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S.W.A.M.P. Blog
Our blog is the perfect place to keep up to date with our pond restoration activities. We post regularly about the restoration project we are involved in, with photos and images to show the progress we are making. We also use our blog to share the stories of what we do, and why we do it. Our team loves to write about our experiences, and we invite you to join us in the conversation. We hope the blog will inspire you to get involved in pond restoration activities, and help us make a positive difference for the environment.
“Beneath an October sky, North Norfolk glows, where the marsh whispers of summer, and the wind softly blows...”
S.W.A.M.P. Autumn evening session October 19th 2026 Our S.W.A.M.P. team returned to Morston Pond once again to continue to clear as much Crassula from the pond bed while it was still remarkably dry. Care and attention is sometimes needed to root out the delicate and easily breakable stems from between the flint We've purchased more green bags to help with Crassula collection, such has been our success rate this summer We'd once again arranged with Charlie to help us remove ou
S.W.A.M.P.
2 days ago2 min read
“Autumn in Norfolk arrives & asks nothing of you but to walk slowly, breathe deeply, & remember that even the fading year has its own peculiar beauty.”
Pictures from the S.W.A.M.P. session to continue to clear Crassula and improve the environment in and around Morston Pond ... More pictures and videos of our activities can be found on our Autumn '26 page, our Videos page and our Biodiversity 2026 page. By burning last year's cut willow we were also able to rid the pond bed of fragments of Crassula, which, we believe, doesn't like heat! Meanwhile, work continued in the wetlands ... The first time in our four years that we've
S.W.A.M.P.
Oct 131 min read
"The trees are in their autumn beauty, the woodland paths are dry, under the October twilight the water, mirrors a still sky." W.B. Yeats
S.W.A.M.P. early evening session 5 Oct '26 Crassula - nasty - weed - hard work - wet - smelly mud - hands and knees - green bags - pallets - draining - drying - cutting - collection. Photos below ... the famous green bags This is the stuff ... wading in the Sedge to get to the Crassula more green bags ... we've been working very hard the famous pallets more pallets ... even more Crassula - the stuff keeps coming
S.W.A.M.P.
Oct 61 min read
"that strange, late-September feeling that somewhere in a small classroom with small chairs an elementary school teacher was waiting" - Zadie Smith
Collected Crassula at Morston Pond - 28th September 2026 Another beautiful north Norfolk evening greeted the S.W.A.M.P. team as we once again returned to Morston Pond to continue our work to clear the invasive Crassula pond weed. A clump of (dried out) Crassula Having had kind Charlie take away the bagged and dried Crassula from previous weeks' work a few days ago, we were back to bagging up the weed which had been dug out and left to dry on our crates and pallets. The Crassu
S.W.A.M.P.
Sep 291 min read
"It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life." P.D. James
Morston Pond - 24th September 2026 Despite autumn officially arriving, today's balmy weather felt like a gentle extension of summer, with clear blue skies providing a brilliant backdrop for our dedicated community effort - locked as we are in our battle (which we are undoubtedly winning) against Crassula helmsii—the aggressive, non-native New Zealand pygmyweed that has threatened to suffocate this vital aquatic habitat. Crassula, removed and drying With the pond’s water level
S.W.A.M.P.
Sep 252 min read
"I'd like to call back summertime and have her stay for just another month or so / But she's got the urge for going so I guess she'll have to go." Joni Mitchell
The last day of (meteorological) Summer at Morston Pond This week at Morston Pond saw a 'split-shift' in activities, removing the Crassula while the waters were low - with teams of community volunteers working on both Monday and Tuesday evening. A little bit of changeable/welcome weather greeted our S.W.A.M.P. teams - light rain, blue skies and a gentle breeze helping in our efforts with the dreaded invasive pond weed. It has, of late, been possible to wade to the middle of t
S.W.A.M.P.
Sep 21 min read
"I once stood proud, now I feel so small (Don't know whether to laugh or cry) The long hot summer just passed me by" Paul Weller
The continued dry weather has had at least one positive benefit to the team at S.W.A.M.P. - we've been able to get to otherwise uncharted waters to remove Crassula by hand, as the pond has resembling a rather large puddle for a few weeks. As such, progress has been impressive, with a good deal of the unwanted and invasive pond weed being grabbed from the pond by our willing volunteer community team. The low water has also meant we've been able to get in between the tall reeds
S.W.A.M.P.
Aug 281 min read
"Out, d****** Crassula, get thee to a shrubbery!"
Morston Crassula Pit #3 The work done in the previous two weeks (removing Crassula from Morston Pond while the water level was low) was 'celebrated' with burial of the invasive species in the third 'pit'. It's imperative that the plant is deprived of light to prevent it from regenerating. Crassula removal at Morston Pond Results of Crassula removal We're almost at the 'deepest' part of the pond ... otherwise non navigable due to depth and 'bogginess' The driest we've sen Mor
S.W.A.M.P.
Aug 61 min read
'The Great Weed Battle with the Pond Weed Warriors'
Tackling Crassula, July 2026 Bagged Crassula ready for collection A good session clearing the Crassula Showing the results / success of Crassula clearing
S.W.A.M.P.
Jul 301 min read
"At the end of the day your hands and feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling." (Shanti)
SWAMPERS in action on a cool evening in July It's been a while ... the long, hot summer has meant, despite our careful monitoring from a distance due to the extreme heat (as well as the flying, stinging, biting things) the team from S.W.A.M.P. haven't physically tackled the invasive Crassula in Morston Pond. Morston Pond - mid July 2026 With thankfully cooler weather on Monday evening, the team set about getting back to the task, removing exposed Crassula by hand (and/or hand
S.W.A.M.P.
Jul 142 min read
"Bus stops are far more interesting and useful places to have art than in museums." - Banksy
Morston Bus Stop with S.W.A.M.P. Biodiversity Posters Morston bus stop, at the bottom of the Langham Road, has now been decorated with some highly informative biodiversity boards, detailing some of the flora and fauna we have recognised in the pond vicinity since the start of our community project in late 2022, early 2023. Thanks to Pete (and his apprentice chippy Jackie) the boards were erected on batons into the brick (and brick within the flint). They now offer locals and
S.W.A.M.P.
Apr 211 min read
"By building a dead hedge, you’re creating a thriving habitat and contributing to a healthier environment." - Earth Trust
Today's S.W.A.M.P. session was dedicated towards constructing a second 'Dead Hedge' with which to create a natural barrier and eco-friendly screen to shield our equipment from view. Here are some pictures of the hard work which went into a beautifully natural (and clever) device which also has a positive impact on our local ecosystem. Dead hedges also provide a valuable food and nesting source for wildlife. It can provide essential shelter and a foraging habitats for the like
S.W.A.M.P.
Mar 171 min read
"How if you wake up in the night and know—and know the willow tree's not there? Can you live without the willow tree? Well, no, you can't. The willow tree is you." — John Steinbeck
On the 9th February 2026 the S.W.A.M.P. team set about two tasks - pollarding the willow around Morston Pond and using the wood to manufacture a natural bench, for the comfort of ourselves and visitors alike. Here's the pictures from a very enjoyable and successful day ...
S.W.A.M.P.
Mar 51 min read
"The falling leaves drift by the window - the autumn leaves of red and gold" (Nat King Cole)
Autumn leaves at Morston Pond - November 2025 Dodging the wintery showers and blustery winds, our go-ahead SWAMP team wrapped up warm, donned their gloves and wellingtons and hauled green bags filled with dried Crassula to the edge of Morston pond. Green bags of Crassula being transported to large builder's bags Green bags of Crassula being transported to large builder's bags These green bags were then deposited into larger builder's sacks, which were then kindly driven away
S.W.A.M.P.
Nov 20, 20251 min read
"Calling Captain Autumn" - Nick Heyward
On a dry, Monday afternoon, members of the Morston S.W.A.M.P. team set about planting a new tree for the environment ... with thanks to Charlie and Helen Ward for supplying the gift and to Gardner's World for this useful information. "The Spindle tree, also known as European spindle tree ( Euonymus europaeus ) is a native shrub or small tree that goes largely unnoticed for most of the year, but then more than makes up for it in autumn, when its leaves and fruits take centre s
S.W.A.M.P.
Nov 4, 20252 min read
"As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas and colours enough to paint the beautiful things I see" – Vincent Van Gogh
Late October Autumn sunshine at Morston Pond With some welcome rain arriving in Morston over the past couple of weeks it was imperative that the team at S.W.A.M.P. got to grips (by way of getting on their hands and knees and bending their backs) to remove as much Crassula as possible while it was within easy reach. This also included burning off the biggest area of roots before the pond's floor became too saturated. Getting the spadework done With the low water level, the Cra
S.W.A.M.P.
Oct 28, 20252 min read
"I sense Autumn coming on. The mist has hung low all day. Small birds gather on the wing." - The Strawbs
Mid-Autumn session at Morston Pond, clearing Crassula A cool mist hung over our undaunted S.W.A.M.P. community volunteers as we once again picked up the threads from our previous week's work removing Crassula from in and around the waters of Morston Pond. Essential equipment for Crassula removal - half-barrels, pallets, tarpaulin With so little recent rain, it seemed prudent to be working on the dry area of the pond floor while the opportunity presented itself: this was achie
S.W.A.M.P.
Oct 14, 20252 min read
"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree" - Emily Brontë
Morston Pond - 6th October 2025 After the high winds and (welcome) rain of Storm Amy over the weekend, our doughty S.W.A.M.P. team were...
S.W.A.M.P.
Oct 6, 20252 min read
“September tries its best to have us forget summer.”– Bernard Williams
The end of September saw our intrepid S.W.A.M.P. members grateful for a warm-ish afternoon to continue our efforts to remove Crassula...
S.W.A.M.P.
Sep 30, 20251 min read
"All the months are crude experiments, out of which the perfect September is made." — Virginia Woolf
Morston Pond - September 2025 A cooler September late afternoon met our SWAMP volunteers as we continued our work from our Educational Day...
S.W.A.M.P.
Sep 23, 20251 min read
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