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This afternoon, Kerry Fieldhouse, a conservation officer with Leeds City Council  led a walk around Adel Woods as her third walk in a series exploring the diverse cultural and natural heritage of the Meanwood Valley.

Kerry telling the history of Adel Pond

About fifteen adults and children met in Stairfoot Lane at 1 pm.  We first headed up to the Hospice Woodland before heading over to Alwoodley Plantation and finding Cocidius, our very own national monument.

Kerry then led the happy and talkative group back to Adel Crag, down past the picnic area to the Meanwood Valley trail, and down to Adel Pond.

The Slabbering Baby and Verity’s tea rooms

From there to the Slabbering Baby, up to Adel Moor and on to the Buck Stone.

From the Buck Stone we went down to the Seven Arches, back up the Meanwood Valley trail to the pond, and back to Stairfoot Lane carpark via Adel Bog and the Ice House.

Weatherwise it was a stunningly beautiful afternoon and the woods looked glorious.

Thank you Kerry for a very informative and very enjoyable walk!

Getting ready!

Another lovely day – and another great turn out.

Two tasks today:  litterpicking and de-silting Adel Pond.  Tom, Win, Michelle, Beth and Steph set off litter picking and picked up about four bags of litter.

The rest of us set off with Steve Joul down to the pond.

On the way Brian took the opportunity to clear back the vegetation at the top of the path down to the Slabbering Baby.

Before

On reaching the pond we were amazed to see how much silt had accumulated since we carried out the newt survey on the 18th and 19th May – see the entries on our blog.

However, we were all eager to get cracking and into that mud!

Teamwork is everything.  At any one time we had two people in the pond filling buckets;  two or three people emptying the buckets into a wheelbarrow driven by Andrew, or emptying them over the bank at the back of the pond.

Eventually Beth and Steph arrived to join in the fun, having already picked a bag of litter each.  Steph was soon at work transporting buckets of mud, while Beth went round the pond cutting back branches overhanging the pond.

Once we finished at the pond, David, Brian, Andrew and your correspondent cut back some branches at horse rider height on the path back up to Buckstone Road, while Steve cleaned the buckets and waders in the stream.

Two people who have thoroughly enjoyed themselves this morning!

To see bigger versions of the pictures, click on them.  Unfortunately, the picture are not very clear because your correspondent forgot his camera and had to take pictures on his phone.

A good morning’s work!

After working on the Bog,  Andrew, David and your correspondent set off to    remove a tree which was suspended perilously over a path leading from the Meanwood Valley trail up to Adel Moor.

Before

Winching the tree off the path.

This proved to take far longer than expected: partly because the tree stubbornly refused to fall to the ground and repeatedly jammed the bow saws:  and partly because we left part of the winch in the car – and your correspondent had to go back to the car to fetch it.

However, in an operation similar in scale to the floating of the Costa Concordia, the tree was felled and rendered safe.

It would be true to say, though, that all members of the team were desperate for lunch by the end of the operation at about 2.30pm.

The icing on the cake was that the moor was looking fantastic!!

Adel Moor: 18 August 2013

Another beautiful day.  Apologies if any of the detail of this report is factually inaccurate, but your correspondent is writing this five weeks after the event!

The Friends met at the Slabbering Baby entrance to the woods on Buckstone Road.  Some Friends had come to pick up litter;  others to carry out further work on the Bog with Steve Joul.

Comma caterpillar
Polygonia c-album

Whilst the litter pickers set off in the direction of Crag Lane, Jen and Beth set to, cutting back some of the branches protruding over the path leading down to the Slabbering Baby.  This had an unexpected benefit in that they discovered a “comma caterpillar”.  This was very exciting for Steve in that it was the first time he had actually seen the caterpillar!  The butterfly looks like a tatty Small Tortoiseshell.  It was once widespread over most of England & Wales but suffered a severe decline by the middle of the 1800’s.  However, since the 1960’s it has made a spectacular comeback.  It’s main food source for its larvae is the common nettle.  To find out more see http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=c-album

Once down at the Bog the Friends set to work continuing our work from July:  cutting down trees on the periphery of the Bog  and pulling up saplings and other unwanted plants from the middle of the Bog.

At the Bog we found a fine example of a fungus whose name your correspondent but which Steve will no doubt remind him of.

The Bog sported several different species of flowers and looked wonderful.  How lucky the people of Leeds are to have such a beautiful set of habitats in Alwoodley and Adel!

Much hard work was done by the Friends and your correspondent is very much looking forward to seeing the results – and to continuing the work next year.

Geoff and Sylvia –
hard at work!

Steve and Andrew

Thank you to Steve and to all the Friends.

“Dactylorhiza maculata;  narthecium ossifragum;  calluna vulgaris;  eriophorum angustifolium.”

That’s easy for you to say Steve!

A cooler day, following our recent heatwave, to join Steve Joul in working on Adel Bog.  We had an excellent turn out of twelve of us (in addition to Steve).

Adel Bog

Thanks to Steve for the photographs of the orchid, bog asphodel and cotton grass, each taken today.  Your correspondent is responsible for the other photographs.  You can see bigger versions of the photographs if you click on them.

Heath spotted orchid on Adel Bog

Despite your correspondent’s fears that the recent hot weather would have converted the bog into the Adel Dustbowl,  it was still boggy and  looking good – though the standing water of a few weeks ago had disappeared.

When we arrived at the bog, some of our party were rewarded by the sight of a Roe deer which promptly leapt off when it became aware of our presence.

It was particularly gratifying to see a wonderful display of Heath Spotted Orchids (dactylorhiza maculata – though you knew this!), one growing in an area which was recently cleared by BTCV of molinia caerulea (Purple Moor Grass).

Bog asphodel on Adel Bog

We embarked on a variety of different tasks.  Beth, Ade, Andrew and David cut down overhanging trees at the edge of the bog;  Geoff vigorously set about clearing the south eastern area of the bog, long overgrown with bracken, brambles and honeysuckle; while  Judith, Sylvia, Steph, Barbara and Mary cleared saplings, brambles and bracken (pteridium aquilinum) from the west end of the bog.  Steve counted the Heath Spotted Orchids, 75 on the first count and 82 on the second – well up from our last count last year.

Cotton grass on Adel Bog

It was a beautiful morning: there were many butterflies fluttering about in the bog, and the display of orchids, bog asphodel (narthecium ossifragum – I know I am teaching my grandmother to suck eggs!), potentilla erecta, cotton grass (eriophorum angustifolium) and  calluna vulgaris (OK, ling or common heather) was  a joy to behold.

We finished about 12.15 pm on a high after a morning of teamwork, companionship, fun and achievement.

Thanks are due as usual to Steve for his educational and inspirational leadership.

We are working on the bog again on Sunday 18 August, when we shall be carrying out more of this important work.

We happy band of brothers – and sisters!

As the rain fell,  your correspondent arrived in Old Leo’s carpark, his customary five minutes late,  expecting to find no one there, but NO!  Beneath the trees there lurked a veritable crowd of indomitable and enthusiastic Friends!

In all nine of us turned up today despite the heavy rain.  We soon split into two teams:  the litterpickers and the path clearers.  Your correspondent was one of the path clearers and so this report will largely focus on their exploits.

Before we go on, though, a big hand for the four litter pickers – Jen, Win, Steph and Carol – who did a wonderful job.

Back to the path clearers.  Two large trees had partially fallen over and were precariously suspended by other trees over paths.

The first was over the diagonal path that starts from the right of Crag Lane just before you reach the carpark.  That path was also very overgrown with holly.  So Ade and Cat cut back some of the holly – assisted by your correspondent – while the big men attached a rope and winch to the tree.  Astonishingly, the sun came out about quarter of an hour after we started!

Once the tree was all winched up, Ade and Cat acted as lookouts while we winched the tree off its resting place and brought it crashing down to the ground – completely blocking the path.  We then had a happy half hour of sawing and lopping to clear the path.

Having cleared the tree, we then descended the path to complete the pruning back of the holly.

There she blows!

Then on to the second tree – on the path below the cricket field.  Here a large branch had snapped off and was dangling over the path, held up by a strip of bark, at the right height for someone to decide to swing on it!

In mid flight!

Again we attached the rope and winch to it and from a safe distance pulled it down from its resting place. Ten minutes of sawing and lopping and the tree was cleared from the path.

We also took the opportunity to cut back some of the holly further along the path towards the picnic area.

We were back in the carpark for 12.15 pm, so not a bad morning’s work.

As we loaded the car with equipment, Steph was bracken bashing at the Buck Stone.

Thank you to everyone who came along.

See you in a month then!

Heath Spotted Orchid,
Adel Bog, 29 July 2012

NB  If you click on any of the thumbnail photographs in this report, you will see a larger version of the picture.

A crack team of seven met Steve Joul in Old Leo’s carpark to carry out a survey of the flora in Adel Bog.  The bog is the only known site where the heath spotted orchid can be found in Leeds, though the population has declined over the years as the Bog has been taken over by purple moor grass (molinia cerulea) and trees.

Having explained how the survey is carried out, Steve led us down to the Bog, pausing to have a look at various plants and places of interest – including the pond where in the clear water we were able to see a number of newts swimming around.  We also heard a toad calling from a patch of vegetation in the pond.

Adel Bog
28 April 2010

Steve last surveyed the Bog in August 2007 – before FOAW had even been imagined (we came into existence in July 2009).  Since then a large amount of work has been done on the Bog.  In August 2011 the British Trust for  Conservation Volunteers did a lot of work funded by Alwoodley Parish Council in removing a large amount of the purple moor grass, whilst leaving areas where we knew that there were heath spotted orchids.  Since then FOAW have built on BTCV’s work by removing invasive trees and brambles.

Q1: north east of bog

To your correspondent’s untutored eye the Bog is looking a lot better than in 2009.  A large area of the Bog is clear of molinia and it is undoubtedly a lot wetter than before the work carried out by BTCV. There are lots of rushes which were not there before.   But what would the survey show?

Q2: east end of Bog

We surveyed ten quadrats.  A quadrat in this case is an area approximately 1 metre x 1 metre in area and marked out by canes.  We chose areas from different parts of the Bog by throwing a cane towards the area we wanted to survey and putting the quadrat where it landed.

Q3 central area of Bog

We started at the north east end of the Bog (top right looking towards the top of the Bog), moved down the eastern side and then across the central area of the Bog to the western end, and then finished with the north west.

Q4: central area of Bog

As we carried out our survey, it was clear that there were many more rushes than pre 2011.  There were also  many potentilla erecta (tormentil) and young bog asphodels (narthecium ossifragum) both of which are good plants to find in a bog.  We did not see any heath spotted orchids, but with the long cold winter everything is about a month behind this year (the hawthorn is only just reaching its peak at the moment).

Q5: towards west of Bog

It was interesting that there were a couple  of patches of cotton grass which we do not recall seeing in the bog before.  There were also numerous hoof prints of roe deer – so perhaps one of our events will be to sit quietly in the woods one morning to see what turns up!

Q7 western end of Bog

Having completed our survey at about 1 pm we returned to Old Leo’s and sat at a picnic table, collated our data and compared it with the data from 2007.

The data was very interesting.  The molinia covered about 80% of the area surveyed in 2007, but – not surprisingly – was a lot less significant this year.

Q8 west end of Bog

Further information will be published shortly, but the general indications were that the habitat is now a lot more varied than before 2011 and the true bog plants are beginning to return.

Q9 north west of Bog

FOAW have two mornings of work programmed in for July and August this year when we shall hopefully be able to survey the heath spotted orchids.

Q10 south east of Bog

We took the opportunity to assess the work to be done  and there is plenty to do – bracken bashing, removal of tree seedlings, removal of brambles and removal of overhanging trees.  However, your correspondent is optimistic that with hard work and dedication Adel Bog will eventually  be restored to being a unique and valuable habitat in Adel Woods.

PS  There is no picture of quadrant 6 because your correspondent became preoccupied with photographing a large and interesting spider.

A big thank you to Old Leo’s Cricket Club, who not only offered to let us have a noticeboard on the side of their pavilion, but also provided the noticeboard and put it up for us!

Your correspondent went down to the clubhouse this evening and put up our first notices.  It reminds me of that famous quote, attributed to Goethe, but apparently an extract from “The Scottish Himalayan Expedition” by William Hutchinson Murray:

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it.                                         “Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” “

Thank you again to Old Leo’s Cricket Club for your unexpected and generous offer of help.

The annual Alwoodley Community Association Gala, and once more FOAW had  a stand to tell local residents what we do.

The day started off grey and overcast, and the weather did not look promising as we put up our gazebo and set up our various notice boards, but by 2 o’clock the sun had put his hat on and come out to play.  It was the archetypal village fete and one expected Inspector Tom Barnaby to appear at any moment.

Brian working the public!

We had a steady stream of interested visitors looking at our pictures of Friends at work and at Tom’s excellent display of photographs of the woods.

Your correspondent dusted off the “Litterpicking Heroes” game and we had about thirty players who tried their hand with the litter pickers in the quest to win some sweets!

This year was a first in that for the first time we had sound on our stand – the sound of birdsong, competing with the North Leeds Jazz Orchestra.

Our stand was well placed to view a sensational aeronautical display by the North Leeds Model Flying Club.

A big thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of our stand – whether helping to set up in the morning, contributing to our stand or chatting to potential Friends.  You were marvellous, darlings!

A corking Bank Holiday Saturday and an enthusiastic group of Friends met on Buckstone Road to litterpick and work on Adel Moor.

In the event only Mary litterpicked but single handedly garnered three bags of litter.

A study in time and motion

Meanwhile, a dozen of us worked on Adel Moor.  It was a beautiful day and we removed large numbers of saplings and coppiced roots.

There is no doubt that we and the other groups who work on the moor have made a huge difference.  There are now large areas which are clear of trees and the heather and bilberries are looking very healthy.

Steve Joul was working on the moor with a group on Tuesday and saw three lizards. Today was a perfect day for spotting lizards basking in the sun but the only sighting was by your correspondent (honest) as one scampered into a clump of heather.

Hi-de-hi!