20/10/20

Greg Higby, Park Manager for Nene Park Trust

It’s been all systems go here this month with lots of conservation and Park maintenance work being carried out across the park and further afield on the Rural Estate. So where do I start...? 

Rangers Arthur and Nigel have installed a new BBQ boulder for putting disposable BBQs on. As you can see from the picture, a very happy Park Ranger and a task well done. He was looking for his gloves afterwards, not sure where they could be? 

Park Ranger Lewis installed the first Rural Estate finger post sign. A total of nine finger posts have been installed as well as information boards and maps, to help visitors navigate around this area of Nene Park. The cows liked the new signage when they decided to escape and use them for scratching posts!

We had some very sad news... Dutch elm disease won the battle with the two remaining mighty 152-year-old elm trees which stood in front of the Visitor Centre. Both trees had started to decline and the decision was made to fell them, for safety reasons. The safety and wellbeing of our Park visitors is of paramount importance to the Trust. Take a look at this photo of one of the trees in mid-fell. The Park Management team were kept very busy felling and clearing up the elm trees last week. It took a total of three days to remove the timber. The timber will be used to make Park benches, fencing and picnic sets. New saplings will be planted next year. 

And now for some good news! It’s been great welcoming the Park volunteers back. With the help of a few small socially-distanced groups, our volunteers have been very busy helping the Park Management team doing some maintenance tasks. They have given the Wildlife Garden and landscape beds an autumn tidy up ready for winter and have also been busy pruning the willow tunnel, which sadly got very out of control doing the Covid-19 lockdown.

We also have some unexpected visitors at our bird feeding stations; some green and yellow parakeets have taken a shine to Ferry Meadows!