This is a fabulous opportunity for us all t o \;get involved in restoring nature at the landscape scale! Having ho ned our meadow-making and hedge-planting skills in Eynsham Playing Field's Carnival Meadow and Dovehouse Close and within the other villages of our network, we are now ready to take on the wider local landscape and re-crea te along the Thames a connected network of the wildflower meadows, woods, wetlands and hedges, which are all critical for the survival of some of ou r most endangered UK species. \;
Today we will all be starting to prepare the 50 acres that have been leased (by Long Mead Foundation fro m Smiths of Bletchingdon and from the County Council) to restore for the b enefit of wildlife but also, of course, for our own benefit.
The ta sk is to prepare the sites for spreading wildflower seed from Long Mead an d our ancient local meadows, which will hopefully take place next year. Th ere are a few areas where docks and thistles have taken hold and these cou ld jeopardise the meadow creation. The thistles can be managed by early mo wing but the docks come out by hand-pulling at this time of year when the soil is wet.
We will also start planting the hedges that will contr ibute to creating a mosaic of habitats so critical to supporting our wildl ife.
We will be joined by the Oxford Conservation Volunteers to pul l docks and other preparation work on Changeable Furlongs. It is a beautif ul site dominated by Wytham Hill and its ancient woodland. We plan to spen d the day out there from 10am so bring your thermos and picnic lunch. We w ill bring specialist tools but if you have a spade and secateurs that woul d be \;great - and if you live close enough to bring a wheelbarrow and could swing by Long Mead at 9.45 that would be \;great. In any case p lease aim to arrive on time if you can as we will start with a briefing on the project