This year’s digger week went perfectly to plan assisted by almost perfect weather: no rain and not too hot. Being August, the bracken was at its highest and a huge amount of vegetation had to be pushed off to begin start with. Under the bracken, the slimy black top-soil was very thin, and beneath this was the beautiful orange Shotover sand – just ready for colonisation by our rather special acidophilic species.
The greatest unknown this year was just how much clay would be encountered, or whether the soil would be sufficiently acidic. Consequently, this year we measured the pH as the work proceeded. Fortunately, the acidity turned out to be even stronger than anticipated, notwithstanding rather more clay in the soil.
Once again we had Bill the ‘digger man’ of Allmanor Training Ltd, and with the experience of last year there was little necessity for logistical ponderings, and a huge amount of soil was moved every day, with great efficiency. The only minor hold-ups were caused by Ivan the ‘dumper boy’ getting stuck a couple of times on the slippery bracken mulch!
Do go and have a look. We have placed a new log seat by the ‘Rebecca Ash’ with fine views south to Wittenham Clumps. The ash is a huge veteran which stands proudly sentinel over the new habitat.
Phase 2 of the GHP has been funded by the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment (TOE).
