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Village Organisations Conservation Trust Chairmans Report 2004
Village Organisations Conservation Trust Chairmans Report 2004
| Chairmans Report 2004 |
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| Parish Organisations - Bergh Apton Conservation Trust | |||
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BERGH APTON CONSERVATION TRUST - AGM, 29 September 2004 Chairman’s Annual Report The Trust passed its tenth anniversary in an eventful year that has seen both gratifying success and, arguably, its most significant problem so far. The problem, in a word, is rabbits. In the virtual absence of natural predators, populations on our reserve reached the highest densities that we have experienced. Unfortunately, they do not confine their attentions to our own property and we have received complaints about damage to a nearby agricultural field. We are obliged legally to control this nuisance from rabbits breeding on the reserve. After discussions with a local farmer, the trustees consider that the only practical proposition is to install rabbit-proof fencing along the entire eastern side of the loke that bounds the reserve. The farmer has offered to complete the fencing of his western boundary, thus creating a double impediment to the passage of rabbits. The highlights of the year certainly include our summer excursion on 27 June to The Broads. In the morning Rick Southwood, English Nature site manager, guided us on magical tour around the fens, dykes and ‘turf ponds’ of the Bure Marshes National Nature Reserve. We saw a plethora of interesting birds, plants and insects, including a close-up of the ‘signature’ swallow-tail butterfly. Rick is a fount of knowledge on the history and management of these internationally important wetlands. The afternoon glided past effortlessly on Hickling Broad, courtesy of the electrically powered Little Tern (a converted reed lighter). Narrow channels, with walls of reeds on either side, led to two bird hides that revealed a multitude of species. The final highlight was climbing the 60-foot high observation tower that gave 180-degree breathtaking views. Our traditional bird walk received an invigorating make-over when it became ‘Breakfast with the birds’ (16 May). A surprisingly large party, led by David Lester, got up for the dawn chorus in the environs of Church Plantation and, afterwards, repaired to the Davys’ for a slap-up cooked breakfast. The wildflower walk, this year through the hornbeams of Shotesham Woods (6 June) was led by Tony Davy. David Lester’s butterfly walk (1 August) and bat walk (9 September) followed the same winding paths and tracks through the village. Annelise Savill conducted the budding (and young-at- heart) pond dippers on an Odyssey from Robert Waters’ pond, via the River Chet, to our own pond on the afternoon of 11 July. We scheduled two evenings to extend the scope of Bob Kerry’s hedge survey; the one on 19 May was very successful but that on 23 June was unfortunately rained off. The fungus foray will be on 24 October. As ever, the most popular events of the year were the Christmas party at Flint Cottage (20 December) and the midsummer barbecue and bonfire (19 June); we thank the Meynells for combustibles and the use of the ‘pageant’ field. Bob Kerry’s cohorts of enthusiastic, ‘team-building’ tax inspectors enjoyed their labours so much last year that 19 of them returned on 8 September. Most importantly, they reinstated the fencing around our exclosure, where the depredations of the rabbits had again become unacceptable, and continued the apparently Sisyphean task of extending the pond. We also had most welcome help from our friends in the Blofield Conservation Group (BADCOG) in cutting our wildflower bank on the closed landfill site. We will be returning the compliment on 2 October by turning out to help them with a similar project at Walsham Fen. The monthly ‘work days’ on Church Plantation, as usual, have mainly involved cutting sycamore and bracken, maintaining steps and paths, and clearing the grassy ‘greens’. Several work days in the winter were devoted to planting new hedges around the village, excellently assisted on one occasion by a party from the local Air Training Corps. Bob Kerry and David Lester attended a course on the safe use of brush cutters at Easton College on 8-9 January and received certificates; the cost was covered by an Agenda 21 grant from South Norfolk Council. At the last AGM, James Savill and Tony Davy were re-elected to serve as trustees. We are very grateful to Sandy Shroeder, who retired as a trustee, for many years of sterling service; Jacquie Ratcliffe was elected a new trustee. The trustees met three times during the year: 9 December 2003, and 12 February and 15 July 2004. At the first meeting, Tony Davy, Stephanie Crome and James Savill were re-elected chairman, secretary and treasurer, respectively. We are pleased to report that it has been another highly successful year for the Bergh Apton Conservation Trust as it seeks to promote biodiversity, in the broadest sense, in and around the village.
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