Friends of Tuckmill was formed in October 2021. Its aims are:
To maintain and enhance the ecology and habitat of Tuckmill Nature Reserve (TNR)
To encourage the goodwill and involvement of the local community and appreciation of TNR
Friends of Tuckmill organises regular working parties to manage and restore the reserve. This is essential to ensure that Tuckmill is not overwhelmed by invasive growth and enables a wide diversity of flora and fauna to thrive. Below are some of the current activities taking place and what has happened since Friends of Tuckmill started in 2021. If you would like to become a member or donate to Friends of Tuckmill please click here.
WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING A VOLUNTEER RAKER?
"Well I did not expect to spend my Monday mornings raking, but I do. There is not a lot to it, it's hard work but fun and very rewarding. After all, every scyther is in need of a raker!
"There's a great community spirit, a wonderful 'work out' and a look into the past of how life was played out on the fields, not to mention the many species of flora that benefit from our work. No doubt the banter and camaraderie is much the same as it was in the day.
"It is something I very much enjoy and look forward to each week."
June, a happy Tuckmill raker
BECOME INVOLVED IN WORKING PARTIES, TRAINING ETC
- Eight people have volunteered to train as leaders which is being delivered by Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT).
- Six of our volunteers are trained first aiders.
- See below for current working parties.
- Do contact us to find out how you can contribute both on- and off-site.
- Anyone who would like to bake a cake to revive the working parties is very welcome!
To find out more about any of the above, or if you have any ideas you would like to share, please email tuckmillfriends@gmail.com.
PLANNED WORKING PARTIES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES TO DATE
The task of restoring the meadow and fen after four years without any grazing stock or mowing is significant, but Friends of Tuckmill are making significant progress. If you wish to help, but cannot attend on the planned dates, please email tuckmillfriends@gmail.com as we can arrange times to suit you.
Current working parties:
The task of restoring the meadow and fen after four years without any grazing stock or mowing is significant, but Friends of Tuckmill are making significant progress. If you wish to help, but cannot attend on the planned dates, please email tuckmillfriends@gmail.com as we can arrange times to suit you.
Current working parties:
- Every Monday the scything group meets at the golf course at 9.15am. Extra hands to rake and dump are welcome. Email tuckmillfriends@gmail.com if you wish to help or just turn up.
- Working parties currently meet on the 3rd Sundays of the month, meeting at 10am at the golf course (but please feel free to join in later if it suits you better by walking along Pennyhooks Lane). Gloves, waterproof footwear, smiles and energy are all that is needed - email tuckmillfriends@gmail.com if you wish to help or just come along.
Earth Trust have been given a short-term contract from Vale of White Horse District Council (VoWHDC), who own Tuckmill, to prepare a plan for the reserve. Here are some of their initial suggestions (April 2023):
- Cut - and where possible dig out - willow from the fen to slow the succession process
- Cut the phragmites before the end of March to allow for nesting birds (where it is emerging from the water you can drown plants by cutting a couple of inches below the water line)
- Continue cutting back sedge throughout spring and summer but be selective - take out sedge, phragmites, willow herb etc but mark up and avoid desirable plants - water mint or orchids for example - to encourage a reversion to short sward species rich fen
- Get a head start by clearing the boundary fence of scrub to facilitate the new fence going in
On-site achievements by Friends of Tuckmill (FoT) in 2022:
January
January
- Friends of Tuckmill bank holiday working party bonanza attracted around 14 keen volunteers! Many of the aims for the day, which was based on the marsh, were achieved including path-cutting, blackthorn cutting and ridding roots, pallet moving, scything and pulling willow herb and meadowsweet where the southern marsh orchid proliferates.
On-site achievements in 2021:
November
November
- As the first, we hope, of many visits by young people, Shrivenham and Watchfield Cubs came to Tuckmill. They braved the snow and strong winds of Storm Arwen to tour the site, pull willow herb and study some plants to make pictures. They also looked for suitable sites in Ratcoombe Copse where the bat-boxes they plan to make in the winter can be placed.
- More pallets have been donated and taken to the site by volunteers and helpers.
- Huge swathes of the meadow are now mown by the scythers and willow herb in the marsh has been cleared by volunteers.
- A drier path is being opened on the marshy side of the reserve and the growth over the boardwalk has been cut.
The above photos show cleared areas of the reserve: work by Friends of Tuckmill volunteers.
October
- The scythers made great inroads in the meadow with specialist blades and supported by rakers wielding excellent hay rakes.
- More volunteers cleared some of the marsh that is beside the little brook that runs the length of the reserve by pulling out the roots of the willow herb that is overrunning the marshland. This is again to encourage the southern marsh orchid to thrive.
- Neil Maw revealed the causeway stepping stones by the bridge over Tuckmill Brook in the golf course using his scythe.
- Many pallets were donated and moved by volunteers to the site to form the base dumps of arisings, thus providing small creature habitats.
- A striking new noticeboard was installed at the Pennyhooks entrance to the reserve (see below). Sections will be changed regularly to keep visitors updated - thanks to Lucy Skelt and her parents for this.
September
- Friends of Tuckmill became an official, fully-insured group with an adopted constitution and is a member of The Conservation Volunteers (TCV).
- A business bank account was opened and many supporters donated money which has helped as a starter fund to pay for expenses and equipment.
- A kindly farmer topped much of the grass on the upper end of the site to reduce the rank grasses.
- A small team raked out the growth that had been topped, forming a huge pile to provide a great winter habitat for some small animals. The cleared area should allow for more southern marsh orchids to thrive.
- Eight Friends of Tuckmill had an excellent introduction to scything by Clive Leeke, an expert and qualified trainer.
- Altogether 29 volunteers helped to cut back blackthorn that is invading the flower meadow, burning or creating dead hedges for wildlife with the cuttings. This work ceased before the nesting season.
- Species recording started - click here to see details.
Cowslip (Primula veris) by Neil B Maw
FUTURE PLANS
- A new management plan is to be devised with the support of Vale of White Horse District Council (VoWHDC) and consultants which will determine further work.
- It is hoped to repeat the very successful walking tour of the reserve that took place in July 2021 during 2022.
- A second scything session is planned in late January to hone skills and learn how to deal with the reeds in the fenland.
If you are interested in how Tuckmill meadows and fen was managed in the past, and for future plans involving the reserve click here.