Sunday 25 November 2012

Blackpool chainsaw massacre

Today saw members of FARG joined by members from the Amphibian & Reptile Group of South Lancashire to do some pond management work on one of the best ponds along the North Blackpool Pond Trail.
Several volunteers had turned up to help, and very nice to see JT again and discover she's doing really well in her new Cumbrian home.
ARGSL member DO had brought his chainsaw and set too only multitude of Willows that are threatening to overrun the pond and significantly reduce it's biological interest and importance.
It wasn't long before the vols with loppers had removed all the small stuff at the water's edge allowing bigger boughs to be brought out.
Amphibian-wise only a couple of frogs were disturbed but the work has seriously opened up one side of the pond allowing more light in and therefore more aquatic vegetation which will help the invertebrates and newts that live there.
A big big thank you to all who turned up.
Not long after the start of the day


No one stayed dry



Take your picture quickly this is flippin heavy
Four man lift


A sterling effort from the man with the saw

It looks like devastation but that's habitat management for you
Just one of the three piles of brash!
In the right hands and for the right reasons the chainsaw is one of the most useful tools on the planet - unfortunately it's used for thre wrong reasons 99% of the time.
What will we discover on our amphibian surveys next spring? Join us to find out!