Calendar of Events - July to October 2008
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 October 2008 are below.
It's now high summer, so we turn to haymaking, grass cutting and fencing for the main-stay of the work in July and
August, but in the latter half of the programme, it's back to coppicing (including a resi-task at Roydon Woods in
the New Forest) and tree-felling.
On the social side we've a packed programme of site-visits, walks and pub and food nights.
All the details are below ...
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.
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| Colour key : | Social | project | Meeting |
| July 2008 | |||
| social | Sat 5th | Alice Holt Forest | Site visit |
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NOTE CHANGE OF DAY FROM PREVIOUS PROGRAMME!
We will be visiting Alice Holt Forest, south of Farnham. This is one of the more likely places to see Purple Emperor butterflies in Hampshire. There is also a chance to experience a tree-top aerial walkway. Contact : on 420818. |
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| project | Sun 6th | Old Down | Rabbit fencing |
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A new project is starting at Old Down, which aims in the long term to recreate high quality chalk grassland
at the edge of Basingstoke for education and for people to enjoy.
One of the first steps is to seed some wild flower plots.
Half of the trial area will be rabbit fenced and half left open to check the effect the rabbits have on plant establishment.
BCV have been asked to lend their long fencing experience to help out the local group already working on this interesting project.
Meet at the Community Centre on Kempshott Lane (SU 600 489). Contact : on 01635 268482. |
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| project | Sun 20th | Pamber Forest | Haymaking |
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A grassy area, created when a pipeline was routed through the Forest, now forms an important habitat
for creatures which rely upon it, either for food or cover, such as Ringlet butterflies and grasshoppers.
The area also contains a variety of nectar plants such as Bugle.
The area is cut in mid-summer, and BCV will be raking the grass up and stacking it in giant heaps,
which may serve as egg laying sites for grass snakes.
Meet at Impstone Road (SU 616 621). Contact : on 818092. |
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| social | Sun 20th | Graham's house | Summer BBQ |
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What better way to spend the evening after a day's haymaking in the forest, than to chill out
at a BBQ?
This year BCV's annual BBQ returns to its more traditional venue of Graham’s house in Mortimer West End.
Please bring your choice of beverage, something for the barbie, and, if possible, some kind of side dish or dessert.
Start at 6:00pm.
Contact : on 01189 700155. |
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| August 2008/td> | |||
| project | Sun 3rd | Greywell Moors | Fen cutting |
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Springs rise from the chalk aquifer to form the headwaters of the River Whitewater, which is surrounded by a mix of fen
and alder woodland.
The plants that grow on the fen, like marsh orchids, depend upon the growth of sedge and small trees being cut back regularly
and the cuttings removed.
Meet outside the pumping station (SU 723 513) Contact : on 01635 49304. |
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| project | Sun 10th | Pamber Forest | Tree clearance on heath |
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A small heathland was recovered in the ungrazed section of the Forest when plantation of Scots Pines were removed.
This area is especially prone to regeneration of pines and birch and requires regular bashing by volunteers.
We will be attempting to treat all cut stumps to kill re-growth to make our efforts longer lasting.
Meet at Burney Bit (SU 618 612). Contact : on 01635 268482. |
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| social | Sun 17th | Broughton Down | Site Visit |
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Come and visit the Hampshire Wildlife Trust's reserve at Broughton Down near Stockbridge.
This chalk grassland site is known for its colony of the rare Silver spotted Skipper butterflies, which will
hopefully be flying at this time, plus an impressive range of wildflowers.
A walk around the reserve will be rounded off by tea and cakes in Stockbridge.
Meet at 1pm. Contact : on 01635 268482. |
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| meeting | Thu 28th | Calleva Arms, Silchester | Meeting |
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All welcome. Meeting and drinking starts around 8pm.
Contact : on 420818 if you need transport from Basingstoke. |
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| social | Sat 30th | North Wessex Downs | Walk |
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Join us for a circular walk starting and ending at The George Inn, in the village of Vernham Dean,
which nestles in the North Wessex Downs.
The walk will be about 4 miles long, so shouldn't be too taxing, even if the weather is very hot.
We'll meet up at 10am, and some of us will round off the morning with lunch at the pub.
Meet at GR SU 343 565. Contact : on 01635 49304. |
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| project | Sun 31st | MapleDurwell Fen | Haymaking |
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Please note that this task is different from that originally published
Mapledurwell Fen is a tiny wetland site created where the water from the chalk aquifer to the south meets impervious clay to the north. The chalky water percolating through the peat formed from centuries of decomposing sedges, makes for a very unusual conditions that is a home for many rare plants, such as marsh helleborines, bogbean and narrow-leaved marsh orchid. The site is often called the most valuable 1/2 acre in Hampshire. We have had four cattle across the road on The Hatch this Summer and were hoping we could get them across the road to graze the Fen, but they are quite shy and a bit too jumpy still, and it didn't seem safe. It is essential that the growth of the Fen is removed each year, so without grazing we have had to cut it. All the cut material must be raked off and stacked in heaps, and this is BCV's task on Sunday. We can have a walk around The Hatch afterwards and meet the cattle. There is some parking roadside, but it may be better to leave your car in Conkers Garden Centre car park next to the site. The grid ref. for the site is SU678523. Contact : on 01189 700155. |
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| September 2008 | |||
| social | Sat 13th | Mike's house | Italian Food evening |
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As summer comes to an end, we see the return of the legendary BCV themed food evening.
Amazingly, no one could remember ever doing Italian, so that will be the theme this time.
The meal will be at Mike's house in Ecchinswell, starting at 7pm.
Contact : on 01635 268482 to let him know that you are coming and what food you can bring. |
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| project | Sun 14th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
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With the end of Summer, the birds have finished breeding and flowering is over and coppicing starts again.
The stems of hazel and other trees are cut down to the ground and allowed to grow back over the following decade.
Each stage of growth provides different ecological niches for wildlife associated with this ancient woodland.
From warblers to beetles, most of the life of the Forest depends in some way on the regular cutting cycle.
Phone leader or Graham Dennis for details of the meeting point. Contact : on 01635 49304. |
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| project | Fri 26th to Sun 28th | New Forest | Coppicing |
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It's resi time again and somewhat of a busman's holiday for BCV because we're wielding the billhooks and cutting coppice.
The difference is we will be working for Mike Boxhall of Hampshire Wildlife Trust, at Roydon Woods,
a site with a reputation to rival Pamber Forest and the longest list of ancient woodland indicator plants in the South of England.
There will be time to see the wildlife for which the Forest is famous.
We will be camping at the Tile Barn, which is just over the road from the reserve.
A deposit of £10.50 is required by August 31st to reserve your place. Contact : on 420818. |
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| October 2008 | |||
| meeting | Thu 16th | Red Lion | Meeting |
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All welcome, starts around 8pm at the Red Lion in Mortimer West End. We'll be planning the winter's
programme of events.
Contact : on 420818 if you need transport from Basingstoke. |
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| project | Sun 19th | Foxlease Meadow | Tree Feeling |
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This is a new site for BCV!
Foxlease is an important wet grassland with plants such as heath-spotted orchid, devil's-bit scabious and Sneezewort.
These plants do not thrive under the shade and litter from trees, and so BCV will be going and cutting some down
(the trees that is, not the other things).
The project starts at 10.30 am, and the meeting point is the first entrance to the reserve off Bramshott Lane (SU 832 560).
There is parking at Bramshott Barns car park (post code GU51 2SF).
Contact : on 420818. |
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| project | Sun 26th | Pamber Forest | Coppicing |
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This is a continuation of the coppicing started in September...
With the end of Summer, the birds have finished breeding and flowering is over and coppicing starts again. The stems of hazel and other trees are cut down to the ground and allowed to grow back over the following decade. Each stage of growth provides different ecological niches for wildlife associated with this ancient woodland. From warblers to beetles, most of the life of the Forest depends in some way on the regular cutting cycle. Phone leader or Graham Dennis for details of the meeting point. Contact : on 474531. |
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| November 2008 | |||
| Full details of events from November 2008 onwards will be published in October. | |||