We’re delighted to welcome volunteer co-ordinator Kate Wareham, who is taking the lead for our weekend workdays on our land at High House Waste. Kate has volunteered with the DPA conservation team for some time and already knows our land and the rest of our brilliant volunteers well. She’s keen to support us in provide volunteering opportunities for people who work during the week, and therefore only have weekends free to get stuck into making a difference on the moor.
Kate’s first workday in her new role was on Sunday the 26th of October. There was a focus on the walls of the upper enclosures of the farmstead, which are vulnerable to damage from gorse and bracken. Bracken clearance work is undertaken in the summer and gorse in managed during autumn and winter, with various hand tools being carried out onto the moor to do the job. High House Waste is more remote than our land at Sharpitor and Pudsham, with volunteers having around a 30 minute walk to the site of work. Volunteering at this site offers a rewarding day of tasks that make a real difference, plus a thorough work out!
Kate told us: ‘Building on work already started by other working parties we were able to complete clearing the wall which forms the SW boundary of the two enclosures to the NW of the farmstead. This wall terminates at the track leading to the farmstead. The team also started to clear the top wall of the higher enclosure and additionally almost joined up with work undertaken last year on the northern wall of the lower enclosure.
‘At the NW corner of the large enclosure lies what is believed to be a leat running from the Ford Brook. This was cleared of gorse and reeds. As a consequence of clearing the line of the leat and the removal of some isolated gorse bushes it is easier to access the enclosures from the main path running between Sayer and Collins gates.’
Walkers are welcome to visit our land at High House Waste and enjoy exploring the fascinating archeology and spectacular Atlantic oak woodland. The ongoing work put in by our conservation volunteers helps to ensure that the archaeological remains stay visible, and that underground root systems do not disturb history below the surface. Bracken and gorse clearance also keeps the land biodiverse, giving less competitive grasses and wildflowers the chance to grow.
If you’d like to join our friendly volunteer team we would be delighted to welcome you to one of our upcoming workdays. Kate is running weekend workdays at High House Waste on: Sunday 30th November, Sunday 7th December and Sunday 4th January. There’s also a full list of workdays at other sites on our website.
Images: Kate Wareham