Cowleaze
Introduction
Shepton Beauchamp Cowleaze Meadow Project
This project is a community effort to utilize a 1 hectare (approx) site near the centre of the village. The site has been leased by the owners, Wessex Water, to the Parish council for 25 years. The site currently contains a sewage pumping station, which pumps waste water, and surface water to the treatment works in South Petherton. It has been formerly used as a sewage treatment works, but this was decommissioned in 1986.
It is hoped to provide a woodland/shrubby area, orchard area, wild flower meadow, secure seating and pathways that will allow access to a majority of the site by wheelchair users, parents with children in buggies, and all other villagers. It is also intended that a portion of the site is used by the playgroup as an allotment to grow vegetables, and to set up a sensory garden. Cowleaze Meadow can be found on OS maps using ref ST40561708. It contains a public right of way, and is bordered by a stream. The surrounding land is used for grazing cattle, growing arable crops, commercial fruit/vegetable production, housing and productive gardens with mature fruit trees. Various surveys have shown no remarkable plant species. There is a colony of water voles in the stream, and badgers, rabbits, deer, foxes have all been seen in the area. An otter has recently been observed in an adjacent field.
Local volunteers, who come from all parts of the community, will carry out the body of the work, once the basic infrastructure has been provided. We have secured the money for the work to be completed by contractors from a Community Spaces Lottery funded grant. The local school will use the area for nature walks, and the play group will be doing some planting. Before work can commence we require further soil samples to be analysed to make sure the areas to be planted with edible crops is free from any contamination. The survey and soil samples have been completed, and we are waiting for the results.
In addition to grant applications, we have received money from the parish council, various donations from groups and individuals.
Mary H Clarke 22nd February 2010
Click here to see a larger version of the latest planned layout
Wildlife Watch
Would you like to take part in our Wildlife Watch, we have prepared a few notes which will help you plus a form on which you can record your findings, click to download then print your own copies.
Wildlife Data Collection Form
For details of all the wonderful wildlife recorded to date see the Flora and Fauna page.
News - Views - Events
Meeting Notes 1st March 2012
Notes on committee meeting held on Thursday 1st March 2012. Present:- Debbie, Roger, Ruth, Barrie and Mary. Also present were Malcolm and Denise.
Meadow: A piece of grassland, esp. one used for hay: a piece of low well-watered ground, esp. near a river. OED
Leaze: Pasture. Chambers
Debbie, having been inspired by Sarah Raven’s recent TV programmes feels we should change the management of the grassland in Cowleaze, to make it more friendly to bees and other insect life. The group support this, and in fact we have been gradually working towards growing more wild flowers on the site. However, last year’s efforts to grow selected plants in the gardens of members, for later transplanting to the site, was generally a failure. Some mature plants were dug in, but most of the small plug plants have disappeared! We have also been scattering local collected seeds, and digging in selected native plants in the area east of the orchard, our initial wildflower area. This area is to be mown once a year in August/September, the grass left on the surface for seeds to fall out, and then cleared away to compost after a couple of weeks. High fertility is the problem, and small quantities of Yellow Rattle seeds were sown last autumn. We hope some will grow this year.
The area under discussion is that cut and flailed last autumn. Ideally this would be cut very short, and the first few inches of top soil removed to reduce fertility. This was agreed to be too difficult and expensive to carry out with our very small number of volunteers, and we would have problems disposing of the soil. We have decided to act as follows:
1. Spray nettles
2. Cut grass short using our mower when weed killer has worked. Remove cut grass.
3. Scarify the ground.
4. Scatter wild flower seed mixture when these activities are completed. Allow naturally occurring grass to regrow.
5. Plant purchased plug plants.
6. Cut grass in autumn as used on initial wildflower area. Debbie to investigate seed purchase (we agreed to source Somerset raised flowering plant seeds, with emphasis on nectar producing flowers). Debbie to investigate plug plant availability, cost etc. List of proposed plants to be presented to committee. Roger to spray; also to investigate hire of scarifier. Rest of group to help in preparation and planting of site as quickly as possible.
Thanks to Keith, Barrie, Roger and Mary for planting hedgerow plants on site on two days last week. We have now filled the gaps in the hedging planted last year, and have a few in a “nursery” corner.
We are organising events on Cowleaze on2nd June as part of the Jubilee celebrations. We will need to be on hand on Friday to receive the Portaloos, and ensure they are secure. We will also need to start early on Saturday morning to prepare the gazebos, tables and chairs for our use. The plan is for a quiz/information hunt to take place from 11am onwards. Initial questions are being collected, and photos are being prepared. Question sheets will be distributed at Cowleaze, and returned completed by 2pm. These will be checked, and winners announced at the street party (perhaps) on Monday. The “bring your own” picnic will take place in the seating area from 12noon onwards. Roger and Barrie to organise th e power source and connections for some music during the picnic From 2 to 4pm the drumming workshop will run, with everyone welcome to join in a session. We will then need to clear away, and transport gazebos, tables and chairs to the Rec for the evening event. We will need volunteers to help set up, carry equipment to and fro, supervise the Quiz distribution and collection, and generally make the event work. Please can you tell us what you would like to do, and how much time you can give etc.
Any suggestions for quiz questions etc gratefully received.
Mary Clarke, 2nd March 2012.
Update 20th July 2008
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Sunday's working party was supplemented by Ed Wakely complete with tractor which made short work of the next section of Cowleaze to be cleared. There is still plenty to do but we are making steady progress. More helpers would be most welcome to assist in turning the Cowleaze dream into a reality.
We have collected 200 Tree Guards from Barrington Conservation, these will prove to be most useful as we plant more trees in Cowleaze. Thank you to Joss and Barrington Conservation for these guards.
At the moment we are waiting with fingers crossed news on our funding application, hopefully we should be getting some good news within the next month or so.
Our next volunteers meeting is on Thursday 14th August with the next working party planned for Sunday 17th August 11am till 1pm - do come along and join us.
January 2011 Update Tree Planting
Just a reminder to everyone that the apple tree planting will take place on Saturday 29th January, from 10 am onwards. Please come along and lend a hand. Bring a spade, and stout shoes! Full instructions will be given. For more information, ring Debbie on 241756; Roger on 241608 or Mary on 240363. Other news :- The contractors are now on site planting trees and shrubs, and making good progress.
We have fixed the date for the opening of the meadow for Saturday 21st May 2011. More news later about what will be happening then.
We have applied for a grant to help towards purchasing a mower— there is a lot of grass to cut, and it is very time consuming. We should also get money for some community events such as making a willow tunnel, sculpture making and other activities. More news when we are informed about the success of our application.
We will continue with our program of working parties. These take place on the last Sunday of each month. The dates for February are Sunday 27th February. We meet at 10 am. We look forward to seeing more helpers now that the weather is a bit better.
23/01/2011
Committee Meeting January 2011
Notes on committee meeting held on Thursday 13th January 2011. Debbie, Ruth, Mary, David and Roger were present.
The new plan of the Cowleaze site, drawn up by Paul Brunson in November 2010 was viewed by the group. This does not contain the detailed planting plan which will be the one used by the contractors when they start planting trees and shrubs. We hope that they will be able to start next Tuesday, 18th January. A discussion about the position of some key plants followed.
It was agreed that Paul Brunson should be consulted about the most suitable site for the 3 silver birch already growing on site, and an isolated red chestnut. The triangular piece of grass at the junction of main paths was not really resolved, but a wild cherry is a possibility. The so called woodland area may be appropriate for some of the donated trees to be planted. Mary to contact donors, to confirm if they still wish to donate, and if they want to plant their donated tree—contractor and conditions permitting. The path near the triangle is very boggy at present, and may be best left for the development of a marshy/wet area in the future.
Elizabeth England has agreed to allow the cutting back of some overhanging tree branches along her boundary and the thicket/shrubby area. This is on condition that the tree surgeon uses clean equipment, and does not spread disease to her trees. Phil Bartlett who is to quote for the work, assures us that he always sterilises his chain saw etc.
The contractor is also quoting for raised beds in the seating area to provide planting sites for both the School and the Pre School. These should be ready to plant up in the spring. There is also a further bench required in the seating area.
The apple tree planting is planned to take place on Saturday 29th January, at 10.30am. (weather permitting). Please note attached guidance for tree planting. In order to promote root growth in these trees, a mycrorhizal root growth promoter will be used. This helps make soil nutrients more readily available to plants, and the nutrient status of the orchard soil is not certain. We will also be adding a soil improver.
Roger to contact Monkton Elm nurseries to find if we are eligible for hedge row saplings. Mary to contact Tinknells , heating oil suppliers, to see if we are still on track to receive plants in the spring.
Debbie to ask Marcus if he has sourced a notice board for the site. This will need to be robust.
As the lottery funded part of our project is nearing completion, we are applying for a sustainability grant. This will help to fund the maintenance of the site over the coming years. It is in three parts.
- Equipment we need a reliable mower, as we will get not help from the district council with all the essential grass cutting, due to cutbacks. A ride on mower would get the job done more quickly than a pedestrian one, but these are expensive. Roger is investigating. We will have to provide a considerable sum from our funds for this. We also hope to get some hand tools for use by working parties.
- Training various courses in use safe use of equipment and pesticides would benefit the group, and also orchard management.
- Activities we are hoping to organise some workshops for local children, eg willow weaving, drumming, making sculpture. We should hear a result within 3 weeks of our application being received.
We will be having a launch event to celebrate the initial stages of the project (those funded by Groundworks and the Big Lottery Fund) and to thank all our supporters over the last few years. This will take place in May 2011, and we will be getting help and advice from the Entertainment committee.
Mary H Clarke 14/01/2011