying skills & orchard management with the Hartland rangers as part of the 50 year commemoration of the loss of Dunsland House. Help us to finish the year on a high with sharp tools and happy machinery. The day will begin with a lesson in tool sharpening followed by the required work. Time to let our hair down and say thank you for all your hard work.

8 Wildlife and Conservation Opportunities with other Organisations: 1. Exmoor National Park Devon Wildlife Trust Exmoor Nature Diary -