Basingstoke Conservation Volunteers

Calendar of Events until October 2006

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 June to October 2006 programme are below. Starting off in high summer, we have a couple of hay-making events at Pamber Forest, and we will also be working at Old Down Woodlank Park. We're returning to Headley Gravel Pits after a lengthy break, and also heading north to help out at Greenham Common again. September sees the return of coppicing, some of which will be at The Mens in Sussex, where we will be spending a weekend.
On the social side, there's a bike ride, a BBQ, a food evening and a birdwatching trip to the south coast.

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 info icon to get brief pop-up info on the event.

Colour key :

Social

project

Meeting

project	Sun 4th	Pamber Forest	Ride work
June
We will be digging gravel from Bowmont's Brook and using it to surface a nearby path. Contact Graham or Russ to confirm the work and which entrance we will be using Leader : on 329398.
social	Fri 9th	Silchester Green	Rounders
Time to re-ignite the old rivalry between BCV and Bec. If you can run, or throw or catch or ... then BCV needs you! The game will start at 7pm. Contact for more details.
project	Sun 11th	Noar Hill	Scrub bash
This is chalk grassland with patchy scrub that has developed on the site of medieval chalk pits. It is a honey pot for naturalists, with many species of orchid and scarce insects such as the Rufous Grasshopper and Brown Hairstreak Butterfly. BCV will be cutting scrub in the top pit and raking hay. Meet on site at the north entrance track (SU 738 323). Note - anyone attending the garage for a lift should be there at 9.15am sharp. Leader : on 326339.
social	Thu 22nd	Aldermaston GP	Site visit
We're hoping to arrange a summer visit to Aldermaston Gravel Pits to enjoy the flora and fauna is has to offer. There is no standard public access to the site, so we'll need to arrange this with BBOWT beforehand. If we are allowed access, then we'll be meeting at 7pm. It is essential to contact on 420818 beforehand to both confirm that the event is happening and where to meet.
project	Sun 25th	Pamber Forest	Hay raking
It must be high summer! A strip of grassland through the Forest is managed in the fashion of a hay meadow. It is cut by a tractor with a topper, followed by BCV who rake and stack the cut hay every year. The grassland is used by many insects which favour grasses as a food plant like Ringlets and Skipper butterflies, and is valuable for small mammals. The hay stacks make good egg laying sites for grass snakes. Leader : on 420818.
July
project	Sun 9th	Old Down Woodland Park	Tree care
We will be continuing to remove tree guards and stakes from the shelter belt trees at the south of the Park. The council has successfully re-created a patch of flora rich chalk grassland nearby and there should be plenty of interesting butterflies like Marbled Whites on the wing at the time of the task. Meet at the south end of Kempshot Lane (SU 600 489). Leader : on 329398.
meeting	Wed 12th	Mike's House	Committee Meeting
Time to take stock of what's happening within the group and make sure all is well. Everyone welcome. Starting at 8pm. Contact on 326339 for more info.
social	Sat 15th	Graham's house	BBQ
Our annual summer BBQ at Graham's, starting at 6pm. Please bring along drinks and whatever you'd like to go on the BBQ. Contact on 01189 700155 for more details.
project	Sun 30th	Pamber Forest	Hay making
When a pipeline was laid through the Forest, an opportunity was made to create a grassy clearing. This is a good place to find Rosel's Bush Cricket, a fairly recent colonist from the continent. Each year the grass is cut by tractor but the help of volunteers is needed to stack the hay in giant heaps. Meet at Impstone Road (SU 616 621). Leader : on 474531.
August
project	Sun 6th	Headley Gravel Pit	Birch Clearance
BCV will be returning to work at Headley after an absence of many years. A recent visit revealed that the population of thousands of Green-winged Orchids is doing well, but a major felling of birch is needed to keep the flowering area open. Parking at the entrance at SU 512628 is tight and lift sharing and alternative parking, a short walk away at SU 517627 is recommended. Leader : on 420818.
social	Sun 13th	South of Basingstoke	Bike Ride
The length of the ride will be about 30 miles, with a pub stop for lunch. The exact route is still to be decided, but will probably head out through Upton Grey and Long Sutton towards Froyle before looping back towards Basingstoke. The ride will start at the Golden Lion pub on the Harrow Way at 10am. Contact on 326339 for more details.
project	Sun 20th	Greenham Common	Mystery Project
The cloak of cold war secrecy is still present at the Common with Andy the site manager not prepared to reveal his battle plans until closer to the day. Mass destruction in a huge conflagration is likely, but fortunately only invading Birch is the target these days. We will be working with friendly forces, Crookham and Greenham Common Conservation Volunteers. Meet at the site HQ at SU 500652. Leader : on 01635 49304.
September
project	Sun 3rd	Pamber Forest	Coppicing
Marking the start of Autumn, BCV will begin cutting at their main work site. 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.
project	Sun 10th	Noar Hill	Scrub Control
South of Selbourne, Noar Hill is the site of medieval chalk diggings. The landscape today is a series of dells with a grassland and scrub mosaic, home to specialist plants of the chalk. It is famous for orchids like Autumn Lady's Tresses and butterflies including Duke of Burgundy and Brown Hairstreak. BCV's task will be to cut back some of the scrub. Meet where the north track meets the lane at SU 738323. Leader : on 420818.
meeting	Thu 14th	Red Lion	Committee Meeting
With Autumn on the doorstep, it will be time to plan the programme for November to February. Everyone welcome to come along, either to enjoy a drink or to have your say in deciding the group's activities. Start at 8pm at the Red Lion in Mortimer West End.
project	15th - 17th	The Mens	Weekend Resi
The plan is to visit "The Mens" - a woodland in Sussex and home to the staggeringly rare Bechstein's Bat. We may do some coppicing and fencing, and will be looking at wildlife and pubs. Accommodation is in a village hall or camping. Please contact Dave J on 420818 for latest details or if you would like to come along. Leader : on 420818.
project	Sun 24th	Greywell Fen	Reed and Alder Cutting
Where springs emerge from the chalk to form the River Whitewater, the surrounding fen and alder carr woodland has been a Mecca for botanists for years. The work of the Highland cattle that graze the site will be supplemented by BCV to cut some dense reeds and fell some Alder trees. Meet by the pumping station at SU 723513. Leader : on 01189 700155.
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 2006 onwards
Details of events from November 2006 onwards will be published in October.