 Thank you to everyone who helped make our information stall at the Ardagh Monthly Market such a success. From organising, setting up and chatting with visitors, to investing in a handy table and designing our bright new banner, it was a real team effort... and what a beautiful autumnal day it was for it!     
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Exciting news!
We have just received the brilliant news that our application to Bristol City Council for funding from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) has been successful. We applied for the grant to fund buying, and then erecting, bat boxes to be put in the trees around Horfield Common. Hopefully we'll increase our bat population and give them cosy and functional new homes to live in. They'll be erected in early spring so look out for our very popular bat walks later in the spring! Earlier this year, both Noctules and Common Pipistrelles were spotted on the Common — a promising sign that our bat-friendly efforts are already paying off. If you’ve walked along Wellington Hill this week, you may have noticed tree surgeons at work on the edges of the Common, cutting back the tall lime trees opposite the church. It looks a bit drastic, but this process, known as pollarding, is an age-old tree management technique that dates back to Roman times and, along with coppicing at ground level, is done to keep certain trees at a manageable size. Many of Britain’s oldest veteran trees have survived thanks to this careful management. Historically, regularly cutting trees above grazing height, communities could produce a renewable source of firewood, animal fodder and building material without damaging the main trunk or killing the tree. In many ways, it was an early form of environmental management that balanced human need with natural regeneration.
Why do we pollard today?
Nowadays, particularly in urban environments, it helps to control tree size, prevent interference with buildings or power lines, and maintain light levels for pedestrians, traffic and nearby houses. Regular pollarding can even extend a tree’s life. By reducing the weight of heavy branches, it lessens the risk of storm damage and helps trees remain strong for generations. Benefits for wildlife Beyond the visual effect, pollarded trees are ecological treasures. The hollows and cavities that develop over time provide valuable habitats for a wide range of wildlife – from beetles and other invertebrates to nesting birds and roosting bats. Over time, they become miniature ecosystems in their own right, with decaying wood, mosses and fungi supporting countless small species. Together, these trees form part of a valuable wildlife corridor across the Common and beyond, linking local green spaces such as Badock's Wood, Clifton Downs and the Stoke Park Estate, and supporting local biodiversity year-round. So, although it can look harsh, pollarding is a vital part of caring for the landscape. By spring, the "knobbly" knuckles will sprout new growth and the cycle will start again... keeping our mature trees healthy and safe while supporting local wildlife for years to come. Sometimes it's just nice to appreciate the beauty of the Common...     Although.. to be clear.. these were taken yesterday. Today, between rainstorms, it looks more like this:  The Friends of Horfield Common team were out again for our regular litter pick, doing our best to keep the Common looking clean for everyone. It’s something we do every month, and it always feels good to see the difference a couple of hours of teamwork can make... and it's a good chance for a catch up. This time, however, our efforts uncovered something rather unexpected – what can only be described as the work of a repetitive fly tipper! Their discarded belongings were spread across six different spots on the Common, creating quite a trail of mess. While it’s disheartening to come across this kind of behaviour, it’s also a reminder of why these monthly clean-ups are so important. Every bag filled and every bit of rubbish removed helps protect local wildlife and keeps the Common a pleasant space for everyone to enjoy. Due to the fly tipping, we didn't manage to get around the whole of the Common today, so, if you’d like to get involved and lend a hand, we’d love to have you join us so that we can do more. Keep an eye on the What’s On page for details of our next litter pick – everyone is welcome, and all equipment is provided. Together, we can make a real difference for Horfield Common.#     We know mowing can be a bit of a talking point! Some people love the look of neatly cut grass, while others prefer to see longer, wilder areas full of grasses, wildflowers and insects, intermingled with plenty of hedges and trees. So, working with Bristol City Council, Friends of Horfield Common has been trialling a mowing plan that gives space for it all.  The main areas of the Common will be mown regularly for recreational purposes, while the margins, corners and in areas that are not regularly used, grass will be left to grow longer to help birds, invertebrates and small mammals. Different areas are being managed on different cutting regimes – some are cut once a year and others on alternating years or every few years. By doing this we are promoting different floral habitats, which in turn cater for a different set of wildlife; each broadening the scope of Horfield Common's overall biodiversity. These areas link with our ponds and spinneys (thickets of trees and shrubby undergrowth), together ensuring that we encourage as much biodiversity as possible. By taking this holistic approach and integrating these patches into the overall look of the Common, we are gradually creating a mosaic of habitats that, although they might look untidy to some, are full of life and make a massive difference for wildlife.   How does the mowing regime work? The creation of these meadow areas is an exciting, fascinating, and in the long run, very rewarding process. The creation of a proper meadow is down to long-term management, observation and patience. The initial stage is to leave areas uncut for a period which allows us to see what already exists - it's often surprising to find how much naturally appears. This is an important and interesting process as it tells us far more about the land than when it is just kept as short grass. Invertebrate life very quickly moves in. Grasshoppers, spiders, moths, butterflies, crane flies, tiny parasitic wasps, you name it! Ant hills emerge, which is a great sign, as ants are essential in the overall health of meadows; they disperse seeds by bringing them back to the nest where the loose, sun-warmed soil is perfect for germination. At the end of the summer, some areas of long grass are cut and the clippings removed. Other areas are left long to sustain the overwintering stages of next year's invertebrates such as butterfly and moth larvae. Although this looks destructive, it is an important stage in improving biodiversity as the process opens up the ground, letting in light and exposing bare patches for new plants to naturally colonise. It also reduces nutrient levels over time so that more dominant species are kept in check and do not outcompete the more sensitive plants. The disturbance awakens seeds that are already present in the soil. These may have been lying dormant for a very long time. The seeds of many species can survive for decades, sometimes even centuries! By awakening these tiny biological time capsules, we can bring back plants that may no longer be present on the surface! In the last couple of years we have already seen great improvements; particularly with a visible increase in the number of invertebrates, including a number of rare species. This year we were excited to discover a very rare plant on the Common – the Strawberry Clover. This is one that was known to have historically occurred on Horfield Common thanks to its mention in a list produced in 1835 by locally famous botanist Henry Oxley Stephens, who also discovered the Bristol Onion in the Avon Gorge… and every year it will just get better and better! For further reading on the meadow management aspects of biodiversity on Horfield Common, see Wild Bristol's write up: Horfield Common Wildlife Management Plan And watch this space for information on some of the other important methods for increasing biodiversity on Horfield Common - AKA ponds and trees!  We had another wonderful evening on Horfield Common for our latest bat walk. Despite the thunderstorms and deluges early in the afternoon, the weather was lovely, making it a perfect night to be out exploring. Steve England was on fine form, full of knowledge and enthusiasm as always – and his Fly Agaric nail varnish didn’t go unnoticed! He brought the bats to life with fascinating facts and stories, keeping the group engaged throughout. The bats gave us plenty to enjoy, with multiple sightings, and we were also lucky enough to witness a striking red Moon rising in the distance. A real highlight to end the evening on. Thanks to everyone who joined us – it was another really enjoyable walk. We’re hoping to host more nature-based walks in the future, so follow us or visit www.friendsofhorfieldcommon.co.uk to stay updated. And if you’d like to explore further with Steve, you can find details of his other walks across Bristol here: https://steveengland.co.uk/ 
  Action shots from today's litter pick! If you'd like to join next time, keep an eye on our What's On page for dates and times...    We’re a little late in sharing this, but it’s too good not to post! A big thank you to the U3A Treehuggers group for trying out the new Twelve Trees Trail. They told us: “We have walked many of the Bristol tree trails and this is an excellent addition, with really useful and interesting information. We hope lots of people will enjoy it!” Here they are with the impressive Wellingtonia beside the Ardagh. Download the leaflet here: https://www.friendsofhorfieldcommon.co.uk/twelve-trees-trail.html  Strictly for the Nerds: our wild service tree which the council planted just over a year ago as a Sorbus torminalis, had already been removed from the genus Sorbus (rowan, whitebeam) and placed in its own genus Torminalis where it now glories in its new name of T. glaberrima (glaber meaning smooth, hairless). Such has been the tree’s fascination to botanists and taxonomists that according to Wikipedia, at various times it's also been a hawthorn, a pear, an apple and a medlar. It is a native species and quite rare (ours is looking a bit as if it spent too long wrapped in a net waiting to be bought).  |
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