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
21st May 2011 - Opening
A big thank you to everyone involved in our Launch Event on Saturday. All those opening the event, and supporting our activities are warmly appreciated, especially those who helped to get the site in good order before the event. I personally wish to thank Roger who has devoted a lot of his time to basic care and maintenance, over a long period of time, often this work going un noticed.
All those moving stuff in and out, manning bars, providing food and entertaining us throughout the afternoon were appreciated by not just by the committee but all the people participating in the event. In addition I would like to say thanks to all who cleared away so quickly and efficiently, and allowed me to go home and have a cup of tea.!
I hope you will all go on using the meadow , and enjoy it for years to come.
Kind regards, Mary Clarke and all the committee.
Ps, anyone who took any photos, and would like to pass them on for all to see, please send them to me. I will assume you will not mind them going to the Village Website, and also to Les Collett from SSDC ,who was instrumental in helping us to make our initial grant application.
4th May 2010 Meeting Notes
Notes on meeting held on Tuesday 4th May 2010.
Present- Marcus, Debbie, Roger, Mary
The mowing rota has been organised for the next couple of weeks. As the contractors will be on site for several weeks we will make more comprehensive plans later. David is to be away a lot this summer, and will as and when available. As there are areas of long unkempt grasses that need to be controlled, we will purchase a scythe kit—for skilled operatives! Marcus to investigate this. We need to control the grass to make the area more wild flower friendly.
Wessex Water have given us a verbal and email account of the soil sampling and confirm that we can proceed with our plan as outlined. There are some areas where we should limit soil disturbance, and these will be planted with shrubs and small trees and then left to their own devices without our interference. The orchard area will be able to be planted on the proposed site. Debbie and David are to proceed with accessing grants from the County Council to purchase these trees for the autumn.
The WW Estates Manager is to meet us on site on Friday 21st May to see progress and finalise the site plan.
We propose a working party on Sunday 23rd May to cut long grass on orchard and woodland areas. Strimmers would be useful in some areas, so if you have one please let us know.
Following the diesel leak on Monday 19th April, the Environment Agency have been investigating, but have not yet located a source. Fortunatly the rain at the weekend seems to have washed some of it away, and smell is not so strong. We hope that there has not been too much environmental damage.
The contractors will be on site probably until the end of the month. Please obey all instructions, and keep to the public footpath which remains open Children and animals need to be supervised in this area.
For more information, please contact Debbie 241756, Roger 241608 or Mary 240363