Sustead Bioblitz preparation Part 1

On Saturday morning, June 18th – an overcast day after the previous day’s high temperatures – in preparation for the Sustead Bioblitz coming up on Saturday July 2nd, we began to mow the Sustead Common and Surveyor’s Allotment sites, as well as tidy the Spurrell’s Wood paths. Only seven volunteers came, including two, very welcome new workers, but we got a lot done and look forward to completing the mowing in 10 days’ time, just before the Bioblitz itself.

The roadside nature reserves, particularly those on either side of the road beyond the thatched cottage, are an open invitation to lazy drivers who won’t (or can’t?) reverse and who go up onto the verge when a vehicle is coming the other way, instead of reversing a short way. However, at least one common spotted orchid was showing yesterday. We are wondering if we should protect the verges – as we have done around the early purples near the Surveyor’s Allotment – to prevent further damage. Watch this space – and the verges.