"Protecting a Dorset Treasure"
Volunteers worked tirelessly is sweltering temperatures to clear a section of the river of invasive Himalayan Balsam.
This is a section of the bank cleared and the plant flowers can clearly be seen.
Just some of the cleared weed.
A good days works and a well deserved pint.
Quite a few of us will remember the Summer of 1976, so here we go again. What I recall was that with lower water levels the growth both in the river and on the banks was greater than normal; that in turn meant that when the rain began to fall again, blockages were more likely and more frequent.
I therefore request that the River Watch Officers and Riparian owners in particular are vigilant and report both actual and potential blockages to the EA as well as doing clearances which are within their own capacity.
Our activities have been varied. Given the scorching day, it was no surprise that the Valley walk was down to the few, but more joined at the Wishing Well and we had a good chance to catch up with friends over an excellent lunch.
In terms of active work, John Restorick led a clearing party to remove growth and debris from the wall by the ford at the bottom of Mill Street. This is a pleasant spot, often used by school parties and young families so keeping it clear is important. Several passers by remarked how good it was to see volunteers doing this type of task. Further downstream, Martin Koscikie and Chris Burr have been attacking a monster patch of Himalayan Balsam, and together with the Chairman have managed to clear a large area of this invasive species.
On the Planning front, The Society has again been active in opposing those Planning Applications which would have a serious affect on the Valley. In doing so, we are working closely with other groups who share our concerns and values and the Upwey Society has been particularly helpful in this respect.
Enjoy your Summer, and let us all look after our valley,
