Calendar of Events until February 2007
It is a good idea to contact the organizer or task leader of the events before attending so that
we can cater for numbers and arrange lifts if needed.
All telephone numbers are Basingstoke area (01256) unless the code is given -
you should also be able to contact the leader during the 2 days leading up to the task
on the leader's mobile phone (the number is in the newsletter).
Meet at 10am at the project site or at the toolshed at 9.30, unless other times are given.
The numbers are OS grid references of the meet up point for the projects.
Some of the sites are difficult to find, so if it's your first visit to a site,
we'd recommend meeting us at the toolshed and then following the leader
(who should know where he/she is going!) to the site.
Details in red are changes from the programme published in the newsletter.
Details of the programme until February 2007 are below. With Autumn well and truly here, it's
the time for coppicing and scrub bashing.
At Pamber Forest we will finish off the coppice-plot near to Burney Bit, before moving on to
a new plot later in the season. We will also be working on Snelsmore Common again, as well
as Aldermaston Gravel Pits and Bartley Heath.
On the social side, it's mostly indoors activities, with a couple of games evenings
and of course the Christmas Meal. There's the traditional New Year's walk for those
who like something more bracing!
The tables below give a quick overview of when events are happening - click on the month
name in a table's header to jump to details of events happening during that month,
or click on the date to jump straight to details of that event.
Hover your mouse over the 
icon to get brief pop-up info on the event.
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colour key : | Social | project | Meeting |
| October | |||
| project | Sun 8th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Pamber Forest is a large ancient woodland, with a mixture of hazel coppice with oak standards,
wood pasture and low intervention woodland.
The location of the work site and the entrance we will be using will be decided nearer the time.
Ring Graham Dennis on 0118 9700155 or the leader the week preceding the task for details.
Leader : on 326339. |
|||
| social | Sun 15th | South Coast | Birdwatching |
|
A day's birdwatching somewhere on the south coast. We'll probably head off to
a pub for lunch.
Contact for more details. |
|||
| project | Sun 22nd | Fleet Pond | Reedbed Work |
|
An antidote for all those volunteers for whom Pamber Forest is "Just TOO dry", the reedbeds
offer a sense of wilderness (not to mention moistness) right in the heart of Fleet.
We will be working with Colin Grey, felling alder trees on the edge of the Wellington Reedbed.
Meet at the end of Wellington Avenue SU 817 550.
Leader : on 474531. |
|||
| social | Sat 28th | Dave J's House | Food evening |
|
Another of BCV's great DIY feasts will be held in Dave J's house at 6:30pm.
The theme this time is "local food".
Try to include some ingredients picked from your own garden, allotment,
hedgerow, bought at a Farmer's Market, or even made from a recipe compiled
by your mum or granny. There will be a fitting prize for the finest contribution.
Please tell Dave beforehand that you are coming and what you plan to bring.
Contact on 420818 for more details. |
|||
| project | Sun 29th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
|
Pamber Forest is a large ancient woodland, with a mixture of hazel coppice with oak standards,
wood pasture and low intervention woodland.
The location of the work site and the entrance we will be using will be decided nearer the time.
Ring Graham Dennis on 0118 9700155 or the leader the week preceding the task for details.
Leader : on 01635 49304. |
|||
| November | |||
| meeting | Thu 2nd | Russ and Anna's | Committee Meeting |
|
Everyone welcome - start time is 8pm.
Contact : on 329398 for directions. |
|||
| social | Fri 3rd | Gill and Roger's | Games evening |
|
Come and join us for another fun games evening.
Please bring along any games you would like to play.
Contact : on 01189 598328 for directions. |
|||
| project | Sun 12th | Snelsmore Common | Heathland Management |
|
Snelsmore Common is a popular heathland north of Newbury.
Pollen from the bogs has yielded valuable information about the vegetation
of Roman Britain, and the pony poo is home for Europe's rarest fungus.
We will be working with the "Old Scrubbers" at one of their monthly work
parties.
Meet at the main car park (SU 463 710).
Leader : on 420818. |
|||
| social | Fri 24th | The Plough | Pub evening |
|
We will be heading to The Plough at Little London for an evening of merriment.
A limited range of food is available.
|
|||
| project | Sun 26th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
|
BCV's home site is a 195ha ancient woodland managed by Hampshire Wildlife
Trust.
Winter is the season for coppicing, the practice of periodically cutting
the lower shrubs back to ground level.
The wood was traditionally used to make hurdles, packing boxes, brooms and a
multitude of other items.
The site is noted for its important community of insects,
which have adapted to the warmer, open conditions created by coppicing.
We will be continuing cutting near Burney Bit and collecting materials
to be used for hedge-laying.
Later on in the season we will be moving on to a section near Bowmonts Brook
and maybe at Honeymill Brook.
Please contact Graham Dennis on 01189 700155 or the task leader
for the meeting point in the week before the project.
Leader : on 01635 49304. |
|||
| December | |||
| project | Sun 10th | Noar Hill | Scrub Bashing |
|
The site of an abandoned medieval chalk quarry near Selbourne
harbours many rare orchids, Dormice, Duke of Burgundy and Brown Hairsteak
butterflies.
Sheep and cattle are used to maintain the grassland and BCV will be
supplementing this by cutting scrub.
We'll be meeting at the Charity Farm bridleway - please park
on the right hand side of the road, AFTER Charity Cottage, where the
grass is short and the verge wide enough to accommodate cars
without blocking the road to tractors
Leader : on 326339. |
|||
| social | Sat 16th | Dave J's House | Christmas Meal |
|
Another opportunity to enjoy a scrumptious Christmas meal at Dave J's house.
Please let him know what you will be bringing to eat and drink.
Also, please don't just turn up as this evening has to be planned!
Contact : on 420818. |
|||
| project | Sun 17th | Pamber Forest | Christmas Tree Special |
|
A chance to burn calories and trees after the BCV Christmas meal.
Take home a free Christmas tree, which is truly sustainable and won't
drop needles into the bargain.
Removal of the birch and Scots Pine will help regeneration of the
Heather and Bilberry.
This isolated heath is impractical to graze and so tree cutting is
essential to prevent reversion to woodland.
Meet at Burney Bit (SU 612 618).
Leader : on 329398. |
|||
| January 2007 | |||
| social | Sun 7th | Countryside | New Year Walk |
|
Blow away that Christmas pudding with a walk in the country.
Details to be confirmed, but will be about five or six miles finishing at
a pub for lunch.
Contact : on 326339. |
|||
| meeting | Thu 11th | Red Lion | Committee Meeting |
|
Time to plan the events programme for Spring 2007, so come along and share your thoughts.
Meeting starts at 8pm at the Red Lion Pub in Mortimer West End.
|
|||
| project | Sun 14th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
|
BCV's home site is a 195ha ancient woodland managed by Hampshire Wildlife
Trust.
Winter is the season for coppicing, the practice of periodically cutting
the lower shrubs back to ground level.
The wood was traditionally used to make hurdles, packing boxes, brooms and a
multitude of other items.
The site is noted for its important community of insects,
which have adapted to the warmer, open conditions created by coppicing.
Depending on progress made on earlier tasks, we will be continuing cutting near Burney Bit (see Nov 26th) or moving on to a section near Bowmonts Brook and maybe at Honeymill Brook. Please contact Graham Dennis on 01189 700155 or the task leader for the meeting point in the week before the project. Leader : on 474531. |
|||
| project | Sun 21st | Aldermaston Gravel Pits | Winter Tasks |
|
A series of pools created by gravel extraction is being developed into a
nature reserve, which will be opening to the public soon.
The importance of the site, mainly for birds, has been recognised for many
years, with designation as a "Site of Special Scientific Interest" in 1955.
With the first phase of work complete, a new reserve officer has now taken
over, and the details of our task on the day are not yet known.
The meeting point is at Aldermaston railway station (SU 601 673).
Leader : on 420818. |
|||
| project | Sun 28th | Bartley Heath | Woodland Thinning |
|
Bartley Heath near Hook was once completely devoid of trees,
kept clear by the activity of the commoners, grazing animals and collecting wood.
With the end of the common economy woodland quickly returned,
although rarities like Marsh Gentian still survived in places.
The site is now grazed by New Forest ponies and its condition is improving
slowly.
We will be thinning out trees on the edge of woodland glades to improve
the wood pasture areas.
Phone Mike for the meeting place in the week before the project.
Leader : on 01256 326339. |
|||
| February 2007 | |||
| social | Sat 3rd | Mike's House | Games evening |
|
Another chance to enjoy a fun games evening.
Please bring along any games you would like to play.
Contact : on 326339 for directions. |
|||
| project | Sun 4th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
|
BCV's home site is a 195ha ancient woodland managed by Hampshire Wildlife
Trust.
Winter is the season for coppicing, the practice of periodically cutting
the lower shrubs back to ground level.
The wood was traditionally used to make hurdles, packing boxes, brooms and a
multitude of other items.
The site is noted for its important community of insects,
which have adapted to the warmer, open conditions created by coppicing.
Depending on progress made on earlier tasks, we will be continuing cutting near Burney Bit (see Nov 26th) or moving on to a section near Bowmonts Brook and maybe at Honeymill Brook. Please contact Graham Dennis on 01189 700155 or the task leader for the meeting point in the week before the project. Leader : on 01635 49304. |
|||
| project | Sun 18th | Gt Binfields Copse | Ride widening |
|
Part of the once extensive ancient woodlands around Chineham,
Great Binfields Copse is an important green space and still has interesting
species such as Herb Paris and White Admiral.
We will be widening the ride and cutting scallops along the path to
benefit the many insects which favour warm sheltered conditions within woodland.
Meet in Tesco's car park at SU 658 544.
Leader : on 01189 700155. |
|||
| project | Sun 25th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
|
BCV's home site is a 195ha ancient woodland managed by Hampshire Wildlife
Trust.
Winter is the season for coppicing, the practice of periodically cutting
the lower shrubs back to ground level.
The wood was traditionally used to make hurdles, packing boxes, brooms and a
multitude of other items.
The site is noted for its important community of insects,
which have adapted to the warmer, open conditions created by coppicing.
Depending on progress made on earlier tasks, we will be continuing cutting near Burney Bit (see Nov 26th) or moving on to a section near Bowmonts Brook and maybe at Honeymill Brook. Please contact Graham Dennis on 01189 700155 or the task leader for the meeting point in the week before the project. Leader : . |
|||
| March 2007 onwards | |||
| Details of events from March 2007 onwards will be published in February. | |||