Our S.W.A.M.P. journey from September '22 to October '23 ...
Just over a year ago, in September '22, that S.W.A.M.P. (Sustainable Work At Morston Pond) initiated our determination to restore Morston village pond back to its full potential. The mission was to not only make the pond a healthier and happier environment for its wildlife, but also to create a space that the whole community can enjoy.
The pond had been suffocated by Crassula Helmsii (known as swamp stonecrop or New Zealand pigmyweed, an aquatic or semiterrestrial species of succulent plant originally found in Australia and New Zealand) which has the potential to outcompete native flora and reduce oxygen levels by forming dense, impenetrable mats.
It is also affected by Parrot's Feather. This invasive species spreads via fragmentation and is capable of forming dense infestations in suitable habitat, occupying the water column in water. The primary impact of Parrot’s Feather is shading out other aquatic plants, and also damaging invertebrate communities.
Thanks to a grant from https://norfolkcoast.org/projects/norfolks-resilient-coast/ we were, in November '22), able to employ the services of a specialist digger to 'dredge' the unwanted vegetation from the pond, which was transported to a deep dug 'pit' in a nearby paddock.
Over the winter of '22/'23 the pond was able to settle and we could begin to plan how we were to keep on top of the maintenance over the forthcoming year.
Our early forays in the new year meant gentle netting of rogue, floating Crassula while designing and building a sustainable store - originally planned for pond vegetation but later developing into a general store for our tools and equipment.
To celebrate St George's Day / Shakespeare's Birthday in April we welcomed an enthusiastic group of willing volunteers for a special working party. Teams painstakingly weeded Crassula from one side of the bank, while others built a 'dead hedge'. Some volunteers cleared the increasingly opulent Alexandra plant while one hardy soul donned waders (and a lifejacket) to head to the middle of the pond to fork out Parrot's Feather.
Members of S.W.A.M.P. took advantage of the extra May bank holiday afforded by the coronation of King Charles III by holding a celebratory picnic, combined with a working party. Work began clearing much of the overgrown undergrowth, to make the periphery of the pond more attractive and manageable. A dead hedge was constructed using much of the cleared vegetation while a log pile was also built, providing home and shelter to a variety of mini-beasts. Much of the surplus Alexander plant was removed from the pond site, as was a large section of dead ivy around John Bean's memorial bench and the C14th wall* surrounding the top side. *citation needed!
In June, The S.W.A.M.P. Committee decided it was necessary to organise regular, bi-monthly working parties in order to keep on top of the evasive Crassula and Parrot's Feather which was creeping back into Morston Pond. Taking advantage of the drying conditions (with water levels quite low and the pond only half-full) volunteers were able to fork away the evasive species and at time roll up the Crassula like lawn turf. This was transported via buckets into wheelbarrows, and transported to our specially constructed store at the far end of the pond. The vegetation will be denied light and will dry out - and eventually transported to a place of burial.
During August, we were looking at nearing the end of the initial burst of Crassula clearing - with just a small area left to work on. It had been an impressive effort by all our volunteers and hardy community-spirited diggers.
Come September, in the midst of an Indian summer, our resilient and undaunted volunteers at S.W.A.M.P. set about tackling the frustratingly, annoyingly defiant, Crassula and Parrot's Feather. We were by now almost 3/4 of the way from clearing the obvious, visible Crassula and our method of piling up plant debris, letting it dry for two weeks and then bagging up before transporting to our 'pit' seems to be working! It certainly made life easier, bagging up dry produce rather than soggy wet stuff!! Our next challenge is to stop the Crassula re-emerging once we've cleared a certain area. Patience, perseverance and persistence is the alliterative key!!
We returned after a cancelled session due to heavy rain on the Autumn Equinox. Since the dry summer months, the ease of getting to the plant became trickier, and the work removing them harder as they become soaked in pond water. Using forks, we were able to dig up large clumps of (admittedly wet) Crassula, which was piled up into wheelbarrows. Hand digging clusters could also be heaped onto old baker's crates, where the water could drain making it lighter when transported.
It's also problematic when the pond has more water to locate the Crassula below the surface as well the awkwardness in trying to navigate a wheelbarrow, laden with hefty plant-life, through stony, waterlogged ground and onto the bank, where waiting builder's bags are positioned.
World Habitat Day was celebrated with another hard-working session. After a long Spring & Summer season at the pond, we've circled the circumference of the pond and cleared the majority of the Crassula. Parrot's Feather has continued to thrive in the deeper sections of the middle of the pond and this is where waders and long, waterproof gloves are needed for hand cultivation.
With the nights drawing in, we decided to move our regular, Monday bi-monthly working party forwards for an earlier start (and finish!). We were met with an almost perfect mid-October afternoon for a session of Crassula and Parrot's Feather clearing - warm enough to wade through the water yet not too hot for the hard work needed to excavate the evasive species.
What has also been needed for this project is a degree of ingenuity, thought, try-and-try again and if all else fails think of something else spirit! Heath Robinson-esque contraptions are designed and built to help us with the soggy (and thereby naturally heavy) foliage. Old baker's crates get piled up with Crassula, which is then left to drain for bagging in the future.
With the clocks going back at the end of October and the nights drawing in it was decided to start a little earlier in the day at our regular, Monday afternoon SWAMP working party. After the recent heavy rains, the pond was almost back to full volume. As such, even though some wading was possible, it wasn't feasible to remove the lingering Parrot's Feather safely in the deepest section of the water. Instead, we removed the final remnants of draining Crassula from their pontoons and netted up the floating debris.
The main task from now on, continuing into the winter, is to calm the overgrowing bramble and pollard the willow before both take over the site. Much hard (and painfully prickly) work was carried out by our doughty team, as we added to our 'dead' hedge.
The spirit of our dedicated team has remained high throughout the year, as we make obvious progress on our 5-year mission. We are eternally grateful for upwards of almost 40 volunteers who have either donned wellies, gloves and wet-weather clothing, come armed with loppers, snippers, pruning shears or just warm words of encouragement to keep us going.
Our achievements:
- Setting up a bio-diversity community project for the benefit of all
- Dredging the pond to remove a large quantity of invasive species and see a return to a degree of water level
- Organising regular working parties of willing volunteers
- Celebrating events with the Morston community
- Devising ingenious working methods to counteract the fluctuating conditions and the stubborn nature of Crassula
- Maintaining and improving the environment around the pond with implementation of a dead hedge, log pile
- Compiling a list of bio-diversity (flora and fauna) around the pond https://www.morstonpondswamp.org/bio-diversity
- Devising a five-year plan to include application for further community grants for equipment, supplies and storage facilities
- Our efforts being recognised in the local press
The spirit of our dedicated team has remained high throughout the year, as we make obvious progress on our 5-year mission. We are eternally grateful for upwards of almost 40 volunteers who have either donned wellies, gloves and wet-weather clothing, come armed with loppers, snippers, pruning shears or just warm words of encouragement to keep us going.
Recent rains have filled the pond making us scale down works in the water for the winter. However, our work continues, as there is much to do on areas surrounding the pond, with cutting back brambles our next priority.
Over the winter we will be pollarding willows, clearing the vegetation around the perimeter of the pond and building habitats for invertebrates.
Weather permitting there will be working parties on:
27 November 1:30 - 3:30
10 December 10:30 - 12:30 with drinks in the Anchor afterwards
15 January 1:30 - 3:30
28 January 10:30 - 12:30
Please check the website for last minute changes, it would be lovely to see new and old volunteers:
Comments