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Winter Works 2012 on Troopers Hill

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This year the winter works are aimed at continuing to protect the acid grassland and heathland from encroaching scrub (bramble, small shrubs and saplings). These works are being done following the management plan for the site.

On Wednesday and Thursday last week you may have noticed Bristol City Council's Grounds Maintenance team on Troopers Hill.
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As well as using a strimmer and doing some work by hand they were also using this machine.
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Known as the "Scag", this machine is very effective, provided the ground is not too steep, at quickly and neatly removing areas of scrub. This was an area of scrub in the gulley before work started (note the young hawthorn trees).
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Here is a photo of the area after the use of the "Scag".
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The team were pleased to find that areas they had cleared in previous years were now much easier to maintain. While some scrub had regrown in the area shown in the next photo it was relatively light and should be even less next winter.
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This next area has been left for two years and was dealt with on the first day, making sure that even if poor weather conditions stopped work this area would not be left for a further year.

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There had been a volunteer work party the previous Saturday clearing bramble and saplings from in amongst the heather where machinery cannot be used without damage to the heath. This was near the large oak that you see as you come in via the Greendown entrance. The team then addressed the large areas of scrub around the edge of the area that is haycut in the summer.

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In 2006 after many volunteer work parties we were able to clear, by hand, an area that had been very choked with bramble http://www.troopers-hill.co.uk/WorkParties/dec2006.htm. With only one work party a month it is was extremely difficult to keep this area clear. This year's winter works have kept up the good work.

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Some work was done by hand to thin the gorse. See the figure in the right of the photo. Image

The gorse has spread considerably over the years and work is now being done to reduce the area it covers back to pre-2000 levels. If you look at these photos from the regular photosurveys you will see how little gorse was on Troopers Hill in 1994 compared to today. More work will be done on the gorse by Community Payback teams.

Birds are enjoying pecking round the cleared areas and without the competition of the scrub the heath and grassland will have time to become established over the coming year.

Thank you to the Grounds Maintenance Team for all their hard work.

Posted by Susan, Mon Feb 13, 2012 1:12 am


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