Volunteers at work
Volunteering for FoBV is an education, and we always want our volunteers to learn from the best.
Last month we were lucky enough to benefit from the expertise of Jason Mordan, Nottinghamshire County Council’s historic restoration officer. Jason explained and demonstrated the method of mixing and applying lime mortar to the brickwork of the viaduct’s piers, and then supervised volunteers having a go themselves. Further sessions are planned.
Meanwhile volunteers have been busy cutting back the grasses and brambles from the western ramp. The cut material is raked up and removed to reduce nutrients in the soil. It is important to maintain ‘poor quality’ soil to ensure that the wild flowers we want to survive are not overtaken by the more vigorous species.
Ideally the soil would then be turned or harrowed, but the nature of the embankment and the protective membrane underneath make this impossible.
Ranger Ian Lambert extended his thanks to the volunteers for their valuable and consistent hard work in maintaining and improving these habitats. “We’ve built up a top-class conservation team,” he said. “On one of our strimming days we were assisted by a work party from Balfour Beatty and I would also like to extend my thanks to them.”
